Essay Writing Coach

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am only looking for a coach, but one thing I am sure of: an English teacher is not enough! It has to be someone who knows what colleges are looking for. It’s a genre in and of itself.
I am going through the YouTube videos of someone called The College Essay Guy. I have no idea if he takes clients but he has some good ideas.

This whole discussion is sad to me. It sounds like gaming the system.

Your kid's essay is supposed to be about: your kid. Not "what colleges are looking for." It is also supposed to demonstrate his or her creativity and writing ability.

If only wealthy people embraced a fair playing field and ethics. But no, they spend their days whining about being "unhooked" or Asian. About donut holes and their private schools not allowing their kids to take AP's.

Ycch.

Sigh. Yes, if only wealthy people embraced a fair playing field. If only being unhooked, white or Asian didn’t exclude you and if only being athletic, a minority, or first generation (or someone who claims to be one of those things), didn’t include you. This IS a legit issue for lots of students.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am only looking for a coach, but one thing I am sure of: an English teacher is not enough! It has to be someone who knows what colleges are looking for. It’s a genre in and of itself.
I am going through the YouTube videos of someone called The College Essay Guy. I have no idea if he takes clients but he has some good ideas.

This whole discussion is sad to me. It sounds like gaming the system.

Your kid's essay is supposed to be about: your kid. Not "what colleges are looking for." It is also supposed to demonstrate his or her creativity and writing ability.

If only wealthy people embraced a fair playing field and ethics. But no, they spend their days whining about being "unhooked" or Asian. About donut holes and their private schools not allowing their kids to take AP's.

Ycch.

Sigh. Yes, if only wealthy people embraced a fair playing field. If only being unhooked, white or Asian didn’t exclude you and if only being athletic, a minority, or first generation (or someone who claims to be one of those things), didn’t include you. This IS a legit issue for lots of students. [/quote

Your categories do not exclude me. I am white, not first generation nor is my child an athlete...I just believe in fairness.

Sometimes it is really not all about getting a leg up over others.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I am only looking for a coach, but one thing I am sure of: an English teacher is not enough! It has to be someone who knows what colleges are looking for. It’s a genre in and of itself.
I am going through the YouTube videos of someone called The College Essay Guy. I have no idea if he takes clients but he has some good ideas.

Colleges are “looking for” A chance to get to know your kid outside of their Stats and ECs. There are many many ways to write a great essay but all of those ways share something in common: the kids own authentic voice shines through and it doesn’t feel like it’s polished by some consultant charging big fees. I would argue that many high school English teachers are probably best suited to do this, they have read thousands of essays in their career and know what a real teenager sounds like.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am only looking for a coach, but one thing I am sure of: an English teacher is not enough! It has to be someone who knows what colleges are looking for. It’s a genre in and of itself.
I am going through the YouTube videos of someone called The College Essay Guy. I have no idea if he takes clients but he has some good ideas.

This whole discussion is sad to me. It sounds like gaming the system.

Your kid's essay is supposed to be about: your kid. Not "what colleges are looking for." It is also supposed to demonstrate his or her creativity and writing ability.

If only wealthy people embraced a fair playing field and ethics. But no, they spend their days whining about being "unhooked" or Asian. About donut holes and their private schools not allowing their kids to take AP's.

Ycch.

I think it’s sad too. Another adult proofing it? Fine. Another adult helping you structure it? Brainstorm for ideas? Rewriting whole sentences and paragraphs? Blech. Such a gross toxic system.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am only looking for a coach, but one thing I am sure of: an English teacher is not enough! It has to be someone who knows what colleges are looking for. It’s a genre in and of itself.
I am going through the YouTube videos of someone called The College Essay Guy. I have no idea if he takes clients but he has some good ideas.

This whole discussion is sad to me. It sounds like gaming the system.

Your kid's essay is supposed to be about: your kid. Not "what colleges are looking for." It is also supposed to demonstrate his or her creativity and writing ability.

If only wealthy people embraced a fair playing field and ethics. But no, they spend their days whining about being "unhooked" or Asian. About donut holes and their private schools not allowing their kids to take AP's.

Ycch.

Sigh. Yes, if only wealthy people embraced a fair playing field. If only being unhooked, white or Asian didn’t exclude you and if only being athletic, a minority, or first generation (or someone who claims to be one of those things), didn’t include you. This IS a legit issue for lots of students. [/quote

Your categories do not exclude me. I am white, not first generation nor is my child an athlete...I just believe in fairness.

Sometimes it is really not all about getting a leg up over others.

It’s not my categories. It’s the schools’ if you’re as you state, the system isn’t fair. It’s just the way it is. And if you think it’s only unfair bc of how the wealthy play the game, you’re wrong. The wealthy try to game the system (as you think) because it’s unfair…their actions aren’t what makes it unfair.

