Alex Leventhal Reviews

Just like many other applicants, I lurked on MBA forums for months before deciding to take the plunge and work with a consultant. I took a number of consultation calls with various highly-ranked firms before deciding to work with Alex Leventhal. After ten minutes on the phone with him, I was already impressed with his insights about the admissions process and his candor about the strengths and weaknesses of my particular candidacy.

I applied to three schools in round 1 and was rejected from two but deferred by HBS without an interview. As a Harvard college graduate with a relatively low GPA (and an overrepresented minority working in a popular industry), I was nervous about how to approach the HBS Further Consideration process and unsure of how it even worked. Alex’s experience with HBS and the Further Consideration process proved invaluable, as he was able to successfully guide me through the round 1 update essay to a round 2 interview invitation and finally to an offer of admission.

Alex has a very hands-on, straightforward coaching style. He was able to quickly and effectively analyze my application to help me pinpoint the most effective strategy for my Further Consideration update essay. He also conducted a very realistic mock interview which provided me with valuable feedback about my communication skills and gave me a lot of confidence to go into the real interview and perform my best.

Everything about his process stands out. It’s bespoke. It was refreshing to be able to directly correspond with Alex throughout the application process and his response time is unrivaled. His vibrant personality makes every call an enjoyable learning experience and he was always willing to entertain even my most absurd questions about MBA admissions. What makes Alex truly exceptional is that he both understands the meta-level strategy behind MBA admissions and also focuses on helping candidates cultivate powerful individual narratives. I believe that this dual emphasis was critical to helping me go from deferral to admission this cycle and I would strongly recommend Alex to others looking for a personalized approach to MBA consulting.

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As with most applicants, I spent a good amount of time looking for a consultant who would be able to help me navigate the daunting application process. Although my partner had chosen Alex as his MBA consultant and spoke highly of his services, I wanted to consider all my options before deciding on the best consultant for me. To be quite honest, I could have saved myself a lot of time if I had just taken his suggestion. Alex was the only individual to review my qualifications and provide an honest assessment of whether the schools I was applying to would not only be within reach, but also be a good cultural fit for me (which was something that was a major consideration for me when I was deciding where to apply).

He was the one who suggested that I apply to UCLA Anderson during the initial consultation as he felt that the school would align with what I was looking for. Going forward with his recommendation, I reached out to students and alumni and spent a great deal of time researching the school. As I collected more information, I could see why he suggested UCLA and began drafting my application. With his support, I was able to clearly define my post-MBA goals, understand how I wanted to contribute to the school community, and fine-tune the various components of the application. It was because of him that I was able to ensure that the admissions committee understood who I was and what I hoped to become after completing the program.

Without a doubt, I would recommend Alex to anyone who is looking for an MBA consultant who is honest, fair, and to the point. He knows how to emphasize your strengths and will work with you to address your weaknesses to ensure that they don’t detract from your application.

Ultimately, for anyone starting their MBA process, the applications can seem like an impossible task. However, with a consultant like Alex, they can be surmountable.

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In the midst of a mad rush to both up my GMAT score and begin crafting my application, I reached out to a number of consultants in late October targeting a Round 2 application. After having 3-4 calls, I was able to get in touch with Alex and schedule an introductory call. Instead of spending 20 minutes pitching me on his many success stories (and there are numerous), Alex took ~45 minutes to hear about my background, interests, and thoughts on what might be viable options for my path. What stuck out even more-so than the personalized approach Alex took from the initial call was his willingness and ability to address my candidacy holistically, quickly identifying key areas to focus on both highlighting or strengthening. Alex’s no-nonsense approach made him standout from other more sale-like consultation calls.
After getting started, it was clear that Alex was going to stay whole fully engaged throughout the application process. He spent countless hours over the next 2 months with me identifying aspects of my background that would make strong cornerstones for my essays, helping select strong people to write my recommendations, working through draft after draft fine-tuning my essays and other application mediums, and conducting mock interviews helping prepare me to respond strongly to frequently asked topics. When I thought to add another competitive program to my application group, I knew I wanted Alex’s assistance and updated my package from 3 schools to 4 schools.
With Alex’s guidance, I have been able to score acceptances to 2 of my top schools, and I am sure I could not have done it without him. By taking the time to get to know me, my background, my interests, and my overall candidacy, Alex was able to help me put my best foot forward. I would recommend Alex to anyone who is looking to make the most of what they have to offer and want to present themselves to their dream schools with those positive attributes! I truly believe he is the best person for the job.

