UNRIVALED EXPERTISE
We symbolize nothing less than unqualified success in the application process. We possess keen insights into college admissions, know what admissions officers look for, and have a wealth of knowledge and experience to help each of our students create beautifully crafted narratives that effectively showcase their backgrounds. In short, we assist our amazing students shine and stand out from the rest of the application pool. Over the past decade, we’ve garnered international acclaim for our work helping thousands of students compose spectacular and impactful essays that have helped them gain acceptance to top-tier universities.
We look forward to helping you create an unforgettable essay!
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Dennis Vidach
Founder, CEO & Chief Advisor
INSIDER KNOWLEDGE, EXCEPTIONAL RESULTS
We’ve helped students gain admission to some of the most selective and preeminent colleges and universities in the country. This past admissions cycle was a banner period, with a full 100% of our students accepted to one of their top six choices, and 94% accepted to one of their top three schools. While we can’t take full credit as we work with some very impressive students, all have told us that they felt the quality of the essays made a significant impact in their admissions success. The institutions where our students received acceptance letters include the following:
TESTIMONIALS
Providing exceptional service is always our #1 priority, and we're honored and humbled by the wonderful and heart-warming testimonials we receive from our clients.
I don't just like this, I love this!!! This is spectacular. I absolutely can see your vision now. I don't quite know how you managed this. It is written so well, and the content is on point. Thank you so much for your help!
New York City
I couldn’t wait to tell you how excited I got when I saw my son’s new personal statement. Are you a magician or what? I can’t believe I felt “wow” before I even finished reading it!
San Francisco, California
I am blown away. The essays are remarkable! You absolutely maintained my intended voice and meaning all throughout. Really, I can’t tell you how happy I am. Thank you for your phenomenal help!
Los Angeles, California
The essay is better than I would have ever envisioned. I couldn’t be more pleased. Thank you! You’re a life saver!!
Beijing, China
ESSAY ESSENTIALS
In the incredibly competitive college admissions process, having a stellar and memorable essay that sets you apart is absolutely essential.
You really have to “wow” the admissions committee. Give them compelling reasons why they should admit you.
You really have to “wow” the admissions committee. Give them compelling reasons why they should admit you.
The message conveyed in the essay must be clear, forceful, and riveting.
The message conveyed in the essay must be clear, forceful, and riveting.
Sentence structure, grammar, and vocabulary must be impeccable.
Sentence structure, grammar, and vocabulary must be impeccable.
Don’t just present yourself as a strong candidate, present yourself as an extraordinary one!
Don’t just present yourself as a strong candidate, present yourself as an extraordinary one!
OUR PHILOSOPHY:
YOU ARE THE STAR
While we have many years of expertise and a deep understanding of the nuances of college admissions, you will always be the star of the show. We provide guidance, insights, and we do everything we can to help you create the best possible college essay for your unique background, but your views and opinions are the most important part of the process. We will value collaboration above all else when working with you, and a spirit of teamwork and partnership will inform our time together. In the end, you will be the one submitting the application, and we want you to be fully and completely satisfied that the narrative is expressed in your own words and conveys exactly what you want to say about yourself. We will always respect the direction that you choose to pursue – you know yourself better than anyone else in the entire world – so we will never approach things with an iron first and say it must be done our way. You're the star!
OUR STRATEGY:
KNOW YOUR AUDIENCE
Up until this point in your academic career, the audience for your essays has been your teacher (or professor), and the goal of each essay has been to earn a top grade. When approaching the college essay, your mindset must be entirely different. The audience is no longer an instructor, but an anonymous person in an admissions office somewhere far away who has never met you and doesn’t know you. And the objective of the essay is no longer to earn an "A" (although the quality of the writing needs to be impeccable), but to captivate and impress the reader. Once they are done reading the essay, you want them to come away with an all-encompassing feeling that you are the most amazing person in the world! Our extensive insights and our understanding of the mind of admission officers – how they think, how they approach college essays, what they look for in candidates – allows us to provide you with the absolute best world-class coaching and guidance. We can help you become the candidate that the admissions office will fawn over.
