3 parents panicked. (See our quick fix now!)
In my last newsletter, I spilled the real tea: submitting early applications never get tripped up by grades or test scores. Nope.
It’s writing the essay that sends seniors off the rails.
And here we are, about five weeks into (and left in) the early application season, which means more and more parents are calling me in panic mode. Their senior is still staring at a blank page, has a deadline on the calendar, and there's not much in between.
I hear all the time, “My teen says they’ll be fine.” But allow me to decode that for you: “fine” = procrastinate until the last possible second, write something mediocre at midnight the night before the deadline, and pray no one notices.
If “fine” is your jam, cool 🤷♀️ …But if you’d rather not spend the next 5-7 weeks nagging, avoiding conversations (because you're “giving your senior their space”), or threatening to turn off the Wi-Fi, then you already know: you need a better plan.
Senior year always ramps up faster than most families expect — harder classes, busier schedules, and suddenly another week has vanished with no progress on applications.
If early applications are your goal, the essay can’t be the shaky piece — though it usually is — that one that makes the whole stack wobble.
Want proof there’s a better way? Pull up a chair. Let’s talk real students whose applications looked like Jenga towers ready to topple… and how they steadied them just in time.
Layla
Momentum + the Right Fit
Layla’s dad first called me from the airport. He had about six minutes before boarding. Speed-dating style, he asked me a half-dozen questions and closed with, “Sign my daughter up.” (Smart move, Dad.)
During her 30-minute strategy session, I spotted it right away: Layla’s college list was stacked with shiny names, but none of them felt like her.
So I threw in a fresh contender she hadn’t seen coming — High Point University.
Yes, High Point is gorgeous, with about as many fountains as you'd find in Paris. And, no, I didn't take that photo. But I did shoot this video when I toured the campus. Check it out!
That little tweak mattered; Layla visited, fell hard, and applied in the early group.
From there, we used her hours to map out and finish her main essay. No circling the blank page, no dramatic sighs from across the dining-room table for weeks on end. Just a real draft that sounded like her. Once that anchor essay was done, the rest of her applications fell into place.
And here’s the hidden win most people miss: the process isn’t just about dragging an essay across the finish line. It’s about teaching your teen how to write in a way that actually works. Once they’ve been through the process — brainstorm, draft, ugly-baby version, show more than tell, rewrite, refine — they suddenly know how to tackle most any piece of writing that comes later. Scholarship essays, honors applications, supplemental essays… instead of panicking, they know exactly how to start, where to go, and how to land it.
So the few hours with me aren’t just a quick fix. They become a skill set seniors carry forward. And my 9-Step Editing Cheat Sheet is something they get to keep in their toolkit as a “secret weapon” going forward.
Sometimes the right essay + the right school = a whole lot less chaos.
How things are going: Layla now attends High Point and loves it! 🙌
Sadie
From Tears to Triumph
Before working with me, Sadie had tried to start her essay five different times. Every single attempt ended in tears. (At that point, even the dog was avoiding Sadie when she sat at her laptop.) Her mom finally waved the white flag and called me. 😅
At home, the cycle can feel brutal: draft after draft, version after version, and every restart feels like failure. No wonder the tears kept coming.
During my one-on-one sessions, I flip that script to show teens that messy first tries aren’t mistakes — they’re the point. Starting over isn’t a setback; it’s progress. Each rewrite gets sharper, closer, and stronger until suddenly they’re staring at the one.
And for students starting with a blank doc, I don’t let them write a single word until we’ve reviewed their topic together — because starting with the wrong idea can sink an otherwise great essay. Roughly 20% of the time, I steer seniors toward a better angle that highlights their strengths more effectively. Once they have my “stamp of approval,” they’re ready to write.
Sadie really needed this assurance and direction. Together, we refined and clarified her topic — giving her the confidence she needed to finally get started. Her #1 goal was NC State — her dream school… and a bit of a reach. 😟
Over one weekend, the breakdowns turned into breakthroughs. She got her main essay done, polished her supplements, and built an application that showed her strengths instead of hiding them.
Sometimes all it takes is the right support to turn “I can’t do this” into “This is really good!” 💪
How things are going: Sadie’s thriving at NC State — knee-deep in sorority life, loving her campus, and living the dream she once thought was slipping away.
Nishit
Cracking the Code
Nishit’s parents are brilliant, accomplished, and supportive — but since they went to college in Asia, our admissions system felt like alphabet soup. Essays… supplements… demonstrated interest… none of it made sense 😵
With just a few focused 1:1 sessions, the fog lifted. Nishit learned exactly what admissions officers are actually looking for: how he could frame his strengths without bragging, and turn his background into a story that worked for him instead of against him. Like many students, he was used to downplaying his accomplishments so he wouldn’t sound boastful — but with my guidance, he found the balance between humility and confidence, and his essay finally landed with impact.
As we wrapped up our last session, he didn’t just have a polished essay. He had a roadmap. And his parents finally felt like they weren’t flying blind.
Sometimes the biggest win isn’t just the essay — it’s cracking the code behind the whole process.
How things are going: Nishit is taking advanced classes in Computer Science with an AI concentration at UNC-Charlotte and embracing the challenge!
This is my son Greg!
Meeting Your Teen
Where They Actually Are
Students show up with every imaginable roadblock, so every session is a little different.
One young lady turned up with a beautiful draft about her mom. It was eloquently written and so touching — but not the assignment. Colleges would rather find out about her.
Another poured her heart into a topic that happens to be on my “10 things we never write about” list. Gulp.
And sometimes, the problem is simpler: the essay is perfectly fine (but sounds like something written by about 87% of seniors)… and fine doesn't get the confetti.
My job: to whip out the right tool for the right teen — a video lesson, my 9-Step Editing Cheat Sheet, or a brainstorm exercise that always sparks ideas. I slip them whatever resource will move the needle fastest.
What drags on for weeks at the kitchen table is typically solved in 2–3 focused hours together.
Most families find thata few hours of support is enough to go from stuck and stressed to confident and moving forward.
The Sweet Spot Is Right Now
Deadlines are close enough to feel real, but not so close that we're in panic mode. This means you can be proactive instead of reactive — getting ahead of the problem rather than scrambling to fix it later.
If your gut says the essay or activities list is the wobbly Jenga piece, now’s the time to step in and steady it before the whole tower topples.
With love, sass, and the most practical kind of help,
Christy
👋 Hi, if we haven't met yet, I'm Christy. I help students craft standout essays so they can submit their best possible applications with confidence.
Wanna chat? www.calendly.com/easiercollegeessays/30min