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I belong to an over represented demographic (Indian male). I also did not have any work experience with a strong brand name company. During my free consultation with Alex, I could see how engaged he would be. Given the fact that I’ve worked primarily for my family’s businesses, getting references is challenging and I loved how Alex was already brainstorming some great ideas in that regard during the free session.

I am a re-applicant. My previous consultant would nod to everything I’d say and never challenge my views, however bad they might’ve been. Alex, however, would not hesitate to challenge my ideas or hold his ground. Also, with Alex, you get to work with him – no juniors or English-trained associates. With my previous consultant, different people reviewed my resume, references, essays and conducted mock interviews. This approach doesn’t work – your consultant needs to know how your entire application is shaping up. Needless to say, this was a major reason I got nowhere in the previous cycle. With Alex, you get a highly trained pair of eyes to bring things together well.

Alex is very smart and connects the dots really well. At the very beginning, he made me fill out a questionnaire that focused on various aspects of my life and then spent 2-3 hours on call learning more about me. He really got to know me well (personal aspects and professional ones) and, all through the application process, I was always amazed at how he would pull out small snippets of my life that I myself had not thought of to answer application essays. He helped bring out my best side.

Alex is a Harvard MBA, sure, but he’s also witty, friendly and constantly devoted to your quest. He was extremely encouraging, helped choose schools wisely, and when I did not get anywhere except 2 waitlists in round 1, kept encouraging me for round 2. I’d never considered Darden before. It was Alex who convinced me about how good Darden was and suggested applying there – I’m so glad he doesn’t give up and does his best to advice you on what’s good for you. So far, it’s the only school I’ve gotten into across 2 years of applying and he is the singular reason I have an admission offer.

I recommend strongly Alex. He is special and a great guide. You will be doing yourself a great favor by engaging him and giving your applications their biggest boost.

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Alex was beyond helpful throughout my application process. In addition to being an indispensable advisor in helping me craft my narrative articulately and succinctly, Alex spent extra time working with me to review every scholarship essay. My only regret was not reaching out to Alex sooner in my application process.

When I applied to undergraduate schools years ago, I did not have the privilege or funds to hire an external consultant. But coming from a well-represented demographic, and even with GRE scores well above all published median acceptances, I knew that gaining admission to a commensurate MBA program would be an uphill battle.

After spending significant time with Alex Leventhal and Prep MBA, I can sincerely appreciate how fortunate I was to work with one of the top consultants in the industry. Without Alex’s support, I probably wouldn’t have gotten into any of the schools I applied to. I highly recommend working with Alex to anyone applying to MBA programs. Alex’s parents seemed to have presciently given him the initials “AL” …because in this industry, he’s an Absolute Legend.

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I was searching for an admissions consultant who could very well understand my education and academic career in Life Sciences and help me cohesively tie it to my long-term goal of working as a biopharma strategy consultant post-MBA. After talking to a few admissions consulting firms, Alex Leventhal’s approach and service stood out to me. Using his previous experience in healthcare, he was able to help me extract the key points in my professional and personal journey that I could highlight in my essays. Moreover, after a thorough evaluation of my profile, he guided me to select schools with a realistic mindset. This approach in shortlisting schools is unlike other top admissions consulting firms which do not spend enough time to identify the programs where a candidate would have a better shot of getting in. Coming from a non-traditional background and being older than the average student admitted to a full-time MBA program, Alex told me to work harder to improve my score and seek some leadership opportunities that would improve my candidacy for the selected schools.

Working with Alex was worth the investment. Each of his advice to me was very personalized and at times he would go over the designated time for our call or an application section if it was needed to get a better outcome. In fact, there were a couple of applications where we were pressed for time, but he was able to accommodate his schedule to help me. He is genuine, approachable, and quite funny. He also walks you through the entire application process very methodically.

I would recommend working with him without hesitation.

