the college essay mentor

College Essay Mentor

Admissions essay help from a published author.

Transform the Admissions Process

As a college essay consultant who specializes in helping self-motivated students gain admission to Ivy Plus universities, I want to transform the admissions experience. It is common for students to feel uncertain about college essays, which represent the last, best chance to differentiate themselves from other outstanding applicants. In a sequence of one-on-one meetings, I help students explore their personal values, identify meaningful themes, and write essays that will intrigue and impress admissions officers. As a personal guide for every draft of every essay, I create and manage a process that minimizes stress and maximizes success.

Get Exceptional Results

Students, parents and I share a goal: acceptances to top universities. Every year dozens of College Essay Mentor students defy low admissions rates and get accepted to the Ivy League, Stanford, MIT and other top schools. Credit belongs largely to my students' academic accomplishments and endeavors beyond the classroom. My contribution is to understand what "works" in the college admission context, to identify ideas that will make an impact and to elicit insights. I then to teach students how to craft essays that create compelling, personal portraits.

Total acceptances for College Essay Mentor students, 2020-2023

One-on-One Essay Packages

The hallmark of College Essay Mentor is providing guidance that is tailored to each student's the talents and goals. To provide full benefit of his knowledge and experience, Christopher Hunt works one-on-one with every one of his students, for every meeting, for every essay. His essay packages all include the personal essay, school-specific supplement essays, the activities list, and other counseling services.

College Essay Mentor Has Been Seen In

Susie Rinehart

Home » College Essay Coaching

College Essay Coaching

Young people need a mentor and guidance to tackle the toughest part of the college application: the essays..

Even great young writers don’t know how to talk about themselves. That’s where I come in. My goal is for students to write essays that college admissions readers won’t forget, and that stay true to the student’s authentic voice. The whole process is fun, effective, and transformational.

I work 1-on-1 with only a handful of students each year, including a few on need-based scholarship. 

• Parents get to step back and focus on their relationship with their child
• I meet confidentially, 1-on-1, to brainstorm, structure, and fine-tune their essays
• My students discover who they are, what they value, and how to express themselves

Online Bootcamp: How to Write a Great College Essay

Enrolling now a four-part online course that guides you step-by-step in 20+ videos and one 1-on-1 call with me..

I’ve been an award-winning writer and a teacher of writing for 25+ years. As an English teacher and assistant director of the Mountain School of Milton Academy, I taught High School juniors and seniors the art of the personal essay, and oversaw their college application process. I also worked as the director of Where There Be Dragons, an organization dedicated to meaningful travel programs for teens. I am one of those rare people who LOVES teenagers. As a trained personal coach, I know how to interview them to get their best ideas powerfully told on the page. My system includes multiple tools, honed with experience, that they can use in college and beyond to write clearly and persuasively. The top five schools attended by the students I’ve advised are Brown, Middlebury, Yale, Bowdoin, and Cornell.

The Process

Pre-Meeting. Before we meet, I’ll send you a few questions to help me get to know you. This frees us up to dig in immediately when we connect and begin the 3-step process.

• Brainstorming.  This is a no-judgement space. I do a series of interviews and share my favorite tools for finding the story that makes you distinctive. We have fun diving in and uncovering your developing sense of self.
• Structure. With a topic in hand, how do you write in a compelling, focused way? How will this essay stand out from the rest? We work on creating a “storyboard” for each essay. I’ll challenge you to take risks. I’ll teach you how to take something that seems so ordinary, so mundane, and write it so vividly that it ends up extraordinary.
• Fine-Tuning . Plan to write 3-5 drafts. We work together to find the best hook, to end with a “bang” and to get rid of any prose that weighs down the writing. I’ll help you with grammar and spelling to avoid distracting errors. I’ll also provide that outside perspective: does this person come across as curious, open, likable?

Let’s Get Started!

Ready to Get Started?

If you’re curious about college essay coaching, try a session on me book a free 30-minute phone consult to gain instant momentum, and to see if working together is the right fit..

Schedule a Free Consult

I offer a few paths forward:

Standard package (for up to 5 colleges).

This is the worry-free package. It’s a flat rate. I work by phone or in-person, beginning to end, for all essays. You don’t have to count how many hours we work together. And you can trust that I have your back to brainstorm, generate uncommon ideas, create a structure, provide unlimited editing and revision feedback of the personal statement essay (for either the Common Application or the Coalition Application), plus all supplemental essays/questions for up to 5 colleges. Book a free 30 min consult to get started. $2,549

Personal Statement/Core Essay

This essay is the toughest because colleges are looking for insight into who this applicant really is in 650 words. It requires reflection, perspective, and a unique angle. The open-ended prompts are overwhelming: “share your story” “what makes you unique?” My system breaks the mountain of writing down into small hills and gives support for the three main steps: 1. Brainstorm 2. Structure 3. Fine tune. Book a free 30 min consult to get started. $949

Supplemental Essays (under 500 words)

For Returning Clients Only

These essays are shorter, but they need to be of the same quality as the core essay. Each school asks for 2-3 of these. Done well, these responses can pull an applicant out of the ‘Maybe’ pile and into the ‘Yes’ pile. $315

Review of Finished Essay

A close look at a polished draft from an outside, experienced perspective. This is to catch grammatical errors, flow, and to help find the best hook and the most powerful ending. Book a free 30 min consult to get started. $150/hour

By popular demand, I’ve added services:

Comprehensive college advising package .

Cover all the bases; Don’t miss a detail. One-on-one coaching every step of the way on all aspects of the college application process. Reserves your spot in my calendar (get first pick of coveted meeting times). Saves you money and includes the packages listed below. Book a free 30 min consult to see if this package is right for you. $5549

Find Your Path: Major/Career Coaching 

For any student who wants clarity on who they are, what they want to do, and where they want to go. One-on-one coaching on finding a college major and potential career path based on 25 years experience guiding high school students on their values, interests, and strengths. Book a free 30 min consult to see if this is the right package for you. $549

Make the Match: Build a Custom College List 

Identify the best-fit schools and d iscover programs you may never have heard of before. Strategize for family budget considerations. Build a custom, balanced list that emphasizes fit, plus complete the common app profile and learn how to m ake the most of college visits. This can be done as a 2-day intensive to use momentum to motivate through overwhelm. Book a free 30 min consult to see if this package is right for you. $1849

On Track & On Time Complete Application Support

Don’t miss a deadline!  Soup-to-nuts application support for all colleges on your list. Strategize for scholarships . Develop supplemental essays that stand out (this package includes brainstorm & design of supp. essays but not editing or fine tuning). T rack all school requirements and Honors’ program needs. Learn best practices for communication with coaches and department heads. Grow self-advocacy skills for on-campus accommodation or support services, if needed. Book a free 30 min consult to see if this package is right for you. $2549

Tips for Navigating Uncertainty  

Sign up here for FREE resources. NO Spam. No spam. As my gift to you, I’m sending over my “7 Steps to Overcome Perfectionism.”

• A Short Guide to Being a Friend in a Crisis
• 6 Steps to Reclaim Your Voice
• How to Thrive in a Crisis
• 7 Steps to Overcoming Perfectionism

• SAT BootCamp
• SAT MasterClass
• SAT Private Tutoring
• SAT Proctored Practice Test
• ACT Private Tutoring
• Academic Subjects
• College Essay Workshop
• Academic Writing Workshop
• AP English FRQ BootCamp
• 1:1 College Essay Help
• Online Instruction
• Free Resources

14 Best College Essay Services for 2024 (40 Services Reviewed)

Research conducted by Emily Kierkegaard , PhD, and expert-reviewed by Kevin Wong, PrepMaven Co-founder

Not sure which college application essay coaching and editing service is the best? We compared the top 40 services, created in-depth reviews for 14 of them, and narrowed it down to the 4 best that will help guide you through the process of writing amazing college application essays.

What is the Best College Essay Service?

• PrepMaven  – best college application essay service overall
• College Essay Mentor  – best for individual consultants
• The College Essay Guy  – best for unlimited essay assistance
• College Vine  – best of the big platforms

The best of the rest:

Individual essay consultants:

• College Essay Editor  – small editing team
• Allison Karpf  – former English teacher helping students
• Your College Vision  – former journalist with more affordable rates
• The College Guru  – good on paper but unresponsive
• Sofia Zapiola – budget-friendly application assistance

Mid-size teams:

• Lotus Learning  – focus on health sciences

Large platforms:

• Study Point  – larger platform with mystery editors
• Ivy Select  – larger platform with mystery editors
• Empowerly  – larger platform with mystery editors
• BeMo  – expensive and aggressive with wrong expertise

Schedule a college essay consultation

Best College Application Essay Services in 2024

#1 – prepmaven.

Our Verdict — Best College Essay Assistance Overall Price: $79–349/hour (minimum $510 package) PrepMaven’s one-on-one college essay assistance is the best option overall. Founded by brothers and Princeton grads Greg and Kevin, almost all of PrepMaven’s essay coaches have Ivy-League experience, primarily from Princeton and Harvard. All essay coaches also undergo a thorough training program in PrepMaven’s methods, developed by professional writers with deep understanding of the college admissions process, for helping students to discover the most compelling stories for their essays. Unlike other services, PrepMaven offers college essay assistance at several different price points. At the most accessible rate, students can work with current Ivy-League undergraduates who specialize in writing and have recently aced the college application process. At higher rates, students can work with coaches who are both Ivy-League grads and professional writers (screenwriters, journalists, editors) with many years of experience helping students to craft compelling essays. Interested students can even work directly with founders Greg and Kevin, who have over 15 years of experience helping students through the entire essay-writing process. PrepMaven’s services combine many of the best features of other good options into one, and it’s hard to beat their experience.

Sign up for PrepMaven’s college essay help now

Any student wanting college essay help, at any point in the process, with a range of budgets.

At a glance:

• Cost: $79–349/hour (minimum $510 package)
• Writing coach qualifications: Princeton graduates and professional writers (or current Princeton students); all trained

What we like:

• Ivy League experience —most of their writing coaches are Princeton grads or current students, with some from Harvard and other Ivies
• Different pricing options to meet different families’ circumstances
• More flexible and greater capacity to take on new students compared to individual consultants

Sign up for PrepMaven’s college essay help

#2 – College Essay Mentor

Our Verdict — Best of the Individual Consultants Price: unknown but high Some college essay consulting services consist of just one expert. Of these individual essay consultants, Chris Hunt at College Essay Mentor is our favorite. He combines writing experience as a journalist for the Economist and the Wall Street Journal with personal experience as a graduate of Dartmouth. However, he only works with a small number of students each year, and students need to apply to work with him — he only accepts students with top grades and test scores who are already strong applicants for top schools. Chris offers the option for one-time written feedback, but this only gives big-picture generalizations. (And written-only feedback is always limited.) In order for help with the essay process, students need to purchase a complete essay package.

Students with top grades and test scores who want to work with a one-person business, who have a sizable budget, and who are ready to get started early.

• Cost: $210 for a one-time written essay feedback (big picture only), then $110 per draft feedback; pricing for essay process packages unknown
• Essay coach qualifications: professional journalist, Dartmouth grad
• Professional writing experience as a journalist
• Extensive experience working with college applicants
• Partners with Debra Felix, former Director of Admissions at Columbia, for full application review

What we don’t like:

• One-on-one work is limited to very high-achieving students, who need to apply with a resume : “I limit my one-on-one work to students who I believe will be strong applicants to elite universities. As a rule, this means having high grades in challenging classes, a test score of ACT 34+ or SAT 1500+, and substantial activities outside of the classroom.”
• Works with a limited number of students (60 per year), so often no availability
• All-or-nothing packages don’t allow students to work with Chris for just a few hours or for part of the essay-writing process
• Secretive about pricing (he’ll only give pricing details once he’s reviewed the student’s resume and agreed to work with them), but we expect the minimum cost of working one-on-one to be several thousand dollars

#3 – The College Essay Guy

Our Verdict — Best for Unlimited Essay Assistance Price: $4900 for application to 3 schools, $8050 for application for 10 schools We’re fans of Ethan Sawyer, the original “college essay guy”— his book, College Essay Essentials , is a great guide to the essay-writing process. Ethan doesn’t work directly with many students these days, but he now has a team of consultants who help students follow his principles. Their assistance is really all-or-nothing — they prefer to work with students from the very beginning of the process, and their minimum package is $4900, which includes assistance with essays for three schools. If students are applying to ten schools (a more realistic number for students aiming at competitive colleges), the fee is a hefty $7400.

Students who want unlimited help through the entire process, who have a sizable budget.

• Cost: $4900 (supplemental essays for 3 schools) – $7400 (supplemental essays for 10 schools)
• Essay coach qualifications: mix of Ivy grads and former teachers, some writers/screenwriters; all trained
• Great free resources about the essay-writing process
• Their Matchlighters Scholars Program gives back to the community by providing admissions consulting for select qualifying students
• All-or-nothing packages have a high minimum fee and don’t work for students who want just a few hours of feedback or help with just part of the process

#4 – College Vine

Our Verdict — Best of the Big Platforms Price: $140–180/hour There are plenty of large platforms with large stables of part-time tutors and coaches available to work with students. Of these big platforms, we think CollegeVine has the best offerings. Compared to other large companies, CollegeVine provides more information about their tutors, and students can pick individual tutors to work with from their roster. However, this model is really just a way of finding individual tutors to hire. Tutors don’t receive any training and don’t share a common approach, so it’s a mixed bag. Their rates are fairly high for part-time tutors who don’t have specific expertise and training in college essay consulting. Because CollegeVine is really just a marketplace where individual tutors can find students, the quality and price will vary widely.

Students who want to work with a big company, or those who want a quick session or two to go over their essays.

• Cost: Typically $140–180/hour
• Essay coach qualifications: no specific qualifications, but a few are Ivy League graduates
• Possible to select individual editors to work with from their roster.
• Easy to schedule ad-hoc sessions with a tutor through the website.
• No training or common approach for tutors
• Editors are part-time , with no option to work with full-time college admissions experts
• Relatively expensive for this level of expertise

College Essay Editing Alternatives (that Didn’t Make the Cut)

Individual essay consultants, #5 – college essay editor.

Our Verdict — Small Editing Team Price: Roughly $5,950 for applications to 10 schools College Essay Editor comprises two graduates of Stanford. This means that they have personal experience applying to highly competitive schools. One member of the team also has a college counseling certification, which is a good background for college essays. Based on their website, they appear to focus on the editing and proofreading phase of the essay-writing process. This can be helpful to students, but we recommend working with a service who can help students to uncover their values and brainstorm really great material that allows them to really shine—and if this doesn’t happen at the beginning of the process, it’s much harder to add in later on.

• Cost: $195/1000 words for proofreading, $495/1000 words for 3 rounds of editing and proofreading, or $595/1000 words for unlimited rounds of editing and proofreading; for the purposes of comparison, complete applications to 10 competitive colleges would be around 9,650 words, or $5950.
• Writing coach qualifications: Stanford graduates, one of whom has college counseling certification
• Editors are graduates of Stanford University , and one is a member of NACAC, the national association of college counselors
• They focus on editing and proofreading only , not on the crucial earlier steps of brainstorming and strategy
• Small team with very limited availability
• All asynchronous editing so you won’t be able to cultivate a real relationship with your essay coach.

#6 – Allison Karpf

Our Verdict — Former English Teacher Helping Students Price: $385/hour or $3850 package for application to one school Another option for students looking to hire an individual consultant is Allison Karpf. Allison is a former high school English teacher and a graduate of UC Berkeley who also holds a Masters of Education from Stanford. Her rates are definitely on the higher side, especially for someone who doesn’t have a professional writing background, but she does have extensive experience working with students to craft their essays.

• Cost:  $385/hour or $3850 unlimited counseling (includes supplemental essays for one college)
• Essay coach qualifications: former high school English teacher; Berkeley grad, Stanford MEd
• Lots of experience helping students improve their college essays
• Very quick to respond to client requests
• No professional writing experience or Ivy-Plus undergraduate experience
• High rates relative to other options
• Limited availability , since she works alone

#7 – Your College Vision

Our Verdict: Former Journalist with More Affordable Rates Price: $180/hour, or packages starting from $3500 Laurie Lande is another individual consultant who helps students through the essay-writing process. She comes recommended by other consultants like Chris from College Essay Mentor . Laurie did not herself attend a highly competitive school, so she doesn’t have that personal experience of going through the selective admissions process, but she does have a professional writing background as a journalist for the Wall Street Journal in Hong Kong.

