Real College Essays

Make your college application stand out from the rest.

Are you stressed out by the idea of writing a college admission essay?

Real College Essays can help. We’ve come up with an approach that demystifies the essay writing process and allows you to put your best foot forward when you apply to college.

At Real College Essays, we have a proven track record of helping our clients gain admission to their dream colleges by focusing on this underestimated part of the application.

Our approach to college application help and essay writing consulting is simple, but it goes against the other advice you’ll hear. Before you do anything else, we recommend you read Our Philosophy and see if it resonates with you.

All the tutors at Real College Essays are published authors with PhDs from top institutions, who have 10+ years’ experience helping students write college admissions essays.

- Ben Urwand, MA (University of Chicago), PhD (UC Berkeley), Harvard Society of Fellows

 

Many students fall into the trap of thinking there’s a formula for writing an application essay. This is understandable because if you do a quick internet search, you’ll find countless articles telling you what to say to be admitted to your dream school.

But the college essay can’t be hacked. If you spend your time trying to work out what admissions officers want to hear, you’ll end up writing an essay they’ve seen a thousand times before — and that isn’t going to help your application.

We believe the only way to distinguish yourself is to write something real. You need to come up with a narrative that feels true to your actual experience, and then put your thoughts into language that’s clear and direct. That’s easier said than done, but a college essay consultant who treats you seriously and with respect can help you get there.

For a detailed description of our philosophy and approach to college essay consulting, please click here.

Real College Essays | College Application Help & Essay Writing Consulting

In addition to helping college applicants with their admission essays, we help applicants to all graduate schools. So if you’re applying to law school, medical school, or business school, Real College Essays can make a difference. Our experts will work closely with you to uncover the most engaging and authentic stories from your life experiences. We'll help you articulate these narratives so your essays captivate the reader while showcasing your unique voice and personality. Real College Essays is pleased to offer college essay writing help online. All of our sessions take place over Zoom.

Our Services

Testimonials

Testimonials

“If you’re struggling with a tight deadline and getting your ideas down on paper, book a session with Ben. He knows just the right questions to ask and has an amazing technique for getting your essays done as fast and as well as possible. He is a superb writer and a very kind hearted mentor that puts his heart and soul into helping students. With his help, I was able to finish my UC PIQ’s in just a couple of days and he even gave me the confidence to apply to higher ranking schools. I am extremely grateful for Ben and his ability to bring out the best in me as I navigated my UC applications.”

-Katherine H.

“Ben is highly skilled in bringing out the best in the students he works with. He is masterful at providing guidance for students to effortlessly create unique, eloquent essays in their own voice from their own ideas in the most time efficient manner. We tried multiple avenues for college essay support and most of it was not very effective before finding Ben. There was never a close second. I do not usually write reviews but when someone’s work is extraordinary they deserve to be recognized. I appreciate people who take their craft seriously. Their results are measurable. That is the kind of tutor you will have if you choose to work with Ben.”

-Trish E.

I could not recommend Ben enough! I came to him lost about what to write for my college essays. He was kind in helping me organize my thoughts and figure out what to write. You can tell he genuinely cares for his students, and wants them to succeed. Ben took the approach of helping me incorporate details about myself that set me apart, and this mindset resulted in a very successful essay. I felt proud turning in my essay to schools, and I got into my top choice which was USC!

-Gabrielle G.

“Thank goodness for Ben! While working on her college essays, our daughter had so much to say but was having a difficult time organizing her thoughts. Ben brought a smart approach that lowered her anxiety level and allowed her to express herself stress free. She connected with him on a level that made her feel comfortable and at ease with the overall process of her college applications. She actually began looking forward to their meetings together and digging in to the process. Working with Ben made her overall writing improve, her confidence level rise, and she became more secure with her decisions. I would definitely recommend Ben Urwand for any assistance or guidance to help through what could be a very stressful and crucial time of your child’s life.”

-Ravit B.

“When I started tutoring with Ben, not only did I need help with the grammar part of my writing, I had no clue where to start when writing my personal statement. Ben was invaluable in both helping me find out where to start, structuring my essay, making it work grammatically, and keeping it authentic. Throughout the process, Ben always found a good balance where he critiqued my essay but also took my opinion on my writing. Especially for someone like me who was never taught how to write personal essays in high school, his tutoring was unbelievably helpful.”

-David B.

“Ben was an incredible, caring, and understanding tutor who helped me truly express myself in my essay. I came to Ben without an essay two weeks before the deadline and with his help was able to complete an awesome essay. His kind and calm attitude toward the essay helped me during a very stressful time and helped me get it done last minute. Ben helped me get into the college I wanted to and I am so grateful!”

-Aidan T.