Brandon Benson
PhD admissions and research coach with Stanford PhD and AI startup background
| Hourly rate range | $70 to $150 an hour |
|---|---|
| Focus areas | |
| Works with | Students, Founders and business owners and Engineers |
| Also coaches | Business coach and Executive coach |
| Credentials | PhD in Applied Physics, Stanford University, 2023; BS in Physics and in Math/CS, MIT, 2013 |
Brandon Benson is a PhD admissions consultant and mentor for graduate students and future tech leaders. He holds a PhD in Applied Physics from Stanford, with a focus on neuroscience and machine learning. He is also co-founder and CTO of an AI marketing company. His research has been published in Science and Nature. He helps clients with PhD applications, research development, and moving research into a venture.
What Brandon helps with
Brandon works with people applying to PhD programs and students already deep in their research. He also helps academics who want to turn research into a business.
- PhD applications
- Research development
- Data analysis
- Defense preparation
- Dissertation proposals
- Bridging research to venture
Who Brandon works with
Brandon works with ambitious academics and future tech leaders. His clients include people applying to PhD programs and students working on research, dissertations, and defenses.
Background and qualifications
Brandon earned a bachelor's degree from MIT in Physics and in Mathematics and Computer Science. He then earned a PhD in Applied Physics at Stanford in 2023, working in computational neuroscience under Professor Surya Ganguli. His dissertation studied neural networks and built a machine learning pipeline. In 2022 he was a paid course facilitator at the Marine Biological Laboratory, where he was the main TA for six students. Since October 2024 he has been CTO and co-founder of Percuity, an AI marketing company.
Brandon Benson pricing
Programs and services
- Custom hourly sessions
Brandon Benson reviews
Brandon Benson has a 5.0 out of 5 rating from 5 reviews on Leland, as of September 2026.
The CoachVouch take
He pairs a Stanford applied physics PhD with real experience building and hiring for an AI startup.
Best for PhD applicants and researchers who want guidance on their work and a path from research to a startup.
Common questions
How much does Brandon Benson charge?
Coaching with Brandon runs $70 to $150 an hour. Message Brandon from this page for an exact quote.
What does Brandon Benson help with?
Brandon Benson helps with PhD applications, research development, data analysis and defense preparation.
Does Brandon Benson have reviews?
Brandon Benson has a 5.0 out of 5 rating from 5 reviews on Leland, as of September 2026.
Is Brandon Benson certified?
Brandon Benson lists: PhD in Applied Physics, Stanford University, 2023; BS in Physics and in Math/CS, MIT, 2013.
Can Brandon help with a startup built from research?
Yes. He guides clients on bridging research to venture, drawing on his work as co-founder and CTO of an AI company that joined Stanford's StartX incubator.
How do I contact Brandon Benson?
Send Brandon a message from this page. It's free and takes a minute.
Similar coaches to compare
Tick "Compare" to message several coaches at once.
Abigail Hagan
Abigail Hagan is an admissions consultant who helps students get into PhD, MBA, master's and undergraduate programs. She has coached 100+ clients into top STEM PhD, master's and undergraduate programs, including MD/PhD and dual-degree paths. She also helps early-career professionals land roles at firms like Amazon, BCG and Morgan Stanley. She works on PwC's AI Strategy team under the Chief AI Officer and scored 331 on the GRE.
Admit Advantage
Admit Advantage is an admissions consulting firm that helps students and parents with applications to college, business school, law school, medical school and graduate school. The firm was founded in 2007 and has worked with more than 5,000 clients. Its consultants are alumni of Harvard, Stanford, Columbia and Wharton. Each client works with one consultant who handles the whole application, from strategy through submission and up to decision day.
Adnan Naboulsi
Adnan Naboulsi is an admissions consultant who helps applicants get into master's programs and MBA programs. He was admitted to 5+ programs, including MIT Sloan and Columbia, and studied at INSEAD. He grew up in Lebanon and has studied and worked in France, Singapore, the Middle East and Toronto. He works with clients to find what is interesting about their path, even the parts that feel like weak spots, and builds an application strategy around it.
Albert Choi
Albert Choi is an admissions consultant who helps students and professionals apply to MBA programs, colleges and other graduate schools. He has coached for nearly two decades, starting with tutoring at age 15. He holds an MBA from Harvard Business School and worked in strategy consulting at Deloitte. His clients have been admitted to schools such as Harvard, Stanford GSB, Yale Law and Princeton. He keeps his client roster small.
Browse related
Last updated September 2026. Request a correction.