Ellie Frank
Ellie Frank
College Essay Specialist
Ellie grew up in Washington, D.C. before attending the University of Chicago as a University Scholar and Straetz International Research Scholar. She earned her B.A. in English Literature and Language while also completing the full pre-medicine curriculum. Her six years of experience as an academic coach and private tutor allow her to successfully aid students going through the process of writing admissions essays. Currently, she is finishing her graduate certificate in Biology from Harvard and a certificate in Data Science as an Edie Windsor Coding Scholar. Her interdisciplinary background allows her to support students who are interested in pursuing either the humanities or STEM.
Through sincere feedback and editing, writing exercises and tools, and open and friendly meetings, Ellie helps young people craft expressive and meaningful essays. She understands the pressures high school students face while juggling the college admissions process with coursework and extracurricular activities. She builds individual connections with students and encourages them to find their personal voice so that they may gain confidence in their writing and share their best work with potential colleges.
Beyond her role as an essay specialist, Ellie enjoys puns and reading as many books as she can. She also believes that the em dash—without a doubt—is the best piece of punctuation in the English language.
Essay Specialist Q&A
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As a specialist, I provide students with holistic support that will best set them up for success. Writing college essays is a multifaceted process and so I support students beyond their drafts and edits through clear communication, guidance through the self-reflection college essays require, and individualized essay plans. I treat the students as the young adults they are, providing my expert guidance while letting them lead the way through their writing process. I like to say that I’m like a GPS—they are driving the bus and I’m providing directions to help them get to their destination!
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Brainstorm, brainstorm, brainstorm! Spending time at the start of the process to map out ideas and thoughts will be incredibly helpful later when you’re writing your first draft. Also, don’t be afraid to go a bit off the beaten path—there are no bad ideas! Some of the best essays I’ve read have been about a student’s niche interests or uncommon experiences because they really demonstrated the student’s personality and unique strengths.
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Personality—you want admissions readers to come away from your essay with a good sense of who you are as a person beyond your transcripts and extracurricular activities.
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UC personal insight questions; scholarship essays; Common App personal statements; Ivy League essays (Columbia, Yale, Princeton, Brown); supplemental essays for UW, Harvey Mudd, MIT, Stanford; and (of course) the UChicago Uncommon essay.