As college essay tutors, we read hundreds, if not thousands, of student essays every application season. In the process, we’ve learned a thing or two about how to quickly evaluate an essay for its strengths and weaknesses so that we can help students write the best essay possible. Whether or not you decide to work one-on-one with a college essay coach yourself, we wanted to share these tips on how to bring a rigorous eye to your own work. Reading your essay draft like a college essay tutor can help kick start your process of revision. Before you know it, you'll have friends coming to you for your clear-eyed editorial skills and advice!

You've muddled through the college essay writing process for long enough to know that you'd like some extra support. Whether you're stuck on brainstorming, confused by a particular prompt, struggling with writing and style, or all of the above, you figure it's time to look for help. But the market for college application services can be almost as complicated and stressful as the college application process itself! If choosing a college essay coach feels confusing, we can help. Check out these guidelines on what to look for in an exceptional tutor, and you’ll be well on your way to finding the help you need.

While the college admissions process kicks off for rising seniors in the summer, it's never too early to get started. Over the last few years, you've thought a lot about SAT and ACT scores, GPA, and extracurriculars. But if you're like most students and parents, you haven't paid much attention to college essay writing. Until now! College essays can seem like an afterthought, but they are actually a really important, and we think underrated, factor in getting into a great college. So if you want to get a leg up, here are some things you can do right now to have a head start when application season begins. 

If the very idea of sitting down to start writing a college essay has you stressed, we have some bad news: application essays matter a lot. But, don’t worry, there’s also good news. Writing a great college application essay doesn’t have to be complicated. You don’t need to panic text everyone you know for ideas. You don’t need to take eight online courses. And you definitely don’t need to read sample college essays. You just need some guidelines on how to get going. You may even find that the essay writing experience becomes an exciting way to connect with interesting and unique parts of your life experience.