Parents workshop: De-stressing the college essay and supporting your teen
A free 45-minute Zoom workshop for parents of rising seniors. Learn what admissions officers actually look for, how to help without taking over, and the most common mistakes parents make during essay season.
Limited to 15 parents per session
Why This Workshop
Most parents think the college essay is about good writing, good storytelling, or standing out. It's not, and that misconception can cause parents to give the wrong kind of feedback on their kids' essays.
Here's what admissions officers actually say:
"I don't want different. I don't want unique. I just want to know what makes you the person you are. I want to know what matters to you. I want to know what you care about."
"Some of the worst college essays I've read were actually written quite well in terms of grammar, sentence structure, and organization, but the student's unique voice had been lost."
"By the time the application comes to us, many have gone through so many hands that the essays are sanitized. I wish I saw more of a thoughtful voice of a 17-year-old."
The essay is about genuine self-reflection and your child's own voice on the page. The hard part: well-meaning feedback from parents, family friends, even some coaches often flattens that voice in the name of making the essay "stronger."
This workshop gives you a clear playbook for supporting your teen through essay season without getting in the way of the thing that actually works. You'll walk away knowing how to be your child's best support system without adding to the pressure.
What You'll Learn
- How to manage timelines and stay on track
- What admissions officers look for
- How to give constructive feedback, even during disagreements
- When to bring in outside help, and how to vet coaches, teachers, and other readers
- Navigating discussions about AI usage in the essay process
- The most common mistakes parents make (and how to avoid them)
Your Host
James Rizzo is a Schwarzman Scholar (Tsinghua, 2017) and former product leader at Lyft and Intuit. He founded Essay Launch to help students craft authentic admissions essays.
"Working with James was an incredible experience! He helped me take my essay to the next level with thoughtful, detailed feedback and expert advice. Thanks to his guidance, my essay became so much stronger and more effective."
Ethan C.
Admitted to Stanford University
