Pittsburgh, PA

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    • Home
    • Concerned about College?
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    • Reviews
    • Resources
    • Book a meeting
    • College Counseling Blog
    • High School Senior
  • Home
  • Concerned about College?
  • College Counseling
  • Reviews
  • Resources
  • Book a meeting
  • College Counseling Blog
  • High School Senior
Watson College Counseling
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About Me--An Experienced College Consultant

Leslie Watson College Counselor, College Advisor, College Consultant

Career

Originally from Toronto, Canada, I earned my Ph.D. from Penn State in 1994. I moved to New Zealand for 14 years, where I was a Senior Lecturer (equivalent to Associate Professor) at Lincoln University for seven years. From 2003-2012 I co-owned and was General Manager of a study abroad company offering programs in Australia, New Zealand, and Fiji for U.S. college students. In addition, my husband and I owned a professional basketball team in the New Zealand National Basketball League for almost a decade. We returned to the U.S. in 2008.


In 2012, I transitioned to a career as a college consultant and served as the Director of College Counseling at a small independent school for ten years.

College search and application management system

Developmental Approach

My academic interest in adolescent development led to my publication of numerous scholarly articles on the transition from adolescence to young adulthood. My work history, personal experience, and academic background inform my developmental approach to the journey to college, allowing me to focus on the individual needs of each student.

Member of IECA, NACAC, and PACAC

A College Counseling Professional

I have earned a Certificate in College Counseling with Distinction from UCLA Extension, and my areas of expertise include: 

  • career exploration, assessment, and guidance
  • discovering key student qualities and identifying themes that must be conveyed in the college application
  • college application essay guidance
  • the admissions process from the "inside"
  • financial aid advising

I visit many college campuses each year in order to gain first-hand information on institutional priorities and current admission trends.


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