Brooklyn Letters IconBrooklyn Letters

1139 Prospect Avenue, Brooklyn

4.9 56 reviews

  • Avatar Emily Matles ★★★★★ a week ago
    We would highly recommend Ally! Our son always asks about her, so very thankful to Brooklyn Letters for introducing us.
    ~ Emily, mom of Brooklyn 2 year old
  • Avatar Natalie Levon ★★★★★ 4 months ago
    Nicole has been an amazing therapist!! She played a tremendous role in our daughter’s speech progress and overall development. She has come such a long way and we are so happy with the therapy she received!
  • Avatar T Ainsley ★★★★★ 5 months ago
    I cannot express how grateful and rewarding my experience with Brooklyn Letters has been. Her tutor Ms. Daria is so knowledgeable, amazing, kind and awesome. My daughter has made so much progress in Literacy and Math and it's all … More thanks to Ms. Daria. I know my daughter is sad that she can no longer work with Ms. Daria, as she looked forward to their sessions every week. Thank you again!
  • Avatar Jackie Vasquez ★★★★★ 5 months ago
    Excellent services, caring therapists.
  • Avatar Lil Amatore ★★★★★ 8 months ago
    Christina was absolutely wonderful. She went out of her way to win my son over and it worked. He looked forward to her visits and his speech improved so much under her care. She was super flexible and it’s clear she truly cares. We adore … More Christina and we’re going to miss her. Almost sad he improved so much! She’s simply amazing and we can’t say enough how great she is. I would recommend her services to anyone and everyone, without hesitation. Thank you so much for connecting us with her!
  • Avatar Colin Peters ★★★★★ 6 months ago
    We could not be happier with the services Valerie provided! She is very thoughtful and knowledgeable and provided significant guidance to support our daughter's speech development outside of our scheduled sessions. She established … More a great working relationship with her, and she will definitely be missed! Your business model is amazing and it was an absolute pleasure working with Valerie. I've referred your organization and Valerie to the Executive Director of our daughter's school and friends/colleagues who are in need of speech therapy services.
  • Avatar Heather Liljengren ★★★★★ a year ago
    We cannot say enough good things about Effie, the ASL teacher, who was so engaged and effective with our 2 year old daughter from the very first session! Effie gladly included our whole family in the sessions! Her expertise and fantastic … More personality gave our daughter a way to communicate that she was so desperately seeking. The coordinators at Brooklyn Letters were so helpful and communicative…I would highly recommend their services!
  • Avatar Chris duke Fields ★★★★★ a month ago
    The company is great with outstanding customer service. They keep my horses protected. I have recommended them to other horses trainers as well that are going to get service early next year. Very professional an honest too. Respectfully … More submitted Christopher
  • Avatar Nikhil Jaisinghani ★★★★★ 5 months ago
    Ron and Ken did a fantastic job with our security system today. Installed everything very quick. Both of them were very polite and asked us throughout if the installation met our needs. Simply fantastic!
  • Avatar Linda Parsley ★★★★★ 6 months ago
    I called Cornerstone Protection to get a Security system at a relatives out of state property, within a week it was installed! The installers worked with the client to help understand her new system and she was happy! Our relative said … More they were courteous, professional and patient! I highly recommend Cornerstone Protection for all of your security needs!
  • Avatar Amanda Clay Mackin ★★★★★ 5 months ago
    Had blink cameras; Car was broken into multiple times so I called CornerStone & they were able to install multiple cameras very quickly & for a reasonable price. I am so happy with the app & getting alerts that are not superfluous, … More like they were with Blink. Highly recommend CornerStone & the tech Ronnie.
  • Avatar Pete Peters ★★★★★ 4 months ago
    Ron and Ken are great guys to work with.
    Both were very knowledgeable and got our system back up and running.
    Thanks to both for a job well done...
  • Avatar Brigid Bower ★★★★★ 11 months ago
    Samantha Dalmas was fantastic! We saw her for a feeding therapy evaluation and while she doesn’t think my daughter needs more feeding therapy sessions at this time, but she gave me lots of tips to try. If my daughter's doctors want … More to see more progress at her next appointment, I wouldn’t hesitate to reach out to Samantha again.
  • Avatar Larry Barton ★★★★★ a year ago
    Amazing assistance provided by Shannon today on my security system. I’m so grateful for your prompt, efficient, professional, and courteous service. Put me down as a customer for life!
  • Avatar Megan Haller ★★★★★ 2 years ago
