Leland+ Content Library

✍️ Write MBA Essays That Stand Out: Why MBA, Why Now, Why This School [6/25/2026] (Recording)

🤔Are you struggling to write clear, specific, and convincing answers to “Why an MBA?”, “Why now?”, and “Why this school?” These three questions sit at the heart of almost every strong MBA application. They may look simple, but weak answers are one of the fastest ways to sound generic, unfocused, or interchangeable with thousands of other applicants. In this focused 45-minute session, you’ll learn how to turn these core essay themes into a sharper, more differentiated MBA story. ✍️ We’ll break down what admissions committees are really looking for, why these questions matter so much, and the most common mistakes applicants make when writing about their goals, timing, and school fit. You’ll see examples drawn from successful MBA application materials, along with detailed analysis of what makes an answer strong or weak. We’ll cover how to connect your background, career goals, personal motivations, and school research into essays that feel specific, credible, and authentic. You’ll also learn how to avoid vague claims like “global network,” “diverse community,” and “leadership opportunities,” and replace them with school-specific details that actually strengthen your candidacy. By the end of the session, you’ll understand how to: ✅ Build stronger answers to “Why MBA?”, “Why now?”, and “Why this school?” ✅ Connect your past experience to your future goals ✅ Show real school fit without sounding generic ✅ Make your essays more personal, strategic, and admissions-ready ✅ Avoid common essay mistakes that weaken otherwise strong applications We’ll close with a live Q&A where you can ask about your own essay strategy, school fit, goals, or anything that wasn’t fully clear from the presentation. Seats are limited, so register now to strengthen one of the most important parts of your MBA application. 🚀 ⭐ Plus, attendees who stay for the full session will automatically be entered to win a free 1-hour coaching session with me, a $259 value.

Top 5 Tips for Your Law School Apps by Indrani, Former SLS Admissions Officer! [6/8/2026] (Recording)

Join Indrani, former Associate Director of Admissions at Stanford Law School, as she goes over her top 5 tips to help you put your best foot forward as you apply to law school! A great law school application requires research, authenticity and hard work, and Indrani will help you strategize. She will go over the importance of the LSAT, putting together a thoughtful school list, who should submit letters of recommendation, how to go about writing your essays and the optimal timeline for getting it all done! The session will end with ample time for questions and answers.

Session 1 - Application Strategy and Fundamentals

Session 1 from Mar26 Dental School bootcamp

Essay Strategy

“Why MBA,” goals essays, school vision essays

Example MBA Side Letters

A curated set of real, successful side letters covering both the general format and the specific question prompts required by Chicago Booth, Duke Fuqua, and London Business School. A "general" style side letter (like those requested by INSEAD) is also included. See exactly how effective recommenders structure their letters and answer each school's questions before briefing the person writing yours.

LBS Example Essays - Admitted Candidate

LBS (London Business School) Example Essays - Admitted Candidate

Addressing Weak Spots

GPA conversion, school prestige gaps, job title confusion

Intel Collection for the MBA: Schools, Careers, and the Application [6/11/2026] (Recording)

This is the second session in the MDMP for MBA series series structured around the seven phases of the Military Decision-Making Process. Each session stands on its own, but together they form a complete framework for military and veteran applicants to systematically and strategically approach the MBA admissions process. In this session, we'll focus on mission analysis and cover how to collect HUMINT and AI-enabled SIGINT to improve your understanding of the critical elements of MBA application: target schools (including class profiles, employment outcomes, and culture), post-MBA career paths (industries, functions, recruiting pipelines, compensation), and the components of the application itself (essays, recommendations, and academic preparation. We'll also cover resources available to military and veteran applicants, from the GI Bill and Yellow Ribbon to Service to School and school veterans clubs. By the end, you'll know how to build your candidate school list, how to research post-MBA careers, and how to gather the intelligence that makes every later decision in the process a sound one. Hosted by Ian Kennedy, former Army Special Forces (18E, 1st SFG) and Stanford MBA/MS, who has coached military and veteran applicants into admissions at Harvard, Stanford, Columbia, LBS, Duke, and more.

What You Need to Know about 2026 Law School Admissions: Insights, Trends, and Q&A [5/28/2026] (Recording)

After this session, you'll have a clear picture of how the 2026 law school admissions cycle is shaping up, including how score and GPA thresholds are shifting at top programs, what admissions committees are prioritizing in personal statements this cycle, and how to position a application that stands out in an increasingly competitive pool. Attending live means hearing how an experienced coach thinks through it in real time, which a recording simply cannot replicate. The coach works with law school applicants daily and will share the patterns that separate successful applications from ones that fall short, offering a genuine look at how this process actually works from someone inside it.

College List: Example Walkthrough

Learn how to build a strategic college list with a real-world example walkthrough, complete with safety schools, target schools, and reach schools.

Intuitive Eating for a Healthy and Happy Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving and the holidays are often a joyous time of year filled with food and family. However, when all mixed together, they tend to bring out a lot of all-or-nothing attitudes towards eating. There is another option, the middle ground, that incorporates balance, enjoyment, and peace of mind. While some people, including those with diet-related medical conditions such as diabetes, might require more thoughtful planning for the day, everyone can make simple, healthy last-minute choices that enhance the day and align with their health goals.

Stanford Undergraduate Interview Questions

Comprehensive set of interviewer questions the school requires interviewers to ask.

Visa Strategy

F-1 visa basics, OPT, STEM extension, sponsorship challenges, school support

The Amy Approach: Grad Student Budget Worksheet

A fillable worksheet to help track your expenses for grad school.

Additional Essays: Case Study Worksheet

Practice crafting a stellar additional essay for your law school application.

Don’t Blow Your Law Interview: Ask a Stanford JD Anything

Law school interviews can be intimidating—but they don’t have to be. In this interactive session, Machmud M.—a Stanford JD, Rhodes Scholar, and Knight-Hennessy Scholar—will share candid insights on how to prepare for and excel in your law school interviews. From common pitfalls to powerful storytelling techniques, you’ll learn how to communicate your values, experiences, and goals in a way that truly resonates with admissions committees. Drawing on his diverse background across public policy, corporate law, and government—including time at the White House and on the Biden 2020 policy team—Machmud will answer your toughest questions about what law schools are really looking for. Whether you’re prepping for T-14 interviews or your first conversation with an alum, this session will help you approach your interview with confidence, clarity, and authenticity.

Do's and Don'ts of Personal Statements

A quick guide to help law school applicants write compelling personal statements.