Essay & admissions coaching · Fairfax, Tysons & McLean · Online
We don't write your story. We help it grow.
One-on-one coaching for college and grad school applicants: finding the right schools, and the story only you can tell, written in your own words.
Limited to 12 students per application cycle.
How it works
A trellis supports growth. It never forces it.
Root: find your story
We start with conversation, not a prompt. Guided brainstorming uncovers the experiences, values and small details that are genuinely yours.
Grow: draft in your voice
You write every word. I ask the hard questions, push past clichés, and give clear, structured feedback on every draft.
Bloom: polish and submit
We tighten structure, sharpen detail, and make sure each essay reads as unmistakably you — on time for every deadline.
How I coach
Polished is easy. Personal is rare.
The essays that stand out sound like exactly one person. My process keeps every essay honest, specific and unmistakably your student's own.
Your words, always
I never write or rewrite essays for students. Every sentence is theirs.
A process you can show
Brainstorm notes and draft history document how each essay grew, from first idea to final version.
Details only you know
The specifics that make an essay memorable are the same ones that prove it's authentically yours.
Packages
Clear pricing. No surprises.
Every package includes unlimited drafts within its scope and direct work with me — never a handoff. Know what you need? Enroll directly. Not sure? Start with a free call.
Story Strategy Session
$250
A 90-minute brainstorm, in person or online, plus a written topic map and next steps.
Buy nowPersonal Statement
$1,600
Brainstorm through final polish on the Common App essay, with 3–4 coaching sessions.
Essays for 5 Schools
$3,400
Personal statement plus all supplemental essays for up to five schools.
Full Application Essays
$4,750
Personal statement and supplements for up to ten schools, plus an activities list review.
Summer Essay Bootcamp
Small group of 4–6 in McLean · 4 sessions · Summer 2027 waitlist
Ask to join the waitlist →$950
$300
$175/hr
Founding families save 15% during the 2026–27 cycle. Use code FOUNDING15 at checkout.
Spots are limited. After you enroll, I'll confirm your timeline within 24 hours, with a full refund if it's not a fit. Full refund before the first session; after that, unused sessions are refunded pro rata.
Meet your coach
Hi, I'm Khurram.
For the past 12 years I've taught and mentored more than 75 students, for free, and helped many of them earn admission to top universities. A graduate of Johns Hopkins and Harvard Kennedy School, I worked with both schools' admissions offices as a student representative, tour guide and Dean's Ambassador, and taught as a Teaching Fellow at Harvard.
I've also volunteered for years with community college-access programs, running essay workshops and campus visits for students from across North America.
My own career has run through economics research and data science: as a senior research assistant in the Research & Statistics Division at the Federal Reserve Board of Governors, a research specialist in economics and health policy at Princeton, and a data scientist on Amazon's Economics & Pricing Science team. I know firsthand what selective programs and employers look for, and how to explain complex ideas clearly.
I'm a former varsity debate vice-president and an Eagle Scout. Today I work with a small number of students each cycle, in person in Fairfax, Tysons and McLean, or online, helping them find and tell the story only they can tell.
Where students have grown
Students I've mentored have been admitted to
College
Graduate school
High school
“Khurram is really good at helping you find a clear narrative behind your story and he doesn’t let you settle for the surface-level stuff… His feedback always pointed me in the right direction without taking over, and he made sure every idea stayed my own.”
“Khurram is very good at asking you the right questions to help you craft your story to help colleges see who you really are.”
“You have an innate ability to shed light on information on essays and make them stand out.”
Every cycle, some seats are free.
I reserve spots each year for students who couldn't otherwise afford coaching. Cost should never be the reason a great story goes untold.
Common questions
Do you write or edit essays for students?
No. I coach. Students write every word; I give questions, feedback and suggestions that they choose how to use.
Do you meet in person?
Yes. Coaching sessions can be in person in Fairfax, Tysons or McLean, or online over video, whichever works best for your family. The free first consultation is a video call.
When should we start?
Ideally the spring or summer before senior year, so there's time to brainstorm without deadline pressure. Later starts are welcome while spots remain.
Can you guarantee admission?
No honest coach can. What I can promise is essays that are thoughtful, polished and unmistakably your student's own.
Get in touch
Start with a free 20-minute consultation.
Pick a time that works for you. Students and parents are both welcome on the call.
khurram@trellisadmissions.com
Fairfax · Tysons · McLean, Virginia
Free 20-minute consultation
- Your timeline and key deadlines
- The schools or programs on your list
- Where you're stuck: essays, school list or strategy
- Whether working together is a good fit
Video call · Evenings and weekends available
Pick a time