Leland+ for MBA

Sample Resume Action Verbs

Using strong, impactful verbs is essential to crafting compelling bullet points on your MBA résumé. This guide includes a categorized list of powerful verbs to clearly showcase your skills and accomplishments.

Finance to MBA: Showing Impact and Proving Passion

Breaking into an MBA program from a finance background takes more than strong credentials—it's about showing real impact and authentic passion. In this session, Leland coaches John N. (Kellogg MBA), Faisal K. (Booth adcom), and Kelsey K. (CBS adcom) will share how to differentiate yourself, connect your experience to your goals, and stand out in essays and interviews. Perfect for finance professionals aiming to make a powerful impression in Round 2.

What Europe’s Top B-Schools are Looking For

Europe’s leading business schools evaluate candidates through a distinct lens, often prioritizing international mindset, clarity of goals, and cultural contribution alongside professional achievement. In this session, you’ll learn what top European MBA programs value most in applications, how their expectations differ from US schools, and how to position your background for maximum impact. You’ll leave with a clearer understanding of how to tailor your strategy and strengthen your candidacy for Europe’s most competitive business schools.

The MBA Narrative Lab: Where Story Meets Strategy

Most MBA applicants have strong resumes. Far fewer know how to turn their experiences into a cohesive, compelling narrative that actually drives admissions decisions. In The MBA Narrative Lab: Where Story Meets Strategy, you’ll learn how to connect your career moves, leadership moments, and future goals into a clear story that resonates. The speaker regularly works 1:1 with MBA candidates, and this session offers rare access to the same narrative frameworks used in coaching sessions to shape standout applications. Who This Is For - Applicants planning to apply in the next 1–2 cycles - Reapplicants who need a stronger, clearer positioning - Candidates struggling to connect “why MBA” to long-term goals - High achievers whose story feels scattered on paper What You’ll Walk Away With - A practical framework to define your core narrative arc - How to align past experience with future goals convincingly - The patterns I see across successful candidates at top programs - The kinds of story gaps and positioning mistakes I fix in 1:1 sessions - A simple exercise to pressure-test your narrative before writing essays

How to Build a Strong MBA Application from Start to Finish

Starting an MBA application can feel overwhelming when there are so many moving pieces and no clear roadmap. This session is for applicants who want to understand how to approach the process from start to finish with a thoughtful, structured strategy. You’ll learn how to evaluate your profile, build a strong school list, and develop a cohesive narrative across essays, recommendations, and interviews.

HBS Admit Full Letter of Recommendation Example

This is an example of a letter of recommendation that lead to candidate admittance into the Harvard Business School.

Behavioral Interview

STAR strategy + international context examples

Communication Coaching

Accent confidence, tone, pacing

Competency Questions

Leadership, failure, teamwork, ethics

Timeline & Project Management

Managing multiple schools

AdCom Insider Tip #5

What Admitted Applicants All Have in Common

Frequently Asked Questions About Resume Writing

Many people have asked me a set of questions frequently. These questions will answer some of your questions quickly!

Building Your Recommender Packets for Grad School

Crafting strong recommendation letters starts long before your recommender begins writing—and a well-built recommender packet can make all the difference. In this session, a top Leland coach and dual HBS / HKS admit Reagan C. will walk you through exactly what to include, how to organize it, and how to make your recommenders' jobs easier while ensuring they highlight your strongest qualities. You'll learn what admissions committees look for, how to frame your achievements effectively, and how to set your recommenders up to write letters that truly elevate your application.

MBA Resume Guide: Transform Your Resume for Top Programs

Your resume is one of the most important parts of your MBA application, but most applicants approach it the wrong way. Instead of showcasing leadership, impact, and growth, they list responsibilities and tasks. As a result, their resume fails to clearly communicate their value to admissions committees. This guide shows you exactly how to fix that. Inside, you’ll learn how to transform a standard professional resume into a compelling MBA resume that highlights your achievements, leadership, and trajectory. You’ll get: • A step-by-step process for rewriting your resume into MBA format • Clear before-and-after examples of weak vs strong bullet points • A simple framework for turning responsibilities into measurable impact • Guidance on how to show leadership, initiative, and progression • The “First 6 Lines” test to ensure your resume makes a strong first impression This resource is designed to help you create a resume that is clear, focused, and immediately communicates your strengths to admissions committees. Whether you are just getting started or refining your application, this guide will give you a practical, structured approach to building a stronger MBA resume.

MBA Essays That Get You Admitted: Do’s and Don’ts from an M7 Expert

MBA essays are where strong candidates separate themselves, but many applicants struggle to turn their experiences into a clear and compelling story. This session is for MBA applicants who want to approach their essays with more strategy and confidence. You’ll learn what makes an essay memorable to admissions readers, common mistakes that weaken otherwise strong profiles, and how to structure your story so it aligns with what top programs are looking for.

Start With Why: How to Build an MBA Strategy That Will Work

A strong MBA application starts long before you write your essays, it begins with clarity on your “why.” In this session, you’ll learn how to define your career goals, connect them to the right programs, and build a cohesive strategy that guides every part of your application, from school selection to storytelling. Whether you’re early in the process or refining your plan, you’ll leave with a structured approach to crafting an MBA strategy that feels authentic, focused, and compelling.

Stanford GSB Essay: ‘What Matters Most to You, and Why’ (Admitted)

The essay that got me into Stanford GSB. A clear, introspective response to “What matters most to you, and why,” centered on reflection about leadership under pressure, initiative, and building trust in uncertain environments.

From Waitlisted to Admitted: Insider Tips for MBA Admissions

Navigating the MBA waitlist can feel like walking a tightrope—but with the right strategy, it’s often your strongest chance to turn a “maybe” into a “yes.” Join Karla M., a seasoned AdCom-trained strategist who has coached over 300 MBA applicants, helped more than 150 M7 admits, and has deep insight into waitlist dynamics. Drawing on her experience shaping successful narratives and guiding candidates through revisits, updates, and communication, she’ll walk you through proven tactics to strengthen your profile, re-engage with schools, and advocate for your admission.

Stuck on MBA Essays? Use AI to Fix Story/Structure Before R2 deadlines

This is not about having AI write your essays. Instead, we’ll focus on how to use AI to: *Diagnose what’s not working in your current drafts *Clarify your core story and positioning *Strengthen structure, flow, and impact *Get unstuck when revision fatigue sets in

BSchool blogs and newspapers

A curated list of top business school blogs and student newspapers to help candidates stay informed on programs, culture, and admissions insights.