Working with Erika

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Going into my senior year of high school, I was so nervous about how to apply to schools. I am a first generation American and nobody in my family has ever applied to college in the U.S. I was already so busy with school and extracurriculars that the thought of writing college essays gave me anxiety. When my mom found out about Erika online, we decided to give her a shot and  see if she could help me put my thoughts into words. 

When I met Erika for the first time, I was blown away by her. We started working on writing together multiple times a week and within only a month and a half, I had applied to about 15 schools. Erika made me feel so relaxed throughout this entire process and all of my essays completely express me. I couldn't recommend her more to any busy high school student. — J.P., student

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Erika was such great help on essays. I don't think I would've gotten in anywhere without her! She guided me through each step, line by line, always listening to my questions and thoughts and helping me add in what she thought was best. YOU, the student, have the final say in everything, which I appreciated. Erika is also a very sweet woman who genuinely cares about each and every one of her students and loves her job, unlike a lot of other college counselors. She is absolutely worth every penny because she helped me make my essays golden! We will be recommending her for everyone we know because she's the absolute best out there! — A.S., student

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Working with Erika made writing my college essays so much more manageable. She helped me feel confident in my writing and in the story I wanted to tell! — R.L., student

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I really enjoyed working with Erika. She was extremely helpful throughout my entire college process. One thing that quickly stood out to me were her organizational skills in helping me apply to my schools. Even when I had just bits and pieces for an essay, she was able to help me connect the dots and polish my writing. She knows how stressful the process can be and connects with you on a personal level to get into your shoes as you complete your applications. I was able to ask virtually any question about the process and she would always have good advice. Erika’s guidance helped me turn my anxiety and nerves into creativity and determination. — K.D., student

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Working with Erika was more beneficial than I could have ever imagined. Not only did she show me a new approach to creating a college essay, but she also helped me improve my grammar and writing skills. Erika made the college application experience easy by helping me shape my story and relay the details effectively. With her help, we outlined and created over 10 essays that got me accepted to colleges I could only dream of. Thank you Erika for your support and everlasting impact on my life. — G.H., student

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Working with Erika has been an amazing experience. She is a thorough mentor and guide throughout the college admissions process, helping me discover how to effectively tell my own story. By lifting the weight off my shoulders while teaching me new writing methods, she helped me become fully ready for my next big step. — E.F., student

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Erika was an amazing help to me throughout the writing process. Not only did she improve my organization and overall writing, but her unique take on the college essay process allowed me to easily find the words to describe my aspirations, thoughts, and experiences making my essays stronger and more meaningful. — D.B., student

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As a writer, and a bit of a perfectionist, I thought surely no one would be better suited

to assist my child with their college essays than I. I thought wrong. It quickly became clear

that without outside help one of us might end up killing the other. Enter Erika. She not only

assuaged my fears that she would be able to encourage my son to write a unique,

thoughtful, eloquent, personal essay, but she assured me that I was not the first parent to

find working with my own child a lesson in frustration. Nor would I be the last. It was

freeing to have someone else step in and succeed in getting him to reveal more of himself,

to make surprising discoveries, and to trust his own voice. All in a timely manner. Erika

helped our child curate a series of required essays for a range of schools that painted a

compelling and consistent picture of who he was as a student, as an artist, and as a human

being. — R.L., parent

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Just as teaching your child to drive is a daunting task better left to professionals, managing the intricate and emotionally taxing college application essay process is not something we recommend taking on alone. Without a doubt, engaging Erika as a college essay coach was one of the better parenting decisions we’ve made in years.

After experiencing the exhausting ordeal of navigating the college application process with our first two children, we were apprehensive about facing it again with our third. Just as he was hitting the towering brick wall, as most kids do, and our stress levels were climbing fast, Erika patiently and expertly got the train back on track. Though academically proficient, our kid often finds himself grappling with organizational skills and meeting deadlines. Erika’s guidance ensured that he stayed on schedule, avoiding the eleventh-hour panic submissions that had plagued us with his older siblings. 

With Early Decision deadlines fast approaching, Erika quickly diagnosed our kid’s strengths and challenges, creating an enjoyable and easy connection with him. She was there throughout the entire process, helping him find and confidently express his own true voice and explore compelling topics he might otherwise have avoided because he was worried about clashing with or offending us. 

