Testimonials

Marilyn Lawrence is a miracle worker. My daughter (E) is a very bright and competent young woman, but she is also very strong-willed and opinionated, and has a tendency to procrastinate things that aren’t on her priority list. I was ready for the battle of the century when it came to working on college applications, and I was very concerned because I wanted E’s strengths to shine through, but could not imagine how we could get from here to there.

Marilyn came recommended by an adult who had worked with her on a book project, and her writing and editing skills are absolutely top-notch. I was confident in her skill set, but working with her was absolutely amazing, since her human skills are no less impressive – I felt like I got a therapist and a cheerleader rolled into the bargain. Marilyn supported E in writing her college essays, but she did so while respecting and recognizing E’s voice and E’s own (very decided) opinions about things. She gave E confidence and insight into her writing, and into the process itself – things I had dreamed of for E but never thought I’d see happen. E would never have had the patience to work through her thoughts and her drafts without Marilyn’s support and guidance.  

I truly cannot recommend Marilyn enough – she has been a lifesaver for the college application process – but also for my daughter and my family! 

– Rebecca H.
Parent, 12th Grade
Suburban Philadelphia

Dr. Marilyn Lawrence of Candle & Quill lives up to and surpasses her reputation. I can say with certainty that if you have the privilege of working with her, you will not be disappointed. Dr. Lawrence’s contagious passion for writing and literature adds a unique dimension to learning. Her kind disposition and academic wit are enchanting. She is firm, fair, and exceptionally capable. The services provided to me by Candle & Quill include the following: writing coaching, assistance with admission essays, crafting a personalized English course syllabus for a gap-year class with specific writing and analytical goals, and offering valuable connections to resources. Additionally, Dr. Lawrence teaches a method of annotation — known as the Magic Pen — that has profoundly changed the way I interact with texts. With the highest praise, I wholeheartedly recommend Candle & Quill.

– Charlotte W.
Student, Gap Year
Greenwich, Connecticut

We reached out to Dr. Marilyn Lawrence after yet another family argument about college application essays that ended in tears. Our daughter stopped talking to us about her essays or sharing her drafts. We all felt miserable. 

Marilyn saved us. She helped our daughter find her authentic voice and tell stories that are engaging and compelling. Week by week, our daughter transformed from stressed and uncertain to calm and confident. And she helped us as parents make that transformation, too.

We appreciated Marilyn’s extraordinary coaching skills combined with her comforting, personal style. From the very beginning, we all knew we were in good hands. 

Our daughter’s trust in Marilyn’s process led to trust in herself and, ultimately, trust in us again. She shared her final drafts with us and we were amazed at the difference from her earlier drafts. We loved the essays. 

Marilyn was able to bring out the very best of our daughter and her writing. We are deeply grateful for all she did and highly recommend Marilyn to any family who wants the college essays to showcase the very best of their child. 

– John S.
Parent, 12th Grade
New York City

I showed up the first day with 6 different drafts of my personal statement and countless little paragraphs answering random prompts and, within less than 2 months, Dr. L transformed what I had into strong, articulate writing that I felt extremely proud of. 

She tore my work apart in the most loving and gentle way because she knows how personal this process is. Her feedback always felt like a precious gift, not an attack. 

Dr. Lawrence made me so excited to continue writing for my college applications that I was constantly surprising myself by how much work I was able to get done, despite my busy senior year schedule. After each session, I couldn’t help but sing and dance because of how exhilarated and inspired I felt. 

Dr. Lawrence is truly a genius and a miracle worker. 

– H. S.
Student, 12th Grade
New York City

My daughter had unfinished, unpolished drafts of I-don’t-know-how-many essays. She had insisted on doing her applications without help from her parents, so all we could do was stand by and worry. 

To be sure, her resistance to our involvement was understandable: we are professors, and she was worried that she could lose her voice if she accepted feedback from people who not only write for a living and work at universities, but also know her so well that we might struggle to get some distance from what she had to say. But as professors, we knew just how essential it was for her — as it is for any writer — to get feedback and guidance from someone knowledgeable, thoughtful, and skilled. 

