College Essay Coaching with Julia Tell
Your high schooler won’t get into a competitive college with a generic or mediocre essay. Many students struggle to capture their brilliance and uniqueness in words. They may get overlooked despite good grades and other achievements.
I don’t just teach students how to write, but how to think. We work together to highlight their distinct story and critical thinking skills to catch the attention of college admissions departments. Combining dynamic live classes with personal sessions makes essay-writing more fun, successful, and a just a tad easier.
Common App Essay Package: $1,350
Group classes combined with individual attention inspire while providing targeted assistance.
Includes:
- Two 90-minute small group classes
- Four 1/2-hour private individual coaching sessions
Add-on Private Working Sessions: $675
This package provides additional, more intensive help to hone a Common App essay, or to work on the extra essays required by specific colleges
Includes:
- Three 45-minute working sessions
My Approach
In group sessions, we work on inspiration, exploration, and analyzing options. Students see others struggle just as they do, and the lively energy of brainstorming and doing exercises together helps open up their creative process. In private sessions, I work intensively with the student to help them uncover the story they want to tell and craft the most appealing essay.
Generic essays that recount student achievements, use tired sports cliches, or focus too much on a tragedy can turn off college admissions officers who’ve read dozens like this. If the essay is bland, it doesn’t represent the multifaceted, hardworking person who would thrive in the university community. A well-crafted and unique essay helps colleges see how your student will be a great fit on campus.
Writing comes from thinking, so all of my work with students develops stronger critical and analytical thinking skills, along with activating creativity and flexible problem-solving capabilities.
A Word About AI
Though AI isn’t technically allowed for college admission essays, people will use it, making mediocrity more common. Your student will stand out even more if their essay includes original ideas that pique the interest of admissions officers, plus the excellent writing that will impress them with a student’s own voice and intelligence.
Using AI is a bad strategy for college essays. Learning how to communicate better and with their own voice will help your student succeed throughout life. Let’s do that, starting now with the college essay.
What You Get
The personal touch of a coach is a big part of what I offer, but here are some of the more tangible items your student will get:
- Interactive workshops to get the creative juices flowing
- Motivation, deadlines, and accountability
- Feedback on content and writing form
- Expert editing advice
- One final editing pass with comments
- Use Add-on Coaching to work on any college essays
Can I guarantee that your kid will get into their top-choice college? Nope. Nobody can. But I can guarantee that their essay will be better than their first draft. Way better.
About Me
As a professional writer and communications PhD, I approach writing creatively and with a sense of fun. I work to bring joy to the hard work we do to get words onto the page. Connecting with students helps them uncover their talents, but I also give them an honest assessment of where they can improve.
Here’s more of who I am:
- Media & Communications PhD with a published academic book
- Former award-winning filmmaker and college screenwriting professor
- Professional writer for over 10 years for tech, education, construction, and healthcare
- Specialization in writing for and about higher education enrollment
- Bennington College graduate
- Successful K12 reading and writing tutor
- Mom who genuinely enjoys working with young people
You can email me at tutor@juliatell.com or text 718-930-5391 if you’re ready to sign up!