    One of the most painless experiences I've had. They came on time and was over the moon professional with still keeping a level of personability to it. The gentleman also went out of his way to say that my husband and Mines business … More was appreciated. Which is actually rare to be appreciated by such a great company. So thank you and we look forward to continuing services with this company.
  • Avatar Megan Magsam ★★★★★ 2 years ago
    I am so happy we decided to go with cornerstone. They were quick and efficient. Shannon and the installer we very friendly. We got a lot of equipment and it was still within our budget. 10/10 would definitely recommend! Thank you
  • Avatar Collins Youngblood ★★★★★ a year ago
    Love the customer service and Shanon and his team go above and beyond for my restaurant. Couldn't of asked for a better security system and level of service that his team provides.
  • Avatar kanu patel ★★★★★ 2 years ago
    I have been using Cornerstone Protection service for over 5 years and I'm really happy with the service and state-of-the-art equipments and it's futures are so much in advance and friendly, I highly recommend Cornerstone Protection … More Service any and all business that need a security protection days and nights specially after business hours(Cornerstone Protection is perfect solution for your business). Owner of Cornerstone Protection is proactive with their customers and their equipments. Good experienced with Cornerstone Protection!!!
    Kanu Patel
  • Avatar Liz Jones ★★★★☆ 2 years ago
    We had a very positive experience with Alissa as a tutor for our pod of 5th grade boys from January - June 2020. She cared a lot about the boys and worked hard to create meaningful activities for them. The pod experience was invaluable … More for all of our families during a difficult year and we were so grateful to have found this partnership! We also want to appreciate Craig for helping to match us with a tutor on very short notice after we had cycled through a few folks who were not able to see the commitment through. Thanks for sticking with us!
  • Avatar S CL ★★★★★ 3 years ago
    Dusty was the exact person we needed to help our child finish out the school year. So grateful to him for the way he steadily encouraged her and helped her stay on track and organized. He is flexible, responsive to our needs/schedule as … More a family, and a delight to be with. We are also thankful that Craig at Themba Tutors really "gets it" and partnered us with such a wonderful tutor who was a great fit for our girl.
  • Avatar Nicole May ★★★★★ 3 years ago
    My child worked with Gillian D virtually for math enrichment. She is an excellent teacher. She took time to understand my child's specific learning style and provided tools that would be engaging. She was kind and empathetic- really … More made it her goal to connect with my child and build trust and rapport. My child started the school year with confidence and without the typically "brain-drain" that occurs over the summer, thanks to Gillian.
  • Avatar Gillian Davidoff ★★★★★ 3 years ago
    I am going into my second year as a Themba tutor. I have met so many great individuals while working for this company. Craig and the rest of the Themba team do such an excellent job picking and choosing Themba tutors that suit each client's … More individual needs! I look forward to meeting new tutors and clients in the 2021-2022 school year!
  • Avatar carolina luttmann ★★★★★ 3 years ago
    Our son started in a new high school, 100% remote, and was really struggling with Latin and Physics. I found Themba Tudors online and had an initial call with Craig, who was very knowledgeable, responsive, and found 2 amazing tutors for … More us. Both the Latin and the physics tutors were fantastic, connected with my son really well and helped him go from 'failing' grade to 'honors'! I will for sure continue using (and recommending!) Themba Tutors. Thank you, C, K, and W!
  • Avatar Eric Fingerman ★★★★★ 3 years ago
    Brian is a fantastic executive functioning coach. Super helpful, flexible with hours, and tailored the experience to our needs.
  • Avatar Susan Wong ★★★★★ 3 years ago
    Giulia Mercuri is a great Italian tutor! She was very responsive and accessible. Giulia put a ton of effort into preparing for each session and really helped our son with test preparation and projects. We are grateful that she was able … More to help, especially since our son did not receive any live teaching during COVID. We are happy that she was referred to us!
  • Avatar Christine Gennetti ★★★★★ 3 years ago
    As an adult student diagnosed with a learning disability during grad school, I knew I needed help dealing with my Master's program's demanding workload. I was seriously considering dropping out when I was referred to Themba Tutors. … More I was paired up with a wonderful tutor, Julie, who was a total lifesaver. I learned many techniques that I can utilize in the future as I embark on the next phase of my career.
