Camila Lacques-Zapién

Camila has over a decade of experience helping youth and adults create legacies rooted in excellence, community, and authenticity. Since graduating from UCLA in 2014 with a BA in Chicana/o Studies and International Development Studies, she has worked in college and graduate school advising, writing coaching, and youth mentorship across schools, non-profits, and private consulting.

Camila has successfully coached dozens of undergraduate, graduate, and professional school applicants to elite universities across the U.S., helping them earn millions of dollars in scholarship funds along the way. She regularly facilitates writing and admissions workshops for universities, community groups, and student organizations across the country. She has also written herself into highly competitive programs, including a Fulbright Fellowship in Italy, a creative writing scholarship at UCLA Extension, and a Public Policy and International Affairs Fellowship at UC Berkeley's Goldman School of Public Policy.

Camila's favorite part of working with applicants is witnessing the surprises that come along during the essay writing process — the stories that get unearthed, the reflections that come to the surface, the words that satisfy students' self-expression. Her approach to writing coaching is simple: the most memorable essays are the ones that tell the truth. Beyond the writing, Camila focuses on building strong bonds with applicants to help them build successful school lists, sensible timelines, and confident mindsets going into the application process.

Camila is known for her warm, ambitious, empathetic, humor-filled coaching style and identifies as a professional hype woman, expert admissions advisor, and compassionate leader. When she is not helping applicants realize their dreams, she enjoys hiking in the Santa Monica Mountains, savoring Mid-City street tacos, and cheering on LA sports teams.