MY COACHING PROCESS

Through an initial complimentary consultation, we will get to know each other and how far in the college application process you have progressed. I will explain what you can expect from my coaching. If you decide to work with me, I will use encouraging and motivating methods tailored specifically to you. Depending on your work style, I will guide you through all or most of the following processes to ensure that you end up with the perfectly "you" essay.

Big Picture Assessment:

Have you determined where you are applying?

What are the deadlines for your applications?

What essays do you need to write to fulfill the requirements of all the schools to which you are applying? What essay topics may meet the requirements of more than one application? (As a member of "Prompt," a consultant software program, I will submit your list of schools to find out for you.)

Brainstorming:

We will utilize various activities to discover topics that will work for you.

Goal Setting:

We will establish timelines for the steps of the writing process to assure your deadlines are met. We will communicate as frequently as necessary to meet your goals and deadlines!

Steps of the Writing Process for Each Essay:

Assess how you work best, i.e. Do you suffer from writer's block? Are you a procrastinator? What environment will make you productive?
Analyze what the college really is asking in each essay question
Brainstorm each essay topic
"Free write" or "Brain dump," to identify valuable content and then organize essay topic
Develop your first draft - get something down on paper or screen
Revise content, after examining critical questions: Does your first sentence make the reader want to keep going? Is your voice coming through? Are you painting a picture that will help the reviewer know who you are? Have you used anecdotes to portray the real you? Will the reader remember you when finished reading?
Perfect your organization, grammar, punctuation, vocabulary
Edit for flow and transitions, delete redundancies and irrelevancies
Review to make sure you have completely answered the question asked on the application and have not exceeded the word or character limits
Revise again, as necessary (All writers go through multiple drafts!)
Proofread carefully before attaching your essay to your application

Breathe a sigh of relief, park a big smile on your face, and pat yourself on the back!