Leigh Pinkston

College Admissions Consultant She/Her/Hers

College Admissions Consultant

Former Admissions Officer Mount Holyoke College

Former Assistant Director of Inclusive Career Development Smith College

My Background

I started my career in admissions as Assistant Director of Admission for Mount Holyoke College, a historically women's college in Massachusetts. While at Mount Holyoke, I read applications from across the country and from all majors, including STEM, the humanities, and the arts, and found inspiration in the multitude of life stories and experiences shared with me. I was constantly reminded that everyone has a unique story and narrative to share, and I love encouraging students to be confident storytellers and embrace the people and experiences that have shaped them. In graduate school, I researched dynamics of oppression in education and taught a course for Resident Assistants to explore how social identities shape residential experiences. Following grad school, I worked at the Harvard Foundation, where I developed inclusive programming and trained student Diversity Peer Educators in facilitating sustained dialogues on identity and belonging. Most recently, I served as Assistant Director of Inclusive Career Development at Smith College. At Smith, I helped students connect their majors to careers and supported them in all aspects of their career journeys – the job and internship search, application process, interviewing, and salary negotiation. As a generalist, I advised across industries, and have helped students secure jobs in finance, healthcare, data science, AI, social services, K-12 education, and academia.

"Leigh provided valuable advice and direction. The feedback was direct to my child and did not feel at all cookie-cutter. She was patient and thorough.

Parent of a High School Junior

Why I Joined College Coach

I grew up in Memphis, Tennessee, and when I was looking at colleges, I was eager to discover an entirely new environment. I loved growing up in the South, but I was ready for a new adventure and was especially interested in small, liberal arts colleges with a close-knit community. While attending Wellesley, I fell in love with New England. When the time came, I pursued my master’s degree at a school that was, in many ways, the opposite of my undergrad – I attended UMass Amherst, a campus with over thirty thousand people. Both schools provided an amazing education, and it was helpful to see the range of campus experiences firsthand. These perspectives have shaped my holistic approach to the college selection process. There are so many options available, and while factors like name recognition, access to academic programs, and location are often front of mind, it’s also important to consider what aspects of a campus atmosphere will both nurture and challenge a student. As an admissions officer, I enjoyed working with all different types of students and families. My goal both then and now is to help make the college application process less daunting and more accessible. The throughline in all my roles has been supporting students and fostering their ambitions; everything is possible around young people.

Get to Know Me

My Education

Wellesley College Bachelor of Arts, Psychology

The University of Massachusetts Amherst Master of Education, Higher Education Administration

I have worked with students interested in:

Accelerated medical - BS/MD
Architecture
Art
Aviation
Biochemistry
Business
Communication
Computer science
Conservatories (Music/Fine Arts)
Dance
Data science
Economics
Engineering
Film
Government
Graduate programs
Graphic design
Honors programs
Humanities
International relations
Ivy league
Journalism
Large State Schools
Mathematics
Music
Photography
Political science
Pre-law
Pre-med
Psychology
Religious Studies/Theology
Research universities
Science
Small liberal arts colleges
Social Sciences
Teaching/education certification
Technology
Theater
Visual and performing arts
Women's colleges

I have also worked with:

Athletes
First-generation students
Gap year students
Home schooled students
IB program
International students
LGBTQIA+ students
Non-traditional students
Students with learning differences

Some of my favorite pastimes

I’m a Taurus through and through: I’m patient, reliable, and a bit of a homebody. I love drawing the things around me, and I carry a sketchbook with me almost everywhere. I also enjoy watching scary movies - I even took a horror screenwriting course last year! Recently I’ve also been relearning to play the piano after several years of not playing. There are several songs I remember purely from muscle memory, but other things are much harder to relearn, and I’m trying to be patient with myself. I consider myself a lifelong learner, and beyond my job and career, I want to make sure I’m learning and trying new things.

Interested?

Interested in learning more about how our college admissions counseling services can help your student succeed?

Call 877-402-6224 or complete the form for information on getting your student started with one of our experts.