My initial conversation with Tyler definitely drew me to MBA Prep School. Unlike other consultations I had, Tyler was honest, forthcoming, and offered a lot of insight all within the free "15 minute call," which extended well beyond 15 minutes.

My consultant Daniel J's years of experience were definitely a plus and I trusted his opinions and suggestions - crucial in working with an MBA consultant. Daniel J was efficient and held nothing back - he was blunt which was exactly what I needed. He went well beyond just reviewing my drafts and instead coached me in starting to think strategically about my application as well as how to write creatively. I enjoyed working with Daniel J very much and will recommend his services to my friends.

I had interviewed a number of different MBA consultants to help with my application and ultimately decided on Chris and MBA Prep School. When we spoke, he came across as knowledgeable, experienced, and I thought our personalities would mesh well. Upon interviewing consultants, I actually think I undervalued this last characteristic, which for me proved to be most constructive in my process.

In addition to all of the prepared modules, videos, and frameworks that he had on his site to help me fill out my application, I found Chris to be most valuable in helping me to think through the purpose behind my application / candidacy, which I felt in the end.

For those who have not applied before, the business school application process can be wrenching not only from a time standpoint, but even more so from an introspection perspective. At least for me, it was the first time in my life where I really spent a ton of time thinking through whether this was something I wanted to commit a lot of time and money to doing. Through the written modules and our weekly conversations, Chris pushed me to dig deep into what mattered most to me, what I truly wanted to be when I grew up, and what experiences I’d had in my life that shaped who I was. It was in doing so that I was best equipped to reinforce my decision to apply and also fill out the best application possible.

After completing this extensive brainstorming marathon, Chris was helpful in picking out what he thought were the best stories and helping me to concatenate them into a cohesive story that formed the basis for my application and subsequent interview. In connection with this, he was able to help me identify the key parts of my story to reinforce during each phase of the process. I have no doubt that my application and candidacy was meaningfully better having worked with Chris and am very grateful for his counsel.

I engaged Tyler Cormney after a friend told me how instrumental Tyler was in his successful application to Stanford GSB. As a military applicant seeking to change career paths, I began the intensive application process with no working knowledge of the business world, and no concrete career goals. With Tyler’s coaching and the resources he created for MBA Prep School, I was able to break up the MBA application process into manageable parts and to establish clear deadlines and a personal work plan.

I appreciated the organized approach, which ensured each aspect of my application received my best effort, and over time I created a cohesive story for the adcoms. This seems basic, but it’s actually an incredibly difficult task when you’re juggling multiple business school applications.

Tyler worked with me through numerous video chat consults and used the step-by-step MBA Prep School plan to gradually bring my career goals into focus. By the time I was ready to draft my essays, I had a career path in mind that I was genuinely excited about. More importantly, I could articulate what I wanted to do, why it was important to me, and how an MBA was necessary to my achieving these career goals.

Tyler's personal character and commitment to my success showed during the essay drafting process. He always told me when an essay topic wasn't working, and advised that we start from scratch. He even helped me to power through when I was feeling a bit burnt out with the writing process. In short, Tyler accepted nothing less than my very best, even though it put him on the hook for many more revisions. Tyler won’t let up until you’ve done it right!

After being invited to interview by Wharton and waitlisted by Harvard, I was accepted and offered a $20K scholarship to the top-ranked MBA program that I will be attending this Fall. Tyler helped me present my very best self in each of my applications, and I doubt I would have received a valuable scholarship from a top 20 program without him. As such, I can confidently say that Tyler added value to my applications far in excess of what it cost to hire him. This process, though challenging and even painful at times, enabled me to discover my true career goals and develop an actionable plan to achieve them. I highly recommend Tyler to others, especially non-traditional and fellow military MBA applicants like myself!

Just thought I would share my experiences working with Alex Leventhal at MBAPrepSchool.

Coming from an engineering background and not having many friends who had applied to b-school, I knew that I really wanted a consultant to help guide me through the process. I contacted at least half a dozen admission consulting firms, but each time was disappointed in that I felt that either I was being handed off to a junior consultant, or I found myself in the middle of a spiel/sales pitch. Alex Leventhal was actually the last consultant I spoke to, and he instantly stood out. It was quite clear that he was experienced, smart and passionate, but at the same time didn’t feel the need to BS - he was realistic and honest in talking about my strengths, weaknesses and school choices.

I started off with a 4 school package, and was happy enough that I added another school later down the road. I ended up being admitted to 4 schools including my first choice INSEAD. Working with Alex was great and well-structured. We spent a good deal of time working on the foundation – background, leadership stories and career plans. I was quite amazed how creative the application turned out and how well we were able to connect the dots. We talked on Skype at least every week or whenever I needed to chat, and I found him to be quick (usually within 1-2 days) in turning around essay drafts.

Personally, what stood out most about Alex was that he was sincere and highly involved throughout the process. I have a natural tendency to over think and always critique the quality of my product. So many a times, I would be requesting Alex to review and edit the 6th or 7th drafts of an essay – he did so without question and was always helpful. However, he also kept me focused, and made sure that I was moving on when I went a bit overboard!

I would highly recommend Alex Leventhal. He knows what he’s talking about, and is really going to be working hard to get you to the b-school of your choice.