• Cost: $180/hour or packages starting at $3500
• Essay coach qualifications: journalism background
• Affordable pricing , relative to other options
• Not a graduate of a highly selective school

#8 – The College Guru

Our Verdict — Good on Paper but Unresponsive Price: unknown Yet another individual essay consultant is Geanine Thompson from The College Guru. Geanine attended Dartmouth as an undergraduate and also holds an MBA from Duke. She also has a professional writing background as an assistant book editor at Berkley Publishing Group. Like Greg and Kevin at PrepMaven , she combines experience in the business world and at Wall Street firms with experience in education.

• Cost: unknown
• Essay coach qualifications: former assistant book editor; Dartmouth grad, Duke MBA
• Dartmouth graduate and former book editor
• Not responsive to emails and client requests

#9 – Sofia Zapiola

Our Verdict — A budget-friendly, personal essay editor. Price: $80/hour Yet another individual essay consultant is Sofia Zapiola, who offers a mix of essay editing and college application counseling services.

• Cost: $80/hour
• Essay coach qualifications: M.A. from Harvard; certificate in College Counseling from UC San Diego.
• Individual approach, budget-friendly rates, commitment to working within families’ budgets.
• Very few testimonials, so it’s difficult to evaluate how effective she is.

Mid-size Teams

#10 – lotus learning.

Our Verdict — Expensive for Tutor Background Price: $165/hour Founded by a Harvard grad who is a former teacher and veteran of the publishing industry, Lotus learning offers college essay help in the Boston area. They have a small team of tutors, mostly recent grads from good but not Ivy-Plus colleges, and mostly with focus in health sciences.

• Cost: $165/hour (minimum 8 hours)
• Essay coach qualifications: tutors are recent grads, but not Ivy-Plus schools
• Reasonable pricing with flexible packages
• Essay editors aren’t graduates of Ivy-Plus schools and don’t have professional writing experience

Large platforms

#11 – study point.

Our Verdict — Larger Platform with Mystery Editors Price: Rates Between $60 and $120/hr Study Point is a larger essay editing service. They claim to have several decades of experience helping students to craft their college essays, but they do not give information about who their essay coaches are and what qualifications they might have.

• Cost: $60-120/hr, depending on tutor experience
• Essay coach qualifications: unknown
• Larger company with several decades of experience
• Unclear who the essay coaches are
• Lack of statistics about their results

#12 – Ivy Select

Our Verdict — Larger Platform with Mystery Editors Price: unknown Ivy Select makes a lot of big promises on their website about having the best college essay consultants in the business, but they offer no information on who these consultants are, or on their backgrounds. They also brag that each consultant “only” works 20 students in one application cycle, but in our experience, that’s quite high.

• Long list of impressive (but anonymous) testimonials
• Only work with “top students”
• No information on their website about who the editors are
• Each essay coach works with up to 20 students at one time

#13 – Empowerly

Our Verdict — Larger Platform with Mystery Editors Price: High, from $6000/year Empowerly has over 60 college counselors who each work with an average of 5 students per year, in order to have more time to devote to each student. Their counselors come from “different educational backgrounds,” and while they do not provide specific biographical details we can assume that most of their essay coaches did not attend highly selective schools.

• Cost: typically from $6000/year
• Essay coach qualifications: college counselors
• Counselors work with just a few students per year
• You have to upgrade to “Empowerly Elite” to guarantee a counselor with a more selective educational background
• No professional writing experience

#14 – Prepory

Our Verdict — Expensive but with Good Expertise Price: $325/hr Prepory is a college application and career counseling service that offers a comprehensive program for college applications at any stage of the process (including as early as 9th grade). They make a lot of impressive claims about the expertise of their coaches, but it’s quite difficult to actual find much information about their essay coach qualifications.

• Cost: $325/hr
• They have a comprehensive college application program that begins as early as 9th grade.
• Limited information about essay coaches
• High prices

Top 40 College Essay Services Considered

• College Essay Editor
• The College Essay Guy
• College Vine
• College Essay Mentor
• Study Point
• Allison Karpf
• The College Guru
• Lotus Learning
• Summit Prep
• Sofia Zapiola
• Ivy Global / New Summits
• College Essay Solutions
• Your College Vision
• Essay Edge*
• ServicEscape*
• PapersForge*
• QuickWriter*
• JustEditMyEssay*
• JustDoMyEsssay*
• ExpertWriting*
• SpeedyPaper*
• GradeMiners*

* A number of services will edit essays directly for students, or even write portions of the essay for students. We do not condone this. Admissions officers can tell when essays have been written or edited by adults and this can have severe consequences. We have excluded these services from our reviews.

Why are college application essays important?

Can a great college essay alone get you into Harvard?

No. You’ll need your grades, test scores, and extracurricular activities (as well as letters of recommendation and interview) to be outstanding.

But can a mediocre essay be the reason you didn’t get into Harvard?

Yes. There are thousands of amazingly-qualified students who graduate from high school each year. Great grades and test scores might be a prerequisite for admission to a competitive college, but they alone aren’t enough.

College essays are a key component of a student’s application . When done well, they transform a collection of numbers—GPA, class rank, SAT or ACT scores , number of AP classes taken, AP scores—into a glimpse of a real, individual person.

Essays do many things. Good college essays can highlight extracurricular achievements which otherwise would be overlooked in a sterile list. Strong essays often indicate the student’s future plans —how they plan to leave a mark on their college campus and on the world. They can shine a light on unique challenges that a student may have had to face on their journey.

College admissions officers only have a few minutes to spend on each application. College essays need to be original, interesting, and memorable . They need to grab the attention of the admissions officer and persuade them that this is the student out of hundreds or thousands of other similarly-qualified applicants who should be admitted.

College admissions essays are usually unlike any other kind of writing that students have done before. They’re a combination of memoir and marketing pitch, and they need to be creative but also highly strategic. That’s a tough assignment!

What’s more, students are left to figure this assignment out on their own. A thoughtful and generous high school English teacher may provide guidance or offer to read essays and give feedback, but these teachers are responsible for many students, and they’re (usually) not experts in admissions strategies.

There’s another reason college essays are especially important from 2024 on. After the recent Supreme Court decision, the application essay has become one of the main ways that you can communicate how your racial identity has affected your life.

In fact, the New York Times published an article about how important it can be for students to discuss race in their college application essays!

Why work with a college essay service?

You may want to consider a college essay service if:

• You have no idea where to start in order to write your college application essays
• You feel overwhelmed by all of the different ideas you have and don’t know what would be the most strategic for college admissions—and what topics to definitely avoid for college essays
• You don’t know how to craft a compelling stor y
• You’re not sure how to edit and refine what you’ve written
• You have a hard time keeping yourself on track and want an external structure to hold you accountable
• You’re tired of conflict between students and parents about college essays
• You’re aiming at a competitive college (not just the Ivy League!) and know that you need your essays to be outstanding
• Your grades, test scores, and extracurriculars aren’t exceptional, so you need your essay to make your essay stand out from the pack
• You’re unfamiliar with the US college admissions process (a common situation for international students and first-generation families in the US)

Any of these are strong reasons to consider working with a college essay service!

It’s also worth remembering that a lot of the free advice on college’s website isn’t always very clear. For example, NYU’s admissions Senior Assistant Director of Admissions says that “There is no right or wrong way to answer as long as your answer is genuine to you.”

While that’s true, that doesn’t offer much guidance on how to actually write the essay!

Though many college applicants might not mention it, more and more students are using professional college application consultants. Research at the University of Chicago has shown that over a quarter of high-achieving seniors employed private specialists to help with the college application process.

In fact, according to NPR , some companies are even offering college admissions counseling to their top employees as an incentive–that’s just how important professional help can be in the current landscape of college admissions.

It’s important to note that a good college essay service will not write your college application essays for you . This is unethical and illegal. That’s not just coming from us: take it from a school like Princeton, whose website insists on the importance of writing your own application essays.

A good college essay service will guide you through each step of the process , teaching you how to self-reflect and write well while sharing insider insight about admissions strategy .

What makes a good college essay service?

We strongly believe that students need to write their own college essays , and we do not condone plagiarism or “buying” a college essay.

However, writing college application essays requires a completely new set of skills that is rarely taught in high school!

Writing a personal essay is much more creative than simply writing a good paper for English class. It requires a compelling narrative and a great deal of writing craft . A good essay service will teach how to do this kind of writing.

There are many college essay services that will provide only written feedback to students, usually in the form of comments added to an essay draft. (Remember, it’s important that students write their own essays, so avoid any college essay service that will make edits directly to an essay document .)

Written comments can be an effective component of good essay coaching. However, writing college essays is a deeply personal process , and it’s incredibly difficult to guide a student through the process of self-reflection, brainstorming, and planning purely through written comments.

In addition, a great college essay coach will teach students how to do this entire process of brainstorming, planning, outlining, writing, and revising . It’s difficult to learn why an essay coach is advising certain changes through written comments alone.

For these reasons, look for a college essay service with live, one-on-one services , not just written feedback. These days, it’s easy to work with the best college essay consultants in the country over Zoom!

Students need to reflect on their goals, their passions, and what drives them to be the person they are. This requires a great deal of self-awareness and self-analysis . An experienced college essay coach can help draw these ideas out of students through tested introspection techniques and brainstorming exercises .

On top of all of that, students need to be cognizant of which traits and accomplishments will be most appealing to colleges , and which stories will be cliche and boring. Personal statements and supplementary essays need to fit together to tell a cohesive story, and they need to work together with the rest of the student’s application (extracurriculars, grades, and other accomplishments).

In other words, there’s a great deal of strategy here! An experienced college essay service can help students decide how to present themselves in the best possible light .

Furthermore, most students don’t know how to edit effectively . A really top-notch college essay service will also teach students how to edit their own writing —how to reorder sections for better flow, cut unnecessary words to meet a word count, eliminate passive verbs, and make their writing vivid and exciting. Our students are routinely amazed by how transformative this step can be, and how much they learn by doing it together with the essay coach.

Finally, the best college essay services can also help students to make a writing plan and keep them on track , so that parents don’t have to be involved directly.

Ready to work on your college essays? Schedule a free 15- to 30-minute consultation with Jessica or one of our founders.

Best overall: PrepMaven’s tutors offer the highest quality at the best price. With three tiers of tutors, they make it easy to work with an Ivy League undergraduate for as little as $79/hr. Or, families can work with education professionals or Ivy League graduates from $150/hr. PrepMaven’s track record means that you can be sure every hour is being spent productively, so that you can expect real results from the work.

Best for individual consultants: College Essay Mentor. In theory, College Essay Mentor would offer an unparalleled level of individual attention and guidance: his website boasts of some very impressive results. You might find it hard to actually schedule with him, however, since he’s very selective about his clients.

Best for unlimited essay assistance: The College Essay Guy might not offer that personalized attention you get from live, face to face essay coaching, but they do offer unlimited essay editing for up to 10 schools (if you’re comfortable paying a hefty package price).

Best of the big platforms: College Vine will always be a bit of a gamble. Because it’s a tutor marketplace, your results (and costs) will really depend on how lucky you get with your consultant. From our research, however, many of their essay coaches look to have solid track records.

Ready to work on college essays with one of our experienced writing coaches? Schedule a free test prep consultation with Jessica (Director of Tutoring) or one of our founders to see what would be the best fit for your family.

It’s always best to start early and not wait until the last minute to write your college essays! Remember that essays can be used to earn scholarships as well as college admission, so a few months of writing now can pay off with up to $300,000 in tuition saved later. 

We work with students at all stages of the writing process, from I-have-no-idea-what-to-write to final edits. To start working with an Ivy-League writing coach today, set up a quick free consultation with our team.

Schedule a free college essay consultation

Top College Essay Posts

• 14 Best College Essay Services for 2023 (40 Services Reviewed)
• Qualities of a Successful College Essay
• 11 College Essays That Worked
• How to Answer the UC Personal Insight Questions
• How Colleges Read your College Applications (A 4-Step Process)
• How to Write the Princeton Supplemental Essays
• The Diamond Strategy: How We Help Students Write College Essays that Get Them Into Princeton (And Other Ivy League Schools)
• What is the College Essay? Your Complete Guide for 202 4
• College Essay Brainstorming: Where to Start
• How to Write the Harvard Supplemental Essays
• How to Format Your College Essay

Emily graduated  summa cum laude  from Princeton University and holds an MA from the University of Notre Dame. She was a National Merit Scholar and has won numerous academic prizes and fellowships. A veteran of the publishing industry, she has helped professors at Harvard, Yale, and Princeton revise their books and articles. Over the last decade, Emily has successfully mentored hundreds of students in all aspects of the college admissions process, including the SAT, ACT, and college application essay. 

CHECK OUT THESE RELATED POSTS

SSAT Score Release Dates – When You’ll Get That Score Report

May 2, 2024

You've studied hard. You've taken the SSAT. Now when will you get that score report? Find SSAT score release dates and more in this regularly updated post.

SSAT Prep Resources: Your Guide

Preparing to take the SSAT? What SSAT prep resources should you be utilizing? We weigh in on the best SSAT test prep tools in this post.

Scoring on the SSAT: Your 2024 Guide

Understanding your SSAT score report can be challenging. With this detailed breakdown of SSAT scores, you'll have a firm grasp on what to expect in no time!

What is a Good SSAT Score for 2024?

What is a good SSAT score? What percentile ranking do you need to get into the school of your dreams? Find out more in this comprehensive post.

Princeton Review vs Kaplan: Which SAT Prep Service is Better?

April 29, 2024

Princeton Review and Kaplan are two of the biggest test prep services, but which one is better? Detailed review of pricing, course materials, instructor qualifications, and customer service. Choose the best SAT prep to help you raise your score…

Kaplan SAT Prep Review: Rating All of Kaplan’s SAT Prep Options

Comprehensive review of Kaplan's SAT prep services: pricing, instructor qualifications, online platform, customer service, and educational quality.

Princeton Review vs Kaplan: Which ACT Prep Service is Better?

Princeton Review and Kaplan are two of the biggest test prep services, but which one is better? Detailed review of pricing, course materials, instructor qualifications, and customer service. Choose the best ACT prep to help you raise your score…

Kaplan ACT Prep Review: Rating All of Kaplan’s ACT Prep Options

Comprehensive review of Kaplan's ACT prep services: pricing, instructor qualifications, online platform, customer service, and educational quality.

15 Best Online Writing Tutoring Services for 2024 (50 Tutoring Services Reviewed)

A list of the 15 best online writing tutoring services, reviewed and ranked. Compare prices & writing tutor qualifications. Best overall: PrepMaven’s writing tutoring ($66–349/hr). Best on a budget: Wyzant ($20–600/hr). Best…

Wyzant vs. Varsity Tutors: Which Tutoring Service is Better?

April 25, 2024

In this Wyzant vs. Varsity Tutors face-off, we pit two of the biggest tutoring companies against each other to see which is the best. From tutor qualifications to price, subjects, guarantees, and other features, discover which is the best tutoring platform.

Privacy Preference Center

Privacy preferences.

More than 4 million 5-star reviews

65,000 expert tutors in 300+ subjects, find a great match with our good fit guarantee, featured by the nation’s most respected news sources.

Tutors from top universities

Get 1:1 help fast

The Best college essay Tutoring Online

Find the best college essay tutor.

