Leland+ for College

Additional Info Essay: An Overview

A comprehensive guide to the "additional information" essay, with tips and examples for turning your weaknesses into strengths.

Are You Ready to Submit?

A final checklist to ensure your application is polished, complete, and ready for submission to your dream school or program.

"Why X School" Essay Review: UPenn, Columbia, Yale Examples

A detailed breakdown and analysis of successful "Why X School" essays for UPenn, Columbia, and Yale, with strategies for crafting your own.

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.

All-Encompassing Guide To Admissions And Ask Me Anything [7/12/2026] (Recording)

For the past couple of years, I’ve advised many high school students on their college applications, helping them get accepted to many highly selective colleges and universities; Harvard, Penn, Georgetown, Cornell, and Princeton, just to name a few. I myself applied to a little less than twenty schools, with notable acceptances to: Michigan (Go Blue!), Carnegie Mellon, Lehigh, Richmond, Bucknell, and Tulane. I also earned a four year, full tuition Army ROTC scholarship (worth over $300,000), full room and board scholarships (worth over $80,000), as well as over $6,000 in national and local scholarships paid directly to me. Join me for an all-encompassing guide to college admissions where you can ask me anything! Whether you're curious about crafting compelling essays, strategizing your school selection, or understanding financial aid and scholarships, this session is designed to provide you with the insights you need. We'll cover everything from recommendations and interviews to waitlist strategies and supplementary materials. Don't miss this opportunity to gain valuable advice and clarity on your college journey. RSVP and secure your spot!

AMA MIT Graduate | College Application Process [7/10/2026] (Recording)

I am here to answer any and all questions you have about the college application process!

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.

The Calm Before the Common App Storm: How to Get Application-Ready Before the Common App Opens

In this session, you will leave with a clear action plan for the weeks before the Common App opens on August 1. We will cover how to build a college list that holds up under pressure, how to approach the activities list so it reflects real depth rather than a resume dump, and how to identify your essay angle before you write a single word.

3 Tips to Calm Test Anxiety

A one-page guide with three science-backed nervous system tools to use before and during a test, plus why each one works. For anyone taking the GMAT, GRE, LSAT, or any high-stakes test who wants fast, practical tools to calm anxiety and think clearly when it counts.

Vanderbilt Personal Statement (Pathway2MBA)

Please share what you hope to accomplish professionally before beginning your MBA at Vanderbilt. How does the MBA come into your plans and what are your short-term career goals after obtaining your MBA? (300 words)

Essay That Got Me Into Harvard, Stanford, Princeton, Yale & MIT

This resource includes the full personal statement that helped me earn admission to Harvard, Stanford, Princeton, Yale, and MIT. It is designed to help students understand what a successful college essay looks like beyond grades and extracurriculars. You'll see how I approached storytelling, structure, reflection, and personal voice to create an essay that felt authentic and memorable. It's for high school students applying to selective colleges, students struggling to choose a personal statement topic, applicants looking for examples of strong narrative and reflection, and parents, counselors, and mentors supporting students through the admissions process. Rather than providing a template to copy, this resource is intended to illustrate how personal experiences can be transformed into a compelling college essay.

Accepted to Stanford: My Full Set of Supplemental Essays

This resource includes every supplemental essay and short response I submitted as part of my successful Stanford application. It provides an inside look at how I approached Stanford's unique prompts, balanced personality with substance, and built a cohesive application narrative across multiple essays. It's for students applying to Stanford, applicants looking for examples of strong supplemental essays, and anyone trying to better understand how to answer Stanford's short-answer and long-form prompts. Rather than serving as a template to copy, these essays are intended to demonstrate how authentic experiences, thoughtful reflection, and a clear personal voice can come together to create a compelling application.

Vanderbilt Personal Statement (Pathway2MBA)

Reflect on a challenge or stressful situation you have faced. How did you respond to this challenge, and what did you learn about yourself through the process? (300 words)