The results have been amazing: a 90% acceptance rate! Plus, unsolicited, his guidance counselor (at the largest public high school in our state) later wrote in a follow-up that his Common App personal statement essay was one of the most creative she’d read in years. If your child sounds like ours and could use a college application coach to get over the finish line with demonstrated positive results, look no further than Erika. — W.D., parent

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It’s not possible to exaggerate how crucial a role Erika played in reducing stress and making the college application process easier and more manageable for our whole family. Erika brought decades of experience as a writer, editor, parent, and all-around wise and wonderful human to her sessions with our kid, and the two of them hit it off from the get-go. Erika’s magical gift is the ability to empower teens through a combination of listening, trusting, brainstorming, questioning, and then following up with expert guidance in writing and editing. Our student learned so much throughout—not just about writing and storytelling, but also about themselves—and emerged feeling more confident and deservedly proud of what they’d accomplished. Our kid has been accepted into most of their top choice programs, all extremely competitive. The hardest part is going to be choosing among the many excellent options! — A.S., parent

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I am telling every parent I know that if they want to have a positive experience during their child's college application process, they should work with Erika! She took the process—an experience that, to be honest, is daunting, stressful, and overwhelming—and made it smooth. Her approach with my son was so knowledgeable, organized, calm, and encouraging, that he looked forward to each of their sessions. She had a very effective technique of supportively "interviewing" him, which helped him zero in on personal stories, and then she walked him through each part of the application process. She took all the pressure off of us as parents, and even took the time to talk us through important decisions. It was an amazing experience! — U.B., parent

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Every time I looked at my daughter I was upset to see how anxious she was about applying to colleges. Although my husband and I are both educated, we didn’t go to school in America, and I felt helpless not being able to guide her through the process. All I needed was for my daughter to maintain a healthy mindset and get her applications done on time. It was a miracle that I found Erika. She took over with my daughter and I saw a happy girl in front of me again. I was able to sleep well at night. At the end of the process, my daughter told me that working with Erika had been like therapy for her, and she was sad that it was ending. I couldn’t be happier with the help we got from Erika, and I recommend her enthusiastically for any high school student.  — D.R., parent

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Erika’s influence on my daughter was transformative, to say the least. With the stress of the college application process, a mountain of specialized essays, questions, and portfolio requirements, V was completely overwhelmed. Erika came highly recommended by a friend and proved to be the best decision we made throughout the entire journey. With her grounding presence, organization, and calming energy, Erika significantly eased the tension. Her seasoned knowledge, coupled with a genuine ability to connect with teenagers, provided my daughter with guidance and trust. V’s intuitive voice grew and she felt empowered to embrace it with confidence. V secured acceptances from highly competitive institutions with an average GPA and no test scores. I am certain it was a result of Erika’s guidance, which helped V write beautiful essays that showcased her artistic talents. Erika’s mentorship was truly life-altering for V, instilling in her the confidence and passion for college-level writing. — C.L., parent

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We went to Erika for help late in the college application process as my son was struggling. She was gracious enough to assist. Erika made sure my son found his own voice. He identified issues under her guidance and was in control of the entire process. The outcome let him become more confident in writing. Erika was also very efficient and we were able to get a lot of things done within a short time period. We are grateful for Erika's teaching and flexibility, and highly recommend her for other parents and students. — M.C., parent

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Erika amazed us with her capacity to get our son to engage and do the work. We give her huge credit for two achievements: she managed to build trust and develop a strong working relationship with him (he was a reluctant and stressed out teenager); and she was able to structure the work so that it would happen on time (he is a real procrastinator!). Our son actually enjoyed his sessions with her, and brought much of what he learned from her to his writing more generally. If you’re looking for a ghost writer, Erika is not for you; if what you want is a motivator and a real person, she’s the coach you’ve been looking for. We remain indebted to her for our son’s success in getting into the college of his choice. — K.C., parent

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Thank you so much for supporting our son during the essay writing process. With your guidance, he found his voice, improved his writing, and gained the confidence to express his true self.  After each session, our son felt proud of the work he had accomplished. As a family, we felt the pressure had been taken off completely. The essays were outstanding and the deadlines were easily met. We were thrilled with the entire experience!  — C.G., parent

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I am so thankful for all the help Erika gave our son. She made all the difference for him — I’m not sure he would have completed any of his applications and essays without her. If I had tried to help him or keep him on track, it would have been met with resistance, delay, and procrastination. And his essays were amazing! — I.G., parent