Creative, compassionate college essay coaching

A portrait of a woman outdoors, with short dark hair, freckles, red lipstick, and a black top, standing in front of green foliage.

I specialize in helping students to uncover their authentic voice and turn their experiences into compelling, memorable college essays.

Hi! I’m Melanie. I’m a Harvard‑educated film, television, and copywriter with over 20 years of experience crafting powerful, emotionally-rich stories across media. Trained at the UK’s National Film and Television School and a graduate of Disney’s selective Writing Program, mining and refining personal stories to create compelling narratives is my specialty. I have been an alumni interviewer for Harvard admissions for nearly a decade so I know what admissions counselors are looking for and how candidates are assessed. I also support Los Angeles high school students in writing their personal statements as a volunteer for 826LA. My coaching is warm, focused, and practical, designed to help students express themselves clearly, confidently, and with impact - all in their own unique voice. I believe we all have a story worth telling. My goal is to help students discover, choose and shape the ‘right’ story to convey who they are – for the college application process and beyond. 

June 23, 2026

Brainstorm your essay topic in a creative and compassionate environment!

6-7.30pm on Zoom

Session includes:

Mining your personal story and defining your ‘brand’ through guided writing exercises

Anatomy of a ‘good’ essay + essay types (including samples)

Enter the college application season relaxed and confident and build community with other students on the same journey

What I do - through exercises, worksheets and conversations - is offer ways for you to reflect: to gain a perspective on yourself, to allow you to see yourself as others might see you. Or even to share what people don’t see about you. 

Contact Me

Questions? Fill out this form and I’ll get back to you, usually within 48 hours.