Leland+ for College

Making the Most of Alumni Networks

Tap into alumni communities for mentorship, referrals, and real-world insights that boost your career.

How to Prepare Your Recommenders

Equip your recommenders with the right info to write standout letters that strengthen your application.

Common Mistakes to Avoid in Recommendations

Don’t let weak recs sink your app—avoid these common pitfalls and set your recommenders up for success.

Tips for Making the Most of Career Fairs

Make strong impressions, ask smart questions, and turn quick chats into real opportunities.

Common App Submission Example– Leadership, Research, and Social Impact Profile

A comprehensive Common App submission featuring high academic achievement, extensive leadership, entrepreneurial initiatives, and a personal essay on resilience and teamwork through organizing India’s largest student-led fest.

Why UChicago Essay – Economics, Research, and Community Engagement

A focused and well-researched supplemental essay outlining the applicant’s academic goals in development economics, interest in data analytics, and enthusiasm for UChicago’s research culture and civic-minded community.

Core Values: Your College Essay Superpower [6/19/2026] (Recording)

What makes a college essay truly unforgettable? More often than not, it comes down to one thing: a clear sense of the applicant's core values. As someone who has coached 150+ college applicants—with clients admitted to all 8 Ivy League schools, Stanford, UChicago, and more—I know that students who understand their core values write stronger essays, build more cohesive applications, and approach the process with greater confidence. In this webinar, I'll show you what core values actually are (and what they're not). We'll explore why they matter across your entire application (not just your personal statement), and how to identify and use yours to write college essays that only you could have written. Whether you're working on your personal statement, UC PIQs, or supplemental essays, this webinar will give you the tools to make every essay feel unmistakably yours.

Secrets of the Admissions Office: AMA with a Former Stanford Admissions Committee Member

Trying to understand what actually happens behind the scenes in admissions can be frustrating when most advice comes from secondhand perspectives and guesswork. This session is designed for applicants who want a clearer understanding of how applications are evaluated and what admissions readers are truly paying attention to. You’ll learn how applications are assessed in practice, understand the factors that influence admissions decisions, and hear common patterns that emerge across successful candidates.

From Strong to Unforgettable: Crafting Essays That Help You Break into the Ivies

Writing a strong college essay is one thing—writing one that stays with an admissions reader is something else entirely. This session is designed for students who want to elevate their essays beyond polished writing and create a narrative that feels personal, memorable, and distinctly their own. You’ll learn how to identify the stories worth telling, build a compelling narrative structure, and avoid the common mistakes that make essays blend together.

My 5 Top Tips for the ACT and SAT

Small changes in test strategy can lead to major score improvements on the ACT and SAT. This session is for students who want practical, high-impact ways to improve their performance and approach the exams more confidently. You’ll learn five proven tips for managing time, avoiding common mistakes, and maximizing points across sections without wasting effort on ineffective study habits.

3 Things to Do (and 3 to Avoid) for a Stellar College App

Small decisions in the college application process can have a major impact on how your application is perceived. This session is for students who want clearer guidance on what actually strengthens an application—and what tends to weaken it. You’ll learn three high-impact strategies that help applicants stand out, three common mistakes admissions readers frequently see, and how to present your experiences in a more compelling and authentic way.

Cracking College Admission Week: Kickoff

The students who stand out in college admissions usually aren’t the ones doing everything, they’re the ones who know how to tell the right story. This kickoff session is designed to help you approach the application process with more clarity, strategy, and confidence from the very beginning. You’ll learn how to think about essays, extracurriculars, and overall positioning, along with the common patterns admissions professionals see across successful applicants.

Path to PhD | How to Make the Most of Your Summer Research Program

How can you make the most of your summer research program as you build your profile for your PhD journey? No matter where you are on your path — whether you have extensive research experience and a clear direction, are just starting out, or are returning to school after time away — this session is for you. While this event is geared toward students in STEM fields, participants from all backgrounds are welcome. In this session, I’ll discuss strategies and concrete steps you can take to maximize your summer research experience as you build a standout PhD application. You’ll Learn: - How to approach your summer program strategically and identify the goals that matter most - Best practices before, during, and after your summer program - How to turn any experience into a competitive advantage With a background in higher education leadership and extensive experience guiding students through the PhD application process, I’ll be drawing from nearly a decade of experience directing the Stanford Summer Research Program, along with my current work as an educational consultant and coach.

