Leland+ for MBA

Essays (4): Duke Fuqua MBA Admitted Army Veteran

These are the 4 application essays of an Army veteran who secured R1 admission to Duke Fuqua MBA.

Navigating the MBA Waitlist Process (4/6)

We will discuss how to navigate the waitlist process for MBA programs. This will include: - General process and timelines - Common reasons people are waitlisted - How to plan structure your updates - What else you can do to improve your chances - Q&A

Resume: Army Veteran Admitted to Duke Fuqua MBA

This resume showcases an Army veteran from a non-traditional background who earned R1 admission to Duke Fuqua MBA.

Harvard Essay 1 Example

Harvard Essay 1 example of a female from a CPG start-up accepted into the class of 2028.

Cracking Round 3 MBA: How I Got Admitted in the Final Round

Round 3 MBA admissions can feel unpredictable and highly competitive, but strong candidates still win seats with the right positioning and strategy. In this session, we’ll break down how to approach the final round strategically, address timing concerns head-on, and craft a compelling narrative that demonstrates urgency, fit, and readiness. You’ll gain practical insight into how admissions committees evaluate Round 3 applicants and how to maximize your chances even late in the cycle.

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.

The 5 Toughest MBA Interview Questions

Slides from event on 1/8/26 - Get everything you need to answer the 5 toughest MBA interview questions, including sample answers!

Navigating the MBA Waitlist Process

We will discuss how to navigate the waitlist process for MBA programs. While it is quite frustrating to not have closure after your decision, there is still hope! I will walk through my proven strategies for maximizing your chances of converting a waitlist into an acceptance! This will include: - General process and timelines - Common reasons people are waitlisted - How to plan structure your updates - What else you can do to improve your chances - Q&A

INSEAD Managing High-Stakes Complexity Essay

A reflection on navigating a high-pressure, unprecedented project, balancing strategic vision with expert risk management.

INSEAD Short- and Long-Term Career Goals Essay

Plans for transitioning from Korea’s gaming industry to global digital platforms and building a founder-focused accelerator.

From College to Stanford GSB: The Deferred MBA Strategy Session (Feb 5)

Getting into Stanford GSB’s Deferred MBA program is not about checking boxes: it’s about building a strategy years before most candidates even think about business school. In this exclusive session, Dr. Loubna Bouamane, former MBA Admissions Director and founder of Admission Concierge, will walk you through exactly how top students position themselves for Stanford straight from college. You’ll learn how to craft a compelling early-career narrative, select the right internships and leadership experiences, stand out academically, and avoid the most common mistakes that derail otherwise strong candidates. Whether you’re a freshman, sophomore, junior, or recent graduate, this session will give you a clear roadmap to Stanford’s deferred MBA pathway with real-world insights from inside the admissions process.

Essays (2): Yale SOM MBA Admitted R1 Class of 2028

These are the 2 application essays of an applicant who secured R1 admission to Yale SOM full-time MBA.

Career Goals -- Why they're the key to MBA apps and how to nail them

MBA admissions teams use your career goals to gauge clarity, direction, and fit—making them a critical part of your application. In this session, you’ll learn how to craft focused short- and long-term goals, connect them to your experience, and avoid common mistakes. Whether you’re drafting or refining essays, you’ll leave with a clear framework to articulate compelling, credible goals.

INSEAD Career Overview and Key Decisions Essay

A summary of career progression, leadership experiences, and cross-cultural impact in global tech and enterprise roles.

Deferred MBA Planning — Preparing for a Successful Application [3/5/2026] (Recording)

Are you gearing up for the deferred MBA application process sometime in the next couple of years? Join me for a session dedicated to making sure you are well prepared when application season rolls around. I'm John, CEO of Leland, and I'll be your host for this session. Prior to Leland, I was admitted to HBS 2+2 and Stanford GSB deferred, and then founded Deferred MBA Consulting. In the past 8 years I have helped thousands of people with their deferred applications. Space is limited, so make sure to RSVP and secure your spot today!

