TESTIMONIALS
I could not have survived the college application process without SpeakWrite! With the daunting task to apply to 13 colleges, SpeakWrite made the process feel easily manageable. Working with Jan Zieser, I was able to write dozens of essays as if it were a stress-free endeavor. SpeakWrite ensures that you not only write grammatically, but also in a light that shows your best self. Most of all, SpeakWrite is incomparably invested in its clients. They'll be sure to help and support you through every twist and turn that any essay or interview could possibly throw at you.
Austin, Class of 2020
UCLA
SpeakWrite has been an incredible resource for me throughout my college search. I absolutely loved working with Jan Z. because her process is inspiring and supportive. I had good ideas for my essays and solid writing skills, but Jan gave me the confidence to put those ideas in writing and create a unique and interesting story about myself. SpeakWrite also helped me prepare for my interview, building skills I’ll use well beyond the college application process. I recommend SpeakWrite to anyone looking to learn more about themselves and their college search.
Lily, Class of 2020
Boston College
We are 200% satisfied! Your help, support, and understanding made it a pleasure to work with you both. My husband and I will sing your praises forever.
Julie, Class of 2019 (Parent)
SpeakWrite helped me showcase the best parts of myself within my college applications and interviews. I had no idea where to even begin when choosing a Common Application essay topic. With the guidance of Jan Zieser, I decided upon a topic that allowed me to share my high school story as well as reveal who I am as a person. I frequently e-mailed Jan copies of my essay drafts, and she promptly responded with edits and feedback. Her counsel and advice resulted in an essay that was unique to me and conveyed everything I needed it to.
Additionally, Jan Zieser and Jan Lewallen arranged a mock interview for me with questions addressing a wide range of topics. It was clear they had done their research on the school as they frequently referenced the school's website and provided me with printouts detailing upcoming campus events and long-standing traditions. I left our session confident in my ability to answer any question asked of me.
My experience with SpeakWrite exceeded my expectations. Jan and Jan played an integral role in helping me maximize my college options, and I would highly recommend their services.
Rachel, Class of 2018
Clemson University (Honors College)
The college application process is complex and demanding. SpeakWrite helped me navigate the intricacies of application essay-writing and prepared me for interviews. I can’t thank Jan and Jan enough for promoting my voice and my unique story in the process. Thank you so much for working with me to make my applications the best they could be!
Chris, Class of 2019
Georgia Tech (Honors Program)
Applying to college is one of the most stressful and crucial parts of high school. SpeakWrite takes away some of that stress by helping immensely with interview prep, essay editing, and resume building. Jan and Jan helped me present my best self and stand out from the crowd without diverging from who I am. They worked with me on a personal level and showed me how to significantly improve my writing. I’m incredibly grateful for the opportunities SpeakWrite helped me achieve.
Eve, Class of 2017
Syracuse University
Write an essay that encapsulates your appreciation for SpeakWrite, LLC. (200 words)
Working with Jan and Jan, who meticulously scoured my essays for any and every way to improve them, helped me tremendously. SpeakWrite’s strongest asset is its ability to draw out my voice in my essays. Before working with them, my voice in my essays could be muffled, quiet, and hard to discern. However, not long after meeting with these knowledgable, experienced women, my voice was being projected via megaphone into insightful, personal, and concise essays that elevated my application to another level.
The college application process is filled with difficult decisions, but working with SpeakWrite should be a no-brainer. I highly recommend Jan and Jan. I’ll be forever grateful for their guidance in steering me in the “write” direction, and will continue to be in awe of their uncanny ability to scrutinize essays for their strengths, shortcomings, and deeper meanings. SpeakWrite not only helped me with the essays on my college applications, it taught me how to write with passion, identity and confidence. There’s not a large enough word count in the world for me to thank the experts at SpeakWrite for all they did.
