Help Choosing an Admissions Consultant

Question

Hey All,

Want some advice with regards to choosing an admissions consultant. The reason I am going ahead with an admissions consultant is that there are several things in my application that are way left of center. I also come from a nationality is very competitive.

So, here are the key areas of my application: 
Unconventional background with strong interests in art
Low GPA and an average academic record
Education and work experience vastly different from the majority of applicants from my country
Careers paths that maybe do not follow any logical order (Having said that, there's clear evidence of growth!)
A Nationality that is vastly over-represented 
GMAT score that may not be competitive in the grand scheme of things (Taking the GMAT again in a few weeks)

Target schools are - Kellogg, Tuck, Columbia, Duke, Ross, NYU and ISB

Any advice?

Thanks!

vp101 · Answer

Bump. Anyone?

jeffreyadcom · Answer

A seasoned Admissions consultant would behave just like the admissions officers at premier MBA schools. He'd be brutally honest to only let in the very best. He would have profile screening filters, before accepting candidates for assistance -

Decent undergrad education with good academic performance.
 Well rounded exposure to extra-curricular activities.
 Linear work experience with a steady upward gradient in responsibilities and leadership opportunities.
 A decent GMAT score over 700.

If these are in place, the admissions consultant would then look at essays. If he can ensure the following in your essays & rest of the admission package, you can be assured of admission in whichever school you wish for -

Considerable maturity
 Clear purpose, defined goals and focused action
 Succinct, Practical and Pragmatic communication
 Down to earth attitude with complete absence of hyperbole
 Honesty and yearning for learning and growing
 Empathy for fellow mankind and mother earth (seriously)

There is no good or bad Admissions consultant. You'd only know by the past performance, which is reflected by the client testimonials.

Hope this helps you pick a "good" Admissions consultant. To evaluate your profile, I'd need more details about your work-ex & interests.

ARINGO · Answer

As an admissions consultant my advice would be to go with someone who has a good track record not only in general, but specifically with candidates with the same type of profile as yours. (And I am not only saying that because I work for ARINGO, an admissions consulting company specializing in applicants with low GMAT scores, promise!

) So you need to be on the lookout for consultants and companies who are experienced with applicants with unconventional backgrounds (and preferably as close to your background as possible, whatever that may be), with Indian applicants and/or with the schools that you mentioned, and so on. (Depending on what you think your biggest disadvantage is, you might want to focus on just one of these aspects) In other words, ask the consultants you talk to about all these things, and do not make a decision until you’ve found someone you feel has helped several applicants who resemble you in the past. (I am pretty sure ARINGO has, by the way so feel free to request a free profile evaluation on our site if you’d like to know more about us)

ApplyMBAapp · Answer

You should choose an admissions consultant who is a fit for you, your profile and who has experience either consulting extensively for the school you want to target or for the kind of profile you have. You can only figure this out by talking to the consultant first hand. Many consultants offer 30 min initial free consultation , take advantage of that and talk with the consultant to discuss about your profile , the choice of your schools, the kind of track record the consultant has and whether or not he has consulted for similar profiles for your target schools before. If the consultant has consulted extensively for your target school or similar profiles he will have a fair bit of idea how to craft your application for that school. If you have a really unconventional profile that is rare to find (nationality apart) you have a fair chance of getting admitted to your chosen schools as B-schools look for diversity. However given that your GPA , GMAT are below average your rest of the application needs to be outstanding for you to make it. You can check out our website applymba.co which is a discovery platform for top MBA admissions consultants. Check out their profiles, their pre and post MBA industries, the schools they have graduated from and their success rates. Check out their reviews, reviews in the site 100% genuine and has been vetted by the ApplyMBA team. Find out a consultant you think will be an initial fit for you and then avail the free 30 min consultation option to make the final decision. You may want to check out our special offer of a free full application review by Kellogg MBA that we have this application season. Do chat with us at connect@applymba.co or pm us if you have any further queries. Good luck with your application.

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