About
I started Expat Essay because I was in the same situation you find yourself in now. Your child is about to apply to college, and the application process seems daunting. Most students will need to write at least a Common Application essay, and some students can have up to ten additional supplementals. At this point in their high school career, your student's GPA and their standardized test scores aren't likely to change. However, there is still something crucial they can do to boost their chances of admission success; write the best Common Application essay possible. All things being equal, an excellent essay can send your student's application into the accepted pile.
MFA graduates are the perfect essay consultants as we've spent years mastering the ability to write with a clear voice. Your child's essay needs to be more than just well written; it needs to tell a story, in their words, that's engaging and invites the college admissions officer to get to know them - all of this in only 650 words!
Jeremiah Quinlan, Yale's Dean of Undergraduate Admissions says about the application essay, "It’s the one part of the application where they completely control the voice, and that makes it a really valuable document for us. When you’re applying to an institution with thousands of students who have the same general academic and testing credentials, those things only get you in the door. The rest of the application will separate you out.”
Our Mission
Expat Essay's mission is to help high school seniors find their story and tell it in their unique voice. We honor diversity and feel strongly that every student, regardless of their life experience, has an interesting story to tell.
I love storytelling. Helping young students achieve their dreams by finding their story and telling it well is a joy. After each acceptance period, students send me emails filled with news of all of their college acceptances and there is no better feeling in the world - for them and me!
Reviews
Alex W.
Nancy B.
Kim B.
Jane R.
Gina G.
Amy A.
Frequently asked questions
What is your typical process for working with a new student?
1. To start the process, I would send the student a customized survey I’ve created that helps me provide suggestions for topics that match this year’s prompts. After completing the survey (it takes about 30 minutes in one sitting), I analyze the answers, and then I send an email that includes at least three ideas to consider using as the basis for the common application essay. Of course, the student is also free to suggest his or her topic.
2. Upon the selection of a topic, he or she receives a customized “Road Map” written specifically for them that will provide specific guidelines on crafting the first draft along with a handout that will answer any questions on how to begin. At any time in the process, we can FaceTime for a consultation.
3. After the completion of the first draft (I ask for about 1000 words which is more than the 650 allowed), I will promptly send back a full edit with comments and suggestions, which the student will use to write their second draft.
4. I then edit the second draft. Most students complete their essay after the second pass, but some students may require additional edits.
And voila! In 4 (potentially 5) steps, your child has a complete, crisp well-written (in their own words!) college common application essay.
What education and/or training do you have that relates to your work?
I have a Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing.
I have worked with over 500 US and international students.
Do you have a standard pricing system for your lessons? If so, please share the details here.
I charge $100 for each component of the College Essay completion process:
1. Survey
2. Road Map
3. 1stedit
4. 2ndedit
5. Potential 3rdedit (most students complete after 2)
How did you get started teaching?
I was living in Tokyo from 2008-2012 with my four children, two who were in high school. I wrote for CNN while there, and many parents would ask me to work with their students on their college essays. When I moved back to the US in 2012, I opened my own consulting business www.expatessay.com, and I have worked with over 500 students around the world achieving 97% acceptance to one of their top three schools.
What types of students have you worked with?
All kinds! From international students in Asia, Europe, and the Middle East to American kids in public, private and boarding schools. I’ve worked with students with learning disabilities, with athletes, artists, STEM, and English as a second language.
Describe a recent event you are fond of.
This past fall I worked with a student from the Bronx Academy of Letters, a public high school in the poorest congressional district in the US on her common application essay. She was recently admitted to Skidmore, the school of her dreams. Watching her receive the email was one of the highlights of my year.
What advice would you give a student looking to hire a teacher in your area of expertise?
Make sure the process described by the tutor is one that the student feels comfortable with completing.
What questions should students think through before talking to teachers about their needs?
It’s always good to think about the story they want to tell before starting with a tutor. A little self-reflection on their core values would be helpful before beginning the common application essay writing process.