Ace the INSEAD Interview

The INSEAD interview is known for being conversational yet deeply probing, designed to assess leadership maturity, cultural adaptability, and clarity of purpose. In this session, you’ll learn how INSEAD structures its interviews, what interviewers are truly evaluating, and how to craft responses that reflect global perspective, self-awareness, and impact. You’ll leave with practical strategies to prepare confidently and stand out in one of the most distinctive MBA interview processes.

Applying for an MBA in 2026? 6 Things You Could be Doing Now to Get Ahead

Planning to apply for an MBA in 2026? Join me, Meghna (HBS '28), for a high-impact session to help you get ahead in your MBA application journey. With acceptances and scholarship offers from multiple M7 and T15 programs, I’m excited to share the strategies, lessons learned, and insider insights that helped me navigate the process successfully, and that can help you do the same. In this session, we’ll cover practical, actionable strategies you can start implementing now - from refining your target school list and clarifying your “Why MBA,” to a structured framework for brainstorming essays and building a personalized application timeline. I’ll also share candid advice on where to invest (and where not to invest) your time and money when it comes to test prep, networking, and other application resources. Space is limited, so RSVP today to secure your spot and take the first step toward a standout application. Attendees will also receive an exclusive discount code for 1:1 coaching for the 2026 cycle.

How to Strengthen Your Deferred MBA Story Before the Deadline

Deferred MBA programs look for candidates with clear potential, thoughtful career vision, and evidence of leadership early in their careers. If you’re planning to apply this cycle, the months before the deadline are when strong applicants refine their goals, sharpen their narrative, and ensure their experiences clearly support why an MBA makes sense for them. In this session, you’ll learn how to clarify your long-term story, highlight leadership and impact effectively, and strengthen the core themes that run through your essays and application materials.

8 Steps to an MBA app: 1) Life Story, Timeline, & MBA Resume

Applying to business school can feel overwhelming! You have dozens of moving pieces: essays, short answers, video content, resume, recommendations, outreach, research, and more. This workshop is the starting point of a structured 8-part MBA Identity Mapping series designed to take you from fragmented tasks to a clear plan of action. In this session, you will build your foundational Life Timeline of all your key stories and begin transforming your resume into MBA format. These sessions walk you step by step through building one fully aligned MBA application. In every workshop, you will be assigned tasks to complete over the next two weeks, keeping you organized and accountable. By the end, you will have strong, authentic essays and a cohesive narrative that runs consistently through your resume, goals, recommendations, school strategy, and interviews. You are absolutely welcome to attend individual sessions if you only need focused help on a specific component(s) of your MBA application. Event 1 identifies your significant experiences and reshapes your resume into MBA format: • Understand the full trajectory of the 8-phase MBA Identity Mapping process and how each piece connects. • Build a comprehensive Life Timeline that captures the raw material of your life. • Begin transforming your professional resume into MBA format. The MBA Identity Mapping process has guided 100+ applicants into every M7 program, all other top 20 U.S. programs, and leading international programs including INSEAD, London Business School, IESE, Esade, Oxford, Cambridge, NUS, and more. Clients consistently describe it as transformative because it replaces scattered effort with forward momentum and strategic clarity. If you are ready to stop juggling tasks and start building an organized, cohesive MBA application, this is where you begin. (Please message me if you would like a copy of the super helpful free resource mentioned in the video: MBA Resume Transformation Guide.)

Inside Deferred Admissions: AMA with a Founder of the HBS 2+2 Program

Few people understand Deferred MBA admissions better than Kerry P., who helped launch the Harvard Business School 2+2 Program and has since guided countless candidates into top deferred programs. In this exclusive AMA, Kerry will pull back the curtain on how Deferred MBA programs really evaluate applicants — from what schools look for in undergraduates to how they assess potential and fit.