
Chris Newton
Harvard MTS Grad | Craft Impactful Ministry Essays That Stand Out

Harvard University

Oriel Admissions
Successful clients at

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Starting at 1:00 PM UTC
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Update (7/21/26): Just this last application season, I had several students accepted to Stanford, Harvard, Yale, Princeton, Columbia, and Brown, with most admitted to two or more of these universities. Others include Duke, USC, Carnegie Mellon, Pomona, Occidental, the University of Rochester, Williams, Barnard of Columbia University, UC Berkeley, UCLA, UC Irvine, UCSD, Georgetown, Wesleyan, Macalester, University of Richmond, Reed, Whitman, Virginia Tech, and NYU. Additionally, four received the Gates Scholarship, one earned Jack Kent Cooke, and another earned a Coca-Cola scholarship. I earned my Master of Theological Studies in Religion, Literature, and Culture from Harvard, Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing from NYU, and Bachelor of Arts in English from UC Berkeley. I also studied philosophy and law abroad at Oxford. I have a decade of experience teaching and coaching writing at the high school, undergraduate, and graduate levels, and most recently served as a Writing Instructor at the Leadership Enterprise for a Diverse America (LEDA), hosted at Princeton and Yale Universities. Last year, among the many admissions offers LEDA students received, 37/100 earned spots at Yale. Previously, I taught writing at NYU, and I currently teach Generative AI and Responsible AI at the University of Maryland Global Campus, qualified by my experience as a Content Engineer and Reviewer at Google. My unique background and trajectory prove that I know how to reflect on my experience to consider my next steps, and I will help you do the same.
Chris also coaches for College, Master’s Programs, and Publishing & Writing. View all.
Work with Chris
Chris’s Ministry Qualifications
Coaches professionally
Experience level: Intern
10+ people coached for Ministry
Welcome to my profile! With a Master of Theological Studies from Harvard University and extensive experience in both academic and personal coaching, I am well-equipped to guide you on your ministry journey. As a Senior Academic Coach at Zsoldos Coaching and a Writing Instructor at Leadership Enterprise for a Diverse America, I have honed my skills in helping individuals articulate their unique stories and aspirations. My diverse background, including roles at prestigious institutions like NYU and Google, allows me to offer a well-rounded perspective on personal and professional development. Whether you're crafting a compelling personal statement or seeking guidance on your spiritual path, I'm here to support you every step of the way. Let's connect and explore how I can help you achieve your goals in ministry!
Chris can help with:
Conflict Resolution
Interfaith Dialogue
Skill Building
Spiritual Leadership
Why do I coach?
As a first-generation, low-income graduate who worked hard to find my own mentors throughout undergrad and graduate school, I understand the importance of having a caring mentor or guide. I find true joy assisting students in crafting their stories to share with admissions committees. The personal statement is a unique opportunity not only for admissions committees to learn more about students, but it is often the first time students take a serious, reflective look at themselves. I know I'm in alignment with my purpose when I guide students through the college admissions process and watch them discover a new, deeply rooted part of who they are-- and who they will be. In short, I take the role of personalized mentorship in students’ lives seriously, and I am committed to the transformative nature of professional coaching.
Work Experience

English Faculty
Central Piedmont Community College
October 2025 - Present

Writing Instructor and College Essay Coach
Leadership Enterprise For a Diverse America
June 2025 - Present

Senior Personal Statement and Supplemental Essay Coach
Oriel Admissions
June 2025 - Present

AI Faculty
University of Maryland
January 2025 - Present

Creative Writing Faculty
New York University
January 2025 - June 2025

Reviewer and Senior Content Engineer
February 2024 - January 2025

Senior Academic Coach
Zsoldos Coaching
September 2023 - Present

Graduate Writing Consultant
New York University
September 2023 - May 2024

Graduate Writing Mentor and Workshop Leader
Harvard University
September 2022 - May 2023
Designed and completed 520-hour field education project: "Finding Your Voice: Creative Writing as Ministry"
Chris was also given offers to work at

Meta (Facebook)
Education

New York University
Master of Fine Arts, Creative Writing - Nonfiction
2023 - 2025

Harvard University
Master of Theological Studies, Religion, Literature, and Culture
2021 - 2023

University of California, Berkeley
Bachelor of Arts, English

University of Oxford
Study Abroad, Philosophy and Law
Exeter College, Oxford
Chris was also personally admitted to

University of California, Los Angeles

University of California, Santa Cruz

University of California, Davis

University of California, Santa Barbara

Syracuse University

University of Chicago
5.0 average review
23 reviews
Overall rating
Chris has helped Leland clients get into Viejas Band of Kumeyaay Indians
Chris also coaches for College, Master’s Programs, and Publishing & Writing. View all.