Enter Dr. Lawrence at Candle & Quill. I turned to Dr. Lawrence because she had given me feedback on my own writing, so I knew firsthand that she is a brilliant reader of texts and a gifted teacher. I cannot overstate how thankful I am that she was willing and able to fit my daughter into her schedule. 

She read and discussed every single one of those unfinished drafts and offered my daughter invaluable guidance, helping her with every aspect of her writing while elevating her voice. She understood how critical it was to nurture my daughter’s ideas while giving her clear and firm advice. And she pulled it off like the master she is, working with my daughter to get from unfinished drafts to polished final versions and simultaneously bolstering her confidence. 

Dr. Lawrence has all the qualities of an excellent teacher. She is rigorous, knowledgeable, attentive, empathetic, and enthusiastic. She requires and expects hard work while never losing sight of the person. We could not be more grateful for what she did for our daughter.

– Christina Ponsa-Kraus
Parent, 12th Grade
New York City

I could not be more grateful for Marilyn and all of her help. I don’t know what I would do without her! She’s attentive, focused, aware of my goals, and extremely caring as well as open about the steps that would be best for me to achieve my personal goals. She knows that applying to college is not a one-size-fits-all process and made sure to connect with me and understand what stage I was in and where I needed to go next. I had complete control over the focus of my writing and ensured that my intended message, as well as my voice, did not get lost in the shuffle. I’ve never been so appreciative to know and learn from someone so gifted and genuine. Having her by my side made applying to college less stressful by a mile! I never felt pressured, only motivated! Truly lucky to have her on my team as she continues to inspire me!

– Sally S.
Student, 12th Grade
Westchester County, New York

Along with my personal statement, activities description, and other supplemental essays, Marilyn helped me with the seven supplemental essays required for Cornell Engineering, my first choice college, which I got into through early decision. I believe my essays were a deciding factor in my admission. Marilyn gave attentive, thoughtful, and detailed feedback on everything from sentence structure to general writing direction while providing flexibility in scheduling.

– R. H.
Student, 12th Grade
Long Island

When I heard Dr. Lawrence launched Candle & Quill, I signed my daughter up immediately. Dr. Lawrence taught writing at Trinity School for over a decade and has a Princeton degree in Comparative Literature; I knew the outcome would be strong and of the highest quality, no question. What I did not anticipate was the additional gifts that would come through working with Dr Lawrence. Our daughter went from a place of fear to one of engagement and dare I say enjoyment. The confidence she gained shifted the entire college application process for her – and consequently for us; truly priceless. I couldn’t recommend her enough; sign up before she’s full!!!

– Maria T.
Parent, 12th Grade
Rye, New York

When my daughter found herself completely overwhelmed with rewriting her personal essay and her supplements for college applications, Marilyn came to the rescue and in a few sessions she was able to get her back on track. My daughter got in early decision to her first choice school – and even received a handwritten note from the regional Admissions Officer saying how much he had enjoyed reading her personal statement! Marilyn has a lot of experience with teenagers and an upbeat personality and my daughter loved working with her. I highly recommend using Marilyn’s services for college essay writing!

– E. C.
Parent, 12th Grade
New York City

I love working with Marilyn! She was very helpful with my college application, particularly with my personal statement. Her guidance with my personal statement was exceptional – she didn’t just edit my work, but helped me discover a narrative that was deeply meaningful and authentically mine. Marilyn’s approach was remarkably supportive; she balanced professional expertise with genuine encouragement, ensuring I remained motivated and focused throughout the challenging application process. What truly set her apart was her ability to make what could have been a stressful experience not just manageable, but enjoyable. Thank you!

