"Hi! I’m Jenna (she/they), a writing professor with a BA in History from Dartmouth College (summa cum laude, Phi Beta Kappa), an MFA in Creative Writing from the University of Virginia, and a PhD in American Studies from the Freie Universitaet Berlin. I’ve worked as a tutor for two decades, coaching dozens of students to Ivy League admissions and supporting dozens more with test prep, subject tutoring, writing projects, and B’nai Mitzvah. I remain active as a professor, teaching writing workshops, undergrad courses, and graduate seminars at several universities in NYC and Berlin.

While I tutor across subjects, the college essay is my specialty – my own was chosen by The Princeton Review as a teaching model, helping thousands of high school juniors and seniors get into the college of their dreams. Most people who apply to elite schools have the grades and scores to compete. What really sets applicants apart is a convincing essay, one that tells a compelling story about who you are as a thinker – and a human being. That’s where I come in. Even the best writers need editors; I’m here to make sure you sound impressive without sounding fake. Drawing on my unique combo of lit-kid storytelling chops, university-insiderism, and lifetime experience in elite academic environments, I’ll help you write a statement that catches admissions officers’ eyes – and sticks in their guts.

Beyond the essay, I support with admissions strategy (incl. grad school and European universities), test prep, writing or research projects, and subject tutoring. I’m a former AP and TOEFL grader, a former tutor for Kaplan, Manhattan GRE, and smaller boutique agencies, and the recipient of perfect scores on both the SAT and GRE. I tutor mostly by word-of-mouth in the NYC prep school scene. (I myself was a scholarship kid at Trinity, where I graduated top of my class.) Newly on Wyzant for the geographic diversity – and to support LGBTQIA+ students in underserved communities." less...