Kirk, Class of 2018
Georgetown University
I spent time with SpeakWrite during the fall 2017 application season, and Jan Zieser gave me insight into my college essay and supplemental writing pieces. She envisions students’ ideas in unique ways and supports them into fruition. Jan’s personable approach allowed me to create essays which distinctly embodied my voice, and let my pieces of writing stand out amongst the sea of applicants. In addition to honing my writing skills, Jan and Jan conducted a mock interview to prepare me for my application interview to Syracuse University. They run a concise, well-organized program which gave me the foundation to gain admittance to multiple highly selective universities. Thank you, SpeakWrite!
Jake, Class of 2018
University of Missouri
SpeakWrite is the best! I was so worried about the application process, I started working over the summer. Jan and Jan made this daunting process a walk in the park. I could not have done this without their support and guidance. I can now say confidently that with the help of SpeakWrite and all of my hard work, I was accepted into my top school. Go Frogs!
Kathryn, Class of 2019
Texas Christian University
We had an amazing experience with SpeakWrite. Our daughter would not have been as prepared or confident for one of the major milestones of her life without the educated guidance from this great duo. Your approach to her was spot-on and the result of your work together is something she is very proud of. We wouldn’t have wanted to take this memorable step without you.
Martine, Class of 2016 (Parent)
I am an extremely satisfied customer of SpeakWrite. As a senior in high school trying to navigate the college application process, I was in need of serious guidance. Both Jan Zieser and Jan Lewallen came to our first meeting to introduce themselves. I knew I was in good hands, as they both brought different expertise to the table. Their friendliness, eagerness, and passion for this process began to give me confidence I was going to succeed.
Today, I have 7 acceptance letters hanging on my wall, including my #1 choice - University of Texas at Austin. This school accepts only 7% of out-of-state residents; I knew my grades and test scores weren't going to be enough. I needed SpeakWrite’s help creating application essays that would reflect the best of me and still be eye-catching to members of the college admissions board. Their commitment kept me on track and made it possible for me to complete my application well before early action deadlines! I definitely had the leg up I needed on the competition with the help of my now friends at SpeakWrite. Hook 'em Horns!
Jayden, Class of 2017
University of Texas at Austin
Six for Six. This would not have been possible without the guidance of SpeakWrite. It was a pleasure to navigate through the college application process with Jan’s encouragement, support and expertise. From the first ‘get acquainted’ meeting I saw a spark of enthusiasm and motivation in my daughter to create her story to share. Thank you for the one-on-one attention you provided from the first essay draft to the final acceptance!
Sue, Class of 2017 (Parent)
At the end of the day, SpeakWrite and Jan Zieser were the best part of my college application process. I honestly can’t thank Jan enough for her help with all my essays. SpeakWrite has been with me every step of the way, and I am so happy with the outcome! Go VOLS!
Carly, Class of 2018
University of Tennessee (Honors Leadership Program)
Thanks for being so positive! You really gave my daughter a lift during the stressful time of applying.
Donna, Class of 2018 (Parent)
Last fall (2015), when our daughter was preparing college applications, we solicited help from Jan Lewallen at SpeakWrite. Her input was invaluable. She made the entire process more enjoyable and timely with her unique abilities to listen, understand, and communicate with teenagers. Our daughter looked forward to her meetings with Jan where they brainstormed essay ideas and prioritized which experiences and activities should be included in the applications and how to describe those activities. Jan’s previous work history has equipped her with expertise in reviewing and offering suggestions with essays and she has experience with what colleges want to see in those essays.
It is rare to find people who are passionate and joyous about their work. Jan is, and it’s infectious! She provided just the right combination of skills to help us through this exciting, but stressful time. Also, our daughter was admitted to one of her “reach” schools. I can strongly recommend Jan and SpeakWrite to anyone in this situation.
Barbara, Class of 2016 (Parent)
Words cannot express the gratitude I have for all of your assistance and support. I’m extremely grateful for all you’ve done to help me earn success.
Sydney, Class of 2016 (scholarship recipient)
University of Colorado at Boulder
Thanks so much, Jan Lewallen! I appreciate your constant support and positivity.
