Premium writing classes and tutoring
Learn to write killer college essays and more from a highly experienced, Yale-educated mentor.
About Kate
Experience
English and writing tutor with over 10 years of experience
Past college essay students have been accepted to top schools including Harvard, Princeton, MIT, Stanford, UCs, and many more
Award-winning research writer and editor, published by Oxford University Press, The Lancet, and more
Former writing center manager, curriculum creator, and teacher at education companies
Former interviewer for Yale College admissions in Orange County, Calif.
Education
Yale University, Literature BA: magna cum laude, Phi Beta Kappa (top 10% of class)
Admitted to Harvard, Stanford, Columbia Law Schools
Admitted to all colleges applied to, including Harvard and UCs, as AP/IB/TT student (Troy High School, Calif.)
Classes and services
1-ON-1 or GROUP MEETING
Complimentary Consultation
Interested in learning more but unsure where to start? Book a complimentary 30-minute consultation to find out how we can work together.
According to your needs and preferences, we’ll start creating a custom game plan to help you achieve your writing goals.
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Complimentary consultations are 100% free of charge—no pressure or obligation.
1-ON-1 or GROUP WORKSHOP
Writing Killer College Essays
Through intensive teaching sessions and feedback rounds, students learn to craft compelling application essays.
Topics covered include:
How to fully highlight your strengths through reflection and strategic topic selection
Using artful storytelling techniques to avoid pitfalls both major and subtle
Understanding the unspoken requirements of different essay prompts
How to avoid deadline stress using application completion schedules
1-ON-1 or GROUP CLASS
Academic Support and Enrichment
Whatever your goals may be, I’ll provide a personalized plan and guide you in seeing them to fruition.
Possible topics include:
Support with English or writing-related classwork
Enrichment activities for advanced learners
Mentorship for extracurricular writing projects (e.g., contest submissions)
Personalized test prep (e.g., AP, SAT, ACT)
What my clients say
Working with Kate was truly a wonderful experience, and I'm so grateful to have had her guidance on my college essays. During each session, all hands were on deck; we collaborated closely, discussing each essay's direction while also weighing its strengths and areas for improvement. From her expertise, I developed a clear understanding of what some of my essays lacked and how to enhance them in ways that capitalized on my strengths.
Through my sessions with her, I not only grew as a writer, becoming more skilled at drawing from my experiences and developing a cohesive narrative that fully captures my personality, but also gained confidence. I completed each college application feeling a sense of pride and assurance, knowing that each supplement was the best version of itself. Kate helped me articulate my ideas with greater clarity, and I am incredibly grateful for her mentorship throughout this process.
— Student, Stanford University class of 2029
Kate’s guidance through the college application process made the experience enriching and less daunting. I can’t thank her enough for her patience as I wrote draft after draft and her flexibility to meet multiple times a week if needed! Not only is she a highly accomplished writer, she is a kind and honest mentor and a great conversationalist—which is highly important as you brainstorm ideas and reflect on your life experiences. The college essay writing process can be challenging, but it’s also a time to self-explore and get to know yourself better, and Kate is the perfect person to take you from those initial thoughts to the final, winning essay!
— Student, Columbia University class of 2029
Kate has been the best college essay tutor I could have ever asked for. Not only did she help me get into my dream school (Jacobs School of Engineering!), but Kate truly listened to what I had to say and helped me bring out the best sides of me through my writing voice. She offered a very personalized experience that helped me navigate a stressful application season and strengthened my abilities as a writer.
— Student, UC San Diego class of 2028
I can’t speak highly enough about Kate and the impact she had on my daughter’s college transfer essay. She took the time to really help my daughter build the foundation of writing a good essay, which started with introspection. My daughter had to reflect deeply on her goals, past experiences, and personality traits.
It was not easy to do, especially given the short deadline, but Kate was extremely patient, supportive, and explicit in guiding her through the entire process. All the hard work paid off and my daughter got accepted to her top college. Both my daughter and I are so grateful we got to work with her.
— Parent of transfer student, University of Michigan class of 2028
My approach
For over a decade (starting at my high school’s Peer Tutoring Club) I’ve worked with a wide range of students: sixth graders convinced they hate writing, aspiring novelists embarking on their first books, high-school seniors navigating the maze of college applications, and many more.
Highlight Tutoring is the culmination of everything I’ve learned over the years about how best to support students. Using evidence-based techniques and engaging, tailor-made curricula, I help students capitalize on their strengths, zero in on areas for improvement, and genuinely enjoy the process.
Guiding students’ development into confident, insightful writers is my passion—and I can’t wait to share it with you.
Contact
To book sessions or make an inquiry, please fill out the form below.