Meet Lee Ann!

Lee Ann Cornell, College Counselor

During her more than ten-year tenure as an independent educational consultant, Lee Ann has seen her students admitted to more than 350 different colleges, including all eight of the Ivy League schools, the most competitive public schools like UC Berkeley, UCLA, University of Michigan, and University of Virginia, highly selective private schools including USC, Wake Forest, and Notre Dame, and liberal arts colleges such as Amherst, Pomona, and Williams. Name a college, program, or a particular application track—Lee Ann has almost certainly helped a student navigate it or something close to it.   

In addition to her years spent working directly with students, Lee Ann also logged stints as director of admission for three different graduate schools, and as a project manager for admission-related initiatives at higher education institutions across the country. These diverse experiences (combined with her work to earn three different degrees from three different colleges) afford Lee Ann an uncommon combination of expertise. What are the institutional priorities of a university? How does this impact the work of their admissions office? How do admissions officers make difficult and often subjective decisions when faced with a large pool of qualified applicants? What kind of student is most compelling for each school, and how can each student best be guided to improve their candidacy? Lee Ann has spent more than a decade studying those questions and weaving this deep understanding into her work with students. 

Not unlike a medical doctor’s blend of training with bedside manner, Dr. Cornell’s expertise is her science, but the way she makes people feel is her art. Lee Ann connects easily with students and wins the trust of their parents. She brings a sense of calm and focus to a time that can be filled with anxiety and complexity. As she describes it: 

Applying to college can be stressful—I aim to lower the stress, keep you organized, and tell you the truth. I love to teach people the reasoning behind each element of the application. My goal with each student is to help them submit applications they’re proud of and that authentically represent who they are.  

Asked to name her college counseling superpower, Lee Ann answered, “I can pull an essay out of anybody.” 

A self-described bookworm (but not one so erudite that she can’t enjoy a good action movie), Lee Ann is known as the “Book Fair Lady” at her son’s school, where she ensures every student takes home a new book.  

Education & Experience

University of Southern California, Ed.D.
UCLA, M.Ed.
Cal State Los Angeles, B.A.
Vice President of Counseling and essay specialist, multiple college planning firms (10 years)
Project manager, University of California Center for Urban Education (2 years)