It’s important to me to build a solid relationship with students by getting to know and understand their strengths, weaknesses, interests, and goals, all the while building a rapport based on trust and mutual respect. It’s important to me that a student feels safe sharing their stories without feeling judged or scrutinized, because part of my process and role is to encourage students to reflect on their personal experiences, values, and goals to inform their essay topics. I aim to be a great source of support for every one of my students, so that they feel empowered with constructive guidance to improve their essays and to have confidence in submitting their final draft.

The most important and running piece of guidance I consistently offer to students is to focus on your unique story. The personal statement is the only opportunity to share your unique perspective, experiences, and personality with the admissions committee. You don’t have to be different and alternative, but you have to be authentic to yourself, as of right now. Do it by using concrete examples and anecdotes to illustrate your points. This will help bring your essay to life and make it more memorable.

A successful college essay must straddle the line, adhering to the customary rules of writing while showcasing interesting prose.

I have worked on dozens of UC PIQs and Common App personal statements, as well as supplements for top colleges like NYU, USC, CMU, UW, Northwestern, UIUC and BU. My favorite essays to work on are on the quirkier side, like University of Chicago’s creative essay and USC’s limited character short answers.