Please be aware of the following expectations and terms of your agreement with The Essay Expert:
General Agreements
- You have retained The Essay Expert LLC to work with you or your son or daughter (hereinafter “your student”) on your/his/her/their College Application Essay(s) and/or Resume/Activity List.
- If I am dissatisfied with your (or your student’s) consultant at any time during the service, The Essay Expert’s customer support team may assign a new consultant upon request. Customer service can be reached at TEESupport@TheEssayExpert.com or 608-467-0067.
Confidentiality
Your identity and the nature of your sessions will be kept private from any third parties unless you provide written consent. There are 3 exceptions to confidentiality:
- When disclosure is imminent to prevent harm to yourself or others;
- When legal demands require that confidential material be released;
- When a child is in need of protection.
Basic Process and Document Systems
- Our services will be provided by an assigned consultant via phone and e-mail. We may use Dropbox or other cloud computing systems. All documents sent via email by either party will be in Word (i.e., .doc or .docx) format unless otherwise stipulated in the initial consultation.
- Spell check and editing techniques will be used to ensure the correctness and accuracy of your documents, but it is your responsibility to proofread and give final approval of their completion.
Time and Scheduling Policy
- The Essay Expert’s guideline is that you will have a response to your calls and emails within 2 business days, and comments on your documents returned within 3 to 5 business days. If you do not hear back from your consultant within the appropriate time period, please resend your message and leave a telephone message with your consultant. If you still do not get a response after another business day, please contact our customer support team directly at 608-467-0067.
- In order for us to help you within our promised turnaround times, we ask that you promptly complete and return any surveys or questionnaires sent by your consultant or by The Essay Expert LLC within 3 business days. Our response times are guaranteed only in relation to when you provide completed questionnaires and responses to our inquiries.
- The Essay Expert LLC reserves the right to extend the deadline of your project and/or to add fees to our initial estimate in order to accommodate additional, unanticipated work or client delays that result in rush situations (requiring less than 1 week’s turnaround time). Work on any project may be delayed while additional fees are processed.
- RUSH packages are available for additional fees to ensure faster service than promised in this agreement.
- If an appointment is confirmed for a specific time, please provide 24 hours’ notice if you need to cancel or change the appointment. For hourly packages, The Essay Expert’s policy is to charge 1/2 hour for any appointments missed without proper notice. For flat rate packages, you will forfeit your package if you (or your student) miss(es) two meetings without providing 24 hours’ notice.
Consultant’s Responsibilities
- Consultant will provide consulting services for the number of essays purchased (additional schools will require a fee supplement).
- Consultant will provide feedback regarding how the intended audience will perceive your (or your student’s) resume, essay(s), etc.
- Consultant will critique the content and style of your (or your student’s) written work, and determine how to best present experiences and accomplishments.
- Consultant will work with you (or your student) to improve the quality of all essays. Consultants will NEVER write the first draft of an essay.
- Consultant will notify you in advance if he or she plans to be unavailable for a period of time longer than 3 business days (for special circumstances including business travel, vacations, etc).
Student Responsibilities
- I understand that it is ideal to begin working with my consultant as far in advance of my deadline as possible. The Essay Expert will not be responsible for missed deadlines.
- If I have any questions or concerns about the service, I will contact The Essay Expert immediately at TEESupport@TheEssayExpert.com or 608-467-0067.
- I will complete all surveys, questionnaires and other requested documents sent to me by my consultant or The Essay Expert as promptly and completely as possible. I will not hold The Essay Expert responsible for delays if I do not return the information requested.
- I will draft, refine and finalize my own essays, and incorporate my consultant’s feedback/suggestions when appropriate. I understand that my consultant will not write my essays for me.
- I will provide feedback to my consultant to ensure my essays meet my goals and say what I want them to say.
- I understand my consultant will proofread my essays. However, I also promise to show the essays to at least 3 people with good English skills before submitting them to colleges. I am responsible, along with my parent(s), for final proofreading and approval before the essays are submitted!
- I am responsible for direct correspondence with my targeted schools.
- I am responsible for all communication with my selected or suggested recommenders.
- I will advise The Essay Expert of any changes in my contact information.
- I understand that The Essay Expert cannot guarantee admission to any school.
Parent Responsibilities
- I understand that it is ideal to begin working with my consultant as far in advance of my student’s deadline as possible. The Essay Expert will not be responsible for missed deadlines.
- If I have any questions or concerns about the service, I will contact The Essay Expert immediately at TEESupport@TheEssayExpert.com or 608-467-0067.
- I understand my consultant will proofread my student’s essays. However, I also promise to show the essays to at least 3 people with good English skills before submission to schools. I am responsible, along with my student, for final proofreading and approval before the essays are submitted!
- I will advise The Essay Expert of any changes in my contact information.
- I agree to conduct all financial business through The Essay Expert. I understand that my student’s consultant is not authorized to enter into private financial agreements with me to engage in admissions consulting, and that to do so would be a violation of his/her legal agreement.
- I understand that The Essay Expert cannot guarantee admission to any school.
Refund Policy & Fees (Parents)
- The Essay Expert does not provide refunds after 3 days have passed from the date of purchase; however, for a period of 30 days after your purchase, we are happy to use your payment toward another service for you or a friend if you decide not to proceed with the service you purchased. After 30 days, any price increases and “restart” fees will apply (see paragraph #3).
- If you delay your service for 30 days or more, and wish to proceed, you will be charged any price increases that have been implemented since your initial purchase. We understand that extenuating circumstances arise, but we request that you start your project within the prescribed time. After six (6) months have passed without your response, if you wish to restart your project, you may do so for a 35% restart fee. Once you pay the difference in price in addition to any appropriate restart fees, we will proceed with your project as per these terms of agreement.
- After (1) year has passed from the date of purchase, you will forfeit your package.
- If your credit card is declined or your check returned, service will not begin until the transaction is approved (Please note: returned checks are subject to a $25 handling fee).
Essay Format
We request that all essay submissions follow a standard format that we’ve found works best for our review purposes:
- Put all the essays for one school in one MS Word document.
- Write the first question and its specified word limit on the first page, followed by your first essay. Insert a page break and write down the second question and its word limit, then write your second essay. Continue in this way for additional essays.
- Double space and use 12-point font throughout.
- For the first draft of an essay for a school named ABC, name the Word document abc1. For a second draft of a school named ABC, name the Word document abc2. We will rename the documents abc1 – bbedits and abc2 – bbedits (the first letters will be the initials of your consultant).
Consultants & Referrals
- The Essay Expert works with carefully chosen consultants who work closely with college applicants on their documents. Please be assured that Brenda will make sure you are receiving a quality product.
- We welcome and encourage your referrals! Please make your referrals to The Essay Expert, and if you have worked with a consultant you particularly like, we will be happy to assign your friends and colleagues to work with that same consultant. We appreciate your business!
Please keep this document for your records and let us know that you have received it (TEESupport@TheEssayExpert.com). Your consultant or Brenda will contact you to arrange a time for a first conversation.
Finally, if you have not done so already, please send your current resume and any essays you have drafted to BrendaB@TheEssayExpert.com and copy TEESupport@TheEssayExpert.com. Thank you for choosing The Essay Expert, and we look forward to working with you!
Sincerely,
Brenda Bernstein
The Essay Expert LLC
BrendaB@TheEssayExpert.com
608-467-0067
If you have any questions or concerns during this process, please address them first to your consultant, or contact our customer support team at TEESupport@TheEssayExpert.com or 608-467-0067.