Patient Virtual tutor that specializes in Statistics & College Essays

I am a higher education professional and educational consultant who has a passion for not only helping students get into college, but make it through college. I have taught research methodology at the university level and have a PhD in Educational... See Christal-Joy's full profile

Not only did she really have a strong mastery of the material, but she presented and organized the lesson in a way that was very helpful. Lots of people know this stuff, but not everyone can share that knowledge in a way that mak... read the full review - Kristen , 12 lessons with Christal-Joy

Writing Mentor specializing in College Application Essays

A professional writing mentor, I have worked chiefly with university applicants since 2013; full time the last 5 years. Essay Mentor for Fulbright Commission, 2015-2020, working with extremely promising applicants to help them in applying to... See Jonathan's full profile

Jonathan helped our daughter prepare essays for almost 20 schools. He worked with her weekly over several months to generate strategies for how to approach each application (e.g., which supplemental essays to choose if there is a... read the full review - Nahid , 92 lessons with Jonathan

English tutor and PhD w/ 3+ years experience in college essay coaching

Since 2017, I've helped students write the essays that have gained them admission to the colleges and graduate schools of their dreams. I can help at any stage in the process, from brainstorming ideas to revising early drafts to proofreading the... See Nathan's full profile

Nathan is wonderful! He helped my son tremendously with his college application essays. From the Common App personal statement to the supplemental essays for the Ivies to the safety schools, Nathan provided expert guidance with br... read the full review - Kathryn , 10 lessons with Nathan

Published Author, NYU MFA in Writing, Personal Statement Specialist

I have assisted students through their college journeys since 2016. Since then, I have run large college essay workshops and have worked privately with individuals applying to top schools such as Stanford University, The University of... See Eitan's full profile

Eitan is so knowledgeable about the structure, grammar, and wording of essays and always gives extremely helpful feedback. He is very patient and is willing to go out of his way to help his students succeed. He not only helps with... read the full review - Elena , 29 lessons with Eitan

Experienced Consultant in College Essay Writing

...as well as, external (not university-affiliated) companies, and private tutoring. On top of working with students on college essays , I worked for two years as a graduate teaching assistant working with students on crafting strong argument-driven essays... See Leigh's full profile

Expert Writing Coach & College Essay Consultant; Former UNC Professor

I work with students applying to college, medical school (AMCAS, AACOMAS, and TMDSAS), law school, graduate school, and dental school. I began assisting students with their personal statements and college essays as an Essay Coach with... See Erica's full profile

Dr. Erica is the best!!! She is very experienced and patient. She brainstormed with my daughter and guided her on college application. She also provided feedback and edited her essays, activity list, and resume. She has a knack f... read the full review - Elizabeth , 8 lessons with Erica

Award-winning Harvard Grad / College Essay and Application Consultant

Throughout my tutoring career, I have helped numerous clients refine and polish academic papers, college essays , and applications. Whether you need assistance with your writing style, grammar, vocabulary, or paper structure, I can use my... See Teagan's full profile

Teagan has been helping my daughter with her college essays and counseling and has been exceptional! He has been patient, always positive and brings out the best in her. He clearly understands what various colleges need and guides... read the full review - Varadan , 8 lessons with Teagan

College Essay Consultant

I am an Ivy League alumna and veteran high school teacher. Prior to becoming a college essay consultant three years ago, I volunteered as an Alumni Admissions Ambassador for my alma mater. In that role, I conducted applicant interviews... See Barbara's full profile

Don L-- English, Literature, SAT prep, Grammar, and Writing Teacher

I have worked with hundreds of students and their college essays . Most of this work was done in my high school Honors and College Prep English classes. I have also worked with many students on highlighting skills for their applications.... See Donald's full profile

Don was Great! I needed help with a "Fiction Analysis" paper for English 102. Don was able to help me understand exactly what my professor was looking for in this assignment and then helped me with different ways that I can approa... read the full review - Christie

College Application Essay Specialist with PhD from Berkeley

I’ve been helping university applicants with their college essays since 2016. My clients have been accepted at top-tier universities across the US. Taught academic writing at UC Berkeley for ten years. Directed 30 senior theses primarily... See Ben's full profile

If you’re struggling with a tight deadline and getting your ideas down on paper, book a session with Ben. He knows just the right questions to ask and has an amazing technique for getting your essays done as fast and as well as p... read the full review - Katherine

Certified ELA Educator: College Essays , Writing, College Composition

This may come by helping students with writing coursework (college or high school), navigating college applications, reviewing college application essays , writing scholarship essays, organizing content, and/or study skills.... See Julie's full profile

If you are looking for a tutor, you’d be doing yourself a disservice if you didn’t give Julie an opportunity to connect with you. From the very start, you will see Julie’s high level of organization, planning, and flexibility whi... read the full review - Dan , 7 lessons with Julie

3+ yrs experience helping students find/get into their dream schools

It’s hard to choose between two stellar candidates with generic essays, so admissions offices move on to the essay that reads, feels and behaves like a real person. My approach to the college essay is simple and effective. It’s a... See Henrik's full profile

My son was struggling with trying to organize and write his paper for his Brit. Lit. English class. We feel so fortunate to have found Henrik through the Wyzant app. Henrik was always very responsive when communicating with me thr... read the full review - Allison , 2 lessons with Henrik

College Essay Coach

I am a former legal writing professor and legal editor and have worked throughout my career with students at all levels — those who love to write and those who don’t — to help them get their thoughts on paper in a way that is compelling and... See Jennifer's full profile

Jennifer is the best! I reached out to her for assistance with my grad school admissions essays, and her guidance and editing were always spot-on. Her insights and revisions consistently resonated with me, and her precision in edi... read the full review - Molly , 8 lessons with Jennifer

Effective Writing/Editing Tutor; College Essay Tutor & Counselor

My role is to guide students and support them through the writing process, and to help them craft strong, compelling narratives that hew closely to their own voice. For college applications, essays usually include the personal... See Helene's full profile

Helene has been assisting my son with his essays and she has been an amazing help. She is part counselor, part editor, and part cheerleader. She is able to help him clarify his ideas and express them clearly in his voice, not hers... read the full review - Linda , 12 lessons with Helene

Experienced College Essay Editor Ready to Provide Feedback

Every semester, I worked 1-1 with my college peers, resulting in 3+ years of experience. Since, I have edited dozens of college application essays , supporting students in applying to Yale, MIT, Vassar, Barnard, Vanderbilt, CalTech,... See Gabriela's full profile

Harvard Grad and College Essay Expert

Ever since giving my first chess lesson when I was 11 years old (certainly the most exciting $2 I have ever made in my life) I have continued tutoring in almost every imaginable capacity, from ACT, to college essays , from middle school... See Razi's full profile

Razi was an absolutely incredible college essay expert. Throughout our sessions together, Razi ensured every minute was well spent, very efficient, and fun. I significantly struggled finding my “voice” in these essays and making t... read the full review - Gabriel , 12 lessons with Razi

Experienced Grad-School, Fellowship, and College Essay Tutor

I'm happy to work with you on any stage of the writing process, whether it be last-minute final edits, brainstorming content and outlining, or anything in between! College and graduate school essay coaching has been a focus of mine for the past... See Madeline's full profile

I could write pages on how significant Maddy has been for me throughout my graduate applications process, but I will try to keep it short because I want you to read my entire review. I have been working with Maddy since Summer 20... read the full review - Danielle , 177 lessons with Madeline

Psychology PhD, Dissertations, Research Methods, College Essays

Hi, I'm Dr. Nicole. I have a PhD in health psychology and have served as a dissertation-level research and writing coach for 8 years. I have successfully guided numerous psychology graduate students to earning their PhDs or PsyDs. This means that... See Nicole's full profile

Nicole is a brilliant and passionate writing tutor who truly cares about her student and helping them in accomplishing their goals. She helped me succeed in transforming my paper from average to EXCELLENT! She is knowledgeable and... read the full review - Tiffany , 5 lessons with Nicole

The College Lad - Leading SoCal Writing Coach & Test Expert

My own writing has been published in over a dozen publications and my years of experience writing web copy have taught me how to apply that punchy style to college essays in order to grab a reader's attention. I don't just write... See Nick's full profile

College Essay Expert with 5-Star Rating

As a college essay expert with a 5-star rating, I have helped countless students craft compelling and impactful essays that showcase their unique strengths and personalities. With a background in education and a doctorate in education, I... See Bryan's full profile

Bryan is an exceptional College Essay coach who can demolish any writer's block through a systematic approach that breaks down the prompt into small achievable goals. Bryan's ability to pull out the writer's most powerful thought... read the full review - Christopher , 15 lessons with Bryan

Conquer the College Essay with Author, Journalist and Writing Teacher

I am an award-winning author and journalist with bylines in The Wall Street Journal, NPR's magazine, and Village Voice Media (200+ articles published). As a communications consultant, my clients include the World Bank, World Vision International... See Amy's full profile

I can't imagine a better writing tutor; she absolutely exceeded my expectations. I have been in the process of applying for speech-language pathology graduate school. It is an EXTREMELY competitive program (25-35 spots and 400 app... read the full review - Marissa , 7 lessons with Amy

Writing/Editing/Proofreading/Public Speaking, Doctorate/ College Essays

I have a BA in Communication from Michigan State University. As an industry professional with 30+ years in public relations/marketing/business communications, I wrote articles, literature, proposals, presentations, press releases, and advertising... See Karen's full profile

My daughter and I have been meeting with Karen for over 4 months writing college essays. She is extremely knowledgeable, meticulous, and supportive. We met Karen for the first time and knew that she was the perfect match. Her pers... read the full review - Michelle , 29 lessons with Karen

Experienced Ivy university instructor for writing, college apps, GRE

I am also a published academic author with a strong command of different styles and approaches; I can help students with high school and college essay writing, academic research writing, persuasive writing, prose style, formatting, and all... See Lev's full profile

Published Writer, Editor & Document Formatting Specialist

...), and 20 years of experience in helping people improve their formal and informal writing, including: college essays , college application essays , research papers, memoirs, fiction, business documents, personal and business correspondence, etc. Very... See Larisa's full profile

Larisa is a wonderful tutor and is very skilled with editing APA format. She is a lifesaver!!! I highly recommend Larissa. This was my first time using Wyzant, and I am very satisfied! ... read the full review - Nancy , 2 lessons with Larisa

Professor Specializing in College Essays /Personal Statements

Dear potential student, If you are struggling with any aspect or phase of composing your document, I am here to assist. I hold a PhD in philosophy from Emory University and was a tenured professor at a reputable New England University for... See Anthony's full profile

Trusted with over 6 million hours of lessons since 2005

Success stories

Real stories from real people

Since 2005, Wyzant has provided a way for people to learn any subject in a way that works for them.

Tutors on Wyzant Cost $35 - 60 per hour on average

Tutors using Wyzant are professional subject experts who set their own price based on their demand and skill.

Compare tutor costs. With a range of price options, there’s a tutor for every budget.

Sign up, search, and message with expert tutors free of charge.

Only pay for the time you need. Whether it’s one lesson or seven, you decide what to spend.

Get the help you need first. You’ll only be charged after your lesson is complete.

Love Your Lesson Or It’s Free

Reported on by leading news outlets.

A nationwide network

Find Online Tutors in Subjects related to College Essay.

Get 1-to-1 learning help through online lessons. If you are looking to learn a subject similar to College Essay, tap into the nation’s largest community of private tutors. Wyzant helps more students find face to face lessons, in more places than anyone else. Plus, if you're not happy with any new tutor, we'll gladly refund the cost of your first hour. In addition to College Essay tutors, Wyzant can also help you find:

Online ACCUPLACER College-Level Math tutors | Online ACCUPLACER Sentence Skills tutors | Online ISEE (Essay) tutors | Online ACCUPLACER Elementary Algebra tutors | Online AP Literature tutors | Online ACCUPLACER Reading Comprehension tutors | Online AP English tutors | Online CLEP College Composition tutors | Online AP English Literature tutors | Online Narrative Essay Writing tutors | Online GMAT (Analytical Writing) tutors | Online SAT II Latin tutors | Online SAT Verbal tutors | Online SSAT (Writing) tutors | Online SAT Writing tutors | Online SAT II German tutors | Online CLEP College Composition Modular tutors | Online 6th Grade Writing tutors | Online AP US History tutors

Find a Private College Essay Tutor in any city.

The Wyzant community of private tutors spans nationwide, making it easy to find an instructor nearby who can teach 1:1 college essay lessons online or in person. Pass the class, ace the test, or learn a new job skill. Compare tutor costs and qualifications and find your college essay tutor today.

Houston College Essay tutors | Chicago College Essay tutors | Los Angeles College Essay tutors | Brooklyn College Essay tutors | Miami College Essay tutors | Queens College Essay tutors | San Antonio College Essay tutors | Philadelphia College Essay tutors | New York College Essay tutors | Manhattan College Essay tutors | Las Vegas College Essay tutors | Phoenix College Essay tutors | Bronx College Essay tutors | Denver College Essay tutors | San Diego College Essay tutors | Dallas College Essay tutors | Cleveland College Essay tutors | Baltimore College Essay tutors | Minneapolis College Essay tutors | Fort Worth College Essay tutors | Austin College Essay tutors | San Jose College Essay tutors | Atlanta College Essay tutors | Saint Louis College Essay tutors | Orlando College Essay tutors

Get the college essay help you need, right when you need it with the convenience of online lessons.

Write college application essays that get you admitted

with expert help from College Essay Advisors

One-on-One Advising

Work with one of CEA’s expert Advisors to conceptualize, edit and refine admissions essays that stick with admissions and make you stand out.

• YouTube Tutorials

Master each step of the admissions essay writing process and learn what it takes to craft a memorable submission one video at at time.

Why Choose College Essay Advisors?

Our Top Resources

• Our Approach & Team
• Undergraduate Testimonials
• Postgraduate Testimonials
• Where Our Students Get In
• CEA Gives Back
• Undergraduate Admissions
• Graduate Admissions
• Private School Admissions
• International Student Admissions
• Common App Essay Guide
• Supplemental Essay Guide
• Coalition App Guide
• The CEA Podcast
• Admissions Stats
• Notification Trackers
• Deadline Databases
• College Essay Examples
• Academy and Worksheets
• Waitlist Guides
• Get Started

No products in the cart.

Admissions Help from Advisors Who've Been Through It.

Our Students Have Been Accepted To

Read profiles of successful students

Get answers to your questions

One on one help from the best.

Squired advisors offer help with every aspect of your college application journey. From choosing your school and program to crafting the perfect essay to bring out your interests and strengths, Squired mentors are here for you.

When you find an advisor you connect with, you can book them for one-on-one help making your own college dreams a reality, starting at just $49.

Step 1: Choose your advisor

Step 2: book your advisor, step 3: perfect your application with their help, gain insights from multiple advisors.

Each credit allows you to book a one hour session with any Squired advisor.

• One hour session with an advisor of your choice
• Unlimited messaging
• Get Help With:
• Essay editing
• Application Advice
• Interview prep

• Three one-hour sessions to use on your schedule
• Work with advisors from multiple universities
• Unlimited access to all our Advisors' profiles, essays and resources

• Six one-hour sessions to use on your schedule

Top Advisors Available Now

See All Advisors

Harvard Advisors

Princeton Advisors

MIT Advisors

UPenn Advisors

Emma, Stanford '24

Major in english.

Josh, Brown '24

Major in applied math.

Joseph, MIT '24

Major undecided.

Eesha, Princeton '23

Major in compsci.

David, Harvard '24

Major in economics.

Sophia, Stanford '24

Major in intl. relations.

Jessica, Cornell '23

Major in business.

Yusef, Stanford '24

Frequently Asked Questions

Advisors provide one-on-one help and guidance throughout the college application process. Whether you’re looking for advice on school selection, essay editing or first hand insights on the college experience, Squired advisors are here to help. 

All Squired verified advisors have proven their student status at their respective universities and are experienced with all aspects of the college application process. 

To find out more about an individual advisor’s expertise, you can view the schools they were accepted to, extracurriculars, and other key information on their Profile. To message advisor privately before booking, create a free Squired account. 

Squired is built off of the principle that everyone has different needs, strengths, interests and responds to teaching differently. As such, the best advisor varies for each student, and we encourage you to browse through our advisors’ profiles to find the best fit for you. 

By working with a advisor who understands your strengths, passions and has first-hand experience at your target school, you will receive the most relevant advice to your situation, rather than a one-size-fits-all approach.

Your advisor will join you for a video call session at the time you have booked. During your session, your advisor will guide you through the process and answer any questions you have, keeping in mind your overall progress and the areas you need to focus most on. 

To ensure you get the most out of your advising sessions, be sure to prepare your questions and other application materials you want to focus on on a Google Doc beforehand. This will ensure that your mentor can answer your questions and guide you through the application on your call.

