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Imagine a coach who transforms the writing process into a journey of self-discovery and creative expression.
I turn the daunting college application process into a journey of self-discovery.
We showcase the whole student, intellect and personality.
With insider knowledge and a personal touch, I guide your child to their dream college,
blending strategy with compassion and humor.
What if your child felt more confident and more empowered
in their ability to present their academic story
that application readers immediately
see their value and intellectual curiosity?
What if instead of feeling stressed during the application process,
there was ease?
My research-based instruction works in just this way.
With a rich educational background,
including degrees from Smith College and Harvard University, and experience as a Fulbright Exchange teacher to England,
I bring a wealth of knowledge and
empathy to my coaching.
I help students gr. 9-12
design a cohesive application narrative,
from art school to the Ivy League,
incorporating academic goals,
personal values, and character traits.
Mentored by the former
director of admissions for Cornell,
my research-based process
empowers students,
and teaches how to craft life experiences
into a compelling application
while reducing stress.
I know what admissions readers look for.
No more procrastinating.
No more frustration.
No more pain.
For those who prefer more independence
or have an impending deadline,
I offer editing packages without face to face
or Zoom time.
These are intended to
polish essays before submission.
Fresh eyes.
Harvard, Princeton, Yale
Columbia, UPenn, MIT
Dartmouth, Brown
UK: Cambridge, Trinity
CalTech
Johns Hopkins, Rice
University of Michigan
Georgetown, Swarthmore
Smith, Wellesley
Carleton, Middlebury
Wesleyan, Emory
Tufts, USC, UVA
Macalester, Bucknell
UCONN, Colorado College
University of Florida
Georgia Tech, NYU
UMASS, Brandeis
Boston College, Clark
Boston University
Emerson, Fordham
George Washington, WPI
SUNY Stonybrook
SUNY New Paltz, Tulane
Northeastern, Penn State
Michigan State
Indiana University: Kelley School of Business,
Wheaton, Ole Miss, LSU
U Illinois Chicago
It's not just about getting the application done.
It's about empowerment.
It’s not just about getting the application done.
It's about setting them up for the future they want.
It's about empowering them throughout the college and
graduate school years and career beyond.
Having strong writing skills and an ease in communicating ideas
will give a competitive advantage.
And who doesn't want that?
To hear the rest of my 10 minute talk, go here:
Kristie approaches her students with a wonderful combination of respect, empathy, humor, and honesty. She sets a high bar which her students meet with great enthusiasm.
Truly the mark of a gifted educator.
I was so fortunate to have Kristie guide both of my daughters as they worked to create narratives that allowed them to get noticed. She took the time to learn each one's strengths not only as a student but as an individual. It was such a proud moment when their essays received compliments during
college interviews.
Verna O'Donnell, parent
The Ten Thousand Doors of January
by Alix E. Harrow.
"A gorgeous, aching love letter to stories, storytellers and the doors they lead us through . . ."
If you need to escape, this is the book.
In a sprawling mansion filled with peculiar treasures, January Scaller is a curiosity herself. As the ward of the wealthy Mr. Locke, she feels little different from the artifacts that decorate the halls: carefully maintained, largely ignored, and utterly out of place.
Then she finds a strange book. A book that carries the scent of other worlds, and tells a tale of secret doors, of love, adventure and danger.
Welcome to the beginning of college essay season! If I've learned anything in over 20 years of working with high school seniors on theirs, it's that parents are eager to get this beast done tomorrow while most seniors don't feel the impulse until around the end of September. Thus starts the tension.
For many parents this summer before senior year is the beginning of what feels like a never ending nightmare of college application begging, nagging, secrecy, meltdowns, and approaching deadlines. It doesn't have to be. For many students, their summer focus is on paid work or internships or friends, and their academic mindset needs some time to kick back in, particularly in a year after pandemic schooling. This is normal.
Excellent school counselors and English teachers are experts at the college application process and know how (and when) to get it done quickly. I know because I'm one of them. But even if you and yours aren't lucky enough to benefit from such gems at your child's school, there are certainly proven things you as a parent can do to ease parental/child anxiety and tension around the college essay.
Like what?
For starters, too many cooks in the kitchen spoil the broth. Student anxiety and confusion skyrocket when more than 3 editors start chiming in on their drafts. I know you mean well and you likely went to college yourself and wrote an essay, but that doesn't mean you are the best consultant for your child. I know this feels counterintuitive. You just want to help but hear me out.
By leaving it to the professionals--that English teacher, that school counselor, or a consulting specialist in the college essay, you can enjoy keeping your hands off and rest assured.
Not editing your child's essay is the ultimate act of generosity. Why?
Because even though you think you know how to write an essay, you probably don't read hundreds of college admissions essay.
College essays are not academic essays. They shouldn't even have introductions, gasp! Did you know that?
See?
You also probably don't talk to admissions counselors on a regular basis and unlike the pros, you probably don't intimately know what these prompts are designed to elicit from your child nor the common mistakes and pitfalls students make. We do.
Let us help you reduce anxiety, reduce tension, and enjoy the time you have left with your child before they leave the nest. Fledging, learning to fly solo, this is what you've been hoping for all along.
Intrigued?
Next post: more tips on helping your kid with the college essay by not helping
What we’ll do together
From brainstorming to outlining, from choosing the right structure to multiple drafts that refine, I provide support, expertise, resources, and scheduled accountability.
Clients will:
Complete a series of brainstorming exercises designed to reveal
values, traits, and essential self. This prewriting makes choosing topics far easier and results in more engaging and compelling topics that stand out.
Identify the story to tell that showcases best and highlights authenticity
and genius.
Essay Coaching
1:1
I offer 1:1 consulting tailored to each student's needs in order to ensure that the Common App personal statement, list of activities, additional information, and all supplementals convey the unique attributes, skills, and insights a student offers a campus. We also can address resumes, scholarship, and continued interest or wait-list letters.
How It Works
Packages vary depending upon need and at what stage in the process a client is (what they have drafted or need developed).
Pacing is often determined by a combination of deadlines and student effort.
I offer a range of services from one-off reviews of written work to my most comprehensive service, a developmental, strategic, and longer term partnership.
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