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Melanie E.

Melanie Espeland

Top Expert

🎓Columbia Admissions | 🎯200+ STEM Masters Admits | 🏆Top Leland Coach

  • Columbia Business School Logo

    Columbia Business School

  • McKinsey & Company Logo

    McKinsey & Company

  • 31.8k

    Expert mins

  • 916

    Followers

Available Wednesday

Starting at 5:30 PM UTC

Melanie E.
Note from Melanie

[NOTE for MBA Applicants: please contact me directly for availability the week of 8/31.] I’ve coached 1,000+ applicants and professionals to achieve standout results across their academic, professional, and personal lives. My work has been featured in Forbes, NBC, TEDx, and more. I’m proud to be recognized as one of Leland’s Top Coaches of 2026. Drop me a line to get started.

Questions?

You can start chatting with Melanie before you get started.

Work with Melanie

About

🏆 RECIPIENT OF LELAND TOP COACH AWARD 2026 🏆 🚀I’ve coached 1,000+ applicants and professionals to achieve standout results across their academic, professional, and personal lives. My work has been featured in Forbes, NBC, TEDx, and more. Whether you’re looking to navigate the competitive MBA admissions process, enhance your leadership capabilities, or discover your life’s purpose, I'll empower you to unlock your full potential across all areas of your life. With over 19 years of experience (as of 2026), I bring a powerful and unique blend of strategic business insight, coaching, and holistic healing arts to help you achieve your most ambitious goals. On Leland, I'm best known for my MBA admissions results, and I also work across executive coaching, life coaching, and healing arts. My Leland services include: 🎓 MBA & Masters Admissions: As a Columbia MBA alumna and MBA Admissions Interviewer, I have successfully helped 200+ applicants gain spots at top-tier schools like Columbia, Stanford, Harvard, and more. I have proven results at every MBA M7 school and multiple Top 25 programs. Additionally, I've helped many achieve admissions to joint-degree programs (such a JD/MBA, MPP/MBA) and other business, technology, or finance-adjacent programs (such as Masters in Computer Science). Let me show you the path to unlocking your best application. 🌿Mental Health & Wellness: As an ICF certified Coach and Healer trained in Somatics, Reiki/Energy, Tarot, and more, I've helped hundreds of clients achieve more happiness, passion, and peace. Let's find your flow. 🌱 Life Coaching: I'll help you to create meaningful change in your personal life by helping you overcome mental blocks, build confidence, and align with your true potential. Together, we will focus on self-discovery, mindset transformation, and purpose-driven living. 💼 Executive & Career Coaching: I harness my McKinsey toolkit and coaching methodologies to enable you to make powerful decisions, achieve your next career move, enhance your executive presence, and drive success. I've helped clients gain jobs at places like BCG, Amazon, Google, LVMH, and more. 🎤Communication & Public Speaking: As a former Voice Actor with CESD Talent Agency and McKinsey consultant, I know all the do's and don'ts of communication. I even have a TEDx Talk on Executive Presence. Additionally, I'm the creator of the proprietary Espeland Method™ for building executive presence. ****** 📺Recognition: I have been featured in Forbes, NBC, ABC, CBS, Business Insider, TEDx, and more. I've worked with prominent corporate clients including Google, Meta, IBM, and Morgan Stanley; as well as individuals such as business leaders, influencers, and Olympic athletes.

Melanie’s Master’s Programs Qualifications

Coaches professionally

50+ people coached for Master’s Programs

Open to working with clients outside the U.S.

Melanie has helped clients get into these schools:

✨WHY CHOOSE MELANIE? • 🎓STEM MASTERS EXPERT: I've helped over 200 applicants achieve results in Masters programs, with a focus on STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics). Example schools I have had success in are Stanford University, Harvard University, Columbia University, Cornell University, and other prestigious institutions. Example programs I have had success in are Master of Science (MS) in Computer Engineering; Master of Finance; MS Applied Analytics; M.S. in Technology Management; and more. Furthermore, as a Columbia Masters alumna and Admissions Committee Interviewer, I have insider knowledge of what top-tier schools seek across a variety of masters program. • ✍️ESSAY CONCIERGE: I’m not just a coach - I’m a writer and editor with an eye for detail. With years of experience writing successful masters essays, career coaching courses, and crafting works of fiction, I bring a keen sense of storytelling, language mastery, and technical precision to every essay I work on. Whether it’s structure, flow, or word choice, I’ll make sure your essay is perfectly polished and reflects your best self. Through powerful storytelling, I help them build a brand that truly stands out in the admissions process. We fine tune every written piece of your application, including essay, resumes, short-answers, and even LinkedIn profiles! • 🚀PROVEN RESULTS: I’ve helped over 200+ applicants secure spots at top masters programs. My clients’ success stories are a testament to the tailored strategies and guidance I provide. • 🎯PROFESSIONAL COACH: With over 10 years of coaching experience, I’m not just an admissions consultant—I’m an ICF-certified Executive Coach & Life Coach. My approach goes beyond getting you into business school; I focus on your application branding, leadership development, and executive presence to prepare you for the journey ahead. ✨WHO I WORK WITH: • Masters Degrees, with a focus on STEM • Traditional and Non-Traditional Candidates • Diverse Applicants including POC, Veterans, and LGBTQIA+ • Candidates with High and Low Test Scores ✨SCHEDULE YOUR FREE CONSULTATION: Contact Melanie Espeland for your free consultation today. With my insider knowledge, executive coaching expertise, and essay-writing mastery, I’ll help you craft a standout application that positions you for success—both in admissions and beyond.

