Testimonial Tuesday: Accepted as a Transfer to Pomona, Columbia, USC, UCLA, UC Berkeley & More
/Nick was already an incredible writer when he reached out to me for help with his college transfer application essays.
First, I focused on treating his trauma subject matter with dignity, respect, and sensitivity. I approached the draft from a place of non-judgment and made sure he felt comfortable discussing any of my questions with frequent check-ins.
We started by brainstorming strategic topics for the UC application since the four different prompts should teach us something new with each essay. In other words, you don’t want any content to overlap between the essays: each essay should cover a unique topic that enriches who you are. I also provided journaling questions for him to work on to add greater depth to his answers.
For his Common App essay, I had him submit all of his rough drafts so I could objectively analyze which parts of each to use, which helped take his final essay to the next level.
After we finished our edits, he wrote: “I wanted to share my gratitude for the guidance and support you gave me those months ago. Your feedback was immeasurably valuable, and I truly appreciated your accommodation of my various constraints. Most of all, I was moved by your words of encouragement during an application process riddled with worry. Thank you again!”
Then, I was pleasantly surprised by this beautiful follow-up email he sent when he learned of his impressive acceptances:
“Hope you're doing well! Thank you again for all your help throughout the college application process. I'm thrilled to let you know that I was accepted to Pomona, Columbia, USC, and the three UC's I applied to: Berkeley, LA, and Santa Barbara. I'll be attending my top choice, Pomona, in the fall. :) ”
-Nick, accepted to Pomona, Columbia, USC, UCLA, UC Berkeley, UC Santa Barbara
Want to work with me on transforming your transfer essay? Claim your spot for an upcoming editing workshop below:
Monday, March 16th, 2026 | 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