Essay Consulting
Our Students
Up to 7x higher admit
rates to Ivy League and
top-15 colleges
Admitted to
top 25 universities
for those who applied
Admitted to
top 100 universities
OUR EXPERT ESSAY SPECIALISTS ARE HERE TO HELP!
We know applications can be intimidating. Whether you are applying to colleges, high schools, summer programs or scholarships, the pressure of writing the perfect personal statement can be overwhelming.
What should I write about?
How do I stand out among so many competitive applicants?
How can I make my essays memorable?
How personal should my statement really be?
Take the mystery out of personal statements with guidance and support from our experienced Essay Specialists.
Get Started
FeatureS
Essay Development and Editing from ILUMIN Essay Specialists
Our Essay Specialists are trained by a team of former admissions counselors, experienced education consultants, and alumni interviewers. Working with students from varying academic profiles, writing styles, and interests over the years has enabled our Specialists to evaluate and guide you to differentiate your personal statements from the crowd. Together, our team of Essay Specialists boasts 30+ years of combined experience supporting successful applicants to top universities nationwide.
Access to ILUMIN’s College Essay Bootcamp
Our online Bootcamp, created by ILUMIN Education Consultants and Essay Specialists, provides the kickstart you need to understand what colleges are looking for and how to approach some of the most popular essays, including the four UC Personal Insight Questions and the main personal statement for the Common Application. Watch our 30 short instructional videos and access over 40 samples and worksheets to find insights into how your essays are evaluated by colleges. You can reference these materials on our online platform at any time, as often as you’d like.
Improved Admissions Results
Our consultants know what admissions officers are looking for, and our results prove it. 90% of ILUMIN students gain admission to a Top 50 college, and ILUMIN students are admitted to Top 15 universities at more than double the national acceptance rate. While academic and extracurricular accomplishments are important, our team knows your essays bring your resume to life. In personalizing your application to fit each college, our Essay Specialists will encourage you to be honest, vulnerable, creative and detail-oriented. Why should colleges pick you over thousands of equally qualified applicants? Let your essays make the case.
Frequently Asked Questions
+ How does this process work?
As soon as you sign up, you will be paired with one of our expert Essay Specialists. You can contact your Essay Specialist anytime you need help with your college essays.
Our Essay Specialists will help you with everything from brainstorming to outlining to drafting and editing, and advise you on how to approach different types and styles of college essays. From UC Personal Insight Questions to the main Common App personal statement to supplemental essays and activity resumes, Essay Specialists will guide you to make the best case for admission to colleges of your dreams.
The best part? Hourly Essay Consulting is flexible. You choose how to use your hours -- you can meet your Essay Specialist to discuss ideas, send documents for their feedback, and get help proofreading before you submit your applications.
You can sign up for an introductory consultation here to find out more about the process.
+ What's included in the Essay Bootcamp?
We will give you access to our Google Classroom full of videos, instructional guides, worksheets, brainstorming exercises and sample essays that will help you get a head start on your UC Personal Insight Questions and the main Common App personal statement required by hundreds of colleges. Walking through the bootcamp before you meet your Specialist can help you maximize your time together!
+ How many essays will the Essay Specialist help me with? Is there a limit?
Our Essay Specialists will help you with as many college essays as you would like; there is no limit. You can manage your hours and request feedback as needed, which means you can decide which essays to work on with your Essay Specialist and how much time to spend on each one. Of course, your Essay Specialist will give you advice and ideas along the way -- if they think you’re not spending enough time on a certain essay, or if your essay is not quite the right fit for the college, they will let you know.
+ How often will I meet the Essay Specialist?
That is up to you! You can request online meetings whenever you’d like to discuss your essays. If you’d prefer, you may simply email your Specialist to request feedback on a draft without a meeting.
+ How many hours will I need?
It is difficult to predict how many hours you will need. It depends on which essays you need help with and where you are in the process. Some students have utilized their time with our Essay Specialists for minor edits and proofreads on a dozen essays, while others have chosen to spend all their time on a select few essays that are important to them.
To help you estimate, we have noticed students spending anywhere from 2-4 hours with our Essay Specialists per UC essay (350 words each) and 4-6 hours for the main Common App personal statement (650 words).
If you would like advice on how many hours to purchase, [please set up an introductory appointment with our Associate Consulting Director.
+ Will I meet with the same Essay Specialist every time?
Yes! You will be assigned to an Essay Specialist you can reach out to directly whenever you need help.
+ Will the Essay Specialist provide me with advice on where and how to apply to college?
Our Essay Specialists only provide advice on essays and other written application components, such as resumes. They do not advise students on school/program selection, major selection, or college application forms.
If you would like assistance with your applications, please request a free consultation with one of ILUMIN’s experienced Education Consultants.
+ Will the Essay Specialist make sure I complete and turn in my applications on time?
Your Essay Specialist will make recommendations about how to improve your drafts and suggest a timeline for completing revisions. However, Specialists are not responsible for making sure you turn in complete applications on time. You will ultimately be responsible for managing your application timeline and materials.
If you would like help with your applications in addition to your essays, please consider signing up for Admissions Consulting with one of our Education Consultants.
+ What is the advantage of having access to the College Essay Bootcamp materials?
The course provides students with an overview and jumpstart for the UC Personal Insight Questions and the main Common App personal statement. With the added guidance and resources of the Bootcamp, you will not need to spend your Essay Consulting hours on these essays. This will free up time with your Essay Specialist to work on supplemental essays of your choice.
+ Can I purchase more hours later on?
Yes! We will do everything we can to accommodate your needs. However, since our Essay Specialists’ caseloads tend to fill up quickly, the ability to purchase additional hours will depend on availability and cannot be guaranteed. Please contact the Associate Consulting Director for more details.
+ Do I have to work on specific essays with my Essay Specialist, like the UC essays?
ILUMIN’s Essay Specialists will help you with any application essays of your choice. You do not even need to select specific essays to work on from start-to-finish with your Specialist; instead, you can request feedback on any essay at any point in the process.
More questions?
Schedule a call with our team
Check out what our students have to say about ILUMIN!
I would absolutely recommend Ilumin's essay consultation! Without Ilumin's essay consulting, I would not have been able to not only understand what college essays are about, but also feel satisfied with the essays that I have written. I've learned a lot of valuable information that has helped me feel more prepared about the college application process, and Ilumin's one-on-one consulting allowed my consultant to help me refine personal details in my essay. Ilumin definitely eased the nervousness of the daunting college essays prior to senior year, and I would not have been able to get this far without them. Thank you, Ilumin!
- Hannah K.
I found the brainstorming sessions with my counselor extremely useful and productive, and with Ilumin’s help, I was able to write essays that I was genuinely proud of. What I appreciated most about this experience was the attention to detail that my counselor put into my essays. At times, the countless scrapping of ideas, restarting essays, and revisions seemed meticulous to me. Every time he asked to do another revision, I kept thinking “how are we still not done??” However looking back, I know that this process was necessary and I’m insanely grateful for ILUMIN’s commitment to making my essays the best they could possibly be.
- Nicole G.
While writing my essays, my consultant focused on helping me tell my story in a personable way to stand out to colleges. We frequently had calls to flesh out ideas and talk through feedback, even during the holidays, until I was finally able to dig deep and show my authentic self. I especially appreciate his dedication, patience, and attention to detail. Whenever I had a question, he was just a text away. He got back to me super fast and sent me reminders whenever I fell behind on my tasks to complete.
I consider myself very lucky to have worked with my consultant and the Ilumin team and highly recommend them to anyone in need of a college consultant!
- Angela L.
Additional Questions?
Email essays@ilumineducation.com