Olivia Gundrum
Illuminated Essays Founder
Royal Oak, Michigan
My name is Olivia Gundrum,
and I help high school students write essays that actually help them stand out to colleges.
Hey there!
On their own, your child could write a good college essay. But in 2025, their essay needs to be great.
Click the link below to download my free guide: How To Write A College Essay That Isn't Just Good, but Great!
My students have been accepted to...
Welcome to Illuminated Essays
The college essay is the most important piece of writing your child will submit. It’s also the most stressful. Working with me will ensure that your child submits the most competitive application they possibly can!
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After a college essay presentation I once gave in Troy, I had a parent approach me.
She confessed, “My daughter and I didn’t know if we should go to this because we figured it’d be the same information we’ve already heard. I told her we could just sneak out the back quietly if it was going to be useless. But this was genuinely the most helpful advice we’ve gotten about the college essay.”
Now, I’ve taken the information from that presentation and put it into my guide: How To Write A College Essay that isn’t just good, but Great.
It was so validating to hear that family’s experience- because I was also frustrated with the college essay advice online.
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Every website gives the same cliche advice: “Show don’t tell.”
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Ironically, they tell you to “stand out” but don’t actually show you how.
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They only give you the perfect final draft, but never show you the first draft & explain how the essay improved over time.
This is why students & families are left feeling discouraged. I wanted to provide a resource that was different.
With this FREE guide:
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You’ll learn the 3 things college essays MUST include in order to stand out
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You will see real examples of students’ first drafts
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You’ll be able to read the feedback I provided and see how it influenced the final draft
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You will learn how to brainstorm at least 9 essay ideas that will actually result in competitive essays