Offered by Mike H.

Joined June 2024

Former Director of Program and Admissions at Stanford

For more than a decade, I oversaw admissions for the Stanford MSx Program, a specialized Master of Science in Management degree at the Stanford Graduate School of Business. In that role, 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 graduate school. Crafting a great application is a valuable step to having an exceptional graduate 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. 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.