Leland+ Content Library

Elevate Your Common App: Craft a Powerful Activities List

Are you applying to college and nervous about how to talk about your activities? Join Isamar, a former Stanford Admissions Officer, for this live workshop focused on helping you highlight your story through your activities list. This workshop will help you craft a powerful Common App activities list that showcases your unique interests and accomplishments beyond superficial activity descriptions. Learn 3 strategies to ensure that your application makes a compelling impression on admissions committees, captures your essence, and maximizes your chances of standing out in the admissions process. Don’t miss this opportunity to elevate your application! Who is leading the workshop? As a former Assistant Director of Admissions at Stanford, Isamar personally reviewed over 7,000 applications. As an admissions consultant, she coached students to gain admission to universities like Yale, Harvard, Stanford, UC Berkeley, Georgia Tech, UVA, Pomona, and more. She has supported both US and international students, as well as first-gen students. Isamar’s personalized, empathetic, and strategic approach ensures that your unique strengths and experiences shine through in your application. Her goal is for you to feel that you are applying as your best self, no matter where you’re applying. Isamar is a proud first-generation college graduate with a BA and EdM from Harvard, and an MBA from Oxford.

LinkedIn Launchpad: Profile to Profit [5/12/2026] (Recording)

Is your LinkedIn profile a forgotten resume or a powerful asset? In today's competitive job market, your professional brand is more crucial than ever. Join us for this free, dynamic workshop to learn the insider strategies for maximizing your visibility. We'll reveal the secrets to transforming your profile from overlooked to outstanding by focusing on the three pillars of success: Discoverability: Master the strategic keywords recruiters search for to ensure your profile ranks high. Impact: Learn how to craft a magnetic headline and an "About" section that turns profile views into opportunities. Networking: Acquire techniques for building a genuine professional network that expands your career reach. Whether you're job searching, looking to advance, or aiming to establish yourself as an industry expert, this workshop will give you the practical, actionable steps you need to leverage LinkedIn to its fullest potential. Elevate your professional presence and open doors to new opportunities!

An Example of a Latham & Watkins Cover Letter for Emerging Companies Practice

This cover letter connects a background in entrepreneurship and clean energy to a firm's forward-looking practice in emerging companies.

An Example of a Kirkland & Ellis Cover Letter for their Energy Practice

Learn how to translate sustainable entrepreneurship and renewable energy experience into a compelling narrative for a top law firm's corporate practice.

How to Build an AI Job Search Agent [5/11/2026] (Recording)

FREE BOOTCAMP SEAT GIVEAWAY ($999 VALUE). In this session, you will learn how to build a custom AI agent that automates the most time-consuming parts of your job search. We will cover how to set up an agent that tracks and prioritizes relevant job postings, drafts tailored outreach messages, and flags application deadlines without manual effort on your part. You will leave with a working framework you can deploy immediately, not just a conceptual overview. Lee works with job seekers on AI-assisted search strategies regularly, and the patterns they have identified across successful candidates reflect thinking that is hard to replicate by watching a recording alone.

Inside the Mind of an MBA Admissions Committee [6/1/2026] (Recording)

What actually happens when your application is reviewed? This session offers a behind-the-scenes look at how admissions committees evaluate candidates, compare profiles, and make difficult decisions among highly qualified applicants. Attendees will gain insight into what drives admissions decisions beyond surface-level credentials and learn how to frame their candidacy in a way that resonates with the evaluators behind the process.

Crafting an MBA Essay That Actually Stands Out [5/12/2026] (Recording)

FREE LELAND + FOR 1 MONTH FOR ALL LIVE ATTENDEES. Strong MBA essays aren’t just well-written, they clearly communicate who you are and why you belong at a program. This session is for applicants who want to move beyond generic advice and craft essays that genuinely stand out. You’ll learn how to develop a focused personal narrative, avoid common mistakes that dilute your story, and align your essays with what admissions readers are actually looking for. Join live to hear from MBA admissions experts and ask questions about your own essay ideas. The panelists regularly work with applicants on essay development and will share the patterns they see across successful submissions. Expect practical feedback and insights similar to what’s covered in 1:1 coaching conversations.

Ace MBA Interviews & Essays: Strategies for Why an MBA/Now/This School

Are you struggling to clearly answer “Why an MBA?”, “Why now?”, and “Why this school?” in both interviews and written applications? These three questions are the backbone of every strong MBA candidacy. In this focused 60-minute session, you’ll learn exactly how to approach them with clarity, specificity, and confidence. We’ll break down what admissions committees are really looking for, why these questions matter, and the most common mistakes applicants make. You’ll see detailed examples drawn directly from successful applicant materials, along with in-depth analysis of what makes each example strong or weak. We’ll cover how to link your background, needs, and goals to the right program features, how to avoid generic phrasing, and how to bring authenticity and structure into your responses. Throughout the session, I’ll highlight specific dos and don’ts and walk you through the progression from vague answers to compelling, school-ready responses. You’ll also see how your approach should differ between essays and interviews so your answers feel natural and appropriate in each format. We will close with a Q&A where you can ask about these three questions, your approach, or anything that wasn’t fully clear in the presentation. By the end, you’ll have a sharper understanding of what makes a strong response, how to integrate school-specific research, and how to communicate your story in a way that resonates in both interviews and written applications.

