Leland+ for MBA

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.

Developing a Differentiated Personal Narrative

Standing out in the deferred MBA pool requires more than strong credentials. In this workshop, you’ll learn how to craft a clear, differentiated personal narrative that ties your experiences, goals, and values into a cohesive story that resonates with HSW and M7 admissions committees. Led by Leland coach Angela C., a storytelling expert with a 100% package success rate who specializes in HSW and M7 deferred admissions, this session will break down how top applicants define their core themes, position early-career impact, and avoid the generic narratives that hold many candidates back. You’ll leave with practical frameworks and concrete next steps to start shaping a compelling, authentic story for your deferred MBA applications.

Deferred MBA Admissions Event Sprint Kickoff

Kick off Deferred MBA Week with an overview of everything you need to know to build a winning application strategy from start to finish. In this session, we’ll break down what makes deferred programs unique, what top schools are really looking for in early-career candidates, and how to use the rest of the sprint—panels, workshops, and AMAs—to your advantage. You’ll walk away with a clear game plan for essays, recommendations, testing, and timelines, plus guidance on how to prioritize your time based on where you are in the process.

Georgetown McDonough Essays

Application essays for two short answer questions and one long form question for dual-degree applicants

Nontraditional Pre-MBA Resume Template

Pre‑MBA resume template for nontraditional “alphabet soup” public‑sector folks, turning govt and advocacy experience into crisp, admit‑ready impact.

Recommendation Development Requirements

A clear framework for selecting strong MBA recommenders and guiding them to deliver compelling, criteria-aligned recommendations.

Six Pillars MBA Application Strategy Template

A structured worksheet for mapping your experiences to the Six Pillars MBA programs use to evaluate candidates.

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.

MBA Application Strategy: The Six Pillars

A clear definition of the Six Pillars MBA admissions use to evaluate candidates, with guidance on how to demonstrate each through your experiences.

Managing Your Online Presence for MBA Apps

Social Media and Online Presence: 10 Tips for MBA Applicants

MBA Essay Development Requirements

A structured framework for developing compelling MBA essays that align your stories to admissions criteria and post-MBA goals.

MBA Goals Worksheet

A concise worksheet to clarify your MBA career goals and articulate the “why MBA, why now, and why this school” with precision.

HBS/Kellogg/Stern Resume - Ops, Mfg, and CPG

A results-driven MBA resume. This applicant was admitted to HBS, Kellogg, and NYU Stern.

MBA Interview Prep Guidelines

A concise MBA interview prep guide focused on storytelling, school fit, and nailing the questions that drive admissions decisions.

How to Fix Your MBA Essays Without Starting Over

If your essay feels off, and you're wondering how to fix them without starting over, tune in to learn about the most common issues and how to fix them

Wrap Up Your MBA Prep Before R2 Deadlines

Get ready to submit your strongest Round 2 MBA application with guidance from top Leland coaches. This session will cover final essay tweaks, resume polish, recommendation strategies, and interview prep to ensure every component of your application is aligned and compelling. You’ll leave with a clear plan and actionable next steps to approach Round 2 deadlines with confidence.

MIT Sloan Personal Statement Short Answer

While MIT Sloan does not have a traditional personal statement, they do have a Short Answer portion of their application following their behavioral cover letter and video introduction. This is an example of the Short Answer from an MIT Sloan admit.

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.

Duke MBA Essay 2 Example: The Fuqua Community and You

This is an example of the Duke Fuqua MBA Essay #2 which has the following essay prompt: "Fuqua prides itself on cultivating a culture of engagement. Our students enjoy a wide range of student-led organizations that provide opportunities for leadership development and personal fulfillment, as well as an outlet for contributing to society. Our student-led government, clubs, centers, and events are an integral part of the student culture and to the development of leaders. Based on your understanding of the Fuqua culture, what are 3 ways you expect to contribute at Fuqua? Your response will be limited to 1 page (500 words maximum)."

UCLA Anderson Example Essay 2: Career Goals

This is an example essay of the Career Goals essay which asks for the short-term and long-term career goals of the applicant (150 word limit).