College Essay Coach
Andy Majek
What do Admissions Counselors Look For?
Student Voice
Who are you? How have your experiences impacted you? What are your strengths and passions? Your essay should authentically convey your personality and express a sense of self.
Curiosity
Colleges are looking for students who genuinely enjoy learning and think critically about the world. Showcase your ability to take intellectual risks, explore the unknown, investigate modern problems, and challenge assumptions.
Social Responsibility
Colleges are looking for students who are inclusive and will engage with and respect diverse opinions. They want students who demonstrate they can be leaders and contribute to a thriving academic community.
My Process
Writing a personal statement can be overwhelming. What do you write about? Where do you even start? I’m here to help. I’ll use a three step process to discover your strengths and passions and uncover yours stories. Through a highly collaborative process, we'll work together to build your essay from the ground up.
Discovery
Structure
Finalize
This is a deep dive into what makes you...you! Characterized by deep listening and self reflection, we'll engage in various activities to uncover your authentic self.
This step is preferably done in-person but can be done remotely.
Together, we'll dig into the data to uncover themes. This process helps organize information while making insightful connections. We'll then map different essays to see what works. By the end of this step, you will have chosen a topic and outlined the essay. I'll send you off to write.
After you've written a rough draft, I'll edit it. We'll review the edits together and hash out the finer details, paying particular attention to grammar, syntax, and narrative flow. I'll also highlight moments of superb and excellent writing. Editing is an iterative process, so you should expect to write 2-3 drafts.
Activities: 1:1 interviews, mind mapping, value discovery exercise, assorted creative exercises
Activities: storyboarding, outlining, affinity diagraming
Activities: critique, collaborative workshops
Packages
Note all packages include time spent with the student and background work I do behind the scenes to prepare for each session. This time is built into the listed price.
Premium Personal Statement
We’ll go through my entire 3 phase journey. I work 1:1 with the student and provide individualized coaching throughout the process. By the end, the student will have an essay they can be proud of. Assuming we meet at least once a week, this process can take 4-6 weeks.
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$700
Express Personal Statement
This package only includes the "Finalize" step. The student brings a finished draft, and we'll work together to perfect it. This process can take 2-3 weeks depending on how often and how long the student wants to meet.
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$350
Supplemental Essays
Most schools will ask for 2-3 supplemental essays. Sometimes these are harder to write than the normal essay! Every sentence needs to count. Because supplemental essays need to be specifically tailored to the institution, we'll spend time researching the school, pulling out details to reference in your response. Then we'll do an abbreviated version of the writing process.
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For each institution, it's $250 total for up to 3 supplemental essays. If an institution requires more than 3, it is $150 for each additional essay.
A La Carte
Reviewing Finished Essays
I'll read and edit a finished essay, paying particular attention to narrative flow, grammar, and use of language. I'll also evaluate it on the criteria discussed above: student voice, curiosity, and social responsibility. Some essays will need only minor adjustments. Others will need significant rewrites. We'll have a one-time meeting to review feedback. It does not include any additional support or coaching.
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$65
Custom Curated College List
I'll add an additional activity and interview where we'll determine what you want from your college experience. Using this information, I'll create a custom college list that includes safe schools (acceptance rate of 75% or more), target schools (acceptance rate of 25% -75%), and reach schools (below 25% acceptance rate). When selecting colleges, I'll consider various aspects of the college experience such as academics, campus culture, social life, and location.
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$350
FAQ
Does this guarantee admission to college?
No. Colleges consider a host of factors before they admit a student. They consider GPA, course work, standardized test scores, and extracurricular activities. Essays are just one part of the package. However, essays absolutely matter. A good essay can easily turn a maybe into a yes.
What happens if a student cancels an individual session?
There is a no penalty for students cancelling an individual session. This is their senior year, and they have a lot going on! However, this process takes 4-6 weeks, so missing any session will extend that timeline even further.
I decided I don't want to continue this process. How does refunding work?
Each package assumes a certain amount of time with the student. I track hours with the student, including how much time I've spent independently preparing for each session. I will deduct this time from the total and refund the difference at $50/hour.
How can I as the parent be involved?
This is a highly personal process. I push students to think deeply about themselves and their experiences. As this requires honestly and vulnerability, it's paramount that students feel safe. Though I will provide high level updates, I won't discuss details of student work. That being said, I will always encourage students to include you whenever possible.