I was introduced to Tyler through a friend who used Tyler through his admissions process (who matriculated at Sloan). Although moderately reluctant to spend money on something I could possibly do on my own, I realized that an MBA admissions consultant could be very helpful – not to mention, it seemed that >50% of applicants who matriculated at a brand name school used a consultant.
As such, I began researching various MBA admissions consulting firms (the Big 3) and speaking with their past customers. Although some of them did seem happy with their experience, I estimated that about 2/3rd were either 1) woefully unimpressed with the work 2) felt ripped off 3) did not get into a top school 4) were given a “guarantee” of admission that amounted to worthless.
With this information at hand, I quickly moved to secure Tyler’s services.
What differentiates Tyler from everyone else is that he is incredibly creative, incredibly knowledgeable, wonderful listener (he remembers absolutely everything) incredibly disciplined, and intensely focused on crafting a compelling narrative. My undergraduate school was impressive, my GPA was not, and my leadership background was not particularly interesting – however, Tyler was able to help me craft an incredibly, fascinating story to tell the admissions committee. Even more importantly, he was able to help me better understand/determine what I want to do with my life.
In summary, getting into a top notch MBA school is very hard – there are hundreds of other people just like you and I with similar GMAT, GPA, and leadership experiences. The key (that I reluctantly learned) is that you must separate yourself from the rest of the pack by crafting a compelling narrative – at which Tyler is second to none. I highly recommend Tyler – so much so that I referred my younger brother to him (he is now matriculating at Kellogg). Tyler is absolutely, unequivocally worth every penny.

Feel free to PM me if you have any questions

It is time for me to write this review.
Chris and Tyler did a great job to walk me through the process of applying to top business schools.
Once I was done with the Gmat...a new journey began...
I did not want to spend a lot of money but I needed help..so I decided to invest for a seasonal pass (it was 97$ v good deal). I am so happy I took this decision. The video course gave me flexibility to follow it with my work schedule. On my free time, I was watching those videos as I was advancing during my application process. From essays (choosing the right stories), resume (the right format... very helpful for international students) to the interview process. MBAprep walked me through all these important steps. It was v helpful for the price I paid..On the top of the excellent preparation that the videos gave me, I really found v helpful the bi-weekly conference calls. Those conference calls create a safe environment for students to ask all kind of questions (interviews, essays and anything you might have in your mind related to your MBA.) GLAD I made this choice...THANKS A LOT Chris and Tyler. Hope this review helps other students choosing MBAPrep. If you are like me not willing or able to invest a large sum of money on preparing your mba applications, MBAprep will give you the tools to be competitive ... In my humble opinion in the end is always up to you (experience, work progression and etc) but You need to show those elements in the right way. Btw Thanks GmatClub for showing the right path from Gmat Preparation to the application process...
Best of Luck on your application process.
FT

I would encourage anyone who’s serious about earning an acceptance letter to a top-10 MBA program seek out Tyler’s consulting services. Before hiring Tyler, I interviewed other MBA admission consultants and quickly found Tyler’s approach to the application process, supported by MBAPrepSchool’s videos and useful tools, was the best fit for me – comprehensive, well structured, and logically thought-out. I had excellent resources to walk me through literally EVERY step of the application process.
Tyler’s contributions didn’t stop there. His background in creative writing helped me think critically about how to craft application essays that really brought my strengths to the surface while framing my story in a way that told a compelling story. With Tyler’s coaching, I produced applications that far exceeded what I could have produced on my own.
As an older (early 30’s), non-traditional applicant, the odds were certainly stacked against me but with Tyler’s assistance, I earned an acceptance letter to a Top-5 MBA program! I can’t recommend Tyler’s service enough, thanks Tyler!

It's been a long time coming. This was my second application season, the first time I went on my own and it did not work out as I had expected (hoped actually).

The second season, I signed up with Tyler Cormney from MBA Prep School and without a doubt, it was the best decision and investment in the MBA application process.

I have no hesitation in saying that without Tyler’s help, I would not have made me into a top 10 MBA program with a scholarship to boot!

