<p>Smerdy- I’m a professional essay coach, so maybe I can give you some idea of what a good one can do for you. (And by the way, thanks to the miracles of Skype, googledocs, email, etc., you need not find an essay coach in your area. I’ve worked with many kids I’ve never even met face-to-face.)</p>
<p>While almost any experience, observation, etc. can serve as a jumping off point for a great essay, there are, as you suggest, some topics that are better avoided, because they are too controversial, might reflect poorly on you, or are overused. An essay coach can definitely help steer you a bit when it comes to those sorts of questions. A more important topic-related question might be “What does the story I choose to tell IMPLY about me?” In other words, what is your essay’s “subtext”? Again, an outside reader with experience can often shed light on how your essay might be interpreted at a deeper level. For example, one student I worked with wrote her main Common App essay about a comic series of mishaps at a beloved internship. (Not going to get more specific, as I want to protect her privacy.) The essay was definitely an entertaining read, laugh-out-loud-funny, but there was also an unstated message. The student came across as someone who persevered through the mishaps, never giving up on her task, no matter how ridiculous the situation became (although, of course, she never stated anything like that directly). Her love for the internship came through, as did her dogged determination and refusal to be discouraged. Nice subtext. Of course, when she initially told me the story, she had only thought of it as a funny series of events, which it was, but having an experienced outside reader allowed her to understand how her story might be interpreted on a deeper level.</p>
<p>An essay coach can be helpful with supplemental essays, as well. In my experience, many students do dot fully appreciate the importance of the “Why do you want to go to X College?” essay that appears on many supplements. This essay should be utterly truthful, but can be challenging to write, and doing it well may actually require significant research. An experienced coach can direct you as to what kinds of specifics schools are looking for from you when you answer this question.</p>
<p>A good essay coach has read and critiqued hundreds of essays and has a sense of what does and does not appeal to admissions committees in general. A good essay coach will provide references with those s/he has worked with in the past. A really good essay coach will feel like an ally throughout the essay writing process, but will never actually put a hand in any of your essays. I describe the way I work this way: I might say “Can you think of a more descriptive word to use here?” but I would never suggest a specific word. It is important that all your work be your own, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t have guidance.</p>
<p>English teachers and family members can be helpful as well, but be careful. Some (not all!) English teachers can get too caught up in the formal aspects of the writing; they may pay more attention to structure and grammar than to how your essay will strike a reader who does not know you. Beware losing your genuine “voice” through too much editing by others. Family members are often too close and know you too well to be objective. College App time can also be pretty stressful for students and their families, so having a neutral third party can be valuable.</p>
<p>The good news is that you sound like an interesting person with much to write about – I like the tinkering stuff! – and that you already do some creative writing. You are correct that creative writing is much more akin to college application essay writing than is SAT essay writing.</p>
<p>Books of college essays can also be helpful, as xrCalico23 suggested. </p>
<p>Feel free to PM me if you have any additional questions!</p>