Personal statement coaching
Brainstorming, topic development, outlining, revisions, and final polish for the Common Application essay.
College admissions essay coaching
College essay coaching for students with something meaningful to say.
Personalized mentorship in storytelling, essay development, and interview preparation. I help students craft applications that are thoughtful, authentic, and memorable, through one-on-one coaching that develops not only stronger essays, but stronger communicators.
Storytelling, communication, confidence. That's the throughline elite colleges are looking for.
Why the essay matters
Who is this student, beyond the résumé?
College essays ask students to do something unusual: step back from years of experiences and make sense of them. At the same time, admissions officers are trying to answer a difficult question: who is this student beyond the résumé?
Grades, activities, and awards provide important information, but they rarely capture how a student thinks, what they value, or the perspective they would bring to a campus community. The essay is one of the few opportunities to bridge that gap.
My work focuses on helping students identify the ideas, experiences, and questions that matter most to them, and communicate those ideas with clarity, authenticity, and purpose.
Why work together
Every student has a story worth telling.
I believe every student already has a story worth telling. The challenge isn't inventing one. It's learning how to recognize it.
The admissions process often asks students to reduce themselves to accomplishments, awards, and activities. My work is helping students uncover the person behind those achievements and communicate that story with clarity, depth, and confidence.
The strongest essays aren't built from formulas or manufactured narratives. They're built from thoughtful reflection, meaningful insight, and a genuine understanding of one's own experiences.
About me
A different kind of essay coaching.
I'm a Princeton University graduate, executive communication coach, and college essay mentor with nearly a decade of experience helping people communicate effectively in high-stakes environments.
In addition to coaching students through personal statements, supplemental essays, and admissions interviews, I work professionally with executives and leadership teams at organizations including Cisco, Google, Salesforce, Deloitte, and the United Nations, helping clients strengthen storytelling, communication, and leadership presence.
As a Princeton alumni interviewer, I've also had the opportunity to evaluate prospective applicants, giving me insight into how students present themselves beyond grades, test scores, and extracurricular achievements.
That combination of experiences shapes my approach: helping students not only write stronger essays, but understand how to communicate who they are with confidence and authenticity.
Services
How I can help
Supplemental essays
Strategic guidance and feedback for school-specific essays that demonstrate fit, curiosity, and perspective.
Interview preparation
Mock interviews and personalized coaching focused on communication, storytelling, confidence, and presence.
Overall application strategy
Support in creating a cohesive narrative across essays, activities, resumes, and interviews.
Student experiences
What students say
It was an amazing experience working with Avanthika. She consistently gave thoughtful, detailed feedback and helped me push forward whenever I felt stuck or ran out of ideas.
Avanthika didn't just help me write better essays; she helped me understand how to tell my story authentically.
Working with Avanthika was empowering. Beyond simply correcting grammar, she helped me become a stronger writer overall.
Let's tell your story.
The best essays don't sound impressive. They sound genuine. Let's work together to build an application that reflects who you are with clarity, confidence, and authenticity.