Leland+ for Executive MBA

AMA: Insider Tips from 20+ yrs of MBA Admissions & Coaching

Unlock the secrets of MBA admissions with Christine, a seasoned one-of-a-kind expert with 20+ years of admissions experience across three elite MBA programs. This "Ask Me Anything" session is your chance to gain invaluable insights into the application process. Christine's impressive background includes admissions roles at Chicago Booth, London Business School, and Yale School of Management, where she has helped craft MBA classes and understands the nuances of what makes a successful applicant. With a track record of over 400 M7 admits and more than $5 million in scholarship awards secured for her clients, Christine is a one-of-a-kind consultant equipped to guide you through every step of your MBA journey. Join us to explore application strategies, discuss how to make a stand out MBA resume, learn what makes a candidate stand out, and gain insight into how applications are reviewed and admissions decisions are made. Christine's no-nonsense, tell-it-like-it-is approach will help you craft an authentic story that highlights your unique strengths and differences. Whether you're just starting your MBA application journey or you're already on your way, join me and leave equipped with insights into the M7 (and beyond) application process.

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.

Professional CV - two Masters and three Doctorates + work experience!

For anyone looking for a clean, simple, thorough CV template! Includes my background of multiple undergraduate degrees, two Master's degrees, and three Doctorate degrees, along with research bibliography and work experience. Translatable for those entering MBA, Masters, PhD, medical school, dental school, physician's assistant and more.

2026-2027 Columbia Essay Brainstorm

The complete brainstorming workbook for Columbia's 2026-2027 essays. Inside: step-by-step exercises for every prompt, from short answers to Essay 1 goals to Essay 2 collaboration stories to Essay 3 "co-create" arguments, with structured charts to help you organize your stories, research, and outlines before you start drafting.

MBA Scorecard: Rank Every Program to Find Your Fit

A personalized Excel scorecard for ranking every top MBA program that autopopulates based on key criteria you should evaluate in narrowing down your list to your top-choice programs. Weight only the factors that matter to you (e.g., specific career funnels, geography, cost, culture, academics), and score each program out of 100, and see your rankings update live. This includes a filled-out example as well so you can see what a final product looks like. Delete anything that isn't useful, and keep the rest so this search is custom-tailored to you.

8 Steps to an MBA App: 3) Core Values, Superpowers & LOR Strategy

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 third 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 identify your core values and defining strengths and begin aligning your Letters of Recommendation with your overall narrative. 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 watch individual sessions if you only need focused help on a specific component(s) of your MBA application. Event 3 clarifies your defining characteristic and begins the recommendation process: • Identify 3–5 core values and superpowers that consistently appear across your key stories. • Define what each strength truly means in your life and how it shows up in action. • Ensure your positioning reflects who you actually are, not who you think admissions wants you to be. • Learn how to select recommenders and ensure strong narrative alignment. This is the phase where your stories become identity. Instead of a collection of experiences, you now articulate the defining qualities that connect your past, present, and future. 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 clarify what truly defines you and ensure your recommendations reinforce your positioning, this is your next step.

Guide to Negotiating MBA Scholarships

Everything is negotiable, including your MBA scholarship. This guide walks you through the full strategy for increasing your award, from leveraging competing offers to highlighting recent achievements to following up effectively, plus four plug-and-play email templates covering the most common scenarios so you can negotiate with confidence.

HELP -- I'm Non-Traditional! AMA with Jessica B [6/8/2026] (Recording)

You didn't take the standard path. That doesn't mean you can't get into a top program — it means you need a sharper strategy than most. This is an open AMA for applicants who don't fit the typical mold: career changers, military veterans, physicians, founders, late-career applicants, people with non-linear resumes, or anyone who's ever wondered whether admissions committees will know what to do with them. I've worked with all of you. Since 2006, my clients have come from backgrounds that don't map neatly onto the McKinsey-to-HBS pipeline — and they've gotten into M7 programs anyway, frequently with scholarship. Three times Poets & Quants has recognized me as one of the best admissions consultants in the field. Bring your specific situation. Ask me whether your background is a liability or an asset, how to frame a career that's hard to explain in 250 words, whether EMBA or full-time MBA makes more sense for where you are, or anything else that's been keeping you up at night. No slides. No agenda. Just answers.

How to Write an MBA Goals Essay

A complete framework for writing the goals essay that nearly every MBA program requires. Learn the winning formula, then use fillable tables to map your goals, select supporting past experiences, and connect to opportunities at up to four target schools. At the end, you'll have everything you need to draft a focused goals essay.

MBA Optional Essays - Your Complete Guide

The optional essay is one of the easiest places to hurt your MBA application. This guide shows you when to write one and when to skip it, with a real successful example explaining a low GMAT quant score and a clear framework for addressing extenuating circumstances without overexplaining.

8 Steps to an MBA App: 5) Why an MBA? Why now? Your contributions?

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 fifth 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 define exactly what you need from an MBA and articulate the value you will bring to an MBA community, making sure you can answer the questions of why an MBA and why now successfully. 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 watch individual videos if you only need focused help on a specific component(s) of your MBA application. This session moves your MBA application forward by clearly defining why you need an MBA now and what you will contribute to your future program: • Identify the specific skills, experiences, and perspectives you need from an MBA. • Clarify the academic, leadership, and experiential gaps your MBA must fill. • Articulate the perspectives, experiences, and strengths you will contribute to your MBA community. • Ensure your application shows both readiness for the MBA and a clear reason for pursuing it now. This is the phase where your goals and identity connect directly to the MBA itself. Instead of simply saying you want an MBA, you will clearly explain why this step is essential for your growth and how your presence will enrich the classroom and community. 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 clarify exactly how an MBA fits into your journey and demonstrate both readiness and contribution, this is your next step. Message me to receive a copy of the Why an MBA Why Now Worksheet I mentioned in the video!

Sample MBA Interview Answers

A comprehensive library of sample MBA interview responses across every major question category: leadership, teamwork, problem-solving, communication, self-awareness, resilience, ethics, and adaptability. Each example uses the STAR method to show you exactly how to structure compelling, quantified answers you can adapt with your own experiences.

Sample Columbia Business School Essays

Stuck staring at the Columbia essay prompts? See exactly how admitted applicants pulled it off. This collection includes more than twenty complete essay sets covering every recent CBS question. Read across industries, geographies, and career stages to find approaches that resonate with your own story.

How to Write an MBA Resume

A quick, step-by-step guide to writing the perfect MBA résumé.

Sample Finance to MBA CV

Example of a finance-focused CV for MBA applications.

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.

Sample Resume Bullet Points

This guide includes a set of résumé bullet points designed to showcase a wide range of skills and industries. Each bullet uses a strong action verb and highlights a quantifiable outcome.

Sample Resume Metrics

Adding metrics and quantifiable data to your résumé demonstrates your tangible impact and value to potential MBA programs. Use this original list of metrics to clearly highlight your accomplishments.

Sample Consulting to MBA CV

Example of a CV from someone with Consulting experience for MBA applications.