If you have questions before your session, you can reach out to your advisor directly through a Squired message on the Advisor profile that you booked them on. 

If you need to reschedule your booking, simply message your advisor over Squired to request a change of time. You can also reach out to Squired Support directly and we will request a reschedule and update your booking time. 

Perfect your application today.

Report content, block member.

Please confirm you want to block this member.

You will no longer be able to:

• See blocked member's posts
• Mention this member in posts
• Message this member
• Add this member as a connection

Please note: This action will also remove this member from your connections and send a report to the site admin. Please allow a few minutes for this process to complete.

We mentor students in Seattle’s Eastside and nationwide

Essay Mentors are more than just writing coaches, editors or tutors. Sure, we can write, but more importantly we know how to guide students through a self-discovery process, help them learn new ways of telling their story, and build new writing skills that schools simply don’t teach.

This is why we call ourselves mentors: we’re here to support these young adults. We challenge them, we stick with them when the going gets tough, and we help them write the best essays they can.

The essay is just the beginning. Our mentors have backgrounds as coaches and consultants in a range of personal growth, leadership development, and training fields. This is why our students write such effective, powerful, and enjoyable college essays.

Over two thousand students and parents have come to our workshops. Our process works so well that we’re now training teachers, staff and volunteers in schools and nonprofits around the country. They love it, and the kids love it.

No-Obligation Parent Consultations

If you’re not sure what to think about college essays, you’re not alone. They can be as bewildering as any other part of the college process.

In a twenty-minute call with Barak Rosenbloom, our Chief Essay Mentor, you’ll have a good sense of the role essays will play for your child and what support—professional or from you—would make sense.

We mentor kids locally in person and over the phone or via Skype nationwide.

Our Mentors

Barak Rosenbloom

Founder and Chief Essay Mentor

Barak is the founder of Essay Mentors. This is his 12th year mentoring students in the greater Seattle area and across the country. He’s the creator of our kid-tested, admissions-proven four-phase process that is now being used by schools and nonprofits coast to coast. Barak started life-after-college as an English teacher; spent five years at the US Department of Labor; and for fifteen years was a leadership, organization development and communication consultant. He had more fun running his teen leadership program at the Summit at Snoqualmie and in 2012 dropped his adult clients and put all of focus on creating Essay Mentors and making a difference in the lives of teenagers. He has a B.A. from Williams College in English and History, and a Masters in Public Policy from the University of Michigan.

Anne Herman

Training Director and Mentor

Leisa Ashbaugh

Content Strategy Advisor and Mentor

Leisa is an accomplished writer, editor and communication consultant. For decades, Leisa has been helping people and businesses identify and clarify their message, and then put it into words in a way that communicates their values and priorities. Her client list includes some of the world’s best-known software and communications companies and start-ups alike. She holds a Bachelor of Business of Administration from Pacific Lutheran University, and ever the earlier-adopter, she was a member of the first cohort group of the University of Washington’s Master in Communication/Digital Media program – now known as Communication Leadership.

C ollabo W rite N ow

Where writing meets success

COLLEGE ESSAY   Brainstorming

Deep diving to figure out what is your most compelling story

personal  statements   &   supplemental   essays

Combining college essay prompts for efficient writing

scholarship   essays

Applying for a chance to fund your own education

ConsultiNG ON  COLLEGE RESUME BUILDING  

Assistance with the Common App

College Activities List & Additional Information Section

The writing process simplified

If you’re looking for an Essay Specialist who can provide you with the personalized attention you deserve, look no further!

I am a knowledgeable, self-styled writing coach, who has struck a path off of a mainstream CPA career, to follow my calling:

to offer a collaborative space for you to write for your success. 

I help you unlock your potential by providing the  one-on-one attention you need to succeed.

My philosophy is simple:

Write from your place of authenticity,

and the rest will follow.

Tharini Devarajan

10 years as CPA at a small business CPA firm 

10 years of personal blogging experience

(narrative, memoir, personal reflections, musings)

3+ years as a College Essay Coach

2 years as a Creative Content Writer, preparing curriculum for K-8

2 years as a Writing Coach for students K-8

3 months as a Self Development coach for teens

On and off as a poet when inspiration strikes

Writing Coach | Essay Specialist

Personalized. friendly. quality coaching..

[email protected]

Thank you! I will be in touch soon.

INSPIRE THE NEXT GENERATION

College mentorship program.

We match high-school students with college mentors who guide them through college applications and help with academic planning, personal statements, scholarship essays, financial aid, and more.

Creating Meaningful Impact

Students received college access guidance and resources, total hours spent on 1:1 mentoring, college acceptance and enrollment rate, events & workshops.

We host events and college application workshops, college and career fairs, and more.

Leadership & Mentoring

We provide volunteering and leadership opportunities for both  high school and college students.

YouTube Channel & Blogs

We create online videos and blogs with tips on college admissions, career insights, and student life.

Our Supporters

To play, press and hold the enter key. To stop, release the enter key.

Check Out Our Instagram

Subscribe to our newsletters and stay connected.

Thanks for submitting!

Finding a mentor for your college applications that feels right for you

The trusty Merriam-Webster dictionary defines a mentor as a “trusted counselor or guide,” and having mentors in our lives is not a new concept. Some of us are lucky enough to have people in our lives, who we may or may not formally call mentors, that help guide, motivate, and pave the way forward for us. We may turn to them for big and small decisions, and the college application process has many moments along the way where mentor support can be a huge help!

This is exactly why we’ve invested so much in building an incredibly talented and diverse community of nearly 100 mentors at CollegeAdvisor.com .

With so many pivotal moments along the college application process, what should students look for when it comes to finding a great mentor.

Before we jump in, let us start by saying that all of our mentors are wonderful and impressive individuals. Each mentor is a recent graduate from a top U.S. university, knowledgeable about the college application process and passionate about supporting high school seniors through an often daunting journey.

All CollegeAdvisor.com Admissions Experts passed a screening process with hours of training, and many have first-hand experience in unique aspects of applying to college:

• Financial aid, FAFSA, and need-based scholarships
• Merit-based scholarships
• Athletic recruitment
• Prep for alumni interviews

CollegeAdvisor.com is here to help level the playing field when it comes to connecting with and having access to a community of mentors to help you – and high school students everywhere – achieve their college dreams. And depending on what you’re looking for, one mentor may be a better fit for you than another.

Here are a few key factors to consider when searching for and selecting a mentor:

• Shared interests and common background – Is there a mentor that has similar hobbies, extracurricular activities, or passions? Maybe they’re from the same region as you, and you’d like to stay or connect with someone local? Or conversely, maybe you envision going further from home and would like to have a mentor that made a similar leap?
• An undergraduate major that you can relate to – Already think you know what you’d like to study? We have mentors with an impressive variety of undergraduate degrees to choose from and learn from their specific experiences.
• An alma mater or college that you’re eager to learn more about – Did this mentor go to a school that has piqued your interest? Maybe you’re interested in the same or a similar university, and would like to find recommendations or hear about the range of schools that mentor applied to?
• A job that inspires you – Ah, the eternal question: “What do you want to be when you grow up?” Do you have specific career or industry in mind? If so, you may want to connect with someone who is in a job that you find interesting. (And if not, that’s okay too! No one is expecting you to have it all figured out.)

These are just a few ideas when it comes to finding a great mentor. There are no “wrong” choices here, as it’s all about what feels most authentic and comfortable for you, especially through what can be an already overwhelming college application process.

We have nearly 100 amazing mentors this year with CollegeAdvisor.com , who graduated from over 30 top universities. They all are eager and ready to help guide, motivate and support you as you begin the college application process.

Go ahead, find a mentor who’s a great fit for you, and let’s get started!

And be sure to keep up with features of our mentors on our Instagram , Facebook , or Twitter accounts!

Personalized and effective college advising for high school students.

• Advisor Application
• Popular Colleges
• Privacy Policy and Cookie Notice
• Student Login
• California Privacy Notice
• Terms and Conditions
• Your Privacy Choices

By using the College Advisor site and/or working with College Advisor, you agree to our updated Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy , including an arbitration clause that covers any disputes relating to our policies and your use of our products and services.

How to Find a Mentor in College

Students should build a network of mentors in college, which could consist of faculty, staff members, peers and alumni.

Getty Images

Finding a mentor in college can be a great opportunity to grow and learn from someone you look up to.

Key Takeaways:

• A mentorship does not have to be formal.
• Set communication expectations and boundaries ahead of time.
• Avoid digging too deeply into a mentor's personal life.

Adjusting to college life can be challenging as students navigate living alone for the first time. However, mentors – who can be faculty, staff members, peers or alumni – can provide advice and guidance about campus life , academic tracks and career paths.

Mentors may also help students differentiate between good and bad information on the internet and social media, says Joanna Chiu, professor and chair in the department of entomology and nematology at the University of California, Davis .

Here's what to know about the roles of mentors and how to find them on campus.

Roles of a College Mentor

A mentorship does not necessarily have to be formal, experts say.

"When you say, 'have a mentor,' people automatically think this needs to be something very formal," says Connie Ledoux Book, president of Elon University in North Carolina. "But I do think there are all sorts of ways to effectively seek feedback from people. That's one of the things I really encourage people to do ... to improve their own self-awareness. Self-awareness is a secret weapon. If you have good self-awareness, then you bring that into every job interview, every professional setting and in your personal life. And to build self-awareness, you need good feedback."

Chiu, who is also the faculty recipient of the 2023 Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Mentoring Undergraduate Research at UC Davis, suggests building a network of multiple mentors, as each has a different role to play.

Faculty mentors can share more about how to navigate life, while peer mentors provide advice on how to maneuver college life, says Richmond Hill, provost of the Northern Virginia Community College Woodbridge Campus. For instance, students can ask their peer mentors about the best places to study on campus, where to buy inexpensive textbooks or how roommate selection works.

"A peer mentor is kind of more walking alongside of you through the journey versus a faculty mentor or alumni mentor who's going to be outside of higher education, their own personal journey at that point, looking at it from a different dimension," says Missy Gutkowski, assistant dean for experiential learning at Bucknell University 's Freeman College of Management in Pennsylvania.

Faculty and staff mentors don't necessarily have to be in a student's area of study – they can connect through research or club interests. Alumni mentors, meanwhile, provide context to students on how what they learn in the classroom translates to actual career experiences, what employers are looking for and current industry challenges.

Ways to Find a College Mentor

For those attending a college without formal mentorship programs, Hill says it's important to "identify someone that either embodies who you want to become – whether it's by way of character, integrity, compassion, what they are doing in their community and how they present themselves – or someone who is in a career field that you desire to enter into or maybe that's your goal."

Experts suggest starting the search early and getting involved on campus – especially for students looking for a peer mentor.

"Being a mentee, it doesn't mean that you need help," says Anjolina Fantaroni, a sophomore at Elon who was a mentor in the school's First Phoenix mentorship program. "It means that you're going out of your way and getting into programs that mean so much to you. You are going into programs that are going to help you in the long run. And as a mentor, you should never look down on your mentees. You should never not help them. Be there for them, whether it's academicwise or extracurricularwise . In times of stress, be there to go get meals with and answer questions."

When students first get to campus, they are typically given a faculty adviser – usually in their area of study. They can help refer students to other faculty or staff members with aligning career interests. Students can also approach professors after class.

"Given we are at a university, a big part of the job of professors is to actually educate and mentor," Chiu says. "You would think it's easy for students to find a mentor, but as a matter of fact, it's not straightforward and easy at all. ... The key for them to find good mentors is to identify professors, teaching assistants, grad students and postdoctoral fellows on campus who are particularly passionate about mentoring. They do exist. A lot of these individuals who really want to mentor folks often attend events on campus that are geared toward mentoring and career development."

How to Communicate With a College Mentor

Students can start by asking their mentor about the rules of engagement, such as whether to communicate by email, text or phone calls, Hill says. They should also avoid digging too deeply into a mentor's personal life.

"Through getting to know the mentor, and the mentor getting to know the mentee, you'll kind of get an understanding of how comfortable the other person is with sharing on a personal level," Hill says. "I think a large part of mentoring is sharing personal stories. But, for example, there may be some mentors out there – faculty, staff – that aren't really interested in you knowing about their family or what they do on the weekend. They might want to be more focused on, 'Hey, how do I connect you to this opportunity or help you navigate college?'"

When connecting with classmates and other peers, students need to distinguish between mentorship and friendship, experts say.

"A mentorship is someone who you are looking to go (to) for advice at a different level," Gutkowski says. "I always say a mentor is willing to have the hard conversation. Sometimes a friend is just willing to give you a hug and pat you on the back and say, 'It's been a hard day, let's go order an ice cream.' .... A mentor is going to have more information and guidance than typically a friend would."

When Should Students Meet With Their College Mentor?

Every mentee-mentor relationship is different. Some may want to communicate weekly while others meet formally on a monthly basis.

However, don't go to your mentor only when there's a problem, Chiu says.

"It's always good to just check in," she says. "I would love to hear from my students, even if it's just five minutes of how they are doing, because sometimes I can read from their conversation whether they are doing OK or not. Maybe you, yourself, don't realize that you are really stressed ... And the mentor would be able to tell you, especially if it's someone who knows you well."

Searching for a college? Get our complete rankings of Best Colleges.

Things Your Professors Won't Tell You

Jackson Nimesheim March 7, 2023

Tags: students , education , colleges , teachers

2024 Best Colleges

Search for your perfect fit with the U.S. News rankings of colleges and universities.

191 episodes

Destination YOUniversity is a podcast for parents of college bound teens and the mentors and educators who support them. If you are looking to learn quality tips, true tales of real applicants, and candid behind-the-scene truths about the college admission process, you've come to the right place. College dreams and EXPERT college advice is distributed here, no matter who you are, where you live, or where your teen attends high school. Join us!

Destination YOUniversity Dr. Cynthia Colon

• 5.0 • 11 Ratings
• MAY 2, 2024

#232 - 5 Strategies to Maximize Acceptance Letters

If you and/or your child has ever…   … wondered what Admission Officers look for on the transcript? "Is it better to get a B in an honors/AP course or A in a regular course?" … wished you could learn the best strategies for choosing a major or colleges to apply to straight from a former college admission officer. … wanted to know exactly which activities and leadership roles to add in order to stand out among a pool of equally qualified applicants.  Well, you are in for a treat! Today's episode is EXACTLY what you’ve been waiting for!!  Download your FREE 10 Sample Essays Purchase 40+ Winning Essays To Top 100 Colleges Essay Camp Dates 2024: JUNE: 17 and 24  JULY:  22, 29 AUGUST: 5, 12, 19 #truthtalkthursday #collegeessays #collegeessaybootcamp #essaycamp #becommittedgetadmitted #drcynthiacolon #highschoolparents #highschoolstudents #collegecounselor #collegedreams #top100colleges #publicschoolstudentsprivateschoolservice #happysuccessexpert #destinationYOUniversity #collegecounselor #collegeadmissions

• MAY 1, 2024

#231 - Dayton Flyers - The Birthplace of Flying

If you’ve never been to Dayton, OH, promise me you will go there and visit. You could spend at least three days alone in the National Museum of the Air Force. I’ve been to that museum and I also went to Dayton University to watch the First Four (the official beginning of March Madness).   Dayton is one of my favorite cities in Ohio and today, I’ve got my great friend, Tom Rock, who is an alum of Dayton University who will give you a virtual tour!!  Tom Rock is the Associate Vice President & Chief Student Affairs Officer at Teachers College, Columbia University. BUT, what I love so much about Tom, is that he also comes from the college admission world, so he knows a thing or two about colleges.  Enjoy! Every parent wants the best college options for their child. The problem is school counselors are not easily accessible until late junior year.  At Destination YOUniversity, we know families need key information and actionable to-dos in order to access top 100 colleges. That is why I started the podcast, Destination YOUniversity. Every Wednesday, I interview former parents, school leaders and college admission folks that offer key tips and strategies on how to become a better parent, educator, mentor or student. Whether your college bound teen is in middle school or high school, you will leave with valuable information and golden nuggets to apply immediately!  Thanks for joining us today! Have a happy and sunny day!!  Dr. C #betterwewednesday #destinationYOUniversitypodcast  #becommittedgetadmitted #drcynthiacolon #highschoolparents #highschoolstudents #collegecounselor #collegedreams #top100colleges #publicschoolstudentsprivateschoolservice #happysuccessexpert #destinationYOUniversity #collegecounselor #collegeadmissions

• APR 26, 2024

#230 - 3 Questions To Answer About YOUR Child

Full Disclosure Friday is about one thing only: BE HONEST. Today I share the exact 3 questions I ask every parent I work with. I’ll give you the three questions, answer them as they relate to my goddaughter, and how they relate to parenting.  If you are a parent of a teenager, this episode is for you. If you are a parent of a college-bound teen who is in high school right now, this episode is definitely for you!  Let’s get to it! You will want to answer these questions in your home! #fulldisclosurefriday #myreallife #entrepreneurs #edupreneurs #educators #sidehustle #tedxspeaker #author #becommittedgetadmitted #drcynthiacolon #publicschoolstudentsprivateschoolservice #happysuccessexpert #destinationYOUniversity #collegecounselor #collegeadmissions

• APR 25, 2024

#229 - The 4 Essays Every Student Needs When Applying To College.

