Expert MBA Admissions Consultants 

Accepted’s MBA admissions consultants have helped thousands of business school applicants get accepted for the past 30 years. As professional business school admissions consultants with more than 80  years combined of direct admissions committee experience, our team knows the application process inside and out.

When you choose Accepted, you’ll have a passionate and invested admissions consultant dedicated to helping you specifically, in addition to the support of a team of uncommonly talented professionals, including former admissions directors, published authors, journalists, and career coaches.

We have helped applicants get into all the top MBA programs around the world, including Harvard Business School, the Stanford Graduate School of Business, Columbia Business School, Dartmouth’s Tuck School of Business, Northwestern’s Kellogg School of Management, INSEAD, and London Business School. Click here to view a complete list of all the business schools our clients have been accepted to.

Get to know our MBA consultants and you’ll see why Accepted can help YOU get accepted!

Things to Consider When Choosing an MBA Admissions Consultant

Attending a top MBA program can be the ticket to achieving your professional dreams, but getting accepted is not easy. Hiring an MBA admissions consultant to assist you in delivering your best possible applications can give you a major assist, but is it worth the investment? How do you choose the right one?

Here are the things you must ask to determine if the consultant you are considering is the right one for you.

1. Why​ ​Use​ ​an​ ​MBA​ ​Admissions​ ​Consultant?
2. What​ ​You​ ​Should​ ​Look​ ​for​ ​in​ ​an​ ​Admissions​ ​Consultant
3. When to Run​ ​the​ ​Other​ ​Way:​ ​Avoiding​ ​Essay​ ​Writers​ ​and​ ​Application​ ​Agents
4. Choosing​ ​an​ ​Admissions​ ​Consultant:​ ​What’s​ ​NOT​ ​Important

Why​ ​use​ ​an​ ​MBA​ ​admissions consultant?

There​ ​are​ ​endless​ ​​discussions​ ​on​ ​forums​ ​and​ ​message​ ​boards​ ​questioning​ ​the​ ​value​ ​of admissions​ ​consulting.​ ​One​ ​of​ ​the​ ​more​ ​common​ ​arguments​ ​against​ ​using​ ​a​ ​consultant​ ​runs​ ​something like​ ​this:

“I​ ​know​ ​so​ ​many​ ​MBA​ ​students​ ​at​ ​top​ ​schools​ ​who​ ​got​ ​in​ ​without​ ​an​ ​admissions​ ​consultant.​ ​It just​ ​is​ ​not​ ​necessary​ ​to​ ​use​ ​one.”

I’m​ ​sure​ ​if​ ​you​ ​took​ ​a​ ​poll​ ​of​ ​business​ ​school​ ​admissions​ ​consultants,​ ​the​ ​majority​ ​would have​ ​gotten​ ​in​ ​without​ ​the​ ​assistance​ ​of​ ​a​ ​consultant.​ Some, especially the more senior ones, ​also​ ​would​ ​not​ ​have​ ​taken​ ​a​ ​GMAT​ ​prep course​ ​before​ ​applying​ ​to​ ​b-school.​ ​However,​ ​over​ ​the​ ​last​ ​thirty​ ​years​ ​test​ ​preparation​ ​has​ ​gone​ ​from being​ ​an​ ​act​ ​of​ ​desperation​ ​to​ ​a​ ​competitive​ ​edge,​ ​​to a​ ​mainstay​ ​of​ ​the​ ​application​ ​process.​ ​Today,​ ​to maximize​ ​chances​ ​of​ ​a​ ​top​ ​score​ ​and​ ​acceptance​ ​at​ ​the​ ​best​ ​possible​ ​school,​ ​most​ ​applicants​ ​take​ ​a​ ​test prep​ ​course.

The​ ​same​ ​phenomenon​ has ​occurred​ ​with​ ​admissions​ ​consulting. ​At​ ​this​ ​point,​ ​using​ ​a​ ​consultant​ ​is​ ​not​ ​crucial​ ​for​ ​everyone​ ​but​ ​it​ ​is​ ​extremely helpful​ ​for​ ​all. 

