College applications: demystified

Applying for college can be extremely daunting. Sarah breaks the process down into manageable steps to make it as stress-free as possible. Her goal is to demystify the whole process so that you feel informed and in control.

Sarah-Leonard-headshot.jpeg

Sarah Leonard holds a certificate in College Admissions Counseling from UCLA and is the President and Founder of Seven Points Prep (formerly Lake Washington Tutoring). For the last 12 years, Sarah has worked with students extensively through private individualized sessions and customized private and/or group test prep in order to help students find their personal path to their college future.  No matter what your student needs, Sarah will provide you with the guidance, customization, and expertise needed to help your student apply to the colleges and universities that are the best fit for him or her. For more on Sarah’s background, please click here (scroll down on new page).

My individualized and holistic process starts with getting to know students and families by understanding where they’ve come from, where they are now, and where they’d like to go. Since 1999, helping students and families chart a course for getting into college has been my passion. With the addition of College Admission Counseling to our services, I am able to coach students through the entire process. I am fully invested in each student’s journey - from start to finish. Breathe easy - together, we’ve got this.
— Sarah Leonard, MA, Certified College Admissions Counselor

Noah is an educator with over two decades of experience tutoring, teaching, coaching, and advising on the college admissions process. Originally from Los Angeles, CA, Noah started tutoring when he was in high school. Noah continued to tutor while he earned his Bachelor of Science in Cognitive Science specializing in Neuroscience at UC San Diego. During summers in college Noah worked in outdoor experiential education as a nature specialist, ropes course facilitator, and ropes course director, and he draws on that experience to help students step out of their comfort zones as they take the leap from high school to college.

After college, Noah worked in a neuroscience research laboratory in San Diego for a year and was published in the scientific journal Nature for his work, but his passion for education brought him back to Los Angeles where he founded a tutoring company to better serve the needs of diverse learners who tend to slip through the cracks in traditional educational environments. As a student with learning differences himself, Noah draws on his personal experience to connect with neurodiverse populations of students and help them discover what they need to be successful in school and in life. Noah's ability to connect with all types of learners led him to the world of classroom teaching, and he taught middle school and high school math and science at private schools in Los Angeles and Connecticut, where he now resides with his wife.

Noah loved all of his roles in the world of education, but knew he could do more to help students on their educational journeys, so in 2018 he earned a Certificate in College Counseling from UCSD and began his practice as an independent educational consultant. During the COVID-19 pandemic, he shifted his focus away from running his tutoring company and classroom teaching to devote his full attention to college admissions counseling. It was during that period of disruption and uncertainty that Noah realized that many students were struggling to develop and maintain the skills to achieve their goals, so he went back to school to earn a Certificate in Learning Differences and Neurodiversity specializing in Executive Function from the Landmark College Institute for Research and Training in 2020-21, and now offers executive functioning support around the college admissions process as well.


Christina Cowart-Smith is a Stanford graduate and London-based academic. Born and raised in Redmond, Christina attended high school at Holy Names Academy in Seattle. In 2012, she moved to the Bay Area to pursue her undergraduate degree in Classics at Stanford University, graduating with honors, distinction, and Phi Beta Kappa in 2016. A few months later she flew to the UK for graduate school, where she’s been based ever since.

Christina has a master’s degree in medieval history and a master’s and PhD in medieval archaeology. For the past seven years she has taught undergraduate students in history and archaeology at Durham University (UK) and Glasgow University (UK). Upon finishing up her PhD, she was appointed to a fixed-term lectureship in the Department of Celtic & Gaelic at the University of Glasgow.

Before joining Seven Points Prep, Christina was a Stanford University admissions interviewer. Since 2018, she has conducted over 80 interviews with students applying to Stanford from the UK. In addition, Christina brings over a decade of experience in tutoring middle and high school students in English language and literature, writing, history, and music (classical/traditional music).

Christina is particularly adept at preparing students for college admissions interviews and advises on college applications at large. She enjoys helping students craft their written voice and grow in confidence. She is an attentive and engaged teacher and mentor with a nuanced understanding of the university system (having spent 11 years in university herself!). Owing to her familiarity with both the US and UK university systems, Christina is also on hand to guide students interested in expanding their application list to include UK and European universities.

Christina spends each summer digging on a tiny tidal island in the North Sea called Lindisfarne (think Vikings). She loves to chat about anything related to Scottish and northern English history and archaeology. You can learn more about Dr. Cowart-Smith’s academic work on www.christinacowartsmith.com.


Our Clients

If you are a…

  • Middle school student

  • High School student

  • College transfer student

  • College student applying for a major

…Sarah and Noah would love to work with you on your admissions process!

Our Process

No matter where you are on your journey, our counselors guide students to optimally position themselves as strong college applicants. Our process emphasizes self-discovery, understanding students’ key strengths and passions, and positioning their communication materials (applications, resume, essays) to optimally market themselves. We provide customized and comprehensive advice to each student and works collaboratively with students and families to optimize the student’s application process.

The earlier you start the college admissions process, the better. This way, our counselors can help advise your child on choosing academic courses and activities that will help your student thrive as a competitive applicant. We offer packages starting at each grade level.

Pricing

Whether you’re on a budget, just need help with one part of the admissions process, or need help with every part of the process, Sarah has options for you:

  • Hourly

  • Package options

  • Bundled College Admissions and Test Prep packages

Still not sure? Schedule a free 15 minute phone consultation with Sarah today!

CURRENTLY ACCEPTING STUDENTS GRADUATING IN 2025, 2026 and 2027.

If you would like information about SAT or ACT test prep, please contact our office directly.


I just want to say thank you so much for helping me with the college admissions process & keeping me on track. There are times where I felt stressed or pressured with so much to do. Hearing what you said made me relax and truly realize I’m not only doing great things for my future, but also impacting the lives of others along the way. Thank you so much for everything, especially in helping me build my own personal brand as an applicant.
— Cameron K., - Class of 2019