Karla Magana Figueroa

With over a decade of experience, I’ve helped candidates break into the world’s most competitive MBA and master’s programs, consistently delivering results across applicant types and industries. My unique qualifications include: ◉ At Harvard Kennedy School, collaborated directly with the Head of Admissions to revamp evaluation processes and led formal knowledge-sharing with other policy programs and M7 MBA programs (e.g., HBS, Wharton, Booth) to align HKS selection standards with leading graduate admissions practices. This revamp gave me unique insights across top MBA programs to understand what they look for in their processes, a cross-school lens not many coaches have been afforded ◉ Leland Top Coach in 2023, 2024, and 2025 (since rankings began), with reviews attesting to strategic, high-touch coaching ◉ 150+ M7 admits and tens of millions in scholarship funding secured across MBA, MPP, and master’s programs ◉ Proven success with traditional (consulting, banking), deferred, joint-degree, international, and non-traditional candidates With deep insight into how top programs evaluate applicants, I specialize in translating client profiles into compelling narratives that highlight leadership, trajectory, and potential. Some big wins include helping an individual with a 3.2 GPA and 145 (Quant GRE) / 158 (Verbal GRE) secure admission to a top 5 MBA with 60% tuition scholarship and negotiating another candidate's M7 waitlist offer to admission with 100% tuition funding. Given my extensive client-facing experience in consulting and investment banking, I am extremely responsive and tailor my approach to fit each client's needs. I am especially helpful to: ◉ applicants from established pre-MBA careers (e.g., consulting, banking) hoping to differentiate themselves in a crowded field ◉ international applicants looking for guidance on the U.S.-specific nuances for MBAs ◉ non-traditional candidates without cookie-cutter GPAs or test scores looking to highlight strengths in other areas ◉ deferred candidates looking to show their future *potential* through storytelling ◉ candidates seeking scholarship funding ◉ underrepresented minorities, especially LGBTQ+ / BIPOC applicants, who want to work with someone with a shared lived experience ◉ joint / concurrent degree applicants ◉ candidates who want to make a great impression during interviews. I take special pride in one of my interviewers saying I was the best-prepared applicant he had seen in 10 years :) ◉ waitlisted or rejected applicants who want to make a compelling case for their candidacy through informal channels