Dr. Jay Shinde
Admissions strategy
Former admissions reader, 20+ years
College Application and Essay Help
We've got you — from college list to final submit
Starting early makes all the difference.
Book a Free 30-Minute Strategy Session
You'll leave with more clarity on the process — whether you choose to work with us or not.
Who You'll Work With
Get Jay and Nicholas
on your team
Along with a one-on-one coach hand-matched to your student's story, personality, and goals.
Nicholas Berardelli
Essay direction
University of Chicago · Head Essay Coach
Meet us on a free 30-minute call to learn more about your student's options
Book your free 30-minute strategy session
Pick your time below
How It Works
Your student's journey
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Connect with us
Pick a time to tell us about your student. We'll look at where they currently stand, answer any of your questions, and give you a clear plan you can follow.
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Get matched
We match your student to one coach from our small team based on their story, personality, and goals, and they begin with our tried and tested pre-writing and brainstorming exercises.
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Start writing
Your student brainstorms, drafts, and revises with expert coaching — with multiple layers of revisions and eyes on every essay — and submits before deadlines.
What parents say
From parents
"College App Lab ensures accountability for the work process and product. Keeps student on track!"
— Steve, Parent
"Just wanted to let you know, Neha got into the exact school she wanted - Carlson school of Management, University of Minnesota, Twin Cities."
— Samir, Parent
Our small team has hundreds and hundreds of five-star reviews on the nation's largest tutoring and freelance networks.
Frequently asked questions
No. It's a diagnostic conversation — we'll look at where your student stands, what's working, and what's next for them. You'll have a clearer picture of the process, whether you choose to work with us or not.
Dr. Jay, Nicholas, and our team of expert college counselors and essay coaches provide multiple layers of revisions and sets of eyes for every application. Dr. Jay actively leads admissions strategy while Nicholas actively leads essay direction on every application. Your student works directly with a one-on-one specialist from our small team, matched to their story, personality, and goals. Our team consists of Fulbright & Bridge scholars, MDs, PhD candidates, student-athletes, top-rated coaches with hundreds of reviews, and more.
No - by design. We coach them through the process of discovering themselves and becoming stronger writers - brainstorming, structuring, drafting, and revision. They do so with expert coaching along the way. The goal is an essay that's clear, compelling, and unmistakably theirs.
We listen to where your student is in the process — their current grade, school list, essays, timelines, and goals. We talk through a clear plan for your student, and if you're interested, how our philosophy and methods can help you. We'll give you honest feedback on fit. Parents tell us the call alone helped them see the path more clearly.
Our competitors often charge $10,000 or more for similar support. Since you work with our small team directly, we are able to provide you value without any corporate overhead. 90% of every fee goes directly to the coach you work with, and our team has generously committed the remaining 10% to charities we partner with across the world.
Our small team's independent track record is stellar on platforms such as Wyzant and Upwork. Top-rated, with many hundreds of five-star reviews, across our coaches. At College App Lab, we intentionally combined multiple layers of revisions and sets of eyes on every application - Dr. Jay Shinde leads application strategy, while Nicholas Berardelli leads essay direction, along with our team of expert college counselors and essay coaches.