28,459Leland Reviews

I was in the middle of one of the hardest years of my career. I was in a position in the military that consumed most days and nights. The mission never slowed down, and there was never a day without a situation that diverted me from preparing to transition out of the military. Somehow, I was supposed to figure out how to apply to business school while managing my career and being present for my family. I knew what schools I wanted to apply to, but I didn't know how to start. Finding Faisal was the turning point. From the first conversation, he didn't just validate my decision to pursue an MBA; he helped me understand why it was the right move and what I could do with it. That clarity mattered more than I expected. He introduced me to the MBA DNA framework, which forced me to stop listing my resume and start telling my actual story: who I am, what drives me, and where I'm going. What I appreciated most was that Faisal never sugarcoated anything. When my test scores weren't where they needed to be, he told me directly, helped me put them into context through optional essays, and created a realistic plan to offset that blemish on my application. That kind of candor is rare, and it made me trust everything else he said. He also kept me accountable through the chaos, between leading 350 soldiers, the manic shifts in operational tempo, and the demands of command. There were weeks when the MBA process could have easily fallen off. It didn't because he stayed engaged. By the time applications were submitted and I was waiting for interview invites, I felt ready. I knew my story cold, and Faisal pushed me to sharpen the edges that adcoms actually care about. I got into UVA Darden, and I genuinely don't think I would have gotten there without his help. If you are a military or non-traditional candidate trying to navigate this process while still fully in the fight... Faisal gets it.

I could not recommend Geri more highly for anyone going through their MBA admissions process! She is so incredibly knowledgeable, kind, and helpful. Of course she is an expert in HBS, and the perspectives that she brings are very unique and valuable. She really helps you understand what the Adcom is looking for and it is such an advantage knowing what to avoid and what to prioritize. So many of the interview prep questions she had prepared specifically for me were extremely similar to the real deal! Any serious applicant to HBS would greatly regret not working with Geri!!!

I used Karla throughout my entire MBA process. She had very comprehensive knowledge of business school recruiting and was very flexible while working with my busy schedule. I ended up getting into four M7 programs and I couldn’t have done it without her guidance!

Amanda was really helpful with editing essays. She gave very prompt and honest reviews of my essays. She helped brainstorm through my goals and ambitions which was helpful in putting them in words for my MBA applications.

Andy is a wonderful coach who is thoughtful and helpful, and he will truthfully ensure your application is representing the best you! He lets you know when your work is A+ and, when it’s not, he helps you get there. Highly recommend Andy!!

Jasmine was very helpful with editing my essays and would revert with comments within a day.

Tim is the best coach to work with! He is incredibly knowledgeable about the deferred process and what schools look for, and also supportive as a coach. He is really good about working on your schedule- even with very last-minute and rushed timelines, he made sure to carve out time to support with coaching. He brings a positive attitude and strong insights to every conversation!

I could not have gotten acceptances for deferred MBA programs without Matt's help and guidance. As a college senior coming from a non-business background, I was completely lost on how to approach the deferred MBA process. From brainstorming my narrative, to approaching the "Why MBA?" and "Why us?" questions, to interview prep, Matt was extremely knowledgeable at every step and helped me not only with the essay writing and drafting, but also understand why they are asking these questions which really helped to understand what information they want and how I can be successful in approaching these. I'm really glad that I was able to work with Matt! We started in October and worked on Brainstorming through november and then started writing applications through April, then focused on Interview prep in May and June. He was super super responsive throughout the whole year and I felt very supported throughout the whole process. Despite having a busy career and moving across the country, he has been extremely responsive and always made time to answer questions, schedule time to explain the applications, and also do Mock Interviews. Coaching with Matt definitely had a very high ROI.

I reached out to Vica while experiencing writer’s block on my MBA essays. Vica was incredibly efficient, using “get to know you” sessions to nail down the most compelling parts of my story, as well as helping me identify points of weakness to be aware of in my application. She helped me articulate these points clearly in my essays, while providing expertise and advice from her MBA experience to take my ideas to the next level. Her feedback was detailed and rapid, and I could tell she was invested in my success. Ultimately, I was accepted to Wharton! Thanks Vica for your help!

Working with Ben during the deferred MBA application process is definitely one of the best decisions I could have made. From the jump, Ben made every effort to understand my story, my goals and how all of that fit into a well-crafted narrative I could present in my application. He was incredibly supportive and was readily available to not only answer questions and talk through ideas but help set me on the right track. Ben's background speaks for itself, but he truly is a phenomenal writer so his feedback on all of my essays were incredibly thorough and insightful. He provided feedback and edits that helped me illuminate both my story and voice in a strategic but authentic way. I can say confidently that I would not have had a successful application process without his support and help!