    I can wholeheartedly say after working with Themba for two years that I would not have finished my program without this organization. And I am so thankful I selected them.
  • Avatar Fabiola FITZPATRICK ★★★★★ 4 years ago
    We were introduced to a wonderful tutor: Mcedwyn. He and our son, a freshman in college, worked well together. As a result, our son’s grades significantly improved. The tutor taught our son subject content and various methods to effectively … More study for quizzes and exams. Our son was also taught time management and organization. My son’s experience with the tutor made the first year of college a less intimidating experience.
  • Avatar Jude Eugene ★★★★★ 3 years ago
    We have been with our tutor, Cailin Schiller, for two years, from 5th - 7th grade. She started as an executive functioning tutor with my daughter. From the start, she demonstrated a depth of expertise and a selective use of techniques skillfully … More adapted to my daughter’s ADHD and Math disability. Cailin made Math accessible and understandable to her in a way that even her teachers had not been able to do. She differentiated reading, writing and math tasks and assignments to tailor them to my daughter’s unique learning differences. Not only did it have an effect on her grades and her work efficiency, but she finally could do her work with less anxiety. Even my daughter’s teachers used Cailin’s guidance to modify their work with her. But most importantly, she became my daughter’s favorite resource. I can’t say how invaluable Cailin has been to my daughter’s progress and well-being. I’d recommend her a million times over. She is a gem.
  • Avatar Janice Eidus ★★★★★ 4 years ago
    Victoria is a superb tutor. She helped my high school age daughter with her writing. Victoria's skills as a tutor, as well as her sense of humor and her engaging personality went a long way with my daughter.
  • A Google User ★★★★★ 4 years ago
    I'm so glad we were referred to Themba Tutors. After a great initial conversation to learn our needs, we were connected with an excellent tutor, Felicia, who is helping our high school daughter learn better organizational and executive … More skills. Highly recommended.
  • Avatar Fara Jones ★★★★★ 5 years ago
    Themba Tutors provided a leaning specialist that was a perfect fit for my daughter. I told them what we were looking for and they delivered. Our tutor is responsive and flexible and makes it easy for my daughter to reach out to her own … More her own, which gives her an added sense of responsibility over her learning. As a therapist myself, I now regularly recommend Themba to my patients. A much needed and well provided service to the community!!
  • Avatar Frances Simpson ★★★★★ 4 years ago
    The tutors at Themba are fantastic! Caitlyn McNeill helped our son academically, but also with getting organized in every subject, which he so desperately needed. She offered great advice and useful strategies that helped our son become … More a more successful student. We are using Themba tutors again this year for our daughter. We're so happy to have been referred to them!
  • Avatar Mary Jean Babic ★★★★★ 4 years ago
    I'm so glad we were referred to Themba Tutors. After a great initial conversation to learn our needs, we were connected with an excellent tutor, Felicia, who is helping our high school daughter learn better organizational and executive … More skills. Highly recommended.
  • Avatar Nina Herman ★★★★★ 4 years ago
    We had a wonderful experience with our tutor Micaela. She helped our son not only academically but at every level. We will be forever grateful to have her in our lives.
  • Avatar Frances ★★★★★ 4 years ago
    The tutors at Themba are fantastic! Caitlyn McNeill helped our son academically, but also with getting organized in every subject, which he so desperately needed. She offered great advice and useful strategies that helped our son become … More a more successful student. We are using Themba tutors again this year for our daughter. We're so happy to have been referred to them!
  • Avatar Michael Birnbaum ★★★★★ 4 years ago
    Paul Smith at Themba has been an exceptional tutor for my son, both in terms of teaching the subject matter and teaching how best to approach the process of learning math and executing assignments. We feel very fortunate to be working with … More Paul.
  • Avatar Monica Alzate ★★★★★ 5 years ago
    We were very lucky to have found Edwouine Swift, my son's therapist through Themba Tutors. Thomas is 12 years old, and it is extremely difficult to get him to write. Edwouine just works her magic with him, he adores her and is so … More eager to follow her guidance. I have no doubt she will be a positive driving force in his academic future.

