About

"I love it! Why be boring?" Someone yelled to me after spotting me in my conspicuous iridescent ski suit. That's how I think of the college application essay. You must not be boring (even if your family is embarrassed by your spacesuit, as they call it, and doesn't want to ride the chairlift with you). Your essay needs to be unique and stand out. And the college admissions counselor should love it. 


I can help.  


I have a master's degree in journalism from CU Boulder and have been writing and editing my entire professional life (decades!). I've focused on health and wellness writing in the last decade but have recently transitioned to essays and college essay coaching. Why?  
 

Because after working with my nieces and neighbors on their personal statements, I realized how much I love helping teenagers tell their stories. And I learned I was good at it.   

Through exercises and reflective questions about life experiences and challenges, quirky interests, and aspirations, I can help teens uncover a winning essay topic. I help them develop a workable outline, craft a first draft, and then guide them through masterly revisions until they have a compelling and memorable essay.  

I know what admissions officers most want to read about in a college application essay. Ready for the answer? You. They want to know something unique about you or a story told uniquely from your point of view. Ideally, they want to learn something about you that they can't glean from the rest of your application.  
 

I can help you craft a cohesive authentic 650-word narrative to persuade schools why you'd make a great addition to their campus. Interested? Let's start with a FREE 15-minute Zoom or phone call to discuss your or your child's essay writing needs. Email me at joellecanwrite@gmail.com or call 917-821-7230.