“This review is long overdue because I wanted to keep Dan a secret and keep him available for my kids. Now that all my kids are where they want to be due to his help, I am ready to share:) Over the past 5 years, I have used his service 3 times with 3 very different kids with different needs and aspirations. In each case, my kids were able to exceed the expectations school counselors had set for them and they were accepted at Berkeley, UCLA, NYU etc. Trust me, with 3 kids, we have gone through countless private counselors and editors and most are useless. We kept going back to Dan. He actually takes the time to help the kids think through their essays to make the most sense, and his ability to draw the best stories out of them is unparalleled. Most counselors only do a cursory superficial grammar check but Dan's approach is truly empathetic, and genuine care is put into guidance and follow through. Do not hesitate, contact him now!”
Read More“Like any other rising senior, I came into the college applications process with a good amount of dread and anxiety. However, Dan’s laid back personality made me feel much more at ease, and the process no longer seemed so daunting. He clearly outlined his process for writing a personal statement, first by taking the time to get to know me through an interview session, then by choosing the most representative components to craft a richly detailed narrative. Dan worked with me through sessions that were sometimes arduous, but the end result was a piece of writing that encapsulated my identity in a way that I never could have done. In between sessions, the homework I had was to answer questions, whose responses would be woven in during the following session.
I began the process unsure of what part of myself to showcase in my essays and what direction I wanted to take them, but Dan patiently helped me to rediscover the priorities that were most important to myself and guided me throughout the process, allowing my own voice to shine through. At the end of our sessions, I left feeling a much more confident contender for higher education.”
“I used Dan's expertise to help me write the best essays for college applications. Not only did his incredible skill help me write some of the most impactful essays I've ever written, but his helpful and compassionate nature helped me overcome writer's block on many occasions. Instead of just editing and review what I wrote, he spent the first couple sessions getting to know my entire story and gave me tips on various directions to take my story. Being with Dan isn't just a peripheral editing session; it's a whole tried and true process that has helped me get into my dream schools and programs.”
Read More“Writing the Common App essay is an often dreaded rite of passage for seniors. Over seven sessions, Dan gave my son, Lucas, an advanced crash course in the craft of writing well. Beyond being a gifted writing coach, Dan is inquisitive and encouraging, and with some kind of meticulous and magical detective power, he drew out of Lucas a story that brought his personality and values to life.
Lucas would tell you writing with Dan was arduous, but also inspirational, satisfying, and surprisingly fun. Between their writing sessions, Lucas put in hours of work and self reflection, but none of those hours were wasted — the final product shines. Anyone who reads my son's essay will get a clear sense of what he’s all about — it brings the reader into his world, and reveals the unique and creative aspects of his character. I’m grateful not only for the time Lucas and Dan worked together, but for the writing skills Lucas gained that will be useful in college and afterwards.
(P.S. After showing my son this review, he insisted I say more about how fun and likable Dan is, and more about how much he loved getting to know him. So I’m adding: Dan is really really fun and good-natured and passionate about what he does and he’s the kind of mentor you love your kid to have.)”
“Dan is phenomenal! It was a momentous task for my son to start his personal statement for college applications. He has always been determined and was ready to start working on this essay by the time Junior year was ending. He was full of ideas, but really needed guidance on how to start and asked for help. We met with multiple tutors and companies, but ultimately chose Dan. Kai liked his approach and felt comfortable with him. As Dan said "It's a leap of faith." and we're happy with our choice.
Dan really listened to Kai and gave Kai homework to do which involved answering focused questions. All the talking, discussions and homework really gave Kai clarity. That introspection was extremely valuable. He was able to focus on what he wanted his personal statement to reflect. Dan does not write the essay, but he was very effective at helping Kai put his thoughts, personality and strengths into writing. Kai was able to use what he learned and answer other college essay questions.
Thank you Dan!”
“My son had the pleasure of working with Dan for his college essay process. Although my son is an exceptional writer for research papers, it is difficult for him to write introspectively. Through Dan's brainstorming process, my son found his authentic, unique personal story. After reading his Common Application essay, it brought tears to my eyes because it was so beautifully written and revealed who my son truly is. Dan made the college writing process fun for a student who is more of a research writer than a creative one. My son told me that Dan taught him just not how to write a good college essay, but how to tell a story. Dan has made a lasting impression!”
