28,739Leland Reviews

Alex was so helpful to me in my application process! I applied for the Round 2 deadlines to 7 programs and focused my essay work with her on my top 3 choices, and had her look at a couple of extra ones for other programs before I submitted. Her talent for editing for clarity, specificity, and impact really helped sharpened my essays. I felt so much more confident in what I was submitting after working with her. Thank you Alex!

As an MBA applicant from a non-traditional background, I was admittedly pretty intimidated by the application process. From my first call with Claire, I immediately felt at ease and confident that working with her would be the right choice. Her knowledge of successful applications, attention to detail, and ability to connect the dots was invaluable through initial brainstorming to prepping my recommenders to getting words down on paper to iterating and refining my essays. Claire was an essential part of shaping my story and knowing which moments and skills to really lean into in order to create a cohesive through line. It was clear from her guidance and advice that she’d really seen it all and was more than equipped to answer any question that came up with pure honesty and encouragement. I can’t thank her enough for all of her help!

Before our first tutoring session, I was overwhelmed and exhausted with trying to achieve the "perfect essay" to submit to highly-ranked schools. However, Robert through humor, sensitivity, and is personal passion for writing made the essay writing experience fun! Not only did I learn how to adjust my paper to align well with those that would be reading it, but I also learned about key strategies or "tricks" that all writers use to capture an audience. After meeting with Robert, I feel that I have new writing skills that I can apply to any future work as well as a well-refined essay that I can submit with confidence. Robert is an excellent teacher and phenomenal writer, and I would highly recommend him!

Robert is very knowledgeable, patient, and organized. He helped me with my application from revising 1st drafts to final edits. As a result, I managed to finish my application before the deadline.

Bob's patience is commendable. He helped my son with college essays. His tips and guidance helped my son build great essays! I would recommend Bob to anyone who is looking for help with college essays.

Stone supported my R2 application to Stanford GSB, and, regardless of the outcome, I'm grateful for his partnership + the honest reflection he facilitated. I first reached out during R1 with only 7 days to spare, and Stone still offered to help. When I pushed to R2, we had more time to go through several iterations, which is when I got to know him better. His key strengths - being extremely trustworthy, responsive, effortful, adaptable, and empathetic - made all the difference. I wholeheartedly recommend him. Quality of Feedback Stone went above and beyond to understand my application holistically. For my "What Matters Most" essay, he followed the logical arc closely, poking holes at secondary and tertiary levels to probe deeper motivations. He also surfaced elements I'd overlooked in other parts of my application and strategically repositioned them. He knew when to enforce structure and when to let authenticity shine - for WMM, he let the narrative spring from what felt most genuine to my story, but for "Why Stanford," he recommended helpful formats. Beyond the big ideas, he had a keen eye for detail, catching typos quickly and ensuring every line was valuable. I trusted that if he OK'd something, it was ready to submit. He was also receptive to pushback and quick to adapt - when one of his ideas wouldn't further the narrative, he'd pivot to an alternative or offer guiding questions instead. Collaboration Style My favorite aspect was just how collaborative Stone was. Rather than editing lines directly, he'd leave comments like "it seems interesting that..." or "do you mean...or..." to spark reflection instead of dictating right/wrong. We worked on Google Docs, sometimes coincidentally at the same time, and he'd patiently answer my questions or reply to my comments live - despite squeezing in reviews during his work hours. He sincerely cared for me as a person and felt ownership over my work, mulling ideas on his own time and following up with incisive suggestions afterward. We exchanged WhatsApp numbers to connect more easily, and he made time for "quick" calls that lasted an hour. It was emotionally comforting to have him as a lock-step partner! Responsiveness & Commitment Stone's efficiency and reliability were remarkable. He got back to me within a day on average, often twice in a day. He provided sharp feedback on both substance and language efficiently, completing thorough reviews in 15-20 minutes. He communicated exactly when to expect feedback and delivered without fail. He was especially available around the deadline, which fell close to the holidays (!), and that was super appreciated in those final, higher-stress days. It’s been such a pleasure working with Stone! My only regret is not finding him sooner :)

I came across Angela through a Leland MBA event and reached out to her right away because I was immediately impressed by her knowledge, clarity, and professionalism. She was quick to respond and I officially began working with her soon after. As a first-time MBA applicant from a non-traditional background, working with Angela has been invaluable. Navigating MBA applications (especially when targeting dream schools) can feel overwhelming and she has been incredibly helpful throughout the entire process. She helped me take a complex, unconventional background and shape it into a clear narrative that truly reflects who I am, why I’m applying, and what I bring to an MBA program. One of the things I appreciated most is her emphasis on tailoring each application thoughtfully. She helped me understand that a one-size-fits-all approach doesn’t work and guided me in positioning my story differently for each school while staying authentic to my core narrative. Angela has an exceptional ability to meet you where you are, ask the right questions, and help you see your own story more confidently. She has been patient, thoughtful, and incredibly thorough in answering every question I’ve had (no matter how small) while also providing reassurance during the moments I doubted myself. If you’re a non-traditional applicant, applying for the first time, or aiming for top programs and want someone who is both strategic and deeply invested in your success, Angela is exactly who you want supporting you through the process.

Michael first stood out to me when I met with him back over the summer. It was just an intro call to get ahead on my graduate school applications due in the winter, and he was personable, professional, and at no point ever tried to sell me on anything. In the age of AI, Michael was refreshingly human and was always able to see big picture of my (rather complex) story. He always considered my feedback and respectfully pushed back in areas he disagreed with me while explaining why. Although we only met face-to-face once, his asynchronous help was definitely the path to get the most value, which is also what felt like Michael wanted me to have. I applied to only one, highly competitive program so my chances of admission are slim, although Michael is the first person that comes to mind if I were to apply to another program in the future. I was not disappointed with any aspect of Michaels coaching in the slightest and he has my complete recommendation for any other future coachee.