Testimonials From Former Essay Coaching Students and Parents

I appreciated how fast your responses always were and how personal the process felt all along the way, even though I knew you were working with other students. You helped me get into my dream school! I think that’s all anyone needs to hear.

When we considered working with an essay coach, we knew being comfortable with the coach was most important — we didn’t want to feel extra pressure during the process. Sofia had an excellent experience with you. You were supportive and organized, and you really encouraged students to think about themselves and their lives. We appreciated your openness to questions and your understanding of the place these students are coming from.  You made the essay process so pleasant, it took a lot of pressure away from the parent-child interaction. My goal was to step away and you allowed me to do this and be confident Sofia was in good hands. Working with you was an all-around amazing experience. I’ll be entrusting my next kid with you 100%!

I came to you with an already-written essay, and my topic was a little niche. I was a little concerned that I may not feel comfortable working with a coach — especially if they didn’t understand what I meant in my essay. But you really understood what I meant with every draft. Having you as an essay coach made me more confident in my writing. Thank you again!!!

​​At the beginning, K. wasn’t sure what to write about in her essay. Not only did she learn a lot about herself through the brainstorming you did with her, but we also loved the way you brought out topics for her to write about that she never even considered or would’ve thought about on her own. You gave her confidence in her writing abilities — and no amount of money could buy that. Even better, not once did she complain about doing ANY of the work. I attribute that to you. She felt important, understood, and heard. You made her feel that what she was writing and working on was important.  To parents, I’d say that if you’re considering hiring an essay coach for this process, not only will Julia bring out the best in your child for their essay, but she’ll also provide priceless confidence in their writing skills.

I just wanted to thank you. My son was one of your students in the Youth Adventure Program this summer at Texas A&M. He was admitted to Texas A&M University Engineering on Oct. 11 — the first week they began admitting for holistic review. He also has been admitted to Texas State with a President's Merit Scholarship, admitted to Texas Tech with a President's Merit Scholarship and nominated for a Terry Brown Scholarship, and given a scholarship at the University of Oklahoma. I just was very pleased with how everything has turned out and never dreamed he would get scholarship offers along the way, too! It has made things very exciting! I doubt you always get to hear what happens on the other end, so I wanted to make sure you knew you are making a difference!

[Daughter] got off the call SO motivated and excited about her essay topic. IT WAS BRILLIANT! She shared it with me, her dad and her grandparents. :) She really enjoyed the conversation and it was tremendously helpful and productive. She already started on it!

Julia Byrd is a fabulous resource for any rising senior, especially those with anxiety when being asked to write an essay. She has many resources she recommends for further info. Most valuable is her advice, recommendations, attention to detail, focus to topic, diligence, care and time. Julia responded much quicker than we expected her to for each question, concern, edit, etc. She made my son feel he was a priority, and -- most importantly -- she made him feel confident when he submitted his college application essays. That is a feeling that every parent strives for. We would recommend Julia Byrd: Essay Coach 1,000 times over.

Julia took me through the process of writing my personal statement over the last 5 months. She took a very daunting thing for me and helped me put together all my thoughts and experiences in a way that shows who I am. Over the months, she gave me so much support and grace as I had external factors that were affecting me, especially since I am someone who really hates writing. I would not have been able to put together a more perfect piece without all her questions, drafts, corrections, and encouragement. I will always consider her when needing help and would recommend her to anyone, especially if you're struggling with where to start. She has a true passion and talent for getting you to put what you're thinking on the page and help turn it into something amazing.

I can’t thank you enough for your help with my son. You were able to get him to open up to you and express all his feelings in his essay. You are amazing, and you share a special place in our hearts. Mrs. Byrd is the BEST essay coach ever, and you and your child will feel comfortable talking with her.  

You were so helpful at helping me brainstorm and find answers to my questions. You spent lots of time with me and were very patient and accommodating, especially with my deadlines being so close. Our frequent back and forth was so helpful, and it gave me the confidence I needed to complete my essays on time. I was so lost beforehand, and I will always remember the experience and how reassuring you were through it. Thank you! 

