Leland+ for MBA

Jesse's MBA Application Schedule and Strategy Guide

A comprehensive planning tool to guide applicants through every stage of the MBA process—from test prep and school research to essays, interviews, and final submission.

MBA Program Research Template

A structured guide to help applicants deeply research and assess MBA programs—from academics to culture to post-grad outcomes—for stronger essays and interviews.

The Dual-Lens Approach to MBA Interview Prep

A strategic approach to interviews that trains you to think like both the candidate and the interviewer.

Differentiate Your MBA Application: The Power of Deep School Research

How thorough school research can elevate your essays, interviews, and overall application strategy.

Ace MBA Interviews: Strategies for Walk Me Through Your Resume & TMAY

A tactical session focused on nailing two of the most common MBA interview questions with structured approaches, strong storytelling, and tips for tailoring your narrative to each program.

International Applicants & the MBA Admissions Process: Keys to Success

This session is designed to support international candidates applying to top MBA programs in the U.S., Europe, Asia, and beyond. It will also provide valuable insights for Americans targeting programs overseas. Jesse, a leading MBA admissions coach with deep experience guiding international applicants, will cover the unique challenges global candidates face, share strategies for differentiation, debunk common myths, and offer practical advice to strengthen your candidacy. ​Jesse has 8+ years of experience running a boutique MBA consultancy with his wife, specializing in coaching international applicants and guiding 100+ admits to Global Top 20 programs, such as all M7, London Business School, INSEAD, IESE, IE Business School, and HEC Paris. His insights are also shaped by 15+ years of living and working abroad in 12 countries and his strong track record of success with candidates from diverse backgrounds.

MBA Submit & Speak Part 1: The Final Ten Days [8/27/2026] (Recording)

Ten days out from your Round 1 deadline, everything feels urgent, and much of it truly is. What you may not have is time to do it all. This session opens a new three-part series, MBA Submit & Speak. We start where you are right now, in the last stretch before Round 1 closes, and we make the decisions that are still genuinely open to you. Not another round of line edits, but the calls that change what an admissions committee receives. Across the three sessions, we move from the last days before you submit to the interviews that follow. Attend all three to go from deadline to interview with one continuous plan, or drop into the single session you need most. In this session, you will learn how to spend your final ten days: • Decide school by school which programs belong in Round 1, and which one you should move to Round 2 on purpose rather than by accident. • See why the online application form itself, the biographical, employment, education, and activities sections that feel like paperwork, is read as closely as anything you write. • Learn when an optional essay or addendum helps you, and when saying nothing is the stronger answer. • Handle a recommender who has gone quiet with days left, without damaging the relationship or the recommendation. • Rank what is worth fixing in the last seventy-two hours and give yourself permission to leave the rest alone. The hardest part of the final ten days is not effort, it is order. A dozen legitimate tasks compete for the same few evenings, and from where you are sitting they all look equally important. This session puts them in sequence, so you know what to do first, what can wait until the night before, and what to let go of entirely, and you submit an application you chose rather than one the clock chose for you. I have guided more than 100 applicants into every M7 program, across the top 20 in the U.S., and into leading international programs, including INSEAD, London Business School, IESE, Esade, Oxford, Cambridge, NUS, and more. Spend your last ten days on what actually changes the outcome. Register now to claim your spot.

MBA Submit & Speak Part 3: The Interview Questions You Cannot Predict [10/8/2026] (Recording)

