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Former UChicago Admissions Counselor | 50,000+ College Essays Reviewed
Liz S.

5.0 (5 ratings)

7 hours tutoring

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About Liz

Bio

As a college counselor and former admissions officer at the University of Chicago, I am an expert in assisting students applying for first year admission, transfer admission, and pre-college summer programs. Whether you have a draft in progress or you're in the initial brainstorming phase, I'm happy to help you develop a specific and unique essay that you're proud of.

Working in undergraduate admissions at the University of Chicago for five years, I was responsible for reviewing over 1,000...

As a college counselor and former admissions officer at the University of Chicago, I am an expert in assisting students applying for first year admission, transfer admission, and pre-college summer programs. Whether you have a draft in progress or you're in the initial brainstorming phase, I'm happy to help you develop a specific and unique essay that you're proud of.

Working in undergraduate admissions at the University of Chicago for five years, I was responsible for reviewing over 1,000 applications a year. In my experience, the vast majority of applicants were academically qualified. A strong GPA or test score was NOT what would get you in. Instead, we looked for students who were a strong sociocultural fit for UChicago. The #1 way that fit could be shown? The essays!

Find x. So where is Waldo, really? A hot dog might be a sandwich, and cereal might be a soup, but is a ______ a ______? These are just some of UChicago's infamous "quirky" essay prompts. I've read thousands of responses, but only the best stood out. Whether applying to UChicago or any selective school, supplemental essays are an opportunity to show how your own values align with the college's. I want to help you identify those values and write a unique essay that only you could write.

Currently, I'm a college counselor at a private high school in Arizona. I help students build balanced college lists, brainstorm essay topics, and revise drafts. I will NOT write the essay for the student. This is their chance to showcase their educational journey, their journey, and their voice.

I received my Bachelor's in International Studies with Honors from the University of Chicago. I am a member of the National Association for College Admission Counseling and regularly attend professional development workshops and meetings with selective colleges.

I look forward to working with you!

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Education

University of Chicago
International Rel.

Policies

  • Hourly Rate: $100
  • Rate details: Group rate: $40/hour for a minimum of three students. Please contact me if the group is 10+.
  • Lesson cancellation: 12 hours notice required

  • Background check passed on 12/2/2025

  • Your first lesson is backed by our Good Fit Guarantee

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Approved Subjects

College Counseling

College Counseling

I worked for the undergraduate admissions office at the University of Chicago for 5 years. During that time I was responsible for recruiting in and reviewing all applications from New York City and the Northwest Chicago suburbs. Overall, I holistically reviewed over 15,000 applications, including personal statements and supplemental essays. Now, I work on the other side of the desk, supporting high school students applying to college.
Essay Writing

Essay Writing

As an admissions counselor for the University of Chicago, I reviewed thousands of essays and taught several essay workshops to thousands annually. Two key takeaways: 1) If a school has supplemental essays, they are just as - if not more - important than the personal statement. 2) The personal statement should be so specific that only you could write it. If you drop it on the floor without a name on it, your best friend or mom should be able to easily pick it out of a line-up.
Personal Statements

Personal Statements

In my current role as a college counselor at a private high school, I work with a caseload of students to provide advice at all stages of the writing process. When brainstorming topics, I encourage students to stay away from the four D's (dating, death, depression, and divorce) and to instead focus on a smaller, simpler topic. Once the topic is identified, the focus turns to crafting the story while maintaining your unique voice.
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Ratings and Reviews

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Reviews

Incredible College Counselor and Tutor!

My son is currently a freshman, and we started working with Liz to prepare for both summer programs and long-term college planning. Liz has given my son three lessons focused on summer program essays, along with an additional session on college consultation. From the very beginning, Liz provided extremely detailed and actionable guidance. She has an impressive depth of knowledge about college preparation and clearly understands how to plan ahead—even for students as early as freshman year. Thanks to her advice, we now have a much clearer roadmap for the next 2+ years, which is incredibly valuable. On the essay side, Liz worked with my son in great detail. She didn’t tell my son how to edit word by word directly, instead, she guided him to discover his own ideas and taught him how to express them in a compelling and authentic way. Throughout the process, my son learned how to approach essay writing more effectively, not just for this application but for the future as well. The improvement between my son’s initial drafts and the final versions is remarkable. More importantly, he gained confidence and a much better understanding of how to present himself through writing. We feel very fortunate to have found Liz. She is knowledgeable, thoughtful, and truly dedicated to helping students grow. We look forward to continuing to work with her!

Cindy, 3 lessons with Liz
Tutor responded:

Thank you for the kind words, Cindy! It is a pleasure to work with your family and I look forward to seeing your son's growth in the years to come.