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01 Nov 2012, 09:28
Kudos
Bookmarks
I'm a IT Consultant with 720 GMAT and honor's graduate of TOP 15 US College. I'm having a really tough time deciding what to do as I'm not completely satisfied with my admissions consultant at a big firm.
While she's extremely experienced and good at what she does, I frequently feel like I'm burdening her with my questions or that I have to kind of remind her that I"m here and get her attention. We've submitted one application (to HBS) together, and while her feedback on essays is AMAZING, I don't feel like she's personally "invested" in my success.
For example, they have a 48 hr response policy and she's frequently missed it without explanation. I brought it up once early on with the manager who guaranteed it wouldn't happen again, but it continued to happen. Also, I ask her random questions on the admissions process and some of them get ignored or during phone conversations she says she hasn't looked at that yet and searches through emails to find my input. I've asked her how to improve my chances to Stanford and she said she'd look into it but never got back to me. I'm also doing all the research on schools completely on my own since she doesn't seem to offer school-specific insights. We are done with the first application and ready to start on the next, but she hasn't offered on how I should approach the next school, so I've looked it up on competitor's websites. I understand that she is busy but Is this normal? Am I expecting too much?
The thing is, I'm signed up for a 6 school package and the original terms of the contract state that I would forfeit payment once services have started At this point, I want to ask for at least a partial refund since I still have 5 schools left and haven't done any interview prep for HBS. But if they don't allow the refund, then I'm stuck and have probably ruined the relationship with the consultant.
Please advise on how I should address this issue or if I'm overreacting. I can't compare since this is my first time working with a consultant, but I imagined the process would be like having a personal coach to let me know what is next on the agenda and when I need to complete it by. She's a really sweet person and helpful when she's focused with me, so I don't want to offend her or damage her job or anything. Plus, I'm worried if I do get a refund, if the firm could try and sabotage my chances elsewhere by stating I've worked with them to admissions committees.
Please provide some wisdom as this is only adding stress to an already stressful process!
While she's extremely experienced and good at what she does, I frequently feel like I'm burdening her with my questions or that I have to kind of remind her that I"m here and get her attention. We've submitted one application (to HBS) together, and while her feedback on essays is AMAZING, I don't feel like she's personally "invested" in my success.
For example, they have a 48 hr response policy and she's frequently missed it without explanation. I brought it up once early on with the manager who guaranteed it wouldn't happen again, but it continued to happen. Also, I ask her random questions on the admissions process and some of them get ignored or during phone conversations she says she hasn't looked at that yet and searches through emails to find my input. I've asked her how to improve my chances to Stanford and she said she'd look into it but never got back to me. I'm also doing all the research on schools completely on my own since she doesn't seem to offer school-specific insights. We are done with the first application and ready to start on the next, but she hasn't offered on how I should approach the next school, so I've looked it up on competitor's websites. I understand that she is busy but Is this normal? Am I expecting too much?
The thing is, I'm signed up for a 6 school package and the original terms of the contract state that I would forfeit payment once services have started At this point, I want to ask for at least a partial refund since I still have 5 schools left and haven't done any interview prep for HBS. But if they don't allow the refund, then I'm stuck and have probably ruined the relationship with the consultant.
Please advise on how I should address this issue or if I'm overreacting. I can't compare since this is my first time working with a consultant, but I imagined the process would be like having a personal coach to let me know what is next on the agenda and when I need to complete it by. She's a really sweet person and helpful when she's focused with me, so I don't want to offend her or damage her job or anything. Plus, I'm worried if I do get a refund, if the firm could try and sabotage my chances elsewhere by stating I've worked with them to admissions committees.
Please provide some wisdom as this is only adding stress to an already stressful process!
01 Nov 2012, 12:44
Kudos
Bookmarks
I do not think you are overreacting to this situation. The business school application process should be taken as seriously by you as it is by your consultant. Also, by the sounds of your posting, you have set high personal expectations and you need to know that the application that you are submitting is going to be as competitive as it can possibly be. As you invested thousands of dollars into an advisor, I concur that you should be looking for one that meets your expectations and your requirements.
At Manhattan Review, we do not believe in a one size fits all approach to admissions consulting. We spend a great deal of time getting to know the people we work with and internalize their admissions quest as our own. You will further be matched by a person who was a full voting member of an admissions committee at a top five program and intimately knows the MBA admissions landscape. Lastly, while we do not guarantee admissions at any school, by the time you submit your application we are sure that you will feel that you submitted your best work and that your candidacy will be taken seriously by every admissions office (not to mention that we limit the number of clients that our consultants take so as not to overload them and to end up in the type of situation you are facing).
If you would like to speak about our services, please visit our web site or call our offices and our administrative people will arrange for you to speak directly with our Head of Admissions Consulting.
Kimberly Plaga
Senior Admissions Consultant
Manhattan Review
At Manhattan Review, we do not believe in a one size fits all approach to admissions consulting. We spend a great deal of time getting to know the people we work with and internalize their admissions quest as our own. You will further be matched by a person who was a full voting member of an admissions committee at a top five program and intimately knows the MBA admissions landscape. Lastly, while we do not guarantee admissions at any school, by the time you submit your application we are sure that you will feel that you submitted your best work and that your candidacy will be taken seriously by every admissions office (not to mention that we limit the number of clients that our consultants take so as not to overload them and to end up in the type of situation you are facing).
If you would like to speak about our services, please visit our web site or call our offices and our administrative people will arrange for you to speak directly with our Head of Admissions Consulting.
