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This is your story. This is your time.

Transform your college application journey with personalized, step by step guidance from a celebrated author and storyteller. Experience a narrative centered approach to the college planning and application process.

Navigate the college planning and application process with confidence.

Enjoy clear, comprehensive guidance, from personalized advising to great-fit college lists to college essay brainstorming and robust support.

Understand how to research supplementals and prepare for successful interviews.

Gain college readiness and critical-thinking skills.

 

Chart Your Unique Path

Whether you’re just beginning to think about college or facing application deadlines, Standout Story College Advising offers targeted services to meet your goals and needs.

  • Application Strategy & Timeline Planning
  • College Exploration & List Development
  • Essay Brainstorming, Drafting, & Targeted Revision
  • Decisions and Offer Negotiations
  • Scholarship and Honors College Application Support
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Manette Ansay -New York Times bestselling author

About Manette

As a New York Times bestselling author and Emerita Professor of English, Manette Ansay draws on her extensive storytelling and teaching experience to coach students through a meaningful college application journey. Her narrative-centered philosophy blends practical expertise with compassionate guidance and an upbeat vibe, supporting students through the process of crafting unique application stories in their own authentic voices. Manette is a Professional Member of the Independent Educational Consultants Association (IECA), College Consultants of Colorado, and RMACAC.

Learn more about Manette

Dear Future College Student,

Applications are more than a compilation of transcripts, activities and essays. Each section builds on the next to create a single, comprehensive story. Throughout the college planning and list building process, we’ll keep this larger story in mind. It begins with your interests, develops with your activities, strengthens with your coursework, experiences and leadership. It explores choices you’ve made, risks you’ve taken, and opportunities you’ve left on the table. Failure might be part of this story, too. That’s OK.

The most important thing is that this story is yours. Only you can tell it. It belongs to you.

When it comes time to write, we’ll coax your authentic voice onto the page, whether earnest or ironic, funny or fierce, data-driven or out-of-the-box creative. I’ll offer short personalized prompts to help you dig into experiences, concrete, narrative approaches, and strategies for revision. When and if permitted, we will make responsible use of AI technologies as well.  By the end of your application journey, you’ll have strong college-level writing and critical-thinking skills you can carry with you wherever you go.

I look forward to being part of your journey. 

Cheers!
Manette

Testimonials

What Others Are Saying...

“Manette provided the inspiration and accountability my son needed to complete his college applications by August. It was a huge relief to get it completed over the summer. Manette helped our son to stay on task and write a fantastic college essay.”
Devonparent of Eckerd College student
"Her wealth of experience in the college admissions field coupled with her effective approach created the right environment and the best outcome."
Neilparent of American University student
"College applications are a bit of an art, and while my dad tried his best to help, the application process has changed so much that he had no idea how to help me. With your help, I felt prepared to apply for college, was able to determine how I wanted to tell my story, and had the tools and skills I needed to write engaging, dynamic, and effective essays."
Ash Lorraine David Scholar, CU Boulder
"Your guidance truly made a huge difference to me, and the confidence you gave me in my essays and application helped me feel so much calmer throughout the process. I really appreciate all of the time you took sending me scholarships to apply to."
Maya Denver Excelsior Scholar, Claremont McKenna College
I attended one of your free workshops at the Boulder Public Library. You’re a gifted writer in addition to being very knowledgeable about the college admissions process. We are a middle-class family, which made me all the more grateful for what you were offering the community. That day, a diverse group of students gathered, including many immigrant families, various ethnic and racial groups, and students from low and middle-income homes. I’m so grateful you’re there for those of us from disadvantaged or modest backgrounds.
AngieParent of CU Boulder/Leeds student
Manette was a game changer! She gave expert advice on timelines, deadlines, essay writing, scholarship opportunities, and college applications. Yaseen received many prestigious college offers/scholarships from NYU, UC San Diego, Virginia Tech, WPI, and Illinois Urbana. Ultimately he chose KU, where he is a SELF Engineering Leadership Fellow on a full merit scholarship. Through Manette’s expertise, guidance and the knowledge on where to find and apply for scholarships, Yaseen also won a Bank of America Student Leader summer internship. We are so thankful, appreciative, and very fortunate to have had Manette in our corner; which made this process so much easier to maneuver!
DinaParent of KU Engineering student
Manette is an incredibly talented writer and counselor. She is easy to work with and offers honest and insightful feedback. Her mentorship helped me land a full-ride scholarship to Wichita State University.
BradenGore Fellow, Wichita State University
Manette is a thoughtful, inspired and insightful college advisor. My son was buoyed by the sense that she grasped who he is and what he is capable of. She saw him in the best light and everything that followed was premised on that appreciative lens. The journey was transformative and Manette was of course instrumental in the end result-- my son got into his first choice college.
ElizabethParent of Colorado College student
Manette is an amazing writing coach who is able to grasp the most unique highlights of the student and help make it appealing in writing. She was very helpful in giving advice on colleges, helping revise essays into polished final drafts, and advising with scholarship applications. Thank you so much, Manette!
KatherineUPenn/Wharton School of Business
Manette's in-depth understanding of the admissions process reduced our stress and enabled us to target a list of specific schools that would be the best fit for my son both academically and socially. We could not be happier with Manette and the entire process and give her services the highest recommendation.
Christyparent of Florida Gulf Coast University student