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Leading College Application Coach & SAT/SSAT Test Expert
Anna L.

5.0 (224 ratings)

648 hours tutoring

Your first lesson is backed by our Good Fit Guarantee
Hourly Rate: $125
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Response time: 4 hours

About Anna

Bio

Hi! I'm Anna.

For the past 10 years, I've coached some of America's brightest students on SAT prep, SSAT prep, college essays, and prep school applications, working with families in Chicago and across the country. As a Phillips Exeter Academy graduate and Northwestern University summa cum laude alum, I'm the tutor of choice for students committed to getting into their dream school. Year in and year out, my students gain acceptance to every Ivy League school (Harvard, Yale, Princeton,...

Hi! I'm Anna.

For the past 10 years, I've coached some of America's brightest students on SAT prep, SSAT prep, college essays, and prep school applications, working with families in Chicago and across the country. As a Phillips Exeter Academy graduate and Northwestern University summa cum laude alum, I'm the tutor of choice for students committed to getting into their dream school. Year in and year out, my students gain acceptance to every Ivy League school (Harvard, Yale, Princeton, Brown, Dartmouth, Penn, Columbia, Cornell), top universities including Stanford, MIT, Northwestern, and Duke, as well as elite prep schools like Exeter, Andover, Choate, and Deerfield.

I don't just teach admissions strategy; I coach students on all aspects of the application process. I've attended these elite institutions, and that insider perspective sets my coaching apart. What truly drives my work is getting to know each student as an individual. I take the time to understand your goals, identify areas for growth, and meet you where you are. Then I help launch you toward where you want to be.

I understand that admissions isn't just about checking boxes--it's about telling your authentic story strategically. Whether you need a 1500+ SAT score, a standout SSAT performance, or compelling essays, I provide honest guidance and proven techniques from years of experience.

I specialize in:
- College and prep school essay writing that sounds authentically you
- SAT, ACT, SSAT, and AP test prep with score-maximizing strategies
- Complete application coaching for boarding schools and universities
- Interview preparation and admissions strategy
- School selection counseling based on personality and goals

I've helped hundreds of students perfect practical techniques for improving their writing and test-taking. Admissions is a game won by those who know the rules. I'm here to teach you those rules and show you how to use them to your advantage.

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Education

Northwestern University
English, Neuroscience, Philosophy
  • Licensed teacher

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Approved Subjects

Algebra 1

Algebra 1

Taught algebra 1 for more than 3 years in Chicago area high schools.
Film

Film

I was awarded the top student essay multiple years in a row at Northwestern's acclaimed film department and have since TA'ed many undergrad classes. I can help all levels of students with any sort of writing assignment related to film or film theory. Currently, I am the cofounder and chief editor of a publication and community focused on covering films from Asia and the Asian diaspora.
Literature

Literature

My love of writing blossomed as a student at Phillips Exeter Academy where I honed the art of the personal narrative. In an English class at Exeter, all of the intensive focus in writing was aimed at the personal narrative. After finding my voice as a writer, I went on to have many of my pieces published in literary magazine and eventually co-founded one of my own. As an English and Philosophy major at Northwestern, I excelled at both analytic academic writing and essay writing and was recognized multiple times for being the best literature undergrad student. I graduated top of my class and will soon be starting my PhD in Anthropology at Harvard. Contact me for any English or Literature class needs as I am a master at literary analysis and can help you craft a persuasive and creative analytic paper in no time. Please also reach out if you need any help with creative writing assignments – from from poetry to prose – personal statements, application essays, or personal narratives.
Philosophy

Philosophy

I majored in Philosophy at northwestern
Proofreading

Proofreading

As a journalist, I have had years of experience editing pieces effectively and quickly. The rules for correct grammar, structure, and tone are second nature to me. I have founded a number of recognized literary and film magazines in my life and today, operate as editor and chief for Subtitle Magazine. I have special insight when it comes to helping students edit their application essays or papers for school and can guarantee you a more polished piece of writing after working with me. Contact me if you need any help editing, organizing, proofreading, or brainstorming for your essay. I can help your best ideas find their best expression. Can't wait to get started!
SSAT

SSAT

For over ten years, I have coached hundreds of students on how to master the SSAT. When I was a high school applicant, I scored in the 99th percentile and was then able to go on to my dream school, Phillips Exeter Academy. I know how daunting the SSAT may feel, but - like I tell all my students - this test is completely learnable. Any student is capable of getting a perfect score, you just have to learn the test. And it is completely within reach. Let's get started!
Writing

