Table of Contents
Free Event
Featuring Victoria R.
Crafting the MBA Goals Essay: Tell Your Story, Land the Admit
Starting Wednesday, August 27
11:30 PM UTC · 30 minutes
Featuring Victoria R.
When the interview invite lands, the margin for error shrinks – and the right coach can turn your story into a confident, compelling conversation. This handpicked list spotlights elite MBA coaches with proven interview chops across M7 and other top programs. From former admissions interviewers to data-driven strategists and industry operators, you’ll find a range of styles and strengths to match your goals, background, and target schools. Work with an expert who knows how to translate your experiences into crisp answers, thoughtful follow-ups, and memorable presence. See all MBA admissions coaches here.
Alex L.
Experience: Stanford GSB MBA with a marketing focus and an International Global Management Certificate; dual BS in Electrical Engineering and Computer Science from Northwestern. Former Stanford alumni interviewer with a decade of guiding applicants to top programs. Veteran product and marketing leader with global experience and bilingual fluency.
Specialties:
- Interview preparation and executive presence
- Application strategy and school targeting
- Essay development and narrative polish
- Resume refinement and positioning
- International and cross-cultural applicants
If you want to tighten your message and project polish under pressure, Alex blends marketer’s clarity with interviewer insight. His global lens and bilingual background help international applicants anticipate culture-specific cues. Expect candid feedback, sharp messaging, and practice that mirrors what adcoms actually listen for.
"Working with Alex was the best decision I made during my MBA application process—his strategic insight and support helped me gain admission to HBS, MIT Sloan, CBS, and NYU Stern, where I received a full-ride scholarship. Alex was my partner throughout the application process. His candid feedback helped me write my applications to talk about my strengths and articulate my thoughts in a way that admissions was tuned into. Having consistent check-in points with Alex made me feel confident throughout the process, and he answered all my (sometimes ridiculous) questions throughout the way."
Coached by Alex
Carlos P.
Experience: Harvard Business School graduate who earned 8 T-15 admits (including 4 M7) and over $1.1M in scholarships and fellowships. Built a structured, school-specific approach after collaborating with leading consultants and admissions officers.
Specialties:
- Interview preparation tailored to each program
- School-by-school strategy and personalization
- Storytelling for non-traditional profiles and below-average test scores
- Scholarship and fellowship positioning (MLT/Consortium savvy)
- Essay coaching and message consistency
Applicants who need a system – and proof it works – will appreciate Carlos’s replicable process. He’s particularly strong for non-traditional backgrounds and scholarship-minded candidates who must nail both content and confidence in interviews. You’ll practice targeted answers that match each school’s values while sounding authentically you.
"Carlos helped me get into my dream MBA program. I worked in engineering before and didn’t have any connections to M7 schools, so I wasn’t sure what to expect. With his help though I got accepted to HBS and the process went really smoothly. He coached me on writing my essay and what to expect during the interview process."
Coached by Carlos
Claire S.
Experience: Harvard Business School MBA, founder/CEO of Hydra Hydration, with brand and transformation roles at Kraft Heinz and IBM. Has coached multiple candidates end-to-end through the admissions cycle.
Specialties:
- Interview preparation and communication style
- Application strategy and narrative coherence
- Essay development with an entrepreneurial lens
- First-generation and international applicants
- Career-switchers into consumer/tech/operations
Claire helps you speak like a leader – clear, concise, and grounded in impact. Founders, operators, and career-switchers benefit from her ability to translate complex experiences into crisp interview stories that land with admissions. Expect supportive coaching that sharpens your narrative and boosts your executive presence.
"CC has been a game-changer for me. I went into our coaching sessions unsure of what I could accomplish, but CC not only helped me clarify my vision, she also exceeded my expectations at every turn. She helped me take actionable steps forward, even when I felt stuck. What impressed me the most was how nice she was while also helping me think bigger. With CC’s help, I’ve made more progress in a few sessions than I had in months on my own. Truly transformative!"
Coached by Claire S
Douglas S.
Experience: Harvard Business School MBA candidate and Green Beret with a track record of guiding military veterans and nontraditional MBA applicants into top business schools. Admits to HBS and Booth, and summer internship offers from McKinsey and BCG.
Specialties:
- Military veterans transitioning to business school
- Nontraditional backgrounds and career pivots
- Complete MBA admissions process from application strategy to interview preparation
- Storytelling that connects personal history to post-MBA career goals
- Applicants targeting top tier MBA programs (HBS, Booth, Wharton, Stanford GSB, Columbia Business School, London Business School)
Douglas excels at helping candidates uncover their most powerful personal narratives – whether military, corporate, or nonprofit – and distill them into concise, persuasive MBA essays, resumes, and interview answers. His coaching is equal parts strategic and supportive, ensuring you enter each step of the admissions process with clarity, confidence, and a compelling story that resonates with admissions committees.
