What People Are Saying…
Laura Garcia
Orange High School ’22
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Kenan Music Scholarship
“Trying to figure out how to construct my college essays was extremely difficult and stressful as I started my senior year of high school. I had no idea where to begin or what I would write about. My parents reached out to Lori Tate, and I’m forever grateful that they did.
Mrs. Tate helped me find topics to write about, and she listened to my story. She helped me structure my essays in a way that intrigued the audience, paying close attention to the smallest of details that helped my essays stand out. As I worked with Mrs. Tate, writing my college essays was no longer a chore, but something I was excited about. I gained confidence through my writing as she gave me the tools I needed to succeed. Mrs. Tate is without a doubt the best there is!”
Christian Keel
Community School of Davidson ’22
Brown University
“Thinking of the perfect way to show who you are in less than 650 words takes more than the physical act of writing, and Mrs. Tate understands this better than anyone. She values having a long and thoughtful conversation. In my first session, all we did was talk, but this conversation led us down a rabbit hole that helped me create a great essay. If you are looking for someone capable of connecting with your teen on a personal level and is more than just an experienced writer, Mrs. Tate is 100 percent the person you should go to. Almost anyone is capable of spell and grammar checking, but only a select few can help brainstorm and structure an essay like Mrs. Tate can.
Mrs. Tate helped me with my three Brown prompts, and they were by far the most challenging essays I had to write. The second prompt was especially difficult, as I didn’t feel like I could relate to it. After an intense brainstorming session with Mrs. Tate, we were able to come up with an original idea that boldly answered the prompt. Without her, I think I would still be pacing around my house, thinking of ways to answer that question.
I also think it’s important to mention that Mrs. Tate does not write essays for you. She is skilled in guiding you to a good idea, but she makes sure that every idea is your own. Mrs. Tate won’t give you the answer to the test, but she is a fantastic study guide. I was able to get into my dream college, and she can do it for you, too.”
Isabel Kakacek
Myers Park High School ’21
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
“There is nothing scarier than realizing you’re the last of your friends to start working on your Common App. This past fall, I was struggling to work on my college essays by myself and coming up empty when it came to ideas. I was recommended to Mrs. Tate from a friend, and I am so glad I reached out to her!
What I appreciated most is that she helped me come up with an idea for my Common App essay just by talking to me about my life. She assisted in structuring my essay and fixed grammatical issues that arose while working with me to ensure that it was my voice behind the essay. After a couple sessions, I became confident about my college essays, and especially my Common App, all because Mrs. Tate was on my side.”
Reilly Kungl
Cannon School ’21
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
“I remember scrambling around in the fall of my senior year looking for help with my college essays. I reached out to so many college counselors, but they were not accepting any more seniors. One college counselor was nice enough to refer me to Mrs. Tate.
After my first meeting with Mrs. Tate, all my worries went away. Mrs. Tate was invaluable from the start, from helping me develop essay ideas to working with me on editing my essays. Writing a college essay is different from writing a school paper, and Mrs. Tate did such a great job of teaching me the way to structure a college application essay and supporting me all the way through the process!”
Emma Lemons
South Stanly High School ’21
North Carolina State University
“Much like in volleyball, a hitter needs a talented setter as his or her teammate. Lori K. Tate is a supportive teammate in the essay writing process and set me up for success. She encouraged me to write an authentic essay and helped me focus on delivering clear and concise thoughts. Having an extra set of eyes on your essay is definitely an invaluable asset.”
Emma Scruggs
Community School of Davidson ’21
University of Richmond
“In the fall I began the process of writing my college essays. I had a clear idea about what I wanted to write about and what I wanted to show admissions officers as my personal essay. Mrs. Tate helped me tweak a few things, as well as the organization of everything.
My second essay had a difficult prompt that allowed for a lot of creativity. Mrs. Tate helped me structure and organize my writing in a creative and unique way that made my essay stand out. This essay soon became my favorite, as I was able to incorporate humor and allow my personality to show.
