Essay Reader Jobs in California (NOW HIRING)

College Planning Source (CPSI) is hiring an Essay Support Specialist to help students bring their voices to the forefront in their college application essays. This is a part-time, remote, year-round role for someone who takes pride in giving thoughtful feedback that strengthens a student's writing without taking it over.

You won't be working alone. CPSI is a counselor-led practice — counselors hold the relationship with each family, and specialists like you bring focused craft to the essay coaching. We work as a team: the counselor calls the plays based on their deeper knowledge of each student, and you bring editorial skill to execute them. We hold a high bar for that craft.

The heaviest hours fall during application seasons (August–December for Common App; January–March for UC PIQs), and summer programs keep specialists engaged year-round. Our best specialists have been with us for multiple application cycles. If giving feedback that improves a draft without rewriting it sounds like the work you'd do well, read on.

When you apply, please address these four questions in your cover letter. We read every cover letter that addresses all four — a few sentences each is plenty.

• What draws you to a role like this — one where you're contributing to a counselor's plan rather than leading the essay yourself?
• Describe a time when you edited or gave feedback on someone else's writing and chose to leave something unusual or imperfect on the page because it sounded like the writer.
• Tell us about a time when a lead writer, editor, or supervisor gave you feedback or direction you saw differently — and how you handled it.
• During application season, which best describes the work rhythm you can commit to?

A) every day, B) every other day, C) 2–3 days/week, D) mostly weekends, or E) fixed hours regardless of days. (Candidates who answer D or E aren't a good fit for this role.)

$25 hourly

• Review student college essay drafts assigned by a CPSI counselor — Common App personal statements, UC Personal Insight Questions, supplemental essays, and scholarship essays.
• Work alongside the assigned counselor for each student—they have the deeper knowledge of the student and family, and call the plays; you bring the craft to execute them.
• Apply CPSI's draft-by-draft approach (content first, then structure, then polish) and write feedback in our standard format so it flows smoothly from the counselor to the student.
• Preserve the student's voice. A 17-year-old should still sound like themselves after your review.
• Adapt your approach to each student — some need fast, focused feedback, others need restraint, others need more hands-on guidance with structure.
• Meet stated turnaround times (no more than 3 days per draft) and communicate proactively if a deadline is at risk.

• Experience reading and giving feedback on college application essays; through admissions work, tutoring seniors, teaching, or related editing. You should know what admissions essays look like.
• 2+ years of writing or editing experience, ideally including coaching, mentoring, or teaching writing, not just producing your own work.
• Strong writing and editing skills, with a proven ability to give feedback that improves a draft without rewriting it.
• A collaborative instinct. You do your best work as part of a team and take pride in improving the counselor's work and the student's essay through collaboration.
• Respect for craft and process. You appreciate why a thoughtful, draft-by-draft approach makes a difference for students.
• Respect for the student. You write honest, specific feedback without being discouraging.
• Steady availability during application season (August–December, January–March). Specialists who work through essays a little every day, or at least every other day, keep students moving forward.

College Planning Source (CPSI) is a leading private college planning company supporting high school students and their families through career discovery, major exploration, and college admissions. We offer a structured, proven process and seek seasoned professionals who thrive in a collaborative, tech-enabled environment.

What makes CPSI different is the team model. Most admissions practices are built around a single consultant; we pair experienced counselors with specialists who bring focused expertise. Counselors hold the family relationship; specialists bring craft to essay coaching. Students get better outcomes when a team supports them.

Our mission is to help every student present their truest, strongest application to colleges that fit them, without losing the student's voice. Our hiring protocols and team structure exist to preserve that voice.

We hire slowly, support our people fully, and treat each counselor-specialist pairing as a long-term collaboration, not gig work.