Admission Essay
Masterclass Webinar

Write your way into BYU with Lauren Gillespie

Introducing an online Masterclass that will set you up for success this fall!

This spring I’m teaching an online Masterclass that will prepare you in advance for college essay season. If you currently have a junior in high school, don’t wait until September to begin thinking about your essays! There are things you can do now, and through the summer, to prepare, broaden your experience, and maximize your efforts.

Register Here

Masterclass Registration

Each Masterclass session will cover the same content. Sign up for the one the best fits your schedule.

Here is a breakdown of what this two-hour Masterclass will include: 

  • First, we will review each of the BYU essay questions, a breakdown of what each question is actually asking, and suggestions on how to use your activities and experiences in your response. One of my most important skills is helping students understand how to stand out. 

  • We will discuss the BYU Aims and how students can apply them to their essays in a personal and meaningful way. 

  • I will introduce principles of persuasive writing including answering each question directly, how to achieve tight organization in a short essay, and why details matter. These writing skills will help students write their essays more effectively, as well as help them prepare for college level writing in the future. Strong writing principles are true whether they’re applied to admissions essays or future English papers!

  • We will review ways that students can edit and polish their essays, and how to meet the required character count. 

  • We will have a Q&A at the end. 

Why Sign Up?

Over the years I’ve learned that the topic of college admissions essays can either be really dry and boring, or induce nuclear meltdown amounts of stress. I believe one reason I’ve been successful in this business for so many years is because I’m both a charismatic teacher, and I’ve broken the process down into manageable, stress-free bites. Just as you can improve your abilities and potential with a math tutor or hitting coach, there are specific strategies and writing skills that will empower students to write their way into BYU.

There is an art to writing stand out essays and I can teach you how to do it.

Meet Lauren Gillespie.

I have a bachelor’s and a master’s degree in English from Brigham Young University, and for the past 24 years I’ve worked as a private writing tutor and coach specializing in undergraduate and graduate admissions, and study abroad and scholarship application essays.

In 2004, I was invited to serve on a panel of BYU graduate students tasked with visiting local high schools and teaching workshops on how to “write your way into BYU.” As part of this initiative, I met with the head of BYU Admissions to review their likes, dislikes, and insider tips for writing admissions essays. In the fall of 2022, I had the opportunity to update my tutoring strategies by meeting with a BYU admissions staff member to review the current trends and priorities in regard to admissions essays.

Over the years, I’ve helped hundreds of students gain acceptance to their first-choice school, including 93% of my clients in 2023.

My book “From Couch to College: Writing Standout Admissions Essays” is available on Amazon.

Private Tutoring Services

BYU Admission 1-on-1 Tutoring Package

Now accepting students from April to July, and after November 1st.

Including start-to-finish, multiple session services for admissions essays, scholarships, study abroad applications, and graduate admissions. Contact me for pricing.

One Time Consultation Session

Only for those students who attend my Masterclass: $250