Frequently Asked Questions
- What’s a personal statement? It’s your college essay, and it’s about you! It is an extremely crucial piece of your application because it paints a picture of who you are outside of grades, activities and standardized tests.
- Should I come to you with a completed personal statement? No. If you have something written, let’s take a look, but most times, students come to me with an idea that doesn’t work. Our brainstorming session is highly effective, eye opening, and fun. When we hit on the right topic, it’s like magic: we see fireflies or feel a flurry of chills.
- Speaking of topics, what are some of your favorite essay topics? There are so many great ones; it’s amazing how our essays take shape. One I loved was about a girl who learned to love watching westerns amidst dueling TV’s, with a grandpa who has Alzheimer’s. Another was about a boy who wanted to be a superhero, so he turned it into a grown-up dream, becoming a modern day hero in the world of cyber security.
- Do you work on anything besides the personal statement with me? Yes! We compile your college list, write supplemental essays, write letters to coaches, research and apply for scholarships. The heart of my business is composing the perfect personal statement, but I work on all parts of the college application process.
- Should my parents come to our meetings? If we are working on scholarships, your parents are welcome, and usually want to come to our meetings. For our work on essays, it is much more effective for us to work one on one.
- I live in another state. Can I work with you? Yes! I have students as far away as Arizona, Japan and the UK. We work via FaceTime, Zoom, and Google Docs.
- What should I bring to our sessions, and where do we meet? If you’re local, bring a laptop, a resume, or a brag sheet. My local students come to my home in Annapolis, MD. It’s great to do as many in-person sessions as we can, but once we have established a cooperative working relationship, we can switch to working via Google Docs. Fully remote students begin on Facetime or Zoom, and once we hit the writing phase, Google Docs is our go-to spot for editing your masterpiece.
- How much time will it take to complete my personal statement, and what about supplemental essays, and applications? Every student is different. Some students do a lot of “homework” in between our visits, which is an efficient and cost-effective way to complete the process. I ask every student to commit to six hours with me. After working through the process with many students, I have found that’s the minimum time required. If all the stars are aligned and we finish your personal statement early, we jump over to those pesky supplemental essays☺
- How do I know you are good at what you do? I love what I do! My biggest reward is seeing how surprised and excited my students are when we hit on the right school/topic. I am constantly thinking of your essays, doing research, and honing my college consulting craft. I also believe in keeping my own writing muscles flexed. Here is one personal piece I published: https://swimswam.com/a-diehard-breed/
- Can I get into my dream school if I work with you? Your application will look much better if you allocate the time and funds to work with me. Most students don’t write in the style that a college application requires, and even my best writers benefit from this type of coaching. We pick a unique topic that shows a side of you that is not featured in any other part of your application. For supplements, I have a tried and true formula for showcasing you as a well-rounded candidate which is very specific and tailored to each particular school. Most students apply to college one time, but I have thirteen years of experience and hundreds of applications to help guide us in the process.
- Where have some of your students been admitted? The list is long, but some of the schools where my students were admitted: Princeton, Yale, Brown, United States Naval Academy, Carnegie Mellon, University of Texas, Cal Tech, University of Michigan, Clemson, Penn State, University of Virginia, Boston College, Tufts, Boston University, NYU, Emerson.
- How can we get started? Text me at 908-512-8789 or email me at help@winningcollegeessays.com I can provide rate sheets, schedule your first session, share testimonials and send over my brainstorming sheet.
Cara Pestorius
Annapolis, MD
908-512-8789