FAQ
AMY GLYNN | COLLEGE APPLICATION ESSAY GUIDANCE
Does it matter where we are in the process?
Nope! Not at all. I do everything from spitballing ideas about where to apply, to copyediting fully written statements. Wherever your student is in the process I will meet them there.
We hired a college consultant for our student when she was in ninth grade. So you wouldn't add any real value to the situation, right?
I wouldn't say that. About 40% of my students headed to college in fall '21 also had generalist college counselors or consultants, and they came to me anyway. Why? Couple of reasons. I'm sure there are exceptions but college consultants are generally not writers! And while plenty of them are great at spotting "red flag" drafts where a student might be unwittingly casting himself in an unflattering light, they might or might not be good at teasing out alternatives. I am not a certified college counselor and that's entirely on purpose. I am not part of "the machine" and this gives me a big old advantage in some ways. I'm focused on your student's self-expression. Period. Of course I want them to get into their top-choice school, but I happen to think admissions committees can smell "I'm saying what I've been told you want to hear" from a mile away. They're not looking for a resume of your accomplishments. They want a glimpse of your soul.
Do I meet with people over Zoom or in person?
Either. Zoom is the only option for outside the Bay Area, but if you're local to me and your student is in danger of going postal from too much screen time, I am happy to meet at my home or a third party location like a coffee shop (subject to public health mandates).
Do I help students evaluate colleges that might be right for them?
Not everyone asks me to, but I certainly can.
Do I help younger students select classes, exams, extracurriculars etc?
Meh. I have opinions. My opinions might or might not be of value, but I think "being authentic" beats "ticking the boxes" and that it's possible to be unhelpfully cynical about "what colleges want." so... I can. I usually advise not overthinking it and doing what genuinely motivates and intrigues the student.
Do I help fill out apps in general or just consult on personal statements?
Your student should plan on doing some typing, but i definitely help with navigating portals, crafting short answers to random questions, and looking holistically at apps (squaring what's in the essays with what else is in the app).
Do I strategize what to write as well as copyedit what they come up with?
ABSOLUTELY.
Do I serve as an accountability / exec function "coach?"
Yes, as needed. Some students want this and some are totally on it on their own.
Can I handle people with learning differences, processing issues, spectrum-y challenges, emotional health stuff and / or ESL issues?
With occasional exceptions, yes, for sure. (if your student has a condition I sincerely do not know how to deal with I will be honest with you). Talk me through what's going on with your person if there is anything I need to know about what works for them.
Do I help with other kinds of apps, like graduate school or scholarships or re-entry programs for adults?
100%. If you know someone going back to school who is not an 18 year old, feel free to spread the word. Some of my people this last year have gotten merit awards for law, biz and science grad programs at USF, UCB, UCLA, USC, UW, Hastings, and MIT Sloan.
Do I keep my relationship with you confidential?
Totes! I hear some pretty personal stuff about tough aspects of the teen journey -- your student might want to write about a divorce, an eating disorder, a substance abuse issue that has impacted them. Please know I would never betray your student's confidence, or yours -- it's no one else's beeswax who is working with me or what they're working on. I am not a therapist, but I play by the same ethics rules in general. Your student is, of course, at liberty to share information with others, and for that matter, I very much appreciate word-of-mouth referrals.