The​ ​question​ ​is​ ​not​ ​whether​ ​one​ ​can​ ​get​ ​accepted​ ​to​ ​a​ ​top​ ​MBA​ ​program​ ​without​ ​a​ ​consultant.​ ​Yes. It is definitely possible. ​The​ ​question​ ​is:​ ​Are​ ​the​ ​advantages​ ​of​ ​using​ ​a​ ​consultant worth​ ​the​ ​cost?

Working with an experienced ​admissions​ ​consultant​ does provide a competitive edge and ​can:

• Boost chances of ​acceptance​ ​to​ ​a​ ​“better”​ ​school.​ ​​“Better”​ ​implies​ ​more​ ​professional​ ​opportunities, increased​ ​earnings,​ ​a​ ​deeper and more valuable network,​ ​and​ ​an​ ​educational​ ​experience​ ​more​ ​to​ ​your liking.​ ​Just​ ​looking​ ​at​ ​dollars​ ​and​ ​cents,​ ​“better”​ ​represents​ ​potentially​ ​tens​ ​of​ ​thousands​ ​of dollars​ ​more​ ​in​ ​your​ ​pocket​ ​during​ ​your​ ​career.
• ​Help​ ​you​ ​snag​ ​a​ ​scholarship.​ ​​Savings:​ ​tens​ ​of​ ​thousands​ ​of​ ​dollars.
• ​​​Save​ ​you​ ​the​ ​cost​ ​of​ ​reapplication.​​ ​Applying​ ​to​ ​b-school​ ​or​ ​any​ ​other​ ​graduate​ ​program, including​ ​application​ ​fees​ ​and​ ​travel​ ​expenses,​ ​can​ ​cost​ ​several​ ​thousand​ ​dollars.​ ​Apply​ ​one​ ​time and​ ​save money and time.
• ​Reduce​ ​the​ ​time,​ ​stress,​ ​and​ ​frustration​ ​you​ ​(and​ ​those​ ​close​ ​to​ ​you)​ ​experience​ ​during​ ​the admissions​ ​process.​ ​​A good admissions consultant will protect you from following detours​ ​or floundering​ ​for​ ​weeks​ ​as​ ​you​ ​struggle​ ​to​ ​learn​ ​what​ they​ ​know. As a future MBA, you already understand that time is money.

So​ ​can​ ​you​ ​gain​ ​acceptance​ ​to​ ​a​ ​top​ ​b-school​ ​without​ ​using​ ​an​ ​admissions​ ​consultant?​ ​Certainly.​ ​Should you​ ​try?​ ​Only​ ​if​ ​you​ ​don’t​ ​value​ ​the​ ​experience,​ ​objectivity,​ ​and​ ​skill​ ​that​ ​can​ ​provide​ ​you​ ​with​ ​returns many​ ​times​ ​the​ ​cost.

What​ ​you​ ​should​ ​look​ ​for​ ​in​ ​an​ MBA ​admissions consultant

The​ ​categories​ ​below​ ​will​ ​guide​ ​you​ ​in​ asking the relevant questions ​to consultants you are considering.  

• Consultant’s​ ​Experience
  
  Absolutely​ ​ask​ ​about​ ​her​ ​experience​ ​with​ ​your​ ​programs​ ​of​ ​interest,​ ​your​ ​demographic​ ​group,​ ​and​ ​your industry.​ ​At the same time, ​understand​ ​that​ ​a​ ​really​ ​good​ ​consultant​ ​is​ ​always​ ​discovering ​new​ ​programs,​ ​learning about significant changes in existing programs,​ ​and​ ​about new​ ​types​ ​of​ ​applicants competing for seats in the class. A consultant at the top of her game will be current with all the trends, and will know how to help you present yourself as a fully realized individual--beyond ​the​ ​stats​ ​and​ ​the​ ​stereotypes. She will guide you toward presenting yourself distinctly, with a compelling story and valuable qualifications. ​

• The​ ​Process
  
  Before​ ​you​ ​talk​ ​to​ ​consultants,​ ​consider​ ​what​ ​services​ ​you​ need.​ It is possible that after reviewing your basic profile, a consultant will suggest that you broaden or edit your list of target schools so you will have a better chance of acceptance. It is also possible that after reviewing your essay drafts, he will recommend a fresh and more effective angle.
  