Should you apply in round 1 or round 2? If you still can’t decide after reading all the MBA blogs and forums, go with the round for which Lorraine still has capacity – she’s that good. Having applied to b-school on my own before, I’m certain Lorraine’s guidance and MBA Prep School’s systematic approach to the application process are what got me results this time around.

My background:
• Top 10 UG business school, 3.6 GPA, 710 GMAT
• Non-traditional career path at little-known companies, solid international exposure
• Limited leadership experience outside of work

Never would I have thought I could get into Wharton with those credentials. Applying to Wharton was Lorraine’s suggestion. I thought she was crazy, but I’m very glad I trusted her, as I’m going there this fall.

My favorite things about Lorraine:

1. She only takes on a few clients each round and is deeply invested in every one of their applications.

2. She can help clients find dimensions that are truly unique to them because she 1) spends a lot of time getting to know them, 2) listens well, and 3) has good instincts. She saw value in things that seemed very trivial to me but really captured who I am and probably made me more memorable to the ad com.

3. She has an uncanny knack for finding the common thread among seemingly unrelated bits and pieces. There were a lot of things I wanted to communicate to the ad com. Without a strategic approach, I would’ve come across schizophrenic. Lorraine helped me figure out my core identity, thus enabling me to weave the different components of each application into one compelling narrative.

4. Her diverse experiences (corporate/nonprofit/creative) and knowledge of many different industries translate into her ability to help clients 1) best position what they’ve done and, 2) clearly define what they want to do after b-school. I struggled with the latter, but under Lorraine’s guidance, I was able to transform a vague vision into concrete goals and articulate how an MBA could help me achieve them.

5. She gets the nuanced differences among top schools. The information I gathered on the schools were a lot to digest. Lorraine helped me isolate the unique characteristics on which each school prides itself, characteristics applicants must understand if they want to craft targeted applications that demonstrate fit, which is critical. If you work with Lorraine, you won’t be doing much recycling/copying & pasting.

6. Like a good personal trainer, she will motivate you until the very end, past writer’s blocks, burnouts and breakdowns, and the point where you just want to submit what you have and “get it over with.”

7. She is very understanding. As a former MBA student and seasoned consultant, she gets how exhausting it is to apply to school while working and how frustrating it is to sit in front of the computer for hours only to write two sentences. She kept me sane and focused when I wanted to pull my hair out.

8. She is punctual with calls and quick with feedback.

9. She is a cool person with a good sense of humor and a quirky personality. Very easy to talk to.

10. She loves what she does.

No Lorraine, no Wharton. I <3 Lorraine!

I truly do not believe that I would have received an acceptance letter to HBS without Tyler Cormney’s guidance. The toughest part of the application was putting together quality essays that hit on all the points I wanted to make while addressing the fit qualities that the schools deemed to be most important. I would have had no clue how to pick stories to tell in my essays or understand fit qualities of top-tier programs without Tyler’s support. Tyler was very helpful and knowledgeable about every step along the path to putting together a top-notch application. He was always available to answer any question, no matter how specific it was to my application, or general it was to each program. Tyler was genuinely interested in my success, which could be felt during our conversations and his devotion to the nitty-gritty aspects of my application.

The MBA Prep School videos that Tyler created for the benefit of his clients were all-inclusive, and allowed for much richer discussions when Tyler and I had one of our live meetings. I would absolutely recommend Tyler Cormney and MBA Prep School if you are serious about applying to a top-tier business school and believe, as I did, that you need help standing out in this incredibly ferocious competition.

Enlisting the help of Esther Choy and Faisal Khan for my business school admissions process was simply one of the best professional decisions of my life. I firmly believe that without their help, I would not have gotten into a top-5 MBA program. While there are many MBA admissions consultants out there, I believe that Esther and Faisal differentiate themselves in the following ways:

1. Robust client workplan: If I had to mention one item that sets Esther and Faisal apart from other admissions consultants, I would have to say it is their comprehensive client workplan. They rely on a framework that breaks the MBA application process into its discrete components and that is truly the best way to brainstorm and figure out how to portray yourself to the admissions committee.

2. Powerful storytelling process: Not only will Esther and Faisal provide you with timely and detailed feedback to help you polish your essays, but they will also help you craft a compelling story that will touch the admissions officers on an emotional level. They pushed me to edit and re-edit my essays until all of them tied together in a way that my overall application actually had a unified theme and a powerful underlying career purpose.

3. First-hand experience as both students and admissions officers: Esther and Faisal can offer incredible insights into the MBA applications process as they have both attended a top-tier MBA program AND they have both served on a top-tier MBA school's admissions committee. Their unique background offers them a holistic and comprehensive view that was immensely helpful for me. For instance, when I was waitlisted at one of my schools, Esther was able to provide me with some insider knowledge about how the process works behind the scenes and then gave me advice on the best way to proceed.

4. Kindness and generosity: During my MBA application process I was waitlisted at a school that was not part of the our consulting arrangement. Despite this, Esther was kind enough to offer her services in helping me get off the waitlist, free-of-charge, because she cared about me and my future beyond that of a typical admissions consultant.

Overall, I couldn't be happier with the whole admissions process and attribute a lot of my eventual success to the help that Esther and Faisal provided to me. I definitely recommend them if you are looking to take your MBA applications to the next level!

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!

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.

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.