Leland+ Content Library

Strategizing MBA Options for Experienced Candidates (EMBA Focus)

A resource for mid-career professionals exploring Executive MBA programs, with guidance on timing, program fit, and aligning your MBA choice with long-term leadership goals.

5 Tips for MBA Applicants from a Former Stanford Admissions Director

Insider advice on how to strengthen your MBA application—from storytelling and school fit to strategic positioning—straight from a former GSB gatekeeper.

Writing Standout Application Essays

​​Led by an experienced admissions panel, this session will provide you with valuable insights, proven strategies, and expert guidance to help you create impactful essays that reflect your unique experiences and aspirations.

Admissions Insiders: What Schools are Really Looking For [8/19/2026] (Recording)

Admissions can feel like a black box. What actually moves the needle on your application? How much does the interview matter? Nobody tells you, because the people who know aren't usually the people talking. This panel changes that. Three former MBA admissions officers, the people who used to sit on the other side of the table deciding who got in and who didn't, are coming together to tell you what they actually looked for. Now they coach applicants through this exact process, so they've seen it from both sides: what gets an application noticed, and what gets it rejected. If you're applying to a top MBA program, this is the closest you'll get to sitting in on the room where those decisions get made.

AMA/Office Hours with Former Stanford GSB Admissions Director [7/15/2026] (Recording)

I spent more than 16 years working at Stanford GSB, including five years as Executive Director of the school's Center for Leadership, where I helped revamp the MBA leadership curriculum, and more than a decade as Director of the Stanford MSx Program and Director of Admissions. I taught electives, advised students, strategized with the deans, and read thousands of applications. If business school is your objective, I'm happy to offer any insight I have to the admission process and how to maximize its value proposition.

Leading Teams in the Era of AI: Crucial Skills for 2026 and Beyond [9/16/2026] (Recording)

Teams and organizations, along with their managers, are working (or struggling) to 'adapt as they adopt' new AI-enabled processes and tools. First taught as a course at Stanford, 'Leading Teams in the Era of AI' explores key managerial challenges that AI transformation can catalyze, which include: - maintaining motivation and a strong team culture in the face of rapid change and fear - communicating effectively when info saturation is a reality - clarifying roles and rules as AI augmentation and agents blur traditional boundaries - understanding different high level organizational strategies for AI adoption and their associated tradeoffs - increasing the pace and depth of team and organizational learning - recognizing how and why generative AI technology in particular requires new mindsets This session will summarize and highlight key findings and takeaways from the course, while offering a few simple tools to help leaders manage change when technological change keeps accelerating.

HBS Deadline Clinic: Sharpening Your Story Before You Submit [9/2/2026] (Recording)

HBS's open-ended essay format is a gift and a trap — plenty of room to say the wrong thing well. This live session is for applicants with a near-final draft who want a sharper, more distinctive final version. We'll break down how readers evaluate narrative coherence across your essay, resume, and recommendations, why "impressive" often loses to "specific," and how to catch the generic phrasing that quietly weakens strong applications. Expect a practical session aimed at adjustments that move the needle in your last few days before submission.

Your Path to HBS, Stanford, and Wharton: What Actually Matters Most [10/5/2026] (Recording)

Getting into HBS, Stanford, or Wharton takes more than impressive stats and a polished resume. The most competitive applicants understand what actually matters to admissions committees and how to build a compelling story around their experiences, goals, and potential. This session is for MBA applicants targeting the world’s most selective business schools who want to focus their efforts on what can make the biggest difference. You’ll learn what these programs look for, how successful applicants differentiate themselves, and which parts of your application deserve the most attention. Join live for a panel of MBA experts who have seen the admissions process from both sides of the table, from helping students earn admission to evaluating applicants themselves. They’ll share firsthand insights into what separates successful candidates, common mistakes that hold applicants back, and how to approach your application strategically. Bring your questions and leave with a clearer understanding of what actually matters on the path to HBS, Stanford, and Wharton.

