Tatge graduated from high school and enrolled in Western Illinois University, studying social work. He planned to get a job after graduation working in the criminal justice system with juvenile delinquents. On the side, Tatge wrote for his school newspaper the Western Courier and WIU's Sports Information office. Tatge also freelanced for daily newspapers while at WIU, including the "Galesburg Register Mail" and "Peoria Journal Star". Upon graduation, Tatge went to work running a small weekly and a small daily newspaper in Wisconsin. He moved up the "Wisconsin State Journal" in Madison, where he attended graduate school at the UW-Madison while working on the night copy desk.