Leland+ for College

UVA Choice Essay: Community with Quirks

This is a successful essay for an undergrad UVA applicant's choice essay about the quirks the applicant will bring to the community.

Stanford Accepted Personal Statement: Crafting a Story of Identity

A deep dive into a powerful personal statement. Learn to craft a unique, compelling narrative from your own life experiences to stand out to admissions.

Honors List for the Common App [Prep Template]

Use the sheet (or the Google Sheets version) to draft your honors descriptions. Check your character count & list order before you paste to the app!

Ask Me Anything with a Former Stanford Admissions Officer

Join me for an Ask Me Anything (AMA) session to get answers to your college admissions questions. I'm Isamar, a former Stanford Admissions Officer, a Harvard grad, proud first-generation college graduate, and an experienced college admissions coach. With years working with students from all backgrounds, including US-based, international, and first-generation applicants, I'm here to help you navigate the college admissions process. My goal is to provide thoughtful, empathetic, and strategic guidance. Whether you're a high school student or parent, don't miss this opportunity to gain valuable insights from a seasoned professional. Note: Feel free to ask about any college admissions topic, regardless of your target school. This AMA is not exclusively focused on Stanford admissions.

Elevate Your Common App: Craft a Powerful Activities List

Are you applying to college and nervous about how to talk about your activities? Join Isamar, a former Stanford Admissions Officer, for this live workshop focused on helping you highlight your story through your activities list. This workshop will help you craft a powerful Common App activities list that showcases your unique interests and accomplishments beyond superficial activity descriptions. Learn 3 strategies to ensure that your application makes a compelling impression on admissions committees, captures your essence, and maximizes your chances of standing out in the admissions process. Don’t miss this opportunity to elevate your application! Who is leading the workshop? As a former Assistant Director of Admissions at Stanford, Isamar personally reviewed over 7,000 applications. As an admissions consultant, she coached students to gain admission to universities like Yale, Harvard, Stanford, UC Berkeley, Georgia Tech, UVA, Pomona, and more. She has supported both US and international students, as well as first-gen students. Isamar’s personalized, empathetic, and strategic approach ensures that your unique strengths and experiences shine through in your application. Her goal is for you to feel that you are applying as your best self, no matter where you’re applying. Isamar is a proud first-generation college graduate with a BA and EdM from Harvard, and an MBA from Oxford.

Why Notre Dame? Essay

This is a successful essay for a Notre Dame undergrad applicant's "Why Notre Dame?" essay.

DIY Your Stand-Out Summer Program or Project that Colleges Notice

Can't afford fancy summer programs? Didn’t get around to applying to summer programs? No problem! Create a summer experience that turns heads in admissions offices ands fuels your personal interests. This workshop reveals how to design and execute impressive self-directed summer projects that both strengthen college applications and deepen your unique interests. Learn how to transform curiosity into meaningful action without expensive programs. Perfect for ambitious high schoolers seeking authentic growth opportunities that naturally translate to applications that shine.

Unlocking Your Story for BYU Essay #4

This worksheet will help you turn your “ordinary” experiences into powerful stories and give you 2–3 solid essay ideas.

"Why BYU?" Example Essay - Camp Experience

An essay responding to the prompt about why the student wants to learn at BYU, connecting a transformative camp experience to the university's spiritually strengthening environment.

3 Tricky GRE Quant Questions

Example of 3 tricky quantitative GRE questions

BYU "Tell Us Your Story" Example Essay: Physical Difference

An essay responding to the BYU application prompt to "tell us your story," sharing a personal experience of growing up with a physical difference and what it taught about self-acceptance.

Stanford University Admit: Common App Essay Example

Read the Common App essay that got me into Stanford based on this 2024 prompt: Share an essay on any topic of your choice. It can be one you've already written, one that responds to a different prompt, or one of your own design.

Example of a Complete Vanderbilt Application

Learn how to craft a winning application for Vanderbilt University. This guide covers essays, letters of recommendation, and more to get you accepted.

Example Activity List: Honors That Land Admissions

Learn how to showcase your extracurriculars and honors to build a compelling activity list that stands out to top admissions committees.

Ask Me Anything with a Former Stanford Admissions Officer

Join me for an Ask Me Anything (AMA) session to get answers to your college admissions questions. I'm Isamar, a former Stanford Admissions Officer, a Harvard grad, proud first-generation college graduate, and an experienced college admissions coach. With years working with students from all backgrounds, including US-based, international, and first-generation applicants, I'm here to help you navigate the college admissions process. My goal is to provide thoughtful, empathetic, and strategic guidance. Whether you're a high school student or parent, don't miss this opportunity to gain valuable insights from a seasoned professional.

UC Berkeley Essay: Crafting a Personal Narrative

A deep dive into a successful UC Berkeley essay. Learn how to craft a compelling personal narrative that highlights your experiences and gets you accepted.

BYU "Tell Us Your Story" Example Essay - Listening

An essay responding to the prompt to "tell us your story," focusing on the importance of listening and understanding diverse perspectives to contribute to the community.

The Stanford Essays That Got Me Accepted

A deep dive into the essays that earned a spot at Stanford. Learn how to craft a compelling narrative that stands out to admissions committees.

High School Resume Example for Top CS College Apps

Sample resume for high school student

UC Application Power Workshop: Maximize Your Essays + Activities List

Join expert college admissions coach Hillary H. for an engaging UC Essay & Activities Workshop designed to help students craft compelling and authentic responses to the University of California Personal Insight Questions (PIQs) and maximize the impact of their Activities & Awards List. In this session, we’ll explore how to choose the right prompts to showcase your strengths, align your writing with UC’s 13 Comprehensive Review Factors, and present a cohesive, well-rounded application. ​Students will learn how to write with clarity and purpose, make their four essays distinct yet connected, and elevate the activities section to support their narrative. Whether you're just getting started or refining your drafts, this workshop will give you the tools and confidence to write with impact.