"Can’t recommend Douglas enough. He mock interviewed me twice, and both times came prepared with varied sets of questions. His feedback on my responses were both clear and specific, delineating between stylistic nuances and universally applicable interview strategies. He was astute in picking up the distinctive aspects of my background and personality (which I couldn’t even do), then helped me refine my talking points to bring those aspects out. From beginning to end, he was encouraging and showed genuine interest in helping me and because of him, I feel much better going into my interviews."
Coached by Douglas
Gabriela D.
Experience: Current Stanford GSB MBA and Cornell Hotel School alum with experience in venture capital, retail leadership, and category management; headed to Alpine Investors’ CEO-in-Training program. Coaches applicants on essays, interviews, and strategy.
Specialties:
- Interview preparation and presence
- Essays and narrative shaping
- Career-switchers across consumer, retail, and investing
- Stanford GSB-focused guidance
- Brand-building and data-driven storytelling
If your background is story-rich – consumer, hospitality, VC, or brand-focused – Gabriela helps you turn it into crisp, confident interview answers. She brings warmth, precision, and operator rigor, great for applicants who want to convey both personality and business judgment. You’ll leave with tight stories and practiced follow-ups that feel natural.
"Gabriela was a wonderful mentor to me during my MBA application journey, helping me strategically identify the right programs for my career goals and refine my story. Her firsthand experience with the process made me feel supported, while her holistic view ensured my application was as strong as possible. She’s easy to work with, insightful, and I highly recommend working with her!"
Coached by Gabriela, accepted to Cornell
Greg G.
Experience: Founder of Avanti Prep (full-time since 2017); among the top 5% most reviewed MBA consultants globally and repeatedly featured by Poets & Quants. 2023–24 Harvard/Stanford acceptance rate of 47%, with an 83% lifetime H/S interview prep success rate and strong results with military/veteran applicants.
Specialties:
- High-stakes interview prep (Harvard/Stanford and beyond)
- Essays, resumes, and strategic positioning
- Structured mock interviews with rigorous feedback
- Military/veteran and international applicants
- High-value coaching model
Data-driven and detail-obsessed, Greg is ideal for applicants who want a disciplined interview process and measurable improvement. His track record at H/S speaks to a method that stresses clarity under pressure, tight storytelling, and pointed follow-up. You’ll get intensive practice and exacting feedback designed for the toughest rooms.
"I got into Haas not only because of Greg’s technical skills, but really because Greg is a great person who was uniquely suited to help me see parts of myself that I couldn’t see. He gave me the confidence I needed to complete the journey, and that journey ended with a fantastic result thanks to his excellent services and pseudo-role as life coach, teacher, and encourager."
Coached by Greg, accepted into Haas
Hadi H.
Experience: London Business School alumnus and former LBS interviewer; founder of A1 MBA Consulting. Has helped 120+ candidates – including admits to HBS, Stanford GSB, Wharton, LBS, INSEAD, Oxford, and Cambridge – by focusing on audience-first storytelling.
Specialties:
- Interview preparation from an interviewer’s perspective
- Non-traditional and international applicants
- Storytelling and message refinement
- Applicants targeting LBS/INSEAD/Oxbridge as well as US M7
- GMAT-informed application strategy
If your path isn’t linear or English isn’t your first language, Hadi helps you craft answers that are “too good to ignore.” His candid, hands-on style and interviewer insight sharpen your delivery and structure. Expect direct feedback, intensive reps, and narratives tuned precisely to what adcoms listen for.
"Hadi was an absolute game-changer in my interview prep for Rice Jones, Indiana Kelley, and USC Marshall. Even with short notice, he brought incredible energy and knew every detail on how to tackle each interview. His guidance helped me make the most of every opportunity, and his feedback was spot-on. If you’re looking for someone who’s sharp, supportive, and truly invested in your success, Hadi is the coach you need!"
Coached by Hadi, accepted to Marshall, Kelley, Jones, Carlson, and Haas
Kathleen D.
Experience: Chicago Booth MBA and former Booth Admissions Fellow who conducted 30+ admissions interviews for the full-time program and Booth Scholars. 760 GMAT; Bain alum with leadership roles across consumer and e-commerce.
Specialties:
- MBA admissions interview prep (including behavioral drills)
- M7 targeting and school selection
- Detailed, actionable feedback for rapid improvement
- Application strategy and essay alignment
Kathleen’s sat on the other side of the table and it shows. She zeroes in on your growth edges fast, then drills until your answers are concise, evidence-backed, and natural. Ideal for M7 hopefuls and anyone who wants nuanced, immediately useful feedback that moves the needle before interview day.
