Leland+ Content Library

Differentiate your MBA Application: School Research & Networking Part 1 of 2

⚡School research and networking are the secret weapons that separate good MBA applicants from the ones admissions committees can’t forget. They shape every part of your application, from essays and interviews to your ability to turn a waitlist into an admit. Yet most applicants never learn how to do them at the level that truly changes the game. This is Part 1 of a two-part workshop series. In this session, you will learn the research and networking strategy and methods. You will then have two weeks to complete your own school research and networking as guided homework. In Part 2, I will demonstrate how to put this work into action through a live walkthrough, including discussion of participant progress and real questions that arise during the process. ⚠️Register for Part 2 in the event calendar on March 13th Part 1 has been my most popular event, run multiple times each year, and consistently rated by attendees as one of the most helpful and actionable MBA preparation sessions they’ve experienced. This is the first time I am introducing the Part 2 execution workshop. In this session, you’ll discover how to: 🔷 Conduct deep-dive school research that goes far beyond websites and brochures 🔷 Strategically network with the right people, turning what may be the greatest networking opportunity of your life into a clear advantage for admission and beyond 🔷 Create an MBA Journey document that becomes your central reference for aligning fit, goals, and contributions across the application 🔷 Integrate your findings seamlessly into essays, interviews, networking conversations, and campus interactions You’ll learn how to pinpoint the exact courses, professors, centers, career services, experiential programs, internships, clubs, culture elements, current students, and alumni connections that will help you achieve your goals, and how to clearly show the value you will bring in return. By the end of this session, you will know how to demonstrate, with clarity and credibility, that you and your target MBA program are the right fit for each other. Bonus Offer ✅1 attendee will receive a free 1-hour coaching session. ✅All attendees may request a free copy of the MBA Research & Networking Template. ⚡Spots are limited. Register now to gain the advantage that can set your MBA application apart.

Why Banking, Why This Firm, Why This Group [9/1/2026] (Recording)

Swap the word banking for consulting. If your answer still holds, you have not answered the question. That is the test, and most answers fail it. Fast paced, smart people, steep learning curve. All true, all interchangeable, all heard forty times this month by the person across the table. Three questions, scored separately, proved three different ways. Why banking is proved by your past. Why this firm is proved by your conversations. Why this group is proved at desk level, by someone who actually sits on it. One structure underneath all three. Claim, reason, evidence, impact. Sixty seconds. The evidence slot is the one that decides the answer, and it is the only slot you cannot write at your desk. That is why this session sits here in the run and not at the start. You do not walk into the chats with these answers. You walk out with them. What we'll cover: - The swap test and the name swap test, and how to run both on the answer you already have - Claim, reason, evidence, impact, and why evidence is the only slot with lead time - Where firm evidence comes from: named conversations, one deal known properly, platform, direct experience - Coverage versus product, and why a group answer that never names an industry is not an answer - How the bar moves at a bulge bracket versus an elite boutique versus a regional office - The failure that costs the most, which is being specific enough to be interesting and thin enough to collapse on the follow up Want to solidify your whys and be done with them? I run a popular 90-minute session where we go deep and construct a strong, personal story. Book a free 15-minute intro to learn more. Part 5 of Coffee Chat Ready, a six part run on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Each one stands alone, so jump in anywhere. I'm the founder of OFFERGOBLIN and ex-Centerview tech.