Writing

I guide students in crafting absolutely phenomenal and impactful essays that consistently amaze admissions committees. Every year, my students gain admission to the top universities and prep schools. I ensure that the message conveyed in any essay is clear, persuasive, and riveting, and that sentence structure, organization, and grammar are impeccable. As a graduate of Northwestern University and Phillips Exeter Academy, I've developed a unique insight into the admissions process at highly competitive schools. I understand that the secret to successful college and prep school applications isn't just an impressive list of accomplishments, but also making the committee feel like they have gotten to know you deeply as a person. Contact me for help with any aspect of the college and prep school admissions process.
ACT English
ACT Math
American History
Art History
Biology
Ecology
English
European History
Geometry
Psychology
SAT Math
Vocabulary
World History
Anna L.'s Photo

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Response time: 4 hours

Ratings and Reviews

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5.0 (224 ratings)
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Reviews

Helped me get into my dream school! Best writing help I've ever gotten

It is not always easy finding a tutor or editor that you are able to perfectly get along with. Anna is an exceptional tutor for admissions essays and helped me craft a winning application that ended up getting me into one of my top choice universities. Since we started working together close to the beginning of the school year, Anna also helped me decide between a few different colleges and helped me understand what being a student would be like at several different schools I was thinking about applying to. The rapport that she built with me throughout our sessions was incredible! With Anna's help, I was able to transform a somewhat generic essay to an authentic masterpiece that I can't stop reading. I knew I had found the right person to work with! Not only did it better represent my application to admissions officials - it also felt to me like a more complete description of my own personal narrative. I remembered showing my English teacher the essay that Anna and I had previously worked on. He said, "Josh, this essay is beautiful." He even asked me to read it aloud for the entire class. Along the way, she has also helped me gain a deeper appreciation for creative writing -- something I hope to continue pursuing at the university level. She is kind, polite, and was super understanding, always trying to work with me to find the right phrasing or description without pushing another style onto me. I learned and gained so much confidence in my writing skills after working with her. I couldn't have asked for anyone better to work with. Thank you so much Anna!

Josh, 1 lesson with Anna

Anna Helped My Daughter Get Into Brown University!! -- Outstanding Essay Coach!

Anna is the best tutor we have ever met and we are so grateful to have found her. She has helped my daughter get into her dream school, Brown University. Anna showed an incredible level of expertise when helping my daughter craft and perfect her essays, showing her how to think outside the box in her writing and put her best foot forward when it came to presenting to admissions offices. My daughter has had other tutors in the past, but none that she has been able to connect as well with as she has with Anna. She has gotten a lot done in a short amount of time, so she works very efficiently. I highly recommend Anna!

Emily, 1 lesson with Anna

College Admissions Counselor

Anna has been helping my daughter with her collage essay applications. She has a great personality and warmth, she’s also very knowledgeable about the admissions process. She instantly makes you feel relaxed and takes her time to explain the process step by step. She helped guide my daughter in deciding what schools will be the best fit for her . Anna made it essay due her in-depth knowledge of most of the schools and the unique courses they offer. We’re still working with Anna and I will highly recommend her if you need help with the college application process.

Jamila, 10 lessons with Anna

Great tutor!

She was my first tutor on here and I learned so much in our one hour session. She challenges you to think more and her advice was extremely helpful towards my personal statement.

SAMANTHA, 1 lesson with Anna

Great Tutor, Very Patient!

The first session went really well, i was clueless about the common app essay before this, however Anna answered all my questions and explained to me very clearly what the essay is about and how it should be written. With her help, i’ve gotten a few ideas as to what i will be writing about, so i’m looking forward for the next lesson!

Saif, 1 lesson with Anna

Great Tutor

She really helped me with the whole process of my transfer application. And I got accepted into UMich, a school I wanted to transfer to. She really helped guide me and understand what it takes to transfer and the main ideas I should really emphasize on! She was great and really did help me so much!

Anuj , 3 lessons with Anna

Very helpful

After just my first lesson with Anna, I could tell that she was very passionate and able to clearly articulate the changes that I would need to make. She was able to correct my structure and give me ideas while giving me confidence in some ideas I’d written off earlier and giving me advice on how to follow a structure synonymous with most Common App essays. I appreciated the feedback and structure her lesson provided!

Abhi, 1 lesson with Anna

Engaging and insightful

Anna is helping my daughter prepare essays for college applications. She is organized and engaging and so far has shown good insight as to what is needed to make a successful presentation. My daughter looks forward to working with Anna

Shari, 3 lessons with Anna

Great essay reviewer

Anna provided really thorough thoughts and feedback when she reviewed my college essays. She was able to steer me in the proper manner because she knew exactly what universities were looking for in essays. I highly recommend her!

Zachary, 5 lessons with Anna

Great essay Reviewer

I highly recommend Anna for her excellent review and feedback on my daughter's college application essays. Her insights sparked new ideas and improved her writing significantly.

Himanshi, 1 lesson with Anna
Hourly Rate: $125
Response time: 4 hours
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