Coming from one of the toughest applicant pools –Indian male with an engineering degree and technology experience, I knew it was going to be a tough application season. And as if that wasn’t enough, my age certainly wasn’t in my favor – I was already over 30 when I applied!

I knew my margin for error was extremely small. And that is where Tyler’s help made all the difference in the world. I needed to put in a top-notch application where everything fell perfectly into place and Tyler ‘guided’ me in creating one. And this is what I want to stress on – Tyler wouldn’t do your work, he will be your guide. You will do the work, you will spend the long nights working on those essays, and at times you will get frustrated. But you know what? In the end, when you get that acceptance call, you will know that it is truly you who has got accepted, it is your hard work that has paid off. And that is one of the best feelings ever!

Thank you so much Tyler for pushing me through this. For bringing out the best in me!

Oh and there’s one more thing I’d like to add – Don’t be surprised if Tyler doesn’t try to sell himself too much in the initial consultation call! Frankly, that is what sold me to go to him. He is unlike many other consulting companies in this regard who will try to sell their services aggressively. With Tyler it works the opposite way. The real magic starts after you sign up not before!

I want to strongly recommend Chris Aitken at MBA Prep School. Though I hired him only on an hourly basis, I found his advice to be very impactful and have very high bang-for-the-buck. He did a great job pushing me to articulate my rationale for why MBA and to get more specific about what attracts me to a specific school, while providing thoughtful suggestions. These were the weak points of my application and he zeroed in on them and worked with me to close the gaps. Though I was just an hourly client, Chris took the time to understood my background and goals and worked closely with me on all of my essays. He went above and beyond: he got on the phone and spent extra time with me when he didn't have to to make sure my essays were of high quality, and performed miraculous edits on a super-tight 24-hour deadline in the thick of R2 applications. He was also direct and honest. My first drafts were terrible and Chris wasn't afraid to call that out and push me to improve them.

I got into all but one school that I applied to (Wharton, Columbia, and Booth), including my top choice school. The only place I was rejected from was HBS and that was a real long shot because of my age and profile.

As a separate point, I am a reapplicant. I used another admissions consultant from a major well-reviewed firm last time around and I can unequivocally say that my experience with Chris was far superior vis-a-vis both quality of service and admissions outcomes, even though I spent significantly less time working with him.

I can’t say enough about my admissions consulting experience with Lorraine Tong at MBA Prep School. When I began the application process, I had one goal in mind – to get accepted to Columbia Business School. I explored a few different admissions consultants before speaking with Lorraine. The 1st consultant reviewed my CV, and after sitting down with me for a few minutes, advised me that my background was not strong enough and that I not even apply to the likes of Columbia. Another consultant spoke with me on the phone for a few minutes and offered nothing more than generic feedback and a vague approach to the application process. Lorraine, on the other hand, provided thorough and thoughtful analysis of my background and admissions prospects, laying out a specific and strategic approach to my application and how to differentiate myself among the sea of qualified applicants.

Throughout the entire process, Lorraine was intelligent, insightful, thoughtful, and patient. She worked to accommodate my changing schedule and was understanding of the stress and difficulty associated with applying to business school. Most importantly, she exhibited complete understanding of the admissions committee’s mindset and the ways to successfully navigate their essay prompts. At one point I actually argued with Lorraine when she recommended that I totally rework one of my essays, thinking my response was already pitch perfect. She confidently and deftly explained why my essay was missing the mark and brainstormed with me to help come up with the right topic.

It’s worth noting that I went through the application process a few years ago without the benefit of an admissions consultant like Lorraine. Given the various costs associated with this process – i.e. test prep classes, GMAT costs, application fees – I was certainly loath to part with even more money. I completed five applications that year and came up empty.

When I revisited the process this past application season, I decided that whatever the final outcome might be, I needed to give it my all and put forth my absolute best effort. What I found was that Lorraine had an impact on every phase of the application, from my resume, to the essays, to the way I completed the actual application itself. She guided me around various pitfalls and mistakes I never would have recognized on my own, and the result was simply a much more finely tuned final product than anything I had submitted to schools in the past.

