Hi! Thank you in advance for helping me with this. I just want to know, is it really worth it to spend $4400 on MBA Admissions consultants? There isn't a guarantee that they will get me in, but do you think it will actually HELP? I would love to know your past experiences and would sure love some recommendations as well. Thank you!

~AmritaA

Hi! Thank you in advance for helping me with this. I just want to know, is it really worth it to spend $4400 on MBA Admissions consultants? There isn't a guarantee that they will get me in, but do you think it will actually help? I would love to know whether it is possible to send an application without a consultation. Thank you!

~AmritaA

Hi AmritaA ,

My honest answer is NO.

You can get the research done yourself (Consultants will also ask you to do so) and look for Applicant lab to help you. It is wayyyy too cheaper and much much better.

$4400? :O Come on!! These are too much. Save these for your future expenses.

All the best
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There are a few discussions about this topic if you search.

The answer it depends on a few things including how much help you can get from friends or alums/current students and how much money you have.

There is also a discussion - what to expect from an admissions consultant. That may be helpful for you to search for.


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Thank you so much! This really helps. Everything is so confusing out there that I don't know what to believe and what not to believe. Thanks for the advice.

~AmritaA

Thank you! I really appreciate your help. I'd be sure to check out those posts! Thanks.

~AmritaA

Its not a straightforward yes or no question. Many different variables are in play here. For one, I dont agree with the poster above regarding "4400$". If you are looking at top 10-15 schools in US, without scholarships, you are looking at easily 170-200k $ worth of loans. So in the grand scheme of things, 4400$ will be a minor hiccup. Additionally, I used admissions consultant for keeping myself accountable, making sure that I meet all the deadlines and put in the best possible applications. I know that there are many guides/books etc available out there but personally I couldnt have done it without the consultant.

That being said, if you are comfortable with the process, are confident about your essays/applications or have good support from friends/people who already have an MBA or can guide you, then by all means do it all on your own. But to your point of "no guarantees", you can not be sure of getting admitted to your school of choice by solely relying on your own efforts.

So, do your research as even with a consultant, you will still be responsible for the applications. The rewards youll get will still be proportional to how much effort you put on top of your interactions with the consultants.

PM me if you have any particular questions.
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Amrita,
To answer your question, no, a consultant is not a prerequitsite for getting into business school. But, the value they add to not only the result outcome but also the entire process is immense. Roughly 50% of all applicants use admissions consultants for their applications. Top consultants have intimate knowledge of the admissions process through relationships with school adcom members and are experts at helping you solidify your story. Consultants know exactly what admissions is looking for and can help you tailor your application to bring out more of the desired qualities.

Do admissions consultants guarantee you'll come get into your dream school? No...but the expertise and support you gain from them will give you a much higher chance of receiving an admit. Have you started looking into different consultants who you are interested in using?

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It's not a yes or no question. What you could do is spend an hour or one and see if you felt it was worth it and go from there. For example I thought I was an excellent writer (and secretly still do) but when someone who knew what they were doing went over it a couple times I realized how far off I really was.

You can then also think of it as rolling the dice on if they truly help you may end up getting a scholarship to a school which would obviously pay huge dividends for the investment. Depends what you think you would need help on, how many schools, etc. Only you can really answer this question.

To add to the above post, most consultants will offer a free 30 minute chat to see if the client feels comfortable and to briefly discuss their candidacy and how the consultant feels he/she can best contribute. No consultant will only bill for one hour - the entire purpose of the consultant/client relationship is to build a sense of mutual trust. One hour of an essay edit will accomplish nothing, you are better off having someone you trust look it over for you.

Perhaps we disagree on "rolling the dice." Hiring a top consultant will give you the best possible chance to get into your target school. It's not a win or lose proposition. My personal philosophy is not to risk the chance of not putting together the best application you can. When you are competing for select few spots against high-achieving individuals who are using admissions consultants, you put yourself at a distinct disadvantage by not doing so yourself. Does this make sense?

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Hi,

Yes, you can definitely apply without a consultant. However a consultant brings a lot of structure to the whole process and therefore add significant value to the entire process especially if you are targetting a good school which evaluates the application on its merit.

If you decide to go with a consultant, our packages are priced much more competitively than the price point you mentioned. You can check them out at - https://www.taterways.com/services. We will also be happy to talk to you further and understand your requirements and budget. You can connect with us at connect@taterways.com / +91-9167833669.

Good luck!
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It is the same dilemma as pursuing an MBA is no guarantee for success. 70% of fortune 500 CEOs don't have an MBA. But having an MBA helps, right?
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