Inside the Mind of an MBA Admissions Committee [7/14/2026] (Recording)

What actually happens when your application is reviewed? This session offers a behind-the-scenes look at how admissions committees evaluate candidates, compare profiles, and make difficult decisions among highly qualified applicants. Attendees will gain insight into what drives admissions decisions beyond surface-level credentials and learn how to frame their candidacy in a way that resonates with the evaluators behind the process.

Becoming Irreplaceable in Finance in an AI World [6/24/2026] (Recording)

**GIVEAWAY FOR LIVE ATTENDEES: FREE SEAT IN OUR AI BUILDER PROGRAM ($999 value)** As AI transforms finance, the professionals who thrive won't be the ones competing with the technology—they’ll be the ones who know how to leverage it better than everyone else. This session is for finance professionals who want to future-proof their careers and understand how to create value in an increasingly AI-driven industry. You’ll learn which skills are becoming more important as automation expands, how top performers are integrating AI into their workflows, and how to position yourself as a higher-impact professional rather than a replaceable one. Join live to ask questions about your own career path and hear directly from a finance expert with a KKR background who has spent significant time leveraging advanced technologies, including AI, within finance. The speaker will share the patterns they see among professionals successfully adapting to this shift and the practical ways AI can be used to enhance analysis, decision-making, and productivity. Expect actionable insights and perspectives similar to those discussed in high-level career coaching conversations.

Ace Schwarzman Scholars essays: A comprehensive guide for 2027 intake

Schwarzman Scholars admits roughly 3% of applicants for less than 150 seats a year. At that acceptance rate, almost every finalist has strong grades, strong recommendations, and a strong resume, so the resume stops being the differentiator. What actually separates the applicants who get an interview from the ones who don't is not what they've done. It's whether their essays make a reviewer understand, in the space of a few minutes, exactly who this person is and why they belong in that room in Beijing. That is a different skill than "writing well." It is closer to strategic self-editing: deciding which one story to tell, what it proves about you, and how to say it so specifically that no one else could have written the same sentence. This guide breaks both required essays down into a repeatable process, shows you the failure patterns I see most often as a coach, and gives you a self-audit framework you can run on your own draft before you submit.

Do Your Deferred MBA in Spain: Interview with IESE Admissions Director

Join Jesse L., a Leland Top 10 MBA coach for international applicants, for a live interview with Patrik Wallén, MBA Admissions Director at IESE Business School (ranked #3 in the world by the Financial Times), followed by an open audience Q&A. This will be the first interview focused primarily on IESE’s Young Talent Path (YTP), IESE’s early-career, deferred-style pathway that ultimately leads into the full-time MBA. While the main focus is on YTP, this session will also be highly valuable for any applicant considering IESE, as it offers direct insight into IESE’s admissions philosophy, values, career development, and case-method-based MBA program. ✨ What makes IESE’s YTP unique Unlike most U.S.-based deferred MBA (DMBA) programs that require candidates to apply during their final undergraduate year or while completing a graduate degree, IESE allows applicants to apply both during their senior year and after graduation, with up to two years of full-time work experience. This makes YTP accessible to a broader group of early-career professionals who may not have been ready to apply as seniors. In this conversation, Jesse will interview Patrik on how YTP works in practice, how candidates are evaluated, and how YTP admits transition into the regular IESE MBA. We will also cover the support IESE provides to YTP admits during the deferral period, including engagement with the school, career guidance, and preparation for joining the MBA cohort. 📌 Topics will include: • What the Young Talent Path (YTP) is and how it compares to other deferred MBA-style programs • Who YTP is designed for and how candidates are assessed • Applying to YTP after graduation with less than two years of experience • What admission through YTP means in practice • How IESE supports YTP admits during the deferral period • How and when YTP participants join the full-time IESE MBA • What the IESE MBA experience looks like • Live audience Q&A 🎯 Who should attend This session is designed to give applicants real clarity on YTP and the IESE MBA, directly from the source.