You cannot know which behavioral questions you will be asked. You can still be ready. This is the final session of the MBA Submit & Speak series. Invitations are landing, and the questions that help decide many interviews are the ones no list can anticipate. Rather than memorizing answers, we build the system that lets a small set of real stories cover a very large set of possible questions. Across the three sessions, we move from the last days before you submit to the interview that follows. Attend all three to go from deadline to interview with one continuous plan, or drop into the single session you need most. In this session, you will build the preparation that unpredictable questions require: • Build a story bank of five or six real experiences, and learn how a single experience answers several different questions depending on how you frame it. • Handle the failure question and the conflict question, where most applicants either flinch or confess too much. • Answer a situational question about something you have never done, without inventing experience you do not have. • Recover when a question lands and no story comes to mind. • Ask the questions you have for your interviewer, and close the conversation on your terms. This is where interviews are won and lost. Two applicants with the same record can walk out having told completely different stories about themselves, and the disparity is almost never talent. It is preparation of a kind most applicants never do. They are not short of question lists. They are either overwhelmed by how long those lists are and unsure where to start, or working through them one by one, writing out an answer to every question. Neither approach survives contact with a real interview. This session gives you a system that does. I have guided more than 100 applicants into every M7 program, across the top 20 in the U.S., and into leading international programs, including INSEAD, London Business School, IESE, Esade, Oxford, Cambridge, NUS, and more. Walk in ready for anything they ask. Register now to claim your spot.

MBA Application Teardown: Transform Your Resume [8/13/2026] (Recording)

Your MBA resume is not just a record of what you have done. It is the proof of leadership, impact, and readiness behind the story you are asking admissions committees to believe. This is the final session of a three-part MBA Application Teardown series, where I take real, anonymized application materials, tear them down the way an admissions reader would, and rebuild them into something sharper and more memorable, live and in front of you. We close with the document that should prove everything your essays claim: the MBA resume. Across the three sessions, we rebuild the pieces that carry the most weight: your goals essay, your short answers, and your resume. Attend all three to see how a complete application comes together as one coherent story, or drop into the single session you need most. In this teardown, you will watch a reformatted work resume become a true MBA resume: • See why a resume that looks finished is often quietly costing you. • Watch job-description bullets become evidence of leadership, impact, and growth. • Learn how an MBA resume differs from a professional one, and why the difference matters to an admissions reader. • See how the resume reinforces the same narrative running through your essays and short answers. This is the document applicants often spend the least time on, and admissions officers read first. With Round 1 deadlines close, it is also a fast, high-impact fix still available to you. A resume that simply lists what you did becomes a resume that shows who you are and where you are going. It is also the hardest piece to judge in your own application, because you are too close to your own work to see what a reader sees in the first ten seconds. I have guided more than 100 applicants into every M7 program, across the top 20 in the U.S., and into leading international programs, including INSEAD, London Business School, IESE, Esade, Oxford, Cambridge, NUS, and more. Turn a familiar document into a powerful application asset. Register now to claim your spot.

MBA Interview Story Bank: Build Your Best Stories Before the Invite [9/10/2026] (Recording)

Great MBA interview answers rarely start with memorizing answers to a list of questions. They start with knowing your own experiences well enough to draw on the right story when you need it. In this session, we’ll show you how to build an MBA interview story bank before interview invitations begin arriving. You’ll identify the strongest experiences from your background and learn how to turn them into flexible stories you can use across dozens of behavioral and school-specific questions. We’ll cover: Which types of stories every MBA applicant should have ready, including leadership, teamwork, conflict, failure, influence, initiative, impact, difficult decisions, and personal growth How to choose your strongest example when several experiences could answer the same question How one experience can support multiple interview questions without giving the same answer repeatedly How to structure stories clearly without sounding rehearsed or robotic How to make your answers specific, reflective, and memorable How to identify gaps in your story bank while you still have time to prepare Whether you have already submitted or are finishing your Round 1 applications, you’ll leave with a practical framework for building the core stories that can support your interviews across multiple MBA programs.

