Maria Wich-Vila Reviews

If you are serious about your MBA application, and if you are applying to a top business school, ApplicantLab provides everything a serious MBA applicant needs to create your best application. I can confidently say that ApplicantLab quite literally changed my life, as there was no way I would have gotten accepted to Chicago Booth without it.

When I started my MBA application process, I figured I would do it all independently. I thought I could "bootstrap" my way to a successful application. However, after struggling to craft a compelling narrative while writing my essays and drafting my resume, I researched consultant services. I loved the breadth of resources available on ApplicantLab and that I could work through the portal at my own pace. ApplicantLab helped me perfect my resume, design a compelling narrative for my essays, and prepare for my interviews.

ApplicantLab was worth every penny. Going to business school has been my dream, and I am so thankful that ApplicantLab gave me the necessary tools to put together my very best application. In my view, ApplicantLab is the best business school consultant service in the industry.

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ApplicantLab offers very succinct, structured and comprehensive advice and guidance that were extremely helpful for me throughout my preparation phase. It was very easy to navigate the platform without getting bored or overwhelmed with information. There are a lot of videos that make the learning experience insightful and fun at the same time. Also, it helped me plan for my next steps and remain disciplined in my prep.

Incredible affordable, great value for money, and amazing service and support from the entire team.

Also, I found the essay review service quite helpful. Maria provided really helpful and candid feedback that helped push my essays to the next level and create the best version of my application. She was always there to answer questions in detail and always made time for me. Maria always pointed me in the right direction and I consider myself lucky to have worked with her. It was also fun interacting with Maria.

Couldn't recommend ApplicantLab enough!!! It helped me get into my dream school.

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How did I get to know the applicant lab? As a round 2 applicant, I was struggling to put together my essays, resumes. Around December, I was watching one youtube video on GMAT Club where Maria talked about the MBA resume and it immediately caught my attention by how much insight she provided for the admission process. Thanks to her 15 years of working experience in this field.

As an online platform, I wasn't 100% sure if it would be reliable. So I started out with the free trial and made use of the free sections, gauging whether I should subscribe to the full service. And I did! Because it was so helpful and insightful and completely changed how I viewed my profile and application strategy.

Thinking back, I wish I had watched the youtube video sooner so I can use the applicant lab sooner before my submission. But even only using it about 1 month before the submission deadline, I had, fortunately, got admitted to Yale.

For those more interested in specifically what I found most helpful, here are some general take-aways
1- Maria knows every single detail of the admission process and she shared it in great detail in the applicant lab. From how to structure your stories, shining a light on your achievements and making you stand out, to how to address your shortcoming e.g. lack of formal leadership experiences. I am extremely grateful for this portion because with her advice and objective view I was able to see positives in my profile and be more confident to sell them to the AO.

Second, what's great about it is also once you paid for it, you can access it anytime, anywhere. No need to schedule any appointment and all the information you need is readily available.

Lastly, don't think that because this is an online platform and you're left alone after payment. Carin and Maria actually handle queries you have and they are so responsive and thorough in their response that you feel like they are not just trying to get the most $$ from you but rather really trying to maximize your chances of success.

Overall, I had a great experience using the applicant lab and I have already recommended it to my friends who are also planning to apply for an MBA, same to any one of you who are planning for an MBA. Get Applicant Lab, try it out, and your chances of getting the offer you want would surely increase.

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Love ApplicantLab. It provided all the information I needed to put together a great application. I loved Maria's guidance and videos! The school specific information when crafting essays and interviews were particularly helpful as well. I was considering using another more expensive consultant but after a recommendation for ApplicantLab I'm so glad I used this!

Also for unique questions I reached out to ApplicantLab - I'm dealing with a situation where I am considering multiple schools but also contemplating taking a promotion in another city and Maria answered in 1 DAY! She is so helpful and kind and love her service offerings.

the MBA application process can feel daunting at times so you don't want to add another thing you spend money on to add to your list before you drop a ton of money on tuition. But this is WORTH IT - do not sleep on ApplicantLab, it truly was a lifesaver for me.

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Application Lab is extremely helpful during my MBA application process. I came from a nontraditional background and was not too familiar with the MBA application process. A friend of mine recommended me the website. After I sign-up I thought it was the best decision.

What I like about this website it’s how comprehensive it is for each step of the way. It took a extremely structured approach and have a detailed breakdowns for each stage.

I really like the recorded videos. Those are helpful because I can always playback for the episodes that I thought were helpful. And they’re very easy to digest. I would not be able to get into my dream school without the application Lab. I would love to think Maria for her effort to bring us an affordable solution to the MBA Application.

