Melanie Espeland
5.0
(76)
🎓Columbia Admissions | 🎯200+ STEM Masters Admits | 🏆Top Leland Coach
24,840 min coached
781 followers
Supercoach
Studied at Columbia Business School
Worked at McKinsey & Company
Successful clients at
Available Wednesday at 5:30 PM UTC
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? Start chatting with this coach before you get started.
Melanie's Coaching Offerings
Custom hourly · $399/hr
Get help with Letters of Recommendation, Essays, and .
Melanie also coaches for MBA, Management Consulting, Career Coaching, Life Coaching, Mental Health & Wellness, Executive Coaching, and Communication & Public Speaking. View all.
Melanie’s Leland+ Resources
Access expert resources from Melanie and hundreds of other coaches on Leland+
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:
Letters of Recommendation
Essays
Secondary Review
Application Strategy
Resume
General Exploration
Financial Aid & Scholarships
Interviews
Editing
Waitlist Strategy
School Selection
Melanie also coaches for MBA, Management Consulting, Career Coaching, Life Coaching, Mental Health & Wellness, Executive Coaching, and Communication & Public Speaking. View all.
About Melanie
🏆 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.
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
MBA Admissions Interviewer
Columbia Business School
2020 - Present
Admissions Committee
Member of the MBA Alumni Ambassador Program, interviewing candidates for CBS.
Executive Coach & Life Coach
Espeland Enterprises
2015 - Present
Hiring Manager
Admissions Coach
Espeland Enterprises
2015 - Present
Senior Lead, Strategy & Innovation
Macy's
2019 - 2020
Interviewer
Consultant
McKinsey & Company
2016 - 2018
Fashionista
Various Fashion Houses
2007 - 2015
Hiring Manager
Education
Columbia Business School
MBA
2015 - 2017
London Business School
MBA, Study Abroad
2016 - 2016
Cornell University
BS
2004 - 2007
76 Reviews
Overall Rating
5.0
Knowledge
5.0
Value
5.0
Responsiveness
5.0
Supportiveness
5.0
Melanie has helped clients get into these schools:
Melanie has helped clients get into these companies: