College Essay FAQs

Keep calm and keep your head above the water.

A vintage drawing of a humanoid mermaid with the upper body of a man and the tail of a fish, swimming in the sea, with the number 24 on the top left and Roman numerals XVII on the top right.

  • No doubt your high school college counselor is one of the most important people on the team when applying to college. However, the average student-to-counselor ratio in US schools is 372:1. When working with me, you will get the personalized attention you need, from brainstorming to final draft, to craft the strongest, most effective essays. An authentic essay does the work of distinguishing your child from thousands of other applicants and creates a strong sense of connection between the writer and the reader.

  • At Elevated College Essays, I believe in empowering every student to reach their fullest potential. The discovery process I use for the essay is designed to provide not just editing but a transformative experience that nurtures growth, self-reflection and confidence. A well-written college essay can give your student a leg-up on the competition, while a poorly-written essay can seriously harm your student’s chances at acceptance.

  • Consider that AI writing has severe limitations. To name a few: it sorely lacks originality, can be easily detected, is clarity-compromised, utilizes a dully repetitive sentence structure, has zero ability to convey emotion, and most importantly—tells us nothing about the writer. Although AI does have many exciting as well as terrifying applications, college essays is not yet one of them.

  • One of the core techniques of the WOW college essay method is finding a clear theme and infusing it with fresh language. The building block of the essay is the freewrite, a tool to bypass the inner critic and access the "wild mind"—a raw, creative state. By keeping your hand moving for a set time, and dropping the compulsion for it to make linear sense, you stop editing, overcome fear, and connect deeply with personal truths. This is precisely what the personal statement calls for.

  • The majority of my consulting is done virtually via Zoom, and I can work with students from anywhere in the world. In-person meetings may be available upon request in the Colorado’s Front Range area.

  • We’ll meet 3–4 times by phone or video to develop your personal statement. Along the way, you’ll have full access to materials and guidance so you can write strong essays in your own voice. A customized package can also cover supplemental and scholarship essays, depending on your needs.

  • We all want our children to succeed; college is critically important. But the truth is, you should give your child space to explore topics and brainstorm on their own. We encourage students to take the lead, since college is a stepping stone to adult life. I advise you to not become too enmeshed or involved in your child’s application essays. You should even step back when it comes to choosing a topic. We help kids find their voices. They finish writing their essays feeling empowered, confident in their own abilities, certain of their words. We keep parents in the loop via email and will always reach out if we have any concerns.

  • I love this advice from Alison Slater Tate, from The Washington Post that perfectly encapsulates a healthy approach to college essay support: Let other people give constructive criticism. It’s best for parents to act as a cheerleader, not a copyeditor. Parents should limit involvement to spotting minor typos while empowering counselors or teachers to provide more substantive edits. This allows the student's unique, genuine voice to shine through without interference.

  • Get a head start. For many students, the essay is the hardest part of the college application process. Don’t wait till September. Senior year is a stressful, exciting time, not necessarily the best environment for students to sit quietly and write about themselves. My best advice is to start early.

  • With a strong transcript, grades, and test scores, the college essay acts as a critical "tie-breaker" or "tipping factor" that showcases your personality, fit, and maturity. While academics get you in the door at your top schools, the essay is essential for proving you are more than just numbers, often distinguishing you from thousands of other equally qualified applicants.

  • Getting started is easy! Your first consultation is free. Contact me at emarglin@gmail.com or click the Contact link on my website. I can't wait to meet you!