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Admissions success starts with a story. This is ours.

Let's Craft Your Story
Liz Rosenberg

Founder / Principal

The Uncommon App Approach:
A Story-First Strategy for Standing Out.

Since 2011, I’ve had the privilege of working on both sides of the admissions process, as a private admissions counselor and senior member of the Admissions Committee for the MBA programs at UC Berkeley’s Haas School of Business. This dual perspective gives me unique insight into what it takes to make a lasting impression on a busy admissions officer, who may have only minutes to spend reviewing your application.
At UnCommon App, we don’t chase trends or generic advice; instead, we focus on you, your experiences, your voice, and the story only you can tell. Through a personalized, thoughtful process, we help students bring their applications to life, ensuring every essay, resume, activities list, and interview response works together to leave a lasting impression.

Because Standing Out Takes More Than Just Good Grades.

College admissions today are more competitive than ever, and strong grades and test scores are no longer enough to guarantee acceptance. To truly stand out, students need an application that tells a clear, authentic story that reflects who they are and what they’ll bring to a campus community.
That kind of application doesn’t happen overnight. It takes thoughtful reflection, strong writing, and a strategic approach. With years of experience on both sides of the admissions process, we work closely with each student to uncover what makes them unique and to bring that story to life across every part of the application, from essays and resumes to activity lists and interviews.

We Help You Make a Memorable First Impression, on Paper and in Person.

Essays, in particular, offer the best opportunity to go beyond statistics and lists of extracurriculars, giving admissions committees a deeper understanding of who you are. A well-crafted, insightful essay can create a genuine connection with the reader and help you stand out in a sea of highly qualified applicants. But crafting that kind of story takes reflection, creativity, and persistence.

That’s where we come in. We work closely with each student to uncover their unique story and translate their experiences into compelling, authentic essays that capture the attention of admissions officers. But storytelling doesn’t stop at the essay. Your resume and activities list should highlight your leadership, teamwork, growth, and unique strengths, while your interview should reinforce and bring your story to life.
Because every student works differently, we offer flexible, hourly coaching tailored to each individual’s needs. Most personal statements take five to eight hours to develop; supplemental essays, interview prep, and application strategy require additional time depending on the student’s goals and school list.
We offer coaching across all of these aspects of the application to ensure that your story is not only compelling but also consistent and persuasive from start to finish.

On a Personal Note… Why I Love What I Do.

For years, whenever anyone asked about my future career goals, my response was always the same: “My dream is to read applications from the beach.”

I’m a New England native and Colgate University alumna who headed to the San Francisco Bay Area after earning my MBA at Boston University, where I met my husband, David. Over two distinctly different career paths – and raising a pair of incredible kids – David and I eventually made the move back to the Connecticut shoreline in late 2021.

Here, with the launch of UnCommon App, I’ve not only realized my career goal; I’ve built something even better.

These are my people (both proud Oregon Ducks!) and this is my happy place. I can’t wait to help you chase your dreams, too.
The goal isn’t just to stand out; it’s to be unforgettable.

Explore The Wins

“Liz has an incredible gift for helping kids find and tell their own stories. From the moment she met my son, they clicked—her warmth, humor, and genuine interest instantly put him at ease. What followed was a truly collaborative process where she helped him uncover his proudest moments and biggest challenges, and express them authentically, in his own voice. That’s rare. So many college essay coaches overwrite or take over entirely, but Liz never did. She guided without steering, encouraged without editing out his personality, and helped him create something real and memorable. Best of all—he got into his top-choice school.”

Hilary

(parent of student admitted to University of Michigan School of Engineering)

“The college application process can be stressful, I know from experience. Luckily, Liz was able to greatly reduce this stress by providing me with support for my essays, resume, and overall application. The organization of her support, characterized by ‘brag sheets’, interview prep, and overall strategy for the essays and resume was extremely beneficial as she helped me to tell my own authentic story. Writing an essay that is supposed to encompass who you are as a person can seem intimidating because of its breadth but Liz was able to look at my life from an outside perspective and really help me narrow in on my passions and triumphs. As well as providing assistance for my CommonApp essay, she also helped with supplements and my resume. Her support was professional and she took my application to the next level.”

Sasha

(Student admitted to Barnard College, Wellesley College, UC Santa Barbara)

“When I started my MBA application journey, I figured I could tackle it on my own—with a little help from ChatGPT, of course. But as I dug into the process, I realized something was missing. That’s when I reached out to Liz. Working with her changed everything. While my original essays were technically sound, they lacked me. Liz helped me find my voice and tell my story in a way that felt honest, compelling, and uniquely mine. Beyond the essays, her support through the entire application—from strategy to interview prep—gave me clarity and confidence at every step. Thanks to Liz, I not only submitted a stronger application—I landed at my #1 school. I’m incredibly grateful, and I wholeheartedly recommend her to anyone on this journey.” 

Monica

(Student admitted to UC Berkeley MBA)

Ready to start your UnCommon journey?

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