Narrative & Essay Development
This package is perfect for applicants who need help branding their application and refining their narrative. In a word, ESSAYS! 1. CLIENT ONE-ON-ONE We ask you (no...insist that you...) dig deep! Be thoughtful and honest and tell us everything. Great applications begin here This is where we start to identify your most powerful potential angles for your college application 'branding.' If you have strengths and weaknesses, this is time to start to get our arms around it. 2. DISCOVERY & COMPETITIVE EDGE POSITIONING Time to dig even deeper. We bring in our ADMIT™ framework to break things down before we reassemble. The ADMIT™ framework looks at the seven major elements (Influence, Collaboration, Passion, Awareness, Creativity, Teamwork, Leadership) that Top Ivy & 20 admissions officials look for. We ask specific questions to go well beyond the common, superficial level to get to the stuff that actually matters to admissions gatekeepers. We'll gather and recommend strategies for your best pathway to a successful college application outcome. 3. THE ACTION PLAN At this point, we cohere our analysis into a blueprint to provide some structure to the process. The art form here is to know how much structure to provide, but still allow for new information to shape and improve our strategy along the way. Finding that line comes from instinct and years of experience. 4. THE ESSAY DEVELOPMENT GAUNTLET Effective swords are made from subjecting raw metal material to extreme pressure and shaping processes. That's how we roll with your college essays. We're perfectionists. Your college essays are our pride and joy, showcasing your unique assets and gaining admits to your dream school.
What's included
Clients work with me, Avi Lidgi, president of Twainstein, not some junior consultant I hand you off to. I only work with 20-22 applicants per year, and I usually have triple that amount of requests. This means that I can pay you the type of attention and service you find at a five-star hotel--every detail of your application will be spit-shined and polished before we are through. I am not a mercenary consultant with a day job, nor am I a current MBA student side hustling for extra cash. This is what I have done full time since 2007. In terms of results and year-over-year acceptance ratio to your dream school, I can share with you my documented results when we meet for a free consult. Excited to help you on your application journey!
- Development/Refinement of narrative and essay strategy
- Application essays: overall strategy, brainstorming, story selection, outlining guidance, feedback on first draft, final cut for word count
- Unearth hidden leadership gems and unlock the full potential of your story.
Meet your expert
Avi L.
Former Berkeley Admissions Officer, 20-year College Consultant
My name is Avi and I have devoted most of my career to helping applicants realize their dream of being admitted to their top school. I do that by bringing my experience behind the scenes in admissions, using my experience as a professional writer and editor at the LA Times and a life spent in the world of higher education. I am not the cheapest consultant because I do not take on many clients. Those I do take on get my full and undivided attention. We spend countless hours together getting to know you and your story so that I can help you pull out key elements of both to create a narrative that wows (!) the admissions committee. I am more than an editor. I guide you through the often confusing application process and help you to develop a narrative strategy that will work uniquely for each school. That means customizing your resume, strategically helping you to select schools, taking a deep dive into who you are so that when we develop your narrative branding strategy, we have multifaceted stories to draw from. We go through many draft revisions together and will not stop until we get it perfect. This applies to resume overhaul, personal statement, supplementary essays, letter of recommendation consultation and, finally, mock interview prep. I specialize in MBA/grad school applicants and high school students applying to Top 25 schools and the Ivies. I only take on 20-25 clients per season, as I prefer to give each client the extra attention required to submit successful applications and keep my success rate among the highest in the industry (92% of clients admitted to one of their top 3 schools). As I said, I am certainly not the cheapest. But if you are looking for the royal treatment and want to work with the best in the business, don't leave anything to chance--I know the admissions game better than anyone and I would be thrilled to help you navigate its tricky waters. I look forward to helping you get accepted to your dream program!