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As an European, I had little experience on the “how tos” and the key success factors of applying to top US MBA programs. I was therefore eager to find an admission consultant who could support me in the process. One thing that was really important to me was that I could trust the respective consultant not only to have contextual expertise, but to be easy to build a personal relationship with. After all, you are sharing deeply personal stories with the respective person throughout the application process.
After my initial call with Alex, I knew he was the right one. You could immediately sense that he cared and was passionate to see you succeed. But he was also honest and straightforward about my expectations and where my profile was strong/not so strong – as an example, he openly addressed the potential fallbacks of my current GMAT score or the limited number of current extracurriculars (given it was early in the process, we could also take action on those). Alex was open about the fact that his offering was slightly more expensive and also that response times might be a little slower, given he does not have a team of junior consultants. But what you get in return is a deeply personalized service, Alex’s full set of experience, and a creative, funny, and honest partner throughout your application process.
Working with Alex proved to be amazing. I only applied to three schools – Harvard, Stanford, and Wharton – of which I interviewed with 2. In the end, I got into Wharton and was waitlisted at HBS. While Alex officially only supported on Harvard and Stanford, I could use many of the tools (such as career goals) and even essay preparations for my application at Wharton.
I would recommend Alex in a heartbeat, and I already have to my former college friends planning to pursue an MBA. Not only did he play a massive role in my success of getting a MBA spot in the US, the whole process with him was super cool and a great reflection of my career, personal goals and ambitions. I feel strongly that Alex is uncommon as an advisor. He is sincere, funny, and often made me feel like I was his most important client.

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Alex’s biggest value-add is his ability to draw out the uniqueness in each candidate. He starts the process by asking the candidate to fill out a detailed “Bio sheet”. Several times in the following months, while we worked on the applications, he would reference various details I had mentioned in the sheet - ones so small that even I had forgotten them! Alex spends a lot of time and energy preparing to work on the applications with the candidate, and throughout the process I felt assured that his advice/suggestions were personalized to showcase my strengths most effectively.

He also has incredible editing skills, and has a knack for trimming all the excess fat from written pieces without losing the essence. Through his interview prep sessions, he also coaches the candidate on how to be concise yet thorough and impactful, making the candidate very appealing to the AdCom.

Lastly, I immensely valued Alex’s work ethic throughout the process. He would tell me exactly when to expect a response and I always got a thoroughly reviewed piece back from him as planned!!

As someone who has not only helped candidates over multiple application cycles but has also been through the process himself, Alex realizes how stressful the process is. Beyond simply providing great advice on the application materials, Alex took the time to connect with me, helping me through stressful times. I am so glad that, after debating amongst multiple consultants, I chose to work with Alex - it would be difficult, if not impossible, to find a better guide and support through this life-changing process.

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I was initially interested in Alex Leventhal’s consulting firm, PrepMBA, because it appeared to be one of only several firms that prioritized crafting a personalized approach to business school applications. I also liked that Alex didn’t have a cabal of junior associates working with his clients; Alex directly worked with each one himself. It was clear that Alex was personally vested in each of his clients’ success.

When I started with Alex, I could tell that he was focused on getting to know my story from my early childhood to the present. Through his detailed biosheet questionnaire and other supporting materials, we both got organized on what my strengths and weaknesses were.

As we had more meetings and the conversation moved to my resume and future career goals, I appreciated Alex’s help in thinking critically about my past accomplishments and the messaging I wanted to convey on my applications. We ended up brainstorming and refining my thoughts for many weeks before I began to write my essays, which gave me confidence as I wrote my essays and completed respective applications. Alex’s same honest, thoughtful approach carried over into interview prep as well. Throughout it all, Alex was always there to provide a deep dive into a portion of my application that needed substantial attention or a quick answer to an ad-hoc question. This all culminated in my acceptance to NYU Stern.

I would highly recommend Alex and his services to any MBA applicant, and have already spoken highly of him to several of my friends who are considering applying in the near future. He is diligent, hard-working, very kind, and genuinely cares about helping his clients achieve their goals. I could not be happier that I worked with him.

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Alex’s services played a huge role in my acceptance to Booth! After checking out a number of consultants, I chose Alex because of his personalized approach and his honesty in assessing my odds at different programs, especially during this tougher COVID cycle. What truly differentiates Alex from other consultants is how comprehensive and rigorous his methods are. The breadth of support that Alex provided surprised me and alleviated a lot of stress. For example he spent significant time helping me tailor communications to recommenders and coaching me on body language and vocal tonality for my video essays and interviews.

One key area where Alex was able to provide invaluable guidance was in helping my differentiate myself as an Indian American applicant in consulting, a highly overrepresented pool. Alex starts his process by getting to know you as well as possible by having you fill out a bio sheet and interviewing you. Therefore, when I reached roadblocks later on, he knew my story and background well and was able to point out examples that portrayed me in a unique and positive light.

As a result of working with Alex, not only was I accepted to one of my top choices, I also received significant scholarship. I thought working with Alex was really enjoyable and helpful, and I would recommend him to anyone hoping to put their best foot forward in their MBA application journey!

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