As a school counselor, I am never formulaic in my approach to letters of recommendation. Analogously, as a college consultant, I work individually with students to brainstorm ideas that are aligned with a student's strengths but do not simply repeat the information articulated on the application. We employ metaphor, reel the reader in with a compelling hook, utilize language poetically, and combine longer more intellectual orations with shorter, more powerful messages. I explore the inner world of each student, and we end our essay sessions with a comprehensive outline of the personal statement or any supplemental essays. We do not copy ideas or rehash hackneyed phrases. I work tirelessly to make sure your child's essay stands out from the rest. I received two hand-written cards, one from UPenn and one from Dartmouth, when I applied to college, complimenting me on the extreme power of the words of my essays.
I consider myself an essay expert and ensure that your child will be proud of the final product, as it will be creative, innovative, perfectly grammatical and, of course, exceptionally interesting. Nobody wants to read a boring essay that talks about somebody other than the applicant!
We also look to streamline essays by having several core essays that are carefully adapted for other schools, so we do not need to write about a student's passion for algorithmic problem solving in five different ways. I am not happy until you and your child are happy. And I have many sample essays that I can show (with permission from my past students, of course).
College consulting is critical to success in an ultra-selective process; colleges are meeting their institutional needs, and it is our overriding goal to stand out in a pool of highly qualified applicants.