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ApplicantLab Admissions Consulting Reviews

Admissions is a tough game; we teach you how to win it. ApplicantLab is an on-demand series of interactive exercises that walk you through everything you need to craft a winning application. Created by an HBS grad with almost 15 years of experience, ApplicantLab takes admissions consultants’ tools and puts them in your hands. Learn more.
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ApplicantLab Admissions Consulting Reviews

ApplicantLab On-Demand Admissions Guidance Tool
 $349  $314
Reviews
231
Average Rating
5
Buy Now

Most Reviewed ApplicantLab Consultants

Maria Wich-Vila
Reviews
199
Average Rating
5.0
Carin Nelson
Reviews
22
Average Rating
5.0
Austin
Reviews
2
Average Rating
5.0
Luqzan
Reviews
2
Average Rating
5.0

AI Super-Summary of Customer Reviews for ApplicantLab*

ApplicantLab emerges as a highly effective and affordable online platform for MBA applicants, offering comprehensive guidance across all stages of the application process. Users praise the service for its detailed school-specific advice, strategic insights, responsiveness, and the humorous, supportive leadership of Maria. Many reviews highlight successful admissions to top business schools, often with significant scholarships, despite initial challenges like low GMAT scores or non-traditional backgrounds. The platform's modular approach, combined with optional add-on services such as essay reviews and interview prep, enables applicants to maintain their unique narratives while meeting each school's expectations. Critics are particularly impressed with the value for the money, advocating ApplicantLab as a viable alternative to traditional costly consulting services.
10 users mention "Full Service"
  • "The Lab helped me across the process..." Read more
  • "The personalized support and the high-quality platform..." Read more
  • "comprehensive and intuitive approach..." Read more
  • "I used all of their add-on services..." Read more
  • "solid tool in the sense that you do the hard work upfront..." Read more
  • "its detailed guide on the essay section was invaluable..." Read more
  • "It has detailed advice for each question for most of the top schools..." Read more
  • "ApplicantLab played a big role in my getting Kellogg and Booth MBA admitted..." Read more
  • "Applicant Lab is an extremely powerful platform..." Read more
  • "Covered brainstorming essays, recommendations, short-answer questions, interviews etc...." Read more
9 users mention "Value for Money"
  • "The best bang for your buck!..." Read more
  • "I'm very glad that I did because the platform is truly quite helpful..." Read more
  • "best value-for-money..." Read more
  • "best money I ever spent on my MBA application journey..." Read more
  • "Quality topped with affordability makes you a gem!..." Read more
  • "best decision..." Read more
  • "a fraction of the price!..." Read more
  • "You really do get a wealth of information and customized support..." Read more
  • "truly useful resource..." Read more
5 users mention "Scholarship Awarded"
  • "$300K+ scholarships!..." Read more
  • "got admitted to Fuqua with a scholarship..." Read more
  • "I got significant scholarships at 4 schools..." Read more
  • "UNC Kenan-Flagler ($$$$)..." Read more
  • "considerable scholarships, which is rare for part-time programs..." Read more
5 users mention "Essay Editing"
  • "Starting early ensures you know where you need to improve..." Read more
  • "The guys who review your essays are alumni of top business schools..." Read more
  • "provided a perspective that helped me think about a unique and effective way to present my story..." Read more
  • "breaking down the components of a successful MBA application..." Read more
  • "Sanity Check since I wanted expert advice..." Read more
4 users mention "US MBA Programs"
4 users mention "Responsive"
  • "She's also very responsive to questions, sometimes within an hour...." Read more
  • "Maria is always super responsive and gets back within a few hours..." Read more
  • "super fast answers to any questions..." Read more
  • "Maria always responds back quickly..." Read more
3 users mention "Supportive"
  • "Maria truly cared about my progress and kept in touch with me..." Read more
  • "I wouldn't have been able to achieve my dream of getting into MIT Sloan..." Read more
  • "Maria was incredibly supportive, responsive, and helpful throughout this process...." Read more
3 users mention "Detail-Oriented"
  • "gives the best structure to the whole process..." Read more
  • "process of reviewing essays is completely asynchronous..." Read more
  • "the material that Maria covers in lab is very comprehensive..." Read more
3 users mention "Resume Review"
  • "supplementary services (I used the resume review and essay review)..." Read more
  • "I was struggling with my resume..." Read more
  • "helps you get the brainstorming done in advance..." Read more
2 users mention "Non-traditional Backgrounds"
  • "Even as an international student who is an overrepresented minority..." Read more
  • "Perfect Self-Guided Tool for Non-Traditional Applicants..." Read more
2 users mention "Admitted"
2 users mention "Free Trial"
  • "Just give it a try! You won't regret it...." Read more
  • "Note on free trial: The free trial will only give a minimal view..." Read more
2 users mention "Interview Prep"
  • "The interview prep section was also very useful..." Read more
  • "The HBS mock interview that I did with Maria was also empowering..." Read more
2 users mention "Budget-Friendly"
  • "price point levels the playing field..." Read more
  • "incredibly helpful ApplicantLab was for so good of a price..." Read more
1 users mention "Generalist Approach"
  • "Guided process to help develop your MBA story..." Read more
*Review summaries are AI generated from 25 latest reviews in the past 2 years.