I am excited to share that I have been accepted into 4 out of 5 of my schools. Thanks to your unbelievable help, knowledgeable coaching, and genuine support, I find myself with more options than I ever would’ve imagined. You are truly a wonderful and very special human and I am so glad to know you!
Ellie, Class of 2018
Miami University of Ohio
SpeakWrite helped me hone in on the most impactful and important experiences to highlight in my resume and personal statements, and elevated the way I wrote and presented myself to graduate programs. Whenever I produced a new draft of a personal statement, Jan and Jan were quick to respond with insightful feedback. They were diligent about having all the information necessary about each school I was applying to, which helped me feel less overwhelmed with all that I needed to do. Working with SpeakWrite made the graduate school application process smooth and less stressful, and my improved and focused personal statements helped me get into all the programs I applied to.
Abbe, Graduate Student
Columbia University
I’m so grateful to you and Jan for your time, energy, and thoughtful feedback. The interview definitely gave me some points for consideration and improvement, as well as bolstering my confidence for the real thing. Your thoughtful preparation in designing these questions and your skill in giving feedback really shone.
Public Health Researcher
University of Michigan
Jan Lewallen - thank you so much for your help and guidance on my son’s essays and ROTC interview. He sent in the application early, so he’s officially done! I think the essays he wrote did such a great job of capturing who he is and what he’s passionate about. Thank you for working with him; your help made the process really enjoyable and easy (his words!)
Kristina, Class of 2020 (parent)
Jan & Jan - Thank you so much for your guidance and support through the entire essay writing process! You’ve made such an impact in both undergrad and MBA applications; I don’t care to think about what my process would’ve been like without you!
Nick, MBA student
University of Michigan (Ross School of Business)
If you want a stress-free way to finish the college application process, SpeakWrite is the way to go. Jan and Jan are brilliant and make sure that essay writing is not only done extraordinarily well, but that you have fun in the process. They go out of their way to find topics to write about that spark interest and really help colleges get to know who you are. The daunting task of applying to colleges seems like nothing with these two guiding your way.
John, Class of 2019
Santa Clara University
Jan Lewallen is not only talented at what she does, but a true JOY to work with. She actually made applying to grad school fun for me! Plus, I feel like a made a new friend in the application process. Thank you, SpeakWrite, for everything!
Lauren, Graduate Student
New York University
SpeakWrite helped me navigate the daunting process of applying to 11 colleges. Jan Z. eased the application process with her prompt responses, flexibility, and genuine insight and direction. She helped me polish all aspects of my Common Application, including highlighting the most important accomplishments from my high school career. My essay and supplemental writing pieces encompassed a personal tone and unique storyline. I highly recommend SpeakWrite to anyone looking to take their college application to the next level. I cannot thank Jan enough for her extraordinary assistance!
Lindsey, Class of 2021
University of Georgia
Applying to colleges is extremely stressful, but having SpeakWrite there to help me navigate the Common App, construct essays, and instruct me on how to get my name recognized by a college helped ease the stress. Jan Zieser walked me through the application process from start to finish, providing me with assistance at every step. Along with looking for simple grammar mistakes in my college essays, Jan also suggested clever tips for the structuring of my essay. She helped me find the most sophisticated way to word my ideas, while still allowing room for my personality to shine in my essay. I’m super thankful for the assistance SpeakWrite provided me through my application process, and would highly recommend this service to anyone and everyone.
Maya, Class of 2021
Lehigh University
Jan L. quickly formed a connection and built trust with our son. She demonstrated genuine interest in not only his achievements, but also his character. Being a strong STEM student, writing was not in his comfort zone. Jan made the process fun and engaging and built his confidence. Our son was able to “show and tell” his character, who he is, and what he’d be able to contribute. He was accepted ED at his dream school. Thank you, Jan!