– Anonymous
Student, 12th Grade
New York City

Thank you Candle & Quill for your diligent, thoughtful instruction and guidance during the college essay process for my son. Your individual approach inspired his creativity while offering him the appropriate structure to focus his attention on critical priorities that ultimately culminated in a compelling product reflective of his values, performance, and potential. As of the end of November, he has already been extended letters of acceptance from his list of target and stretch institutions for next fall!!!

– Brendan G.
Parent, 12th Grade
Upstate New York

Dr. Lawrence is simply the best! An exceptional educator, coach, and veteran parent, she brings a wealth of experience and compassion to each session. She approached our daughter with sensitivity, encouragement, and contagious positivity.

Before meeting with Dr. Lawrence, our daughter was stressed, overthinking her essays and what admissions officers might be looking for. In just a few sessions, Dr. Lawrence helped our daughter rediscover her authentic voice. After that, the rest of her essays started to flow. She regained her confidence and she was on her own.

Our daughter absolutely loved working with Dr. Lawrence! We are amazed at the results!!

– S. K.
Parent, 12th Grade
New York City

Working with Marilyn was an absolute pleasure! Amidst all the pressures of college applications, she helped relieve that stress, and made me excited for the different parts of the application process. As I wrote my essays, she encouraged me and edited my writing to ensure that my authentic, best self shone through. She is so engaging and lively, and those features made an incredibly positive impact on my outlook when it came to college applications.

– Molly Cherico
Student, 12th Grade
Pennsylvania

Candle & Quill has been an incredible support system throughout my college application process. From the very beginning, their personalized guidance helped me craft essays that were not only polished and engaging but deeply reflective of who I am. Their one-on-one feedback sessions were invaluable, ensuring my writing was thoughtful, authentic, and aligned with my goals. Beyond essays, they played a pivotal role in helping me evaluate my college list, stay on track with deadlines, and create a manageable application plan. Their combination of expertise and encouragement has made an often-overwhelming process feel structured and achievable. I couldn’t have asked for better support.

– L. F. F.
Student, 12th Grade
New York City

Marilyn is fantastic! She is patient, kind, thoughtful, and really in tune with bringing out the student’s voice. The college admission process is extremely stressful and she made it so much easier by creating a plan, giving expert advice, and thoughtful edits. My son clicked with her right away and really trusted her. I would absolutely work with her again and highly recommend her services.

– Lauren
Parent, 12th Grade
New York City

I have had such a great time working with Candle & Quill! The texts we read are thought provoking and compelling. Writing is so fun with such creative prompts. My personal writing has begun to thrive and I have found a lot of joy in writing. My perspective on how I write has developed. I can use the skills I have learned with Candle & Quill by translating them to the classroom and even to my journal.

– S. B.
Student, 11th Grade
New York City

We had the pleasure of working with Dr. Marilyn Lawrence at Candle & Quill to help my son craft his personal essay for college applications. She provided thoughtful guidance, clear structure, and unwavering support throughout the process. Dr. Lawrence’s expertise helped him find his voice and tell his story in a compelling way, and the final essay exceeded our expectations. We are so grateful for her help and highly recommend her to any student navigating the college application process. Her expertise and dedication make a stressful process feel much more manageable.

– J. A.
Parent, 12th Grade
New York City

Candle & Quill not only helped me drastically improve my essays but also empowered me to become a more confident writer. They encouraged me to embrace the nuances and quirks of my voice and writing style that I had never fully appreciated or even noticed before.

– Maximilian M.
Student, 12th Grade
Connecticut

Marilyn has been working with my junior to help support him in English and strengthen his skills as a writer. 

Since she has been an English teacher for so many years, she is extremely familiar with all the texts. Her help with annotation strategy has been extremely valuable for my junior, helping him to be a stronger reader. 

Marilyn doesn’t just give away the answers but encourages students to think for themselves, through the process of writing an argument and supporting it, really making them strong writers for life. She is extremely patient, encouraging, and always joins every class well prepared and with a smile! 

– Anonymous
Parent, 11th Grade
New York City