
Kelsey Kephart
Top Expert
Former CBS Adcom | 96% Success Rate | $240K Avg Scholarships

Columbia Business School
Successful clients at




35.6k
Expert mins
566
Followers
R1: Open for final application reviews for R1. R2: 95% at capacity Please send along your resume as well as a bit about your goals when you book your call or reach out!
Questions?
You can start chatting with Kelsey before you get started.
Work with Kelsey

Comprehensive MBA Package - Full Support to Maximize Your Application
Starting at $9,00025h+ of coaching
Best Value

MBA Hourly Coaching
Starting at $1,4073h+ of coaching
Save up to $234.50

Final Application Review & Strategy Session
Starting at $2,0004h+ of coaching
Best Value
About
Customer favorite
In the top 10% of MBA experts on Leland
I'm Kelsey, founder of Embark MBA. Before being a coach, I spent 3 years on Columbia Business School's admissions committee. I reviewed countless applications, interviewed candidates, managed the worldwide interview program, served as a waitlist manager, and oversaw dual-degree admissions for the Law, Medical, and Journalism schools. I know exactly how admissions decisions are made because I was on the inside. After CBS, I moved into finance. I worked at a hedge fund, a large bank, and in venture capital. It gave me something a real understanding of the career paths my clients are chasing. But as I built my career, I kept missing the part I loved mos: helping candidates craft their stories. I came back to the admissions world. Working on this side, I saw the same problems repeat. Candidates undersold their experiences. Essays sounded like everyone else's. Strong applicants got dinged because their story didn't connect. That's what I fix. 96% of my clients get in. More than half earn scholarships averaging $240K. I've helped 300+ people gain admission to programs including HBS, GSB, Wharton, Booth, Kellogg, and more. I work with a small number of clients each cycle. That's intentional. Every person I work with gets my full attention, from the first strategy call to the final submission.
Kelsey’s MBA Qualifications
Coaches professionally
100+ people coached for MBA
Kelsey has helped clients get into these schools:
As a former M7 Admissions Director, I help you craft authentic, powerful applications that stand out and get results. Since 2017, I’ve helped hundreds of MBA-hopefuls get accepted to top MBA programs across full-time, executive, and part-time programs and I look forward to helping you do the same. 96% of my clients achieve MBA success and more than half secure scholarships averaging $240K. I served on Columbia Business School’s admission committee, where I reviewed countless applications, interviewed candidates, managed the world-wide interview program, served as a waitlist manager, and managed the dual degree programs for the Law, Medical, and Journalism schools. Thereafter, I transitioned into finance, with stints at a hedge fund, a large bank, and in venture capital. Yet, even as I built my career, I missed the part I loved most - helping candidates craft their stories. I returned to the admissions world as a coach. On the other side of the admissions journey, I saw critical gaps in the application process: limited guidance around testing, the challenge of telling narratives within the confines of a few essays and a resume is challenging, and how admissions committees can seem like a black box. My mission reflects these gaps - offer best-in-class advice, work closely with a small number of candidates, and provide personal partnership to every client.
Kelsey can help with:
Application Strategy
Ding Analysis
Editing
Essays
Financial Aid & Scholarships
General Exploration
Interviews
Recommendations
Resume
School Selection
Secondary Review
Supplementary Materials
Waitlist Strategy
Why do I coach?
I coach because I know how isolating this process can feel and how much the right guidance changes the outcome. I was the first in my family to attend college. I've seen firsthand what education makes possible. At Columbia, I watched strong candidates submit applications that didn't do them justice. The experiences were real. The potential was obvious. But the story didn't connect. Coaching is how I help people close that gap.
Work Experience

Assistant Director of Admissions
Columbia Business School
2014 - 2017
Admissions Committee
I served on Columbia Business School’s admission committee, where I reviewed countless applications, interviewed candidates, managed the world-wide interview program, served as a waitlist manager, and managed the dual degree programs for the Law, Medical, and Journalism schools.
Kelsey was also given offers to work at

Bridgewater Associates
5.0 average review
83 reviews
Overall rating
Kelsey has helped clients get into these schools:
Comprehensive MBA Package - Full Support to Maximize Your Application
Starting at $9,00025h+ of coaching
Best Value
MBA Hourly Coaching
Starting at $1,4073h+ of coaching
Save up to $234.50
Final Application Review & Strategy Session
Starting at $2,0004h+ of coaching
Best Value
MBA Interview Prep Package
Starting at $9382h+ of coaching
Save up to $37.52
MBA Waitlist Strategy
Starting at $2,0005h+ of coaching
Best Value