Each person should obviously decide for themselves how much money they are comfortable investing into their applications, but I can attest that having Lorraine as my consultant put me in the best position to succeed.

Putting my faith in Lorraine was one of the best decisions I could have made in this process. Had I listened to that 1st consultant’s advice, I might not even have put in an application. Instead, I went with Lorraine and will be attending my dream school in the fall. I would wholeheartedly recommend Lorraine’s services to anyone applying to business school.
-Columbia Business School ‘15

Being an Indian candidate comes with its challenges and at the same time not everyone out there can help non US/Europe candidates bring the best out in their applications. But after working with Chris and MBA Prep School I would recommend them to anyone who is serious about putting in a strong application to a top b school.

Worked with Chris throughout my application process. Unlike a lot of other consultants out there MBA Prep School offers a very personalized experience, I talked with Chris many times over the phone as well in addition to normal editing. Despite the massive time difference he was always available and post editing the difference was there to see.

I did not have the best GMAT out there but with his help and planning I managed to get a Top European Program. The MBA Prep School online process is simple and anyone can use it without hassle. 24 hour turn around usually meant your edited documents were back in lesser than 24 hours. Chris knew the specific needs of individual B school essays and that made all the difference. He knows individual B school cultures inside out and brings that out in your application, without which a strong candidate too doesn't stand a chance at the best B schools.

I used MBA Prep School's mock interview service as well and I have to say the mock interview was tougher than my actual interview. No aspect of my application or essays was left untouched and Chris made sure the interview experience was akin to the actual culture of the B school.

I was introduced to Chris by a friend, and spoke to him and several other consultants are various firms before making a final decision on who to work with. Part of why I chose Chris was his balanced (in my view) take on the strengths and weaknesses of my candidacy in our initial call. Compared to other consultants who dwelled on the positives, I appreciated Chris’s attention to the gaps in my application, and his focus on how to address them. To be honest, I didn’t leave that first call feeling completely optimistic about the whole process, but on reflection I decided that’s what I was looking for from a consultant – someone to challenge and push me, and therefore help improve my application in ways I wouldn’t be able to do on my own.

I was late to the Round 1 process (Chris and I first spoke in August), and Chris helped me figure out a sensible number of schools to apply to (3). In retrospect, having seen other friends’ experiences, I’m very happy I didn’t push to submit more, and equally happy that I made sure to get apps in to all of my “top” choices within the same round. The videos / materials / worksheets developed by MBA Prep School were also a real benefit early in the process.

After our initial call, it was clear that I had a long way to go in creating a coherent “story” to tell across applications; the brainstorming and ideation exercises provided by MBA Prep School really helped me to bring forward the strongest elements in my background to deploy across schools and essays.
All that said, I think the personal dynamics really make or break this kind of relationship, and this is where Chris really shone. He certainly passes the “good guy” test, and – as I had judged from our initial call – was consistently supportive and easy to work with, while always challenging and looking to improve the final product. Most importantly, I never once felt like I had anything less than Chris’s full attention and commitment to my application – I might as well have been the only project he was working on. This was especially important given the short timeline we were working with – and frankly, time management was another primary reason I had engaged a consultant in the first place.

Chris helped develop a clear timeline to manage the process of getting 3 strong applications submitted, and he pushed me the whole way to accomplish that goal.

This process is tough. Working with Chris helped me internalize that, and realize that all you can do is put yourself in the best position to succeed and then roll the dice. Chris helped me put my best foot forward in all my applications – and even so, there were some surprises and disappointments. In the end, I got into one of my three top schools; and I also got a generous scholarship. I’m happy with my outcome, and grateful to Chris Aitken and MBA Prep School for helping me get there!

It felt like the odds were against me for getting into business school, especially with an unconventional background, inconsistent career history, lower GMAT score, unemployment gap, questionable letters of recommendation, etc. Yet, Tyler @ Tyler Cormney Consulting was able to help me tell a cohesive story that really seemed to represent who I was and not some cookie-cutter applicant. This story not only gave me a clear direction for my essays but also thoroughly prepared me for my interviews and my resume. After meeting Tyler, my doubts of getting into b-school quickly faded.

