“We could not imagine this process without Maddie! Our daughter made it clear early on that she didn't want much input from us, so help by someone "objective" who was always patient and understanding - yet gave clear instructions about the planning and execution of these essays - was invaluable! Thank you!”
Parent of H., Venice High ‘24, E.D. to Barnard, ‘29
“Ari always had creative ideas to help me advance my essays to the next level! I loved how early we started meeting to plan out what my essay topics would be. By the time school was in full swing, my essays were in good shape. I met all deadlines with plenty of time. I could not have done it without Ari.”
Student: L., De La Salle High ‘24 (still deciding between colleges!)
“My daughter would come out of her sessions saying "THANK YOU, MOM for letting me work with Kate. I'm actually learning how to write!" She came away with so much more confidence in herself.”
Parent of M., ED to Reed, ‘29
“Christine was an amazing support throughout this process! The skill I improved on the most was writing to fit in constrained word counts. I started out writing thousands of words for each UC essay. But by the end of the process, my writing became more concise.”
Student: S., Berkeley High ‘24 (still deciding between colleges!)
“We worried about the ethics of getting help on the essays, but the composed team did a great job of giving thoughtful suggestions while still making sure the essays were written 100% by our daughter. Both our daughters worked with composed, and they are both better writers now! Thanks for everything.”
Parent of E., Albany High ‘20 and K., Albany High ‘24
“Working with Ari made college essay writing focused, on topic, and supported. My daughter had help choosing essay prompts, deadlines to stay on track … all the right kinds of support.”
Parent of L., Albany High class of ‘24 (still deciding between colleges!)
“Christine and everyone at Composed helped me find my own voice and develop my own style of writing. At first, it seems impossible to tell your life story in 650 words. Christine made that process a breeze.”
B., Student, UC Berkeley ‘29
“For my son, working routinely with Kate created a structure for a daunting process and - most importantly - he learned his unique writing process. My daughter also worked with composed, and for both of our kids, it was by far the best college prep money that we spent.”
Parent of M., Berkeley High ‘24, ED to Colorado College ‘29 and Z., Berkeley High ‘19, Scripps ‘24
“Maddie is an amazing writing coach. Her positivity, organization, and writing expertise made the application process fly by. Applying to film schools is no small feat, and Maddie made the process feel both manageable and fun!”
Student: K., Piedmont High ‘21, USC School of Cinematic Arts ‘25
“Kate did a phenomenal job helping me with my college essays, providing key insights that allowed me to elevate my writing to higher standards while maintaining my own voice. She also provided excellent advice on which of my extracurriculars and interests fit best with each essay prompt.”
Student: M., Berkeley High ‘19, Wellesley ‘23
“Kate was incredibly encouraging and positive throughout the entire writing process, which helped me feel confident in myself and my writing. She turned a typically stressful situation into an enjoyable experience where I had new insights about myself as a writer and as a person.”
Lucy, student: Berkeley High 2019, UCLA 2023
“It was absolutely amazing to work with Maddie. She was compassionate when listening to my stories. I fed off of her enthusiasm and was able to translate that into my essay writing. I would recommend Maddie to everyone!”
Antonia, student: Berkeley High 2021, UC Berkeley 2025
“I am a heavy STEM student, and communicating the complexity of what I love to study is no easy task. Kate was able to gracefully question me to help me communicate my experiences. If you need help producing great essays for college applications, composed is the place to go!”
Miles, student: Piedmont High 2019, Johns Hopkins 2023 (Biomedical Engineering)
“Kate worked with my son Henry to plan and write his college essays. She did an amazing job helping him to identify and organize his ideas, write in his own voice, and pick essay formats that worked for what he wanted to express. The reminders and newsletters were super! He’s off to a great school in the fall — thanks, Kate!”
Dan, parent of Henry: Berkeley High 2019, University of Pennsylvania 2023