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Description
This package is designed for aspiring researchers and scholars who want to build a strong, strategic foundation for their PhD applications—without diving into a full-cycle engagement right away. Whether you’re early in the process or still clarifying your goals, this flexible package helps you focus on what matters most. You’ll work with an experienced Leland coach to assess your profile, identify research alignment, and begin shaping a compelling application strategy. From evaluating your academic trajectory to refining your research interests, this is the launchpad to a focused and intentional PhD application journey. Common coaching activities in this package include, but are not limited to: - Kickoff & Planning Session: Review your academic background, research experience, and long-term goals to create a personalized PhD application roadmap. - Profile Evaluation: Receive candid, expert feedback on your academic record, research preparedness, and overall competitiveness. - Program & Advisor Targeting: Build a strategic list of programs and faculty advisors aligned with your interests and goals. - Research Statement/Proposal Brainstorming: Explore ways to articulate your research questions, hypotheses, and fit with prospective advisors. - Statement of Purpose (SOP) Strategy: Start developing a narrative that connects your background, motivations, and future plans. - Academic CV Review: Tailor your CV to highlight research contributions, publications, and relevant academic milestones. - Recommender Strategy: Identify the strongest faculty mentors to write your letters and ensure they’re equipped to advocate on your behalf.
What you'll get from this package
A customized plan and timeline to navigate the PhD admissions process confidently
Clarity on your academic and research positioning—and how to strengthen it
A thoughtfully curated program list tailored to your research goals
A compelling, well-structured research statement or SOP outline
A strong, polished academic CV that reflects your potential as a scholar
Additional details
Coaching delivered via live sessions and .
Additional expectations or terms of engagement may be provided by coaches (e.g. expected response times, etc.).
Services included:
School Selection
Application Strategy
Dissertation Proposal
Essays
Resume
Letters of Recommendation
Financial Aid & Scholarships
Editing
Talk to a team member
Schedule a call with a Leland team member who can help you explore your options.
Schedule a call
More packages from Ian
Custom hourly · $79/hr
Get help with Interviews, Research, and .
Offered by Ian H.
Joined September 2026
Academic Coach
I have coached dozens of students at Stanford University's Center for Teaching and Learning, helping them work through academic challenges and build more effective ways of working. Having recently completed my own PhD, I understand firsthand the pressures of graduate school and the difficulty of navigating research when the path forward is not always clear. My approach is highly individualized. I help clients clarify the problem they are actually trying to solve, make sense of the evidence in front of them, and develop systems that can serve them beyond a single challenge. My research background also allows me to support clients with research strategy, analytical thinking, and data analysis when those are part of the problem. I can also work with prospective graduate students on applications, drawing on my own experience successfully navigating admissions at highly selective universities including Stanford and Cambridge. Whether someone is trying to get into graduate school, make progress once they are there, or work through a difficult research problem, my goal is to help them leave with a clearer path forward and a stronger ability to solve similar problems independently in the future.
Starting at $375.25
5h+ of coaching