About Lauren
Originally from the Boston area, Lauren Drake relocated with her family to Chapel Hill in 2005. Lauren had fond memories of the South from her undergrad years at Duke University and was thrilled to make North Carolina her new home.
A brief stint in admissions began her interest in higher education; she later worked for an educational startup that matched recent grads with entry-level jobs. Several years as a market researcher also made her well-versed in digging for information.
When her oldest child was applying to college, Lauren realized that the process had become incredibly complicated. She quickly developed a deep passion for all things college-related, and was thrilled to discover a career that integrated her strengths and interests.
Lauren is constantly seeking out new information to add to her extensive repository of college knowledge, and her dedicated daily consumption of new data and industry trends sets her apart. She regularly attends industry conferences and tours colleges throughout the United States and Europe.
Teens and parents alike enjoy Lauren’s warmth and enthusiasm, as well as her resourcefulness. She loves working with teenagers and quickly builds rapport. When not meeting with college-bound teens and their families, Lauren enjoys taking long neighborhood walks with her two doodles, singing along to her favorite ‘80s hits, and dreaming about her next overseas trip.
Lauren’s Qualifications
Lauren is a professional member of the Independent Educational Consultants Association and a member of the International Association of College Admissions Counseling (the international affiliate of NACAC). She also holds a post-baccalaureate certificate in independent educational consulting from the University of California, Irvine, and is a UK Certified Counselor with the British Council and can advise students interested in attending university in the UK. She is a certified essay coach with the WOW Writing Workshop, which helps streamline and simplify the writing process.
Lauren formerly served as the interim college counselor at Carolina Friends School, an independent school in Durham, NC. More recently, she established the Facebook group “Chapel Hill/Triangle College Admissions Advice,” where she shares her admissions expertise with a broader community.