High demand in the US

College essay in the USUS college essays and applications

Common App essays and the full application. From someone who has done it, over a video call.

$80–400typical price

Post this task, free See examples
Reviewing a marked-up application essay with a mentor on a video call
College essay reviewer for my gap-year Common App essay
Example task, written by Taskly · $120 · Photo is an illustration

The short answer

How much does college essay cost in the US?

US college essays and applications in the US typically costs $80–400. On Taskly you describe what you need for free, people who have done it send offers with their own price, and you pick one. Taskly holds your money until the task is done, and you can report a problem before it’s released.

Typical price
$80–400
To post
Free
How
Video call and chat
Your payment
Held by Taskly until done

What you get

What Taskers usually deliver for this in the US. You agree the details with your Tasker before you accept an offer.

  1. 01Comments on my 650-word Common App essay
  2. 0230-minute video call
  3. 03One more read after I revise
  4. 04Line comments on four PIQ answers
  5. 05Advice on which optional questions to keep
  6. 0660-minute brainstorming session on video
Often comes upCommon Appregular decisionliberal arts collegesUniversity of CaliforniaPersonal Insight QuestionsUCLAUC Berkeleycommunity college

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How people ask for it

5 examples written by Taskly from what people search for in the US. Real tasks look like these.

  • “College essay reviewer for my gap-year Common App essay”

    I'm looking for a college essay reviewer to give honest feedback on my Common App personal essay.

    I'm 19 and took a gap year after high school to work full time at a bike repair shop and save money. I'm applying regular decision to a mix of state schools and a few small liberal arts colleges. My essay is about fixing bikes for kids in my neighborhood, and I worry it reads like a cliché service essay.

    $120
    • Comments on my 650-word Common App essay
    • 30-minute video call
    • One more read after I revise

    For: Gap-year applicant applying to US colleges

    Example task, written by Taskly. Yours can be one line; your Tasker will ask what they need.

  • “College application help with my UC transfer PIQs”

    I need college application help with my UC transfer Personal Insight Questions from someone who transferred into a UC.

    I'm 22, finishing my second year at a community college in San Diego with a 3.7 GPA, and applying to UCLA, UC Berkeley and UC San Diego as an economics major. The required question about preparing for my major is drafted, plus three others, but each one runs long and they overlap.

    $200
    • Line comments on four PIQ answers
    • Advice on which optional questions to keep
    • 30-minute video call

    For: Community college student transferring to a UC

    Example task, written by Taskly. Yours can be one line; your Tasker will ask what they need.

  • “Help me find a college essay topic when my life feels boring”

    I need help finding a college essay topic, because every time I try to write one my life sounds boring.

    I'm 18, a high school senior in Ohio, applying regular decision to about eight schools. No big hardship, no championship, no startup. I work weekends at a grocery store, I look after my grandmother's garden, and I read a lot. Every draft I start turns into a list of activities.

    $120
    • 60-minute brainstorming session on video
    • Two or three essay angles in writing
    • Outline for the angle I choose

    For: High school senior aged 18 applying to US colleges

    Example task, written by Taskly. Yours can be one line; your Tasker will ask what they need.

  • “College essay tutor for three sessions on why-us supplements”

    I'm looking for a college essay tutor for three paid sessions on my 'why this college' supplement essays.

    I'm 18, a senior applying to engineering programs at Georgia Tech, Purdue and UIUC, plus a couple of smaller schools. My personal essay is done. The supplements are the problem: my answers say nice things about each school that could apply anywhere.

    $240
    • Three 45-minute video sessions
    • Notes on each prompt with fit points to use
    • Comments on each supplement draft

    For: High school senior aged 18 applying to US engineering programs

    Example task, written by Taskly. Yours can be one line; your Tasker will ask what they need.

  • “Coach me step by step through my college essay as a veteran”

    I'd like someone to coach me step by step through how to write a college essay, as a 24-year-old Army veteran.

    I left the Army last year after four years as a vehicle mechanic, and I'm applying to start a bachelor's next fall at a few public universities and one private college. I haven't written anything longer than a maintenance report since high school, and my first try at the Common App essay is either too stiff or tries to cover my whole service.

    $300
    • Three video sessions over about three weeks
    • Agreed outline for my essay
    • Written comments on my full draft

    For: Military veteran applying to US colleges

    Example task, written by Taskly. Yours can be one line; your Tasker will ask what they need.

The price where you are

Typical ranges from public market prices, November 2026. Every Tasker sets their own price in their offer.

Good questions

What people ask before they post this in the US.

  • 01

    How much does US college essays and applications cost in the US?

    Usually $80–400. Each Tasker names their own price in their offer, so you see the cost before you agree to anything.

  • 02

    How long is the Common App personal essay?

    The Common App personal essay has a 650-word limit. Most strong drafts land between 500 and 650 words, which leaves room for one clear story and what it shows about you.

  • 03

    Is a gap year worth mentioning in a college essay?

    Only if it shows something the rest of the application doesn't. Many gap-year applicants explain the year briefly in the Additional Information section and keep the essay focused on one story.

  • 04

    How many PIQs do UC transfer applicants answer?

    Transfer applicants answer one required question about preparing for their intended major and choose three of the seven other questions. Each answer can be up to 350 words.

  • 05

    What should I share with a PIQ reviewer?

    All four drafts, your intended major and campuses, your community college coursework and any work or family responsibilities you want to show. Overlap is easier to spot when every answer is read together.

  • 06

    What makes an ordinary topic work in a college essay?

    Specific detail and reflection. A reader should finish knowing how you think, what you notice and what you care about, even if the moment itself was small.

  • 07

    How does paying work?

    Posting is free. When you accept an offer you pay the agreed price. Your money is held by Taskly until you confirm the task is done. If you don’t, it’s released three days after your Tasker marks it finished — unless you report a problem.

  • 08

    Who are the Taskers?

    People who have done what you need: worked at the company, passed the exam, made the move. Every Tasker is reviewed and approved by a person before they work.

More in Admissions

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Ready when you are.

Describe it in a sentence. People who have done it send offers, usually $80–400.