Read More“Dan is a gifted writing coach and I couldn't have been more lucky in finding him! The connection he made with my daughter made all the difference. Dan not only was able to understand exactly what kind of a person she was, but then helped her understand and express herself with depth and authenticity. His writing expertise is complimented by his calm demeanor and encouraging style - and he completely deescalated what is typically a very stressful process. My daughter got into the best schools in the nation, and I would encourage anyone who is considering using Dan's services to hire him immediately!”
Read More“We are not the only parents who find that providing advice to our college-bound kid be something of a minefield, but Dan was able to get our daughter to listen and to improve. He understood our daughter's strengths and helped her showcase them more clearly. Dan is knowledgeable and talented with much experience as a writer and editor. He works well with teens and makes the process less stressful for HS seniors and their families. I highly encourage you to reach out to Dan. He will truly help your child shine and get accepted to their dream school.”
Read More“As a high school senior, I had the best time working with Mr. Lichterman on my college essays. He’s funny yet pragmatic, relaxed but efficient, and undeniably honed in his writing expertise. Over the course of several sessions, he helped me flawlessly sum up my four years of high school into one personal statement and a supplement tailored to my school. Although there were countless times where we both stared at the multi-page brainstorm google doc, stuck in a stalemate and unsure how to continue the essay, Mr. Lichterman would magically propel the session forward by asking diverting questions that subsequently produced more writing material. He makes sure to get to know his student personally, and his attention to detail allowed my personality and voice to shine through in the final writing. I would’ve never been able to put together my college essays without his help, and working with him eased off an immense amount of stress from senior year. Thanks to his guidance, I am immensely grateful and delighted to announce that I will be attending my dream school next Fall!”
Read More“My experience with Dan was excellent for college-essay writing. He starts with a two hour interview with the student. By the end of the interview, he'll know a lot about you, but would still be able to give you an outside perspective as an admissions officer would. Then, he picks out the most compelling aspects of you (things you might not even realize) and helps you build a narrative. You will come out of sessions with polished and well-organized essays! My best friend read my essay and thought the writing was better than I could ever do alone (LOL), but that it was so clearly reflective of me and my story. Not only that, Dan took away the stress of the application process by being extremely accommodating and easy to work with. I also learned so much about writing by watching his process. In the end, I was accepted to Princeton, UC Berkeley, Northwestern, and a few other great schools. Thanks Dan!”
Read More“Worked extensively with me on my many college essays that ultimately helped me get into my dream school—Princeton!”
Read More"Dan challenged me to write about myself in a way that I had never been asked to do before. With Dan it was not about who I was as a student but rather who I am as a person. When I sent off my college applications, I didn’t have to worry about my essay, because I knew it was my best work. Six weeks later I got a letter from Harvard inviting me to an exclusive on-campus interview with a note: they loved my essay."
Read More“My son is heading to Stanford, and it's all because of Dan Lichterman! (So maybe my son had a part in this admission, but Dan was a huge part of the process.) If you know anything about the college admissions process, then you know that the Common App essay plays an important role. Although my son is a good writer, he found it difficult to make his words flow from his brain to paper. Maybe it was the stress in knowing that this would be the focus of his college application. Maybe senioritis was getting the best of him, and he couldn't just sit down and figure something out.( Maybe I knew that my relationship with my son would disintegrate if I tried to give him some pointers.) Whatever the reason was, I am so happy that Dan and my son connected (virtually!) so well to just get the essay done!
From the first session, Dan made it a point to learn all about my son's personality...from his interests to his quirky behavior...and the two of them began to form the story that best represented who my son is and how he wanted to portray himself to the college admissions teams. Week after week, my son's story progressed. Dan helped my son brainstorm and edit and mold his life's passions and interests into a succinct yet thorough (and incredible!) Common App Essay! (By the way, the operative word here is "help." Dan did not write the essay for my son. They collaborated together, so my son felt proud of the end result because it was written in his own voice.)
