Sara Caplan
I am a creative and compassionate essay writing coach
A brief introduction
I am a writer and performer who loves helping my students embrace their creativity and enjoy the process of writing. I believe that the key to a good essay is authenticity, and that the job of a coach is to help my student figure out what feels most true to them. I am a trans woman, so I know how difficult things are right now for queer people and especially trans youth. That said, I also know first-hand the joy and importance of living as your authentic self, and I will always work to foster an accepting and safe environment for students to explore and express themselves.
I grew up in Houston, TX before graduating from Harvard in 2015 with a degree in Philosophy. Since then, I have worked a number of different jobs, from teaching sculptural welding classes to building sets for game shows on Dropout. I also attended Berkeley School of Law. Throughout it all, I worked as a freelance essay writing tutor and further honed my essay skills as a writing coach with College Essay Guy.
When I'm not working with students, I'm probably cooking with my girlfriend, playing with our cat Rocky, or performing musical improv somewhere in Los Angeles.
I work on:
• College application essays
• Law School / Med School application essays
• LSAT prep
Following the fun
When I started college, I thought I would be a Classics professor. I had no idea that my first job after graduating would be with a new media art collective in Shanghai, or that a few years later I would be teaching welding classes in Los Angeles or making up songs in front of packed crowds. Life can be a wonderfully surprising journey, if you let it.
I know there's a lot of pressure on students to feel like they've got everything all figured out, but the truth is that you don't have to, and there's value in learning how to go with the flow. In the improv world, we call it "following the fun." I love working with students who have too many interests or who have no idea what they want to be when they grow up, because that's who I was, am, and will probably continue to be for the rest of my life.
A few tips, on the house!
Every student is different, but there are a few essay tips that are universal:
The best essays are the truest essays. Authenticity, thoughfulness, and vulnerability will set any essay apart, no matter the topic or style.
Fun writing is fun reading. If you can relax into the essay process and find the joy in writing, your essays will be more relaxing and joyous to read! It can be hard to believe when you feel all the stress of college admissions, but sometimes the trick is to let yourself be a bit silly with it. Especially when writing first drafts.
Be specific! Details are the key to making writing come to life. There's a big difference between "a shirt" and "the worn-out BattleBots shirt I got at my first robotics competition."
Let's Talk!
You can contact Sara anytime! Feel free to send her an email at : sara@admissionsjourney.com