THE IMPORTANCE OF THE ESSAY
This video from the admissions office at Stanford University provides a vivid example of exactly how important the essay truly is. In the video, an admissions officer evaluates an especially impressive candidate who has an exceptional background, but whose offer of admission ultimately hinges on the quality and content of his essay.
The college admissions essay is of paramount importance in the application process and plays a pivotal role in shaping admissions decisions. The essay allows you to communicate your individuality and offer admissions committees a deeper, more personal understanding of who you are. It’s also an opportunity to stand out and distinguish yourself from the vast pool of candidates and make a compelling case for why you are an ideal fit for the university. By showcasing your unique background, you provide admissions officers with insights into your potential as a future student.
LET'S CREATE THE PERFECT COLLEGE ESSAY TOGETHER
Colleges strive to curate a world-class community, and they read thousands of applications every year. Applicants often blend together, however. Most have excellent grades, solid test scores, and are well-rounded – this is now the norm – and so the essay has become especially critical. Having an impressive essay is essential in order to stand out from the crowd. It must be unique, and it must be memorable. Simply being very strong is not enough.
We firmly believe that everyone has a great story deep inside. Our job, and one of our core strengths, is helping you reveal that story and showcase your accomplishments and achievements to the admissions committee. We want to show them how wonderful, impressive, and talented you really are. We bring passion, dedication, and commitment to helping you find success in the admissions process. Working together, we will greatly increase your chances of being admitted to the college of your choice.
AFFILIATIONS
Through our memberships and active leadership participation in industry associations, we are able to stay up to date on the latest trends and developments in the world of college admissions. Our memberships provide us with valuable insights, enabling us to remain at the forefront of this dynamic field and consistently offer you exceptional service. You can be confident knowing that our dedication to staying informed empowers us to navigate the ever-evolving landscape of college admissions with unparalleled expertise.
FEATURED IN THE PRESS: CELEBRATING RECOGNITION AND EXCELLENCE
Our commitment to transforming students' college admissions experiences regularly garners attention from notable news outlets. These feature stories not only recognize our efforts in the education sector but also underscore the impact we're making in the lives of aspiring college students. We are grateful for the recognition and remain steadfast in our mission to provide expert guidance and empower students to effectively articulate their unique stories.
THE (ORIGINAL) COLLEGE ESSAY GUY
When we first began working with students many years ago, they would fondly refer to us as The College Essay Guy. As the years have gone by, it turns out that moniker has slowly become associated with another organization. Despite the nostalgia of our earlier students, we eventually formalized our name as The College Admissions Essay Expert. Not as catchy, but it serves its purpose. As such, our focus evolved over time, and most of our students nowadays have their sights set on top-tier universities. Of course, we happily welcome and work with all students regardless of which colleges they are targeting. But given the amount of thought, effort, and writing required for the more elite colleges – primarily due to the number of supplemental essays – we have developed a deep familiarity and expertise with these universities. The schools that stand out for the total number of essays required include Stanford, MIT, and the entire Ivy League (Harvard, Yale, Princeton, Columbia, Cornell, U Penn, Brown, and Dartmouth). While some supplemental essays are shorter than others, each one should be given your full attention and full effort, as admissions officers look to each and every essay, regardless of length, for insights into your personality and who you are as a person.
Another point of differentiation with The College Essay Guy relates to the overall approach taken when working with students. We strongly believe that there are as many different ways to create a great essay as there are students. If formulas or a strict set of rules could consistently result in great essays, then everyone would have a remarkable essay. There is certainly a place for everyone in the world, but we strongly feel that personalized, individual guidance is needed in order to create the absolute strongest essay possible. Time must be taken to thoroughly and deeply understand each student. It’s only this way that a powerful narrative can be created that best exemplifies the student's unique background and special qualities.
We acknowledge and respect the assistance that The College Essay Guy – and many other essay coaching services – provides to students. The more options to choose from the better. But when you’re targeting schools with acceptance rates in the range of 10% or lower (even below 5%!), we feel that our distinct approach and exclusive level of service is unsurpassed.
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