Leland+ Content Library

HBS Admit Full Letter of Recommendation Example

This is an example of a letter of recommendation that lead to candidate admittance into the Harvard Business School.

MIT Sloan Personal Statement Short Answer

While MIT Sloan does not have a traditional personal statement, they do have a Short Answer portion of their application following their behavioral cover letter and video introduction. This is an example of the Short Answer from an MIT Sloan admit.

How to Strengthen your LinkedIn Presence in 5 Minutes

With over 1 billion members and 67 million companies, LinkedIn stands as the world's largest professional network, making it an invaluable platform for your career growth. These days you need to have a strong LinkedIn presence because admissions teams and recruiters will be looking.

Duke MBA Essay 2 Example: The Fuqua Community and You

This is an example of the Duke Fuqua MBA Essay #2 which has the following essay prompt: "Fuqua prides itself on cultivating a culture of engagement. Our students enjoy a wide range of student-led organizations that provide opportunities for leadership development and personal fulfillment, as well as an outlet for contributing to society. Our student-led government, clubs, centers, and events are an integral part of the student culture and to the development of leaders. Based on your understanding of the Fuqua culture, what are 3 ways you expect to contribute at Fuqua? Your response will be limited to 1 page (500 words maximum)."

Duke MBA Essay 1 Example: 25 Things About Yourself

This is an example of the Duke MBA Fuqua Essay #1, which has the following essay prompt: "The ‘Team Fuqua’ spirit and community is one of the things that sets the MBA experience apart, and it is a concept that extends beyond the student body to include faculty, staff, and administration. Please share with us “25 Random Things” about you. The Admissions Committee wants to get to know YOU – beyond the professional and academic achievements listed in your resume and transcript. Share with us important life experiences, your hobbies, achievements, fun facts, or anything that helps us understand what makes you who you are. Your list will be limited to 2 pages (750 words maximum). Please present your response in list form, numbered 1 to 25. Some points may be brief, while others may be longer."

UCLA Anderson Example Essay 2: Career Goals

This is an example essay of the Career Goals essay which asks for the short-term and long-term career goals of the applicant (150 word limit).

Customizable Cover Letter Template for Consulting Jobs

This is a generic cover letter template that can be customized to fit any consulting job opportunity you are exploring.

Mastering the Hedge Fund Interview

Breaking into hedge funds requires sharp investing instincts, a compelling stock pitch, and the ability to think clearly under pressure. In this session, Diyang Y.—a former investment banker turned Long/Short equity analyst at Point72—will break down what top funds really look for in candidates. Drawing on years of evaluating investments, mentoring aspiring analysts, and preparing candidates for competitive buy-side interviews, Diyang will walk you through how to build a strong investment framework, articulate conviction, defend your ideas, and avoid common pitfalls. Whether you're crafting your first stock pitch or preparing for final-round interviews, you’ll gain practical, results-focused strategies to stand out in the hedge fund recruiting process.

The Top 10 Things That Matter in a Deferred Application

Applying to deferred MBA programs requires a unique strategy—strong academics and internships aren’t enough unless you know how to package them into a compelling story. In this session, Tim F., a Chicago Booth MBA graduate with high distinction and former admissions fellow who interviewed and evaluated nearly 100 applicants, will break down the ten elements that most influence AdCom decisions. Drawing on his experience helping candidates gain admission to top U.S. and European MBA programs, along with his professional background at Goldman Sachs and as a project leader at Boston Consulting Group, Tim will share how to communicate impact, craft a standout narrative, and position yourself competitively as an early-career applicant.

Private Equity Networking & Firm Outreach Strategy

Breaking into private equity requires more than strong technical skills—it demands targeted networking, strategic outreach, and a clear understanding of how firms make hiring decisions. In this session, Brian L., a Chicago Booth MBA and former portfolio operations professional at Vista Equity Partners, will share how he built relationships across the PE ecosystem while working with B2B software companies on sales strategy, revenue operations, and customer success. Drawing on his experience navigating both the PE and MBA recruiting landscapes, Brian will walk you through how to structure outreach, build meaningful connections, and position yourself effectively for on- and off-cycle opportunities.

Navigating the Big Load of Big Law Recruiting

Big Law recruiting moves fast, feels intense, and can overwhelm even the strongest candidates if they’re not prepared. In this session, top Leland coach and lawyer Shayna R. will break down how the process really works, so you know exactly what to expect at every stage. By the end, you’ll have a clearer, calmer path through one of the most demanding recruiting cycles in professional careers.

r/AMA: Building products people love from Slack to Discord to Reddit

What does it take to build products that millions of people use every day—and genuinely love? In this AMA, Sri V., a product manager at Reddit who has also worked on community and communication products at Discord, Slack, and Microsoft, will share candid insights from years spent shaping how people connect online. With a background in computer science from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and a career built on solving meaningful problems rather than just writing code, Sri brings a uniquely human-centered perspective to product development. Come with questions about breaking into PM, building social and community products, navigating big tech careers, or even national parks—Sri has nomaded through nearly all of them.

