Student Testimonials
“Mr. Wilhelm was the first person I thought to call when I decided to apply for teaching jobs at the conclusion of my graduate school career. I had the unique pleasure of growing up directly next door to the Wilhelm family, and have thus known for many years that Mr. Wilhelm is the go-to person in my life (and in many others!) for guidance and expertise in the education realm. Mr. Wilhelm is distinct from other writing and career counselors because his philosophy on crafting an effective job application is for the materials to genuinely represent and celebrate the candidate, rather than check any proverbial boxes. He took the time to listen to my experiences and aspirations and then got in the weeds with me (for as long as it took!) to make my application sing. Mr. Wilhelm is also, quite simply, one of the kindest and funniest people I know. Working with him transformed my materials and made me a far more confident, informed teaching applicant. I could not recommend him more highly!”
— Graduate Student, Julia (MFA in Writing, Columbia University)
“Mr. Wilhelm is caring, patient, and empathetic. He has devoted his time to helping students and genuinely cares about helping them feel confident in the work they have produced. Mr. Wilhelm has helped me to really think about my writing so that my college essay reflects who I am. I enjoyed every conversation that I have had with him, and leave our time together with more confidence than I had coming in. He is an asset to this community, and I feel very fortunate to have connected with him. I am truly grateful for all of his help and support.”
— Student, Harper (Current Senior MUHS)
“As the end of summer approached, Mr. Wilhelm and I sat down with a pen and paper on the porch of my house on Squam Lake, where we live every summer, to begin my personal narrative essay. We started from scratch, with just a few ideas I had in my head about my essay. Mr. Wilhelm was extremely helpful with breaking down my ideas, helping me select the best topic, and turning that into a thoughtfully written essay. There were many steps along the way. We started at the end August with close to nothing, but after a number of phone calls, texts, emails, and Facetime sessions, Mr. Wilhelm had helped me create an incredible story for my college essay. I genuinely could not have done this without his support, expertise, perspective, and guidance.”
— Student, Julia (Current Burr and Burton Academy Senior)
“If I had to guess, I would say with a great amount of certainty, that Mr. Wilhelm found his inspiration in the individual spirits of each of his students. Mr. Wilhelm was successful because he relied on kindness, humor, and imagination, all aspects that are crucial to capturing a child’s attention, motivation, and finally, growth.”
— Student, Rip (Graduate Univ. of Richmond)
“When I was a senior in high school, I worked with Mr. Wilhelm on my various college essays and statements. While I had a strong background in writing, and knew what topics I wanted to write about, Mr. Wilhelm helped me to clearly outline my assignments as well as define the goals I wanted to reach for each one. Throughout the entire process, Mr. Wilhelm provided unwavering support and strong constructive feedback on my work. By working with him on these writing assignments, I felt extremely confident in the work that I was submitting with my college applications. I would recommend Mr. Wilhelm and his services to anyone without hesitation.”
— Student, Olivia (Graduate Elon)
“I went to Bruce (ThinkWrite) as a prospective teacher one year out of college with no formal teaching experience and generally no idea of what to do in this complicated process. With a lot of guidance and direction from Bruce, I had my dream job, at my dream school, in under two months. Not only was he knowledgeable about what schools were looking for in resumes, cover letters, interviews and more, but he was also always entertaining and fun to work with. Bruce was committed to helping me, whether he was answering my questions about different schools and positions, editing cover letters, or giving me interview advice, he never let me go more than a few days without checking in. Bruce’s experience with teaching and hiring teachers, his relaxed but encouraging, caring, yet demanding attitude towards my job search, and his overall ability to make everything fun made my pursuit of my dream job not only exponentially easier but also way more enjoyable. I would recommend Bruce to any and all prospective teachers. Bruce will truly get them started on their educational path. I am looking forward to continuing to have him as a mentor once I get into the classroom, as I know he genuinely wants me to be successful not just for myself, but also for my future students and schools.”
— Recent Davidson Graduate, Jack
“While writing my college essay, Mr. Wilhelm helped me think about more than just the details of my narrative: a nail-biting white-water kayaking trip. With his guidance, I was able to translate my story into a strong reflection. His suggestions helped me clearly articulate the lasting impact of my experience, and the lessons I learned.
In addition, working with Mr. Wilhelm provided an experienced perspective outside that of my family members! He suggested fun and short “homework” assignments that pushed me to think critically about my thesis, and what I hoped the reader would learn from my essay. This was a unique and valuable addition to my college application process.”
— Student, Lila (Graduate Dartmouth)
“Applying to college can be an extremely difficult and confusing time for anyone. Trying to figure out where you want to spend the next four years, while also worrying about where you will get accepted is quite stressful. Mr. Wilhelm helped me tremendously by helping to edit my personal essay for the Common App, and it turned out great. He was able to give me strong constructive criticism, while also being helpful and encouraging. We both emailed and talked on the phone about my essay, and I ended up getting into all six schools I applied to. I ended up at my top choice, UMass Amherst! Having Mr. Wilhelm help me work on my essay was definitely a large aspect of helping me move on to the next chapter of my life.”
— Student, Julia (UMass class of 2023)
“Mr. Wilhelm helped me tremendously through the process of writing my personal college essay. He guided me meticulously and pushed me to extend my writing abilities beyond my comfort level. Mr. Wilhelm also taught me so many lessons and skills that I will continue to use in building my future. Although the original idea was to work with him to structure a creative college essay, his mentorship and guidance will prove invaluable as I begin the next chapter of my education at the college level.”
— Student, B.G. (Dartmouth College)
“I approached Mr. Wilhelm to help me with my college admissions essay before my senior year of high school. After already having written a few drafts, his feedback touched on every weakness of my paper and helped to bring my essay to another level. He broke down every aspect of my writing, and we started nearly from scratch. He helped to turn a mediocre essay on travel into a finely tuned piece on self-growth. The result was a polished piece of writing that truly spoke to me and that culminated in acceptance from my top choice college.”