  Still, even before beginning your work together, ​ask​ ​the​ ​consultant​ ​how​ the services you are considering ​will​ ​be​ ​provided​ ​in​ ​practical​ ​terms. Ask about turnaround times for edits, how long you should allow for each application, for ​information​ ​gathering,​ for getting letters of recommendation, etc, and ​who​ ​exactly​ ​you’ll​ ​be​ ​working​ ​with.​ ​This will give you a realistic framework for what’s involved in the work ahead.
  
  Ask if you’re talking to a salesperson or to the consultant whom you will be working with. (You want to speak to the consultant.)

• Service​ ​Differentiation
  
  Ask​ ​what​ ​the​ ​consultant​ ​considers​ ​special​ ​and​ ​uniquely​ ​valuable​ ​about​ ​her​ ​service​ ​and​ ​expertise​ ​–​ ​you should​ ​get a clear understanding of what makes her service different.  Look for testimonials on the website, especially those that are recent, and whenever possible, from applicants who were accepted to your target schools.

• ​Accessibility
  
  Ask​ ​about​ ​the​ ​consultant’s​ ​accessibility​ ​by​ ​email,​ ​phone/Zoom ​–​ ​is​ ​he​ ​available​ ​on​ ​weekends,​ ​evenings? 

• ​Candor
  
  Are you prepared to benefit from ​the​ ​consultant’s​ ​full​ ​expertise?​ ​If​ ​so,​ ​ask her, if​ ​you​ ​target​ ​a​ ​program​ she considers​ ​an​ ​unreasonably​ ​high​ ​reach​ ​or​ ​draft​ ​an​ ​essay​ she ​​ ​considers​ ​off-target,​ ​will she ​tell you​ ​frankly?
• Prices
  
  Most​ ​consultants’​ ​prices​ ​are​ ​listed​ ​on​ ​their​ ​websites,​ ​but​ ​the​ ​services​ ​are​ ​often​ ​multifaceted or complex,​ ​so​ make sure you understand exactly what services you are getting. ​Make​ ​sure​ ​you​ ​understand​ ​if​ ​fees​ ​are​ ​time- ​based​ ​($X​ ​per​ ​hour)​ ​or​ ​flat​ ​rate​ ​($Y​ ​for​ ​a defined​ ​basket​ ​of​ ​services).
• ​AIGAC​ ​Membership
  
  The​ ​Association​ ​of​ ​International​ ​Graduate​ ​Admissions​ ​Consultants​ ​(AIGAC)​ ​promotes​ ​professional standards​ ​and​ ​ethical​ ​guidelines​ ​for​ ​our​ ​profession.​ ​AIGAC​ ​members​ ​(individuals​ ​and​ ​firms)​ ​are​ ​vetted for​ ​acceptance​ ​into​ ​the​ ​organization,​ ​and​ ​adcom​ ​members​ ​at​ ​top​ ​b-schools​ ​attend​ ​annual​ ​AIGAC conferences.​ ​Ask​ ​prospective​ ​consultants​ ​if​ ​they​ ​are​ ​AIGAC​ ​members​ ​to​ ​confirm​ ​their​ ​professional qualification.
  
  FYI:​ ​Linda​ ​Abraham,​ ​Accepted’s​ ​president​ ​and​ ​founder,​ ​is​ ​a​ ​co-founder​ ​of​ ​AIGAC​ ​and​ ​served​ ​as​ ​its​ ​first president.

Run​ ​the​ ​other​ ​way:​ Do not use ​essay​ ​writers​ ​and application​ ​agents.

Several years ago,​ ​​BusinessWeek​​ ​published​ ​an​ ​exposé​ ​on​ ​the​ ​unethical​ ​practices​ ​of​ ​certain​ ​MBA​ ​essay writing​ ​services.​ ​These​ ​companies​ ​are​ ​not​ ​​reputable​ ​admissions​ ​consultancies​ ​that​ ​guide,​ ​mentor, help​ ​applicants​ ​brainstorm,​ ​and​ ​then​ ​work​ ​with​ ​them​ ​to​ ​edit​ ​and​ ​polish​ ​their​ ​essays. They write essays for applicants.

