Leland+ Content Library

Crafting Your Story: Personal Statement Workshop

Your personal statement is one of the most important parts of your grad school application—it’s your chance to go beyond test scores and transcripts to show admissions committees who you really are. In this workshop, expert coach Debby C. will walk you through how to turn your experiences, goals, and passions into a compelling story that stands out. ​From brainstorming ideas to structuring your narrative and avoiding common pitfalls, you’ll gain practical strategies to make your statement authentic, memorable, and impactful. Whether you’re starting with a blank page or revising a draft, this session will give you the tools and confidence to craft an essay that leaves a lasting impression.

Ask Me Anything Office Hours [10/13/2026] (Recording)

Join me for an engaging "Ask Me Anything" session where we'll dive into the world of management consulting, top-tier MBA programs, and anything else that's on your mind. Whether you're preparing for interviews, refining your resume, or strategizing your search, this is your chance to get personalized advice and insights. With a Master's from Cornell's Johnson Graduate School of Management and extensive experience at Boston Consulting Group, I've guided numerous candidates through the consulting recruitment process. My background spans from establishing recruiting pipelines to leading organizational transformations and financial strategies. Don't miss this opportunity to enhance your skills and strategies. Space is limited, so RSVP now to secure your spot!

Crushing Your Deferred MBA Applications

Applying to deferred MBA programs or curious about the process? Leland is excited to provide this FREE event to cover tips to help you get accepted into top MBA programs like Harvard Business School, Stanford GSB, Wharton, and more. ​​This workshop is hosted by John K, CEO and Founder of Leland. He was accepted to Stanford GSB and HBS though their deferred enrollment programs and will share key tips and tactical strategies to help you submit an application you are proud of. ​​​If you are interested in applying to a top 10 MBA program, have questions about the process, or just want to receive valuable insight, join us. It's completely free!

Before You Blow Your Shot: What to Know About IB Recruiting

​Investment banking recruiting is fast-paced, competitive, and full of nuances that can make or break your chances. In this session, Leland coach Ken I. (IB Career Fellow at the Wharton School) will walk you through what you need to know to navigate the process successfully and avoid common pitfalls. ​You’ll learn how to approach networking, position your experience, and prepare effectively for both technical and behavioral interviews. By the end, you’ll have actionable insights to maximize your chances of landing interviews and standing out in the highly competitive IB recruiting process. ​Space is limited, so RSVP to secure your spot. We’re excited to be on the IB journey with you!

No Ivy, No Problem: How My Startup Got into Y Combinator

​Think you need an Ivy League degree to make it into Y Combinator? Think again. In this workshop, Chanhyung K.—a Georgia Tech graduate, McKinsey alum, and Y Combinator founder—shares how he built and pitched a successful startup without the traditional pedigree. ​Drawing from his experience landing offers at McKinsey, JPMorgan, and FAANG while coming from a non-target school, Chan will reveal how to craft your founder story, stand out in competitive application pools, and navigate the YC process with authenticity and confidence. Whether you’re an aspiring founder or already building your startup, this session will show you how to turn unconventional beginnings into startup success.

PhD Applications: How to Identify Faculty Fit and Reach Out Strategically [9/24/2026] (Recording)

We'll cover: How to identify genuine research fit beyond simply matching keywords How many potential advisors you should identify at each program How to find out whether a professor is actually taking students When you should—and shouldn't—contact faculty before applying How to write a faculty outreach email that is specific without sounding transactional How to interpret responses like “I encourage you to apply,” “admissions are handled by the committee,” or no response at all How funding and faculty availability can affect your school list How to discuss faculty fit effectively in your Statement of Purpose What to do when your ideal professor isn't accepting students

Developing Your MBA Story [6/7/2026] (Recording)

Your MBA story is the most important part of your application. The best applications use the story as a foundation that guides everything - the essays, the recommendations, the interview answers, even your resume! However, too many applicants fail to do this and instead submit vague or disjointed applications that leave admissions committees unimpressed. During this session, I will teach you how to develop a cohesive and thoughtful MBA story that will clearly explain: your background, why you need an MBA, and why you deserve to go to the school you are applying to - all in a way that will show admissions committees that you are ready for your MBA!

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.

Developing Your Best MBA Stories

Build the foundation every strong MBA application stands on: a library of your best stories. This worksheet guides you through the STAR structure across twelve categories, including the three required for any competitive application. Develop them once, then adapt to every school's essays, short answers, and interview questions.

How to Get the Coffee Chat [8/20/2026] (Recording)

Nobody replies. That is the whole problem, and it is usually fixable. This is the outreach primer. Before you send anything, look at what the banker sees when your request lands. A LinkedIn with no photo and no school reads as someone there is no reason to take seriously, and the request gets declined. No resume in the thread and they may not bother taking the chance on you. Then the email itself. Who you are, one specific reason you want this person, three windows, resume attached. Under five sentences. The windows have rules people break constantly, and breaking one of them costs you the contact. What we'll cover: - Which channel to use first, and why the school or club pipeline beats a cold email - What a banker sees before deciding whether to take your call - The five sentence email, and the one specific reason that has to be in it - The rules for offering times, including the one that burns the contact - When to follow up, and the line between persistence and pestering - The referral email, and why it is the easiest one you will ever send Have a tricky networking situation? Book a free 15-minute intro and we will talk it through. Part 2 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.

Rounding Out Your Activities Section

Dental schools look closely at how your experiences show real commitment to dentistry—not just what you’ve done, but how you’ve grown. In this session, you’ll learn how to choose and describe your shadowing, clinical work, service, and extracurriculars so they tell a clear, cohesive story. We’ll cover common mistakes and simple ways to highlight impact and readiness. Whether you’re polishing your application or still building experiences, you’ll leave with a practical framework to strengthen your activities section with confidence.

