Matters of Growth...Where College Essay Prep is about STANDING OUT and Making a Difference

Our step-by-step college essay writing course not only helps you craft compelling essays, but also empowers you with the confidence and clarity to ensure your essays truly reflect who you are. It’s designed to highlight exactly what college admissions officers are looking for, while unlocking your unique strengths, building self-awareness, and developing essential life skills—all to set you up for future success. And, as if that weren’t enough, imagine that every word you write contributes to meaningful global causes.

With Essay Impact, you’ll gain clarity, grow in confidence, and equip yourself with the tools to write standout college essays—all while reducing stress and focusing on what truly matters in your senior year: celebrating milestones and preparing for the next big chapter.

It’s time to write your college essay, shape your future, and make a difference.

Matters of Growth: Where Working on Your Essay Equals MORE!

Students: Any of this sound like you?

You know your college essay is critical and want every edge to make it stand out.

You’re unsure what admissions officers really want and how to meet their expectations.

You need expert advice that simplifies the process and makes it less overwhelming.

You often feel like others have more impressive experiences than you do.

With deadlines approaching, you want a clear guide to finish with confidence

Parents: Does this sound like you?

You want to support your child without taking over, empowering them with tools to navigate the process independently

You know that a little extra guidance could give them a competitive edge in the admissions process

You're eager for them to gain confidence and key life skills that will serve them well beyond college applications.

You know that equipping your child with an outside voice or guidance is best for everyone in the family

imagine this...

What if I Told You that Writing your College Essay was A BIG Opportunity?

At Matters of Growth, we believe every task presents an opportunity to create standout results, grow skills, and build significance. With this belief at the heart of our work, we’ve developed an approach that not only simplifies the college essay process but also helps you write essays that authentically reflect who you are. Our goal is to help you stand out, build confidence, and sharpen essential life skills in a way that stays true to yourself.

What sets us apart from other college essay programs is our holistic focus. We provide expert guidance and tools to help you craft thoughtful, compelling responses for the Common App essays and activity sections—ensuring they not only meet but exceed admissions officers' expectations. At the same time, the activities and tools that help you craft your standout essay are designed to simultaneously foster personal growth and develop skills like confidence, self-awareness, and a growth mindset, while encouraging you to explore your future and the authentic impact you want to make.

Our programs are grounded in our proprietary P.S.S Success Framework, a research-driven approach informed by psychology, science, expert insights, and experiential learning. You can be confident that our approach is both cutting-edge and rooted in proven methods.

Science And Research Backed

Our methods, tools, and approach are based on the latest science and research, ensuring they stay cutting-edge, effective, and relevant. Essay Impact includes Growth Mindset exercises on comparison traps, brain insights on performance, and incorporates GenZ, Future of Work, and college admissions research.

Subject Matter Expert Informed

Our tools are crafted with insights from top experts in the field. Essay Impact draws from the wisdom of College Admission Officers, Educators, and leading professionals to offer clear guidance, practical exercises, and strategies to create authentic, connected, and unique essays.

Experiential In-Course Giving

Our products are designed to produce learning through action. We focus on growth by "doing," not just reading or listening. Essay Impact fosters "aha" moments, builds skills, and offers a unique in-course giving experience where students see their work make an impact on global causes.

Kind words regarding Essay Impact

Words from our students.

Students have called Essay Impact a game-changer for their college essay journey. Sharing testimonials that the course provided valuable insights into what colleges look for, reduced stress, and boosted their confidence. Many shared that it helped them stand out and feel truly empowered by the end.

"The workbook gave me greater insight into what colleges were looking for and help me make edits and even change direction. I feel so much more confident about my essays."

-Ashely

"This helped me navigate the stress of the whole process better."

-Jake

"It was so cool to pick different causes to make an impact as I progressed in the activities. It motivated me to do the next activity more quickly than I would have and I really felt like I made a difference just by showing up."

-Bryan

"I learned changing my mindset to growth from fixed made a huge difference and made the process easier."

-Sam

"This course gave me a clear path and instilled confidence in what I was writing."

-Katie

"Before taking this course, I couldn't tell you what my strengths were, now I know myself better and I hold my head higher. The performance and comparison trap really got me to see how I am unique and get out me out of feeling less than everyone else."

- Lilly

introducing...

Essay Impact

Essay Impact is more than just a guide for writing college essays—it’s a comprehensive program that equips students with the tools to navigate the essay process with clarity, build confidence, grow in self-awareness and other critical life success skills, create a lasting impression, and contribute to global causes.

Here's what's included:

Essay Impact is a downloadable workbook course that includes a combination of practical exercises, expert insights, and opportunities for real-world impact. (Live Class and 1 on 1 support Options also offered)

Practical Exercises for Standout Content

From growth mindset work to exercises focused on strengths, character, storytelling, and envisioning their future self, students gain the depth and breadth needed to have something meaningful to say. These exercises not only help build self-awareness and a confident sense of identity but also encourage students to reflect on their purpose and the impact they want to make.

Best Practice & Essay Tips for Success

Students receive guidance on creating essays that align with what college admissions officers are looking for, ensuring their work adds depth, style, and authenticity to stand out in the competitive application process.

