Find your story one question at a time
Jennifer HawthorneI’m a New York City–based journalist who’s spent my career writing and editing for brands like Men’s Health, Women’s Health, Runner’s World, and Prevention, where I found the real stories hiding behind ordinary moments.
That’s exactly what I do with college personal statements.
I start by listening.
I don’t ask you to arrive with the perfect topic—or even an idea of what you want to write about. Through conversation and thoughtful questions, I help you uncover the story that's already inside you.
Sometimes it’s a moment you barely remember. Sometimes it’s something you never thought was important enough to write about. And sometimes it's hiding underneath the story you thought you wanted to tell.
That’s where the real essay begins.
I listen for the details that reveal character, the moments that matter, and the truths that only you can tell. Together, we’ll find the story you didn't even know you had—and discover what it says about who you are.
Your personal statement isn’t supposed to sound like everyone else’s. It shouldn't tell colleges what you think they want to hear.
It should give them a glimpse of you.
My years in journalism have taught me that the best stories—the ones that stay with you—don’t start with pressure or performance. They start with curiosity. They start with conversation. They start with being heard.
I combine journalistic rigor with genuine mentorship to help you turn your story into a personal statement that is thoughtful, compelling, and unmistakably yours.
Your story. Your voice. Your way.
Stories I've Helped Tell
Cover of Women's Health magazine featuring a smiling woman in a yellow sports bra and red shorts, with headlines about fitness and weight loss tips, including a 15-minute training guide, secret meals, and at-home exercises.
Cover of Men's Health magazine featuring a shirtless man with a muscular physique, promoting a 2015 training guide focused on abs, shoulders, and biceps, with additional tips for effective workouts.
Magazine cover featuring Ryan Hall running in a marathon, wearing sunglasses, a blue and red athletic outfit, and a bib with the number 5.
Magazine cover titled "Eat Clean" with a subtitle "Less Processed, More Healthy." Features include recipes, tips for losing belly fat without dieting, boosting immune health, trustworthy meals, and healthy breakfast options like burrito bowls, banana-coconut pancakes, and avocado toast. The cover shows a bowl of mixed berries including raspberries and blackberries.
A magazine cover from Whole Foods Market, titled "Best leftovers ever," featuring a large, multi-layered turkey sandwich with various fillings including lettuce, turkey slices, and other deli meats on whole grain bread.
Magazine cover for Whole Foods Market Spring/Summer 2017 issue featuring grilled pineapple, grilled peaches with a core, and grilled onion slices garnished with pomegranate seeds and herbs.
Cover of Whole Foods Market holiday magazine featuring various slices of pie on white plates, with promotional text about easy pie recipes, desserts, side dishes, and vegan options.
Cover of Whole Foods Market Spring/Summer 2016 magazine featuring seafood, including lobster, clams, mussels, corn on the cob, and vegetables, with headlines about healthy pet secrets, lunch bag upgrades, DIY skin care, and local produce.
Cover of Little Brown Book, magazine for Bloomingdale's Insiders, featuring an illustration of a woman with curly hair in a white dress against an orange background.
Fashion illustration of a woman in a strapless pink gown with a ruffled train, holding a pink clutch, on the cover of Little Brown Book magazine.
Cover of Little Book of the Blonde, featuring a stylized illustration of a blonde woman in a red and blue plaid dress holding a black handbag, with text about the music issue.
Magazine cover titled 'Tourneau Times' featuring a woman with blonde hair, red lipstick, beige coat, white scarf, and a watch, holding a phone near her shoulder, standing next to vintage wooden lockers.
Cover of Waldorf Astoria Magazine featuring a luxurious hotel lobby with plush seating, warm lighting, and a cozy fireplace in the background.
Cover of 'Tourneau Times' magazine, volume 5, issue 1, featuring a young man with brown hair in a gray hoodie, sitting on a chair with his arm resting on his knee, in front of a colorful background with a large clock and watch face.
Aerial view of a beach with rows of white and yellow umbrellas and lounge chairs, gentle waves washing onto the sandy shore, under a clear sky.
Cover of Woman's Day Special Scrapbooking & Keepsakes magazine featuring a dog, children by the water, and various craft supplies.
Stories I've Written
Close-up of sliced sea greens, possibly kombu, with green and black colors.
Page from a magazine featuring a baby sitting and smiling, with products for babies and skin care at the bottom, and text about baby products and their benefits.
Illustration of a woman with dark hair, green eyes, and pink lips, applying lip balm, wearing a white knit beanie and green sweater, on a blue polka-dot background.
A magazine page titled "Finding Florence" with sections about exploring Florence, where to shop, where to eat, and where to stay, including photos of Florence's architecture, statues, and a woman looking at a statue.
Night view of the Glasgow city skyline with illuminated buildings, a lit-up ferris wheel, and its reflection in the river.
A travel brochure page promoting Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, featuring a lush garden pathway with a fountain, oysters, lemon slices, and text about local attractions, accommodations, and dining options.
A page from a magazine or cookbook featuring a recipe and a picture of spiced baked apple slices with a spoon, topped with powdered sugar, garnished with a mint leaf, on a plate.