Brainstorming with my admissions consultant really helped me strengthen my narrative and understand the aspects of my profile that I should work on highlighting, and how. The process felt extremely genuine (the story was entirely my own), but the MBA&B team really helped me see how to position it correctly for each school.

The essay strawman stage, as well as multiple essay reviews helped me finetune my application. These sessions, alongside the mock interviews really helped build my confidence for the final stages of the application. Overall, I was very happy and felt extremely supported throughout the process- would highly recommend!

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🚨 My Experience with MBA&Beyond – A Warning for Applicants 🚨

I signed up with MBA&Beyond for end-to-end support on 2 MBA applications. Unfortunately, the experience fell far below expectations, and I want to share specifics so others can make an informed decision:

1. Quality of Guidance
The advice I received was extremely surface-level. For example, in INSEAD’s career journey essay, I was told to write my career transitions in 2–3 lines each. The “final draft” simply lifted one line from my notes. This is not strategic guidance worth thousands of dollars, I could have done that myself without a consultant.

2. Process Deviations
What shocked me was discovering that MBA&Beyond relies on an internal AI tool to generate essay drafts, something never disclosed to me upfront before I made the payment. I was asked to create pointers, which were then fed into their AI to produce a “story.” If that’s the case, even ChatGPT could have done the same. What I expected (and paid for) was expert human judgment, how to connect my experiences into a compelling narrative. Despite my consultant being an INSEAD alum, I received no school-specific insights. The entire process felt like a black box, not real mentorship.

3. Incomplete Services
I paid for 2 schools. One application saw only partial progress, the second was never started. Yet I was repeatedly told about “value delivered” in terms of call-hours not actual outcomes. That’s not what end-to-end consulting means.

4. Defensive, Not Supportive
When I raised concerns, instead of fixing them, I was told to push my applications to next year. Access to their platform was revoked, and responses came only after multiple reminders. This felt like avoidance, not support.

5. Sales vs. Delivery Gap
During sales, I was chased daily and told my profile was “impressive.” But after payment, that energy disappeared. The difference between how hard they sell and how little they deliver is stark.

💡 Takeaway for future applicants:
MBA applications are high-stakes. If you want genuine guidance and accountability, look elsewhere. Paying premium prices for half-completed services, AI-driven drafts, and defensive responses left me stressed, behind on timelines, and without the support I signed up for.

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Shantanu and team drills down into personality traits and restructures the whole narrative on which a strong profile could be built. After multiple sessions, the story and profile keeps on coming and you can discuss to change/tweak the narrative you are bringing to the table.
Once I started with MBA&B, i was skeptical and like every student, I also had my own narrative on what should I write, but after multiple discussions and brainstorming with Shantanu and on my own, I could see a story taking shape which eventually would help me land multiple interviews. Shantanu knows what each schools are looking for in their candidates so for me it worked out nicely

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Working with Shantanu and MBA & Beyond was an incredible journey of self-discovery. Shantanu’s approach helped me reflect deeply on my experiences, strengths, and goals, uncovering aspects of my story I hadn’t fully appreciated. His patience and dedication were unmatched—we refined countless essay drafts until they felt authentic and compelling. The process was collaborative, and his feedback was always insightful and encouraging. Shantanu’s dedication to bringing out the best in me was truly transformative. His mock interviews were thorough, and his insights into school cultures were invaluable. Shantanu wasn’t just a consultant; he became a mentor and a friend. I highly recommend Shantanu for his genuine care and expertise!

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Despite the time crunch, Shantanu spent several hours with me to understand my background and personality. He helped me understand the purpose and essence of every piece of information in the discovery phase and the particular college application so I could create the most authentic application. MBA and Beyond makes all the parts of profiling and applying less daunting and easy to take on one at a time. I am truly grateful to MBA and Beyond and Shantanu for guiding me through the application phase and garnering confidence all through. Shantanu has a way of connecting with you and amicably becoming a friend and a mentor and I would highly recommend him. If you're working with him, you're in great hands!

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I had the pleasure of working with Shantanu from MBA and Beyond, and I can confidently say that his guidance played a pivotal role in securing my admission to INSEAD. I reached out to MBA and Beyond in June 2021 through a friend's recommendation, and I cannot thank my stars enough that I got to work with such amazing people at MBA&B. From the very first profile evaluation call, the team showed genuine interest and confidence in my profile. Having heard so much about Shantanu I requested the team to assign him as my consultant. And thus, my journey started with the most amazing Shantanu Sharma. From the initial consultation to the final application submission to interview preparation, Shantanu demonstrated unparalleled expertise, dedication, and a genuine commitment to my success.

