About

The Nomad Journey

Prior to starting Nomad, I had a conversation with the client of a college prep and tutoring company in Northern Virginia. She complained that her son was lazy, and headed nowhere. “If he doesn’t shape up, I’m sending him off to military school.” I knew him as a curious, active teen with a love of physics and sports, and who volunteered with the peer mentorship program on campus. For me, he was exceptional, his empathy and enthusiasm about life was refreshing. For her, he wasn’t Ivy League bound, and that made him a failure. That disconnect between our perceptions was huge.

When I started Nomad, I decided I would only work with families who shared my optimism about their child’s future, and who welcomed my match-focused approach to college planning.

At Nomad, the journey belongs to the student.

I work with families who are looking for a low stress, high-confidence mentoring approach with their student. Families can feel confident that their student will be fully supported along their path to college, that their student will apply to the schools that will help them succeed and that match their academic history and interests, and that their student will submit applications that they are proud of.

My students apply to every kind of school, from the Ivy League to art school, from hands-on and career-focused schools to schools that specialize in the classics, from tiny and supportive to massive and athletic, and every type and size of school in between. All of them are excited to be where they end up.

Lauren M Steed, PhD

My experience includes 20 years of test-prep, classroom and college teaching, and student mentorship at all levels of education. I started Nomad in 2017, building on my work as a consultant for college prep and executive functioning coaching in Northern Virginia and as a freelance writing and essay coach for expat undergraduate and graduate student applicants. I’ve found that work with the expat and Foreign Service community has connected me with some of the most interesting and exciting students in the world.

How can Nomad help you?

Schedule an appointment

Success Stories

We have a son at a school in ____ with a British curriculum. We were concerned because the school lacks meaningful college guidance. It was helpful to hear about both the US system as well as options abroad. 
Parent
 
Online Workshop Attendee
 
 
Without you, Lauren, I’d never be where I am today. All of us in may family are so grateful for what you’ve done for me, and I hope to pay that forward to other students someday.
Student
 
Comprehensive College Planning
 
 
Lauren is not only insightful, she is also smart and possesses a rather impressive breadth and depth of knowledge, which she carries with much humility. Her unpretentiousness makes her approachable. I am confident that her students will quickly find a mentor in her.
Post's Brown-Bag Coordinator
 
Parent Workshop on Financial Aid
 
 
Lauren provided me with much needed guidance and support, she even helped me fix my last minute computer problems!
Applicant
 
Graduate School
 
 
I like Lauren’s ideas for getting a student’s creative juices flowing. I thank her for her advice on the process of writing.
Student
 
Summer Essay Workshop
 
 
When we first started, I thought this would be more like tutoring, but then I realized that you would help me become more independent. Thank you for treating me like an adult.
Student
 
Comprehensive College Planning
 
 
As Lauren mentioned, the process of applying needs to be flexible. Each student will be different with different needs which is something I am struggling with a bit, I wanted him to do as I would do if I were applying to college again.
Parent
 
Comprehensive College Planning