Get Into BYU: 3 Tips to Get You Started Before the Application Opens [6/3/2026] (Recording)

Most people don't realize that success in applying to BYU starts before you ever open the application. Essays, recommendations, and endorsements are only part of the game plan. BYU applications are getting more competitive every year, and the applicants who stand out aren't just the ones who write well. They're the ones who showed up before the application even opened. Join me for a free event where I'll share my top 3 tips for what to do before you start your application. We'll talk about how to strengthen your resume, sharpen your narrative, and walk into essay season ready to write something that gets you in.

What makes a Great BYU Admissions Essay [6/2/2026] (Recording)

Standing out in the BYU admissions process often comes down to how clearly and authentically you communicate your story in your application essay. This session is designed for prospective applicants who want to understand what makes a strong BYU admissions essay and how to avoid common mistakes that weaken otherwise solid applications. You’ll learn how to structure your essay, highlight meaningful experiences without overcomplicating your narrative, and communicate your values in a way that aligns with what admissions readers are looking for. Attending live gives you the chance to ask questions about general essay ideas and get real-time feedback on your approach. The speaker works closely with applicants and will share the patterns they see across successful essays, along with what they look for when evaluating writing quality and authenticity. If you want more clarity on how to approach your BYU admissions essay, it’s worth joining live.

Applying to College in 2026? Here’s What You Should Be Doing Each Month [5/27/2026] (Recording)

In this session, former admissions director, Loubna Bouamane, will walk students and parents through the real college admissions timeline from May through December — including what actually matters each month if you're aiming for competitive U.S. universities. We’ll cover: How to build a balanced college list strategically When students should start essays (and why waiting until September is risky) How extracurriculars and summer activities should be positioned What admissions officers notice early in the review process Common mistakes students make over the summer Testing timelines, recommendation strategy, and application planning How to avoid creating an application that feels overly polished or AI-generated This session is especially helpful for: Rising seniors applying in Fall 2026 International students navigating the U.S. admissions process Families targeting selective colleges and universities Students feeling overwhelmed or behind

MBA Self-Discovery Workbook: Unlock Your Narrative & Write Freely

This is a reflection-focused, 13-section workbook for MBA applicants to uncover and build your story before embarking on the complex, layered process of writing your essays. This resource is informed from my time in Stanford GSB's Interpersonal Dynamics (Touchy Feely), my time helping dozens of other GSB classmates find their voice as the Managing Editor for Stanford GSB's Paper (Nondisclosure), and in helping over 500 MBA applicants self-reflect in a way that feels genuine, personal and clarifying. I wrote this resource with just enough structure (but not too much), and with a practical eye towards covering the ground you'll need for your MBA apps. You'll go deep, but every question has a purpose. I also use this with everyone I work with, and it's something we'll cover at the very beginning of our process. My hope is that this resource, in addition to being a big help, feels like we're in conversation. The goal is just to get to know you a little better, one step at a time, in a way that feels natural, even enjoyable. Even if you're the only one who ever sees it, I've tried to write this in a way that I'd speak about this kind of thing with you. Because I think humans are the best way to help other humans see themselves a little deeper. And trust me, plenty of "coaches" could use more of that too ;) This workbook will cover your background, motivations, short and long-term goals, values, behavioral stories, and more. A PDF is attached here, but there's also a downloadable Word file I recommend using to make things much easier for you to fill out as you go. This took me about 20-30 hours of time to put together, and I suggest putting at least 5-10 into filling this out. Some go at it all at once, but most do it in a few sittings. Long walks are good to interperse between writing sessions, and I actually recommend you reflect and go back to this to update your answers several times throughout your MBA process. Save new versions as you go and you'll be able to see your application pixellate over this monthslong process. If you're reapplying, I'd push you to compare what you end up with here with what you submitted last time. The differences may be revealing. I hope ends up a real tool for you, and that it helps you find answers you might not have found otherwise. It also will give you a glimpse into what coaching together feels like. Don't hesitate to reach out if you feel like sharing this. Working on your writing and applications together is a natural byproduct of the kind of reflection you'll be doing here, and it's my favorite thing to help someone with. Happy writing :) -Ben