Admissions Consulting - Worth the money?

I used a consulting firm for my R2 applications. No results back yet, but my experience during writing / prep was great. I received a lot of very useful feedback, and was able to close some (large) holes in my essays that neither I, nor my friend / family editors would have caught. I was also very happy with the ethical aspect of the service - I can confidently say that the essays were written entirely by me, and that at no point did the consultant do any writing for me, or try to guide me towards anything I that hadn't already mentioned / brought up. The most useful part for me was the questions that the consultant asked me during feedback on the essays, highlighting areas that weren't clear enough, or that did not fit with the overall essay. It was an expensive proposition, but so far I've felt it was worth it. We'll see how I feel after I hear back from the schools...

I'll provide another update once I hear about R2 application decisions.

I would like to see an MBA admissions consultant that encourages clients to post reviews on the forums, good or bad.

Like many have mentioned, admissions consultants could be extremely helpful if you don't have a friend, significant other, and/or family member that has experience in the MBA application process, which is dramatically different from that of other graduate programs (MD, PhD, JD, etc.) that rely more heavily on tangible data and less heavily on the intangible stuff. Coming from a non-business background, I didn't have enough access to these types of people. I did some reading online, etc., but in the end, I didn't sell myself well enough -- or perhaps didn't market my strengths well enough. My family members and some of my friends thought my essays were good, but clearly they weren't good enough. Consequently, I was either rejected or waitlisted at all the major programs that I applied to (all top 10 schools). This year, I worked with someone at MBA Mission, and have had success getting into several top programs, including what I would consider my top choice. BUT, don't believe that a consultant will write essays for you or transform you into someone you are not (as this would be an obvious violation of the ethics agreement). The consultant is there to provide a perspective, just like a friend or relative will do, except he/she knows the industry pretty well. Everything still has to be your idea, vision, and work, otherwise, consultants can't get you into HBS, Sloan, Wharton, etc. even though you have the credentials. Personally, if you have the money, there's no downfall. The key is to work with someone who will spend the time to really think about what you are saying in your essays. And just like a friend proofreading your essays, the consultant will have several points, and it's your job to decide if you will or will not listen. Having spoken with numerous MBA students that used consultants, I can state clearly that some are really helpful initially, but once the volume of work increases, they do just enough to get by. Fortunately, I didn't have that experience with the consultant I worked with. If you want to know the details, PM me and I'd be glad to tell you his/her name, etc.

That sounds horrible.

A very good question and just like any important thing in the life, there is no black/white answer, but rather grades of grey.

I would say there are several reasons WHY I would not use a consultant:
- I have access to MBA grads who can check my essays several times and provide their insights
- I can easily visit my target school (s)
- it's obvious that some consultants are there to milk you (PM me for my opinion on that matter)
- you're offered a ghost-writing service

Why I would go for a consultant:
- I am an international applicant and need adjustment of my essays for an American culture
- my profile is a rare one, so I cannot copy/paste IB/MC's guys strategies and career goals
- I cannot live w/o XXXX diploma and willing to subsidize Sandy No personal offence, I just think there is a way too much obsession with a particular institution.

I'm not sure if any consultant would proactively encourage clients to post negative comments about their services.

The GC thread that comes closest is this one --> Admissions Consultant Reviews, where the moderators have been validating the credibility of members who've posted.

In my experience, a good way to find out is having the initial phone conversation with admission consultants of your choice. This is generally free of charge.

The conversation can:

a) help you figure out an initial direction regarding your application (choice of schools, fit, tone of essays etc), and
b) help you understand whether the consultant will provide value for your money - as they will discuss in detail the value they bring to the table

thanks MBABot

We made an infographic of different consultants' costs. we were surprised at how high the avg cost was, but prices have been this way for years, so apparently the market has plenty of appetite for it!

https://www.admitbrain.com/blog/infogra ... the-price/

Hello from the GMAT Club MBAbot!

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