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5.0
Former Director of Programs and Admissions at Stanford GSB
Studied at Stanford Graduate School of Business
Worked at Stanford University Graduate School of Business
Wherever you are in the admissions process, we will review your current situation and build a clearer roadmap to crafting the best possible application you can submit. As a former admissions director (Stanford), I have seen that a great application is more than the sum of its parts, and assembling such an application is unique to everyone. Starting with the components that you can't change (e.g. past academic performance, work history, possibly test scores, etc.), we will outline a strategy to build a compelling narrative across your overall application, leveraging your Essays, LORs, Application Responses, your Resume, Supplemental Activities and Awards, and more. 1. First, we will review your profile in systematic detail. Don't hold anything back, because it's crucial to know all of the material that you have to work with, both in terms of positives and potential negatives. As a starting point, I will give you my read on these, as an educator and (especially) admissions professional, before we turn to planning ways to lay out your experiences and tell your story so it is credible, compelling and effective. 2. To do this, we discuss your overall narrative--why you are pursuing this path, what you have to offer, why this particular school or program. This has to come through consistently across your entire application (not just your essays), and how that is accomplished will vary from applicant to applicant. We look at how the preliminary components of your application may or may not already support the narrative, brainstorm what needs to be added, and determine which application components can be best developed to enhance the narrative, close gaps, and tie everything together. 3. Finally, we discuss how to leverage each of the following application components to best showcase your strengths and unique qualities: * Personal Essays: We will brainstorm on topics, themes, and approaches that can reinforce your overall narrative while adding depth and dimension to your application. * Letters of Recommendation: We will strategize about potential recommenders, and cover how to prepare them to get the best LORs, making sure that they are aligned with the overall narrative you are presenting. * Short Answer Questions: We will discuss how you can use the work history portion of the application, as well as other open ended fields to further highlight your intellectual and leadership strengths, rather than duplicating what is on your resume. * Activities and Awards: We will cover what to include and how to describe it. You will come away with clear and actionable recommendations for creating or refining each significant element of your application, in a way that coheres with your unique profile and personal narrative. For many clients, this may be enough guidance for them to complete their application process with greater confidence. For others, we may arrange additional reviews or coaching sessions, as needed, to ensure that you are fully prepared and supported through the application process. If I'm not best suited to what you need, I will help you identify additional support options that work best.
Assessment/Review of your profile from an experienced Director of Admissions (Stanford GSB)
One-on-one brainstorming to refine your personal narrative, aligned with your desired program/school
Strategizing and individualized guidance on crafting compelling essays, LORs, and application open questions
Review and detailed feedback on your current application materials
Coaching delivered via live sessions and .
On my end, I limit client engagements to assure each client receives my full attention and personalized guidance. When I get to know a client, I often become invested in their ongoing success, even if we only spend a few hours working together. I aim to respond to any client requests within 48 hours, or more quickly if deemed time sensitive. I try to agree upon any deliverables or expected outcomes for you (the client) and me (the coach) before, during, and following each live session. And while this is not a comprehensive application package, we can tailor additional coaching as an add-on if we determine it can further improve your materials for submission. My commitment is to only take clients when I believe I can legitimately help. Because I have extensive experience with admissions at Stanford, I expect most prospective applicants can benefit from some review and discussion regarding their candidacy. That said, to go deeper, I seek to work with individuals that are serious, disciplined and motivated to put in necessary effort. Our work will be more impactful if you are responsive to requests for information, organized, and open to feedback, and I commit to the same.
Services included:
Editing
Recommendations
School Selection
Secondary Review
Application Strategy
Essays
Resume
Schedule a call with a Leland team member who can help you explore your options.
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Joined June 2024
5.0
Former Director of Programs and Admissions at Stanford GSB
I know the joy and pain of applying to business school, because at Stanford, I was often the one to call admits with news of their acceptance, and later, read their names on stage during graduation. I also had to be the one on the other end of the email when an applicant was denied--including many I thought might be qualified to be at Stanford, but whose applications weren't convincing enough. I never took this responsibility lightly, because I saw how consequential and personal it was for applicants I liked and respected. What made the difference? I wanted every applicant to submit the best application they could (while keeping it honest), but far too many fell short of this standard. And because I've seen the elation and the heartbreak these outcomes create (and couldn't help but feel somehow responsible), I now value the opportunity to work closely and selectively with serious applicants--those I know have at least the basic qualifications to attend a top business school, but more important, have the maturity, commitment, and discipline required to put together an application that shows your favored school why they will be honored to see you graduate. For most, it's hard work, but here’s the good news... Crafting a great application is a valuable step to having an exceptional business school experience, and not just because it gets you admitted. Applying can and should be a process that prepares you for what comes after--clarifying your rationale, helping you build confidence to tell a compelling, personal story. It should help you articulate the values you hold deeply and the value proposition you offer. Getting into a great program should not be the end in itself, but a step in an broader process of growth and impact. If you work with me, this is part of the perspective I bring. If you are interested in Stanford, specifically, I bring a lot of inside experience at the GSB, where I spent eighteen years--first as an MBA student, later as Executive Director of the GSB's Center for Leadership Development and Research, and then Director of the Stanford MSx Program and Admissions. Over that time, I was involved in many initiatives: • Helped manage launch of MBA core leadership curriculum (Leadership Labs, Arbuckle Fellows, GSB Executive Challenge) • Helped recruit first MBA Arbuckle Leadership Fellows cohort and oversaw GSB Executive Challenge • Managed GSB's first in-house leadership coaching staff--senior facilitators for Interpersonal Dynamics (aka 'Touchy Feely') course • Selected MBA student leaders for the CEO speaker series (View From The Top) and represented Dean's office with host speakers • Co-founded the LOWkeynotes public speaking program for MBA and MSx students • Taught a GSB elective, 'Leading with Agility', and in multiple Exec Ed programs • Co-developed the Stanford LEAP 360 leadership assessment tool used for GSB Exec Ed As Director of the Stanford MSx program and Director of Admissions, I admitted eleven cohorts of Stanford Sloan Fellows, working in close coordination with MBA Admissions on operational and policy matters. My admissions work took me to more than two dozen countries, I reviewed thousands of GSB applications, conducted hundreds of interviews, and served as academic advisor to students. I learned a lot about what it takes to be admitted, and I learned even more about what it takes to get the most out of business school. After leaving Stanford, I've had some opportunities to work with boutique admissions consulting firms, but I value the transparency and range of options Leland provides to you, the client. I don't like to work with an client unless I believe I can deliver more value than what it costs. Working with a coach/consultant is like finding a therapist, where chemistry matters, and there may be others that are a better match for what you need (or at least for some of what you need). After an initial consultation, I offer packages that allow us to spend a few hours reviewing your application or plan in detail, where I will draw on my experience to help you identify opportunities to clarify and strengthen your pitch, and possibly challenge assumptions you have, resulting in a clear plan of action. From there, we can better determine if additional engagement would be useful, where we would both commit to deliverables and a timeline if we believe, that by working together, you can succeed in hitting your goals. This might involve targeted assistance with specific components of your application, a more comprehensive effort, or simply helping you identify resources that can best serve you. Good luck! And if you've read this far, maybe let's set up a time to chat.
6h+ of coaching