The PrepMatters Advantage

PrepMatters Educational Counseling is headed by Dr. Kathleen O'Connor, a leader in the field for over 30 years.  She has a well earned reputation for striving for the best for the individual student, even if that means going against conventional wisdom.  "Conventional wisdom," she believes, "is always conventional, but it's not always wise."

Test preparation and college counseling go hand in hand, and for years Ned Johnson and Dr. O'Connor shared many clients and worked closely together.  In 2005, Dr. O'Connor joined PrepMatters.  Now two additional counselors, Eileen Wilkinson and Garrett Lowe, working closely with Dr. O'Connor, can meet the high demand for premier counseling services.

Eileen Wilkinson brings 22 years of experience in the field of education to PrepMatters. She earned a Bachelor of Arts in History from the University of Dallas and a Master of Arts in Higher Education Administration from Northwestern University. She began her college counseling career in 1986, joining the staff of Dr. Kathleen O'Connor.

Subsequently, Mrs. Wilkinson spent 11 years as Associate Director of Admissions for Marymount University in Virginia. She has also served as an admissions consultant for major colleges and universities.

In 2005, Dr. O'Connor asked her to join PrepMatters and offer her skills and experience to our clients. With her calm and reassuring manner, Mrs. Wilkinson has a gift for discovering the unique qualities of each student. Her enthusiasm for guiding students through this challenging and often emotional process is readily apparent.

Dr. Garrett Lowe has an educational background both wide and deep. He holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in English from the University of Pennsylvania, a Master or Arts degree in Medieval Studies from the University of Toronto and a Ph.D. in Biology from the University of Maryland.

Dr. Lowe brings expertise in both subject tutoring and counseling to PrepMatters. He has a remarkable ability to transform a student's apprehension and stress into excitement and enthusiasm. Through his humor, skill and understanding, Dr. Lowe helps his students realize that the journey to and through college is not a thing to fear, but an adventure of learning and self discovery.

Leah Williams Adams is a graduate of Georgetown University and served as Assistant Director of Admissions at the university for three years. Following her tenure at Georgetown University, Williams became College Counselor for Lycée Rochambeau (The French International School) in Bethesda, MD. At the French Lycee, she was responsible for advising students who applied not only to American universities but also to Canadian, United Kingdom and European Universities. Having served also as standardized test coordinator and liaison with the College Board for the PSAT, SAT and APs, Adams understands well the intricacies of crucial admissions tests. She also advises students on both curricular and extracurricular choices, crucial components of advising that she also offers her PrepMatters clients. Ms. Adams knows selective college admission processes intimately; she uses this knowledge to work with her clients and help them to make the best strategic choices for applying to university.

Pamela Raymont Simpson As an English teacher for more than 20 years and an adjunct professor at American University, she offers expertise in essay organization and writing. Prior to joining PrepMatters in July 2008, she also owned a tutoring company for eight years. She draws upon her extensive background in education to guide students through the process of writing college and graduate school application essays as well as literary essays. Ms. Raymont-Simpson earned a B.S. in Education from Boston University and a M.A. in English from Georgetown University. A mother of two sons, she knows the college application experience firsthand. "We feel priveleged to have such a seasoned teacher and writer on our team," states Ned Johnson. "The essay portion of the college application process can be very stressful and we are confident that Pamela will alleviate both the student's and parent's anxiety."