5 Biggest Mistakes Business School Applicants Make When Choosing MBA Admissions Consultant (And How To Avoid Making Them)

Are you feeling overwhelmed by the daunting task of navigating the MBA admissions consultant process?

Because crafting compelling resumes, writing essays that captivate, and acing your MBA interviews can be a lot to handle.

You may believe that an MBA admission consultant is the key to guiding you through this complex journey.

However, you might also struggle with nagging thoughts such as –

• “Can I trust someone with my future?“
• “What if I lose my hard-earned money?“
• “What if they don’t deliver what they promised?“
• “What if I end up with a generic application that doesn’t reflect my true self?“

Each of these is a valid fear.

Because choosing the wrong MBA admissions consultant can lead to costly mistakes that can crush your chances of success.

I understand your fears and struggles to find the right MBA admissions consultant because I’ve been in your shoes.

When I was working on my application to a top business school, I struggled to find an MBA admissions consultant who understood my needs and goals.

I still remember how stressful my application journey was when I started out because I was scared that I would be cheated out of my hard-earned money by a consultant who didn’t bring their 100% to coach me on my application.

It was only after I found the right MBA admissions consultant that I started feeling confident about submitting a strong application.

In this blog post, I will address the five common mistakes that business school applicants often make when choosing MBA admission consultants and how you can avoid making those mistakes.

But First, What Exactly Does An MBA Admissions Consultant Do?

If you are new to the MBA application journey, you might be curious about what an MBA admissions consultant is and whether hiring one is worth it.

Let’s delve into why an MBA admission consultant can be a game-changer in the competitive MBA application process:

Expertise –MBA admission consultants have a wealth of experience helping applicants secure spots in top business schools.

Competitive Advantage Insights – By working with a consultant, you gain invaluable insights into the admissions process and what Admissions Committees (or AdComs) look for in applicants.

Personalized Strategy – A consultant can assist you in crafting a tailored strategy for your application. From essay and resume writing to interview preparation, they provide guidance to ensure your unique strengths shine through.

Standout Qualities – Consultants help you identify and emphasize the qualities and experiences that make you stand out from the crowd. They enable you to showcase your individuality in a compelling manner.

Feedback and Improvement – Honest and constructive feedback is an essential component of the consulting experience. Consultants offer valuable guidance to address any weaknesses in your profile and bolster your overall application.

In essence, a reliable MBA admissions consultant simplifies the complexities of the application process. They save you time, alleviate stress, and allow you to balance other aspects of your life while maximizing your chances of success.

Now that we have a foundation, let’s dive into the five common mistakes and discover how to choose the perfect MBA admissions consultant for your needs.

Five Common Mistakes And Tips On How To Avoid Each Mistake

Mistake #1 Choosing a Consultant Without Proper Research

Many applicants make the mistake of hiring an MBA admission consultant based on their credentials alone, without researching their background and experience.

While a consultant’s credentials are important, they should also have a proven track record of success and be able to provide you with references or testimonials from previous clients.

It’s common for applicants to hire consultants who claim to have a high success rate.

However, after working with the consultants, the applicants realize their consultants don’t have much experience working with applicants from their industries and aren’t able to provide valuable insights into their applications.

To avoid these mistakes, it’s important to do your research and due diligence when choosing an MBA admission consultant. Here are some strategies to consider –

• Look for reviews and testimonials from previous clients.
• Check the consultant’s credentials and experience working with applicants from similar backgrounds.
• Schedule a consultation with the consultant to discuss their approach and how they can help you achieve your goals.
• Ask for references and contact them to ask about their experience working with the consultant.
• Consider the consultant’s responsiveness and communication style to ensure that they will be accessible and responsive throughout the application process.

In my experience, the best consultants don’t claim to be “know-it-alls”. They are clear about the industries or roles they understand well and are transparent about their capabilities with their clients.

Mistake #2 Choosing A Consultant Solely Based On Price

While affordability is important, it should not be the only factor in your decision-making process.

Mostly, a cheap consultant lacks the experience, expertise, and ability to provide personalized guidance needed to help you achieve your goals.

Worse, many consultants try to lure you with discounts if you were to sign up for “multi-school” or “multi-service” packages, effectively locking you in.

You end up being at the mercy of such consultants, who once they’ve taken money upfront from you, have no incentive to provide you with top-notch help on your applications.

