
Academic Document Review
Where precision and experience matter.
Substantive Critique and Document Review
Services for Graduate Students
Do you need to produce a high-stakes academic document but are worried that it is not good enough? Do you need to maximize your chances of being accepted into graduate school, obtain funding, or get published? Are you struggling with your academic writing and need more than standard grammar editing? Have you received comments about needing to improve your writing skills? If you answered ‘yes’ to any of these questions, then you are in the right place. We offer expert document review services and coaching for current and aspiring graduate students.
We Provide Writing Help For:
- Writing Samples
- Master’s Theses
- Capstone Projects
- Dissertations
- Scholarship and Fellowship Applications
- Grant Applications
- Academic Papers or Manuscripts
We also review personal statements and CVs/resumes for college and graduate school admissions. Please see our admissions coaching page for more information on those services.
Specialized Document Review
We offer personalized services to help current and aspiring graduate students maximize the effectiveness of their academic writing and reach their dreams! Whatever your goals (getting into graduate school, obtaining funding, writing your first manuscript, or completing your thesis), we can help. Our document review services are tailored to the unique needs of students. We provide substantive review and editing feedback that will help you improve the organization, content, and quality of your academic writing. With nearly three decades of academic writing expertise and a decade of coaching graduate students from around the world, we know what admissions committees, reviewers, and professors are looking for in your writing.

Need a Resume
or
CV Reviewed?
Not Your Everyday Editing
We aren’t your basic copy editors. We know if you were looking for someone to throw your writing into AI to catch typos, you would do it yourself. What we offer is tailored review services that provide detailed feedback on the structure, content, and quality of your writing. We don’t just review your document; we teach you the rules of good writing along the way, so that you can carry that skill forward to all your future endeavors.
Who We Work With
We work with current and aspiring graduate students and recent graduates who want a thorough review of their academic or professional documents. Students come to us with all sorts of needs. Some are facing high stakes and want to make sure they are writing at their best (e.g., graduate school, grant, or scholarship applications). Other students have gotten confusing or incomplete feedback from their instructors and aren’t sure where to go next. Some students know that writing isn’t their strong suit, but aren’t getting help improving it. Whatever your situation, our document review services can help.
The Document Review Process
If you’re interested in our document review services, the first step is to fill out the form at the bottom of this page. Let us know what type of document you want reviewed and your timeline. We will get back to you within one business day to let you know if we can meet your deadline.
Once we agree to start working with you, we’ll chat and ask you all the questions we need to inform our review of your materials (e.g., the target audience and formatting). We will also explain the technical side of things (e.g., using suggestions/tracked changes and version control). The next part is on us. We review your document and provide detailed written feedback with our edits and, more importantly, the reasons behind our suggestions. This lets you learn from our critique and improve your writing in the future.
Finally, we will meet to discuss the feedback so that you can ask questions and clarify things. One of the reasons we are selective about our review clients is that we guarantee a personalized service. We will always be available to explain our comments and suggestions, regardless of which document review package you decide on.
Document Review Packages
Basic
- One round of review
- Detailed written feedback
$150 Minimum Order
Standard
- Two rounds of review
- Detailed written feedback
- One 30-minute feedback meeting
$200 Minimum Order
Premium
- Three rounds of review
- Detailed written feedback
- Two 30-minute feedback meetings
$250 Minimum Order
How This Works
Let’s say you want us to review a 6,000-word manuscript and provide a substantive critique and instruction on your academic writing skills. Then, you want the opportunity to revise it based on our feedback and have us review it again. That would be a standard review package, which is 5.0 cents a word, totalling $300. That covers both rounds of document review and an online meeting to discuss our feedback. Given the fact that academic writing courses often cost over $500, and you’re getting a document edited in the process, that’s a good deal!
All document review packages include copyediting for:
- Grammar and Typos
- Organization and Flow
- Academic Style
- Formatting
- References, Tables, and Figures Crosschecks
If none of these review packages fit your needs, please contact us, and we can discuss your circumstances.
About Us
Graduate Student Success1 was founded in 2014 by Dr. Cristie Glasheen, to fulfill a need in supporting graduate students earning their degrees. For over a decade, she has helped the next generation of scientists, researchers, doctors, and other professionals achieve their dreams of finishing graduate school.
Over the years, Dr. Glasheen recognized the need for a different kind of review and editing service, one that didn’t focus on just typos and grammar but also provided guidance on how students can improve their academic writing skills and become more effective communicators. That’s what we do. Not only do we help you craft an effective piece of academic writing, we also use the opportunity to coach you to improve your skills for the future.
1. Formerly called Step Strong Coaching
Meet Your Reviewers
Ms. Alecia Kipping

Reviews
- Grad School Applications
- Master’s Theses
- Grants
- Fellowship & Scholarships
- CVs and Resumes
Areas of Expertise
- Social Sciences
- Education
- Humanities
Ms. Kipping has earned an M.S.W. from New York University (NYU). She has nearly a decade of experience writing and reviewing for professional and lay audiences as a policy analyst and education and training specialist. Prior to developing her expertise in academic document review, she authored numerous state reports, research syntheses, and white papers.
Mr. John McHugh

Reviews:
- Grad School Applications
- Master’s Theses and Dissertations
- Grants & Contract Proposals
- Fellowship and Scholarships
- CVs and Resumes
Areas of Expertise
- Law & Advocacy
- Business Development
- Government & Public Policy
Mr. McHugh has earned a J.D. from the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. He has over 15 years of experience in public policy, including writing and reviewing white papers, briefs, training materials, and public-facing outreach materials. He also provides legal document review services at JohnTMcHugh.com.
Dr. Cristie Glasheen

Reviews:
- Grad School Applications
- Master’s Theses and Dissertations
- Grants
- Fellowship and Scholarships
- Academic Manuscripts
- CVs and Resumes
Areas of Expertise
- Physical Sciences
- Biological Sciences
- Social Sciences
Dr. Glasheen has earned a Ph.D. in Epidemiology from the University of Pittsburgh and an MPH from Saint Louis University. She has two decades of academic and scientific writing experience. She’s written over 40 peer-reviewed publications and white papers and has spent a decade coaching graduate students to success.
Request Our Document Review Services
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If you’re not certain our services are right for you or have additional questions, please email us at: coaching@gradstudentsuccess.com.