Differentiate your MBA Application: School Research & Networking Part 1 of 2

⚡School research and networking are the secret weapons that separate good MBA applicants from the ones admissions committees can’t forget. They shape every part of your application, from essays and interviews to your ability to turn a waitlist into an admit. Yet most applicants never learn how to do them at the level that truly changes the game. This is Part 1 of a two-part workshop series. In this session, you will learn the research and networking strategy and methods. You will then have two weeks to complete your own school research and networking as guided homework. In Part 2, I will demonstrate how to put this work into action through a live walkthrough, including discussion of participant progress and real questions that arise during the process. ⚠️Register for Part 2 in the event calendar on March 13th Part 1 has been my most popular event, run multiple times each year, and consistently rated by attendees as one of the most helpful and actionable MBA preparation sessions they’ve experienced. This is the first time I am introducing the Part 2 execution workshop. In this session, you’ll discover how to: 🔷 Conduct deep-dive school research that goes far beyond websites and brochures 🔷 Strategically network with the right people, turning what may be the greatest networking opportunity of your life into a clear advantage for admission and beyond 🔷 Create an MBA Journey document that becomes your central reference for aligning fit, goals, and contributions across the application 🔷 Integrate your findings seamlessly into essays, interviews, networking conversations, and campus interactions You’ll learn how to pinpoint the exact courses, professors, centers, career services, experiential programs, internships, clubs, culture elements, current students, and alumni connections that will help you achieve your goals, and how to clearly show the value you will bring in return. By the end of this session, you will know how to demonstrate, with clarity and credibility, that you and your target MBA program are the right fit for each other. Bonus Offer ✅1 attendee will receive a free 1-hour coaching session. ✅All attendees may request a free copy of the MBA Research & Networking Template. ⚡Spots are limited. Register now to gain the advantage that can set your MBA application apart.

Great First MBA Interview Answer. Ready for Follow-Ups? Learn to be!

▶ Your first answer went well. Then the follow-ups started. And they didn’t stop. In many MBA interviews, interviewers drill far beyond your initial response. If you are prepared, this is where you shine. If you are not, this is often where an otherwise strong application quietly slips away. I have helped applicants succeed in even the most demanding interview formats. In this 30-minute live session, I will introduce and demonstrate one of the core techniques I use with clients, the Dual Lens Interview Prep method, a practical approach designed to help you prepare not just answers, but real interview conversations. 🚩Do not miss this event - you will not learn this technique anywhere else!🚩 ▶You will learn how to: ◆ Prepare for follow-up questions that dig beneath your initial response ◆ Step into the interviewer’s mindset to anticipate deeper probing ◆ Build a flexible story bank that adapts across questions and schools ◆ Practice effectively on your own using recorded responses and structured reflection ◆ Go multiple layers deep on a single story without sounding rehearsed or scripted ▶ What we’ll do live I will walk through an example of the Dual Lens method in action, showing how one core story can generate multiple rounds of natural, high-quality follow-ups. I will also show how to organize this practice using simple tools, how to evaluate your own responses, and how this method fits into the broader interview prep system I use with MBA admits each year. ✔ What you’ll leave with A clear, repeatable framework you can start using immediately, whether you are preparing solo, with friends, or alongside a coach. ▶ Register now to learn how to handle MBA interview follow-ups with confidence.

Do Your Deferred MBA in Spain: Interview with IESE Admissions Director

Join Jesse L., a Leland Top 10 MBA coach for international applicants, for a live interview with Patrik Wallén, MBA Admissions Director at IESE Business School (ranked #3 in the world by the Financial Times), followed by an open audience Q&A. This will be the first interview focused primarily on IESE’s Young Talent Path (YTP), IESE’s early-career, deferred-style pathway that ultimately leads into the full-time MBA. While the main focus is on YTP, this session will also be highly valuable for any applicant considering IESE, as it offers direct insight into IESE’s admissions philosophy, values, career development, and case-method-based MBA program. ✨ What makes IESE’s YTP unique Unlike most U.S.-based deferred MBA (DMBA) programs that require candidates to apply during their final undergraduate year or while completing a graduate degree, IESE allows applicants to apply both during their senior year and after graduation, with up to two years of full-time work experience. This makes YTP accessible to a broader group of early-career professionals who may not have been ready to apply as seniors. In this conversation, Jesse will interview Patrik on how YTP works in practice, how candidates are evaluated, and how YTP admits transition into the regular IESE MBA. We will also cover the support IESE provides to YTP admits during the deferral period, including engagement with the school, career guidance, and preparation for joining the MBA cohort. 📌 Topics will include: • What the Young Talent Path (YTP) is and how it compares to other deferred MBA-style programs • Who YTP is designed for and how candidates are assessed • Applying to YTP after graduation with less than two years of experience • What admission through YTP means in practice • How IESE supports YTP admits during the deferral period • How and when YTP participants join the full-time IESE MBA • What the IESE MBA experience looks like • Live audience Q&A 🎯 Who should attend This session is designed to give applicants real clarity on YTP and the IESE MBA, directly from the source.

