Manager
Joined: 08 Feb 2014
Posts: 158
GMAT 1: 700 Q48 V37
GMAT 2: 730 Q48 V42
GPA: 3.5
WE:Other (Non-Profit and Government)
Critical Square Crushed It
[#permalink]
24 Jan 2015, 13:55
BLUF
Bhavik at Critical Square crushed it for me. If you are looking for a consultant, go to Bhavik. He is the real deal. I cannot emphasize this enough – Bhavik is the man.
Background
I’m from a non-traditional background and didn’t have many connections or insight into traditional business sectors. As a result, I didn’t really know people who had gone through the MBA process or who were familiar with it to bounce ideas off of or to review my narrative/pitch/story. I needed an independent audit of my materials from someone intimately familiar with top MBA programs about my chances, my application, and just general pointers.
There are some higher-end packages on the market where the consultant will hold your hand and walk you through the process. I didn’t want that for two reasons: 1. I couldn’t afford it and 2. I felt confident in my narrative and didn’t want someone to try and change that. So I was looking at packages where the consultants would review my materials and help smooth out the rough edges.
I called up most of the major consulting services and spoke to some really insightful and smart people who I am sure are on their A-game and will be able to help someone out. However, I think this process is not just about finding someone who is competent, but also about finding someone who you connect with and who understands your background, story, and future and what/why you are going to business school. Ultimately, I got that connection with Bhavik when we spoke and emailed. Frankly, I feel lucky to have rung him up. His guidance on not just the application, but about industries and business school life in general was invaluable.
The Engagement
I’ll break this down into three sections: work product; timeliness; and attitude.
Work Product
Obviously the most important factor. I’m going to use “crush” a lot, because that’s the best way to describe it without going into expletives. Bhavik crushed it. He brought out the best in the story and experience I was trying to capture. Deleting a clause here, adding an adjective here, sprinkling some business school jargon here, he helped my essays flow better and convey my message clearer. I’ll be honest: despite having already finished my essays, some of them were weak. Bhavik was like steroids, he helped strengthen my essays.
Also, throughout the process, Bhavik was honest with me. If something sounded like BS or fluff, he would call me out on it. He also explained why he suggested changing X from Y and how it could help my case. I definitely appreciated the realness and candor.
Looking back at my application, substantively it didn’t change. However, in terms of execution, they are killers. I wouldn’t have been able to crush it without Bhavik. I knew that the schools I was applying to were extremely competitive and although I felt confident in my pitch, I knew execution would be key.
Timeliness
Some Asian applicants have asked me about response time from a different time zone. However, Bhavik’s response time is amazing. There even came a point where I was considering taking a new job and asked Bhavik for his opinion – I got a response from him within minutes laying out pros, cons, and how it fit into my narrative. I was blown away by the thoroughness and promptness of the response. He was invested in my success. I never had to worry about getting feedback from him on an application. For example, he had to travel internationally one week, but he was still emailing at his breakneck speed. Great customer service.
Attitude
Picking a top tier consultant is a lot like picking a top tier business school: you’ll get a similar quality of product, but you won’t get the same experience. I felt like Bhavik understood my vibe and reason for an MBA better than any other consultant. He crushed it for me. When we were locking down the contract I asked to only work with him and he obliged willingly. Some consultancies will pass off editing to someone else. I felt that if I’m paying for a consultant, I want a consultant to review my materials, because their time at elite MBA programs and selective jobs gives them a different perspective. Bhavik completed agreed and that’s how Critical Square works.
He also provided advice on business school life and culture, and how different industries shape out. For someone without a lot of business connects, this was incredibly useful. After I received my admits, I was torn over two schools. Bhavik told me to sleep on it, but to give him a call afterwards to think it over. Even after our engagement had completed, he was still invested in me. Seriously, he CRUSHED it.
Bottom Line
Do I think I would have gotten into a school without Bhavik? Maybe. Do I think I would have felt as confident about getting into my top choices without Bhavik? Definitely not. If you are considering a consultant, I highly, highly, highly, recommend Bhavik at Critical Square.