The essay is where your student’s voice comes through.
Grades and scores show how a student performed. Essays reveal who they are. We help students turn meaningful reflection into essays that are unmistakably their own.
One-on-one support
Strategic storytelling
20+ years guiding students
Why Essays Matter Now
Essays matter more than ever. So does writing them authentically.
We help your student write essays that are reflective, specific, and unmistakably human.
Through reflection and expert guidance, we help students uncover the experiences, values, and insights that make their stories worth telling.
The strongest essays help admissions officers understand the person behind the application. We help your student find the stories that matter most and communicate them in a way admissions officers will remember.
What We Do Together
From a blank page to an essay only your student could have written.
Every student works one-on-one with a Top Tier Admissions Counselor through the full arc of the essay process. Here’s how that work unfolds:
Discovery
Pillar 1
We begin by uncovering the experiences, interests, questions, and moments that genuinely define your student. The strongest essays often emerge from stories students initially overlook – the experiences that feel ordinary to them but reveal something meaningful about who they are.
Finding the Throughline
Pillar 2
Before the writing begins, we step back and consider the bigger picture. What themes, values, and qualities should admissions officers come away understanding? Every essay should contribute to a deeper understanding of the student behind the application.
The Messy Middle
Pillar 3
This is where most essays truly take shape, the space between a promising idea and a finished draft. We guide your student through it, helping them work through revisions, strengthen their thinking, and keep moving when the writing feels hard.
Authentic Voice and Final Polish
Pillar 4
We help students sharpen their writing while preserving what matters most: their voice. The final result is clearer, stronger, and more compelling writing.
Inside the program.
The Essay Guidance Program is a focused, fixed-scope engagement. Here’s what your student receives:
One-on-One Essay Coaching
Your student works directly with an experienced Top Tier Admissions counselor who serves as a coach, mentor, and guide throughout the writing process. Together, they’ll brainstorm ideas, review drafts, and navigate revisions.
Personalized Feedback and Accountability
Students receive candid, actionable feedback designed to strengthen their thinking, sharpen their writing, and maintain an authentic voice. We also help students stay on track, work through writer’s block, and build momentum throughout the process.
An Authentic Voice
In a world where polished writing is easy to generate, authenticity has never mattered more. We help students write with honesty, reflection, and confidence, while ensuring every essay still sounds unmistakably like them.
Flexible, Student-Centered Support
Whether your student is starting from a blank page or revising a nearly finished draft, we meet them where they are. Hours can be used flexibly for brainstorming, consultations, written feedback, and draft review, with written summaries provided after each meeting.
Program Details
- Includes a complimentary 20-minute introductory consultation.
- Packages may be used for college, independent school, or boarding school application essays.
- Counselors work with students worldwide, combining live sessions by phone or Zoom with asynchronous review of essay drafts.
9x
the national Ivy+ admit rate
$6M+
in merit scholarships earned
90%
admitted to a top-two choice
20+
years guiding families
Results reflect Top Tier Admissions’ Class of 2030 outcomes.
2025 Ivy+ Acceptance Rates: Top Tier Admissions vs National
Class of 2030 acceptances include
- Harvard
- Stanford
- MIT
- Yale
- Princeton
- Columbia
- Duke
- Dartmouth
- Brown
- Penn
Class of 2030 acceptances include
Your student works with an experienced Top Tier Admissions Counselor backed by a team that includes former admissions officers and education experts. Together, they bring a deep understanding of how selective colleges evaluate applicants, and that perspective informs every conversation, every draft, and every piece of strategic advice.
Choose Your Level of Guidance
Essay support, tailored to your student.
Essay Guidance is offered in flexible packages designed to match the scope of your student’s application process, whether they are focusing on a handful of essays or applying to a more extensive list of schools. For students who would also benefit from Common App support, Essay Guidance can be combined with our Common App Intensive at preferred pricing.
Essay Guidance
5 Hours
Essay Guidance
10 Hours
Essay Guidance
15 Hours
Essay Guidance
BUNDLE
Essay Guidance + Common App Intensive
5 Hours
Bundle
Essay Guidance +
Common App Intensive (+2 hours)
SAVE $200
10 Hours
Bundle
Essay Guidance +
Common App Intensive (+2 hours)
SAVE $800
15 Hours
Bundle
Essay Guidance +
Common App Intensive (+2 hours)
SAVE $1,200
Available in flexible 5-, 10-, and 15-hour packages to match your student’s needs.
Common Questions
The answers, honestly.
Still have questions? A quick conversation is often the fastest way to find the clarity you need.
Do your counselors write or rewrite my student’s essays?
No. Our role is to coach, guide, and challenge students throughout the writing process, not to write essays for them. Through careful questioning, brainstorming, feedback, and revision, we help students uncover their strongest ideas and express them with confidence. Every essay remains the student’s own work and reflects the authentic voice admissions officers are hoping to hear.
How is this different from the support available at school?
School counselors and teachers play an important role in the college process, and many provide valuable guidance and feedback. Our role is different. Your student works one-on-one with an experienced counselor who has the time to get to know them deeply and guide them through every stage of the essay process. Beyond strengthening the writing itself, we help students understand what admissions readers are hoping to learn through each essay and how every piece fits within the broader application. The result is writing that is authentic, compelling, and tied to the larger story your student is telling.
Does the program cover supplemental essays, not just the personal statement?
Yes. Essay Guidance hours can be used for both the personal statement and supplemental essays. The extent of supplemental essay support will depend on the number of hours purchased, your student’s writing pace and needs, and the scope of their school list.
How many hours do we need?
The right package depends on several factors, including the number of schools your student is applying to, the number of supplemental essays required, and where they are in the writing process. As a general guideline, the 5-hour package is often sufficient for students focused primarily on the Common App personal statement and 1-2 supplements, while the 10- and 15-hour packages are typically a better fit for students applying to multiple schools with a larger number of supplemental essays. We are always happy to discuss your student’s goals and recommend the level of support that makes the most sense for your family.
Families who would also like support with the Common App itself often find our bundled option provides the most comprehensive experience.
When should my student start?
There is no single right time to begin. Some students start in the summer, while others come to us later in the application cycle. Wherever your student is in the process, we’ll help them make thoughtful, productive use of the time they have.
