Julia Byrd: Essay Coach

Julia Byrd: Essay Coach Offering one-on-one and group sessions to help college-bound students tell their admissions stories.

Here's what happens: five readers means five opinions, and when they contradict each other, your student is the one left...
09/01/2026

Here's what happens: five readers means five opinions, and when they contradict each other, your student is the one left untangling it. "My aunt liked the ending, but my piano teacher said cut it" is not useful information.

Instead:

✅ Pick 1-2 readers you actually trust

✅ Be specific about what you want them looking at (voice? clarity? does it sound like them?)

✅ Skip the vague "just read this and tell me what you think"

Vague requests get vague, conflicting feedback. Specific requests get answers you can actually use.

This video does a great job at demonstrating why too much feedback isn't always a good thing: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rpKp2x43o1M&t=4s

Who's your student's go-to reader right now?

It's National Dog Day, so let's give a shout out to our best four-legged friends (sorry, cats). Meet our dog, Lucy — aka...
08/26/2026

It's National Dog Day, so let's give a shout out to our best four-legged friends (sorry, cats).

Meet our dog, Lucy — aka Lucy Goosey, Goose, Lucifer (on her spicier days), and Lucy Lemon. She’s the queen of napping, snacking, and reminding me not to take life too seriously (and to take walks twice a day).

Drop a pic of your dog in the comments — I’d love to see the four-legged friends who keep you company while you study, write, or procrastinate (Lucy says that last one is her specialty).

Because let’s be real: our dogs teach us how to be authentic and true to ourselves — exactly what makes a great college essay. 🐶💛

If Texas A&M is on your student’s college list, this is one blog post you’ll want to read before they hit Submit.I recen...
08/19/2026

If Texas A&M is on your student’s college list, this is one blog post you’ll want to read before they hit Submit.

I recently sat down with a Texas A&M admissions officer and asked what they’re actually looking for in this year’s applications. The answers gave me some really useful insight into everything from when to submit to what makes an essay feel authentic.

A few takeaways:

🎓 A&M added four new required supplemental essays for fall 2027 applicants.

✍️ Your Common App essay can be reused for A&M’s personal statement.

👀 Admissions wants to see specificity and genuine interest, especially when it comes to your major and why A&M.

🚫 They’re tired of essays that simply repeat an activities list or serve up a generic “overcoming adversity” story.

💬 And perhaps most importantly: they want to hear the student’s actual voice. Not the voice of a parent. Not the voice of a professional writer.

If your student is applying to Texas A&M, take a few minutes to read the full post. There are specific tips for each of the five required supplemental essays, too.

👉 Read the full post: https://essay-coach.com/texas-am-admissions/

Free tuition isn't just for low-income students anymore.Rice just joined a growing list of schools waiving tuition for s...
08/15/2026

Free tuition isn't just for low-income students anymore.

Rice just joined a growing list of schools waiving tuition for solidly middle-class families:

💰 Rice: free tuition under $200K, full ride under $100K (starting fall 2027)

💰 Harvard: free tuition under $200K (already in effect)

💰 Yale: same $200K cutoff (starting 2026-27)

💰 University of Chicago: raising the bar to $250K (fall 2027)

💰 Colgate: free under $175K, sliding scale to $300K (fall 2026)

If you crossed a school off your list because of the sticker price, go check their financial aid page again. The number you see first is rarely the number you'll pay.

Which of these surprised you most?

While we talk a lot about essays here, we haven't talked much about other parts of the application. Your Activities List...
08/14/2026

While we talk a lot about essays here, we haven't talked much about other parts of the application. Your Activities List is another place you can help your application shine.

Learn more about what constitutes an activity, and what you should be doing every year in high school to build that activities list, in the College Essay Guy's comprehensive guide.

➡️ Check it out here: https://www.collegeessayguy.com/blog/extracurricular-activities-guide

Can I let you in on a little secret?A&M's auto-admit line is actually the top 10.4% of your graduating class, not just t...
08/13/2026

Can I let you in on a little secret?

A&M's auto-admit line is actually the top 10.4% of your graduating class, not just the top 10% (confirmed straight from admissions).

So if you're in that range, congrats. But rank gets you in the door. It doesn't guarantee your major.

And if you're not below that line, don't count yourself out just yet.

Because A&M admits to the school first and then the major, your application still needs to be good ... and that means you have 5 required essays (plus your required Personal Statement and 2 optional scholarship essays) to write. And write well.

If you want essays as strong as your rank, grab my "Cracking the Texas A&M Supplemental Essays" and start writing tonight!

🤠 https://essay-coach.com/cracking-am-essays

Exciting news for college applicants and data enthusiasts alike! 🎓 This Common Data Set repository from College Transiti...
08/13/2026

Exciting news for college applicants and data enthusiasts alike! 🎓

This Common Data Set repository from College Transitions is a goldmine for insights into admissions stats and trends from universities across the country.

Maybe you're a prospective student wondering about the average ACT score for admitted students to Texas A&M or wanting to know if Duke considers demonstrated interest -- or maybe you're just a parent curious about higher ed stats -- dive into this treasure trove of information!

📊💡 Check it out here: https://www.collegetransitions.com/dataverse/common-data-set-repository

When I went up Texas A&M to give a two-day workshop to aspiring Aggies on brainstorming and writing their A&M essays, I ...
08/12/2026

When I went up Texas A&M to give a two-day workshop to aspiring Aggies on brainstorming and writing their A&M essays, I reached out to admissions to get their take on a few questions (and misunderstandings) I hear a lot.

So here you go: Below are tips directly from admissions to help you prepare your most effective A&M application.

Wanting some support as you craft your application? Check out my "Cracking the A&M Essays" guide here: https://essay-coach.com/cracking-am-essays

Got 10 minutes? Then check out this YouTube video from the College Essay Guy, where Ethan analyzes a "successful" colleg...
08/10/2026

Got 10 minutes? Then check out this YouTube video from the College Essay Guy, where Ethan analyzes a "successful" college application from a student who took his college essay courses and gained acceptance to highly selective colleges. Here’s what he covers in it:

✏️ Detailed analysis of the student's personal statement, activities and awards lists, additional information, and supplemental essays

✏️ Insights into where this student ended up (you’ll want to know!)

✏️ Exploring what constitutes “success” in the college application process

🎥 Check it out here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PxCLQHEdUTw

📚 Then consider picking up a copy of his book "College Essay Essentials" (https://amzlink.to/az0hyHFb4yIt7) as you work on your application this summer.

Or register for his Fall College Essay and Application Program, happening live Sept. 15-Oct. 7 (and also available on demand). Bonus: Get 10% off using code JULIA10, cause college is expensive!)

✅ Register for the course here: https://students.collegeessayguy.com/a/2148088562/G2dVooJP

Address

Houston, TX

Website

,

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Julia Byrd: Essay Coach posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Shortcuts

Featured

Share

Category