Business​ ​school​ ​administrators​ ​all​ ​agree​ ​that​ ​submitting​ ​ghostwritten​ ​essays​ ​is​ ​unethical.

Application​ ​agents​ are a little different. They ​counsel​ ​applicants​ ​and​ ​are​ ​paid​ ​by​ ​schools​ ​for​ ​procuring​ ​applications​. Sometimes they are paid by​ ​both​ ​the​ ​school​ ​and​ ​the​ ​applicant.​ ​In​ ​the​ ​latter case​ ​there​ ​is​ ​a​ ​clear​ ​conflict​ ​of​ ​interest.​ ​

Schools​ ​tend​ ​to want​ ​lots​ ​of​ ​applications;​ ​it​ ​makes​ ​them​ ​look​ ​good and allows them to be more choosy.​ ​Applicants​ ​should​ ​be​ ​counseled​ ​to​ ​apply​ ​to​ ​the schools​ ​where​ ​their​ ​goals​ ​are​ ​supported​ ​and​ ​they​ ​have​ ​a​ ​decent​ ​chance​ ​of​ ​getting​ ​in -- not to schools that make the agent or school’s marketing team look good.

Seek​ ​a​ ​consultancy​ ​that​ relies ​upon​ ​revenue​ ​from​ ​applicants.​ ​Your​ ​success​ ​is​ ​their​ ​success.​ ​Your interests​ ​align.

What​ ​about​ ​essay​ ​samples​ ​or​ ​templates?

There​ ​is​ ​​no​​ ​value​ ​in​ ​using​ ​sample​ ​essays​ ​(or​ ​your​ ​friend’s​ ​essays)​ ​as​ ​templates​ ​and​ even less value in trying to copy them, ​even​ ​in​ ​part.​ ​The discovery of such ​abuse​ ​of​ ​the​ ​sample​ ​essays​ ​will likely ​cause​ ​your​ ​rejection.​ ​

Many​ ​of​ ​Accepted’s​ ​sample​ ​essays​ ​have​ ​been​ ​on​ the ​site​ ​for​ decades and also include helpful analyses as to what makes them work well. It is one of the hundreds of free resources we offer to clients and visitors. ​Admissions​ ​committee​ ​members​ ​are​ ​familiar​ ​with​ our sample essays, so trying to copy them would be extremely foolish. At​ ​one​ ​point,​ ​Jonathan Fuller,​ then ​Senior​ ​Associate​ ​Director​ ​of​ ​Admissions​ ​at​ ​the​ ​Ross​ ​School​ ​of​ ​Business​ ​at​ ​the​ ​University​ ​of Michigan,​ ​even​ ​tweeted:​ ​“I​ ​swear​ ​I​ ​read​ ​Linda’s​ ​exact​ ​sample​ ​essay​ ​a​ ​few​ ​times​ ​in​ ​R1.”​ ​What​ ​do​ ​you think​ ​about​ ​the​ ​authors’​ ​chances​ ​of​ ​acceptance?

Let’s say you have a friend who was accepted last year. Why can’t you use her essay as a guide, template, or source of material?​ ​Ignoring​ ​for​ ​the​ ​moment​ ​the​ ​ethical​ ​implications,​ ​realize​ ​that​ ​many​ ​schools​ ​use​ ​a​ ​service​ ​where​ ​they​ ​check​ ​your​ ​work​ ​against​ ​a​ ​computer​ ​database​ ​of previously​ ​submitted​ ​essays. Also, the schools want to know who you are as a person and a candidate. Why would you pretend to be someone else?

So,​ by all means ​learn​ ​from​ ​the​ ​sample​ ​essays​ ​provided​ ​on​ ​our​ ​site.​ ​That’s​ ​what​ ​they’re​ ​there​ ​for.​ ​But​ ​write​ ​your​ ​own. FYI:​ ​Accepted​ ​will​ ​cease​ ​work​ ​with​ ​clients​ ​who​ ​copy​ ​and​ ​refuse​ ​to​ ​write​ ​their​ ​own​ ​essays​ ​when confronted​ ​with​ ​the​ ​plagiarism.​ ​