Application Timeline Walkthrough & Example

In this video I will be walking you through a customizable college application timeline tracker template that I created for you. Check it out and good luck on your applications! Link: https://www.joinleland.com/content/item/urn:contentEntry:694612235b381540d85002f6?fromName=College

How I Founded, Scaled and Exited my Brand Last Year

Cashmere is the Founder and CEO of Beauty Bakerie, a cosmetics company she built into a globally distributed brand before being acquired by West Lane Capital Partners. Sold in nearly 2000 locations worldwide and backed by more than $15M in venture capital, Beauty Bakerie grew into San Diego’s fastest-growing private company from 2015 to 2017 and developed a strong, multi-platform social media presence with over 1M followers. The brand earned recognition from publications including Allure, Cosmopolitan, Forbes, Good Morning America, Teen Vogue, Essence, Elle, Oprah, and BuzzFeed. As a founder who led vision, branding, product development, and overall strategy, Cashmere has firsthand experience navigating fundraising, hyper-growth, market expansion, and the acquisition process. In this session, she will share key lessons from scaling a consumer brand, building a team, developing products, working with retailers, and preparing for exit. Attendees will gain insight into what drives brand value, how to manage rapid growth, and the strategic decisions that shaped Beauty Bakerie’s trajectory from inception to acquisition.

Application Timeline Tracker Template

I created this template to help you use your time effectively while applying to college! Check out a video I made explaining how to use it here: https://www.joinleland.com/content/item/urn:contentEntry:6946127756b5b2f63a8db7f6?fromName=College

From Draft to Distinction: Crafting Med School Essays That Impress

Your essays are more than just words - they are your chance to show who you are to the Admissions Committee. This session will give you actual tools to transform your experiences into compelling outcome driven narratives.

How to Network Like a Pro to Land IB Interviews

Breaking into investment banking isn’t just about technical skills—it’s about building relationships that get you in the door. In this session, you’ll learn proven networking strategies that help candidates turn cold outreach into meaningful conversations, develop strong connections with bankers, and convert touchpoints into interview opportunities. Led by Jonathan S., a former Wells Fargo investment banker and experienced coach who has helped candidates land roles at top firms, this workshop will teach you how to craft effective outreach messages, manage informational interviews, and confidently position your story. Whether you’re early in recruiting or trying to level up your current approach, you’ll leave with actionable tactics you can start using immediately to stand out in a crowded pipeline.

Top-Ranked Free Master’s in … Denmark and Sweden

Think University of Copenhagen, Lund University, Stockholm University, and Technical University of Denmark. These top-ranked Scandinavian institutions represent just the tip of what the Nordic countries offer: world-class master's degrees with tuition from zero to €17,000 annually, far below North American alternatives. Behind these prestigious names are remarkable opportunities to pursue advanced degrees delivering exceptional return on investment while building careers in two of the world's happiest, most innovative countries. Denmark and Sweden host dozens of top-ranked institutions offering hundreds of English-taught master's programs spanning all major disciplines. Denmark provides an automatic three-year post-study work permit, while Sweden offers one to two years for job searching, with clear paths to permanent residence. What if this high-quality, budget-friendly pathway to Scandinavian career success is exactly your calling?

Stuck on MBA Essays? Use AI to Fix Story/Structure Before R2 deadlines

This is not about having AI write your essays. Instead, we’ll focus on how to use AI to: *Diagnose what’s not working in your current drafts *Clarify your core story and positioning *Strengthen structure, flow, and impact *Get unstuck when revision fatigue sets in

Pivot to Product: Different Paths to Land Your First PM Role

Breaking into product management doesn’t follow one predictable path—and understanding the variety of ways people get in can massively increase your chances of success. In this session, you’ll learn the most common entry points into product, how to leverage your current skills, and what companies actually look for when hiring first-time PMs. Your coach, Kritika, who has worked at Microsoft, Amgen, and Amazon, will share lessons learned from her own journey of pivoting into top PM roles. She’ll unpack the strategies that work (and the ones that don’t), the tradeoffs of different pathways, and how to position your experience based on your background—whether you're coming from engineering, design, operations, consulting, or something totally different. You’ll leave with a clearer map of potential routes into PM, tactical steps to strengthen your candidacy, and a smarter strategy for choosing roles, companies, and timing that align with your goals.