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Your MBA essays are where your ambitions, character, and judgment come to life – and where the right coach can make all the difference. We’ve curated a tight list of elite essay specialists whose results and reputations span top global programs, nontraditional profiles, and every stage of the writing process. From adcom insiders to master storytellers and recent H/W admits, these coaches bring distinct styles and strengths so you can find the perfect partner for your voice and goals. See all MBA admissions coaches here.
Ayda C.
Experience: NYU Stern MBA and former McKinsey consultant and interviewer, with hands-on experience advising senior leaders across M&A, transformations, and social sector work. Admitted to Tuck, Columbia, Michigan, Foster, and NYU Stern (full scholarship) and now coaches applicants on strategy, essays, and interviews.
Specialties:
- Consulting candidates and recruiter-calibrated feedback
- Narrative development and positioning
- Optional essay and weakness strategy
- Interview preparation
- International applicants
If you’re targeting top schools – or a consulting pivot – Ayda helps you craft essays that read crisp, confident, and purposeful. She knows exactly what both adcoms and firms like McKinsey look for and brings empathy from having juggled GMAT, full-time work, and essays herself. Expect precise guidance that spotlights your impact and ties your goals to a compelling, credible story.
"Ayda is incredibly candid, resourceful, and a pleasure to work with. She is very approachable and easy to talk to, which made the entire process stress-free and enjoyable. Ayda went above and beyond by thoroughly reviewing all my essays, providing detailed feedback, and even suggesting impactful edits to help me stand out. Her dedication and insight were invaluable, and I’m so grateful for her guidance."
Coached by Ayda
Christine B.
Experience: Former admissions officer at Chicago Booth, London Business School, and Yale SOM with 25+ years in MBA admissions. She’s interviewed 5,000+ candidates, read 15,000+ applications, and has a track record of 400+ M7 admits and $5M+ in scholarships.
Specialties:
- Adcom-level essay strategy and differentiation
- M7 targeting and risk calibration
- Interview prep with committee-style rigor
- International, first-gen/low-income, military, women, and nontraditional applicants
- Real-talk coaching that sharpens authenticity
Christine is the coach you call when your goal is elite and your story needs to break through the noise. She’s sat in the decision room and understands how essays influence the final vote. Her no-nonsense feedback cuts fluff, surfaces what truly sets you apart, and helps you present a grounded, memorable narrative adcoms rally behind.
"Christine is incredibly thoughtful and truly an end-to-end admissions consultant - I even call her my mini therapist! She supported me through every step of the process, from brainstorming essay topics to navigating application logistics and preparing for interviews. Her edits were sharp, and our conversations were deeply insightful, she didn’t just help polish my story, she helped me own it."
Coached by Christine, accepted to Wharton
Cindy F.
Experience: Wharton undergrad and Google Corp Dev professional who recently earned full-ride offers from HBS and Wharton. Specializes in guiding tech and finance candidates through essays, strategy, and interviews with a data-driven approach.
Specialties:
- Tech and finance profiles
- HBS and Wharton essay strategy
- Data-informed storytelling and structure
- Interview preparation
- International applicants
Cindy brings the fresh, practical insight of someone who just won at the very top. For candidates targeting HSW – or any ultra-competitive program – she helps translate complex achievements into clean, high-signal essays. Expect sharp, actionable edits that raise the bar without sacrificing your voice.
"Cindy was incredibly supportive and insightful, taking a genuine interest in my story while helping me refine how I communicated it for HBS. She struck the perfect balance between authenticity and polish, ensuring my answers felt natural yet structured. Her deep industry knowledge and HBS experience made her guidance invaluable – several of her mock questions even showed up in my actual interview! I can’t recommend her enough for interview prep and wish I had worked with her on my entire application."
Coached by Cindy, accepted to HBS, Booth, Kellogg, Fuqua, UCLA, Marshall, and Vanderbilt
Emily L.
Experience: Princeton alum and Berkeley Haas MBA; former student VP of Admissions at Haas; Leland Top 50 Coach. Since 2017, she’s coached 100+ admits to programs like Wharton, Kellogg, Sloan, Columbia, Stanford, Haas, and more, with $1M+ in scholarships.
Specialties:
- Storytelling for nontraditional paths
- Low GPA/below-median score strategy
- Part-time and working-professional programs (Haas, Booth, Kellogg)
- Voice refinement, resumes, and positioning
- Direct yet supportive coaching
If your path isn’t linear or your stats need context, Emily is exceptional at connecting the dots and elevating your narrative. With a marketer’s instinct for positioning and a writer’s ear for tone, she helps you turn disparate experiences into essays that feel cohesive, human, and unforgettable. Brutally honest when it counts, deeply supportive throughout.