[Anonymous]

Search on Wyzant - there are quite a few very experienced in just this. Read the reviews. That's how we found ours and he has been amazing. He does not write a thing but does very detailed pulling out of the kid the best way to state something and idea generation. For common app essay, our kid used 3-4 hours (he came in w/ a draft) and what came out the other side was authentic and more crisp. Kid is also now using same person for ED suppl. essay

There are a variety of prices on wyzant - from $150/hr to $700++

Key is to read all of the reviews and find your good fit/match based on those.

Was far superior to our school essay reader, Very good investment of $

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Search on Wyzant - there are quite a few very experienced in just this. Read the reviews. That's how we found ours and he has been amazing. He does not write a thing but does very detailed pulling out of the kid the best way to state something and idea generation. For common app essay, our kid used 3-4 hours (he came in w/ a draft) and what came out the other side was authentic and more crisp. Kid is also now using same person for ED suppl. essay

There are a variety of prices on wyzant - from $150/hr to $700++

Key is to read all of the reviews and find your good fit/match based on those.

Was far superior to our school essay reader, Very good investment of $

Hi, Would you be willing to share the name? Much appreciated. Thank you

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am only looking for a coach, but one thing I am sure of: an English teacher is not enough! It has to be someone who knows what colleges are looking for. It’s a genre in and of itself.
I am going through the YouTube videos of someone called The College Essay Guy. I have no idea if he takes clients but he has some good ideas.

This whole discussion is sad to me. It sounds like gaming the system.

Your kid's essay is supposed to be about: your kid. Not "what colleges are looking for." It is also supposed to demonstrate his or her creativity and writing ability.

If only wealthy people embraced a fair playing field and ethics. But no, they spend their days whining about being "unhooked" or Asian. About donut holes and their private schools not allowing their kids to take AP's.

Ycch.

Yes, it's a bit unfair. But if you can afford it, why would you not get essay help or college counselor? Just like I got my one kid intensive tutoring when they struggled with dyslexia and processing issues. Once that was under control, I even got them other tutors as needed in HS and first year of college. As long as the hired help is not actually doing the work for my kid, why wouldn't I use the resources I can get? There will always be someone who has more than me, doing more for their kids.
However, I only hire a college counselor who works with my kid, not "does it all for my kid". My kid wrote their essays. But they brainstormed with the Counselor and they edited with them as well. Those essays are still my kid's work.

My way of evening the playing field is to give back to the community and be a mentor/tutor in our school system.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Use the College Essay Guy (on Youtube) and then see if your child's high school has a writing center. (IF you can't fork out the $ for a tutor - and that's okay!)

NP. Our DC's high school had a pretty strong college counseling bent, and students were welcome to spend their lunch periods or study halls in the "college center." They were encouraged to spend that time working on applications and essays, and the counselor who specialized in the college application process would discuss essays if they wanted. I realize that not all high schools have this much help available, but unless you ask, you might not know that your kid's HS has counselors who would look at essays if asked.

Our HS has ~600 seniors yearly. There is 1 college counselor. Each guidance counselor has ~500 students. So really the school is not much help at all. (Great public school, one of the best in my area). Basically the school is useless other than the very basic searches. They don't have time to do anything else

[Anonymous]

Bumping this up.

Looking for some essay coach names here….

[Anonymous]

penonpaperlearning.com

Advertises in various listserves I belong to.

[Anonymous]

Anyone have personal exp with anyone?

[Anonymous]

We did go thru a company last time for my older child, Potomac Oak Tutoring - College Counseling https://potomacadmissions.com/services/. We needed structure around essays, dates, which essays might be reused as well as essay writing coach and 2nd opinion on college list itself so we purchased the traditional package but there was also a la carte option with minimal required hours (maybe 10). I was happy with the service.

The second time around we know a lot more, our kid goes to a different school that does a lot more around the college process and they our kid is fairly organized so we only needed essays. I was really on the fence about getting an outside resource but in the end felt we couldn’t wait until school started back plus it was an unknown quantity of how effective it would be starting from scratch for so many essays only having school resources to help. So we are using different one person company that just does essays and time will tell if it works out. So far though, kid is on track to have main essay and 2-3 supplementals done by the time school starts.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I am only looking for a coach, but one thing I am sure of: an English teacher is not enough! It has to be someone who knows what colleges are looking for. It’s a genre in and of itself.
I am going through the YouTube videos of someone called The College Essay Guy. I have no idea if he takes clients but he has some good ideas.

$4000+

[Anonymous]

My daughter, who had real procrastination issues, worked with Shane Dubow. He was able to keep her on task and guide her but never did the work for her. The essays were in her own voice and writing ability. He also gives the parent updates after each session, which was great. I highly recommend working with Shane!

https://www.shanedubow.com/