Reviews:

231 Reviews
5.0 Average
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May 21, 2021
IL123

Joined: May 11, 2021

Posts: 0

Kudos: 0

Verified GMAT Classic score:
730 Q50 V39

Applicant Lab is the Best! Great Value/Content (Haas Admit)

REVIEWER IDENTITY VERIFIED by score report [?]

Applicant Lab was exactly what I needed to be successful throughout the MBA application process. It greatly exceeded my expectations and I would recommend it without hesitation.

The module/website led me through the application in a thoughtful way - and helped my gather my thoughts and write my essays efficiently. Applicant Lab changed how I viewed different areas of the application - allowing me get the most out of the short answer fields and my recommenders. I also liked how I was able to go through the modules at my own pace.

Applicant Lab is the best value by far when it comes to MBA admissions consulting. This was an important factor for me and what drew me to Applicant Lab in the first place.

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April 26, 2021
Nervouskid

Joined: Jun 17, 2018

Posts: 4

Kudos: 2

Verified GMAT Classic score:
620 Q37 V38

Excellent and extremely worth-the-price

REVIEWER IDENTITY VERIFIED by score report [?]

This was a service that I should have used in my first go, but either / or, it was a really good service that got me one admit from M7, and one from a T15. The feedback that the site provides for each school is so helpful. Its concise and it gives you great pointers on what to write, how to shape your essays so that it fits into what the ad-coms want and what to avoid. PLEASE, take my word, even though the advice is remote, not-specific to you, and not being given by a live consultant, it is better than what a traditional consultant would say, because it is so school-specific and so relevant to the essays.

Its a great resource, and though I didnt use any add-on features, I am sure those must be really great.

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April 11, 2021
sunny4236

Joined: Oct 16, 2020

Posts: 3

Kudos: 1

Self-reported Score:
760

Amazing value; highly recommend! (HBS admit)

REVIEWER IDENTITY VERIFIED by school email address [?]

ApplicantLab is the perfect service for people who know they want to apply to school and want to guide themselves through the process.

The modules and website were very well laid-out, and helped me manage the application cycle super easily.

Maria offered more honest, helpful content than many other consultants my friends worked with. Most consultants would employ the Socratic method with their clients - it's helpful, but it doesn't always get you from A to B efficiently. ApplicantLab did do so.

The a la carte services (Sanity Check, Resume Reviews, Essay Reviews) were also great. I used them for my top 2 schools and did not regret it.

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April 11, 2021
seraphim022

Joined: Aug 03, 2020

Posts: 0

Kudos: 0

When I started looking into the MBA process, I was astounded by the astronomical high prices of many MBA consultants. There's no way I can afford it - until ApplicantLab (AL) came along!

Disclosure: I got a free access to the AL modules because the content was not captioned for the deaf and hard of hearing, so it was not fully accessible at the beginning. Maria was kind-hearted enough to grant me a free access and then later had the videos captioned within a few days. So if you're deaf or hard of hearing and thinking about an MBA, AL will definitely make its content accessible for you. Instead of a video review of your essays, they'll write in notes/comments in the Word doc.

I mostly worked with Carin to craft my narrative ("sanity check") and essay reviews, and how to shine a positive light on my lived experiences as a deaf person. I couldn't find a deaf student or alumni at my programs of choice (M7 + T10s) to reach out for helpful guidance and information. I had questions like "How did they present themselves well?", "how to show that we offer a lot to the community?" and "how did the employers view students with disabilities?"

However, Carin and Maria were awesome in lending thier experience and perspective as hearing people to make sure I present my unique, nontraditional background and experiences well. They responded quickly to my emails and questions, including their feedback/thoughts on selecting a certain topic my video prompts.

The modules are all top-notch, highly specific, updated, and very informative in all one place - great if you're short on time and need to churn out applications in matter of days. I highly recommend AL for any new MBA applicants at a very affordable price points for its platform and add-on services (which I did pay for).

Results? I got into Wharton, Yale SOM, and Booth for R2.

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April 10, 2021
ms0773

Joined: Mar 30, 2020

Posts: 0

Kudos: 0

M7 Admission - 3 years work-ex

REVIEWER IDENTITY VERIFIED by school email address [?]

ApplicantLab is a great resource for those willing to put in the work independently, with some level of guidance given through instructional videos and comments. As someone who likes to work/study independently (I studied for the GMAT on my own) this service was just what I was looking for!

