Karen Leonard
College admissions consultant for high school students in Long Beach, California
| Hourly rate range | $150 to $225 an hour |
|---|---|
| Focus areas | |
| Works with | Students and Parents |
| Based in | Long Beach, California, United States |
| Credentials | Certificate in Independent Educational Consulting, UC Irvine; Professional member, IECA; Member, HECA; Member, NACAC |
| Practice | UniVarsity, LLC |
Karen Leonard is an independent educational consultant who helps high school students and their parents with college admissions. She runs UniVarsity, LLC in Long Beach, California. Her team builds college lists, guides essays and applications, and helps student-athletes with recruiting. Karen holds a certificate in Independent Educational Consulting from UC Irvine. She is a professional member of IECA and also belongs to HECA and NACAC. Her advice draws on visits to hundreds of campuses.
What Karen helps with
Karen helps high school students find colleges that fit them and complete strong applications. She also guides families on financial fit and supports student-athletes.
- Building a college list that fits academic, social, location, size and financial needs
- Writing essays and personal statements
- Planning standardized testing
- Choosing high school courses and activities
- Finding colleges that fit athletic and academic goals
- Preparing for admissions and coach interviews
- Applying to summer programs
- Managing application deadlines
Who Karen works with
Karen works with high school students and their parents. Some clients are student-athletes who want help with college recruiting. Some are families who want schools with good financial aid options. Rising seniors who want an early start on applications can also join a small group workshop.
How Karen works
Each student gets a personal portal to organize the college search and applications. Work starts with assessment tools and conversations about the ideal college experience. Then students research colleges with guidance. Last, they complete essays and applications with customized deadlines. Karen's team also offers personality and learning-style assessments, plus an optional interest and aptitude assessment, and runs mock interviews.
Background and qualifications
Karen earned a certificate in Independent Educational Consulting from UC Irvine. She is a professional member of the Independent Educational Consultants Association. She also belongs to the Higher Education Consultants Association and the National Association of College Admission Counseling. She stays current by working with these groups, talking with admissions counselors, and visiting a wide variety of campuses, from elite universities to hidden gems. Her practice is based in Long Beach, California.
Karen Leonard pricing
Programs and services
- Comprehensive one-on-one college counseling
- Fall Boot Camp small group workshop for rising seniors
- Phone consultation to discuss needs
- Student portal for the college search
Karen Leonard reviews
The CoachVouch take
Offers a summer Boot Camp with six hours on Zoom over three days for rising seniors who want to start applications early.
Best for high school students and parents who want a structured plan for finding colleges and completing applications.
Common questions
How much does Karen Leonard charge?
Coaching with Karen runs $150 to $225 an hour. Message Karen from this page for an exact quote.
What does Karen Leonard help with?
Karen Leonard helps with building a college list that fits academic, social, location, size and financial needs, writing essays and personal statements, planning standardized testing and choosing high school courses and activities.
Is Karen Leonard certified?
Karen Leonard lists: Certificate in Independent Educational Consulting, UC Irvine; Professional member, IECA; Member, HECA; Member, NACAC.
What is the UniVarsity Boot Camp?
It is a small group workshop held each August for rising seniors. It covers six hours on Zoom over three days, plus pre-work and homework, and focuses on the personal statement, Common App and supplemental essays.
How do I contact Karen Leonard?
Send Karen a message from this page. It's free and takes a minute.
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Last updated September 2026. Request a correction.