Leland+ Content Library

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.

How to Land a Place at Oxford or Cambridge Panel

​Securing a Master's offer from Oxford or Cambridge is one of the most competitive admissions challenges in the world. With rigorous academic standards, unique interview formats, and a highly selective admissions process, standing out requires more than just strong grades. ​In this panel, Adam B. and Zuwena V. with Matthew M. as a moderator will share proven strategies for excelling at every stage of the Master's admissions process for these elite schools. You’ll gain insights into building a strong academic profile, writing a compelling personal statement, preparing for subject-specific assessments, and navigating the interview. Whether you’re just beginning your application or fine-tuning your final materials, this session will give you the clarity and confidence you need to maximize your chances of success at these world-class institutions.

Land a Role as a Shopify APM - Applications Open Now

​The Shopify Apprentice Product Manager (APM) cohort for Winter 2026 is open now and this workshop is your live chance to give your application the edge. In this session, coach Rahim D. (Senior Product Manager at Atlassian, former Product Lead and Hiring Manager at Shopify) will break down everything you need to nail the Shopify APM application before it closes. ​You’ll get real-time strategies for crafting your story, acing the case interview, and highlighting the right experiences even if you’re early in your product journey. Applications close September 26, 2025 at 11:59 PM EST, so this is time-sensitive—plus, you can book personalized 1:1 coaching with Rahim by visiting his profile to sharpen your resume, mock interviews, or application responses before you hit submit.

Acing the MIT Sloan Interview [4/30/2026] (Recording)

After this session, you will know how to approach MIT Sloan's distinctive interview format with a clear strategy. We'll cover how to structure your responses to behavioral questions, how to articulate your post-MBA goals in a way that aligns with what Sloan evaluators are listening for, and how to prepare for the conversational style that catches many deferred MBA candidates off guard. Attending live gives you the chance to ask about your specific background, your goals, or a response you're unsure about, and to hear how those answers land in real time. The coach works with deferred MBA applicants through this process regularly, and this session reflects the patterns they see across candidates who interview well.

How to Succeed as a Joint MBA-MPP Applicant

Are you considering applying for a joint MBA-MPP program and wondering how to stand out in the competitive admissions process? Join me for an insightful session on how to succeed as a joint MBA-MPP applicant. With firsthand experience as an admit to both Harvard Kennedy School and MIT Sloan, I understand the unique challenges and opportunities of these programs. Throughout my career, I've helped applicants craft compelling narratives that connect their experiences to a clear direction, focusing on school and networking strategy, essays, resumes, and interviews. In this session, we'll cover the common storytelling mishaps of joint degree candidates, and exactly what admissions committees are looking for. We'll also do a live exercise so you can walk away with a better sense of your own application story.

How to Get into a Top 10 Medical School

Are you aspiring to secure a spot in a top 10 medical school? This event is your chance to gain insider tips and strategies to make your application shine. Join me as we discuss crafting a standout application that captures the attention of admissions committees. As a current M.D. candidate at the University of Pennsylvania's Perelman School of Medicine and a Yale graduate, I bring a wealth of experience in research, healthcare consulting, and entrepreneurship. I have a passion for helping students from diverse backgrounds including non-traditional and international students. I am eager to guide you through the intricacies of the activities section and personal statement, school selection, secondary essays, and overall application strategy.

What Successful MBA Applicants are Doing in January

January is a critical month in the MBA admissions cycle, and how you use it can set the tone for the rest of your application. In this session, Leland coach Jenny R., who has admissions committee experience at Wharton and has coached hundreds of MBA applicants, will share what she consistently sees top candidates focusing on during this window. Drawing on her years of admissions and coaching experience, Jenny will break down the specific actions successful applicants take in January, from refining their narrative and strengthening their profile to planning test retakes, recommendations, and school research. You’ll leave with a clear checklist of priorities and a smarter strategy for using January to position yourself competitively for the months ahead.

Recruiter-Approved Networking Templates

This blueprint provides a data-driven outreach framework designed to move you away from "charity-based" networking toward a high-impact "curiosity" model. Based on five years of recruiting experience and current analyst insights at JPMC, this guide reveals why technical and strategic queries are 4x more likely to get a response than a referral request. What’s Included: - The "Strategic Peer" Template: High-conversion scripts for reaching out to potential teammates. - The "Recruiter-First" Reach Out: Strategies for engaging with sourcers after a role has been posted to ensure your profile is seen. - The Follow-Up "Multiplier": Techniques for providing "Value Adds" to keep a professional conversation alive. - The "Andrew Cause" Checklist: Essential rules for mobile-optimized, data-backed messaging that bypasses spam filters.

Startup Insights: Lessons From Successful Founders

​​​​​​​​Building a company from the ground up comes with both challenges and breakthroughs. In this panel, you’ll hear directly from successful founders who have navigated the early stages of entrepreneurship and scaled their startups into thriving businesses. ​Our panelists will share candid stories about their journeys, the biggest lessons they’ve learned, and what they wish they knew when starting out. From fundraising and product development to hiring and growth, you’ll gain actionable insights into what it really takes to build and lead a successful startup.