"Emily was highly recommended from a few friends who worked with her in previous years, and I totally understand why. She spent time understanding my full story and gave me honest and insightful feedback on what parts of my story I should highlight for AdComs. I found her previous experience and relationships invaluable as I customized my applications to multiple top tier schools. She has been not only a strategic resource, but also a supportive friend throughout this (at times) frustrating application process. I was extremely satisfied with all of my applications and I could not imagine achieving the level of polish and authenticity I did without her guidance."
Coached by Emily, accepted to CBS and MIT Sloan
Janet O.
Experience: Wharton MBA with strategy and innovation roles at Nike, BCG, and Accenture; admissions lead for multiple affinity groups at Wharton. Has coached 35+ MBA admits with a style rooted in clarity and ownership of story.
Specialties:
- Goal clarity and essay editing
- Interview preparation
- Consulting and corporate strategy candidates
- First-generation and international applicants
- Concise, high-impact writing
Janet is ideal for thoughtful applicants who don’t want a formula – they want precision. She helps you strip away the noise, sharpen what matters, and deliver essays that feel confident without being loud. If you value strategic thinking, clean prose, and a coach who pushes you to own your story, she’s a strong match.
"Working with Janet was great. She is super down to earth and helped to give me a new perspective on my application essays. Because of her commentary on my essays I was able to submit my applications with confidence. She helped me to tell my story the best way possible."
Coached by Janet, accepted to Booth
Kanishka E.
Experience: Harvard Ph.D. in Cultural Anthropology with prior studies in Economics and Business; full-time coach who’s guided admits to HBS, Wharton, Stanford, Kellogg, Booth, INSEAD, and LBS. Background spans research, teaching at Harvard, and narrative-focused coaching.
Specialties:
- Narrative architecture and theme development
- International, LGBTQ, first-gen, veteran, and low-income applicants
- Global Top-20 strategy (U.S. and Europe)
- Interview skills and presence
- Blending analytical and creative storytelling
Kanishka helps you write essays that feel deeply human and intellectually rigorous. He’s especially powerful for global or nontraditional profiles that need synthesis across cultures, careers, or pivots. If you want essays with soul – backed by structure and insight – his method brings clarity, confidence, and resonance.
"Thanks to Kanishka’s mentorship, I successfully secured admits from Columbia, London School of Economics (LSE), and London Business School. I can confidently say that his expertise in storytelling and strategy played a pivotal role in this outcome. If you’re looking for someone who will not only help you craft a competitive application but also help you discover the story that truly reflects who you are, Kanishka is the person you need."
Coached by Kanishka, accepted to CBS, LSE, and LBS
Kelly L.
Experience: Stanford engineering alum and Harvard MBA; venture investor with prior deep-tech startup experience. Specializes in getting candidates from zero to one on essay ideation and refinement, especially engineers and tech operators.
Specialties:
- Essay brainstorming and narrative design
- Engineers/tech applicants and career pivots
- HBS and Stanford GSB focus
- Design-thinking and iterative drafting
- Authentic, founder/innovator-oriented stories
Technical candidates who can’t get their essays unstuck thrive with Kelly. She excels at finding your “north star,” then shaping essays that move from dense bullet points to compelling, human stories. If you want a thought partner who’s been on both sides of the tech–business divide, her process is energizing and effective.
"Kelly has been the best coach!!! "
Coached by Kelly, accepted to HBS
Naomi E.
Experience: Tuck MBA and Harvard MPA candidate; Middlebury valedictorian; seasoned writing advisor, editor, and public speaking coach. Supports applicants end-to-end on essays, resumes, and interview prep.
Specialties:
- Brainstorm-to-final draft essay coaching
- Interview strategy and delivery
- Tuck and Harvard insights
- First-gen, LGBTQ, international, and low-income applicants
- Clear, values-forward storytelling
Naomi blends high standards with a calm, empowering presence – perfect for applicants who want structure and confidence at every step. She helps you articulate values, refine language, and deliver polished essays that read personal yet purposeful. Expect thoughtful prompts, tight edits, and a steady hand through crunch time.
"Naomi provided excellent feedback and editing on my Tuck essays, even going above and beyond on other essays and taking time to understand my unique background."
Coached by Naomi, accepted to Ross and Tepper
Oren M.
Experience: Former Senior Associate Director of MBA Admissions at NYU Stern; evaluated thousands of applications and represented Stern globally. ICF-certified coach with HR and leadership development experience; clients admitted to H/W/Booth/Kellogg/MIT/Columbia/Yale and more.
