For the last few years, I have helped friends with their children’s college essays, and I absolutely loved it! The essays are short but impactful. Each essay has been entirely different. I’ve been given a brief glimpse into teenagers’ lives and learned what moves them. What were their struggles? What did they overcome? What are they proud of?

My reviews are free! Really, no strings attached. I thoroughly enjoy doing it, and I understand it’s go time for applications this fall. Here are some of the biggest mistakes I see, in case you want to take matters into your own hands.

1. Several “I” statements in a row. Meaning the first word of the sentence is “I”. For example, I was upset when the coach yelled at me. I didn’t know what to do at first. I stood my ground, though, and told her why I had done it. – For a better flow, I always recommend breaking up the “I” statements, and a great way to do this is by sentence restructuring or by providing more feeling within the sentence to add diverse word choices.
2. Careful with all the telling. In the writing community, we hear this a lot! Even seasoned writers fall into this trap. Telling is when you outline, step by step, what happened for readers. Showing is when readers get to “see” what happened in a more storytelling manner. This interjects more senses, visuals, and emotion, and puts readers in the author’s shoes.
3. Lack of solid examples. I recently read a fabulous essay from someone who mentioned a teacher who pushed them into honors classes. It was heartwarming; however, I had no idea what the teacher did to make this happen or how it made the author feel about the teacher. With some details, readers will be more engaged and understanding. Ask yourself, did I explain HOW this actually happened?
4. Repetitive words. There are sticky ones like…well…like! Also, just and really are very common. Sentences are usually stronger without them. Cut them out when you can. For example, I was just really tired of hearing my friends’ opinions. Change to, I was tired of hearing my friends’ opinions. That’s solid. That is a statement with feeling and definition.
5. Lean on words, which is what I call the few words young authors fill in when they aren’t sure what’s really behind them. I read an essay, and someone used the word afraid so many times that I had to do a word search. It was ten times! That’s way too much for a short essay. Often, there is something behind this word, and the author is using a safe word that fits all their emotions. Peel it back. What’s really behind that word, and why is it the easy way out? Most often, there is something else the author forgot to tell us. Maybe they weren’t afraid. They might have been unprepared, unfamiliar, feeling left behind, or inadequate.
6. Using AI to write a personal essay. Do I even have to explain why this is silly? I love AI, and I use it for research and sometimes to organize outlines for longer pieces. I do not use it for content creation. You are the only person who can write about you.

If you’d like me to read your college essay, please send me an email at fingerstosky@hotmail.com and mention College Essay in the subject line.

I’ll read it at least twice, provide some copy edits, and make inline edits or suggestions. The rest is up to the author. Authors are not expected to take every suggestion I make. My opinion should never mask the voice or story of the author. I am not proofreading or doing a thorough copyediting. My main goal here is to make developmental edits focused on flow, consistency, and solid storytelling.

A little about my credentials because that’s important. Here is my LinkedIn profile, and please review my website for writing samples. I have 20+ years of experience in operations, human resources, recruiting, and content development, including policies, SOPs, employee relations documents, training, and marketing materials. Proudly, I am an indie author with six books published as of October 2025. I regularly critique and beta-read for several authors. In my free time, I am a Girl Scout leader, gardener, hiker, and a community volunteer for various activities. I’ve recently left my Director of Operations position in the defense industry, hoping to transition to working with higher education and adult learners because I love it so much. Reading college essays is one of many things I want to turn into a career in the future. For now, I am doing it because it brings me joy.