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.

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.

Build Your Test Prep Study Plan: GMAT & GRE

Your target score is not a dream. It is a strategy. The GMAT and GRE are beatable, but only if you stop winging it and start training with intention. In this session, you will build a personalized, high-performance study plan designed around your strengths, weaknesses, and timeline. You will learn how to diagnose your baseline, prioritize the sections that move the needle fastest, structure practice for maximum retention, and time your prep so you peak exactly when it matters. No more scattered studying. No more second guessing. Just a clear roadmap to a score that changes your trajectory. If you are ready to take control of your prep and unlock your full potential, this is your starting line.

Software Engineering Recruiting Week Kickoff

Kick off Software Engineering Recruiting Week with a high-level panel covering everything you need to know to successfully navigate the recruiting process. This session will break down what matters most at each stage, including resumes, networking strategies, interview preparation, and how to position yourself as a strong candidate. You’ll gain insider perspective on what hiring managers actually look for, where candidates tend to waste time, and how to prioritize your efforts for maximum impact. Whether you’re just getting started or refining your strategy, this session will give you a clear roadmap for the recruiting journey ahead.

Start Early, Apply Strong: Successful PhD Timelines

Applying to PhD programs is a long process—and starting early can make all the difference. This session will help you build a strategic timeline to strengthen your application. You’ll learn how to plan each stage, from researching programs and preparing materials to securing recommendations and managing deadlines, while avoiding common pitfalls. Whether you’re just starting or refining your plan, you’ll leave with a clear roadmap for success.

MBA to Consulting Panel

Still planning to break into consulting before graduation? You're not alone, and it's not too late. This panel is designed for MBA students who are exploring full-time roles in consulting, whether you’re re-recruiting, pivoting, or looking to refine your strategy. ​Hear from Taylor R., Andrew H., and Rifat M., all of whom successfully landed consulting offers later in the MBA journey as they share practical advice on networking, storytelling, case prep, and how to stand out in a competitive recruiting cycle. If you're hoping to make the jump into MBB or other top firms, this session will help you make the most of the months ahead.

MBA to Consulting: How to Nail the Interview

Consulting interviews are some of the toughest in the MBA world—and breaking into a top firm requires mastery of both case and behavioral components. In this workshop, Erik Z. —a former Bain consultant and manager who spent three years on the “other side” of recruiting—will walk you through exactly how to prepare. Having conducted 300+ mock interviews, authored an MBA interview case at Bain, and coached candidates (including many from non-traditional backgrounds) into MBB, Erik brings insider knowledge of what firms truly look for. He’ll cover networking strategy, resume positioning, case frameworks, behavioral excellence, and the nuances that help you stand out during recruiting season. Whether you're prepping for on-campus recruiting or pivoting into consulting post-MBA, this session will give you the clarity and confidence to excel.

Deferred MBA M7 Series: Harvard

Join us for an insider-focused session on the Harvard Future Leaders deferred MBA program. Expert Leland coach and former HBS AdCom Geri T. will break down what makes HBS’s deferred pathway unique, how the admissions committee evaluates early-career candidates, and what “leadership potential” really looks like at this stage. You’ll learn how to position your experiences, craft a compelling narrative, and avoid the strategic mistakes most applicants make. Ideal for undergrads and master’s students aiming to build a standout HBS application from the ground up.

M7 MBA Essay Question Bank: Prompts by School (2024–25)

A reference guide to official M7 MBA essay prompts — organized by school. Covers all seven programs with each school’s full prompt list, word counts, what the admissions committee is actually evaluating per prompt, the most common mistakes that cost applicants, and strategic tips on what each school’s adcom is really looking for. Includes a format comparison table and universal essay principles that apply across all M7 applications.

Save $100k+ vs US: Europe Master's with Fulbright Funding- Application

Top-ranked European institutions offer world-class master's degrees that save Americans $93,000 to $161,000 compared to equivalent-ranked US graduate programs. I understand this journey firsthand: I was a Fulbright scholar myself. What unites successful recipients? They discovered that Americans have significantly higher Fulbright acceptance rates than any other prestigious international scholarship, and with good strategy, your chances are quite high. European universities combine academic excellence with financial accessibility. Hundreds of top-ranked institutions offer English-taught master's programs with clear pathways to meaningful careers. The financial impact is transformative: saving $100,000+ on graduate education is equivalent to having more than $1,000 per month in additional disposable income for the next 10 years. You gain not just a degree, but entry into one of the most prestigious international networks while making significant international experience. With post-study work visas up to 36 months, European employers increasingly recruit international master's graduates, creating unprecedented opportunities for ambitious graduates. Now is the time to act: preparation work for the 2027-2028 Fulbright cycle begins in February 2026, applications open in April, and most students face campus pre-selection deadlines in August before the October national deadline. Join me for this free event where we cover strategic country selection, application components, timeline preparation, post-graduation employment pathways, and real cost comparisons with equivalent-ranked US programs. What if this high-quality, fully-funded path to advanced education and a European career is exactly your calling?