A student testimonial, spilling the tea, and an early decision success
This student testimonial is special because Sylvia is the first one I worked with after launching The College Essay Journalist earlier this year.
“Writing about my life in the span of 650 words initially seemed overwhelming, but Geoff was there to guide me through every step. From the interviews to the carefully crafted transcription, I had a better sense of how I wanted to present myself to admissions. When the time came, I had to write my first draft. It was there I learned from Geoff that for my essay to have my original voice, I had to write like how I talked rather than just using a bunch of sophisticated jargon to make myself sound smart. Writing my personal statement was definitely a journey and I’m glad Geoff was there to help me along the way.”
More About My Approach:
Using Spoken Words to Capture Powerful Details for College Essays
1:1 College Essay Coaching with Students
Since I’m always urging other people to reflect and talk about what’s in their head, I’ll share some thoughts about working with Sylvia.
She is a resourceful learner, which served her well in the college application process. Her savvy led her to the Matchlighter Scholars Program, which is how she found me for 1:1 college essay coaching.
Sylvia’s reach schools were highly selective. The essay was an opportunity to highlight something about herself that wouldn’t show up on the rest of her application.
Essay Topic: Drinking Tea
Sylvia knew what she wanted to write about: A love of tea and the rituals that energize her day.
It was a quirky topic. Could she make it interesting? Could she connect the dots, clearly and concisely, between tea and other parts of her life? Would essay readers have a better, more well-rounded idea of who she is?
Over weekly interviews, conversations, and editing sessions, she was able to answer each of these questions – and more.
Drinking tea in the morning gave readers a glimpse into her sense of personal responsibility.
Tea on Fridays were about her commitment to family.
Drinking tea kicked off her late-night study sessions, offering insights into how she thinks and learns
I was excited with the final draft. Sylvia was more demure, but happy to have the essays behind her. We said goodbye and promised to keep in touch.
Last week, I got an email from her with a joyful opener:
“This is Sylvia from the Matchlighters program and I just wanted to update you on my college early decision acceptance - I got into Cornell!”
Just as thrilling to me, as a coach, was seeing that she had taken her essay from good to great. She had researched the history of tea across cultures, eras, and civilizations, sprinkling factoids into her essay, like this gem:
“[This tea ritual] kickstarts my mornings, fuels my busy afternoons, warms my soul on chilly nights. Legend has it that tea was invented accidentally, by Chinese Emperor Shen Nong, when dried camellia leaves fell into his cup. It’s astonishing how a small mistake, 4000 years ago, powers my everyday. ”
Sylvia has generously agreed to share her personal statement essay. Read it here.
Tea Time?
Interested in working together? Let’s talk.
Contact: Send me a message.
