“My English teacher at school helped me with my essay. I want a second set of eyes on it. What’s the difference in what you do from her?” asked a potential client.
The answer: Your high school English teacher is likely a very talented writer and writing coach. The difference in what you get at LEAP is the lens with which we view your essay. At LEAP we specialize in the whole college-bound journey. We visit half a dozen to a dozen colleges each year and interact with the colleges weekly on the behalf of students throughout the year.
During these interactions, we pick the brains of college senior admissions staff at a wide variety of universities on their application review process. This includes for which students the essay matters most, what they hope to gain from reading student personal statements and their favorite essays of the past year.
Additionally, as educational consultants, we get access to the senior admissions staff, not the students working in the front office or junior staff. It’s rare families get interaction with these individuals. Admissions office leadership drives what matters for each school’s admission process; and yes, it varies by school and changes over time depending on who holds the office. It’s unlikely your English teacher has the time to get that depth of college interaction. What we hear changes how we coach college-bound students.
While starting your Common App Personal Statement and other college application essays in English class may be a good start, and certainly helpful on the organization and mechanics of an essay, it should not be your stopping point. Independent college coaches, like those at LEAP, will help you find our voice and stand out from the large pool of applicants. Check out LEAP’s group and customized solutions.