Book me for your 1-hour strategy session

Creating an overall strategy for approaching applications

Brainstorming essay topics or refining an existing idea

Reviewing and revising a draft together in real time and identifying clear next steps

Building or strengthening the Activities List or a resume

Drafting the Additional Information section

Conducting a final review of a ready-to-submit application for clarity and typos

Understanding what a specific college values to better address a "Why Us" essay

Drafting or refining a Letter of Continued Interest

Enter your bullet points here..

As an essay coach, I work with college applicants to help them recognize their accomplishments and draw unique connections between their life experiences, their values, and their college and career goals. I offer a customized approach to brainstorming, writing, and editing admission essays, and my accessibility and relatability to students are the cornerstone of my approach. I’m proud to ease the stress between students and parents while increasing students’ writing confidence.

I'm proud to collaborate with organizations like College Essay Guy and Texas A&M to help students achieve their college admission goals.

I'm a member of the Texas Association for College Admission Counseling, and my past students have received acceptances from a number of great colleges, a few of which include Columbia, NYU, USC, UT-Austin, University of Miami, Yale, UIUC, Boston College, Colorado School of Mines, Purdue, Georgia Tech, Pepperdine, Rice, Dartmouth, Lehigh, Texas A&M, Wellesley, and Washington University.

How much can we realistically get done in one hour?
More than you think. These sessions are focused and efficient — most families leave with clear next steps, specific revisions, or a defined plan moving forward.

Even though I work to maximize our time together, there's still only so much we can do in 60 minutes. So if you're looking for comprehensive feedback on your entire Common App application, for example, that isn't something that can be done in an hour.
What should we bring to the session?
Anything you have so far — brainstorms, drafts, a resume, or even just questions. If you’re starting from scratch, that’s okay too.

When you book the session, you'll be invited to share any meeting goals or links you'd like to share. Some students will come with materials to review; other students will just want to talk through ideas.
Are you familiar with what colleges are currently looking for in essays?
Very much so.

My experience includes years of essay coaching, ongoing professional training, collaboration with the College Essay Guy team, and an understanding of current (but always-changing) admissions trends.

I read (and give feedback on) hundreds of essays each year. And here's the good news: As someone who doesn't know your student but who wants to get to know them through their essays, I have a unique and unbiased perspective and can evaluate essays through the lens of what actual admissions readers are looking for.
What if we need more help afterward?
You can always book another session or upgrade to a 5-hour package (if my availability permits) for more comprehensive support.
Is this session for the student, the parent, or both?
Both are welcome, but I work directly with the student during the session to ensure their voice stays front and center.
Do you edit or rewrite essays during this session?
I provide real-time feedback, suggestions, and guidance — but students do the writing. My goal is to help them strengthen their ideas and voice. I can't always give comprehensive feedback on a longer essay in that hour, but I will leave the student with ideas on how to move forward.
How soon can we schedule?
Availability varies, especially during peak season, so I recommend booking early to secure a time that works for you.

After booking, you'll receive a link to my calendar that you can use to schedule your meeting. You should see plenty of availability, but if you don't see a time that works with your schedule, just email me.

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I confirm that the email address I used above is the same as what I used to enroll in Pin Practical Promotions.

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This Essay Coaching Agreement provides the terms and conditions under which Nine Birds Communications LLC dba Julia Byrd: Essay Coach will provide college essay coaching for the Application Power Hour. By clicking this checkbox, the parent/guardian agrees that they've shared and reviewed this agreement with their student.

ABOUT THE WRITING PROCESS

What’s shared with me in student sessions won’t be shared with anyone else (unless, of course, I’m legally obligated to do so).

The only person who'll be writing the essay is the student. Not the parents/guardians, not their English teacher, not their counselor — and not me. Parents/guardians are encouraged to respect their student’s decision if the student wishes to keep the essay private. I hope you’ll trust your student and me during this process.

MEETINGS, RESCHEDULING, AND CANCELLATIONS

In-person meetings in the Montgomery, Texas, area can be held at predetermined locations. Sessions may also be conducted virtually through Zoom, and students will receive in advance an emailed link to the session.

I understand that emergencies happen, but students must give at least 24 hours’ notice if they need to cancel or reschedule their session, as someone else may want that time slot. I reserve the right to charge students the full session amount for the missed or canceled session if they don’t provide 24 hours’ notice that they’ll be unable to attend.

BILLING AND REFUNDS

Package hours include both live meeting time (via Zoom or in-person) and asynchronous work (such as Google Doc comments, written feedback, Loom video reviews, emails, and other non-meeting support). Additional 5-hour packages may be available for purchase, subject to scheduling and upcoming deadlines.

Refunds

There’ll be no refund or adjustment of any fee paid if the student isn't admitted to any college or university to which they have applied or if the student or parent/guardian chooses to discontinue working with me.

NO GUARANTEES

The parent/guardian and the student understand that college/university admission decisions are based on a variety of factors outside my control, including weighted/unweighted GPAs, extracurricular activities, school rankings, standardized test scores, high school reports and transcripts, teacher recommendations, and college interviews.

As a result, the parent/guardian and student understand that I don’t guarantee any college acceptance for the student. I’m not responsible for the admissions decisions made by any college or university to which the student applies, and the final decision regarding what essay(s) are submitted to colleges/universities rests solely with the student and their parents/guardians.

I reserve the right to terminate this agreement in my sole discretion if the student’s actions, behavior, or other circumstances (including assignment completion and timeliness with appointments) affect my ability to serve the Student.

By clicking the terms and conditions box, the parent/guardian and the student acknowledge that they’ve read this agreement in its entirety and agree to abide by its contents.

I agree

Because this is a personalized service, there are no refunds after delivery of the review. I cannot guarantee acceptance to any school.

Purchasing this service means you'll be subscribed to my weekly newsletter, which you can unsubscribe to at any time. Contact help@essay-coach.com with any questions or concerns.

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