Her guidance helped me spark ideas and dig deeper into what I wanted the reader to get out of my writing. Overall, my time with Mrs. Tate made the application process a lot less stressful and allowed me to submit essays that I was 100 percent proud of and happy with!”
Charley Teckenbrock
Community School of Davidson ’21
North Carolina State University
“I went to Lori for essay tutoring for my college applications. Lori was very nice and very accommodating to my busy schedule. She reviewed my rough drafts, and then she helped me condense my thinking, enhance my word choice, and revise my grammar. Lori made my college application process less stressful and manageable. Because of this process, I loved what I wrote and came home excited to share what I had worked with Lori on.”
Luke Whiteside
Community School of Davidson ’21
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
“When it comes to writing, Lori K. Tate is the best. She listens to your personal stories and helps guide you as you tell them. What she teaches you will help improve your writing skills, as well as help you craft essays that show who you are.”
Morgan Whiteside
Community School of Davidson ’21
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
“Writing is not my strength. Lori provided me with guidance as I crafted my essays. She took the time to work with me on structuring each of my sentences, while using my words and ideas. Lori worked hard to make sure that my essays showed the unique parts of who I am. She is passionate, goal-oriented, encouraging, supportive, and a fantastic writer.”
Ranni Yavanamanda
South Iredell High School ’23
Duke University
“Eighteen years worth of memories and experiences is a lot to put into 650 words. Over the time we spent together, I felt that Mrs. Tate got to know me really well and helped me put my best foot forward in my essays — some of which got me into Duke University! My favorite part about working with Mrs.Tate was that she didn’t just tell me what to write. She helped me think about the things that made me, me and how to present them in a way that colleges could get to know me.”
Parent Testimonials
Maggi Brown
Mother of Haley and Isabel Atkins
Myers Park High School ’21
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
“Lori was a godsend. I knew there was no way I was going to make it through not just one college essay, but two — and at the same time. The process, the questionnaire, and prompting my twin girls to do some introspection (not to mention it all being facilitated by someone other than me, because what do I know, I am just a mom) worked.
The essays were outstanding, and in a year when the college application process was turned upside down, I think they were probably a big focal point for admissions officers. I know these stood out. Lori pulled out my daughters’ personalities and helped translate them on paper.”
Melissa Lemons
Mother of Emma Lemons
South Stanly High School ’21
North Carolina State University
“Lori’s natural ability to draw the reader in was evident in the development of my daughter’s essay. Her guidance and thought-provoking process led my daughter to produce an exemplary essay. I would highly recommend Lori to assist anyone in the writing process.”
Kat Teckenbrock
Mother of Charley Teckenbrock
Community School of Davidson ’21
North Carolina State University
“My daughter does not like to write. It’s not her strong suit, and it’s difficult for her. The thought of an essay being used to help determine if she’d get into the college of her choice was stressful. Lori K. Tate to the rescue. Sounds cliché, but it is true.
My daughter was at ease with Lori and connected well. Lori helped my daughter organize her writing, while sometimes helping her narrow or broaden her train of thought and scope. Lori was great with helping her select more descriptive words and phrases, which made the essays more engaging.
It was surprising to see my daughter arrive home after an essay session and be excited about her writing — I mean smiling, happy and wanting to immediately read what she’d written kind of excited! Lori made this time less stressful, and my daughter has learned a lot from her throughout the process. My daughter will be attending her first choice school, N.C. State, in the fall. Lori is a gem and loves helping others!”
Regina Whiteside
Mother of Morgan and Luke Whiteside
Community School of Davidson ’21
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
“Lori is amazing! She assisted both my son and daughter with their college essay writing. My children take different approaches to writing, and Lori was able to fulfill each of their needs. She loves to write, and it shows. Her enthusiasm helped make this writing process enjoyable and effective. My children loved working with Lori!”
April Whitlock
Mother of Camden Whitlock
Myers Park High School ’21
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
“Working with Lori was an essential part of our college application process. While my daughter was very confident with her story, Lori was able to encourage her to dig deeper for more details that ultimately made the essay more personal and a better reflection of her personality.”