Most business school applicants who hire consultants solely based on their low prices end up receiving minimal guidance and support, adversely impacting the quality of their applications and their admission chances.

For example, one of my clients who was on a tight budget decided to work with a consultant who offered consulting services at discounted prices.

 However, after working with the consultant, my client realized that the consultant was costing him not just money but also his chances of getting into his dream business school.

Though he decided to terminate the engagement, he ended up losing the money he had paid the consultant upfront.

To avoid these mistakes, it’s important to consider the value of the consultant’s services, not just the price. Here are some strategies to consider –

• Look for a consultant who offers you flexible payment options – this way you can see the quality of their work and how comfortable you are working with them.
• Consider the consultant’s level of personalization and support. Do they have a cap on the number of edits or reviews on your essays and resume? Most applicants require intensive help with editing and rewriting their essays and resumes and struggle enormously if their consultant isn’t able to help them beyond a pre-defined number of essays or resume reviews.
• Compare the prices of several consultants, but don’t make price the sole deciding factor.

To sum up, choosing an MBA admission consultant based solely on price can be a costly mistake. Instead, focus on finding a consultant who provides value, personalized guidance, and a track record of success.

Importantly, the consultant should provide you with flexible payment options rather than locking you in with “multi-school” or “multi-services” discounted packages.

Mistake #3 Choosing a Consultant Who Overpromises

One mistake business school applicants make is choosing a consultant who promises to guarantee admission into their dream school.

While a consultant can certainly improve your chances of admission, no one can guarantee it.

Admission into a top-tier business school is a highly competitive process, and no consultant can guarantee success because admissions decisions are ultimately made by the schools themselves, not the consultants.

Another mistake is choosing a consultant who claims to have insider information or connections with the admissions committee. While it’s true that some consultants may have worked in admissions or have relationships with admissions officers, these connections are not a guarantee of admission.

Some consultants also use aggressive sales tactics to lure in clients, such as offering a free initial consultation and then pressuring them to sign up for their services.

It’s like being offered a free sample at a grocery store and then being forced to buy a cartload of groceries you don’t need.

It’s best to take your time, do your research, and find a consultant who is a good fit for you and your goals.

The MBA admissions consulting world is rife with instances of consultants who promise clients that they would get admitted into top-ranked business schools.

The clients pay hefty fees but receive cookie-cutter applications that don’t highlight their strengths or unique qualities.

To avoid these mistakes, it’s important to be wary of consultants who make unrealistic promises. Here are some strategies to consider –

• Look for a consultant who is transparent and honest about the admissions process. They should be able to explain their approach and the factors that impact admissions decisions.
• Be wary of consultants who claim to have insider information or connections with the admissions committee. These claims are often exaggerated or unsubstantiated.
• Avoid consultants who guarantee admission into a specific school or make exaggerated claims about their success rates.

To sum up, choosing an MBA admission consultant requires due diligence, research, and a healthy dose of skepticism.

Don’t be swayed by flashy promises or aggressive sales tactics.

Look for a consultant who is honest, transparent, and has a proven track record of success.

It’s like choosing a partner, you want someone who is genuine, reliable, and can support you in achieving your goals.

Mistake #4 Choosing a Consultant Who Does Not Understand Your Background or Goals

One mistake that business school applicants make when choosing an MBA admission consultant is selecting someone who doesn’t understand their background or goals.

It’s crucial for the consultant to have a deep understanding of your unique background, goals, and aspirations in order to provide tailored guidance.

I’ve heard anecdotes about applicants who hired consultants without properly vetting their backgrounds. In one instance, the consultant had a background in finance and was unfamiliar with the applicant’s industry, which was semiconductors, or the applicant’s desired career path.

As a result, the consultant provided generic advice that was not relevant to the applicant’s goals. The applicant ultimately received multiple rejections from their target schools, and they realized too late that they had chosen the wrong consultant.

To avoid this mistake, here are some strategies to consider –

• Look for a consultant who has experience working with applicants in your industry or with similar backgrounds. They should be able to understand your goals and provide targeted advice.
• Ask for a consultation with the consultant before committing to their services. Use this opportunity to discuss your background, goals, and aspirations, and ask how the consultant can help you achieve them.
• Request references from previous clients with similar backgrounds or goals to yours. This will give you a sense of whether the consultant has the expertise you need.
• Be clear about your goals and expectations from the beginning. This will ensure that the consultant is aligned with your needs and can provide the guidance you require.
• Look for a consultant who is a good communicator and can explain complex concepts in a way that is easy to understand. This will ensure that you can work together effectively and achieve your goals.

