…Thanks for the time and personal attention you gave to my daughter while working on her college entrance essays. It is not just that you guided her to write the best essay for each school. You took a personal interest and tapped into the confidence that she was hesitant to put on paper. The evidence is the acceptance to Mount Holyoke…what an amazing gift. Please accept my heartfelt thanks!
Archives for May 2017
AW, Williams ’19
There are 37,100 high schools in the U.S., and there are 37,100 class presidents applying to college every year. You won’t get into Harvard by merely writing, “I am the Valedictorian of my graduating class” on your application. So, how do you get admitted to the university of your choice? How do you set yourself apart from the 37,000 other top applicants? It is as plain and simple as this: Highly selective colleges and universities expect top-notch applications and accept works of art.
Without Margery I would never have been able to put together a truly competitive application. I applied to Williams, Bowdoin, Middlebury, and Haverford (all four of which are top-ten liberal arts colleges), and was admitted to all four. Moreover, admissions officers from Williams, Middlebury, and Haverford sent me handwritten letters in which they complimented me on my essays and personally asked me to attend their schools.
To anyone who seriously desires to attend a top university, I strongly recommend Margery. She will work with you to bring your unique story to life in a light that is presentable to admissions officers. She is a wonderful person and a true pleasure to work with. And lastly, her track record stands for itself. If you put in your share of work, she’ll get you into college.
MK, Swarthmore College 2015
I was looking to work with someone like you because I wanted the best chance at being accepted into a top tier physics program. I needed help in writing my application essays for internships. Your help was more valuable than I could have hoped for. I thought my essays would need just a small amount of changing. If you felt something in my essays could be better, you let me know. You were nice in your critiquing of my work but were not afraid to tell me when something needed to be changed, and you were always quick to reply. I felt as though we became friends via email, and it was wonderful meeting you in person. When I was accepted to Duke and CERN to do high energy physics, it felt like a dream come true. When I told you of my acceptance, you were genuinely so happy for me. I could not have gotten where I am now without your help. I would highly recommend your expertise to anyone looking for an application review and a friend.
AG, Cornell ’19
Margery Kashman, aka The College Essay Whiz, was the obvious and easy choice to help me with the daunting task of filling out college applications and writing college essays.
My older brother had worked with Margery to help him in this process, and he developed a great relationship with Margery. She came to understand his personality and therefore his goals rather quickly, and the end result was a flawless college application and beautifully written essays. My brother and my parents were so impressed with Margery that they encouraged me to use her as an ACT tutor and a college advisor. I am glad that I heeded their advice.
The end result was everything I could have wished for. With her guidance, I improved my ACT scores. In addition, I, too, submitted flawless college applications and interesting and articulate essays. I could not have reached my goals without her! Thank you, Margery!
LH, American University ’19
I’m from Trenton, New Jersey, where the crime rate is high and the literacy rate low. College was a dream to me, but one I was determined to make a reality. I met Margery in August of 2014. This is when we began to work together on my college applications and my application for the Bill Gates scholarship. Margery and I started by filling out the information part of the application. She helped me thoroughly check every single part of the information section so we didn’t miss anything. Next we started the essays: First, the Common App personal statement and second, the Additional Information question. Margery helped me edit and cut down an essay that was originally over 1,000 words into a perfect 649 word essay. Yes, Margery is so good at cutting and editing essays that she trimmed it all the way down to just one word under the limit without omitting one idea that was in the original essay.
After perfecting the Common App essays, we started to work on the writing supplements. Margery helped me edit and cut down each essay to perfection. After all of this, we started to work on the Gates scholarship application which included eight essays that could not total more than 1,000 words. Margery helped me format and edit all eight essays. I am happy to report that I got into six out of seven schools and that I was also awarded the Gates Scholarship. I know without a doubt that without Margery, I would not have been as successful as I am today. Thank you, Margery.
FATHER OF B.E. | DUKE UNIVERSITY’19
My dear son was just too relaxed about his college future. Three weeks to the application deadline I called up a few friends for advice, and Margery was highly recommended. Although it was the busiest time of the year for her, she made time to see us the next day, managed to help out with over 15 applications and countless essays. Soon after, the acceptance letters came rolling in: Duke, Cornell, UVA and many more. We could not stress enough how much Margery’s guidance attributed to my son’s heavy stack of admittances and would recommend her to any student with high aspirations.
Tour Along with College Essay Whiz: University of Maryland
University of Maryland, College Park: 12 Perks of Attending a Large Public University
In a Maryland suburb not quite 10 miles from the White House lies the University of Maryland’s lush, green College Park campus. Covering 1300 acres, the campus is surprisingly walkable – and maintains a college feel. With a 45 percent acceptance rate, this “public Ivy” offers rigor, prestige, and affordability. Due to the endowment that comes with such a large public 
institution, students gain access to vast academic resources and a robust alumni network.
