Linda Abraham, Accepted Founder

Linda Abraham-1

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About Me

I have been a leader in the admissions consulting field since 1994, when I founded Accepted to empower applicants to tell their unique story through their college, graduate school, business school, law school and medical school applications. I believe that everyone has lived their lives, overcome challenges, perhaps even made a mistake or two, and yet have grown, contributed, and achieved. At Accepted, we help applicants present that narrative in a compelling way via their application.

I am the co-founder and first president of the Association of International Graduate Admissions Consultants (AIGAC), the only organization dedicated exclusively to private graduate admissions consulting.

My passion for sharing information about admissions and empowering applicants to achieve their goals led me to start the Admissions Straight Talk podcast in 2012 before podcasts were the “in thing.” Through Admission Straight Talk I have the pleasure of interviewing admissions directors of top schools, current students, recent grads, test prep pros, and other professionals of interest to applicants. When interviewing my guests, I’m always trying to think about what would Accepted’s clients and visitors want to ask if they could be in my shoes.

And of course, over the years, I've also been an interviewee. The Wall Street Journal, BusinessWeek, U.S. News & World Report, CBS News, Bloomberg and Poets&Quants are among the media outlets that have sought my expertise on higher education, graduate school admissions, business school and college counseling.

I am proud of the team of talented admissions consultants I have assembled here at Accepted. Together for the past 30 years, we have helped thousands of applicants submit winning applications to business school, medical school, law school, graduate school and college, leading them to the career of their dreams.

Who Does Accepted Work With?

People just like YOU!

We work with applicants, usually high achievers, aiming for top programs in a broad array of fields. However, perhaps they (or you) are also people who might have had a rough semester, bad freshman year, didn’t get the test score they wanted, or consider themselves “ordinary” – somehow not a match for that top-choice school. Or maybe they are applicants who just want to make sure that they have left no stone unturned in portraying themselves at their best in their applications.

For all the above situations, I founded and grew Accepted. My team and I have developed a methodology to evaluate whether you both fit in at the programs you’re longing to attend and stand out in the applicant pool. You need to do both so that admissions committees will see that you can succeed in their program and that you have something distinctive to contribute to your class, community, and the school’s reputation. Sometimes our guidance may mean that we introduce you to a school you never considered, either lower or higher ranked.

Our approach means that we help you tell your story in a persuasive way, highlighting the specifics and achievements that both make you YOU and make you a compelling and distinctive candidate. There may be elements of your story that you have taken for granted. However, your consultant, who comes to your story with an objective eye, but also an eye that knows admissions inside and out, can see that element as a gem that just needs a little polishing to shine.

The Accepted Difference

I’ve assembled a unique team of admissions professionals – former admissions committee members and/or experienced consultants with eagle editing eyes – and fostered a collaborative environment. You, as Accepted’s client, not only benefit from the expertise, experience, and dedication of your personal guide and mentor, but also the insight of the whole crew.

Sometimes I’m asked “What do I look for when hiring consultants?” I’ll tell you.

  1. Admissions experience either in an admissions office, a school’s advising office, and/or as an admissions consultant.
  2. Exceptional writing and editing skills.
  3. Mentorship so clients receive support and constructive criticism throughout the process.

While we are in the business of one-on-one admissions advising, I also take tremendous pride in Accepted’s free resources – the many articles, blog posts, webinars, guides, and podcast episodes – that all applicants anywhere in the world can access at no charge.

I look forward to getting to know you and for you to get to know our team. And, I can't wait to hear "I'm in!" from you!

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Client Feedback

I can’t say how thankful I am for your help during my admission process.

Thank you for guiding me through the application process when I was lost, thank you for all the comments you had for every of my essay, thank you for encouraging me to keep following up with the school when I was about to give up, thank you for being there with me when I felt frustrated. I would not make it to my dream school today without you.    Thank you!! 

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