Every application looks the same.
Give yours something to say.
Transcripts, GPAs, SATs, extracurriculars, the shortlist reads like a photocopy. In eight weeks, our students write a serious research paper that gives admissions officers a real reason to remember them.
OF
AUTH.
Two applicants. Same resumes.
One of them gets remembered.
A solid, capable student.
Demonstrates genuine research curiosity and the discipline to follow it through.
Eight weeks, eight deliberate moves.
Scroll through what the student actually does.
Find the question
Not a topic. A question with a real argument at stake. We help students narrow from 'World War II' to 'Why the Marshall Plan succeeded where Versailles failed.'
Build the bibliography
12 to 15 credible sources minimum. Books, archives, journals, not the first page of search results. Students learn what 'peer-reviewed' actually means.
Read, argue, annotate
Reading with a pen. Each source earns its place by what it lets the writer prove. Group sessions critique reasoning, not spelling.
Outline the argument
An outstanding outline contributes to excellent structure and organization. One-on-one meetings with an instructor are used to construct a sophisticated, complex thesis with supporting evidence, and specific analysis.
First draft
1,500 words, rough but complete. Writing is thinking. The first draft exists to be wrong, and to show us what the student actually believes.
Revise for clarity
Every sentence defended. If it doesn't advance the argument, it goes. Students learn to revise with patience instead of frustration.
Citations & formatting
Chicago style. Footnotes that are actually useful. The infrastructure that tells a reader this writer has done the work.
Final polish + certificate
Line edits, proofs, a Certificate of Authenticity, and, for Advanced, submission to The Concord Review, the John Locke essay competition, or National History Day.
Eight weeks of real work.
Let's walk through the program.
Two tracks.
Pick what your child is ready for.
Introductory Writing
- Two-hour group sessions, once per week
- Twenty-minute 1-on-1 conferences, once per week
- ~3½ hours total weekly commitment
- Follows a structured syllabus of skills
- Goal: 1,500 to 2,000 word draft with 12 to 15 sources
- Free 20-minute consultation with student & parents
Advanced Writing
- One-hour 1-on-1 sessions weekly
- Builds on the introductory manuscript
- Goal: 5,000 to 6,000 word paper with 25 to 30 sources
- Full editorial support through submission
- Submission to either The Concord Review (www.tcr.org), John Locke (www.johnlockeinstitute.com/essay-competition), or National History Day (www.nhd.org)
- Certificate of Authenticity on completion
What makes us different.
Competitive cost
Priced against tutoring, not private consulting. Every dollar goes into instruction and feedback, not sales overhead.
Achievable timeline
Eight weeks. Calibrated so a student can finish without sacrificing the school year, and without the scope creeping for months.
4:1 ratio
Small groups by design. Every student is known, and nobody coasts through a session invisible at the back.
Experienced instructors
Writers and academics who have published, edited, and taught at the college level. They read the drafts themselves.
Full submission support
For Advanced students: editorial review, formatting, and submission all the way through to The Concord Review Journal.
Real deliverable
Not a certificate of attendance. A manuscript, a bibliography, and a Certificate of Authenticity your child earned word by word.
Book a free 20-minute consultation.
Bring your child. Bring questions.
New cohorts start every month, on a rotating basis.
What we'll talk about
- Your child's current writing level, honestly assessed
- Whether your child (typically 14–20) is at the right stage for either track
- Which track (Intro or Advanced) makes sense, and why
- How the 8-week arc fits into their school year
- What a realistic research paper topic looks like
- Any questions you or your child want to ask us
The things parents actually ask.
The Concord Review (tcr.org) is an independent journal that publishes exemplary academic history papers by high-school students. Having a submission, accepted or not, signals to admissions that your child wrote at a level worth submitting.
Neither. Students write every word. Instructors teach, question, and revise alongside them. The Certificate of Authenticity exists precisely because the work is the student's own.
History is the core focus, it's where the Concord Review operates, and where research-writing skills translate most clearly to college. Adjacent topics (political science, economic history) are common.
Yes. The program runs fully online. A strong reading level in English is expected; we're happy to assess fit during the consultation.
Intro students have a finished short paper + certificate. Advanced students have a manuscript ready for TCR. Many continue independently, our goal is to leave them capable, not dependent.
Tell us about your child.
We'll write back.
Questions about fit, timing, topics, or whether a Concord Review submission is realistic? Send a note. For a structured conversation, the free 20-minute consult is the faster path.