- It is a highly-ranked school. Ranked 20th nationally and 43rd internationally as a public research institute, Maryland allows its students to take advantage of its readily available resources and opportunities.
- The academic options are rigorous – and seemingly endless. With over a hundred majors offered, you will find the right course of study for you. Incoming undergraduates are admitted to one of the university’s 12 ‘colleges’ which will host their major. Undecided students are admitted to the College of Letters and Sciences and are assigned a dedicated advisor who will help them decide what to study and “figure out a life plan,” says Admissions Officer Christine Lukban.
- Its limited enrollments programs are prestigious – but challenging. Students applying to certain fields – including Business, Journalism, Criminology, Engineering, and Bio Sciences, among others – face a selective application process, which includes two rounds of admission. The first is through the admissions counselors; once students pass that stage, their application is sent to the actual program for their screening process. Students not accepted into the limited enrollment college of their choice enter the College of Letters and Sciences and have the option to reapply in their second year after having taken the required courses.
And for Med, Vet, and Law-School Bound students? These students do not designate a “pre-med” or “pre-law” track; instead, they major in an area of interest that may or may not be related to their further study and enroll in their “track.” Students are assigned two advisors: one ensures that they are on the right track to apply to medical, veterinarian or law school and the other keeps them in the right direction to complete their major. Students therefore “have a lot of people watching their back,” notes Lukban. Although students must complete the required courses to be able to apply to graduate school, they will also graduate with a well-rounded academic background. It is not uncommon to see law school-bound students majoring in history or dance.- Students can tailor the General Education courses to their interests. All graduating students must have completed 40 credits of general education courses; at UMD, though, because of the sheer number of available courses, students can hone in on their interests while meeting their requirements. For example, many students will enroll in “I Series” courses which focus on current events surrounding a breadth of topics from artificial intelligence to the human-animal relationship.
- Students are heavily encouraged to engage in a “special experience.” These include opportunities for research, internship, education abroad, and service learning; 80 percent of graduating students will have participated in at least one “special experience.” The university hopes to exceed that number. Students are encouraged to build relationships with faculty – perhaps through the weekly four to six office hours that all professors must offer – because these can lead to research opportunities. Students seeking internships are encouraged to take advantage of UMD’s proximity to Washington DC’s many organizations and agencies. Also, each year, UMD hosts 335 employers who come to campus seeking interns. And for those students interested in study abroad, with 447 possible locations to study, there is a place and program for everyone.
- Students are supported in the job search. Ideally, students’ internship and networking experiences while on campus
will lead to a job offer upon graduation. If not, though, the career center offers a plethora of supportive services including resume and cover letter help, career fairs, interview tips, and even advice about how to evaluate an offer. Students have the opportunity to participate in and review a taped mock interview. - And outside the classroom? With over 27,000 undergraduates from 115 countries, students can expect to find their social niche. There is always something happening on campus, thanks to the 901 student-run clubs ranging from Quidditch (UMD has a world-ranked team) and political clubs to anyone who shares the name “Bob” (or Robert, Rob, or Bobby).
- What about housing? Most freshmen (75 percent) live in double-occupancy rooms in one of several high rise buildings on campus. Each of these is staffed 24/7 by a “community assistant” in charge of the building’s safety. Student access cards only provide access to their floor, in their building. Floors are usually co-ed and include a student lounge, a shared kitchen, men and women’s bathrooms, and are staffed by a Resident Advisor. Students interested in “Living and Learning Communities” in which students with similar interests live together, have 19 options in the realms of research, service, and language-based communities.
- And for the sports-lovers? For those looking to play sports at UMD, there are three options: Division I sports, for which a student would likely be recruited as a high schooler; intramural sports which still involve a competitive spirit; and club sports, which can be likened to a pick-up game among friends. For spectators: tickets to UMD games are free, assigned through a lottery system that favors frequent attenders.
- Will I be able to afford UMD? UMD is ranked 7th Best Value among public schools. Seventy-five percent of students receive some kind of financial aid from the university.
- What should I know about the application? UMD does not use the Common Application. This year, applicants submitted UMD’s own application which utilized the new Coalition application essay questions. Fall Priority deadlines – which offer the best consideration for admission, merit scholarships, and special programs – is November 1. In fact, 90 percent of the class is selected from applicants who adhere to this deadline. The decision is not binding; students have until May to make their decision. UMD also superscores standardized results, but does not consider the writing section of either the SAT or ACT. The university also does not consider the scores from any SAT Subject Tests.
Notable alumni include Google Founder Sergey Brin, Seinfeld creator Larry David, Muppet creator Jim Henson, morning-show host Gayle King, and Under Armour founder Kevin Plank.
