Life is short, time is finite, my choices matter.
Rachel Coleman
Rachel Coleman began her escape from the 9 to 5 when she graduated from Stanford in 2014 with a degree in Comparative Literature. Initially, she worked as a Legislative Correspondent in the U.S. Senate for a year. But her love of history, literature, and adventure could not be quenched in the halls of Congress. She had worked consistently as a writing tutor throughout high school and college. This culminating in leading Stanford’s Hume Center for Writing and Speaking her senior year.
When she quit her job in the Senate in 2015, Rachel also rediscovered her love for working with students on their writing. Specifically she wanted to be empowering students to be effective communicators in the college application process. And that’s when she chose to start her business, College Essay Editor https://collegeessayeditor.com/.
Getting Started
When Rachel was just beginning, she knew that she needed further education to become an expert in (college counseling. So she set about acquiring the education she thought was necessary, and positioning herself to learn from other experts. She enrolled in UCLA’s College Counseling program and graduated with distinction. That certificate program was an important stepping stone to gaining access to the membership organizations and networks that helped establish her credibility in this field. Next, Rachel joined those membership organizations, including NACAC (National Association for College Admission Counseling) and HECA (Higher Education Consultants Association)
HECA also provides an email listserv of member professionals in the industry. This allows aspiring education consultants to post and respond to any question about the industry, running their business, etc. This allowed Rachel to learn from other professionals’ experiences while resolving any stumbling blocks that she may personally run into.
Business Today
Today, Rachel meets with all her students and families via Zoom or Skype. She can offer her services to students living anywhere across the U.S. or the world. Although she made this decision years ago, the pandemic’s recent impact has made more people aware of just how much can be accomplished virtually. They are seeing the advantages of skipping long commutes in traffic, or setting up an alternative work schedule to the traditional nine-to-five commitment. “I love my work as an IEC far more than my work in the Senate. Hearing how my business has given a young person one of the most important tools to succeed (education) is something that I’m exceptionally proud of. Furthermore, when I help someone save $30,000 per year on their education through successfully attaining competitive scholarships and merit aid, it really reinforces the value of what I’m doing, and drives me forward.”
Pandemic Changes
When the pandemic struck, Rachel’s business flourished. It was likely a combination of 1) the stock market booming, 2) the college admissions landscape becoming more unpredictable as standardized testing became optional, and 3) parents and students finding themselves at home together for greater periods of time, inevitably talking about college. Thus, requests for college counseling assistance during this time period dramatically increased, and Rachel was ready to meet the demand, quickly adapting to the new Zoom reality and educating herself on how the pandemic had changed the college admissions industry.
Looking Forward
AI is likely to impact Rachel’s business in the near future. Exactly how, time will tell. “Right now, AI tools like ChatGPT do a passable job generating B / B- content for essays. However, the majority of students who work with me are trying to get their essay from a B to an A in an individualized way, and an AI chatbot cannot do that. Yet. We’ll see what the future holds, and how colleges will respond to this new landscape of instant content generation. It’s possible that colleges will ask for students to write their essays in real-time, live, to reduce plagiarism. And if that happens, it’s likely my job will change from editing and adding feedback to essays, to training students how to write timed essays. But ultimately, my goal is to stay up to date on how college admissions react to AI, and tailor my services accordingly.”
Enjoying Freedom
Like many entrepreneurs, what Rachel loves most about her career freedom is the autonomy that she has to direct her life and her business. “Yes, this demands more responsibility and self-determination (there is less of a framework I can use to determine if I’m doing something correctly – both in work and in life), but I’m rewarded by the satisfaction of taking ownership of my own work product and destiny.” Rachel’s remote worker journey has allowed her to immerse herself in new cultures and new ideas to an extent that wouldn’t have been imaginable before.
Lessons Learned
To maintain physical and mental wellness, it’s important to maintain a work-life separation, especially as a remote worker who works from home. But as tempting as it can be to work from anywhere in the home, Rachel decided to compartmentalize not just her space, but also her mind whenever she takes on business tasks or student meetings at home. She designated a single room to
function as her home office space, so as to keep work and leisure activities separate.
When Rachel started out, she used to always be “on,” always answering emails 24-7, even though she was not working a traditional set of hours. After a few years, she decided to create a better work-life balance for herself, and made the choice to keep any work-related electronic devices in her home office for the majority of the day, especially devices on which she checked email or that have
constant notifications/pop-ups. “For example, I eliminated email notifications on my phone, and now only check my email and respond to messages when I’m in my designated work space. Although I still keep to my rule of turning around essays and emails within 24 hours to deliver the best service.”
Today, Rachel is hyper-focused and productive when she’s working, and fully enjoying life when she’s not working. Her strategy not only led to increased productivity but also decreased stress and mental fatigue from an “always-on” mindset. She is working on becoming an expert in helping US students apply to EU/UK colleges. She has already dedicated herself to studying and supporting students through this different admissions process.
Learn more about Rachel Coleman at https://collegeessayeditor.com
