Karen Leonard
College admissions consultant helping students choose schools and apply
| Hourly rate range | $70 to $130 an hour |
|---|---|
| Focus areas | |
| Works with | Students |
| Practice | UniVarsity |
Karen Leonard is a college admissions consultant who helps students find schools that fit them and guides them through applying. She runs UniVarsity. She has worked with students since 2020 and has visited over 180 college campuses by 2025. Her work covers school research, list building, essays, and advice on high school courses and activities. She also attends yearly professional conferences and networks with colleagues across the region and the country.
What Karen helps with
Karen helps students find colleges that match their academic, social, geographic, and money needs. She then supports them through each step of applying.
- Finding colleges that fit academic, social, geographic, and cost needs
- Finding schools that also fit athletic goals
- Building a college list
- Choosing high school courses
- Picking enrichment and extracurricular activities
- Writing application essays
- Writing scholarship and supplemental essays
- Getting through the full application process
Who Karen works with
Karen works with students at all stages of the admissions process. That includes students who need help with high school course choices and activities, and students who are ready to research colleges and write essays. Some of her students also have athletic criteria in their college search.
How Karen works
Karen guides students through every phase of admissions. The process starts with an initial consultation and assessments. Next comes college research and list development. Then she moves to essay development, plus advice on courses and extracurriculars. She adds scholarship and supplemental essay support. She keeps her college knowledge current by visiting campuses in person and going to professional conferences each year.
Background and qualifications
Karen has worked with students through all phases of the admissions process since 2020. She attends professional conferences every year and networks with regional and national colleagues in the field. She also visits college campuses often. By 2025 she had toured over 180 of them, which gives her firsthand knowledge of the schools she recommends. She runs her practice under the name UniVarsity.
Karen Leonard pricing
Programs and services
- Initial consultation
- College research and list development
- Essay development
- Scholarship and supplemental essay help
- High school course and extracurricular advice
Karen Leonard reviews
The CoachVouch take
Has visited over 180 college campuses in person by 2025 to inform her advice.
Best for students who want help from choosing a college list through finishing their essays.
Common questions
How much does Karen Leonard charge?
Coaching with Karen runs $70 to $130 an hour. Request an intro for an exact quote.
What does Karen Leonard help with?
Karen Leonard helps with finding colleges that fit academic, social, geographic, and cost needs, finding schools that also fit athletic goals, building a college list and choosing high school courses.
Does Karen Leonard advise on high school planning?
Yes. She advises on high school course selection and enrichment activities.
How do I contact Karen Leonard?
Request an intro on this page. It's free, and we'll connect you with Karen and, if you want, 2 or 3 similar coaches to compare.
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Last updated September 2026. Request a correction.