Choosing​ ​an​ ​admissions​ ​consultant:​ ​What’s​ ​NOT important

Now that we know what ​to​ ​look​ ​for​ ​in​ ​choosing​ ​an​ ​admission​ ​consultant​ ​and​ ​what​ ​to avoid, let’s ​switch​ ​gears​ ​and​ ​talk​ ​about​ ​what​ ​simply​ ​isn’t​ ​that​ ​important:

Having​ ​a​ ​Degree​ ​for​ ​the​ ​Program​ ​in​ ​Question

Some​ ​applicants​ ​think​ ​that​ ​they’ll​ ​have​ ​a​ ​better​ ​shot​ ​of​ ​getting​ ​into​ ​a​ ​top​ ​school​ ​if​ ​their admissions​ ​consultant​ ​also ​went​ ​to​ ​a​ ​top​ ​school​ ​or​ ​who​ ​has​ ​a​ ​degree​ ​in​ ​the​ ​program​ ​in​ ​question​ ​(e.g.​ ​an MBA​ ​admissions​ ​consultant​ ​with​ ​an​ ​MBA,​ ​or​ ​more​ ​specifically​ ​with​ ​an​ ​MBA​ ​from​ ​your​ ​target​ ​program).

You might logically think, “If​ ​she​ ​got​ ​in,​ ​then​ ​I’m​ ​sure​ ​she​ ​can​ ​help​ ​me​ ​get​ ​in.” However, you need to​ ​think​ ​a​ ​bit​ ​more​ ​broadly.

First​ ​of​ ​all,​ ​applications​ ​change​ ​year​ ​to​ ​year.​ ​The​ ​fact​ ​that​ ​one​ ​admissions​ ​consultant​ ​went​ ​to​ ​a​ ​top b-school​ ​X years ago and​ ​another​ ​didn’t simply isn’t connected at all to their ability to help​ ​you​ ​create​ ​a winning​ ​application. ​​A​ ​consultant​ ​doesn’t​ ​need​ ​to​ ​run​ ​a​ ​company​ ​to​ ​know how​ ​to​ ​ace​ an​ ​MBA​ ​application.​ ​Skills​ ​in​ ​financial​ ​modeling​ ​aren’t​ ​important​ ​when​ ​guiding someone​ ​who​ ​is​ ​applying​ ​to​ ​b-school.​ ​

An​ ​admissions​ ​consultant​ ​needs​ ​to​ ​know​ ​how​ ​to​ ​help​ ​you​ ​tell​ ​your​ ​story​ ​in​ ​a​ ​clear,​ ​coherent,​ ​and compelling​ ​way.​ A good consultant certainly understands what specific schools value, but they don’t have to attend to get that insight. ​Moreover,​ ​not​ ​being​ ​affiliated​ ​with​ ​a​ ​school​ ​(as​ ​an​ ​alum)​ ​may​ ​allow​ ​a​ ​consultant​ ​to encourage​ ​clients​ ​to​ ​look​ ​beyond​ ​stock​ ​choices​ ​or​ ​the​ ​alma​ ​mater​ ​to​ ​explore​ ​other​ ​schools.

Finally,​ ​​​many​ ​admissions​ ​committee​ ​members​ ​don’t​ ​have​ ​program-specific​ ​graduate​ ​degrees​ ​either​.​ ​You​ ​don’t​ ​need​​ ​an​ ​MBA​ ​to​ ​work​ ​in​ ​a​ ​business​ ​school’s​ ​admissions​ ​office.​ ​But​ ​the​ ​admissions​ ​committee members​ ​do​ ​know​ ​how​ ​to​ ​evaluate​ ​an​ ​application.​.

Whether​ ​or​ ​not​ ​consultants​ ​have​ the ​graduate​ ​degree you are trying to obtain ​is​ ​irrelevant​ ​to​ ​their​ ​ability​ ​to​ ​help applicants.​ ​What​ skills and knowledge should they have that will be ​important to you as an applicant?

1. ​Experience with and insight into the admissions process.
2. Outstanding​ ​editing​ ​skills.
3. Mentoring​ ​mojo. ​

Seek​ ​someone​ ​with​ ​those​ ​three​ ​qualities and you will have chosen well.

What’s next?

• Get in touch with one of our experts!
  
  OR
• Sign up for a free consultation and we'll help you figure out the next step towards getting accepted.