The Declaration: Personal Statement + First-choice School
Everything in The Portrait Package: - 2-hour discovery session with 5–6 core exercises designed to uncover your unique story - Full drafting, rewriting & revisions - Regular meetings and ongoing revision until your Personal Statement is ready to submit - Polished final essay - Annotated examples of successful essays of former students who got into Ivy League and Ivy League+ schools - Application context review — activities list, honors & written components assessed to ensure the essay strengthens the whole - Parent communication included — structured updates and open correspondence throughout - Unlimited email correspondence — same-day responses, never billed separately PLUS - All supplemental essays for your 1st choice university - School-specific research included - Full revision & polish on all supplemental essays - Holistic application review — activities list, honors & all written components - Parent communication included throughout - Unlimited email correspondence — same-day responses, never billed separately
What's included
My approach is personal and voice-first. Here's how we work together: 01 Discovery Session A focused 2-hour conversation using 5–6 core exercises designed to surface the right essay topic. In most cases, this single session is enough to determine the essay's direction. 02 Essay Examples & Benchmarks You receive a curated set of successful essays of the same type you're writing — with detailed analysis of why each one worked and what made it stand out to admissions readers. 03 Structure & Voice We build the architecture of your essay together — hook, paragraph order, conclusion — then focus on the depth that separates memorable essays from competent ones: your real story, told in your real voice. 04 · Drafting & Revision — Every draft receives both structural and line-level feedback, so we strengthen the essay's story and its writing. Revisions are unlimited — we refine word choice, tone, pacing, and style until the essay sounds unmistakably like you, at your best. 05 Timeline Management Deadlines are tracked and every step is scheduled in advance, so we have enough time for thoughtful drafting and revision. The goal is a polished final essay — never a rushed one. Always included — I stay in direct contact with you and your family throughout, with unlimited, same-day email support (never billed separately). And I coach the whole application — activities, positioning, and strategy — not just the essay, so every piece works toward the same goal. Every student I work with gets my full attention. I take on a limited number of students because I believe the quality of the work matters more than the volume. Whether you need help with a single essay or comprehensive support through every stage of your application, I'll build a plan around you — your story, your strengths, and the schools where you can truly thrive.
- A polished, submission-ready personal statement that is compelling, authentic, and unmistakably yours.
- A clear, authentic narrative — the story only you can tell — uncovered through guided discovery.
- A full trail of drafts with annotated feedback, so you can see exactly how each essay grew from first idea to final.
- An essay that sounds unmistakably like you — and sharper writing instincts you'll carry into every supplement and application that follows.
- A complete, cohesive set of supplemental essays for your top-choice school — every "Why us," short answer, and activity description working together.
- School-specific research and positioning, so your application speaks directly to what that university values.
- A holistic review of your whole application (activities, honors, all written components) so every piece pulls in the same direction
Meet your expert
Sonya P.
Stanford + Columbia | Elite College Essay Specialist | 8+ Years
Every student I work with gets my full attention. That's not just a promise — it's my motto. I take on a limited number of students at a time, because quality matters far more to me than the volume. I'd love to get to know you, and to help you find your way to your dream school. I'll build a plan around you — your story, your strengths, and the schools where you can truly thrive, and I'll support you every step of the way. I grew up in Europe, a long way from the American universities. I had to navigate an unfamiliar application system, standardized tests in a second language, and the awareness that I was different. Somewhere along the way I fell in love with writing — with the way the right sentence can make a person feel truly seen. That's what I care about most as a coach: helping a student find their *real* voice, not a polished imitation of what they think admissions officers want to hear. I've spent 8+ years working with ambitious students from all over the world, many of them international and far from home, and I understand the particular mix of hope and pressure they carry. Outside of coaching, I'm a writer and artist, drawn to big questions about meaning, purpose, and how we build a life worth living. I bring that same curiosity to the people I work with: I want to know who you are before we ever talk about where you're applying. Choosing a college is about more than getting in — it’s about finding a place where you can grow and thrive. If you’re ready to begin, I’d love to hear your story and help you find your path forward.
