The Close Read: Command Education’s College Essay Intensive

Students are matched with a Command Education Senior Mentor based on their unique interests. Our Senior Mentors are near-peer support figures who are recent graduates of Ivy League and other top universities around the country. They have written successful college essays themselves and are uniquely capable of motivating students through this distinct writing process.

The Close Read provides students with dedicated, real-time support from a Senior Mentor, as well as the expertise of our entire team of strategists, experts, and team leads. Through layers of feedback and review, we ensure that every essay has been properly vetted and held to the highest standard of excellence so that it is submission-ready by the program’s conclusion.

Throughout the five days of The Close Read, students alternate between writing and editing their essays independently and meeting with an expert mentor to brainstorm, edit, and refine their work. Students typically work from 10a.m.-5p.m. in their time zone, with three scheduled one-on-one meetings to check in with their mentors throughout each day. Mentors thoughtfully guide students through every stage of the writing process, providing detailed feedback and real-time support to help students craft essays that they are proud to submit.

The first step is to connect with our enrollment team to learn more about The Close Read and to discuss your family’s needs and goals. Our enrollment team will go over the program structure, timing, and pricing. Our ultimate goal is to align each family’s needs with the right admissions support, so our enrollment team will ask questions about your student’s current college list, activities, college essay progress, and more to make a custom recommendation for your family.

While the main purpose of attending The Close Read is to complete and polish a stand out Common Application personal essay, students may review or draft supplemental essays if the timing allows. Many families find after The Close Read that they want to engage in ongoing application and college admissions support with their mentor through another part or the rest of the process. We will work with you to find the level of support that will help your student reach their college admissions goals.

Command is built around a relationship-driven model that combines industry-leading near-peer mentorship with rigorous admissions industry expertise. Each student works closely with a full-time near-peer mentor from a top university who provides continuous guidance from start to finish, backed by support from the entire Command Education team. 

Unlike more traditional consulting models, our advising is not sporadic or transactional. Mentors serve as both strategic advisors and active partners, and every application benefits from the entire Command team’s review and expertise.

All of our mentors are full-time and have graduated from the same institutions our students are seeking to attend. More importantly, they are selected for their ability to build meaningful relationships with students and guide them through a multi-year process.

Because mentors are closer in age and have recently navigated the same process, they are more relatable and motivating for students, driving stronger engagement and follow-through than more traditional advising models.

To learn more about our mentors and their backgrounds, you can explore our team here.

After enrollment, our mentoring leadership team works with families to identify the best-fit mentor for each student’s personality, interests, and goals. For seniors, we prioritize availability and relevant experience to ensure momentum from day one. The strength of this relationship is central to the experience, and we’ll make adjustments if needed.

We customize every program to fit each family's needs and goals, whether that’s more targeted support for a few applications or fully unlimited access for the entire application process from start to finish. We’ll work with you to develop the program that is the best match for your student.

Yes. While the scope is naturally more focused at this stage, we provide meaningful, high-impact support around positioning, school selection, and every element of the application process. We’ve helped seniors successfully through some of the most selective admissions cycles, and we know how to work with compressed timelines.

Our goal is to help students build a clear sense of direction and a college application that reflects depth, initiative, and authenticity. Our work leads to strong admissions outcomes at highly selective institutions, while also preparing students to thrive once they arrive.

Families engage with us at different stages. Starting earlier allows for more thoughtful, long-term development, particularly in shaping academic direction and extracurricular depth.

That said, we also work with students later in high school when appropriate, especially if they are looking for more structured support heading into the application process.

Yes. We regularly work with families based outside of the U.S. and support applications to a range of international institutions, including in the UK and Canada.

Each system has its own nuances, and we guide students through those differences as part of a broader strategy.

No. We work with students across a range of goals and institutions. Our focus is on helping each student identify and pursue the best-fit opportunities for their interests and aspirations, while also supporting ambitious outcomes when appropriate.

Working with Command Education is a highly personalized engagement, and our programs are structured accordingly. Families who work with us are making a meaningful investment in their student’s future, and we’re committed to delivering exceptional support in return. We will walk through options in detail following an initial conversation to ensure alignment with your family’s goals.

Command operates primarily through a virtual model, which allows us to work with families globally and provide consistent, flexible access to our team. Our mentors are located across the U.S. and across the globe, and students connect with them regularly via Zoom, phone, and ongoing communication. This structure ensures that support is available when students need it, rather than being limited by geography. When mentors and families are in the same location, in-person meetings can certainly be arranged, though they are not required for a highly effective working relationship.

Yes. Discretion is fundamental to our practice. We do not share client identities and handle all engagements with a high level of confidentiality, consistent with the expectations of the families we serve.