Due to this crazy pandemic, my son still does not know if he will actually be able to live on the Stanford campus when he begins his freshman year this September. He may be a Stanford University student from his bedroom, but eventually he will live his dream life in Palo Alto. My son applied and received acceptances to many other high-ranking schools. He was accepted to Columbia, Duke, Northwestern (special dual degree program Engineering/Theater), Vanderbilt, UC-Berkeley, Michigan Engineering, UNC-Chapel Hill Honors, UCLA, USC, UF, UMiami, Johns Hopkins, and STANFORD!!! It was difficult for him to decide among all of these amazing schools. He ultimately realized that he couldn't deny himself a Stanford education.
Dan Lichterman was an integral part of my son's college acceptances. I cannot offer enough accolades about the type of person he is and the care he has for his students/clients. Dan is extremely intelligent and well-versed in writing. My son and I feel very lucky to have found such a wonderful person whose goals paralleled our views on what we wanted from a writing coach. Dan's expertise in college admissions essay writing was just icing on the cake!”
“I would highly recommend Dan for college essays. He brought many good topics on surface after talking to my son and all the essays turned out to be very compelling. He is patient and willing to work around your schedule thru zoom calls.”
Read More“Bottom line...the essay is how you set your self apart! Dan worked hard with my son to help do just that. Dan asked the probing questions and, with a light touch, directed the narrative. He guided the writing process with my son without making it feel like school work. My son had a unique story to share and Dan helped weave the various elements through the essays...continuing to ask questions that resulted in a strong, focused written response.
My son is heading to his number one choice university and we are certain that his strong essays really helped set him apart. We know the investment in time/money with Dan was well worth it!”
“Dan has a gift for helping students develop and write compelling and authentic essays for the college admissions process. He is a good listener and was very thoughtful about working with my daughter as she wrote her essays. He provided her with constructive feedback and asked questions to help her better develop her storyline and bring it all together into one cohesive essay. Dan's approach works as well for students who love to write as for those who perceive essay writing as a chore and need a good coach to help them do their best work. My daughter was accepted into over 90% of the schools she applied to, including reach schools, and the strength of her personal statement and essays were a strong contributing factor to her success. We look forward to working with Dan again in the future.”
Read More“Dan helped me create an amazing essay for college applications that helped me get into my dream school! It was very organized, coherent, and most of all interesting. I really appreciated all his help and don't think I would have gotten into the schools I go into if it was for him! If you want to write an interesting story that captivates your life in as little as 600 words, there is no one better to help you with that than Dan!”
Read More“I reached out to Dan late September (2019) when I found out that our son was struggling with his college application essays. Dan followed up with a call back. In the 30 minutes he spent with us, both my son and I were impressed with Dan's approach. We feel really fortunate that Dan was able to accommodate us, despite being late and with a fast approaching deadline (October 15th). Dan made time on weekends and late evenings to ensure our son got what needed to finish his essays. I have no words to express on how Dan treats each of his clients as his own family. He just will not let you fail.
Coming to Dan's way of working, Dan doesn't just give you superficial advice and let you figure things out. He stays with you. He challenges each word. He brings the best of you and more importantly, he helps in gaining self-confidence. I can't thank Dan enough for his services. Dan, Thank You!”
“What I loved about working with Dan was the honesty, prompt responses, and thoroughness he works with throughout the entire process. He is incredibly easy to talk to and bounce ideas off of while working with him was a pleasure. Not only did Dan help me formulate and craft a witty essay, but the whole process of coming up with these ideas was seamless and natural. Through constant communication on different thoughts and ideas with each other, Dan helped pick out re-occurring concepts and connect them together to come up with a strong and persuasive essay, while also helping me write about something I am extremely passionate about. Although writing college essays can sometimes be tedious and stressful, with Dan, I found the whole process to be enjoyable and entertaining. I'd recommend Dan highly to anyone in a heartbeat!”
Read More“Dan is excellent at what he did for us. He does not write the essay, but what he does that is particularly valuable is that he listened effectively (yes, that is the ideal word here) to my daughter discuss her background, her key interests, strengths and weaknesses, and helped her come up with an essay that revealed her personality in the very concise manner required to tell her story. To me, the essay is critical because it is the only way for an individual to stand out (good or bad). Dan is absolutely a master at this in my view. The upshot? My daughter just got accepted ED to her first choice Ivy league school. Was the essay the critical factor? I'm not sure, but I do believe it was a contributing factor. I researched this space a lot before hiring Dan, and am convinced he is the best. I will certainly use him in the future for my other child.”
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