Befuddled by college prep? Lindsay Tanne Howe has some answers
Many people decide to become entrepreneurs after finishing college. Lindsay Tanne Howe, founder and CEO of LogicPrep, established her company when she was a freshman at Harvard University.
“At the time, I was really just a kid helping other kids, and with my interest in writing and storytelling, I wanted to help students shape their own stories,” she recalled. “Fast forward to today, and I’m a parent myself, helping families navigate the process alongside an incredible team of former admissions officers from schools like Harvard, MIT, UPenn and Duke.”
The Ivy League-plus expert is a frequent speaker at Young Presidents’ Organizations (YPO) gatherings, the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society’s Student Visionaries of the Year program and at high schools globally. She is a member of the National Association for College Admission Counseling (NACAC) and the Independent Educational Consultants Association (IECA). Howe is frequently featured as a thought leader and writer in publications that include Forbes, Parents, Town & Country, Family Wealth Report and Teen Vogue.
Beyond LogicPrep, she is the founder and president of The Jesse Kolber Foundation, which supports high-achieving students who demonstrate resilience, financial need and a commitment to academic excellence. She also volunteers with the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS), with a particular focus on helping young people. As such, Howe is a reviewer for the annual LLS Scholarship for Blood Cancer Survivors, which supports blood cancer patients and survivors on their higher education journeys.
Howe grew up in Westchester County and is now raising what her five children and stepchildren call their “smushed family” in Fairfield County. There she enjoys exploring local playgrounds and museums with her kids, learning about wine and sneaking in time for fiction reading and Pilates.
“It feels so good to be back to my roots, supporting students and families in such an academically oriented community.”
We caught up with her before her Sept. 25th talk on “The Questions Every Family Should Ask Before Starting the College Admissions Process.” (Howe will be speaking at Athena Books in Old Greenwich from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m.)
Lindsay, thank you for taking the time to speak with Westfair. Your talk is on what families should do before navigating the admissions process. So what is the first step?
“The first step in the college admissions process isn’t choosing a school or a major. It’s following your curiosity. Encourage your child to try new clubs, activities and classes. Passions develop from exposure. So help them to explore widely, listen to podcasts, read the news and, most importantly, have conversations at the dinner table about what lights them up. That’s how a story begins to take shape – over time, through curiosity and engagement.”
Walk us through the process. The student takes the SATs or the ACTs, writes an essay, gets recommendations and submits them with an application. Should the student, then, study for the exams, take a class in them and take them more than once?
“We recommend students take a diagnostic SAT and ACT in sophomore year and build a game plan from there. One-on-one prep is especially valuable, because it helps students focus on their past mistakes, tailor a strategy that works for them and set their own timeline. Most students end up taking the test two or three times to maximize their potential.”
What about the essay? Is it specific to each school to which the student is applying, or is it a personal reflection of the student? Does the student need to hire a coach for this?
“The Common Application essay is a personal statement that goes to all schools, while most colleges also require supplemental essays about topics like potential majors or why a student wants to attend. Essays are an opportunity to showcase your unique voice, interests and creativity. In today’s world, where AI is everywhere and interviews are less central to the process, the essays are your best chance to say, in your own words, who you are. Our students have even received acceptance letters with personal notes from admissions officers referencing their stories. That’s why having a thoughtful partner in the process can be so valuable, and our essay coaches help students structure their ideas and bring their authentic voices to the page.”
How many recommendations do you need and who should write them?
“Most colleges require two teacher recommendations and one from your school counselor. More than the subject, what matters most is a teacher’s ability to speak specifically about your engagement, interests and character. That’s why it’s so important to start cultivating strong relationships with your teachers and school counselor as early as ninth grade.”
In applying to colleges, how many should you aim for and what’s the balance of safety schools and real moonshots?
“We typically advise students to build a balanced list of about 12 schools, a mix of reaches, targets and likelies. Early Decision is also a key part of the strategy, since acceptance rates in the early round can be four to five times higher. Used wisely, it can dramatically increase your chances of getting into your top-choice school.”
You have a degree in honors English. What was your essay about? And would you advise someone to major in English today, given the focus on STEM and job-specific degrees and the gutting of humanities departments? How has your English major helped you in your work?
“My college essay was actually on a cooking experiment gone horribly wrong. I always share that with my students, because many feel like they need to have experienced a major hardship or saved the planet to write a compelling story. The truth is, it’s really about showing who you are and how you see the world.
“And as for my major, I studied English, and I’ll always be a believer in the liberal arts. It gave me a foundation in how to think, problem-solve and collaborate, which has shaped everything I do today. In a world so focused on STEM and AI, those human skills – creativity, collaboration, communication — are more valuable than ever.”
Describe your services. How many employees do you have and how many people have you served?
“LogicPrep supports students and families holistically through the entire journey of high school into college. That means everything from college advising and test prep to academic support and help with essays. We work with over 150 students each year, guided by a team of more than 50 professionals who partner closely with families locally and around the world.”
What’s the one piece of advice you would give to an overwhelmed college applicant right now?
“Take it one step at a time. The process can feel intimidating, but it’s really a series of small, manageable pieces that build on each other. And remember there’s no such thing as the ‘perfect’ college applicant. The best applicant is the most deeply authentic, engaged version of you.”
This article was originally published in Westfair Business Journal on September 24, 2025 and can be viewed here.