IF YOUR CHILD IS CLASS OF 2025, s/he is SEVEN months away from applying to college. KEEP reading for my invitation. Did you know that the University of California system once required only two essays, with a 1000 word limit? In College Essay Bootcamp 1.0 (Senior Fast Track) students completed TWO essays. In 2016, the UC application offered 8 choices and students had to choose 4 essays (aka PIQs: Personal Insight Questions) at a 350 word limit each, a total of 1400 words.  College Essay Bootcamp 2.0 re-booted in 2017, the year my first book came out. I still remember offering our first essay workshop in the living room of my cousin’s home (Thank you, Luisa). The photo here is from that very workshop.  Since 2017 there are FOUR Signature Essays EVERY applicant needs, whether you are applying to the UC system or not.  Who Am I?  episode What Am I Good At?   What is Cool About Me?   Why This Major?  In fact, today we have a signature 90-Minute Essay Workshop that gets students from brainstorm to 10 ideas and 2 drafted essays. Boom! My team and I are headed to LILA School in Burbank on Saturday for a 4-Hour workshop. Chris and I can’t wait! MY INVITATION TO YOU:  YOU AND YOUR CHILD (Yes, parents can join as well) are invited to take this  90-MINUTE CHALLENGE.  Join us for our MINI ESSAY WORKSHOP  Sunday, April 28 at 4pm PDT  Wednesday, May 1 at 5pm PDT After just 90 Minutes, your child will walk away 👉 Feeling confident and five steps ahead of the game! 👉 With clarity on what to write, knowing s/he has something interesting to write about. 👉With a teen-proofed, battle tested, 3-Step writing formula that can repeated over and over again! ✅Remember: Students Aren’t Rejected, Applications Are. Learn HOW to submit the BEST college application possible and you are sure to maximize college acceptance letters!! Register: MINI ESSAY WORKSHOP  See you soon! Have a Happy and Sunny Day! Dr. C

• APR 24, 2024

#228 - How to read your financial aid award letter

Today you are going to hear from my #1 Go-To for all things Financial Aid and helping parents get the MOST $$ for college. Our guest today, Stephanie Hancock, President and Founder of CollegeAid Works.  If you are a parent of a college bound teenager currently in high school, this episode is for you.  If you want a huge head start in making sure YOUR family gets ALL the $$ you deserve, this episode is definitely for you!! Every parent wants the best college options for their child. The problem is school counselors are not easily accessible until late junior year.  At Destination YOUniversity, we know families need key information and actionable to-dos in order to access top 100 colleges. That is why I started the podcast, Destination YOUniversity. Every Wednesday, I interview former parents, school leaders and college admission folks that offer key tips and strategies on how to become a better parent, educator, mentor or student. Whether your college bound teen is in middle school or high school, you will leave with valuable information and golden nuggets to apply immediately!  Thanks for joining us today! Have a happy and sunny day!!  Dr. C #betterwewednesday #destinationYOUniversitypodcast  #becommittedgetadmitted #drcynthiacolon #highschoolparents #highschoolstudents #collegecounselor #collegedreams #top100colleges #publicschoolstudentsprivateschoolservice #happysuccessexpert #destinationYOUniversity #collegecounselor #collegeadmissions

• APR 19, 2024

#227 - How My Ex-Husband Learned I Was A Snob BEFORE We Were Married

I’ve been divorced now for nearly 9 years, but I still remember one of the highlights of my marriage and a trip we took one spring. The truth is - my ex-husband, maybe more than anyone knows I was once a snob about private colleges versus public. I had no reason to be, but I was. Today is about a trip we took to his alma mater BEFORE we were married. #fulldisclosurefriday #myreallife #entrepreneurs #edupreneurs #educators #sidehustle #tedxspeaker #author #becommittedgetadmitted #drcynthiacolon #publicschoolstudentsprivateschoolservice #happysuccessexpert #destinationYOUniversity #collegecounselor #collegeadmissions

• © Dr. Cynthia Colon

Customer Reviews

💜💜💜highly recommend.

She has heart & wisdom- a great combination to help me help my college bound teenagers. Great podcast!

Dr. Colon’s tips and stories are empowering, practical and easy to follow! I recommend her podcast and all the knowledge she has to offer in her program.

Top Podcasts In Education

You might also like, more by the voiceamerica talk radio network.

How to Find a Mentor in College

U.S. News & World Report

May 1, 2024, 8:00 PM

• Share This:
• share on facebook
• share on threads
• share on linkedin
• share on email

Adjusting to college life can be challenging as students navigate living alone for the first time. However, mentors — who can be faculty, staff members, peers or alumni — can provide advice and guidance about campus life , academic tracks and career paths.

Mentors may also help students differentiate between good and bad information on the internet and social media, says Joanna Chiu, professor and chair in the department of entomology and nematology at the University of California, Davis .

Here’s what to know about the roles of mentors and how to find them on campus.

Roles of a College Mentor

A mentorship does not necessarily have to be formal, experts say.

“When you say, ‘have a mentor,’ people automatically think this needs to be something very formal,” says Connie Ledoux Book, president of Elon University in North Carolina. “But I do think there are all sorts of ways to effectively seek feedback from people. That’s one of the things I really encourage people to do … to improve their own self-awareness. Self-awareness is a secret weapon. If you have good self-awareness, then you bring that into every job interview, every professional setting and in your personal life. And to build self-awareness, you need good feedback.”

[ READ: Campus Support Every First-Year College Student Should Use. ]

Chiu, who is also the faculty recipient of the 2023 Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Mentoring Undergraduate Research at UC Davis, suggests building a network of multiple mentors, as each has a different role to play.

Faculty mentors can share more about how to navigate life, while peer mentors provide advice on how to maneuver college life, says Richmond Hill, provost of the Northern Virginia Community College Woodbridge Campus. For instance, students can ask their peer mentors about the best places to study on campus, where to buy inexpensive textbooks or how roommate selection works.

“A peer mentor is kind of more walking alongside of you through the journey versus a faculty mentor or alumni mentor who’s going to be outside of higher education, their own personal journey at that point, looking at it from a different dimension,” says Missy Gutkowski, assistant dean for experiential learning at Bucknell University in Pennsylvania.

Faculty and staff mentors don’t necessarily have to be in a student’s area of study — they can connect through research or club interests. Alumni mentors, meanwhile, provide context to students on how what they learn in the classroom translates to actual career experiences, what employers are looking for and current industry challenges.

Ways to Find a College Mentor

For those attending a college without formal mentorship programs, Hill says it’s important to “identify someone that either embodies who you want to become — whether it’s by way of character, integrity, compassion, what they are doing in their community and how they present themselves — or someone who is in a career field that you desire to enter into or maybe that’s your goal.”

Experts suggest starting the search early and getting involved on campus — especially for students looking for a peer mentor.

[ Read: Why Mentors Are Important for Premedical Students ]

“Being a mentee, it doesn’t mean that you need help,” says Anjolina Fantaroni, a sophomore at Elon who was a mentor in the school’s First Phoenix mentorship program. “It means that you’re going out of your way and getting into programs that mean so much to you. You are going into programs that are going to help you in the long run. And as a mentor, you should never look down on your mentees. You should never not help them. Be there for them, whether it’s academicwise or extracurricularwise . In times of stress, be there to go get meals with and answer questions.”

When students first get to campus, they are typically given a faculty adviser — usually in their area of study. They can help refer students to other faculty or staff members with aligning career interests. Students can also approach professors after class.

“Given we are at a university, a big part of the job of professors is to actually educate and mentor,” Chiu says. “You would think it’s easy for students to find a mentor, but as a matter of fact, it’s not straightforward and easy at all. … The key for them to find good mentors is to identify professors, teaching assistants, grad students and postdoctoral fellows on campus who are particularly passionate about mentoring. They do exist. A lot of these individuals who really want to mentor folks often attend events on campus that are geared toward mentoring and career development.”

How to Communicate With a College Mentor

Students can start by asking their mentor about the rules of engagement, such as whether to communicate by email, text or phone calls, Hill says. They should also avoid digging too deeply into a mentor’s personal life.

“Through getting to know the mentor, and the mentor getting to know the mentee, you’ll kind of get an understanding of how comfortable the other person is with sharing on a personal level,” Hill says. “I think a large part of mentoring is sharing personal stories. But, for example, there may be some mentors out there — faculty, staff — that aren’t really interested in you knowing about their family or what they do on the weekend. They might want to be more focused on, ‘Hey, how do I connect you to this opportunity or help you navigate college?'”

[ READ: 7 Guidelines for College Student-Professor Interactions. ]

When connecting with classmates and other peers, students need to distinguish between mentorship and friendship, experts say.

“A mentorship is someone who you are looking to go (to) for advice at a different level,” Gutkowski says. “I always say a mentor is willing to have the hard conversation. Sometimes a friend is just willing to give you a hug and pat you on the back and say, ‘It’s been a hard day, let’s go order an ice cream.’ …. A mentor is going to have more information and guidance than typically a friend would.”

When Should Students Meet With Their College Mentor?

Every mentee-mentor relationship is different. Some may want to communicate weekly while others meet formally on a monthly basis.

However, don’t go to your mentor only when there’s a problem, Chiu says.

“It’s always good to just check in,” she says. “I would love to hear from my students, even if it’s just five minutes of how they are doing, because sometimes I can read from their conversation whether they are doing OK or not. Maybe you, yourself, don’t realize that you are really stressed … And the mentor would be able to tell you, especially if it’s someone who knows you well.”

Searching for a college? Get our complete rankings of Best Colleges.

More from U.S. News

U.S. News Guide to College Majors

Consider Faculty Diversity When Applying to College

15 Online Programs With the Most Faculty of Color

How to Find a Mentor in College originally appeared on usnews.com

Related News

A gene long thought to just raise the risk for Alzheimer’s may cause some cases

Panama’s new president-elect, José Raúl Mulino, was a late entry in the race

Kevin Spacey denies new allegations of inappropriate behavior to be aired on UK television next week

Recommended.

17-year-old suspect charged as adult in shooting that sent hail of bullets into DC school

Housing for young mothers is already in short supply in DC and could shrink further

Kaboom! New playgrounds coming to Prince George’s Co.

Related categories:.

• Share full article

Advertisement

Supported by

Guest Essay

The Best College Is One Where You Don’t Fit In

By Michael S. Roth

Mr. Roth is the president of Wesleyan University.

This time of year, college campuses like the one where I live fill up with high school seniors preparing to make what feels like a momentous choice. The first imperative is to find a school that they can afford, but beyond that, many students have been advised to find one where they can see themselves. Too often, they take this to mean finding a place with students like them, even students who look like them — a place where they will feel comfortable. I can’t tell you how many families have described driving many hours to a campus somewhere and having their daughter or son say something like: “We don’t need to get out. I can tell already this isn’t for me.”

“How about the info session?” the patient parent asks.

Choosing a college based on where you feel comfortable is a mistake. The most rewarding forms of education make you feel very uncomfortable, not least because they force you to recognize your own ignorance. Students should hope to encounter ideas and experience cultural forms that push them beyond their current opinions and tastes. Sure, revulsion is possible (and one can learn from that), but so is the discovery that your filtered ways of taking in the world had blocked out things in which you now delight. One learns from that, too.

Either way, a college education should enable you to discover capabilities you didn’t even know you had while deepening those that provide you with meaning and direction. To discover these capabilities is to practice freedom, the opposite of trying to figure out how to conform to the world as it is. Tomorrow the world will be different anyway. Education should help you find ways of shaping change, not just ways of coping with it.

These days, the first thing that campus visitors may notice are protests over the war in Gaza. These will be attractive to some who see in them an admirable commitment to principle and off-putting to those who see evidence of groupthink or intimidation. Any campus should be a “ safe enough space ,” one free of harassment and intimidation, but not one where identities and beliefs are just reinforced. That’s why it’s profoundly disturbing to hear of Jewish students afraid to move about because of the threat of verbal and physical abuse. And that’s why it’s inspiring to see Muslim and Jewish students camped out together to protest a war they think is unjust.

Refusing to conform can mean being rebellious, but it can also mean just going against the grain, like being unabashedly religious in a very secular institution or being the conservative or libertarian voice in classes filled with progressives. I recently asked one such student if he perceived any faculty bias. “Don’t worry about me,” he replied. “My professors find me fascinating.” Some of the military veterans who’ve attended my liberal arts university have disrupted the easy prejudices of their progressive peers while finding themselves working in areas they’d never expected to be interested in.

Over the years, I’ve found nonconformists to be the most interesting people to have in my classes; I’ve also found that they often turn out to be the people who add the greatest value to the organizations in which they work. I’m thinking of Kendall, a computer science major I had in a philosophy class whom I saw on campus recently because she was directing an ambitious musical. When I expressed my admiration at her unlikely combination of interests, she was almost insulted by my surprise and enthusiasm. Had I really stereotyped her as someone not interested in the arts just because she excels in science?

Or take the student activist (please!) who a couple of years after leading a demonstration to the president’s office made an appointment to meet with me. I was worried about new political demands, but she had something else in mind: getting a recommendation for law school. I could, she reminded me with a smile, write about her leadership abilities on campus. And I did.

Of course, even students who refuse to fall in with the herd should learn how to listen and speak to it and to various groups different from their own. That’s an increasingly valuable capacity, and it will help them make their way in the world, whatever school they attend, whatever their major.

Side by side, students should learn how to be full human beings, not mere appendages, and this means continually questioning what they are doing and learning from one another. “Truly speaking,” Ralph Waldo Emerson said about a century ago, “it is not instruction, but provocation, that I can receive from another soul.” That’s why the colleges — large public institutions or small faith-based colleges or anything in between — that nurture and respond to the energies of their students are the ones that feel most intellectually alive.

So, what makes a school the right one? It’s not the prestige of a name or the campus amenities. First and foremost, it’s the teachers. Great teachers help make a college great because they themselves are never done being students. Sure, there are plenty of schools filled with faculty members who think alike, who relish the bubble of fellowship in received opinion. A college can make being weird or radical into adolescent orthodoxy. These places should be avoided. By contrast, there are colleges with great teachers who practice freedom by activating wonder, a capacity for appreciation and a taste for inquiry — and who do so because they themselves seek out these broadening experiences. You can feel their own nonconformity as they try to provoke their students away from the various forms of received opinion.

Finding the right college will often mean finding these kinds of people — classmates and mentors, perpetual students who seek open-ended learning that brings joy and meaning. That’s what young people checking out schools should really be looking for: not a place merely to fit in but a place to practice freedom in good company.

Michael S. Roth is the president of Wesleyan University. His most recent books are “ The Student: A Short History” and “ Safe Enough Spaces: A Pragmatist’s Approach to Inclusion, Free Speech, and Political Correctness on College Campuses.”

The Times is committed to publishing a diversity of letters to the editor. We’d like to hear what you think about this or any of our articles. Here are some tips . And here’s our email: [email protected] .

Follow the New York Times Opinion section on Facebook , Instagram , TikTok , WhatsApp , X and Threads .

