Although I haven't worked with any other consultant, I have received plenty of feedback from friends and colleagues on their experiences. With that in mind, I honestly did not expect much at first when I engaged Laura Freedman at Access Education (
www.accesseducation.com), despite having heard only good things about her work ethic and competence. But since I was only applying for 1 business school (INSEAD) I figured I could use all the help I can get. And in barely 2-3 sessions with her, I quickly realized I had absolutely no idea what I was missing out on.
When we write our own essays, or draft recommendations in liaison with our recommenders, things seem to look much better than they actually are. External perspectives from friends and family don’t help too much. I realized that the value someone with Laura's experience and perspective can add to a B-School application is unparalleled. Here is why I think so:
1) Laura has specialized in international MBA programs full-time since 2010. She really understands these schools, their differences from US MBA’s , and from each other. She’s absolutely the best MBA admissions consultant for INSEAD - she’s held alumni leadership roles in 4 countries since 1993 and even worked for several years coaching students on their Careers’ team. Her name is even on an amphi in Singapore!
2) She does not beat around the bush. If your application is not up to the mark, she will tell you exactly that, and explain why! Her brutal honestly is definitely refreshing.
3) She will extract stories from within your essays and through your interviews with her that will really enhance your application. Sometimes, we really do not know how much of an impact a particular experience had on us, or can have on an admissions committee.
4) This one really saved me from getting dinged. Recommendations are a challenge for most of us in international companies, where our recommenders often expect us to write a draft recommendation ourselves. Laura understands, and will help you understand, how to get the perfect recommendation in a way that’s completely honest and ethical!
5) Once you go through the whole process with Laura, you will realize that you have made a friend. I don't know of many consultants who stay in touch with you even after the admissions process is over. Regardless of the outcome!
Long story short. I applied for INSEAD's class of Dec 2019 in Round 1. Did not apply to any other schools. And if it weren't for Laura, I could not have been able to say that I am going to be an INSEAD-er! Thank you, Laura!