Best 1:1 College Application Essay Tutors in NYC Metro Area

College Application Essay Tutor

In-Home & Virtual Brainstorming, Common App Outlining, Supplemental Essay Strategy, and Executive Function Coaching Across NYC, Long Island, Westchester, CT, and NJ

Navigating selective college admissions requires more than basic proofreading or grammar editing—it demands strategic narrative development, authentic self-reflection, and disciplined deadline management.

As a specialized Level 3/4 college transition spoke within our master NYC writing tutor directory, high school writing hub, and central college academic support services hub, our team guides high school juniors and seniors through authentic personal statements, supplemental essays, and multi-application pacing.

📌 Looking for Broader Academic Writing or College Transition Support?

Service Snapshot

  • Service: 1:1 Private College Application Essay Coaching & Narrative Strategy
  • Delivery Formats: In-person private tutoring (traveling directly to your residence) & interactive virtual online sessions via Zoom
  • Locations Served: NYC Metro Area (Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, Bronx, Staten Island), Long Island, Westchester, Boston, Connecticut, and New Jersey
  • Student Focus: High school juniors & seniors (Grades 11–12), Common App applicants, Coalition App, UC system applicants, BS/MD candidates, and neurodivergent learners (ADHD, dysgraphia, EF challenges)
  • Core Focus Areas: Personal statement brainstorming, thesis/narrative architecture, supplemental essay strategy, interview prep, and multi-deadline management
  • Key Interventions: Graphic outline mapping, color-coded drafting sprints, authentic voice development, and executive function deadline planning
  • Leadership & Credentials: Founded in 2012 by CEO Craig Selinger (Educational Specialist); 90%+ of staff hold Master’s or Doctoral degrees in Education, Psychology, or Special Education

Crafting Standout Personal Statements & Supplemental Essays

The college application essay is often the single component of the application where students can speak directly to admissions committees in their own voice. Standing out among thousands of high-achieving applicants requires moving beyond clichés and showcasing intellectual curiosity, personal resilience, and self-awareness.

Our experienced college application essay tutors assist students with every phase of the writing lifecycle:

  1. Topic Discovery & Brainstorming: Uncovering unique life experiences, extracurricular passions, and pivotal personal moments that reflect character and intellectual growth.
  2. Narrative Outlining & Structural Architecture: Designing clear narrative arcs, compelling opening hooks, vivid descriptive scenes, and reflective conclusions.
  3. Common App & Coalition Prompts: Deconstructing specific prompt nuances and tailoring personal statements for broad institutional appeal.
  4. Supplemental & “Oddball” Prompts: Navigating institution-specific short answers, “Why Us?” essays, and creative prompts for selective universities like Harvard, Princeton, Columbia, NYU, and Duke.
  5. Interview Preparation: Translating written essay themes into articulate, confident talking points for college alumni interviews.

Initial Feedback Session for College Essay Writing Students

We offer a complimentary consultation to review goals, discuss essay strategy, and outline a structured writing plan. Our tutors provide detailed manuscript assessments, revision strategies, and academic writing guidance designed to elevate clarity, organization, voice, grammar, and punctuation while helping each student highlight their unique character, accomplishments, and future opportunity.

We prioritize regular feedback to students and parents, fostering open communication and encouraging active family involvement in their college application journey. This supportive approach empowers students to progress from navigating essay prompts to achieving polished essays that confidently and proficiently reflect their strengths and aspirations. Discover the best college writing programs and tools to enhance your essays, from organization to plagiarism checks; these programs are every procrastinating student’s godsend. 

Our tutors also recommend other resources, including reputable materials from Princeton Review, ACT prep courses, prep courses, and a free SAT practice test when appropriate, helping students strengthen both their essays and their overall college readiness.

School Support Throughout the NYC Metro Area

We provide college application essay tutoring to students attending public, private, charter, and independent school programs throughout the NYC metro area, Westchester, Long Island, Boston, Connecticut, and New Jersey. Our highly qualified educational team—more than 90% of whom hold advanced degrees in education and psychology—builds strong relationships with thousands of students, helping them overcome digital distractions while developing stronger writing and critical thinking skills that extend beyond the classroom.

Executive Function Coaches Tiers

TESTIMONIALS

Barbara was fantastic with Lila, and we were very happy with her. Lila got accepted to her first choice, and we appreciated the help not only with her essay but also with general college questions Barbara was able to help her with.

-Teena M.

We are parents of a bright college-age son who, despite his intelligence, has struggled academically because of ADHD and executive functioning challenges. After a very difficult first three semesters at college, which deeply affected his confidence and self-esteem, our son left school and, for years, was too discouraged to return, fearful of more failure. We reached out to Themba Tutors to recommend someone who could give him the support and encouragement he needed to return to school, and he was referred to Jordan W. We could not have been happier with that referral. We had no idea whether our son would be willing to work with him, but Jordan’s warm and engaging nature won him over. With Jordan’s support, guidance, and encouragement, our son went back to college! He is still a work in progress and has many challenges ahead. Still, we are, and will always be, grateful for Jordan’s kind, caring nature, intelligence, and extraordinary patience in helping our son move forward. Thank you, Jordan, and thank you, Themba Tutors.

-Guy

Lillian is amazing and undoubtedly a large factor in the colleges Ben has accepted. She has changed his whole orientation towards his academics.

-Pam Cobrin

Alex’s services were of great help and support to me, especially when it came to keeping my feet on the ground and suggesting methods to improve my college experience further.

-Ashoka Z.

