Leland+ Content Library

HBS 2+2 Career Essay Sample: Product Management & Edtech Vision

See an example of a successful HBS 2+2 career essay, detailing plans to work as a product manager during deferment, gain retail industry knowledge, and build a long-term vision in edtech.

Why is the Extracurricular Section Important?

An overview of why the extracurricular section is a vital part of your application, with a focus on how it showcases your passions, time management skills, and potential contributions to the campus community.

Panel: Get Accepted to Your Dream College

​​​​​​Join Abigail L., Mel B., and Benito N., top Leland college admissions coaches and former admissions officers, for a panel packed with actionable advice to help you stand out in today’s competitive college landscape. We’ll cover everything from building a balanced school list and writing compelling essays to showcasing your extracurriculars and avoiding common mistakes. Whether you’re just getting started or deep in the application process, this session will give you the insights and confidence to apply strategically—and successfully. ​Let's get you into your dream school!

MIT Sloan Interview Series

MIT Sloan interviews are a key step in the admissions process—and strong preparation can make all the difference. This interview series is designed to help you approach your interviews with confidence and clarity. You’ll learn how to structure strong answers, communicate your goals effectively, and handle common behavioral and fit questions. Whether you’re preparing for your first interview or refining your approach, you’ll leave with practical strategies and greater confidence.

Making Your “Why This School” Essays Impossible to Ignore

“Why this school?” is one of the most common—and most poorly executed—application essays. In this session, expert Leland coach and former AdComs at Chicago Booth Tim F. will break down what admissions committees actually look for and why generic answers fall flat. You’ll learn how to research programs deeply, connect your goals to specific resources, and write essays that feel personal, credible, and impossible to ignore.

The Overrepresented Applicant’s Blueprint to MBA Admissions [6/8/2026] (Recording)

Many MBA applicants from consulting, finance, and technology backgrounds underestimate one of the central challenges of the admissions process: differentiation. In this workshop, I'll breaks down how admissions committees evaluate “overrepresented” applicant demographics — and, more importantly, what separates memorable candidates from interchangeable ones. Drawing on experience coaching applicants across M7 and top global MBA programs, the session explores how candidates can move beyond prestige signaling and build a more distinctive, cohesive, and authentic application narrative. Participants will learn how to: * Understand how admissions committees evaluate candidates from highly competitive industries * Identify the most common positioning mistakes made by finance, consulting, and tech applicants * Build stronger differentiation across essays, resumes, interviews, and recommendation strategies * Develop clearer personal themes, leadership narratives, and career vision * Communicate impact and self-awareness beyond titles, brands, and technical accomplishments * Highlight distinctive experiences, perspectives, and motivations that create memorability * Avoid “over-coached” applications and develop more authentic storytelling * Position career transitions, long-term goals, and leadership potential more strategically Whether you come from investment banking, private equity, consulting, big tech, product management, engineering, or another highly represented background, this session is designed to help you better understand how to stand out in one of the most competitive areas of MBA admissions.

3 GRE Secrets to Raise Your Score TODAY! [6/2/2026] (Recording)

GIVEAWAY DURING THE EVENT: Join for the chance to win a free seat in Leland's GRE Bootcamp! Many GRE students spend hours studying without improving because they focus on the wrong habits and strategies. This session is for test takers who want practical, high-impact adjustments they can apply immediately to start raising their score. You’ll learn three proven GRE strategies that improve accuracy and efficiency, how high scorers approach difficult questions under pressure, and the common mistakes that quietly cost students points across the exam. Join live to see how an experienced GRE instructor teaches these techniques and the patterns they see across students who improve quickly. You’ll also have the chance to ask questions in real time and get actionable guidance you can apply to your studying right away.

Interviewing Strategies for AI Careers [5/22/2026] (Recording)

After this session, you will know exactly where AI tools accelerate sales performance and where they tend to create a false sense of productivity. Specifically, you will walk away with a clear framework for evaluating AI in your pipeline, an honest look at which sales tasks AI handles well versus where human judgment still wins, and practical guidance on integrating AI into outreach without losing the personal signals that actually close deals. Attending live means you can bring your specific workflow or stack and hear a direct response to your situation, not a generic answer recorded months ago. The coach works inside sales organizations daily and will share the patterns and failure modes they observe firsthand, giving you a slice of how a practitioner actually thinks through these decisions.

Nailing the Chief of Staff interview

​Landing a Chief of Staff role starts with acing the interview—and that can be one of the biggest hurdles for top candidates. In this session, you’ll hear from Julianne Z., a two-time Chief of Staff with experience across private equity and VC-backed companies. ​Julianne will walk you through what CoS interviewers are evaluating at each stage, how to frame your thought process under pressure, and how to draw on your past experiences to position yourself as an indispensable partner to leadership. You’ll also learn how to handle tough questions, structure your responses, and avoid missteps that derail many CoS candidates. ​Whether you’re interviewing for your first Chief of Staff position or trying to level up your candidacy, this session will give you clearer insight and tangible prep strategies.

Cracking the Common App: A College Admissions Panel

The Common App can feel overwhelming, but you don’t have to tackle it alone. ​Whether you’re just getting started or putting finishing touches on your application, this panel will help you avoid common pitfalls, craft a standout narrative, and submit with confidence. ​Meet Your Panelists ​Amanda W. – Former Director of Admissions and Regional Enrollment Director, with 5+ years of coaching experience helping students gain admission to top universities including UCLA, Cornell, UPenn, Duke, and BYU. ​Alex L. – Stanford MBA and Northwestern alum, former Stanford admissions interviewer, and marketing executive with 20+ years of experience helping candidates differentiate themselves and gain admission to competitive programs. ​Skyler A. – Former Associate Director of Admissions at UChicago Booth and Assistant Director at Northwestern, with 10+ years of experience reading applications and helping hundreds of students gain admission to Yale, MIT, Berkeley, USC, Northwestern, and more.​​​

Guide to Behavioral Questions at BCG

Learn the top 10 common behavioral questions and what BCG interviewers are looking for, from teamwork and leadership to resilience.

Master Your Personal Statement Outline

Use this comprehensive outline to structure your personal statement, highlight your strengths, and clearly articulate your academic and career aspirations.

Stanford & MIT Essay: Learning Through Teaching

A National Honor Society student finds purpose and passion while teaching English—discovering the power of creativity, connection, and education.

MBB & More - A Behavioral Interview Guide

Master the unique behavioral interview style of top consulting firms like McKinsey, BCG, and Bain with proven frameworks and examples.

Private Equity Recruiting & Preparation Timeline

See a typical investment banking to private equity recruiting timeline and ensure you're prepared for networking, headhunter meetings, and interviews.

Key Skills to Prioritize in Year 1

Focus your development efforts on the few core competencies—like structured thinking and executive presence—that drive promotions and impact.

Intro to Design Systems

A beginner's guide to building, implementing, and maintaining a design system. Learn how to create consistency and scale your designs.

Gestalt Principles

Master the Gestalt Principles of perception to create powerful, intuitive, and visually harmonious designs that captivate and guide your users.

Review Hard Algebra & Geometry

Here we will review general algebraic principles, work and rates, coordinate geometry, 2D geometry and 3D geometry with additional examples.