Our Story
Why We Founded EssayU
EssayU was founded to give families a clear, thoughtful, and research-based path through an increasingly competitive admissions landscape.
In the past 20 years, acceptance rates among the Top 50 colleges in the U.S. have been cut in half.​
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Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard
2X
Admission to selective colleges is twice as hard as it was 20 years ago
At the top 250 U.S. colleges, essays account for 25% of the admissions decision, second only to extracurriculars (30%).
Essays are weighted more than GPA (20%), test scores (15%), or interviews and recommendations (10%).
Source: CollegeVine
Essays are the second most important part of your application to selective schools
2nd
Essays are the second most important part of your application to selective schools
74% of students and 71% of parents report high or very high stress during the application process.
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77% of applicants find the admissions process overly complicated.
Sources: National Association for College Admission Counseling, Princeton Review
of applicants find the admissions process extremely stressful and complicated
75%
Over nearly two decades as a professor and essay coach in the private college consulting industry, Dr. Alisha Braun saw a consistent gap between what research shows matters most in admissions decisions and how families approach the process. She founded EssayU to close that gap by helping families take a research-informed approach that recognizes essays as a central and defining part of a strong, well-executed admissions strategy.
Drawing on her background in curriculum design and evidence-based instruction, Dr. Alisha Braun developed EssayU’s coaching model to integrate admissions guidance with expert writing mentorship. To support and scale this vision, Dr. Michael Braun applied his expertise in analytics, strategy, and organizational leadership to build the operational systems that support the company’s mission and extend its reach to more families.
Meet Our Founders
Dr. Alisha Braun
Founder & CEO
Dr. Alisha Braun is a former education professor with nearly two decades of experience in teaching, research, and mentorship. With a PhD in Educational Policy and a Master’s in school psychology, she founded EssayU to combine her passion for teaching and writing with her belief in the transformative power of education.
Dr. Michael Braun
Co-Founder & COO
Dr. Michael Braun is a business professor with eighteen years of experience in data analytics and organizational leadership, plus thirteen years of experience in graduate admissions. Holding a PhD in Organizational Psychology, he co-founded EssayU to apply his quantitative expertise to a process that combines academic precision with meaningful impact for students and families.
