Ann Arbor, MI College Essay Help & Tutor for High School and College Transfer Students
Frequently Asked Questions
Find answers to common questions about our personalized college essay help services. Learn about pricing, the writing process, and how we assist high school and transfer students in crafting standout essays that impress admissions committees.
FAQ About Essay Help for Colleges
Please review my prices on my Packages Page.
I cannot guarantee your personal essay will get you into the college of your choosing; however, I can guide you toward writing an essay that will give the admissions committee a better understanding of your humor, creativity, passion for learning, and motivation. Your essay will help paint a picture of you that the admissions committee could have not picked up on anywhere else in your online application. A strong and compelling personal essay gives you an undeniable advantage when admissions officers are deciding between you and another prospective student.
Within five business days of receiving your essay, I will send you a constructive analysis. You will then be able to submit up to three additional revisions. I will evaluate and return each one within five business days.
On average, the students I work with will have their essays completed within one month of when we start working together.
I work with students of all different educational levels. However, you do need to achieve common core outcomes in-order-to meet college requirements. These will vary depending on whether you are a high school student, a student at a community college, or a transfer student at a university.
In more than 20 years of professional experience in Michigan public education, I was a traditional high school counselor as well as a guidance counselor at a vocational center implementing school-to-work programs.
I worked with countless high school students on their personal essays aiming to bring out their attributes. Additionally, I have served on counseling advisory committees creating a formula to help high school students with the common application essay emphasizing their inner strengths and positive traits to support their post-secondary college objectives.
Yes, I will work with all students and their families over the Zoom platform.
FAQ About College Essays in General
In a 2019 National Association for College Admission Counseling Survey, the college essay ranked as the fifth most important factor in the admissions process. Your personal essay is essential to your college application and it is something into which you will want to put great thought and care.
A strong essay will share a specific aspect of your personal story while keeping the reader engaged. It will convey to admissions officers something unique and meaningful about you that your numbers and test scores cannot reveal. Your story can only come from you, and your essay is your greatest opportunity to show admissions officers the key components of your character. Whether it is your bravery, determination, or resilience, this is your chance to show them not just your grade point average but who you really are.
More than anything else, colleges are looking for a compelling story that reveals your character and interests. A strong essay will show the reader a piece of you.
Most online college applications will not accept essays that are fewer than 250 or more than 650 words. The ideal word count for the common application essay is between 500 and 650 words. Read the application for the requirements of the essay to determine the acceptable minimum and maximum numbers of words.
Elizabeth Binder gets 5 gold stars. She has been working with my granddaughter. Their enthusiasm for each other is immense. Not only is Elizabeth skilled at what she does, but she also counsels and advises applicants on what they need to present in their application essays. She is encouraging and knows how to make the student feel comfortable and at ease. My granddaughter has been able to cut through the confusion and questions, but is enthusiastically following Elizabeth’s advice. She has been very successful with other students who have gone through this process. Her record of success speaks volumes. Fran M, Grandparent to the class of 2026.
Fran M
Elizabeth helped my daughter craft several essays for her college applications. Elizabeth kept me informed of the process every step of the way and provided my daughter with invaluable advice on her essays. She is applying with confidence thanks to Elizabeth! Natalie N, parent to the class of 2026.
Natalie N
Ms. Binder has been an incredible help throughout my college application process. Even though I started working with her later in the application process, she was quick to help and provided thoughtful, detailed feedback on my essays. Her guidance helped me organize and express my ideas clearly. Thanks to her support, I felt confident submitting my applications! Neil A, Class of 2026.
Neil A
I am incredibly grateful to Elizabeth for her unwavering support throughout my college application process. She not only helped refine my essays but also eased my anxiety with her patience and encouragement. Her insightful guidance made a daunting process feel manageable, and I truly couldn’t have done it without her. I highly recommend her to any student looking for a knowledgeable, compassionate, and dedicated counselor.
Mahika G. //Transfer Student to University of Michigan fall of 2025.
We have good news! Max got into the LSA Program at University of Michigan… and we found out today that he was also accepted to the Computer Science Program! Thank you so much, Elizabeth for your help and support. I will refer your name to anyone who even mentions the college application process and I will continue to do so. Also, please hold a spot for my daughter Emma, graduating class of 2027!
Amanda L. // Parent of the class of 2025
Ms. Binder, it’s been such a long waiting period and senior year has been extremely overwhelming. I wanted to notify you that I was admitted into University of Michigan Engineering Program fall of 2025. I appreciated your help since day one and I couldn’t have done it without your guidance and support. You gave me countless moments of encouragement and always broke the steps down so I would be able to understand each component of the application process. Thank you again, Ms. Binder it was such a pleasure working with you.
Nabiha B. // Student Class of 2025
Ashmith P. // Student Class of 2024
I really enjoyed working with Elizabeth. She was very flexible with her times and her corrections were very precise and she always found a way to convey my message without changing too much. She is organized and fair and very fun to talk to. She was a great help. Thank you
Michael K. // Student Class of 2024
Elizabeth was fantastic to work with! She was very helpful with my daughter’s college essays and always kept her on task. Elizabeth is extremely organized and prompt with all correspondence. I recommend Essay Help for Colleges without hesitation.
Emily S. // Parent
Elizabeth has been working with my son on his college application essays. I was feeling a little intimidated by the process because this is my oldest child. Elizabeth made me feel at ease–she is very knowledgeable on all aspects of the college application process. She provides quick and helpful feedback on essays.
I would definitely recommend that other parents work with Elizabeth!
Sandra K // Parent
Working with Elizabeth has been a pleasure! I was accepted into my dream college University of Michigan. With both quality instruction and feedback on my essays she has helped me from, with some essays, ground zero to a product I am very happy with. She was one of the first people I thought of immediately when I was admitted to U of M on January 27, 2023. I am so thankful for the help and invaluable assistance along the process. Thank you, Elizabeth! Go Blue!
Nicholas S. // Student, Class of 2023
I am so happy I met Elizabeth. She helped me navigate the college essay process with ease and confidence. In addition, I was able to write a narrative essay on a sensitive topic following her welcoming suggestions. Thank you Elizabeth for helping me achieve this goal.
Eden M. // Class of 2023
I’m excited to learn about your post-secondary goals, answer any questions you may have about my services, and find out if we’re a good fit to work together.
Contact me today and I’ll be in touch within two business days.