Pay It Forward In-Course Experience

While working on their essays, students are introduced to the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and have the opportunity to choose causes to support, allowing them to connect their work with a larger purpose and start thinking about how they can make a difference in the world.

get your sneak peak...

Here's how it all breaks down.

Divided into five focused chapters, Essay Impact guides students from understanding why their work matters, to building a growth mindset, creating personal inventories, exploring key life moments, and crafting essays that align with what admissions officers are looking for—providing a clear, structured path to success.

MODULE ONE

Foundation Edge

Foundations of Success: Understanding What Colleges and Employers Want

This module provides key insights into what colleges and employers seek. Understanding these expectations is why the course was designed as it is—to help you build these skills and ensure your essays reflect them. This foundational knowledge will motivate and guide you, making it a game-changer for your success.

MODULE TWO

Mindset Advantage

Mindset Mastery: Unlocking Your Potential for Writing and Beyond

This module will help you develop a Growth Mindset to enhance your college essay writing. You'll learn to overcome barriers like the Performance and Comparison Trap, and approach your essays with confidence. These skills will not only improve your essays but also serve you in any future learning or any challenge you face.

MODULE THREE

Personal Awareness

Self-Awareness and Values: Discovering Your Unique Strengths

Guiding you through five comprehensive exercises, this module helps identify your core values, strengths, and personal attributes. You'll also explore the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as well as reflect on your future aspirations. This self-discovery process is essential for developing the content important to highlight the unique you.

MODULE FOUR

Story Inventory

Crafting Your Narrative: Building a Powerful Story Inventory"

In this module, you will dive deep into pivotal moments to create a rich story inventory. Using insights from the previous module, you’ll engage in self-reflection to capture the significance of key experiences, enhancing your self-awareness and preparing a compelling narrative for your applications.

MODULE FIVE

Writing Guide

Essay Excellence: Crafting Compelling Personal Statements

This module covers various essay types and structures, tips and insights to outline your essay so that it is clear, cohesive, and impactful. You’ll also receive a checklist of key elements that colleges typically look for in application essays, allowing you to assess your work and make necessary improvements.

MODULE SIX

Additional Resources

Your Resource Hub: Tools, Worksheets, and Support Materials

In this section, you’ll gain access to a variety of worksheets, templates, and supplementary resources. These materials are designed to support your learning journey and help you in crafting your standout essay as well as into your future. They contain practical tools to implement the concepts and strategies discussed.

And just so we're clear...

(Because we don't believe in wasting time)

|

You're in the right place if:

You want and edge for yourself or your student in this competitive college admission landscape

You want more insights on what college admission officers want and a practical path on how to get there

You want the advantage of creating a standout essay while also building skills college and employers are seeking

You're in the wrong place if:

You want someone to write your essay for you and are looking to hire outside writers or editors

You are not willing to self-reflect and do the self-awareness work that can lead to standout essays and activities sections

You are looking for support in choosing careers or colleges

Hi there, I'm Holly

Making a Difference

Matters to Me

I love to help others understand and own their own sense of self and significance. I believe in both paying it back and giving forward, which drives my commitment to helping the younger generation develop critical skills that lead to meaningful relationships and lasting success.

I believe in research-based decisions and support as the foundation for addressing complex challenges, and I’m particularly excited about the latest advancements in Positive Psychology, Emotional Intelligence, neuroscience and brain research. These discoveries offer us a tremendous opportunity to create significant changes in areas that truly matter.

The inspiration behind Essay Impact came from watching my own children navigate the college essay process. I saw an opportunity to reimagine this journey, making it a transformative experience that not only helps students craft standout essays but also equips them with critical life skills. By combining Growth Mindset principles with essential success skills, I aim to help students build resilience, confidence, and the tools they need to thrive in today’s competitive environment—both in their college applications and beyond.

frequently asked questions

You've got Q's? We've got A's.

Is the course on-demand or Live?

The course has several dates where students can go to class live to get "get to work". See the schedule. On-demand courses are coming soon.

What if I want to go to "class" to get my work done? Are there options?

Yes, courses are live classes at this time. Also, there are one on one coaching adding ons.

What if I'm a school or Independent Academic counselor, can I get access to this for my students?

Yes, this is coming soon. Reach out to discuss details and your specific needs.

Are there any individual coaching sessions?

Yes, click on the one on one coaching option and schedule today. Or reach out to schedule a consultation to see if one on one support is for you.

What happens if I only want the workbook and not the course?

This option is coming soon! Reach out and send your details and we'll make sure you get the information with priority.

How do I get in touch with questions? Or if I need help with access?

Click on the link Get in touch now or send an email to [email protected]

it's your turn to...

Joining Essay Impact is easy!

Essay Impact offers three ways to get started: Workbook Course Only, Live Class Workshop, and 1-on-1 Coaching.

Each option includes access to the comprehensive Essay Impact Workbook Course, allowing you to choose the level of support that fits your needs—whether you're ready for self-guided learning or prefer more hands-on guidance.

See what’s included in the Workbook Course below and choose your best fit.