Writing Coaching for Students Age 12+
Admissions essay guidance, academic writing tutoring, and creative writing from a professional writer with 20 years of experience in education.
Admissions Essays
I teach students to craft powerful admissions essays in their own authentic voice. We focus on idea generation and developmental revision—not heavy-handed adult editing. Students not only get into top schools, but build lasting skills (and everyone feels less stress).
Academic Writing Support
I help students interpret teacher feedback, level-up their writing skills, and navigate a range of essay forms—using creative, practical tools that prepare them for in-class and at-home writing. Students tend to love our positive, humor-filled rapport.
Creative Writing Mentorship
I help students learn to express their voice, ideas, and creativity with newfound confidence. Together, we explore poetry, fiction, personal narrative, and more through engaging, customized lessons that impart a lifelong love of reading, writing, and learning.
“Ashleigh is the best. Don't hesitate to work with her! My teenage son ‘hates writing’ but looked forward to his sessions with Ashleigh. His writing improved, but perhaps more importantly so did his confidence. Ashleigh's approach is both relatable and creative and she was really great with my teen. She's also an excellent communicator and very reliable.”
— Stacey H.
“Ashleigh turned the college essay process from dread and anxiety into fun and delight, twice! After the first session, both kids…emerged from their rooms with a smile on their face, and from then on, they [looked] forward to their sessions. The final essays were beautiful, and the kids got into their dream schools.”
— Lorenz R.
“Ashleigh’s approach was completely different. She taught my son how to use mini-prompts to brainstorm genuine ideas and write in his own voice. He started to enjoy writing and telling his stories in his own words. Ashleigh supported him with his high school application essays, and he was accepted to 4 of the 5 top NYC-area schools …and waitlisted at the fifth.”
— Janelle L.
“Not enough stars or space available to tout the unique abilities and talents of Ashleigh. While her technical skills are exceptional, it is her wonderful ability to connect with kids on their level, and help them discover a voice they possibly didn’t know they had. Aside from being a complete ninja of an educator she is a wonderful person with a beautiful soul.”
— Eric F.
Admissions Essay Success
College acceptances include into Columbia, UPenn, UVA, WashU in St. Louis, University of Maryland Honors College, UC Santa Barbara, Boston College, Babson College, Macauley Honors College, UT Austin, NYU, and more.
NYC high school acceptances include Regis, Trinity, Hackley, Beacon, Avenues of the World, LREI, Poly Prep, St. Ann’s, Dwight-Englewood, Columbia Prep, Fieldston, Berkeley Carroll, Riverdale, and more.
You can find me or my writing here:
Students today are facing a major challenge.
They need their voice to write admissions essays, speak with authenticity in interviews, express their ideas and feelings in personal relationships, navigate AI as a tool and not a replacement—and more.
Yet when it comes to writing, students often:
Get stuck before they’ve even started, stifling their ideas and creativity instead of freeing them.
Lack strategy for expanding ideas with meaning.
Seek AI shortcuts that fail to connect them to their ideas, voice, and vibrant inner world—much less strengthen their skills.
Do these challenges sound familiar? Let’s connect.
What Sets My 1:1 Teaching Apart?
Hi! Well, first, I'm a New York Times-reviewed author with bylines in Newsweek, G&G, New Stories from the South, and elsewhere. I’ve been working with young people since 2006, including adjunct teaching at universities; private schools in Austin, Texas and New York, New York; and, of course, private tutoring and coaching.
Most importantly, young people tend to connect easily with my personality—and I love to model authenticity, curiosity, and sheer enthusiasm.
I also use unique writing strategies that work. Polishing sentence too early on, outlining before students can even explore their ideas, or a one-and-done draft—these strategies are ineffectual at best.*
*...and frankly, in part a result of too little diversity in academia for centuries—but that's for another soapbox.
Instead, I guide students from idea generation to polished final draft. I teach students developmental revision, using tools like subheadings and “puzzle pieces” to create flow and structure.
On academic essays, I help students synthesize teacher feedback and apply it to their work; better understand claims, thesis statements, and essay structure; and learn ways to take their ideas “from the brain to the page.”
But my favorite part of the job is witnessing teens grow and deepen as human beings. It’s what has kept me working with 1:1 students for over 15 years!
With a long-time student (once much shorter than me…) in 2019.
With former students at a book tour stop in Austin, Texas in 2022.
My students learn strategies and insights that take them far beyond a single essay.
