Kathleen Vital-Herne
Master's programs admissions consultant and career coach
| Hourly rate range | $80 to $230 an hour |
|---|---|
| Focus areas | Grad school and PhDIvy League and top schoolsInterview coachingSalary negotiationPromotions and advancement |
| Works with | Students and Professionals |
| Also coaches | Career coach |
| Credentials | Master's in Higher and Postsecondary Education |
Kathleen Vital-Herne is an admissions consultant for master's programs who also coaches professionals on career moments. She has spent 10+ years in higher education, including study and work at Columbia University. She has reviewed thousands of graduate applications, interviewed candidates, and built and trained admissions teams. At Vassar College she read 1,100 applications as an Assistant Director of Admission. She is a first-generation college graduate.
What Kathleen helps with
Kathleen helps clients get into graduate school and move forward in their careers. She also works with professionals on interviews and negotiation.
- Getting into a master's program
- Positioning yourself as an applicant
- Telling your story in applications
- Preparing for job interviews
- Negotiation conversations
- Communicating your value at work
- Deciding on your next career step
Who Kathleen works with
Kathleen works with people applying to graduate school. She also works with professionals facing high-stakes career moments, such as interviews and negotiation conversations. Her clients include people who feel unsure how to position themselves or tell their story.
Background and qualifications
Kathleen has spent 10+ years in higher education. She studied at Columbia University Teachers College and holds a Master's in Higher and Postsecondary Education. She worked at Columbia and sat on its admissions committee. She was also Assistant Director of Admission at Vassar College from September 2021 to September 2022. There she built a recruitment plan and budget for her territories, traveled to college fairs and high schools, and read 1,100 applications. She has reviewed thousands of graduate applications, interviewed candidates, and built and trained admissions teams.
Kathleen Vital-Herne pricing
Programs and services
- Master's programs admissions coaching
- Career coaching
Kathleen Vital-Herne reviews
Kathleen Vital-Herne has a 5.0 out of 5 rating from 7 reviews on Leland, as of September 2026.
The CoachVouch take
She has read graduate applications from the inside as a Columbia admissions committee member and trained admissions teams.
Best for graduate school applicants who also want help with interviews and salary negotiation.
Common questions
How much does Kathleen Vital-Herne charge?
Coaching with Kathleen runs $80 to $230 an hour. Request an intro for an exact quote.
What does Kathleen Vital-Herne help with?
Kathleen Vital-Herne helps with getting into a master's program, positioning yourself as an applicant, telling your story in applications and preparing for job interviews.
Does Kathleen Vital-Herne have reviews?
Kathleen Vital-Herne has a 5.0 out of 5 rating from 7 reviews on Leland, as of September 2026.
Is Kathleen Vital-Herne certified?
Kathleen Vital-Herne lists: Master's in Higher and Postsecondary Education.
Does Kathleen Vital-Herne coach on career topics as well as admissions?
Yes. She supports professionals with interviews and negotiation conversations in addition to master's admissions.
How do I contact Kathleen Vital-Herne?
Request an intro on this page. It's free, and we'll connect you with Kathleen and, if you want, 2 or 3 similar coaches to compare.
Similar coaches to compare
Tick "Compare" on any coach to add them to your intro request.
Abigail Hagan
Abigail Hagan is an admissions consultant who helps students get into PhD, MBA, master's and undergraduate programs. She has coached 100+ clients into top STEM PhD, master's and undergraduate programs, including MD/PhD and dual-degree paths. She also helps early-career professionals land roles at firms like Amazon, BCG and Morgan Stanley. She works on PwC's AI Strategy team under the Chief AI Officer and scored 331 on the GRE.
Adelya Makhankova
Adelya Makhankova is an admissions consultant who helps people apply to master's and MBA programs. She holds a master's degree from Stanford University and a second master's in petroleum geoscience. Her work history includes Tesla, Shell, Halliburton and AGS. She has published research in Nature Scientific Reports and Geological Journal. She has guided 2 people through master's and MBA applications, including applications to Stanford.
Adnan Naboulsi
Adnan Naboulsi is an admissions consultant who helps applicants get into master's programs and MBA programs. He was admitted to 5+ programs, including MIT Sloan and Columbia, and studied at INSEAD. He grew up in Lebanon and has studied and worked in France, Singapore, the Middle East and Toronto. He works with clients to find what is interesting about their path, even the parts that feel like weak spots, and builds an application strategy around it.
Albert Choi
Albert Choi is an admissions consultant who helps students and professionals apply to MBA programs, colleges and other graduate schools. He has coached for nearly two decades, starting with tutoring at age 15. He holds an MBA from Harvard Business School and worked in strategy consulting at Deloitte. His clients have been admitted to schools such as Harvard, Stanford GSB, Yale Law and Princeton. He keeps his client roster small.
Browse related
Last updated September 2026. Request a correction.