AADSAS Experiences & Letters of Rec

Your AADSAS experiences section and letters of recommendation play a major role in how dental schools evaluate your readiness for the profession. In this session, we’ll break down how to choose, frame, and write experiences that show commitment to dentistry, service, and leadership, as well as how to secure strong letters that truly strengthen your application. You’ll learn what admissions committees look for, common mistakes to avoid, and how to make every component work together to tell a cohesive story.

MBA Recruiting Resume Guide

This resume guide is your strategic blueprint for standing out in the highly competitive MBA admissions process. Designed with input from top business schools and recruiters, it walks you through proven formatting, language, and content strategies that highlight your leadership, impact, and potential—ensuring your resume rises to the top of the pile. Whether you're just starting or refining a final draft, this guide will help you craft a one-page resume that speaks the language of top MBA programs.

Ben L. (GSB Alum) Podcast Feature

Ben’s career has been anything but linear, from working at McKinsey helping prisons improve rehabilitation outcomes, to diving into politics, to supporting chess startups, his experiences are as diverse as they are fascinating. After struggling through the MBA application process himself, Ben became driven to help candidates craft powerful, authentic applications that truly reflect who they are. In this episode, Ben shares: How his varied career shaped his perspective on business school and beyond Why storytelling is the key to a standout MBA application How he helps candidates align their applications with their unique strengths and passions If you’re navigating the MBA application process, Ben’s insights will help you focus on what truly matters and make your story shine.

Mastering this Skill Unlocked the 99th percentile LSAT for Me

The LSAT is one of the biggest hurdles on the law school path—but mastering the right skills can completely change your score trajectory. In this session, we’ll dive into the single most impactful skill that propelled Eshaan S. to a 99th percentile score. You’ll learn why this skill matters, how to practice it effectively, and how to apply it under timed conditions. ​We’ll also cover broader strategies for test-day preparation, common pitfalls that hold students back, and ways to approach the exam with confidence. Whether you’re just starting LSAT prep or aiming to push from good to great, you’ll leave with concrete techniques you can put into action right away.

How to Ace the HBS Interview [10/8/2026] (Recording)

The HBS interview runs differently than most b-school interviews: it's conversational and fast-moving, and the adcom has already read your file closely enough to probe the parts that don't quite add up. This session covers what that actually feels like in the room and how to prepare for questions that follow up rather than ones you can fully script in advance. Rifat works on storytelling and has coached candidates through the kind of high-stakes interviews where a rehearsed answer falls apart under a follow-up. Expect a practical look at staying grounded when the conversation goes somewhere you didn't plan for, not a list of sample questions to memorize.

Essay That Got Me Into Harvard, Stanford, Princeton, Yale & MIT

This resource includes the full personal statement that helped me earn admission to Harvard, Stanford, Princeton, Yale, and MIT. It is designed to help students understand what a successful college essay looks like beyond grades and extracurriculars. You'll see how I approached storytelling, structure, reflection, and personal voice to create an essay that felt authentic and memorable. It's for high school students applying to selective colleges, students struggling to choose a personal statement topic, applicants looking for examples of strong narrative and reflection, and parents, counselors, and mentors supporting students through the admissions process. Rather than providing a template to copy, this resource is intended to illustrate how personal experiences can be transformed into a compelling college essay.

Inside Law Admissions: What Actually Gets You In [5/11/2026] (Recording)

1YR LELAND+ GIVEAWAY FOR LIVE ATTENDEES ($119 VALUE). Law school admissions can feel opaque, especially when strong applicants still struggle to understand what truly drives decisions. This session is for candidates who want a clearer picture of what actually gets you admitted. You’ll learn how admissions committees evaluate your academic record and experiences, what makes a personal statement stand out, and the patterns reviewers see across successful applicants. Join live to hear directly from a panel of law admissions professionals and ask your questions about your own application strategy. The panelists regularly evaluate candidates and advise applicants, and will share the perspectives typically discussed in admissions review conversations. It’s a chance to get grounded, practical insight before you submit.

From College to Stanford GSB: The Deferred MBA Strategy Session (Dec 11)

Getting into Stanford GSB’s Deferred MBA program is not about checking boxes: it’s about building a strategy years before most candidates even think about business school. In this exclusive session, Dr. Loubna Bouamane, former MBA Admissions Director and founder of Admission Concierge, will walk you through exactly how top students position themselves for Stanford straight from college. You’ll learn how to craft a compelling early-career narrative, select the right internships and leadership experiences, stand out academically, and avoid the most common mistakes that derail otherwise strong candidates. Whether you’re a freshman, sophomore, junior, or recent graduate, this session will give you a clear roadmap to Stanford’s deferred MBA pathway with real-world insights from inside the admissions process.

From College to Stanford GSB: The Deferred MBA Strategy Session (Feb 5)

Getting into Stanford GSB’s Deferred MBA program is not about checking boxes: it’s about building a strategy years before most candidates even think about business school. In this exclusive session, Dr. Loubna Bouamane, former MBA Admissions Director and founder of Admission Concierge, will walk you through exactly how top students position themselves for Stanford straight from college. You’ll learn how to craft a compelling early-career narrative, select the right internships and leadership experiences, stand out academically, and avoid the most common mistakes that derail otherwise strong candidates. Whether you’re a freshman, sophomore, junior, or recent graduate, this session will give you a clear roadmap to Stanford’s deferred MBA pathway with real-world insights from inside the admissions process.