• Today's news
• Reviews and deals
• Climate change
• 2024 election
• Fall allergies
• Health news
• Mental health
• Sexual health
• Family health
• So mini ways
• Unapologetically
• Buying guides

Entertainment

• How to Watch
• My watchlist
• Stock market
• Biden economy
• Personal finance
• Stocks: most active
• Stocks: gainers
• Stocks: losers
• Trending tickers
• World indices
• US Treasury bonds
• Top mutual funds
• Highest open interest
• Highest implied volatility
• Currency converter
• Basic materials
• Communication services
• Consumer cyclical
• Consumer defensive
• Financial services
• Industrials
• Real estate
• Mutual funds
• Credit cards
• Balance transfer cards
• Cash back cards
• Rewards cards
• Travel cards
• Online checking
• High-yield savings
• Money market
• Home equity loan
• Personal loans
• Student loans
• Options pit
• Fantasy football
• Pro Pick 'Em
• College Pick 'Em
• Fantasy baseball
• Fantasy hockey
• Fantasy basketball
• Download the app
• Daily fantasy
• Scores and schedules
• GameChannel
• World Baseball Classic
• Premier League
• CONCACAF League
• Champions League
• Motorsports
• Horse racing
• Newsletters

New on Yahoo

• Privacy Dashboard

Opinion: NYC-Based Mentoring Program Gives First-Gen Students a Boost at 75 Colleges

A college campus is an intimidating place for young people who are the first in their family to experience higher education. Everything about campus life is unfamiliar, and as exciting as it is to be there, these students have few people to help them deal with the many ways in which college life works differently from what they’re used to, from understanding what resources are available when they struggle academically to knowing how to make use of everyday tools like a course syllabus or faculty office hours.

Not many make it all the way through to graduation. And for those who do, even with a degree, entering the workforce can be equally difficult.

If they come from a family that struggles to make it from one paycheck to the next, they’ll feel pressure to contribute right away, which may lead them to accept jobs below the education level they worked so hard to attain. First-generation graduates are 8% more likely to take a job that doesn’t require their bachelor’s degrees.

Help fund stories like this. Donate now!

They need help, clearly. That’s why my organization, Big Brothers Big Sisters of New York City, has been running a College and Career Success Program for about five years. Some 600 students have participated in that time, and around 350 undergraduates — all of whom are former Littles in our other programs — are in this project now. The majority attend the State University of New York or City University of New York, but participants are enrolled at about 75 schools across the country. Most are in bachelor’s degree programs, but we support students at community colleges as well.

The idea is simple: Littles have the opportunity to opt into our College and Career Success Program while they are in high school. We help them identify colleges as juniors and apply, with the support of a counselor. After graduation, they’re able to formally join the program, which guarantees them support through college and into their first career job. They then connect with a mentor, or Big, who checks in on the students throughout their undergraduate years and ensures they have the support, guidance and resources they need to graduate. It is the role of the Bigs to explain their own journey and the help they accessed along the way. This is important because many students feel they have to do it on their own and that asking for help is a sign of weakness or failure. But in reality, no one succeeds alone.

Students and mentors have a monthly check-in guide that brings structure to their conversations around college persistence and success. These check-ins have themes that shift each semester, covering everything from navigating campus life to laying the foundation for success after graduation. They include understanding and accessing college life and resources; getting engaged on campus in ways that align with interests and potential career aspirations; identifying a peer group that can support overall college and career goals; and identifying opportunities on campus that can introduce a potential career path and bolster a resume.

During the first two years of college, these check-in guides are meant to help students stay on track to graduate in a major they are interested in. Right now, it’s working for 82% of our college students.

The conversation shifts starting in the third year toward career exploration and access. We leverage corporate partners to offer what we call Career Pathways programming, which pairs college students with a mentor in an industry they are interested in. Career Pathways are done in cohorts with 15 students and 15 employees from a company or professional organization. They meet weekly for 10 sessions, where students learn about the different careers that exist in a particular industry.

Students have the chance to identify a career and then map out with their mentor actions they can take in college to build their resumes. They will also participate in informational interviews with someone who has the job they want and have an opportunity to connect with the entire cohort of mentors to build their professional network. We also ask mentors to share their professional networks and opportunities with the students.

It’s still early, but results are promising. We had our first graduating class last year, and 80% of participants left the program with a career job or internship. If those results continue, scholars in our program will make it to the finish line and be positioned well for the life that starts beyond it.Most professionals know that embarking on a path to career success takes more than just a degree. It also needs the helping hands and guidance of a network that can open doors that students might otherwise not have access to. The norms of campus life and college resources are unknown to most first-generation students, as is the concept and importance of networking. We hope this program helps level the playing field for these young people.

Recommended Stories

Discover it student cash back review: get 5% back in popular quarterly categories.

There's no credit score required to get this valuable cash-back student card.

64 arrested at UC San Diego, Ole Miss launches investigation into racist video: All the updates you need to know about college campus protests

Columbia canceled its main commencement ceremony, the University of Mississippi launched a student conduct investigation and Princeton students announced a hunger strike.

NBA playoffs: Jalen Brunson scores 43 points, Knicks outlast Pacers for 121–117 win in Game 1

Jalen Brunson scored 43 points, leading the New York Knicks to a 121–117 win over the Indiana Pacers in Game 1 of their second-round NBA playoff series.

Elon Musk talks Mars, AI, and threats to civilization — but not a word of Tesla

The Tesla CEO avoided any mention of his car company or X, formerly known as Twitter, in a highly anticipated chat at the Milken conference.

Met Gala 2024 highlights: Some stars embrace dress code's darker side, others look to the light

Celebrities embraced both whimsical and the darkly enchanted looks for the 2024 Met Gala.

Treat Mom to Oprah's fave crossbody — it's just $36 with our exclusive code and it'll arrive by Mother's Day with Prime

'It can hold all your essentials,' the media maven gushed. 'And hooray for all the color options!'

The 34 best gift ideas for women, to treat her like the queen she is

Want a unique present for your wife, mom or bestie? She'll love these finds from Lululemon, Sephora, Anthropologie and beyond.

The 23 best gifts for your mother-in-law in 2024

Win her over with these thoughtful picks from Sephora, Uncommon Goods, Amazon and Walmart.

Clutter can stress you out. Here are 5 tips for getting it under control, according to experts.

If you're feeling tense in your house, clutter may be the cause. Here's how to start getting organized to make your home feel more calm.

How does the labor market affect inflation?

A hot labor market can fuel inflation and make the Federal Reserve think twice about lowering interest rates.

Former Jaguars RB Fred Taylor got his Florida degree 26 years after leaving for NFL

Fred Taylor made a promise to his grandmother.

2024 NBA offseason previews: Teams' needs, free agents, draft picks, cap space and more

The 2023-024 NBA season isn't yet over. A number of teams are still dreaming of championship glory. But for those that have been bounced from the playoffs, it's time to reassess and re-evaluate for next season.

The 26 best unique Mother's Day gifts for a one-of-a-kind mom in 2024

Show her she's really something special with thoughtful picks from Uncommon Goods, Amazon, Etsy, Walmart and more.

This top-rated charger, down to $18, has a light-up paw print to show battery level

Get more life out of your gadgets and gizmos with the portable powerhouse 77,000+ Amazon shoppers depend on — it's 40% off.

Colorado's social media squabble, athlete compensation models and fried chicken battery

On today's pod Dan Wetzel, Ross Dellenger, and SI's Pat Forde recount Colorado's latest social media drama, potential athlete compensation models, and a man who was arrested for throwing fried chicken at his sister.

12 best knives and knife sets in 2024, tested by top chefs

Including the best steak knives, paring knives, bread knives and knife sets for prepping, dining and gifting.

The 17 best wireless bras to shop for 2024, tested and reviewed by bra experts

From wire-free T-shirt bras to super-soft bralettes, our team of experts say these are the best wireless bras around.

Best Mother's Day drinkware - coffee mugs and water bottles from Stanley, Yeti, Hydro Flask and more

Whether the mom in your life loves her morning coffee, or needs a reliable bottle for her workouts, the right drinkware can make all the difference.

When is the best time to buy a car?

The absolute best time of the year to buy a new car is in late December. But there's a lot more than that you need to know to get the best deal on a car.

Met Gala 2024 full coverage: Cardi B, Zendaya, Kim Kardashian take red carpet looks to the next level

From stars attending their very first Met Galas to event mainstays, celebrities brought their best looks to the 2024 red carpet.

Mentors, matter

By Jessica Abel

Ph.D. student Zack Hall has made an impact at Carolina through his research of subatomic particles and by supporting undergraduate physicists.

“From a very early age, I had questions about everything,” Zack Hall remembered.

Those questions were often rooted in the natural world. Why is the sky blue? What is electricity? How do we understand the movement of objects?

But it wasn’t until a high school science class that he realized all his questions could be studied through the lens of a singular field.

“I was like, ‘This is physics ?’” Hall said with a laugh. His curiosity had found a home.

His studies led him to the Georgia Institute of Technology for a B.S. in physics and mechanical engineering and to California State University, Long Beach, for an M.S. in physics. His research at both universities focused on different aspects of astrophysics — black holes and neutron stars, respectively — and he planned to continue that trajectory when he began his Ph.D. at Carolina in 2017.

“But when I got to UNC, the professor I wanted to work with wasn’t taking on any students,” Hall said.

That twist of fate led Hall to the “completely opposite side” of physics, from studying some of the largest objects in the universe to researching subatomic particles in UNC physicist Amy Nicholson’s research group.

Nicholson’s focus is on quantum chromodynamics, or QCD, a subject in theoretical physics that delves into the interactions of the fundamental building blocks of matter: quarks and gluons.

“The question is, how do the interactions between these quarks and gluons come together to form protons and neutrons?” explained Hall.

To help answer this question, the Nicholson group uses a technique called lattice QCD, which rewrites equations that are impossible to solve by hand so that they are interpretable by computational techniques. Supercomputers are then able to run simulations that can be compared to experimental results from the lab.

Hall’s proposal to research how lattice QCD might be able to integrate electromagnetic interactions into simulations of the nucleon axial coupling — which has yet to be accomplished by anyone in his field — earned him a 2022 U.S. Department of Energy Office of Science Graduate Student Research award. He spent 2023 working at the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory in California.

At that facility, Hall was grateful for the opportunity to learn from visiting scholars and to work side-by-side with his collaborator and mentor, staff scientist André Walker-Loud. After graduation this spring, Hall will return in a postdoctoral position.

At Carolina, he is helping undergraduate students in physics establish their voices and place in the discipline through the Graduate-to-Undergraduate (G2U) Mentoring Program he co-founded. For Hall, a Black scientist, the idea began in the summer of 2020.

“The death of George Floyd resonated with me in such an unexpected way,” he said. “Amidst the racial reckoning the country was undergoing, I briefly thought about leaving my Ph.D.”

Hall wondered if the only way to make a difference was to find a new field. But a fellow UNC physicist changed his mind.

“I reached out to Professor Sheila Kannappan, and she reminded me, ‘You’re still needed here in academia, and there are things that you can do,’” he said.

Together, Hall, Kannappan and teaching associate professor Jennifer Weinberg-Wolf created a program that was backed by findings from the American Institute of Physics and supported with funding from the College of Arts and Sciences.

The findings emphasized the importance of creating a sense of belongingness and instilling a sense of “physics identity” in all of its undergraduate students.

After graduation, Hall plans to stay involved in an advisory role. He’s proud of the support the program has provided to undergraduate students, but emphasizes that growth happens for the graduate mentors, too.

“Having these interactions with the mentees allows me to broaden my own perspective,” he said. He’ll take that with him to Berkeley and beyond.

By Jess Abel ’19

UNC celebrates Graduate and Professional Student Appreciation Week April 1-7.

More From Forbes

Mentors among us: life coach.

• Share to Facebook
• Share to Twitter
• Share to Linkedin

It is the first Monday of May, and therefore time for the monthly mentor highlight. Previous installments have celebrated peer and professional mentors . This month, an impactful coach and educator deserves recognition as he concludes an extraordinary career of over 40 years. I am grateful to have benefited from Jay Farrow’s influence, leadership, coaching, and mentorship over many of these decades as an athlete, colleague, and friend. We can all learn from his grace, candor, and belief in human connection.

It was unclear whether my legs or lungs hurt more as we finished the third hill repeat on a freezing, winter afternoon in the late 1980’s, the Pennsylvania sun quickly disappearing over barren fields. I loved wrestling and hated running. It is an understatement to say I lacked endurance, always the caboose on our daily team runs. Soon the whole squad was (once again) waiting for me at the top of the hill, and as I struggled to maintain momentum, Farrow, our varsity coach, retreated down the slope to encourage me on the final climb. I am confident he was not even sweating—his conditioning far exceeded any wrestler on the team. As we reached the top he prodded the group to encourage me, despite their growing impatience.

The most exceptional coach I have had, he models excellence on and off the wrestling mat, never asking more from his athletes than he is willing to give himself. And Farrow gives a lot. 110% is his baseline—dedication, steadiness, humor, intensity, and investment are hallmarks of how he carries himself as a coach and educator. After each wrestling meet he wrote individual notes to each athlete about our performance, with highlights and recommendations for improvement. His mats were truly a classroom for character. There I learned lessons about resilience, failure, humility, commitment, community, and caring.

At a time when youth sports often lack balance and integrity, he sets an example for how expectations and program success can be elevated, while individual and team development and purpose are paramount. League championships were routine and sportsmanship always came first. It is no surprise that he was named 2024 National Prep Wrestling Coach of the Year . Farrow’s impact as a role model expands well beyond his life behind the whistle. Whether teaching math, leading a dormitory, serving as dean, advising students, or mentoring faculty, for decades he has influenced thousands of lives in extraordinary ways.

A Legacy of Leadership

In the mid-1980s, Westtown School’s varsity wrestling coach, Tim Loose, went on sabbatical, turning over the head coaching position to Farrow, one of his former wrestlers who had returned to teach at the school. After that year away, it was clear to Loose that Farrow should stay running the program due to the respect he had earned from the athletes and his success as a coach. Loose says, “Over the period from 1986 to today, Jay amassed a great record which will be difficult to equal, with numerous league championships and tournament wins.” He emphasizes that “While these accomplishments are record-setting, I believe that his legacy will remain the way he handled himself as a team leader and as a coach who really cared about his wrestlers.” He adds, “Everyone on the team knew that Jay was there for them and looked after their best interests. His office was a place where wrestlers could come and seek support and encouragement. Helping students solve problems and wrestle with difficulties was important to him and held many a team together.”

Sony Is Making A Truly Terrible Mistake With Helldivers 2 Update Sony Reverses Course

Google tests much needed google photos feature upgrade, ‘baby reindeer’: stephen king writes essay praising netflix stalker series.

Chris Benbow is Westtown’s head of school. He says “Jay Farrow’s career in education illustrates just how much transformational impact is possible outside of the classroom. In the extraordinary number and variety of professional roles he has played in his 44 years at Westtown, it is arguable that Jay has influenced as many Westonians through his dedication and care as any other single individual in the last half century of our school. And he has done this all while growing Westtown wrestling into the winningest program in any sport in League history.” Benbow adds, “Fifteen years ago, Jay’s responsibilities expanded to include the administration of the Kaesemeyer Full Access fund, a program that seeks to assure that highly aided students can participate as fully––and experience as robust and thorough a sense of belonging––in this community as every other student. In no role, have I seen Jay’s organization and remarkable attention to detail as fully joined with and animated by the depth of his care and the size of his heart as I have in watching him do this work. Add to this the deep personal connections Jay still makes with students and his own journey as a young person who was originally connected to Westtown through a community-based organization, and the full circle of his work feels profoundly complete.”

Tim Barnard (my father) had three sons who were all fortunate to grow under Farrow‘s guidance on and off the mat. He shares, “It is a wonderful talent to effectively teach the subject matter of a course or the skills of an athletic sport, but Jay extended his role to a greater level. He developed an understanding of his students, identified their strengths, and through his guidance stimulated their potential. In the process, mentor and student developed a special bond that served them both well.” He adds, “I have three very different sons in terms of their approach to life, and Jay skillfully served as a mentor to each, meeting them where they were and honoring their unique styles.”

