Part-Time College Essay Support Specialist

Description

College Planning Source (CPSI) is hiring an Essay Support Specialist to help students bring their voices to the forefront in their college application essays. This is a part-time, remote, year-round role for someone who takes pride in giving thoughtful feedback that strengthens a student's writing without taking it over.

You won't be working alone. CPSI is a counselor-led practice - counselors hold the relationship with each family, and specialists like you bring focused craft to the essay coaching. We work as a team: the counselor calls the plays based on their deeper knowledge of each student, and you bring editorial skill to execute them. We hold a high bar for that craft.

The heaviest hours fall during application seasons (August-December for Common App; January-March for UC PIQs), and summer programs keep specialists engaged year-round. Our best specialists have been with us for multiple application cycles. If giving feedback that improves a draft without rewriting it sounds like the work you'd do well, read on.

When you apply, please address these four questions in your cover letter. We read every cover letter that addresses all four - a few sentences each is plenty.

• What draws you to a role like this - one where you're contributing to a counselor's plan rather than leading the essay yourself?
• Describe a time when you edited or gave feedback on someone else's writing and chose to leave something unusual or imperfect on the page because it sounded like the writer.
• Tell us about a time when a lead writer, editor, or supervisor gave you feedback or direction you saw differently - and how you handled it.
• During application season, which best describes the work rhythm you can commit to?

A) every day, B) every other day, C) 2-3 days/week, D) mostly weekends, or E) fixed hours regardless of days. (Candidates who answer D or E aren't a good fit for this role.)

Responsibilities

• Review student college essay drafts assigned by a CPSI counselor - Common App personal statements, UC Personal Insight Questions, supplemental essays, and scholarship essays.
• Work alongside the assigned counselor for each student-they have the deeper knowledge of the student and family, and call the plays; you bring the craft to execute them.
• Apply CPSI's draft-by-draft approach (content first, then structure, then polish) and write feedback in our standard format so it flows smoothly from the counselor to the student.
• Preserve the student's voice. A 17-year-old should still sound like themselves after your review.
• Adapt your approach to each student - some need fast, focused feedback, others need restraint, others need more hands-on guidance with structure.
• Meet stated turnaround times (no more than 3 days per draft) and communicate proactively if a deadline is at risk.

Qualifications

$4a