Balanced. Calm. Thoughtful.

I help high schoolers put their authentic values and interests at the center of the college process.

My services

Junior/Senior Plan

I work with your student from start to finish on their college process. I become their ally and their cheerleader, meeting with them once a month during junior year and then more often as application season ramps up. Through the use of self-discovery exercises around values, college preferences, and career assessment, the college search shifts from a process of anxiety to one that feels exciting.

Essays

I reserve a few spots in my practice for students who only want essay support. This work entails the personal statement, supplemental essays and other features of the application process that require writing.

Personal Statement Only

There is so much anxiety around writing this important essay, and I provide students with the right amount of gentle encouragement that helps them commit to their ideas.

Sophomores and Freshman

I help students navigate their early high school years. We discuss topics such as course selection, testing, and extracurricular activities, all with an emphasis on each student's authentic interests and unique strengths.

Pricing

Please use the "contact me" form and I will reach out to you.

About me

I’ve worked with high school students since 2008, first on their application essays and later navigating the entire college process. Prior to my days as a college coach and essay specialist, I was an English teacher at a charter school in Chapel Hill. Before teaching, I wrote professionally for magazines and news organizations, such as Fitness and NPR.

I live here in Chapel Hill with my husband and our three children. I’m deeply entrenched in my artistic pursuits. Follow me @23knits to see my latest makes!

I am a member of NACAC: the National Association of College Admission Counseling, SACAC: the Southern Association of College Admission Counseling, and IECA: Independent Educational Consultants Association.

TesTIMONIALS

"Emily coached my two oldest daughters through the process of developing personal narratives that turned out authentic, unique and compelling. Emily was very empathetic to the stress they felt during this time, but she also held them accountable, which resulted in them producing essays they were truly proud of. In the end, the value of Emily’s support went far beyond writing help. Both girls received multiple offers from great schools. My younger daughters will definitely be working with Emily when the time comes!"

"Emily Dorn is a master at her profession. She helped guide our daughter’s writing skills, honing in on her own voice. She is now a more confident writer. You can tell Emily loves helping and teaching young adults move to the next chapter in their life."

"(My child) speaks about you all the time, and about the confidence and independence they got in owning their decisions. You didn't push them, you helped them figure it out for themselves."

"Emily got to know my daughter very quickly, and helped her bring out her strengths in the very short college entrance essay. We are forever grateful, as she was able to attend NYU Tisch School of the Arts."

"Working with Emily was immensely helpful in my college application process. I came to her with some rough ideas of what I wanted my common app to look like, and she assisted me in sharpening said ideas into a coherent essay that truly displayed my story and amplified my voice in ways the rest of my application did not."

"Emily has clearly been a tremendous teacher and coach for our son in this process."