
Samantha Kahn
5.0
(8)
HBS Admit & Harvard MPP | Coaching Non-Traditional MBA Applicants
1,905 min coached
Studied at Harvard Kennedy School
Hiring Manager at Next Gen Diagnostics
Successful clients at
Available today at 1:00 PM UTC
Questions? Start chatting with this coach before you get started.
Samantha's Coaching Offerings
Custom hourly · $69/hr
Get help with Recommendations, Cover Letters, and .
Samantha’s MBA Qualifications
Samantha has helped clients get into these schools:
I bring both personal experience and a track record of helping others successfully navigate competitive graduate admissions. I was admitted to Harvard Business School (attending in Fall 2026) and hold a Master of Public Policy from Harvard Kennedy School, and I have spent years helping applicants translate complex, non-linear experiences into compelling application narratives. My background is intentionally non-traditional. I have worked across public policy, social impact, and healthcare innovation, and I understand how challenging it can be to present an unconventional path in a way that resonates with admissions committees. I specialize in helping applicants connect the dots across their experiences — whether they are coming from nonprofits, government, healthcare, startups, or other non-traditional industries — and turning those experiences into clear, cohesive stories about leadership, impact, and future goals. In addition to my own admissions experience, I have coached multiple applicants through competitive graduate admissions processes, including helping candidates secure admission to top MBA and other Master’s programs. Through this work I’ve developed a structured approach to application strategy: identifying the core themes in a candidate’s story, aligning those themes with what schools are looking for, and helping applicants communicate their experiences with clarity and authenticity. My coaching focuses not just on editing essays, but on helping applicants build a strong overall narrative across their resume, essays, and interviews so that every part of the application reinforces the same clear story about who they are and the impact they want to have. More than anything, I work to help applicants feel confident in themselves and their applications throughout the process. I know how daunting and stressful applying can be and I am here to try to make the process easier!
Samantha can help with:
Recommendations
Cover Letters
Resume
General Exploration
Testing & Assessments
Supplementary Materials
School Selection
Essays
Secondary Review
Application Strategy
Interviews
Editing
Ding Analysis
Networking Strategy
Waitlist Strategy
About Samantha
I bring a blend of policy, nonprofit, and startup experience to my coaching. I began my career working in homelessness advocacy and health equity, earning my Master of Public Policy from Harvard Kennedy School. While at school, I founded the Homelessness Caucus, led a street team with the Harvard Square Homeless Shelter, and joined the Disability Justice Caucus and LGBGTQ+ Caucus, all formative experiences during my time at HKS. I received a fellowship from the Harvard Joint Center for Housing Studies and was awarded the Robert F. Kennedy Award for Excellence in Public Service upon graduation. Today, I’m the Director of Strategic Marketing at a biotechnology startup, where I bridge science, business, and storytelling to bring life-saving innovations to market. Alongside that work, I coach applicants to master’s programs because I know how transformative the right graduate program can be and how intimidating the application process often feels. I will be attending Harvard Business School in Fall 2026. Beyond my professional and educational background, I loves drawing and painting, fantasy books, playing with my cat, Demi, and spending time with my wonderful partner (who I met at HKS!).
Why do I coach?
I coach because I know firsthand how life-changing the right guidance can be. Throughout my career, I’ve had mentors who saw potential in me before I fully believed in myself, and their encouragement gave me the confidence to take on challenges I once thought were out of reach. I’ve also faced moments where I had to figure things out the hard way. Those experiences taught me resilience, but they also showed me how much easier and more fulfilling growth can be with someone walking alongside you. Now, coaching is my way of paying that forward. I love helping people uncover their strengths, quiet their doubts, and bring out their best work, whether that’s telling their story powerfully in an application, sharpening their professional direction, or simply believing in themselves when things feel uncertain. For me, coaching isn’t just about strategy; it’s about creating a space where people feel seen, supported, and capable of doing more than they imagined.
Work Experience

Director of Strategic Marketing
Next Gen Diagnostics
November 2023 - Present
Hiring Manager
Policy and Advocacy Manager
Care For the Homeless
September 2022 - November 2023
Public Policy Fellow
Pine Street Inn
June 2021 - August 2021
Awarded Harvard Joint Center for Housing Studies Community Development and Housing Fellowship
Communications Lead
St. Anthony Foundation
January 2019 - May 2020
Education

Harvard Kennedy School
Master of Public Policy, Homelessness and Housing
2020 - 2022
Recipient of the Robert F. Kennedy Award for Excellence in Public Service President and Founder, Homelessness Caucus Member, Disability Justice Caucus Member, LGBTQIA+ Caucus
Georgetown University
Bachelor of Arts (B.A.), English
2012 - 2016
8 Reviews
Overall Rating
5.0
Knowledge
5.0
Value
5.0
Responsiveness
5.0
Supportiveness
5.0
Samantha has helped clients get into these schools: