My Story
Many years ago, when I was an aspiring college student, my no nonsense dad told me. “You can go to any school you want—as long as it’s a New York State school.” That was the end of the conversation.
Times have changed, and so has the need to talk through options and strategies for applying to college. As an admissions consultant and writing coach with over 12 years of experience, I help families navigate this complicated process.
College Applications Essays
For many, the most daunting part of applications is the personal essay. After college I went on to be a writer, a college writing instructor, a Waldorf high school teacher, and nonprofit educational programs manager who trained writers to teach in public schools. With the skills I developed as a listener, mentor, educator and editor, in 2013 I founded Mighty Writing, LLC, a consultancy that guides students as they grow their writing and self-presentation skills.
College Access Counseling
Last year, I earned certification as College Access Counselor, from the Glasscock School at Rice University, and gained more tools and resources to help all kinds of students feel confident throughout their application process.
Students I've coached have happily been admitted to a wide range of colleges, from UT-Austin to Harvard to the University of St. Andrews, Scotland. And yes, a few SUNY schools, too.
LAURIE FILIPELLI, MA, MFA is a certified College Access Counselor and writing coach with 15 years of experience guiding students toward authentic and well-crafted college applications. She provides workshops and individual support for applicants, with a focus on developing balanced college lists and cultivating self-presentation, organization, and communication skills for success in college and beyond. Laurie has worked as a high school teacher, college writing and EFL/ESL instructor, and trained writers to teach in public schools. She has authored three books of poems: Elseplace (Brooklyn Arts Press, 2013), the 2019 Writers’ League of Texas Discovery Prize winner, Girl Paper Stone (Black Lawrence Press, 2018), and My Heart is a Museum (Broken Sleep Books, forthcoming 2026). She is also the author of the Mighty Writing College Application Essay Guide, in collaboration with Irena Smith, PhD. Laurie lives in Austin where she coaches college applicants, mentors aspiring poets, and indulges in daily word games.