At Themba Tutors, we take the time to help students/clients understand their strengths and progress in areas where they need to improve. We offer personalized tools for each of our clients to help them become more aware of their individual needs as they work towards short-term goals. Improving these skills will benefit our students’/clients’ long-term plans.

ALYSSA C.
ALYSSA

Master’s in Special Education, Bachelor’s in Psychology

ANTHONY
ANTHONY

Master of Science in Education

EMILY S.
EMILY S.

Master’s in Education

JAMES K.
JAMES K.

Master’s Degree in Special Education, Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology

Best 1:1 College Application Essay Tutors in NYC Metro Area
KAMARIA

Master’s in Special Education

Best 1:1 College Application Essay Tutors in NYC Metro Area
DAVID S.

Master’s in Teaching of Social Studies, Bachelor’s in Social Theory and Practice

Why Content Mastery Isn’t Enough: Our Systemic Framework

Writing a great college essay is rarely a matter of grammar alone—it is an executive function challenge involving task initiation, time-blocking, working memory, and emotional regulation. Many capable seniors freeze when faced with blank application portals or procrastinate until deadlines loom.

In accordance with our Master Linking Architecture, our academic execution system integrates executive function coaching directly into application writing. Rather than offering superficial line-editing, we teach students repeatable academic performance systems for outlining, evidence selection, and multi-day revision.

This systematic coordination approach connects writing instruction with our master executive function coaching and academic support system to ensure application anxiety and task initiation bottlenecks are solved at the root level.

Specialized Support for ADHD and Neurodivergent Applicants

Students with ADHD, dysgraphia, or executive dysfunction face unique obstacles during the college admissions process. Managing dozens of supplemental prompts across multiple university portals while maintaining high school grades can cause severe overwhelm.

Our specialists utilize neurodiversity-informed routines:

  • Task Decomposition: Breaking 650-word personal statements into 15-minute, manageable writing sprints.
  • Visual Graphic Organizers: Mapping essay arcs visually to reduce working memory load.
  • Speech-to-Text & Brainstorming Transcripts: Capturing articulate verbal ideas directly into written drafts.
  • Structured Deadline Calendars: Pacing application submissions over summer and fall blocks to eliminate late-night stress.

For students requiring broader executive support, our tutors integrate ELA & Writing Tutoring for ADHD directly alongside application strategy.

Who We Are?

College Application Essay Tutor
  • Our services include comprehensive in-person and online academic tutoring.
  • Service areas include NYC Metro, Long Island, Boston, Westchester, New Jersey, and Connecticut.
  • We cater to all ages and learners, specializing in those with learning differences.
  • Our team includes academic tutors, certified subject specialists, advanced learning specialists/coaches, and doctoral-level specialists/coaches.
  • We emphasize personalized learning plans and individual attention.
  • Our organization distinguishes itself through our customized approach and highly qualified staff.
  • We value flexibility, expertise, and a personalized learning experience.
  • We prioritize long-term academic success and skill development.
  • Collaboration with families and schools is integral to our approach.
  • We offer tailored strategies to enhance motivation, focus, and study habits.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

  1. What does a 1:1 college application essay tutor do?
    A college application essay tutor guides students through topic brainstorming, outline construction, narrative drafting, revising, and final editing for Common App personal statements, supplemental essays, and scholarship prompts.
  1. When should high school students start working on college application essays?
    Most students begin brainstorming during the spring of 11th grade or early summer before senior year, allowing ample time to complete drafts before early action and early decision deadlines.
  1. How do tutors support students with ADHD or task initiation struggles?
    Our tutors combine writing instruction with executive function coaching—using visual graphic organizers, time-bound drafting sprints, and multi-week deadline schedules to overcome blank-page paralysis.

4. Do tutors help with supplemental essays and college interview preparation?
Yes! We assist with university-specific supplemental prompts, “Why Us?” essays, honors program applications, and mock interview preparation.

  1. Is in-home college application essay tutoring available in NYC?
    Yes! Our tutors travel directly to residences across Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, Bronx, Staten Island, Westchester, and Long Island, as well as providing virtual online coaching via Zoom.

Start Your Performance Journey

Take the first step toward building sustainable academic habits, consistent execution, and long-term subject mastery. Start with our Diagnostic Gateway, learn more about Our Methodology, or explore our Subjects Directory to find the right support for your needs. 

Not ready to fill out the form yet? We’re here to make this easy.

📞 (917) 382-8641 | 📲 (917) 382-8641 | ✉ info@thembatutors.com


Every coach offers a free 15-minute remote meet-and-greet, so you can get to know them and see if it feels like the right fit. We’re very responsive and easy to communicate with throughout the process. From there, we’ll thoughtfully match you with one or more of our coaches.