Don Skinner was a leader on Farrow’s inaugural varsity squad, but their connection began years before. He says, “I first became friends with Jay in the 80s while I was a student in the Middle School at Westtown.” He emphasizes. “Jay always took the time to talk and truly listen. He inspired confidence and direction that helped shape me into the person I am today.”

Rick Goulding, another former student, advisee, and wrestler says, “As I reflect on those educators who have been most influential in my development as an individual, more so than any others, Jay Farrow stands alone, which I dare say, is not unique to me.” Like Skinner, their connection began when Farrow taught him 7th-grade math, and Goulding recalls, “His expectations were both clear as well as demanding. It was understood that your success as a student depended entirely on your own commitment and dedication to the class. But his classroom was also a safe one; everyone could contribute to the discussion and was free to take risks with ideas and answers without fear of being wrong. Incorrect answers on a test were a different manner, however, and true to form, my year-end average of 89.4 was rounded down to an 89 for the year-end grade. I remember him saying, ‘An 89 is not an A, Rick,’ something which we still joke about today.”

Goulding explains, “As uncompromising and unapologetic as Jay may have been when it came to grades, excuses, shortcuts, or potentially a bad teenage decision, he was also the most incredibly generous and supportive mentor one could imagine. Jay always has an uncanny ability to identify and reach out to a student, athlete, or friend who is in need. Be it after a tough practice, or even years later after a difficult day, Jay is always there.”

Sophia Linder, one of Farrow's most recent athletes shares, “I only wrestled with Jay for one season, and yet I still have so many fond memories of him and he has truly left a lasting impact on me. Firstly, when I told him that I wanted to join the wrestling team, he did not even bat an eye. Even though no other woman had been on the wrestling team before, he welcomed me with open arms to join his brotherhood and pushed and inspired me to achieve things I believed were impossible.” She adds, “What inspires me about Jay's coaching is he did everything he asked his wrestlers to do. He ran every lap and every stair with us, did mat drills, and always showed up to every workout. Not only that, but he showed up and brought so much enthusiasm and charisma that even the most grueling workouts were enjoyable. His attitude and willingness to show up and work with his wrestlers is something.” Linder says, “I hope to embody that once I become an officer in the US Army with my soldiers. Jay is truly one of the most influential coaches I have ever had and taught me a lot about the importance of accountability, loyalty, and what it means to be a strong moral leader.”

In His Words

When asked about being a mentor to so many, Farrow explains, “I got into the field of education because I wanted to work closely with and to guide young people, but of course, mentorship doesn’t necessarily have to be limited to an older person advising a younger person.” He adds, “The best part of being a mentor for me has been when a mutually rewarding and close relationship develops. I believe that the act of mentoring involves imparting wisdom, calmness, direction, and faith to a mentee. Mentors are eager to be there for their mentees to catch them when they fall or to prop them up emotionally when needed.”

How do they best do this? Farrow highlights “strong listening skills, availability, dependability, and flexibility.” He says, “A mentor strives to help their mentee to operate from a broader perspective, a strong moral compass and with useful goal setting in support of healthy decision-making. A good mentor should not feel compelled to tell their mentee what to do or how to do something. Rather, a mentor strives to lay before their mentee a reasonable set of options or actions along with an associated set of possible consequences. Mentors should put their mentee on the path of self-discovery and personal empowerment.”

Farrow describes the job of a coach as “part instructor, parent, counselor, visionary, and disciplinarian.” He advises that “In each role, the more transparent and predictable the coach can be the better. Coaching and mentoring involve being in a consistently supportive and steady relationship with their athlete both on and off the playing field.” He adds, “Some of the most effective and impactful coaches also know their athletes from the perspective of the classroom, dormitory or home life, employment, or other connections. It serves both the coach and the athlete well to know each other in such important, but “neutral arenas.” Knowledge about the athlete in these areas can create an even closer bond outside their sport and can often contribute to the strengthening and personalizing of the relationship. Lastly, an understanding of the challenges, pressures, and responsibilities of the athlete in non-sports areas can help shape opportunities and, when necessary, the development of more appropriate problem-solving strategies, all leading to the nurturance of mutual trust, respect, and, in many cases, even deeper mutual admiration.”

In his own life, Farrow says, “I was very fortunate to have an excellent ‘father figure’ as my mentor throughout high school. While he did not teach or coach me, he intentionally opened both his home and his heart to me. He taught me a lot about the value of a mentor being accepting, non-judgmental, and resourceful.” Farrow explains, “A mentor should go out of their way to acknowledge and support their mentee. I found my mentor to be of great importance to me because he filled the void left by absent parents by attending my events, joining me in celebrating my successes, and helping me to navigate any missteps and disappointments. First and foremost, I always felt that he valued me for who I was especially when I felt self-critical due to weaknesses and challenges. In short, I always knew that my mentor genuinely cared about me as he continued to effectively advocate for me both in my personal and professional life.”

Farrow has paid this forward in spades. He emphasizes that “It should be accepted that everybody can benefit from positive mentoring throughout their life.” He says, “I figured out a long time ago that regardless of how intellectually brilliant, articulate, or talented a person is, their level of wealth and opportunities, or their physical attractiveness or athletic prowess, everybody has an ‘Achilles Heel!’ Nobody is unscathed in terms of burdens that they are carrying and striving to overcome.” He adds, “Everybody needs advice from time to time. Mentors should strive to be available to mentees for as long as the mentee needs them. There are opportunities for good mentorship in every profession and all walks of life: supervisors, teachers, coaches, clergy, therapists, older siblings, and, yes, even parents. Fundamentally, and stated most simply, mentoring is about two people caring for and being useful to each other in a relationship. The success of a mentor/mentee relationship might best be measured by the value, dependability, and length of that relationship.” I am grateful that his valuable and dependable mentorship has endured in my life for over thirty years.

Life Lessons

I most recently connected with Farrow at a memorial for Matthew Struckmeyer, one of his first varsity wrestling captains. As he shared memories during the service, I was reminded of the lasting impact that Farrow has on the many individuals he has mentored. Struckmeyer went on to be a competitive Division I wrestler and swimmer, endurance athlete, and avid outdoorsman, which he attributed to Farrow’s early coaching and influence. But it was what he learned about being human from this impactful mentor that Struckmeyer admired most.

I share his experience and admiration. It was Farrow’s belief in me and his empowerment that led me to be a lifelong athlete, coach, and educator. Though my wrestling career ended soon after I arrived at college, the lessons I learned about dedication, mental toughness, and teamwork carried over to years as a marathon runner and triathlete. His mentorship also inspired me to be a running and wrestling coach and counselor, hoping to have even a portion of the influence he had on me on the young athletes and students with whom I work. It has been over 35 years since he encouraged me up those hill sprints, as I am sure he has done with others every year. It is clear that as Farrow retires from a storied career as an educator and coach, the values and investment he modeled will have ripple effects for generations. As he highlights, we can all benefit from mentor relationships as we reconcile our Achilles Heel and strive for improvement. Who is your Jay Farrow?

• Editorial Standards
• Reprints & Permissions

• Skip to main content
• Skip to footer

AgriLife Today

Texas A&M AgriLife's digital magazine and newsroom

A premier peer mentor

Texas a&m college of agriculture and life sciences student kaden simon ’25 named hullabaloo-u peer mentor of the year.

May 6, 2024 - by Mamie Hertel

Kaden Simon ’25 knows what it’s like to navigate the first year of college. It brims with thrilling opportunities and newfound friendships, but also comes with the challenges of navigating independence from family, tackling demanding coursework and charting a career and life path.

Having experienced it himself, he decided to make it his mission to pay it forward to future Texas A&M Aggies. Over the past two years, Simon has dedicated himself to serving as a peer mentor for AGLS 125, the Texas A&M College of Agriculture and Life Sciences’ iteration of Hullabaloo U .

At Texas A&M University , the Hullabaloo U course serves as a beacon to guide first-year students through this transition. It arms students with the tools to meet academic and personal milestones, tap into campus resources, foster community and cultivate a sense of belonging within the Aggie family.

With intimate class sizes capped at 25 students per section, Aggies benefit from personalized support and mentorship. Faculty and staff instructors, alongside upperclassman peer mentors, serve as invaluable guides, offering a wealth of resources and wisdom. Across campus, a network of over 650 peer mentors stands ready to assist Aggies in their journey.

Each year, one exceptional mentor earns the title of Hullabaloo U Peer Mentor of the Year — a testament to their profound impact on first-year students.

Amidst stiff competition of over 100 other nominees, Simon, a student in the Department of Animal Science, emerged as the deserving recipient of this prestigious award for his dedication to serving first-year students in the College.

Mentorship inspired by others

His journey into mentoring was sparked when an upperclassman from the Saddle and Sirloin Club , a networking group for livestock enthusiasts and agriculture advocates, reached out to him.

Reflecting on the encounter, Simon said, “One of the club officers approached me after our first meeting. She took the time to connect with each freshman, ensuring we felt welcomed and part of the community. Her gesture inspired me to make a meaningful impact on freshmen.”

For the past two years, Simon has been under the guidance of Lisa Whittlesey, senior program specialist for Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service and his instructor for AGLS 125.

“From the moment I met Kaden, it was evident that he would be an exceptional peer mentor. I speak for our entire class when I say we are profoundly grateful to have had Kaden as both a mentor and friend.”

Truett Marrs ’27

Department of Agricultural Leadership, Education and Communications student

Whittlesey commended Simon’s innate ability to recognize when new students may need extra support.

“Kaden is incredibly perceptive,” she said. “He notices when students appear disengaged or unwell and takes the initiative to reach out to them individually. He possesses a rare gift for making every mentee feel valued and supported, both personally and academically. Kaden’s commitment to fostering community and aiding others runs deep.”

As a peer mentor, Simon consistently went above and beyond to tailor the course to meet the diverse needs of his students. From establishing interactive group chats to arranging guest speakers and organizing a student panel comprising upperclassmen from seven different majors within the College, he handled all logistical aspects of the class meticulously — from parking arrangements to preparing gifts for speakers and encouraging personalized thank-you notes from his mentees.

“Kaden had a profound and lasting impact on me. His leadership motivated me to seek similar opportunities and become a peer mentor myself.”

Avery Cammack ’27

Department of Animal Science student

Whittlesey praised Simon’s unwavering dedication to helping others.

“Kaden’s exemplary level of commitment, accountability, and his willingness to consistently exceed expectations are qualities I rarely encounter among students or employees,” she said.

Proof is in the peers

While Whittlesey has observed Simon’s dedication, it’s the students in his courses who truly feel its impact. To illustrate his influence, Whittlesey solicited feedback from students in Simon’s class, and the responses were overwhelmingly positive. Each student contacted expressed heartfelt gratitude and admiration for Simon, underscoring his commitment to ensuring every Aggie feels supported.

This fall, Simon will embark on his third year as a peer mentor before earning a degree in animal science, with aspirations of studying veterinary medicine upon graduation.

“I crossed paths with Kaden at a Howdy Week event long before I knew he would be my peer mentor. In our very first conversation, I felt College Station become my new home.”

Davis Nix ’27

“While it’s bittersweet that this will be my final year as a peer mentor, I’ve come to realize that mentorship and fostering a sense of support in others are passions I’ll carry for life,” Simon said. “Winning this award is an honor, but it serves as a reminder that my mission is to cultivate community and uplift individuals, wherever my path may lead me next.”

Media Inquiries

Laura Muntean , media relations coordinator [email protected] 601.248.1891

Are you interested in this content, need high resolution photos or assistance getting connected with an expert to learn more? Please contact our media relations team at [email protected] .

A member of Texas A&M AgriLife

Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service | Texas A&M AgriLife Research | Texas A&M Forest Service | Texas A&M AgriLife Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Lab | College of Agriculture & Life Sciences

Texas A&M AgriLife

Phone: (979) 803-1287 [email protected]

More Information

• Resources for Press and Media
• Story Suggestion

Find Us on Social Media

About texas a&m university.

The Campus-Left Occupation That Broke Higher Education

Elite colleges are now reaping the consequences of promoting a pedagogy that trashed the postwar ideal of the liberal university.

Listen to this article

Produced by ElevenLabs and News Over Audio (NOA) using AI narration.

This article was featured in the One Story to Read Today newsletter. Sign up for it here .

F ifty-six years ago this week, at the height of the Vietnam War, Columbia University students occupied half a dozen campus buildings and made two principal demands of the university: stop funding military research, and cancel plans to build a gym in a nearby Black neighborhood. After a week of futile negotiations, Columbia called in New York City police to clear the occupation.

The physical details of that crisis were much rougher than anything happening today. The students barricaded doors and ransacked President Grayson Kirk’s office. “Up against the wall, motherfucker, this is a stick-up,” Mark Rudd, the student leader and future member of the terrorist organization Weather Underground, wrote in an open letter to Kirk, who resigned a few months later. The cops arrested more than 700 students and injured at least 100, while one of their own was permanently disabled by a student.

In other ways, the current crisis brings a strong sense of déjà vu: the chants, the teach-ins, the nonnegotiable demands, the self-conscious building of separate communities, the revolutionary costumes, the embrace of oppressed identities by elite students, the tactic of escalating to incite a reaction that mobilizes a critical mass of students. It’s as if campus-protest politics has been stuck in an era of prolonged stagnation since the late 1960s. Why can’t students imagine doing it some other way?

Perhaps because the structure of protest reflects the nature of universities. They make good targets because of their abiding vulnerability: They can’t deal with coercion, including nonviolent disobedience. Either they overreact, giving the protesters a new cause and more allies (this happened in 1968, and again last week at Columbia), or they yield, giving the protesters a victory and inviting the next round of disruption. This is why Columbia’s president, Minouche Shafik, no matter what she does, finds herself hammered from the right by Republican politicians and from the left by her own faculty and students, unable to move without losing more ground. Her detractors know that they have her trapped by their willingness to make coercive demands: Do what we say or else we’ll destroy you and your university. They aren’t interested in a debate.

Michael Powell: The unreality of Columbia’s ‘liberated zone’

A university isn’t a state —it can’t simply impose its rules with force. It’s a special kind of community whose legitimacy depends on mutual recognition in a spirit of reason, openness, and tolerance. At the heart of this spirit is free speech, which means more than just chanting, but free speech can’t thrive in an atmosphere of constant harassment. When one faction or another violates this spirit, the whole university is weakened as if stricken with an illness. The sociologist Daniel Bell, who tried and failed to mediate a peaceful end to the Columbia occupation, wrote afterward:

In a community one cannot regain authority simply by asserting it, or by using force to suppress dissidents. Authority in this case is like respect. One can only earn the authority—the loyalty of one’s students—by going in and arguing with them, by engaging in full debate and, when the merits of proposed change are recognized, taking the necessary steps quickly enough to be convincing.

The crackdown at Columbia in 1968 was so harsh that a backlash on the part of faculty and the public obliged the university to accept the students’ demands: a loss, then a win. The war in Vietnam ground on for years before it ended and history vindicated the protesters: another loss, another win. But the really important consequence of the 1968 revolt took decades to emerge. We’re seeing it now on Columbia’s quad and the campuses of elite universities around the country. The most lasting victory of the ’68ers was an intellectual one. The idea underlying their protests wasn’t just to stop the war or end injustice in America. Its aim was the university itself—the liberal university of the postwar years, which no longer exists.

That university claimed a special role in democratic society. A few weeks after the 1968 takeover, the Columbia historian Richard Hofstadter gave the commencement address to a wounded institution. “A university is a community, but it is a community of a special kind,” Hofstadter said—“a community devoted to inquiry. It exists so that its members may inquire into truths of all sorts. Its presence marks our commitment to the idea that somewhere in society there must be an organization in which anything can be studied or questioned—not merely safe and established things but difficult and inflammatory things, the most troublesome questions of politics and war, of sex and morals, of property and national loyalty.” This mission rendered the community fragile, dependent on the self-restraint of its members.

The lofty claims of the liberal university exposed it to charges of all kinds of hypocrisy, not least its entanglement with the American war machine. The Marxist philosopher Herbert Marcuse, who became a guru to the New Left, coined the phrase repressive tolerance for the veil that hid liberal society’s mechanisms of violence and injustice. In this scheme, no institution, including the university, remained neutral, and radical students embraced their status as an oppressed group.