Kimberly Plaga
Senior Admissions Consultant
Manhattan Review
01 Nov 2012, 20:52
Kudos
Bookmarks
Hey liebe,
Sorry to hear about your predicament and I wanted to chime in. I don't want to sell you on my company's services. Rather, I wanted to focus on what you can do to work things out with your current consultant. Really, the first step is to determine if the relationship is in fact salvageable.
One more thing - to be clear, the consultant you are speaking about is NOT an Amerasia consultant.
If the expectation is a 48 hour turnaround time, and she has acknowledged that was in fact her understanding, then she needs to stick with it.
However, the reality is that you need to find out what is going on behind the scenes. I would encourage you to manage the situation by doing this - speak to her on the phone and ask her what her limitations are, and how you can help her through the issue. It might be a squirmish conversation, but passive communication via email is a killer. For example - is she having personal problems? Technical issues? Try to determine if she is overwhelmed. Try to determine is if it something you can help with - perhaps putting all your questions into one email, or setting a weekly call to get her on the same page.
Get it out in the open, and don't let emotion creep into the equation. Just maintain a cool composure, and that will let her maintain hers.
Also, make sure you speak with your consultant first. Don't speak to the manager or break the chain of command (I'm not saying you did in this case btw.) The reality could be that her "manager" has little control over what she does or does not do. Perhaps the manager could pair down her future workload, but that does not help you right now. In a rather unprofessional scenario, it could even hurt you if the admissions consultant decides to just "phone it in" and become even more aloof. When you do speak to your consultant, make sure you stress the material impact it has on you. For example - if she missed a deadline and that f-ed up your weekend planning - then you need to explain that and the effect it had on the rest of your week. But also consider this - if there is no material impact, then ask her if she needs more time. Tell her that it's okay if it is 4 days, rather than 2. The main point should be that she needs to tell you if it is going to be late! In turn, you will understand as long as it does not have a material impact. You are human, she is human, and **** happens.
I would also make it a habit to send her an email as well on the day of the turn-around deadline, reminding her. For example, you could even ask if setting a calendar reminder for her would help. I know you do not HAVE to do it but it's an olive branch that your consultant should appreciate, unless she is a total mess.
Just reach out and find out what she needs, and that you can reasonably provide - after all, you did hire a professional. If you can't get remediation, then you escalate (again) to the manager. But you need to make it clear to your consultant that this is your intent - to escalate - that the current situation if she cannot hit deadlines. But be respectful, because you could be put in a situation where you work on 4 schools with your current consultant and then 2 more with another consultant at the same firm. It's going to be awkward if you have to compare and contrast advice all the time.
I think a very honest question to ask of your consultant is simply this - "what would you do if you were in my situation?" Then focus on describing the specific impact on you, rather than stating all the line items that she has missed. That will only put her on the defensive.
If you want a coaching template, I like using this model -
Respectfully,
Paul Lanzillotti
Sorry to hear about your predicament and I wanted to chime in. I don't want to sell you on my company's services. Rather, I wanted to focus on what you can do to work things out with your current consultant. Really, the first step is to determine if the relationship is in fact salvageable.
One more thing - to be clear, the consultant you are speaking about is NOT an Amerasia consultant.
If the expectation is a 48 hour turnaround time, and she has acknowledged that was in fact her understanding, then she needs to stick with it.
However, the reality is that you need to find out what is going on behind the scenes. I would encourage you to manage the situation by doing this - speak to her on the phone and ask her what her limitations are, and how you can help her through the issue. It might be a squirmish conversation, but passive communication via email is a killer. For example - is she having personal problems? Technical issues? Try to determine if she is overwhelmed. Try to determine is if it something you can help with - perhaps putting all your questions into one email, or setting a weekly call to get her on the same page.
Get it out in the open, and don't let emotion creep into the equation. Just maintain a cool composure, and that will let her maintain hers.
Also, make sure you speak with your consultant first. Don't speak to the manager or break the chain of command (I'm not saying you did in this case btw.) The reality could be that her "manager" has little control over what she does or does not do. Perhaps the manager could pair down her future workload, but that does not help you right now. In a rather unprofessional scenario, it could even hurt you if the admissions consultant decides to just "phone it in" and become even more aloof. When you do speak to your consultant, make sure you stress the material impact it has on you. For example - if she missed a deadline and that f-ed up your weekend planning - then you need to explain that and the effect it had on the rest of your week. But also consider this - if there is no material impact, then ask her if she needs more time. Tell her that it's okay if it is 4 days, rather than 2. The main point should be that she needs to tell you if it is going to be late! In turn, you will understand as long as it does not have a material impact. You are human, she is human, and **** happens.
I would also make it a habit to send her an email as well on the day of the turn-around deadline, reminding her. For example, you could even ask if setting a calendar reminder for her would help. I know you do not HAVE to do it but it's an olive branch that your consultant should appreciate, unless she is a total mess.
Just reach out and find out what she needs, and that you can reasonably provide - after all, you did hire a professional. If you can't get remediation, then you escalate (again) to the manager. But you need to make it clear to your consultant that this is your intent - to escalate - that the current situation if she cannot hit deadlines. But be respectful, because you could be put in a situation where you work on 4 schools with your current consultant and then 2 more with another consultant at the same firm. It's going to be awkward if you have to compare and contrast advice all the time.
I think a very honest question to ask of your consultant is simply this - "what would you do if you were in my situation?" Then focus on describing the specific impact on you, rather than stating all the line items that she has missed. That will only put her on the defensive.
If you want a coaching template, I like using this model -
- Define your expectation, explain the deviation from that expectation, describe its impact on you/your app, get her side of the story, now collaboratively set a new and reasonable expectation, get agreement, follow up on it in a week, two weeks, etc. If she **** the bed again, then escalate.
Respectfully,
Paul Lanzillotti
liebe