Melanie can help with:

Application Strategy

Editing

Essays

Financial Aid & Scholarships

General Exploration

Interviews

Letters of Recommendation

Resume

School Selection

Secondary Review

Waitlist Strategy

Why do I coach?

✨Coaching and mentoring is my calling! I’m incredibly grateful to have built a career as a professional coach. 💼 I am ICF-Certified at the PCC level, and have completed a variety of additional certification and enrichment programs in coaching and storytelling. My journey has allowed me to blend my passion for helping others with my deep expertise, and every day I’m inspired to help clients achieve their personal and professional dreams. 🙏

Work Experience

Columbia Business School Logo

MBA Admissions Interviewer

Columbia Business School

2020 - Present

Admissions Committee

Member of the MBA Alumni Ambassador Program, interviewing candidates for CBS.

Macy's Logo

Senior Lead, Strategy & Innovation

Macy's

2019 - 2020

Interviewer

McKinsey & Company Logo

Consultant

McKinsey & Company

2016 - 2018

Espeland Enterprises Logo

Executive Coach & Life Coach

Espeland Enterprises

2015 - Present

Hiring Manager

Espeland Enterprises Logo

Admissions Coach

Espeland Enterprises

2015 - Present

Various Fashion Houses Logo

Fashionista

Various Fashion Houses

2007 - 2015

Hiring Manager

Education

London Business School Logo

London Business School

MBA, Study Abroad

2016 - 2016

Columbia Business School Logo

Columbia Business School

MBA

2015 - 2017

Cornell University Logo

Cornell University

BS

2004 - 2007

5.0 average review

85 reviews


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Melanie has helped clients get into these schools:


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Articles

MBA Recommendation Letter Guide: Examples, Templates, and Writing Tips (2026)

MBA Recommendation Letter Guide: Examples, Templates, and Writing Tips (2026)

Sep 3, 2026

Get expert tips on the MBA recommendation letter: who to ask, how to ask, what schools want, and mistakes to avoid, plus examples and templates.

How to Accelerate Your MBA Application – From an Expert Coach

How to Accelerate Your MBA Application – From an Expert Coach

Jul 29, 2025

Business school applications are long and complicated - here's how to get ahead and prepare yourself for admission success, from a professional MBA admissions consultant and M7 alumna.

Is an MBA Worth It? Pros, Cons, and How to Decide

Is an MBA Worth It? Pros, Cons, and How to Decide

Jul 23, 2025

Considering an MBA? This expert-backed guide breaks down the key pros and cons to help you decide if an MBA is the right move for your career, goals, and personal growth.

What the Columbia Business School Admissions Committee Looks for in MBA Applicants

What the Columbia Business School Admissions Committee Looks for in MBA Applicants

Jun 17, 2025

Everything you need to know about what the CBS admissions committee is looking for in high-potential MBA applicants, from a professional MBA coach and Columbia alumna.

Columbia MBA Essays: Tips & Examples (From a CBS AdCom) [2025]

Columbia MBA Essays: Tips & Examples (From a CBS AdCom) [2025]

Jun 17, 2025

Coach Melanie E. walks you through each Columbia Business School essay prompt for the 2023-2024 cycle, breaking down what adcoms are looking for and offering expert advice on how to nail your responses.

An Expert Coach's Top Tips for Non-Traditional MBA Applicants

An Expert Coach's Top Tips for Non-Traditional MBA Applicants

Jun 17, 2025

Join Coach Melanie E., and discover how to leverage your diverse experiences, career paths, and skill sets to craft a compelling application that showcases your true potential to business schools.