Your MBA Edge: Turning a Non-Traditional Path into a Winning App

Join this live conversation with a Korean INSEAD admit from a niche industry (gaming) and their admissions coach, Caolan. We’ll unpack how to build an authentic, coherent MBA story without over‑fixating on scores, even as a reapplicant or non‑traditional candidate. You’ll see how they framed transferable skills, targeted schools with different cultures, and prepared for interviews. - Learn how to craft a compelling and authentic application story that stands out, even with diverse career paths or perceived weaknesses like a lower GPA. - Understand why storytelling, strategic discussions, and a holistic approach can be more critical than perfect quantitative metrics (GMAT/GPA) for top MBA admissions. - Discover strategies to reframe your niche industry experience as a competitive advantage, turning perceived disadvantages into strengths. - Gain insights into researching and articulating school-specific fit, moving beyond generic website information to truly customize your application. - Be inspired by a reapplicant's journey to INSEAD, demonstrating that with the right approach and guidance, success is achievable for a wide range of profiles. - Learn what to look for in a consultant, including the importance of genuine care, industry understanding, and time investment. An engaging, interview-style conversation between Caolan Hunter and Gitak Kwak, followed by an open Q&A session, designed to empower aspiring MBA candidates, particularly those from non-traditional backgrounds or facing unique application challenges, by offering practical insights and an inspiring success story. Who it’s for: - Korean and international MBA hopefuls - Reapplicants or candidates from niche / non‑traditional industries - Applicants worried about stats (GPA/GMAT) or “imperfect” profiles

MBA Application Teardown: Transform Your Resume [8/13/2026] (Recording)

Your MBA resume is not just a record of what you have done. It is the proof of leadership, impact, and readiness behind the story you are asking admissions committees to believe. This is the final session of a three-part MBA Application Teardown series, where I take real, anonymized application materials, tear them down the way an admissions reader would, and rebuild them into something sharper and more memorable, live and in front of you. We close with the document that should prove everything your essays claim: the MBA resume. Across the three sessions, we rebuild the pieces that carry the most weight: your goals essay, your short answers, and your resume. Attend all three to see how a complete application comes together as one coherent story, or drop into the single session you need most. In this teardown, you will watch a reformatted work resume become a true MBA resume: • See why a resume that looks finished is often quietly costing you. • Watch job-description bullets become evidence of leadership, impact, and growth. • Learn how an MBA resume differs from a professional one, and why the difference matters to an admissions reader. • See how the resume reinforces the same narrative running through your essays and short answers. This is the document applicants often spend the least time on, and admissions officers read first. With Round 1 deadlines close, it is also a fast, high-impact fix still available to you. A resume that simply lists what you did becomes a resume that shows who you are and where you are going. It is also the hardest piece to judge in your own application, because you are too close to your own work to see what a reader sees in the first ten seconds. I have guided more than 100 applicants into every M7 program, across the top 20 in the U.S., and into leading international programs, including INSEAD, London Business School, IESE, Esade, Oxford, Cambridge, NUS, and more. Turn a familiar document into a powerful application asset. Register now to claim your spot.

Your AI Resume Framework - 5 Tools to Stand out in an AI World

This guide walks you through 5 AI-powered tools designed for professionals who feel like their experience is strong but their resume isn't landing. If you've used AI to polish your resume and still aren't hearing back, this is for you. Each tool combines a thinking exercise you complete first with a precision AI prompt that executes on that thinking -- covering how to read a job description like a hiring manager, find where you disappeared from your own document, recover the specific details that make you irreplaceable, make your career trajectory feel intentional, and protect your voice after every AI pass.

5 Best Practices for Writing an Excellent MBA Essay [6/3/2026] (Recording)

Great MBA essays don’t just sound polished, they make admissions readers remember you long after they finish reading. This session is for applicants who want a clearer understanding of what separates average essays from truly compelling ones. You’ll learn five core best practices for building a strong narrative, writing with more clarity and specificity, and aligning your essays with what top MBA programs are actually looking for. Join live to ask questions about your own essays and hear practical guidance from an expert MBA coach with dual degrees from M7 programs. The speaker has worked closely with applicants on crafting standout applications and will share the patterns they see across successful essays and common mistakes. Expect actionable insights and feedback similar to what’s covered in 1:1 admissions coaching conversations.

How to Lock in an IB Offer in 2026 [7/30/2026] (Recording)

Investment banking recruiting is more competitive than ever, and landing an offer in 2026 will require more than just strong technical skills. The candidates who break through know how to position themselves early, network strategically, and stand out throughout every stage of the recruiting process. This session is for aspiring bankers who want a clear roadmap for securing an investment banking offer in today’s market. You’ll learn how to prepare effectively, avoid common recruiting mistakes, and maximize your chances of converting interviews into offers. Join live to hear from a former investment banker and hiring manager at Wells Fargo Securities with deep expertise in investment banking recruiting. The speaker will share insider perspectives on what top firms are looking for, the subtle signals that differentiate top candidates, and practical strategies you can apply immediately to strengthen your recruiting process.

Personal Statement Office Hours: Advice from an Oxford Grad [8/23/2026] (Recording)

Join Zuwena V., a Master's graduate from the University of Oxford and an expert admissions and writing coach, for live virtual office hours to tackle the hardest part of the application process. Bring your personal statement drafts, outlines, questions, or prompts for live feedback, advice, and guidance on your master's and undergraduate applications! Together, we'll cover structure, flow, fit, and how to tell your story for maximum impact. Drafts will be reviewed on a first come, first serve basis. Spaces are limited; register now to save your spot!

Key Skills to Master in Your First Year as an Associate or Consultant

Learn the specific problem-solving, analytical, and communication skills you must demonstrate to earn a top-tier performance rating.