Charles Sykes: The new rules of political journalism

At Stanford (where my father was an administrator in the late ’60s, and where students took over a campus building the week after the Columbia revolt), white students compared themselves to Black American slaves. To them, the university was not a community dedicated to independent inquiry but a nexus of competing interest groups where power, not ideas, ruled. They rejected the very possibility of a disinterested pursuit of truth. In an imaginary dialogue between a student and a professor, a member of the Stanford chapter of Students for a Democratic Society wrote: “Rights and privacy and these kinds of freedom are irrelevant—you old guys got to get it through your heads that to fight the whole corrupt System POWER is the only answer.”

A long, intricate , but essentially unbroken line connects that rejection of the liberal university in 1968 to the orthodoxy on elite campuses today. The students of the ’68 revolt became professors—the German activist Rudi Dutschke called this strategy the “long march through the institutions”—bringing their revisionist thinking back to the universities they’d tried to upend. One leader of the Columbia takeover returned to chair the School of the Arts film program. “The ideas of one generation become the instincts of the next,” D. H. Lawrence wrote. Ideas born in the ’60s, subsequently refined and complicated by critical theory, postcolonial studies, and identity politics, are now so pervasive and unquestioned that they’ve become the instincts of students who are occupying their campuses today. Group identity assigns your place in a hierarchy of oppression. Between oppressor and oppressed, no room exists for complexity or ambiguity. Universal values such as free speech and individual equality only privilege the powerful. Words are violence. There’s nothing to debate.

The post-liberal university is defined by a combination of moneymaking and activism. Perhaps the biggest difference between 1968 and 2024 is that the ideas of a radical vanguard are now the instincts of entire universities—administrators, faculty, students. They’re enshrined in reading lists and codes of conduct and ubiquitous clichés. Last week an editorial in the Daily Spectator , the Columbia student newspaper, highlighted the irony of a university frantically trying to extricate itself from the implications of its own dogmas: “Why is the same university that capitalizes on the legacy of Edward Said and enshrines The Wretched of the Earth into its Core Curriculum so scared to speak about decolonization in practice?”

A Columbia student, writing to one of his professors in a letter that the student shared with me, explained the dynamic so sharply that it’s worth quoting him at length:

I think [the protests] do speak to a certain failing on Columbia’s part, but it’s a failing that’s much more widespread and further upstream. That is, I think universities have essentially stopped minding the store, stopped engaging in any kind of debate or even conversation with the ideologies which have slowly crept in to every bit of university life, without enough people of good conscience brave enough to question all the orthodoxies. So if you come to Columbia believing in “decolonization” or what have you, it’s genuinely not clear to me that you will ever have to reflect on this belief. And after all this, one day the university wakes up to these protests, panics under scrutiny, and calls the cops on students who are practicing exactly what they’ve been taught to do from the second they walked through those gates as freshmen.

The muscle of independent thinking and open debate, the ability to earn authority that Daniel Bell described as essential to a university’s survival, has long since atrophied. So when, after the October 7 Hamas attack on Israel, Jewish students found themselves subjected to the kind of hostile atmosphere that, if directed at any other minority group, would have brought down high-level rebukes, online cancellations, and maybe administrative punishments, they fell back on the obvious defense available under the new orthodoxy. They said that they felt “unsafe.” They accused pro-Palestinian students of anti-Semitism—sometimes fairly, sometimes not. They asked for protections that other groups already enjoyed. Who could blame them? They were doing what their leaders and teachers had instructed them was the right, the only, way to respond to a hurt.

Adam Serwer: The Republicans who want American carnage

And when the shrewd and unscrupulous Representative Elise Stefanik demanded of the presidents of Harvard and Penn whether calls for genocide violated their universities’ code of conduct, they had no good way to answer. If they said yes, they would have faced the obvious comeback: “Why has no one been punished?” So they said that it depended on the “context,” which was technically correct but sounded so hopelessly legalistic that it led to the loss of their jobs. The response also made nonsense of their careers as censors of unpopular speech. Shafik, of Columbia, having watched her colleagues’ debacle, told the congresswoman what she wanted to hear, then backed it up by calling the cops onto campus—only to find herself denounced on all sides, including by Senator Tom Cotton, who demanded that President Joe Biden deploy the United States military to Columbia, and by her own faculty senate, which threatened a vote of censure.

T he right always knows how to exploit the excesses of the left. It happened in 1968, when the campus takeovers and the street battles between anti-war activists and cops at the Democratic convention in Chicago helped elect Richard Nixon. Republican politicians are already exploiting the chaos on campuses. This summer, the Democrats will gather again in Chicago, and the activists are promising a big show. Donald Trump will be watching.

Elite universities are caught in a trap of their own making, one that has been a long time coming. They’ve trained pro-Palestinian students to believe that, on the oppressor-oppressed axis, Jews are white and therefore dominant, not “marginalized,” while Israel is a settler-colonialist state and therefore illegitimate. They’ve trained pro-Israel students to believe that unwelcome and even offensive speech makes them so unsafe that they should stay away from campus. What the universities haven’t done is train their students to talk with one another.

Find anything you save across the site in your account

In the campus protests over the war in Gaza, language and rhetoric are—as they have always been when it comes to Israel and Palestine—weapons of mass destruction.

By Zadie Smith

A philosophy without a politics is common enough. Aesthetes, ethicists, novelists—all may be easily critiqued and found wanting on this basis. But there is also the danger of a politics without a philosophy. A politics unmoored, unprincipled, which holds as its most fundamental commitment its own perpetuation. A Realpolitik that believes itself too subtle—or too pragmatic—to deal with such ethical platitudes as thou shalt not kill. Or: rape is a crime, everywhere and always. But sometimes ethical philosophy reënters the arena, as is happening right now on college campuses all over America. I understand the ethics underpinning the protests to be based on two widely recognized principles:

There is an ethical duty to express solidarity with the weak in any situation that involves oppressive power.

If the machinery of oppressive power is to be trained on the weak, then there is a duty to stop the gears by any means necessary.

The first principle sometimes takes the “weak” to mean “whoever has the least power,” and sometimes “whoever suffers most,” but most often a combination of both. The second principle, meanwhile, may be used to defend revolutionary violence, although this interpretation has just as often been repudiated by pacifistic radicals, among whom two of the most famous are, of course, Mahatma Gandhi and Martin Luther King, Jr . In the pacifist’s interpretation, the body that we must place between the gears is not that of our enemy but our own. In doing this, we may pay the ultimate price with our actual bodies, in the non-metaphorical sense. More usually, the risk is to our livelihoods, our reputations, our futures. Before these most recent campus protests began, we had an example of this kind of action in the climate movement. For several years now, many people have been protesting the economic and political machinery that perpetuates climate change, by blocking roads, throwing paint, interrupting plays, and committing many other arrestable offenses that can appear ridiculous to skeptics (or, at the very least, performative), but which in truth represent a level of personal sacrifice unimaginable to many of us.

I experienced this not long ago while participating in an XR climate rally in London. When it came to the point in the proceedings where I was asked by my fellow-protesters whether I’d be willing to commit an arrestable offense—one that would likely lead to a conviction and thus make travelling to the United States difficult or even impossible—I’m ashamed to say that I declined that offer. Turns out, I could not give up my relationship with New York City for the future of the planet. I’d just about managed to stop buying plastic bottles (except when very thirsty) and was trying to fly less. But never to see New York again? What pitiful ethical creatures we are (I am)! Falling at the first hurdle! Anyone who finds themselves rolling their eyes at any young person willing to put their own future into jeopardy for an ethical principle should ask themselves where the limits of their own commitments lie—also whether they’ve bought a plastic bottle or booked a flight recently. A humbling inquiry.

It is difficult to look at the recent Columbia University protests in particular without being reminded of the campus protests of the nineteen-sixties and seventies, some of which happened on the very same lawns. At that time, a cynical political class was forced to observe the spectacle of its own privileged youth standing in solidarity with the weakest historical actors of the moment, a group that included, but was not restricted to, African Americans and the Vietnamese. By placing such people within their ethical zone of interest, young Americans risked both their own academic and personal futures and—in the infamous case of Kent State—their lives. I imagine that the students at Columbia—and protesters on other campuses—fully intend this echo, and, in their unequivocal demand for both a ceasefire and financial divestment from this terrible war, to a certain extent they have achieved it.

But, when I open newspapers and see students dismissing the idea that some of their fellow-students feel, at this particular moment, unsafe on campus, or arguing that such a feeling is simply not worth attending to, given the magnitude of what is occurring in Gaza, I find such sentiments cynical and unworthy of this movement. For it may well be—within the ethical zone of interest that is a campus, which was not so long ago defined as a safe space, delineated by the boundary of a generation’s ethical ideas— it may well be that a Jewish student walking past the tents, who finds herself referred to as a Zionist, and then is warned to keep her distance, is, in that moment, the weakest participant in the zone. If the concept of safety is foundational to these students’ ethical philosophy (as I take it to be), and, if the protests are committed to reinserting ethical principles into a cynical and corrupt politics, it is not right to divest from these same ethics at the very moment they come into conflict with other imperatives. The point of a foundational ethics is that it is not contingent but foundational. That is precisely its challenge to a corrupt politics.

Practicing our ethics in the real world involves a constant testing of them, a recognition that our zones of ethical interest have no fixed boundaries and may need to widen and shrink moment by moment as the situation demands. (Those brave students who—in supporting the ethical necessity of a ceasefire—find themselves at painful odds with family, friends, faith, or community have already made this calculation.) This flexibility can also have the positive long-term political effect of allowing us to comprehend that, although our duty to the weakest is permanent, the role of “the weakest” is not an existential matter independent of time and space but, rather, a contingent situation, continually subject to change. By contrast, there is a dangerous rigidity to be found in the idea that concern for the dreadful situation of the hostages is somehow in opposition to, or incompatible with, the demand for a ceasefire. Surely a ceasefire—as well as being an ethical necessity—is also in the immediate absolute interest of the hostages, a fact that cannot be erased by tearing their posters off walls.

Part of the significance of a student protest is the ways in which it gives young people the opportunity to insist upon an ethical principle while still being, comparatively speaking, a more rational force than the supposed adults in the room, against whose crazed magical thinking they have been forced to define themselves. The equality of all human life was never a self-evident truth in racially segregated America. There was no way to “win” in Vietnam. Hamas will not be “eliminated.” The more than seven million Jewish human beings who live in the gap between the river and the sea will not simply vanish because you think that they should. All of that is just rhetoric. Words. Cathartic to chant, perhaps, but essentially meaningless. A ceasefire, meanwhile, is both a potential reality and an ethical necessity. The monstrous and brutal mass murder of more than eleven hundred people, the majority of them civilians, dozens of them children, on October 7th, has been followed by the monstrous and brutal mass murder (at the time of writing) of a reported fourteen thousand five hundred children. And many more human beings besides, but it’s impossible not to notice that the sort of people who take at face value phrases like “surgical strikes” and “controlled military operation” sometimes need to look at and/or think about dead children specifically in order to refocus their minds on reality.

To send the police in to arrest young people peacefully insisting upon a ceasefire represents a moral injury to us all. To do it with violence is a scandal. How could they do less than protest, in this moment? They are putting their own bodies into the machine. They deserve our support and praise. As to which postwar political arrangement any of these students may favor, and on what basis they favor it—that is all an argument for the day after a ceasefire. One state, two states, river to the sea—in my view, their views have no real weight in this particular moment, or very little weight next to the significance of their collective action, which (if I understand it correctly) is focussed on stopping the flow of money that is funding bloody murder, and calling for a ceasefire, the political euphemism that we use to mark the end of bloody murder. After a ceasefire, the criminal events of the past seven months should be tried and judged, and the infinitely difficult business of creating just, humane, and habitable political structures in the region must begin anew. Right now: ceasefire. And, as we make this demand, we might remind ourselves that a ceasefire is not, primarily, a political demand. Primarily, it is an ethical one.

But it is in the nature of the political that we cannot even attend to such ethical imperatives unless we first know the political position of whoever is speaking. (“Where do you stand on Israel/Palestine?”) In these constructed narratives, there are always a series of shibboleths, that is, phrases that can’t be said, or, conversely, phrases that must be said. Once these words or phrases have been spoken ( river to the sea, existential threat, right to defend, one state, two states, Zionist, colonialist, imperialist, terrorist ) and one’s positionality established, then and only then will the ethics of the question be attended to (or absolutely ignored). The objection may be raised at this point that I am behaving like a novelist, expressing a philosophy without a politics, or making some rarefied point about language and rhetoric while people commit bloody murder. This would normally be my own view, but, in the case of Israel/Palestine, language and rhetoric are and always have been weapons of mass destruction.

It is in fact perhaps the most acute example in the world of the use of words to justify bloody murder, to flatten and erase unbelievably labyrinthine histories, and to deliver the atavistic pleasure of violent simplicity to the many people who seem to believe that merely by saying something they make it so. It is no doubt a great relief to say the word “Hamas” as if it purely and solely described a terrorist entity. A great relief to say “There is no such thing as the Palestinian people” as they stand in front of you. A great relief to say “Zionist colonialist state” and accept those three words as a full and unimpeachable definition of the state of Israel, not only under the disastrous leadership of Benjamin Netanyahu but at every stage of its long and complex history, and also to hear them as a perfectly sufficient description of every man, woman, and child who has ever lived in Israel or happened to find themselves born within it. It is perhaps because we know these simplifications to be impossible that we insist upon them so passionately. They are shibboleths; they describe a people, by defining them against other people—but the people being described are ourselves. The person who says “We must eliminate Hamas” says this not necessarily because she thinks this is a possible outcome on this earth but because this sentence is the shibboleth that marks her membership in the community that says that. The person who uses the word “Zionist” as if that word were an unchanged and unchangeable monolith, meaning exactly the same thing in 2024 and 1948 as it meant in 1890 or 1901 or 1920—that person does not so much bring definitive clarity to the entangled history of Jews and Palestinians as they successfully and soothingly draw a line to mark their own zone of interest and where it ends. And while we all talk, carefully curating our shibboleths, presenting them to others and waiting for them to reveal themselves as with us or against us—while we do all that, bloody murder.

And now here we are, almost at the end of this little stream of words. We’ve arrived at the point at which I must state clearly “where I stand on the issue,” that is, which particular political settlement should, in my own, personal view, occur on the other side of a ceasefire. This is the point wherein—by my stating of a position—you are at once liberated into the simple pleasure of placing me firmly on one side or the other, putting me over there with those who lisp or those who don’t, with the Ephraimites, or with the people of Gilead. Yes, this is the point at which I stake my rhetorical flag in that fantastical, linguistical, conceptual, unreal place—built with words—where rapes are minimized as needs be, and the definition of genocide quibbled over, where the killing of babies is denied, and the precision of drones glorified, where histories are reconsidered or rewritten or analogized or simply ignored, and “Jew” and “colonialist” are synonymous, and “Palestinian” and “terrorist” are synonymous, and language is your accomplice and alibi in all of it. Language euphemized, instrumentalized, and abused, put to work for your cause and only for your cause, so that it does exactly and only what you want it to do. Let me make it easy for you. Put me wherever you want: misguided socialist, toothless humanist, naïve novelist, useful idiot, apologist, denier, ally, contrarian, collaborator, traitor, inexcusable coward. It is my view that my personal views have no more weight than an ear of corn in this particular essay. The only thing that has any weight in this particular essay is the dead. ♦

New Yorker Favorites

The day the dinosaurs died .

What if you started itching— and couldn’t stop ?

How a notorious gangster was exposed by his own sister .

Woodstock was overrated .

Diana Nyad’s hundred-and-eleven-mile swim .

Photo Booth: Deana Lawson’s hyper-staged portraits of Black love .

Fiction by Roald Dahl: “The Landlady”

Sign up for our daily newsletter to receive the best stories from The New Yorker .

By signing up, you agree to our User Agreement and Privacy Policy & Cookie Statement . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

By Isaac Chotiner

By David Remnick

By Louis Menand

By Andrew Marantz