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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.
OK. I've convinced you in The College Essay Parts 1 and 2 that sometimes the best way to help your child with the college essay is by keeping your hands off. I've given you the lay of the land--no intro, no conclusion, every word counts and every word in the student's voice is best. What else do you need to know to help your child?
Let's talk about content.
Some parents are eager to highlight all the amazing accomplishments their child has achieved. Rightfully so. The crafting of the college application in its entirety allows you to do this through a variety of delivery systems. The essay is not the place to relist all those impressive elements of the resume. There is an "upload additional documents" area for the resume. All an admissions officer will see when a student rewrites the resume in narrative form is a series of comma listings and accompanying generalities, and they will skim right through unimpressed.
What you and your child want is deep engagement, the reading of every word in every paragraph. A list of resume accomplishments and accolades can't compel that kind of reaction but a specific, example driven essay centered on one topic and delivered with voice can.
Some topics are simply better than others. It's true. Admissions officers see far too many--we're talking tens of thousands of essays--about mission trips, being in the musical, sports teams/championships, and sports injuries--most commonly the torn ACL. This is not to say these experiences aren't formative nor important. There are, in fact, ways to write about these life events in compelling ways. It takes serious crafting, a brand new angle, and it's not easy. It can be done but should it be done is the right question to ask when there is so much life to mine and so many skills, talents, and values to highlight.
Almost every successful essay I've ever seen incorporates those skills, talents, and values seamlessly. Successful essays do so using a structure which includes elements of a student's past, present, and future with heavy emphasis on the present as readers are most interested in who the student is now.
What is their thinking process?
How do they face and overcome challenges?
Are they proactive? If so, what actions do they take?
How do they learn from adversity?
When do they implement new learning and how?
How do they interact with others?
Almost every early draft I've ever seen has far too much detail about the past and secondary characters. Readers don't care. They need to know the writer and how they will fit into a larger campus community.
Will the writer sit in a dorm room playing video games 24/7?
Will the writer cause conflict within the dorm?
Or
Will the writer contribute to the community? In what ways and through what avenues?
More about content with examples in the next post.
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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