One of the best qualities of Shantanu is his highly personalized approach to every application. He not only spent great efforts in understanding my unique background, career goals, and aspirations but also went above and beyond to unravel my strengths and achievements, helping me articulate them effectively in my application essays and interviews. I vividly recall crafting a minimum of 10 drafts for each INSEAD essay, a testament to Shantanu's commitment to bringing out the best version of my narrative. His refusal to move on to the next essay until completely satisfied underscored his dedication.

During my interview preparation stage, Shantanu left no stones unturned in preparing me for the interviews and Mock exercises. I distinctly remember a moment of panic during my preparation stage when Shantanu, despite being on vacation, generously dedicated two hours to me, offering invaluable guidance and calming reassurance. His role transcended that of a consultant; Shantanu became a steadfast friend and guide throughout the entire process.

Furthermore, Shantanu's support extended beyond the application itself. He offered valuable insights into the culture and values of INSEAD, enabling me to align my application with the school's ethos. This holistic approach not only enhanced my chances of admission but also contributed to my overall readiness for the INSEAD experience. On receiving INSEAD’s acceptance call, Shantanu was the first person I contacted to share the joyful news. His significance in my MBA journey and the profound impact he has created in my life is truly immeasurable.

In summary, my experience with Shantanu was transformative. His personalized guidance, unparalleled dedication, and genuine support were instrumental in navigating the competitive admissions journey. I wholeheartedly recommend Shantanu and the MBA and Beyond team to anyone seeking an exceptional and personalized MBA admissions consulting experience.

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Working with Shantanu Sharma, the founder of MBA and Beyond, was an amazing experience. Back in 2021, MBA and Beyond was much smaller than it is right now and at first, I was hesitant to work with a consultant from a new company, but after just one call with Shantanu, I knew I had made the right decision. He not only provided invaluable MBA consulting advice, but also acted as a mentor, giving helpful life and career advice.

With Shantanu's guidance, I was able to craft a compelling and coherent story, which helped me get accepted into INSEAD, the only school I applied to. Shantanu's approach was very structured and scientific, which helped me to remember and use stories and incidents from my life that I would have never remembered otherwise. He asked tough questions and gave brutally honest feedback, which was exactly what I needed to improve my application by leaps and bounds.

Shantanu's ability to understand my strengths and weaknesses, and guide me accordingly, was a key factor in my success. He also gave a lot of support for interviews, helping not only with preparation but also with boosting my confidence. Even after my MBA finished, Shantanu has stayed in touch. I highly recommend Shantanu and MBA and Beyond to anyone looking for an MBA admissions consultant. His expertise and mentorship were invaluable, and I'm grateful to have had the opportunity to work with him.

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I highly recommend MBA and Beyond as an MBA admissions consultant. From the moment I began working with Shantanu, I was impressed by his wealth of knowledge and expertise in the field. Shantanu took the time to understand my background, career goals, and what I wanted to achieve through an MBA program. With his guidance, I was able to craft compelling essays that highlighted my strengths and differentiated me from other applicants.

Shantanu also prepared me extensively for my MBA interviews, providing insightful feedback and effective strategies to help me communicate my value proposition effectively. His commitment to my success was evident in his attention to detail and dedication to ensuring that every aspect of my application was as strong as possible.

As a result of our hard work and dedication, I was accepted into top MBA programs and ultimately enrolled at my dream school. I cannot thank him enough for his guidance and support throughout the process. If you're looking for an experienced and knowledgeable MBA admissions consultant, I highly recommend MBA and Beyond. You won't be disappointed!

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I took their 1 school package and aimed for my most ambitious school (LBS). They helped me work on my applications and essay by connecting me to an LBS student who was able to provide me with a direction for my essay, we took a good 2-3 months to craft my essay and I got constant assistance. They have a beautiful online platform that helps in introspection, (a 5 on 5). Even though I got a rejection from LBS, I am sure we put our best foot forward and I am at peace with the rejection. They were quick to respond to my queries and even extended additional support when I got interviewed at another school.

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When I started contemplating my MBA plan, I soon realized that the application journey was a long marathon and I would need support from an experienced runner. Thus, started my hunt for the best consultant who could guide me in the process. I had the following criteria in mind:
1. Admission consultant who has graduated from a top B school and has been through the application journey.
2. Admission consultant recommended by candidates who successfully made it to my dream schools (LBS, INSEAD).
3. Admission consultant following a structured and well thought-out process.

Shantanu and the team fulfilled all the criteria above and beyond (true to their name!). That’s how my application journey started with Shantanu and the team at MBA and Beyond. Right from the first introductory call to the content gathering, essay drafts, mock interview preparation, and scholarship strategy, Shantanu’s feedback was always on point and extremely helpful.

I applied to two schools (LBS and INSEAD) and was very fortunate to receive admits from both schools. Without Shantanu and the team, I wouldn’t have secured such an outstanding outcome. I would wholeheartedly recommend Shantanu and the team to anyone seeking guidance for admission to top business schools around the world.

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