Jenifer, Class of 2022 (Parent)
SpeakWrite is a tremendous program. It was extremely beneficial to our son. He usually gets to school or meetings with seconds to spare, but he was always early to his meetings with Jan due to his excitement and enthusiasm. He felt like he had a true rapport with her, even from the first meeting. His response to us each time he came home was that he felt this, out of all the many courses and sessions he participated in, was the most effective and helpful college preparation he attended. His essay and college application far exceeded our expectations because of Jan and SpeakWrite. Thank you for helping our child.
Mark, Class of 2017 (Parent)
Thank you! Jan Lewallen - you are so good at presenting your ideas to improve writing without being critical of the writing or the writer! It was a treat to receive your careful attention.
Anonymous, Class of 2017 (Graduate Student)
University of Michigan
SpeakWrite pulled the best out of me during my college application process. As a student now settling in at the University of Notre Dame, I am very thankful to have these two women as mentors. They offered unique insights for my essays and interviews, while ensuring that everything I submitted was truly my own work. They forced me to always take things one step further, so I would submit the best work I could produce.
Also, it was clear from their research, connections, and previous successes that they were knowledgeable about what colleges/scholarships were looking for in applicants.
Without a doubt, they helped me secure admittance to selective schools (such as Notre Dame) and progress further in the Boettcher Scholarship process than I believed I could. I wholeheartedly recommend SpeakWrite and wish future college applicants the best.
Rick, Class of 2015
University of Notre Dame
These two Jans complement each other like nothing you would expect. Your energy, enthusiasm and knowledge were greatly appreciated with my son’s essay. We would have been struggling without you. Thank you for all you do!
Kristi, Class of 2016 (Parent)
Thank you so much for helping me prepare for my interview! The feedback was extremely helpful and practicing was invaluable.
Zoe, Class of 2019
St. Olaf College
Applying to college is a unique journey for every individual. In my case, I knew where I wanted to apply and what I wanted to write about in my essays, but I had no clue how to truthfully and clearly portray my feelings. After writing one draft of an essay and asking multiple people for suggestions, I was stuck. I needed someone with a critical eye to read my writing and clearly direct me. Jan Lewallen became that someone. She was a mentor to me through the whole process. Not only did she encourage my writing; she encouraged my confidence and courage. Jan told me how unique my story was and gave me the ability to write about it in a meaningful way. Her constant support allowed me to succeed in ways I never imagined. Through direct comments and meaningful discussion, Jan helped me write several essays I was proud to present to my universities of choice.
Along with developing my writing, Jan Lewallen, along with Jan Zieser, matured my interview skills. Through a mock interview, they asked me meaningful and challenging questions that aided me in discerning the areas I needed to improve in terms of communication and general interview etiquette. Jan and Jan were so positive and encouraging, giving me the confidence to face the unknown. I took away so many important lessons from the experience that I was able to apply to a specific interview and will continue to utilize in the future.
Overall, SpeakWrite was a wonderful experience in a stressful part of my life. Jan Lewallen and Jan Zieser are wonderful people who deeply care about every individual’s success. Their extensive knowledge, experience, and passion is so resourceful, reassuring, and inspiring.
Thank you so much, Jan and Jan!!
Michelle, Class of 2019
St. Louis University
I would like to thank Jan and Jan for all that you did to prepare me for my interviews. I actually just had a job interview and, using your tips, I got the job!
Will, Class of 2016
The Ohio State University
I cannot say enough about the role SpeakWrite played in my college application process. As with most applicants, I was very confused with the complexity of the process, and these two helped find the best path for me. In the end, I was incredibly blessed to have a variety of choices between colleges, and have no doubt this success was reflective of the guidance they gave me along the way. Having personally talked and worked with college admissions officers since my acceptance into college, I can now also confirm the insights offered by SpeakWrite are echoed by people on the other side of the process.
SpeakWrite is unique because of Jan Lewallen’s and Jan Zieser’s comprehensive knowledge. Whether it was bringing certain colleges and scholarships to my attention, critiquing my essays, or setting up mock interviews, they showed me the incredible knowledge they have about every step of the college process. They were flexible and provided me with the exact help I needed, all of which produced results. They take the time to get to know you and your needs, rather than applying a generic formula. Most counselors, parents, and students can get caught up in looking for the magic answer to college applications, but SpeakWrite invests in each student with a genuine interest.
