Writing Support

Although all services are listed separately, they almost always overlap in practice.  As every student’s or young adult’s situation is unique, Alison’s approach to working with each client is equally unique based on their needs and goals.

The Goal

Alison’s intention is to help students complete writing assignments while improving their writing skills. She can work with students on any writing assignment, whether it be papers for school or college application essays, even creative writing endeavors; along the way teaching basic grammar and structure. As an experienced writer herself and long time writing coach, her goal is to take your student to higher levels of writing, no matter their starting point. 

Alison can also provide support for college essay writing including Common App™️ as well as individual university prompts; personal statements for universities in the UK and Europe; internal assessment papers for the International Baccalaureate Diploma Program, and/or support tailored to any student’s individual requirements.

Alison also works with students to develop long-term writing skills. This ranges from brainstorming, structuring, researching and developing ideas to critical analysis and improvement of general writing skills.

College Essays

Alison has extensive experience working with students on developing their college essays and personal statements. She is fluent and familiar with the Common App™️ and knows what colleges in the US and UK look for in these personal statements, as well as how to align students’ values with the schools. She takes a unique approach to encouraging students in how to translate their ideas, values and life experiences into personal and distinctive stories that stand out.

Alison begins her college essay sessions with an exercise in and evaluation of each student’s values. She then works with them to tell a unique story that aligns with the values of the universities that they are applying to that will make them stand out in a memorable and genuine way.

She has worked with students that have gotten accepted into Brown University, University of Edinburgh, Oxford University, UC Berkeley, UCLA, University of Pittsburgh, Boston University, Cornell, Kings, Leeds University, St. Andrews University, and Durham Universities.

The Method

Alison does not edit papers, rather she works side by side with students to improve upon what they have already written. If getting started is your child’s struggle, Alison also teaches brainstorming and outlining skills that can help your child turn their ideas and thoughts into successful papers one step at a time. 

Alison knows that writing — no matter how big the assignment — can be intimidating, so, as with her planning support, she helps students develop methods to break their writing tasks into manageable portions to get step-by-step to the final draft.

Take it from past clients.

  • "Alison applies more of a coaching style, whereas she guides the student rather than instructs and thus leads him to perfect his work through his own thinking and reflection."

    Oleg R

    Parent, College Essay Support

  • "She is amazing at giving your child the space he or she needs to develop their own ideas, however in a structured manner, so he/she/they come(s) out of each session with an achieved step closer to the finished product."

    Gabriela

    Parent, College Essay Support

  • "You quickly understood what I was insecure about writing and gave me the confidence to believe in the topic I had chosen, but simply made it better. Already after our first session, I came out elated and called my parents, telling them we had nailed the first essay and they agreed."

    Carolina

    Student, College Essay Support

Testimonals