Ace MBA Interviews & Essays: Strategies for Why an MBA/Now/This School

Are you struggling to clearly answer “Why an MBA?”, “Why now?”, and “Why this school?” in both interviews and written applications? These three questions are the backbone of every strong MBA candidacy. In this focused 60-minute session, you’ll learn exactly how to approach them with clarity, specificity, and confidence. We’ll break down what admissions committees are really looking for, why these questions matter, and the most common mistakes applicants make. You’ll see detailed examples drawn directly from successful applicant materials, along with in-depth analysis of what makes each example strong or weak. We’ll cover how to link your background, needs, and goals to the right program features, how to avoid generic phrasing, and how to bring authenticity and structure into your responses. Throughout the session, I’ll highlight specific dos and don’ts and walk you through the progression from vague answers to compelling, school-ready responses. You’ll also see how your approach should differ between essays and interviews so your answers feel natural and appropriate in each format. We will close with a Q&A where you can ask about these three questions, your approach, or anything that wasn’t fully clear in the presentation. By the end, you’ll have a sharper understanding of what makes a strong response, how to integrate school-specific research, and how to communicate your story in a way that resonates in both interviews and written applications.

📢Ace MBA Interview Follow-Up Questions: The Dual Lens Prep Method [10/14/2026] (Recording)

▶ 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗳𝗶𝗿𝘀𝘁 𝗮𝗻𝘀𝘄𝗲𝗿 𝘄𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝘄𝗲𝗹𝗹. 𝗧𝗵𝗲𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗳𝗼𝗹𝗹𝗼𝘄-𝘂𝗽𝘀 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗲𝗱. 𝗔𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝘆 𝗱𝗶𝗱𝗻’𝘁 𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗽. In many MBA interviews, the initial question is only the beginning. Interviewers may keep probing: Why did you make that decision? What was the hardest part? How did others react? What would you do differently? What did you learn? A strong first answer will only take you so far. You need to know your stories deeply enough to handle whatever comes next. In this live session, I will teach and demonstrate the Dual Lens MBA Interview Prep Method, a framework I developed to help applicants prepare from both sides of the interview: as the candidate answering the question and as the interviewer deciding what to ask next. Rather than memorizing more answers, you will learn how to prepare for the conversation behind the questions. ▶ You will learn how to: ◆ Anticipate the follow-up questions an interviewer is likely to ask ◆ Switch into the interviewer’s perspective and identify the gaps, decisions, tensions, and details they may probe ◆ Go several layers deep into one experience without sounding rehearsed ◆ Use mind maps to visualize where an interview conversation could go ◆ Record and evaluate your answers so your practice improves both content and delivery ◆ Turn individual stories into flexible material you can use across different questions and interviews ▶ What we’ll do live I will take one MBA interview story through multiple rounds of follow-up questioning so you can see the Dual Lens method in action. We will start with the initial answer, switch perspectives to brainstorm what an interviewer might ask next, answer one of those questions, and then repeat the process again. I will also show you how to map those branches visually and use structured self-evaluation to improve your responses. ✔ What you’ll leave with You will leave with a repeatable system you can use throughout your interview preparation, whether you are practicing alone, with a friend, or with a coach. You will also receive my Dual Lens MBA Interview Prep guide and self-evaluation chart so you can put the method into practice immediately. ▶ Register now and learn how to prepare for what happens after your first answer.

