Hi, I’m Mike Cotter — a teacher, writer, and academic mentor who enjoys helping students develop clarity, confidence, and intellectual independence through serious writing and thoughtful conversation.

I graduated summa cum laude in History from Harvard in 2014, where I served as Editorial Chair of The Harvard Crimson and worked at the Harvard Writing Center. I later earned my J.D. from Yale Law School in 2017. For nearly a decade I’ve taught full-time at a top public high school in Massachusetts, currently teaching AP European History, American History, and AP Macroeconomics.

Along the way, I’ve worked with a wide range of students: law students sharpening their legal writing, high schoolers wrestling with difficult historical texts and DBQs, and college applicants trying to find a clear and authentic voice in their writing. What ties all of this work together is a shared focus on helping students think more clearly, write more precisely, and approach difficult intellectual work with confidence.

Some students come looking for polish. Others arrive overwhelmed and unsure where to begin. My role is to help them clarify what they are trying to say, break the work into manageable parts, and build the habits of thought and writing that lead to real intellectual growth.

I live with my wife, our two kids, four dogs, and a flock of chickens on a small farm in Massachusetts. Teaching, parenting, and farming have all reinforced the same lesson: meaningful progress usually comes from steady effort, honest feedback, and patience over time.

Michael F. Cotter