Leland+ for Executive MBA

Intel Collection for the MBA: Schools, Careers, and the Application [6/11/2026] (Recording)

This is the second session in the MDMP for MBA series series structured around the seven phases of the Military Decision-Making Process. Each session stands on its own, but together they form a complete framework for military and veteran applicants to systematically and strategically approach the MBA admissions process. In this session, we'll focus on mission analysis and cover how to collect HUMINT and AI-enabled SIGINT to improve your understanding of the critical elements of MBA application: target schools (including class profiles, employment outcomes, and culture), post-MBA career paths (industries, functions, recruiting pipelines, compensation), and the components of the application itself (essays, recommendations, and academic preparation. We'll also cover resources available to military and veteran applicants, from the GI Bill and Yellow Ribbon to Service to School and school veterans clubs. By the end, you'll know how to build your candidate school list, how to research post-MBA careers, and how to gather the intelligence that makes every later decision in the process a sound one. Hosted by Ian Kennedy, former Army Special Forces (18E, 1st SFG) and Stanford MBA/MS, who has coached military and veteran applicants into admissions at Harvard, Stanford, Columbia, LBS, Duke, and more.

Stop a Generic LOR Before It's Written: 3 Things to Do Now [8/4/2026] (Recording)

A strong candidate with a weak, generic letter is a common and preventable mistake. Learn exactly what to send your recommenders so their letter reinforces your narrative instead of undercutting it.

SHARP Interview Worksheet

A comprehensive, actionable framework and workbook designed by Caolan Hunter for high-stakes international interview preparation. This resource introduces the SHARP framework (Situation, Hard Part, Approach, Result, Point), a methodology engineered to eliminate generic responses by injecting specificity, clinical credibility, and visible executive judgment into professional narratives. The document features practical tools for candidates navigating global transitions, including: 1. The Fork in the Road Technique: A diagnostic tool to uncover and articulate active decision-making over passive responsibilities. 2. The Market Adaptation Guide: A regional framework for tailoring delivery styles across the US, UK, Germany/Netherlands, and APAC markets without altering core professional history. 3. Structured Story Templates: Four dedicated layouts optimizing narratives for Leadership, Conflict Resolution, Strategic Pivots, and Resource Constraints. 4. An Interview Mapping Matrix: A tactical guide pairing common high-stakes interview questions with the correct template and timing strategy.

Practical Step-by-Step Guide to Building a Strong MBA Application

Applying to an MBA is not simply about filling out forms, writing essays, and submitting a GMAT or GRE score. A successful MBA application is a strategic project. It requires self-reflection, school research, career clarity, storytelling, execution, and careful timing. The strongest candidates are not always the ones with the most perfect profile. They are usually the ones who understand their own story, know why they need the MBA, choose the right schools, and present a coherent case to the admissions committee. This document provides a basic A-to-Z roadmap for preparing a successful MBA application.

MBA Inteview Guide

How to prepare for IESE, INSEAD, LBS, IE, ESADE and other top European MBA programs A practical two-page preparation guide for MBA admissions interviews. MBA interviews are not just a final checkpoint. They are your chance to show who you are beyond your CV, essays and test scores— and to prove that your goals, values and personality fit the school. A strong interview helps the school understand: Why MBA? · Why this school? · Why now? · Why you?

Example HEC Paris MBA Essays

Multiple real, successful applicant essay sets covering all HEC Paris prompts. See exactly how admits structured winning answers before you write your own.

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.

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.

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.

Your Complete Guide to MBA Scholarship Essays

A complete playbook for writing scholarship essays that actually win funding. Inside: a clear framework for what committees want to see. This guide includes ten real, successful examples spanning multiple essay question types and direct scholarship reconsideration requests.

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.

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.

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.

Complete MBA Reapplicant Essay Guide

Reapplicants face a challenge that first-time candidates don't: proving you've genuinely grown since your last attempt. This guide walks you through exactly what a strong reapplicant essay includes, from refined goals to new leadership to addressing weak spots. Includes multiple real, successful reapplicant essays.

Sample MBA Reapplicant Essays

Six real, successful reapplicant essays from candidates admitted to top MBA programs. See exactly how they addressed past weaknesses, demonstrated growth, and reinforced fit, giving you concrete models to study before drafting your own second-chance essay.

How to Get Off of an MBA Waitlist

Most waitlisted candidates wait passively and hope for the best. The ones who get admitted have a strategy. This guide shows you exactly how to build yours, from reflecting on application weaknesses to structuring your waitlist essay to demonstrating new growth that gives adcoms a reason to convert you.

Sample MBA Waitlist Essays

Nine real waitlist essays that earned admission to Stanford GSB, HBS, Kellogg, Columbia, LBS, NYU Stern, and other top programs. See exactly how successful candidates addressed weak spots, shared meaningful updates, and made the case for fit, giving you concrete models before you write your own waitlist letter.

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.

Example MBA Side Letters

A curated set of real, successful side letters covering both the general format and the specific question prompts required by Chicago Booth, Duke Fuqua, and London Business School. A "general" style side letter (like those requested by INSEAD) is also included. See exactly how effective recommenders structure their letters and answer each school's questions before briefing the person writing yours.

Developing Your Best MBA Stories

Build the foundation every strong MBA application stands on: a library of your best stories. This worksheet guides you through the STAR structure across twelve categories, including the three required for any competitive application. Develop them once, then adapt to every school's essays, short answers, and interview questions.