GSB Final Pass: Making Your Stanford MBA Application Unmissable [9/3/2026] (Recording)

I worked at Stanford GSB for 17 years, including as an admissions director. This session is for Stanford GSB applicants who have a full draft and want to make sure it lands with the admissions committee. We'll discuss each element of the application and identify high priority objectives. You'll leave with a clear checklist for your final revision pass — what to cut, what to sharpen, and what to leave alone. Built for applicants in the last stretch before the deadline

MBA Essay Strategy: The 3 Questions Every Applicant Needs to Answer [7/23/2026] (Recording)

After this session, you will know how to answer the three questions that shape every competitive MBA essay: why an MBA, why now, and why this school. You will leave with a framework for building a narrative arc that connects your past experience to a specific post-MBA goal, and a clear sense of what makes a school-specific story feel genuine versus generic. Attending live means you can bring your actual background and get a direct response to how your situation fits the framework, which a recording cannot replicate. This coach works with MBA applicants daily and will share the patterns that consistently separate essays that resonate with admissions committees from those that do not.

Crafting Powerful Narratives for MBA Applications

Many MBA applicants have strong experiences but struggle to turn them into a clear, compelling story that resonates with admissions committees. This session is designed for candidates who want to understand how to connect their past experiences, leadership moments, and career goals into a cohesive narrative that strengthens every part of the application. You’ll learn how successful applicants frame their impact, choose the right stories for essays and interviews, and communicate a believable path from where they are today to where they want to go.

Inside MBA Admissions Decisions: Roundtable Discussion with M7 Admissions Officers

MBA admissions at top programs are highly selective, and small strategic decisions can make a big difference in how your application is evaluated. In this exclusive roundtable, you’ll get an inside look at how admissions decisions are actually made at M7 business schools—and what separates successful candidates from the rest. This session is designed to help you better understand how your profile is read, discussed, and ultimately decided on behind closed doors. The discussion will feature former admissions officers from multiple M7 programs who have collectively reviewed thousands of MBA applications. Drawing on their firsthand experience, they’ll share how admissions committees evaluate academics, work experience, leadership, and personal narratives, as well as common mistakes applicants make and how to avoid them. You’ll also gain insight into how schools compare candidates, handle borderline cases, and think about fit across different rounds. Whether you’re just starting to explore an MBA or preparing to apply in an upcoming cycle, this roundtable will give you rare clarity and a sharper strategic lens for approaching the process.

How to Prepare for MBA Interviews with Former M7 Admissions Officers

​In this session, former M7 admissions officers Kelsey K. (Columbia), Mike H. (Stanford), and Christine B. (Booth) will share insider strategies on how to prepare for one of the most critical parts of the MBA application process: the interview. From traditional behavioral questions to school-specific formats, you’ll learn what top programs are really evaluating and how to showcase your strengths with confidence. ​You’ll also gain practical tips on structuring your answers, communicating your story clearly, and avoiding the common mistakes that derail otherwise strong applicants. Whether you’re just beginning your prep or gearing up for final rounds, this session will equip you with the tools and insights you need to stand out in MBA interviews.

Your 3 Month Application Prep Plan with ex-GSB Admissions Director

With three months remaining to the first application deadlines in the 2026 cycle, there are several steps and approaches you can take to strengthen your application. Understanding what you can adapt (the content of your application) and what you can't (where you have worked, where you went to school, your GPA, etc.) needs to be evaluated strategically. Having worked in admissions at Stanford for more than a decade, I will offer tips to help you begin your business school learning journey now, using what you incorporate in your essays, recommendations and resume to tie together other aspects of your application and story.

Leading Teams in the Era of AI: Crucial Skills for 2026 and Beyond [7/21/2026] (Recording)

Teams and organizations, along with their managers, are working (or struggling) to 'adapt as they adopt' new AI-enabled processes and tools. First taught as a course at Stanford, 'Leading Teams in the Era of AI' explores key managerial challenges that AI transformation can catalyze, which include: - maintaining motivation and a strong team culture in the face of rapid change and fear - communicating effectively when info saturation is a reality - clarifying roles and rules as AI augmentation and agents blur traditional boundaries - understanding different high level organizational strategies for AI adoption and their associated tradeoffs - increasing the pace and depth of team and organizational learning - recognizing how and why generative AI technology in particular requires new mindsets This session will summarize and highlight key findings and takeaways from the course, while offering a few simple tools to help leaders manage change when technological change keeps accelerating.