Maria is super passionate about this project and her students and goes above and beyond in answering any questions. Her videos are very informative and have all the information required for you to write a good essay and put your best foot forward.

ApplicantLab is also very affordable. I had friends who hired private consultants for 5x the price. I highly recommend ApplicantLab.

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April 07, 2021
mattmad3

Joined: May 24, 2017

Posts: 3

Kudos: 0

Verified GMAT Classic score:
770 Q48 V51

The Lab helped me get admits from Stanford, Wharton, and Booth!

REVIEWER IDENTITY VERIFIED by score report [?]

I would recommend Applicant Lab without reservation. There are things you can't really change in your application (GPA, school, etc.), but Applicant Lab really helps you make the most of the parts of the application that you can control.

The Lab was a game changer in writing my essays and crafting a compelling story for each school. The self-service model appealed to me (as did the price), especially after some underwhelming consultations with traditional admissions consultants. I probably didn't use all the storyboarding/planning tools to their fullest, but just the advice and videos alone were so helpful. For example, beyond the big ticket items like essays and recommendations, there are a ton of little things in the application forms that I probably would have underutilized without Maria's guidance in the Lab. Early on, I also used the "Sanity Check" service with Carin. Her advice really helped me view the application holistically and identify areas to focus my attention.

If you're serious about MBA applications, you won't find a better value than Applicant Lab.

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April 07, 2021
12kumarina

Joined: Apr 22, 2020

Posts: 0

Kudos: 0

Absolutely Amazing 10/10 (Cornell Johnson Admit)

REVIEWER IDENTITY VERIFIED by score report [?]

I first heard about ApplicantLab during DMAC (Diversity MBA Admissions Conference). Maria did a presentation and I was extremely impressed by 1) how much knowledge she had 2) 2) how she approached the MBA applications process 3) how straight to the point she was, yet also has the ability to be personal and relate to each one of us in some way or another. I took some time to think and even did a few free initial calls with admissions consultants such as Fortuna, but the price was just not up my alley given how much I spent on test tutoring and HBS CORe already and it felt way too "sales-y" to me. Also, there was no guarantee I'd get in so why would I pay upwards of 10K+?!?!?!?!

I decided to go with ApplicantLab and I am SO happy I did. There is a plethora of information on the tool and in particular, I utilized the platform for writing my essays and putting my story together. The platform helped me figure out how to approach my story/questions and really play my strengths, as well as mitigate weaknesses.

Maria is affordable and also the sweetest kindest woman! Go with ApplicantLab and you won't regret it. I even contacted her after I got in and she was so happy for me.

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March 31, 2021
Sw55

Joined: Mar 31, 2021

Posts: 0

Kudos: 0

Incredibly Helpful (Harvard Business School Admit)

REVIEWER IDENTITY VERIFIED by school email address [?]

I cannot state enough how helpful this service is. ApplicantLab is easy-to-use, informative, logically organized, and sharp – all things that made the application process far less stressful and enigmatic.

Not only does the service help you easily organize your thoughts and formulate your "story" with conviction and clarity. Its prep for interviews and essays is unparalleled – a value-add that was critical for my application. I also found Maria's videos – which she tailors to specific MBA programs – to be extremely helpful. The candid, direct advice she shares is invaluable, particularly for any who are concerned about potential weaknesses in their application (e.g. lower GMAT, less work experience, etc.).

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March 21, 2021
bilaltariqakthar

Joined: Jan 13, 2019

Posts: 15

Kudos: 3

Self-reported Score:
740 Q48 V42

Highly recommended product (Yale SOM admit)

REVIEWER IDENTITY VERIFIED by membership [?]

I was international applicant going through the process for the first time. To make things worse, I was working 12-15 hours a day and had very little time to work on my apps. Applying during the COVID-19 application cycle, I knew I could use all the help I could get. I think ApplicantLab was the best investment I made. Three things that made ApplicantLab stand out for me:

1) It's extremely cheap compared to traditional consultants
2) You pay for what you use
3) Maria and Carin are amazing at what they do

I highly recommend ApplicantLab to anyone going through application process. You won't regret it.

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March 16, 2021
BetteDavis

Joined: Jun 29, 2020

Posts: 0

Kudos: 0

AMAZING SERVICE

REVIEWER IDENTITY VERIFIED by school email address [?]

Truly wonderful prep, it helped me organize my thoughts for my application and nail my interviews. Its interview prep is unbeatable, the videos are easy to follow and the tips are super useful, even for the eventual job interviews.
After using the program I felt confident and ready for my interviews having polished my story and narrowed down the examples I wanted to use. Without it I would not have gotten the offers I am currently receiving. The team is also super helpful and always available. They go the extra mile for their clients. Anyone who is in the application process should use this program, you will not regret it.

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