Meet Steve Tapper
Former Emory reader, essay specialist, and seasoned college counselor
Fascinated with the college planning process and wanting to help students and families through it, Steve pursued and obtained a College Counseling Certificate with Distinction from UCLA. Steve then served as a seasonal reader with the Emory University admissions office for two admissions cycles, where he analyzed students’ curriculum rigor and grades and assessed applications as a partner in the Committee-Based Evaluation process. In addition, Steve served as an essay specialist for College Essay Guy.
Steve received a B.A. with Honors from Brown University—where he was a four-year member of the varsity swimming team—and a J.D. from Vanderbilt Law School. He also served as an alumni admissions interviewer for Brown. Steve is an associate member of the Independent Educational Consultants Association (IECA) and a member of the Higher Education Consultants Association (HECA), and he attended HECA’s Professional Development Institute. Steve is certified by the Myers-Briggs Company to administer the Strong Interest Inventory and Strong Interest Inventory 244 assessments.
Steve loves helping students position themselves for success (including taking the right classes and finding meaningful extracurricular activities), find great-fit colleges, and tell their stories in college applications. Having gone through the college admissions process with his two children, Steve has an additional perspective as a parent. Steve is also a volunteer college counselor with the College Essay Guy’s Matchlighters Scholars Program and a volunteer essay coach at North Atlanta High School. Steve and his wife live in Atlanta with their dog. He enjoys traveling, hiking, swimming, reading, researching, writing, and listening to podcasts and music.
“Working with Steve was the most influential part of my college admissions journey.
He was invested in my success and never failed to encourage me when I felt uncertain about my future.
His background as an admissions reader gave him a firsthand look into what colleges want, and he shared this information with me to help me grow as an applicant. His continuous support helped me improve my writing and self-advocacy skills, which have stayed with me as I navigate college.
Steve is kind, organized, proactive, and intelligent — it’s not an overstatement to say that his consulting changed my future for the better.”
—Claire, Duke University
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Contact Steve to set up your discovery call.