College essay coaching
The personal essay is where an application sounds like a person. Our coaches help students find the right story, shape it and cut it to 650 words. They never write or rewrite it: admissions readers want the student's own voice, and colleges expect the work to be the student's.
One-to-one from $25 a class · billed in USD
Online - Common App and supplemental essays
What every programme includes
- ✓ Brainstorming specific moments, not achievements
- ✓ Choosing among the seven Common App prompts
- ✓ Structure and opening lines
- ✓ Cutting to 650 words
- ✓ Supplemental 'why us' and short-answer essays
- ✓ Deadline planning for ED, EA and regular decision
Lesson times in your time zone
Weekdays 3pm-9pm after school · Weekends 8am-8pm, your local time. Pick the slot when you book.
The Common App essay
Students answer one of seven prompts, unchanged for 2026-27, in 250 to 650 words. The prompts cover background or identity, a challenge, questioning a belief, gratitude, personal growth, an engaging idea, or a topic of the student's choice.
Early Decision and Early Action deadlines are usually 1 or 15 November, so the essay should be finished by late October for early applicants.
What weakens essays
Common problems:
- ✓ A list of achievements instead of a story
- ✓ A topic chosen to impress rather than to reveal
- ✓ Opening with a quotation or definition
- ✓ Too much scene-setting and not enough reflection
- ✓ An essay polished by adults until it no longer sounds like the student
Application essays at a glance
| Essay | Typical length |
|---|---|
| Common App personal essay | 250-650 words |
| Supplemental essays | Set by each college, often 50-300 words |
An essay timeline for early applicants
- 1
Summer
Brainstorm and a first draft of the personal essay.
- 2
September
Revise the personal essay; list every supplement.
- 3
October
Supplements for early colleges; final proofread.
- 4
1 or 15 November
Early deadlines; then regular decision supplements.
Tutors for this programme
Stephen Mc Cormack
PGCE Primary(3-11), Cardiff Metropolitan University
15 yrs experience
AP · IB · SAT
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FNFatima Noor
MA English Literature, Kinnaird College, Lahore
7 yrs experience
GCSE English · IELTS · School English
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Abdi Musa
Bachelor of Science in Mathematics, University of Washington Bothell
4 yrs experience
GCSE / A-Level (UK)
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What tutoring costs in the USA
Independent SAT and test-prep tutors in the US
$45-150 an hour
Source: Private Prep: how much SAT tutoring costs, 2026EagleTeach, one-to-one online
From $25 a class
Billed in USD, converted at an approximate rate. Two free demo classes first.
Common questions
How long is the Common App essay?＋
250 to 650 words.
Do you write or edit the essay?＋
No. Coaches ask questions, suggest structure and point out what is unclear; the student writes every word.
When should we start?＋
The summer before senior year is ideal.
Do you help with supplements?＋
Yes, including 'why us' essays and short answers.
Did the prompts change for 2026-27?＋
No, the seven prompts are unchanged.
Do you help international students applying to the US?＋
Yes.
Sources
Facts on this page were checked against these sources on 2026-10-02.
Helpful guides
Related programmes
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