"I had an excellent experience with Kathleen. She was highly professional, a great communicator, and clearly very experienced in conducting mock interviews. The questions closely mirrored the style and structure of the actual interview. What stood out most was the tailored feedback, which was specifically aligned with the school I was applying to. This personalized approach helped me refine my responses and feel more confident going into the real interview."
Coached by Kathleen
Shawn K.
Experience: Wharton admit and UT Austin McCombs alum with offers from Goldman Sachs, JPMorgan, and Deloitte. Reviewed 100+ MBA essays, conducted 80+ mock case and behavioral interviews, and coached 60+ candidates into consulting and investment banking roles.
Specialties:
- Mock case and behavioral interviews for M7
- Storytelling for finance/consulting candidates
- Resume reviews and school-specific alignment
- Essay feedback and messaging consistency
Targeting the M7 with consulting or IB in your sights? Shawn combines professional recruiting insight with a high-volume mock interview track record. You’ll refine structured responses, sharpen business judgment, and practice under realistic conditions—so you show up polished and ready.
"Shawn helped me identify the best-fit programs based on my goals and experience. He didn’t just polish my essays—he challenged me to think deeper and bring out the “why” behind each part of my application. One of the best things about Shawn is that he tailors his advice based on your target schools. He knew how to adjust my tone and content for McCombs versus Berkeley, which really helped me stand out across applications."
Coached by Shawn, accepted to McCombs, UCLA, and Haas
Tim K.
Experience: Current Harvard Business School MBA with a Cornell background and prior roles in investment banking and private equity. Has coached clients to admits at HBS (3), Wharton (2), and Stanford GSB (1) in a recent round.
Specialties:
- Interview coaching for HBS/Wharton/GSB
- Finance-oriented candidates (IB/PE)
- Application strategy and message clarity
For elite targets and fast timelines, Tim brings a fresh, in-cycle perspective on what wins interviews now. His guidance helps you project focus and maturity while staying personable – especially valuable for finance applicants. Expect targeted drills and candid coaching calibrated to top-tier standards.
The Best MBA Interview Prep For You
A strong MBA interview can be the deciding factor in your MBA admissions journey, whether you’re targeting Harvard Business School, Stanford GSB, or other top MBA programs. The right MBA interview help will prepare you for every scenario, from blind interviews to team-based discussions, ensuring you can answer tough questions, share specific examples, and demonstrate a genuine connection to the business school community.
Working with an experienced coach means you’ll pressure-test your stories, refine answers to common MBA interview questions, and get interview tips tailored to your target schools. Through mock interviews and in-depth knowledge of the interview format, coaches help you prepare thoughtful questions, highlight your career goals and personal qualities, and communicate your compelling narrative with confidence at a virtual interview or in person.
Explore each coach’s profile to see who aligns with your goals, and when you find a fit, book a free 15-minute intro call to ask questions and discuss your interview preparation plan. Not sure where to start? Schedule a free strategy and coach-matching call with a member of the Leland team, and we’ll connect you with an admissions expert who will help you stand out to admissions officers, outperform other candidates, and take the next step toward your MBA degree.
Read more:
- How to Accelerate Your MBA Application – From an Expert Coach
- The Highest-Paying MBA Programs & Concentrations
- What Are MBA Adcoms Looking for in Resumes
MBA Interview Help – FAQs
What is the STAR method for MBA interview?
- The STAR method – Situation, Task, Action, Result – is a structured way for MBA applicants to answer behavioral questions in an MBA admissions interview or business school interview. In the MBA admissions process, this technique helps you clearly outline the situation you faced, the task or challenge at hand, the actions you took, and the results achieved. Using STAR ensures your answers to common MBA interview questions are concise, focused, and supported by specific examples, which MBA interviewers and admissions officers value when evaluating leadership potential, teamwork, and program fit.
What is your biggest weakness in an MBA interview?
- When addressing your biggest weakness in an MBA interview, choose something genuine but not critical to success in your target MBA programs. The admissions committee and MBA interviewers are looking for self-awareness, willingness to improve, and evidence of personal growth. For example, you might discuss how you’ve worked on over-reliance on technical details by developing stronger communication skills. Always pair the weakness with actions you’ve taken – such as feedback, interview preparation, or training – to show you’re proactive and coachable, qualities top business schools like Harvard Business School and Stanford GSB value.
What do MBA interviewers look for?
- In an MBA admissions interview, admissions officers and MBA interviewers assess your fit for the business school, your clarity of career goals, your ability to communicate a compelling story, and how you’ll contribute to the classroom and MBA journey. They look for strong answers to open-ended questions like “Why MBA?” and behavioral questions that show leadership, teamwork, and problem-solving. Interview preparation – including mock interviews, researching the interview format, and having thoughtful questions ready – helps demonstrate genuine interest, confidence, and readiness to thrive in a top MBA program.
