HI, I’M ASHLEY - YOUR ESSAY ARCHITECT
I’ll teach you how to unlock the storyteller within, examine your identity and experiences with depth and nuance, and empower you to put your most authentic self on the page.
I started The Essay Architect almost 20 years ago when I was working as a high school English teacher. I saw a clear need – even the strongest students and best writers didn’t know what to write. And they didn’t know how to write it. I developed my own approach to this process, designed to demystify the college application essay and equip students with a toolbox to attack it with boldness and authenticity. This toolbox, by the way, is one that students can (and hopefully will) carry with them throughout their life. After all, writing is a life skill.
I bring to this process a comprehensive expertise honed over nearly two decades, hundreds of students, and thousands of essays, and I pair it with a style and approach that is fun, casual, and relaxed. I’m here to help students uncover the story they need to tell and engineer it from the ground up.
I earned my B.A. in Journalism from UNC-Chapel Hill, where my years as a journalist equipped me with the instincts to ask questions that get to the heart of someone’s story. I started my career as an AP English teacher, where building relationships with students came as naturally as my passion for reading, writing, and rhetoric. I earned my MFA in Creative Writing, where my studies focused on non-fiction and memoir writing, before I transitioned to full-time college essay work, including tutoring, lectures, and consulting. I live in Charlotte, NC with my husband and three children, and in my free time I relish yacht rock playlists, collecting fine china, and singing karaoke.
"Ashley instilled so much confidence in my writing abilities. She helped me work through drafts, brainstorm ideas, and gave me action steps to strengthen my essays. Ashley was so helpful that I went back to her this past summer to help me with my Kenan-Flagler Business School application essays. Working with Ashley was one of the best decisions I made regarding my college application and decision process!"
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Caroline C.
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"Ashley instilled so much confidence in my writing abilities. She helped me work through drafts, brainstorm ideas, and gave me action steps to strengthen my essays. Ashley was so helpful that I went back to her this past summer to help me with my Kenan-Flagler Business School application essays. Working with Ashley was one of the best decisions I made regarding my college application and decision process!" - Caroline C. -
IT'S ABOUT MORE THAN AN ESSAY.
WE STRIVE TO...teach.
“The road to hell is paved with adverbs.”
–Stephen King
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champion.
“Your intuition knows what to write, so get out of the way.” – Ray Bradbury
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inspire.
“We are surrounded by story.”
– Alice McDermott