Testimonial Tuesday: Accepted to Columbia & NYU as a Transfer
/Since transfer applications are due this Friday, I thought I’d keep this Testimonial on theme! H.P. is an incredible candidate with an amazing backstory: he served in the military and was looking to transfer from a community college into a higher education school that would support his desire to eventually pursue a master’s. His strength was his incredible leadership background, but because English was not his first language, the main issue was helping him tell his story in the most eloquent and coherent way.
The other main challenge was speaking to what was unique about each school he was applying to. I suggested he spend some time on each school’s website to find the professors, classes, clubs, and research opportunities he’s excited about. That way, he would be able to mention specific details about each school in their individual supplement essays and show that he did his research and really had a genuine passion instead of just copying and pasting the same generic sentiments about academic rigor that could be applied to any school. When applying as a transfer, it’s more important than ever to sound a little bit like a love letter to your new school.
When we finished, he wrote me the nicest note any editor could hope for: “I am very thankful for everything you've done for me. It wasn't just the essays. I learned a lot from you, and I know that I will be able to apply this later down the road.”
I always joke that my edits are like a crash course in creative writing and am so pleased it worked. Check out his testimonial below:
“The time I spent under Yelena's guidance has not only given me an acceptance to every school to which I applied, but also has prepared me so that I can succeed at any of the schools. Yelena's genuine support and care for my improvement has led me to complete each week's assignment while working full time in the military and going to school at night. It was an eye-opening experience to see such an efficient way to write an essay that shows who I really am. Now, I can't wait to use the writing skills at Columbia and future medical schools.”
-H.P., accepted to Columbia University & NYU
Want to work with me on transforming your transfer essay? Claim your spot for an upcoming editing workshop below:
Monday, February 16th, 2025 | 5pm EST
Every transfer essay needs multiple rounds of edits before it’s ready for submission. You’ll learn the techniques of self-editing including common mistakes to avoid and what to consider when cutting for word count. Plus, students can submit their drafts for an anonymous live edit on-screen. The 1-hour live workshop class includes:
60-minute interactive class workshopping student-submitted essay drafts
Live edit of transfer essay on-screen followed by group discussion
Individualized suggestions for improvement
Line-by-line edits and big-picture strategy ideas
Limited to 10 students for personalized support