Tyler’s gift goes beyond story-telling. He’s an incredible coach.

•Tyler is committed to your success. I was up against very tight deadlines, throwing last minute curve balls at Tyler, yet he managed to squeeze in multiple revisions for my essays even when he was probably slammed with dozens of other essays. Even when you’re not in a meeting with him, you know Tyler is looking out for you. Knowing my MBA focus was social entrepreneurship, Tyler sent me a relevant HBR article to give me inspiration while I wrote my essays. And when I’d send emails with various b-school questions, Tyler would immediately reply with great advice. He truly does care.

•He’ll push you to the very end. When I got waitlisted at my dream school, Tyler stuck with me and walked me through the next steps. Even when I didn’t want to retake the GMAT, he highly encouraged me to go for it—and thank goodness because I scored 50 points higher. While going through the essay writing process, there were times when I would get sick of looking at my essays, but our conversations would refuel me with better ideas that kept me going. And that’s just what you’ll need during this demanding (yet incredibly rewarding) process. I got off the waitlist-- RESULT--> in at my DREAM SCHOOL!

•He’ll keep you accountable and on target each step of the way. We didn’t waste any time. Our conversations were very focused. At the end of each meeting, Tyler told me what to prepare for the next meeting so as to keep on track with all the things that I needed to get done in the short amount of time I had. It’s a miracle I got everything done on time, especially since I started late.

•His feedback is very thorough. Essay revisions went beyond grammar and spell-check. Tyler gave dozens of comments suggesting new ideas on how to improve a sentence/paragraph. I knew that Tyler was really reading my essays, not just proofing them.

•Last, but definitely not least, as a great coach, Tyler saw me for me. When I began looking for an admissions consultant, I had spoken to several of the larger consulting firms, and their reps told me that I would need to tweak my background because it did not “fit” in with the other applicants. After hearing my story and reading my profile, Tyler told me that I had a unique voice, and that I should keep it, not change it. That’s when I knew I had found the right person. He doesn’t need to “tweak” or create some fake persona for your application because he really hears you.

I can’t say enough good things about MBA Prep School. This series is incredibly organized and well thought-out. If you don’t have the resources to spend on getting individualized time with Tyler, I would say that this is the next best thing. Trust me, I read quite a few b-school application books, but none compare to the thoroughness and thoughtfulness of what is required to get a stellar application together. Most importantly, MBA Prep School will help you find your own answers to WHY an MBA and carefully map your career aspirations. I thought I had these down before I started the MBA Prep School videos and exercises, but after watching the videos and doing some of the exercises, my answers grew clearer.

Result: Accepted to my DREAM school and 2 others. Couldn’t be happier!

T- I don’t know how I would have done it without you. Thank you.

I thought I’d throw out another name that I haven’t seen mentioned on this thread as an alternative to the larger admissions consulting firms everyone is talking about: Tyler Cormney. Tyler used to work for a large brand name consulting firm specializing in top 5 schools but spun out on his own a couple years back. I was fortunate enough to embark on the admissions process with adequate scores, grades and work experience, but I had no idea how to navigate the application process itself. Tyler and I worked on my application together for about three months; he was always patient, insightful and responsive. We carefully selected essay topics to help distinguish me from the masses (I was otherwise a white male working in finance that went to a top tier undergraduate institution . . about as generic as you can get in b-school admissions speak). I was ultimately admitted to Wharton and Kellogg and waitpooled at Stanford GSB, which I thought was a phenomenal outcome. I had a number of friends apply to school at the same time as me that I perceived to be stronger applicants (750+ GMATs, Phi Beta Kappa, bulge bracket work experience) who were rejected from these same schools. I think this is a true testament of the value of Tyler’s services. I’ve already encouraged a number of friends to work with Tyler in the future and I would strongly recommend him to anyone considering working with a consultant. Feel free to message me with questions.