Common App & Essay Coaching
Guidance on the Common App Platform, Personal Statement and Supplementals
Appropriate for 12th Grade Students
The college application process involves a lot of planning, timeline management, and attention to detail. Our mission is to guide students through the creation of their strongest college applications with plenty of time to spare before application deadlines.
Please note that while parents are welcome to participate in most meetings at G2C, all meetings and writing exercises with our essay coaches are between the coach and student only. This ensures that students can freely share ideas, retain their authentic voice, and produce cohesive essays.
Common App Essay Only
This package is ideal for students who would like comprehensive support in the completion of the main Common App Personal Statement, but plan to complete most other elements of the college application process on their own.
Services included with this package:
• Assistance with essay topic brainstorming and selection
• Guidance on development of introspective, revealing content that showcases the student’s unique qualities
• Emphasis on the student’s genuine voice
• Coaching and editing suggestions throughout each step of the essay development process
• Proofreading of final draft for grammar, punctuation, etc.
• Detailed spreadsheet documenting each step and progress made
• Includes interactive CustomCollegePlan portal for parents and students with extensive college information, task management, and application tracking features
Note: Essay coaches do not write or heavily edit student essays. The coach's role is to expertly guide each student in the creation of the highest quality essay that the student is able and willing to write.
Includes a minimum of five meetings with chosen essay coach and multiple rounds of online feedback and editing suggestions. Typical duration: 6-8 weeks.
Also includes monthly high school/college planning updates via email.
Common App Platform Only
This package is ideal for students who would like comprehensive support in the completion of the Common App platform, but prefer to complete essay work without comprehensive coaching.
Services included with this package:
Pre-application Preparation Meeting
• Review of student's academic and extracurricular background, including ways to strengthen application profile
• Discussion of ACT/SAT scores (if applicable) and how they relate to application strategy
• Review of student's college list for appropriate balance
• College Search & Selection or College Search Jumpstart can be added if more comprehensive assistance is needed
• Discussion of application timeline strategy, including Early Decision/Restrictive Early Action (if applicable)
Note: Parents are encouraged to attend this meeting
Common App Platform Completion
• Assistance with non-essay-related Common App elements for up to 20 colleges
• A series of virtual meetings divided into multiple steps with the student (the first of which parents are welcome to attend) to prioritize and assign tasks, review prior tasks for completion and accuracy and discuss deadlines
• Comprehensive, expert guidance on prioritization and wording of Activities list
• Coaching on Additional Info Section if warranted
• Documentation of supplemental essay prompts and discussion of completion timeline
• Supplemental essay Coaching, Supplemental Essay Trio, or Express Essay Polishing can be added if interested
• Final review of data entered in Common App tab of the Common App platform for accuracy and content
• Final status update to student and parents
• Includes interactive CustomCollegePlan portal for parents and students with extensive college information, task management, and application tracking features
• Includes Google Drive folder with detailed spreadsheet documenting each step and progress made, proprietary Activities/Honors/Testing tracking spreadsheet, and helpful information and tips on a variety of college planning topics
Includes approximately 7-9 meetings with Kate Pedigo or Margaret Duggan Miller. Note that some portions of the Common App must be completed after August 1st.
Also includes monthly high school/college planning updates via email.
Common App Platform & Essay
This package is ideal for students who would like comprehensive support in the completion of the Common App platform elements and the main Common App Personal Statement.
Includes all services in Common App Essay Only and Common App Platform packages.
Common App Platform, Essay, & Trio
This package is ideal for students who would like comprehensive support in the completion of the Common App platform elements, the main Common App Personal Statement, and three supplemental essays.
Includes all services in Common App Platform & Essay PLUS:
• Supplemental Essay Trio service- comprehensive coaching for three supplemental essays (full description under Individual Service Options below).
Note: Additional supplemental essays can be purchased at a reduced rate.
INDIVIDUAL SERVICE OPTIONS:
Supplemental Essay Coaching
Any G2C student may request comprehensive essay coaching with his/her dedicated coach for any supplemental essay at a per essay rate.
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• Essay coach will guide student through brainstorming, structure, content, and polish
• Scholarship, Honors, and special program essays are also eligible
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Supplemental Essay Trio
Supplemental essays at various colleges often have similar themes. Examples include: Why this school? Why this major? What do you want to share about one of your communities? How has a differing opinion shaped your perspective?
• Student will choose three supplemental essays for coaching, ideally with different themes
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• Student will then be able to modify those essays on his/her own as needed to fit similar prompts for other schools.
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Express Essay Polishing
This option is ideal for students who would like to complete college essays on their own, but would like one hour of high-level, in-person coaching of their draft(s).
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Included in this service:
• One meeting for one hour with Kate Pedigo
• Student may bring all essay-related questions to the meeting (topic choice, content and structure questions, high-level edit requests)
• Focus can be on one essay or multiple essays (which should be sent in advance for review)
Includes one hour of direct essay coaching with Kate Pedigo and time as needed to review essays in advance and plan efficient use of the hour. Students interested in more comprehensive coaching should consider one of our other service options.
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Specialty Essays
Services for specialty essays, such as BS/MD, Michigan Ross Portfolio, University of California PIQs, and graduate school/professional school essays will be customized based on each student's needs.
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Hourly Common App Support
This option is ideal for students who want to complete the Common App platform on their own, but would like expert guidance in specific areas. All questions are welcome, but common topics include:
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• Prioritizing and wording Activities section for maximum impact
• Accurate completion of Current or Most Recent Year Courses and/or Courses and Grades sections
• ACT/SAT score sending strategy
• Application timeline strategy