Alan Gelb

Alan Gelb is the author of Conquering the College Admissions Essay in 10 Steps, which often ranks on Amazon as the #1 best-selling resource on this subject and which will be released in its third edition in June. He has written about the college admissions essay for many different outlets, including The New York Times website “The Choice.” His work as a college essay coach has been profiled in The Wall Street Journal.

Alan’s theories about the college admissions essay draw upon a long and varied writing career. His novels and nonfiction have been published by G.P. Putnam’s Sons, E.P. Dutton, Dell, Avon, St. Martin’s Press, and others. He is also a marketing consultant who works with colleges and universities across the country. In addition, Alan regularly appears as a featured speaker at libraries, conferences, and other events. Visit the “About” section of conquerthecollegeessay.com to find out about his upcoming speaking engagements.

Every year, Alan tutors a limited number of students from around the world on their admissions essays. He and his students engage in a process that is highly collaborative and that allows for students to maintain complete ownership over their work. He remains constantly amazed by the depth of feeling and expression that his students achieve—a feeling shared by all of the nation’s top schools, who have not only admitted Alan’s students but have often commented on the quality of their essays.