College Office Writing Specialist

Columbia Grammar & Preparatory School•New York, NY

2d•Onsite

About The Position

The College Office Writing Specialist is a dedicated instructional resource designed to help students find their unique voices in the college application process. Rather than writing for the students, this role focuses on coaching, brainstorming, and the iterative revision process to ensure every student submits authentic and compelling narratives. This position reports directly to the Director of College Counseling and works collaboratively with the counseling team to manage the heavy volume of the "application season."

Requirements

Demonstrated knowledge base of U.S. colleges/universities and independent schools; knowledge of overseas programs a plus.
Demonstrated counseling skills beyond college admissions extending to the context of family dynamics.
Ability and desire to work in a dynamic and collaborative team environment.
A willingness to learn and counsel in the context of Columbia Prep’s unique culture.
Exceptional communication/marketing, interpersonal, organizational and decision-making skills.

Nice To Haves

Master’s degree preferred.

Responsibilities

Meet one-on-one with students to extract meaningful personal narratives and "micro-stories" for the Common App Personal Statement.
Design and lead small-group "Writing Bootcamps" during the spring and early fall, focusing on narrative structure and hook development.
Direct the strategy for all non-Common App writing, ensuring students produce authentic, highly-researched responses to school-specific prompts (including "Why Us," short takes, and creative supplements) that align with their overall application persona.
Review application drafts for clarity, tone, and flow, ensuring the student’s voice remains central and is not overshadowed by adult "over-editing."
Act as the final departmental set of eyes for grammar, syntax, and adherence to word counts before submission deadlines.
Maintain a dashboard of student progress to ensure all seniors are hitting internal writing deadlines.
Collaborate with College Counselors to ensure the student's personal essays complement—rather than replicate—the information found in the Counselor Recommendation.
Create and update a library of writing guides, "exemplar" essays (anonymized), and prompt-specific tip sheets.
Occasionally consult with the English Department to align school-year writing skills with application-style narrative writing.

Benefits

Comprehensive medical, dental & vision plans with a free medical coverage option for employee only coverage
Free vision coverage
Flexible Spending Accounts for Medical, Dependent Care, Parking & Transit
8% Annual Employer Contribution to retirement after one year of full time service
Basic Life Insurance
Enhanced Short Term Disability Coverage
Long Term Disability Coverage
Low cost additional benefits including voluntary life insurance, critical illness coverage and pet insurance
Additional Aflac policies
Free breakfast & lunch when school is in session
Discounted parking
Generous holiday schedule, sick and personal time