My daughter knew it was going to be a challenge fitting her essay into the fixed word count while keeping the content and the meaning behind her story, and Julia really helped. She connects with students and provides specific feedback to guide their essay while making sure the student does the work and stays true to their thoughts and ideas. We appreciated that she was very easy to schedule time with and had a quick turnaround. 

I never thought my son would get his essay done so quickly, but you worked so well with him — giving him great, specific guidance to improve his essay. He said you were easy to talk to and were also very helpful with sharing the specific qualities and experiences colleges are looking for in an essay. Not only is my son proud of the end result, but he said you made the whole process easier and more enjoyable. We’re so glad we worked with you! 

We’d heard that with many schools, the essays were considered to be a very important part of the application. So my daughter wanted to make sure her essay would stand out in a positive way with admissions officers, but we were concerned about the time commitment and expense that would go along with working with an essay advisor. Working with Julia turned out to be a great investment for us. Julia was very responsive and supportive with positive feedback during the entire process. Her brainstorming sessions were very helpful for my daughter to explore new ideas and find a creative direction for her personal essay. And when it came time to edit the essay down to the maximum word count, Julia was a great resource. My daughter and I both felt very happy with the final essay. Thank you! 

My two biggest concerns about working with someone on my college admissions essay were making sure my ideas would be heard and feeling comfortable enough to be vulnerable and open, but Julia made both very easy! She helps you find a perfect topic that highlights your interests and qualities and guides you through turning that topic into a really awesome essay. The best part was all the suggestions she provided during the writing/editing process. She gave me so many ideas that I would’ve never thought of on my own, and I feel very confident about my essay. I really enjoyed the entire process, and I definitely couldn’t have done it without her. I would absolutely recommend using Julia as an essay coach!  

An essay wizard! We wanted someone who could help my son find his topics and ensure his essays were cohesive — but who would also let his essays be his own work. Julia delivered on that and more. She was always ready and willing to jump on a phone call or Zoom meeting when my son had a new idea or direction for his essays. With Julia, we always felt like we were her top priority. We are so proud my son was awarded The Evans Scholarship and was accepted to his top choice, The University of Michigan! Julia was a huge part of that process, and we give our experience with her 5 stars. 

5-star service! Quick turnaround! My son wanted to make sure he was answering his essay questions in a way that was complete and concise — but that also emphasized his skills and achievements. His biggest worry was having to start over, losing what he’d spent so much time creating. But Julia offered specific, thoughtful recommendations and improvements that were easy for my son to understand and implement. Her suggestions let my son keep ownership of his content and his sense of accomplishment while adding a level of polish to his essays. The extra step of working with Julia was definitely worth it! 

I cannot express my gratitude with a simple "thank you." You’ve made this process so enjoyable for our son (and especially me). As I hear other mothers speaking about the stress that’s filling their lives due to the essays, I knew we found a gem when we found you. He shared his final essays with us this weekend, and his father and I were beyond thrilled with them. Not only did he feel a great sense of pride in submitting these essays with these applications, but he has also built a great deal of confidence in his writing skills. You are truly a master at your craft and we will be forever grateful for your guidance through this process.  

Going into the college admission process, I wasn’t sure what personal experiences should be written about for a college essay and how students should reflect on those experiences. I was worried that an essay coach might modify my son’s viewpoint or expression just to make the essay look good. What if the coach overtakes my son’s essay? But you did everything perfectly! You helped him arrange his thoughts in such a way that he gained confidence in his writing and in freely expressing himself. The experience he had with you will go a long way in his life. I hope to have you as our coach for my next child! 

Julia was a joy to work with for my college application essays! Since our first Zoom meeting, I found her to be extremely supportive and encouraging toward my college goals. She spared no effort in providing all the necessary resources for creating my essays, college list, activities list, and more. The feedback she provided was constructive, providing a balanced critique of my writing with its positives and negatives. If you are looking for someone who provides genuine, professional feedback on your work, I would absolutely recommend Julia.

Before I started working with you, I thought writing college essays meant writing on topics that weren’t interesting to me and working hours on end on an essay. I like how you allowed me to brainstorm my own topics while still giving me advice. You were easy to talk to, and you gave me a personalized coaching experience on how to write an essay that was truly about me. Your enthusiasm about my topics made me more excited to write about them!