About
Hi, I'm Laura.
I've been the parent at the kitchen table, and I've been the person a student finally opens up to. Both shaped The Prep Table.
I'm Laura Schammel, and I live in San Antonio, Texas. I started The Prep Table because good college help shouldn't cost thousands of dollars. Every student deserves a seat at the table, and every family deserves access to quality college support as they navigate the college application process.
Why "The Prep Table"
A great GPA and good test scores get a student considered. But there's a lot of preparation behind every application, and the part that earns the seat is the student's story: what they care about, how they spend their time, and how they tell it.
The Prep Table is where that preparation happens. We sit down together, sort out the pieces, and help your student show colleges who they really are. Every student deserves a seat at the table.
Where it started
My two daughters applied to college three years apart. Along the way I learned what I believe most: it takes more than a great GPA and good SAT scores to make the difference in admissions.
Between them, they were admitted to UT, Texas A&M, Baylor, Carnegie Mellon, the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, Syracuse, Pratt, Rochester Institute of Technology, Savannah College of Art and Design, and St. Edward’s. They were also waitlisted at NYU and Virginia Tech, so I know firsthand what the waiting and the “not yet” feel like.
How it grew
In 2019, I founded the National Charity League, Stone Oak Chapter, where mothers and daughters learn to lead and volunteer together through senior year. As the girls reached junior and senior year, moms and students began asking me for help with college applications.
Since 2023, I've worked with 4 to 5 students every year on resumes, activities lists, essays, and college lists.
Training
Training and memberships
I completed the National Association for College Admission Counseling's (NACAC) Professional Certificate in Core Concepts for Independent Educational Consultants. NACAC is the national professional association for college admission counselors and admission officers.
- Founder, National Charity League, Stone Oak Chapter (2019)
- Member, Texas Association for College Admission Counseling (TACAC)
- Former Scholarship Evaluator, San Antonio Area Foundation
- Latina Leadership Institute, San Antonio Hispanic Chamber of Commerce (SAHCC): six-month program in leadership, nonprofits, and board service, 2020
- Volunteer leader: built partnerships with more than 30 nonprofit organizations to create volunteer opportunities for high school students, and served more than 400 volunteer hours myself
How I work
I listen first
Students often say more to someone who isn't their parent.
The student writes
I help students find and shape their story. The words are always theirs.
I'm honest about cost
My prices are posted, and if you need less help than you think, I'll tell you.
Admissions
Students I've worked with have been admitted to UT, Texas A&M, Baylor, TCU, Texas Tech, Texas State, Sam Houston State, Cornell, Carnegie Mellon, Syracuse, Pratt, Rochester Institute of Technology, Savannah College of Art and Design, and the School of the Art Institute of Chicago.
Every student is different. These are their accomplishments, and no advisor can promise an admission.
Let's talk
I'd love to hear about your student. Send me a note, and let's talk about where they are and what would help.