College Essay Coaching
So standardized testing is all wrapped up and your student is looking forward to their next big shift: the college application essay. The idea of summarizing your entire self in 250 to 650 words can be daunting. What’s the best story to tell? Is the moment too big or too small?
Our college essay program offerings are meant to help students find that core narrative – the one that gets them elevated from the application pile. We start first by brainstorming the Personal Statement, covering sensory writing and the proper story arc. From there, we’ll guide your student through researching and developing the shorter supplemental essays like the fundamental “Why our College/University?” to those out-of-the-box topics like “Where in the World is Waldo?”
Our tutors are skilled in grammar and structure, using their prowess to not only Analyze students’ essays but provide Feedback with instruction on the core rules behind punctuation, transitions, and sensory writing. At the end of our program, students will leave with a folder full of drafts and polished essays for those EA, ED, or RD deadlines.
The Top Score College Essay Coaching Programs & Process
College Essay Essentials Program
The Essentials Program [Personal Statement Essay + Why Us]
- 3 lesson package (8 hours total)
- 5 hours of 1-on-1 in-class instruction
- 3 hours tutor analysis & feedback outside of the sessions.
Student Deliverables
- Polished Personal Statement
- “Why Us” formula and sample draft
College Essay Extended Program
The Extended Program [Personal Statement Essay + Why Us + Supplemental Essays for Five Schools]
- 6 lesson package (16 hours total)
- 10 hours in-class 1-on-1 instruction
- 6 hours of tutor analysis & feedback outside of the sessions
Student Deliverables
- Polished Personal Statement
- “Why Us” formula and sample draft
- 5 school supplementary essay sets (this means they will do all the supplementary essays for 5 schools of student/family’s choice)
- Organization and tracking of their 5 schools and all their supplements. Blueprint for student to complete the rest of their essays for schools not in that top 5.
- Access to their Top Score Essay Tracker for keeping to deadlines and adding schools beyond the top 5.
College Essay Methodology & Deliverables
We start by brainstorming and strategizing using three proven activities to get student creativity flowing and lay the foundation for a unique Personal Statement. One such activity is the I Am A ______. Students fill out the sentence I Am A four times. They then have to summarize three stories/moments that explain why they fit that word. This exercise provides us with 12 unique possible essay arcs to discuss and shape.
Multiple Personal Statement drafts are revised and provided tutor feedback throughout the Extended and Essentials Programs. Additionally, for both Extended and Essentials, we teach students how to research and draft a “Why Us?” sample draft that can be used for the school of their choice.
All students finish both of our programs with a polished Personal Statement and a “Why Us” formula and sample draft.