Specialties:
- Adcom-calibrated essay and interview strategy
- NYU Stern expertise and NYC programs
- Career clarity and goals articulation
- LGBTQ, underrepresented, and nontraditional applicants
- Stress-tested, straightforward coaching
Oren brings the rare clarity of someone who’s made admit decisions himself. He’ll push you to ditch generic claims, anchor your essays in substance, and communicate with confidence. If you want insider-level guidance with a supportive, no-mold approach – especially for Stern or New York–area programs – he’s a standout choice.
"Oren took the time to help me craft and tighten up a compelling story. He was able to immediately identify potential pain points and red flags in my narrative, and fine tuned my strategic vision into a story that made sense, was cohesive, and spoke to what business schools were looking for. He knew how to tease out my story and put my best foot forward, and comprehensively suggested edits to each piece to make my voice shine through. Even when I had quick one-off questions, he could always be counted upon."
Coached by Oren, accepted to Wharton, MIT Sloan, Booth and Kellogg
Sesana A.
Experience: Stanford GSB MBA student, Forbes 30 Under 30 honoree with growth equity and Accenture strategy experience. Coaches applicants to Stanford, HBS, Wharton, and CBS; supports MLT, The Consortium, and more.
Specialties:
- Authentic storytelling and voice
- Entrepreneurship, investing, and impact-driven narratives
- Sentence-level editing for tone and punch
- School-specific insight (GSB, HBS, Wharton, CBS)
- Pathways like MLT and The Consortium
If you’re aiming high and want essays that feel bold, clear, and unmistakably you, Sesana is a powerful partner. She treats every line like it matters, helping you express ambition and purpose without sounding over-rehearsed. Especially strong for mission-driven builders and leaders targeting GSB-style introspection and impact.
"Sesana is thoughtful, intentional, and so kind! She is a great listener who took the time to understand my goals and aspirations in order to ensure they were reflected in my essays and overall application. Highly suggest working with Sesana!!"
Coached by Sesana, accepted to HBS
Find the Right MBA Essay Help
Great MBA essays can set you apart in the MBA admissions process, showing the admissions committee your unique personal story, leadership, and program fit. The right MBA essay help will guide you from first draft to polished submission – refining structure, tightening word count, cutting industry jargon, and elevating your message to resonate with admissions officers.
Book a free strategy and coach matching call with a member of the Leland team, and we’ll pair you with an expert who can help you craft a standout MBA application essay that maximizes your chances at your top business school.
Read more:
- MBA Essay Examples & Tips (From an AdCom)
- The Top 15+ MBA Essay Writing Services
- How to Write a Standout MBA Application Essay
MBA Essay Help – FAQs
Are college essay consultants worth it?
- For competitive MBA applicants and undergraduates aiming for top business schools, an experienced essay consultant can be highly valuable. They provide mba essay help that ensures your mba application essay clearly answers the essay prompt, communicates your personal story, and resonates with the admissions committee – while staying within word count and avoiding industry jargon. For many, this results in a stronger, more polished application that increases their odds of admission.
How to write a good MBA essay?
- A strong MBA application essay blends a clear personal story with evidence of leadership, impact, and program fit. Start by understanding the essay questions, researching the school’s values, and using mba essay tips to structure your answer with a strong opening, focused middle, and memorable conclusion. Avoid clichés, use concrete examples, and ensure your writing reflects your authentic voice while addressing what matters most to the admissions committee.
Are MBA coaches worth it?
- Yes, when you work with a vetted expert through platforms like Leland. Our MBA admissions consultants provide personalized advice, resources, and strategy to guide MBA applicants through the entire mba admissions process – from school selection to mock interviews. They help you put your best foot forward, refine your mba essays, and prepare for the interview process, ensuring you’re presenting the strongest possible application to your target business schools.
How to write the perfect MBA essay?
- The “perfect” MBA essay is clear, concise, and personal, addressing the essay prompt directly while showing why you’re a great fit for the MBA program. It demonstrates self-awareness, leadership, and alignment with the school’s culture. Use a compelling narrative, maintain logical flow, and follow mba essay tips to keep your writing focused and free of fluff. Strong editing – whether by trusted peers or a professional – can help ensure your final draft is polished and persuasive.
How long should an MBA essay be?
- Most MBA application essays range from 400–750 words, though application process guidelines vary by school. Always follow the word count provided in the prompt, as exceeding it can reflect poorly on your ability to follow instructions. Use the space strategically – focus on the most relevant details of your personal story that demonstrate leadership, values, and program fit.
How to make your MBA application stand out?
- To stand out in the mba admissions process, ensure your application is cohesive and well-researched. Highlight leadership achievements, show impact in your career, and connect your personal story to your career goals and the school’s strengths. Strong mba essays, a polished mba resume, impressive test scores, and targeted interview preparation can help you stand out to the admissions committee. Partnering with an admissions consultant can give you expert insights and mba essay help to maximize your chances.