I highly recommend these two great women and their work at SpeakWrite. If you are looking to find the extra edge in your application to get into a selective university, or hoping to rehearse the questions asked during exclusive scholarship interviews, SpeakWrite can set you up for success on every front.
Sanjay, Class of 2015
Harvard University
A 5-star rating is the least I could do to thank you for all of the expertise you provided me. Things are going very well!
Ryan, Class of 2014
St. Louis University
SpeakWrite LLC was vital to my college application process. I know that I would not be at Azusa Pacific University with a very generous scholarship without their help!
These two ladies were essential in helping me craft powerful college and scholarship essays reflective of who I truly am. They were always willing to provide feedback on the many versions of my essays. Obviously, they would check for grammar and punctuation, but most importantly, their constructive criticism helped draw the best out of me. Their questions and suggestions led me through a soul-searching process that ultimately helped me to produce excellent essays.
SpeakWrite LLC was also a very key part of developing my interview skills. When I wanted to do a mock interview to perfect my responses and techniques, these ladies would research the scholarship or program that I was applying for and develop questions specific to it. They made the mock interviews very realistic and would give me feedback at the end on how I could improve. When I went to my actual interviews, I was shocked to find that the questions were nearly identical to what I had practiced! This allowed me to confidently respond to all interviewers’ questions with succinct answers representative of me.
Finally, and perhaps most importantly, the ladies at SpeakWrite LLC provided an unparalleled level of personal attention. My essays and mock interviews were not a menial task to them – each was an opportunity to give me the best chance in my application process and to help me grow as a person. They were highly invested in my application process and were able to celebrate my successes throughout the application process right along with me. I can still remember the day when I told Mrs. Lewallen that I had received the scholarship that the ladies at SpeakWrite LLC had helped me prepare for over several months. She excitedly jumped and clapped for me as we celebrated a victorious application!
Having successfully completed my college and scholarship application process, I highly recommend SpeakWrite LLC. They will provide individualized attention and invaluable advice that will help a student submit the best applications possible.
Grant, Class of 2015
Azusa Pacific University
I highly recommend Jan Zieser for her help with editing college essays. She is prompt with her responses and provides attention to detail. She is great to work with and provides excellent suggestions. Not only is she good at what she does, she is also fun to work with.
Ryan, Class of 2017
UC Santa Barbara
The college application and scholarship process is so much more complicated today and fiercely competitive. So how can your child separate himself from the pack? That can be accomplished through the essay and the interview process. As a parent it is difficult to insert yourself into either one of these, as your child either wants to be independent of you or questions every bit of advice you give . . . right?
Enter SpeakWrite. Now you have an option to ensure your student puts forth the very best effort in this process. They guide, they prepare, they critique, they role play . . . they do what is necessary for the individual client and his or her needs.
I was most impressed by how prepared they were for the process with my son. They studied the universities he was applying to for scholarships, and, quite frankly, knew more than he did about the schools’ offerings and traditions. They went through common interview techniques and then role-played interviews in the setting he would be in; face-to-face and telephone. They even got him to dress up for a phone interview! Afterwards my son felt that the role play interviews were far more difficult than the actual ones, so his confidence was very high during the real thing. And yes, he received the scholarship awards - one was a full ride.
The service SpeakWrite offers is over the top without an over the top cost to go along with it. They make it very affordable and you walk away feeling as though they should have charged you more for what you got. Their follow-up is so thorough; they send additional handouts if appropriate, and even initiate contact just to check-in and see if the student has any questions or just to say ‘Congratulations’.
I cannot think of a more worthwhile investment in this college process, as these are skills my son will take with him throughout his academic and professional life. A great return on your investment!
Pat, Class of 2016 (Parent)