Standing Out as an International Applicant

​This session will be focused on helping international applicants develop a high-level understanding of all the components of the MBA application process, learn how to differentiate themselves from the crowd, and start to create a standout profile to get them into a top business school. With more non-US candidates applying every year, it’s more important than ever to show what makes you unique. ​Learn from a panel of experts who will share their expertise and experiences through an interactive discussion, practical tips, and real-life examples. We invite potential applicants from all corners of the globe to join us for this amazing event! ​Meet our panelists: ​Vica G., Stanford GSB MBA, former Silicon Valley tech executive and startup founder, double émigrée and storytelling expert passionate for helping international or underdog clients craft competitive applications. ​Jesse L., has coached 100% of full-service clients to top 30 MBAs, 95% to top 20, expert in international applicants and crafting compelling narratives. ​Cathy M, INSEAD MBA, has successfully coached candidates to gain admissions into top schools, including INSEAD, LBS, Booth, Wharton, HEC Paris, IESE, Cambridge Judge, Oxford Said & NYU Stern.

MBA Recommendation Letters: How to Write the Brief for a Strong LOR [10/15/2026] (Recording)

Leave this session with a clear plan for your recommenders and a ready-to-use brief template you can send them this week. Your recommendation letters are the one part of your application written by someone else, and they carry real weight with admissions committees. Most recommenders want to help but do not know what schools are looking for, which examples to use, or how their letter fits with the rest of your application. A strong brief, sometimes called a recommender packet, gives them exactly that. For Round 2, now is the time to prepare it, while your recommenders still have weeks rather than days. In this session, you will: • Learn how to choose between a senior title and someone who truly knows your work, and what to do if your manager cannot know you are applying • See what schools actually ask recommenders, including leadership competency grids and school-specific questions • Learn how to make the ask clearly and lock in a completion date • Compare weak and strong briefs side by side, and see what to include so your recommenders can write with specific examples • Prepare your recommenders for the constructive feedback question, where many otherwise strong letters fall short • Understand how to handle recommenders who ask you to write the letter yourself, and what international applicants should consider when a recommender writes in a second language Most applicants send their recommenders a resume and hope for the best. The result is often two letters that repeat the same achievements in general terms. A strong brief assigns each recommender different examples based on what they personally saw you do, so each letter adds something new to your application instead of repeating the other. I have guided 100+ applicants into every M7, across the top 20 in the U.S., and leading international programs (INSEAD, LBS, IESE, Esade, Oxford, Cambridge, NUS, and more). Give your recommenders everything they need to write specific, credible letters. Register now to claim your spot.

✍️ Write MBA Essays That Stand Out: Why MBA, Why Now, Why This School [6/25/2026] (Recording)

🤔Are you struggling to write clear, specific, and convincing answers to “Why an MBA?”, “Why now?”, and “Why this school?” These three questions sit at the heart of almost every strong MBA application. They may look simple, but weak answers are one of the fastest ways to sound generic, unfocused, or interchangeable with thousands of other applicants. In this focused 45-minute session, you’ll learn how to turn these core essay themes into a sharper, more differentiated MBA story. ✍️ We’ll break down what admissions committees are really looking for, why these questions matter so much, and the most common mistakes applicants make when writing about their goals, timing, and school fit. You’ll see examples drawn from successful MBA application materials, along with detailed analysis of what makes an answer strong or weak. We’ll cover how to connect your background, career goals, personal motivations, and school research into essays that feel specific, credible, and authentic. You’ll also learn how to avoid vague claims like “global network,” “diverse community,” and “leadership opportunities,” and replace them with school-specific details that actually strengthen your candidacy. By the end of the session, you’ll understand how to: ✅ Build stronger answers to “Why MBA?”, “Why now?”, and “Why this school?” ✅ Connect your past experience to your future goals ✅ Show real school fit without sounding generic ✅ Make your essays more personal, strategic, and admissions-ready ✅ Avoid common essay mistakes that weaken otherwise strong applications We’ll close with a live Q&A where you can ask about your own essay strategy, school fit, goals, or anything that wasn’t fully clear from the presentation. Seats are limited, so register now to strengthen one of the most important parts of your MBA application. 🚀 ⭐ Plus, attendees who stay for the full session will automatically be entered to win a free 1-hour coaching session with me, a $259 value.