1:1 WRITING COACHING PROGRAMS
The unicorn of 1:1 support: strategy-based, tuned-in, and rooted in 20 years of experience in education. Below, you’ll find writing programs for students in 7th-12th grade.
for 7th-12th graders
Custom Writing Support
Your most flexible option for middle through high school students. Sessions support students on anything from analytical writing for their English class to lessons on personal narrative—whatever the student most needs.
Along the way, students:
Learn to generate ideas through mini-prompts
Gain powerful skills through the Messy Model and other tools in Ashleigh’s Writing Toolkit.
Find joy and humor in every session
Access and express their authentic voice and ideas
Strengthen all six traits of writing
“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.” - Eric F.
for 7th graders
Future Self: Writing Personal Stories
A 10-session program ideal for NYC middle school students applying to high schools in the fall who could use practice, confidence, and skill-building before the stress of 8th grade fall season.
For students ready to:
access and express their authentic voice and creativity
level-up their writing skills through context-based learning (not rote exercises)
create personal narrative writing that’s key to future successes—admissions essays and beyond—and a stronger sense of self
“Ashleigh is amazing! She is a warm and caring person who has a unique ability to form connections…my very shy son immediately clicked with her. She has built [his] confidence and inspired him to do more than he thought he was capable of. If I could give six stars I would.” - K.F.
for 8th graders
The Get Going Program: Writing High School Admissions Essays
This is not your run-of-the-mill admissions essay tutoring—where your kid’s essay gets edited to death or shoved into a one-size-fits-all model.
Over 6 private coaching sessions, 8th graders applying to NYC and Brooklyn high schools:
Learn my unique, accessible Messy Model to build an essay soup to nuts—and in their own authentic voice
Gain strategies for helping ideas flow—and organizing those ideas
Build long-lasting confidence as young writers
Understand the six traits of writing—and how to harness them for a powerhouse essay
Find joy and support (during a sometimes stressful season) with humor-filled, productive sessions
NOTE: WWB uses a revision-based model and a rigorous standard of authenticity. Six sessions is typically enough to complete an essay (soup to nuts). If families want more after that, book á la carte or purchase a supplemental package.
Get Going: NYC students have achieved entry into competitive NYC high schools, including Hackley, Beacon, Horace Mann, Avenues of the World, Columbia Prep, Spence, LREI, Poly Prep, St. Ann’s, Dwight-Englewood, Fieldston, Trinity, Berkeley Carroll, Riverdale, & more—with essays that are all their own.
“New York private schools rank among some of the most competitive applications in the country….Ashleigh struck the right balance in offering guidance without overstepping her bounds and helped our daughter…get into her top choice school.” - S.C.
for 9th-10th graders
College Essay Prep
Students need early college essay prep.
The truth is that no matter how rigorous the school, personal narrative is rarely emphasized in classrooms (nor, for that matter, statewide curricula).
Yet when students reach their senior year, they’re suddenly expected to write deep, compelling personal narratives with extremely high stakes.
For many students, this means learning an entirely new form of writing under pressure—and students get stuck.
College Essay Prep is designed to fill this gap with expert guidance rooted in 15+ years of coaching.
In ten 1:1 coaching sessions, students will:
Develop a clear understanding of personal narrative—the core writing form used in college essays
Craft pieces that mirror the structure and demands of Common App–style prompts
Strengthen overall writing skills through real revision (not just edits)
Learn how to generate ideas and deepen reflection
This program is offered in the spring and summer only—when students have the space to do this work and before academic and admissions pressures intensify!
How I Work with Students
I teach students my revision-based Messy Model—a process that lowers pressure, encourages curiosity, and helps students connect deeply to their ideas and voice.
My students have gained admission to:
Columbia
UPenn
Stanford
UC Santa Barbara
UC San Diego
University of Maryland Honors College
WashU in St. Louis
UT Austin
UVA
…and many more.
“Ashleigh helped my daughter focus on main ideas to create cohesive, interesting [admissions] essays that reflected her accomplishments and ideals. She was accepted into her top schools and received thirteen scholarships—the most of anyone in her class.” - Susan D.
The Get Going Program: College Essay Writing
There is nothing I love more than witnessing students find their voice and develop a powerful personal narrative. In 10 private coaching sessions, rising or current high school seniors:
draft and revise the Common App essay (see note below!)
get out of writing paralysis and tune into their gut intuition to better tell their story
access their authentic voice and creativity, while transforming their writing along the way
find meaning and joy—and far less stress—in a notoriously daunting process
NOTE:
I teach students a revision-based model of writing and employ a rigorous standard of authenticity—and excellence. Within that framework, 10 sessions are sometimes but not always enough to complete a college essay, soup to nuts.
If students want more after that in order to further develop the essay or work on additional essays, they can book á la carte or purchase a supplemental package.
Get Going Program students have achieved entry & scholarships into competitive colleges, including UPenn, Stanford, UC Santa Barbara, Maryland Honors College, UC San Diego, Columbia University, Boston College, Sarah Lawrence, Washington University in St. Louis, Babson College, University of Texas at Austin, New York University, University of Virginia, & many more—with essays that are all their own.
for 11th and 12th graders
“[Our daughter] loves working with Ashleigh. She’s commented several times that she wishes the sessions were longer than an hour. We’re so happy she’s learning the writing skills she will need in high school and college, and with an adult who is more like a mentor than a tutor.” - C.M.