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When designing my game plan for R1 applications, I was hesitant to pay thousands of dollars for a top tier consultant after hearing some mixed reviews from friends. After spending many months studying for the GMAT using Target Test Prep (and loving it), I was looking for a similarly innovative platform for my applications. I decided to use ApplicantLab as my consulting service after reading many online reviews and noticing how inexpensive it was compared to virtually every other consulting option. Overall, I found ApplicantLab to be incredibly helpful from start to finish for each of my applications, but I’ll go into detail a bit on how I used the product to help others understand its value.

I started with the Strategy Modules (My Strengths & Weaknesses, Career Vision, and Why MBA) to develop my unique story for applications. Each module enabled me to think introspectively and helped me leverage my best leadership examples effectively. Before diving into my essays, I wanted to make sure my story was sound, so I paid for a “Sanity Check” with Maria. This review was immensely helpful! She provided feedback via a recorded video, and I watched it several times through to make sure I perfected my story.

After the Sanity Check, I felt comfortable with my goals/story and started outlining my essays. I found the advice tailored to each school's essay prompt(s) incredibly helpful and helped me feel confident with the materials I was submitting to each school. I received an interview invite at 5 of the 6 schools I applied to, including an invite for HBS. After hearing this exciting news, I decided to pay for Mock Interview session with Maria. She spent a considerable amount of time reviewing my application and coming up with questions similar to the ones I received during the actual interview!

ApplicantLab was 100% worth the money for me and helped me get into HBS, my dream school, and I am incredibly thankful to Maria for designing such an awesome product!

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Whether you are paying for an admission consultant or planning to complete your application on your own, ApplicantLab is an almost necessary tool for applying to business school. The website is set up to walk you through the entire process, from brainstorming essays to completing your resume to preparing for interviews.

ApplicantLab is especially useful for those who are finding themselves overwhelmed by the application process. It gives you the concrete next steps and planning items that you should be taking and helps you to ensure you are not missing any key details in your application. I began applying to MBA programs with very little knowledge of the process and ended up getting accepted into two M7s; I believe ApplicantLab deserves a substantial amount of credit for the success of my applications.

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ApplicantLab's process, checklists, and advice empowers you to create your own best application. The insight that Maria brings is invaluable and helps sharpen your own unique personality in each application. I knew I wanted to apply to business school and believed I could drive the action myself as long as someone helped point me in the right direction. ApplicantLab's resources and analysis of admissions committees trends make it easy to emphasize the points that matter and spend time finding the school that you fit with best.

On top of that, the customer service/support from Maria and her team is unparalleled. When I was unsure of how to approach a recommender I sent a message to the support email and received a human, helpful response quickly.

I'm certain that my success in applications can be largely attributed to my preparation with applicantLab

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The business school application process can be pretty hectic especially as a working professional. I needed structure, guidance but also the flexibility to do it according to my own timelines. ApplicantLab was a wonderful resource. I completed all the sections and so many of the ideas outlined resonated with my own experiences and thinking.

With only 3 years of experience under my belt, I was skeptical about applying to business school. ApplicantLab helped me realize my unique strengths and ways of approaching the applications. I got admits from 6 schools with scholarships ( Tuck, Yale, Cornell, Anderson, Marshall, Tepper) and I am happy to inform you that I have matriculated at Yale :)

Greatest Strength:
1) A step-by-step and very comprehensive guide on various aspects of the application process - resume, story, goals.
2) You work on the parts you want to work on and on your own time.
3) I especially loved Maria's videos- funny, creative, and a great way to understand the application process. ( esp when the going gets tough!)
4) Constructive and timely feedback.

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I had only a month to prepare four applications. I was so overwhelmed with all the information on schools' websites, forums, etc. I didn't have the budget for consultant services, so I gave it a try when my friend suggested Applicant Lab. And this is a beautiful tool; not only does it guide you with selective and insightful information about the school, but it also guides you on how to reflect on yourself deeply and build your unique story. It helps brainstorm your essays confidently. I love how Maria instructs through her videos, very straight to the point, and allows us to see through the uniqueness of each school that we should focus on and feature how we match in. When I reached out to the team for questions, they answer my email very quickly and insightful.
I got into Haas thanks to Applicant Lab. Instead of many other friends spending like 6000 USD for consultancy, I only paid 400 USD and gained a lot of practical knowledge through the application process. I am so thankful! I highly recommend Applicant Lab.

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