Choosing an MBA admission consultant who doesn’t understand your background or goals can be a costly mistake.

It’s important to take the time to find a consultant who has experience working with applicants in your industry and can provide targeted advice.

By doing your research and asking the right questions, you can find a consultant who fits your needs and can help you achieve your goals.

Mistake #5 Choosing a Consultant Who Does Not Provide Personalized Attention

One of the biggest mistakes business school applicants make when choosing an MBA admission consultant is selecting someone who does not provide personalized attention.

The consultant may be experienced and knowledgeable, but if they don’t take the time to understand your unique situation and provide tailored guidance, they may not be the right fit for you.

The following are commonly faced scenarios by applicants who hired consultants based on their reputation and experience but found that the consultant was not providing the attention they needed.

• The consultants are often unavailable.
• They would often claim to have insider knowledge of the admission process but end up using the same generic approach for all their clients.
• They would only provide generic feedback without considering each applicant’s specific circumstances.
• They would only choose to communicate over emails and refuse to get into calls to clarify questions or concerns.

As a result, the applicants felt frustrated and did not receive the guidance they needed to succeed in the application process.

To avoid this mistake, here are some strategies to consider –

• Look for a consultant who offers personalized attention as part of their services. They should be willing to spend the time to understand your unique situation and provide tailored guidance.
• Ask the consultant about their availability and communication style. They should be responsive to your questions and concerns and be available to provide guidance throughout the application process.
• Check the consultant’s reviews and references to see what other clients have said about their level of attention and support.
• Be clear about your expectations from the beginning. If you need a consultant who will provide hands-on guidance and support, make sure you communicate that to them.
• Consider the consultant’s workload. If they have too many clients, they may not be able to provide the personalized attention you need.

It’s important to find a consultant who is willing to spend the time to understand your unique situation and provide tailored guidance.

Achieve A Seamless MBA Application Journey With The Right MBA Admission Consultant

Let me reassure you that you don’t have to settle for mediocre MBA admission consulting.

By reading this article, you have taken the first step towards making an informed decision and avoiding common mistakes that many business school applicants make.

Remember a good MBA admissions consultant must be able to provide you with

• Personalized attention
• Strategic guidance
• Genuine support throughout the application process.

By taking the time to find the right MBA admission consultant you will

• Save time, money, and energy.
• Increase your chances of getting admitted to your dream business school and receiving scholarships.
• Improve your self-awareness, leadership skills, and career prospects.

So, don’t settle for less than you deserve. Take the time to research, compare, and evaluate MBA admission consultants based on their:

• Track record
• Expertise
• Communication
• Commitment

Ask them tough questions, share your goals and challenges, and see how they respond.

Most importantly, trust your gut and choose the MBA admission consultant who understands your unique story, values your aspirations, and believes in your potential.

We hope that this article has empowered you to make an informed decision and avoid common mistakes.

About MBAEssayNation – Your Strategic Partner

MBAEssayNation’s super personalized services include MBA essay review and editing services, recommendation letter review and editing services, resume review and editing services, and interview preparation.

Our MBA admissions consultants have extensive experience spanning industries and functions. Having worked in senior leadership roles and immersed themselves in the world of entrepreneurship, our MBA admissions consultants bring in-depth and practical experience when working on your application,

As published authors and sought-after public speakers, our MBA admissions consultants are also experts in the field of business storytelling, and the art of writing riveting content, be it for your essays, your resume, and your interview responses.

One of the things our clients have unanimously told us is the top-notch quality of our content written with immense clarity and precision. These are some of the reasons why our clients have received praise during their business school interviews. This is a stupendous achievement and one that’s literally unheard of in the world of MBA applications.

Most importantly, with MBAEssayNation you get a hassle-free experience on your essays, resume and interview responses, all polished to perfection by our expert consultants.

Need help with your essays, LoR, resume, or interview preparation? Work with MBAEssayNation and stride your way to the top of the business school admit lists

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“Before meeting Deepthi, I was struggling with my essays. I had taken help from another admissions consulting company and I had struggled with lot of delays due to their consultants who were very unprofessional. A friend strongly recommended MBAEssayNation to me. And deciding to work with Deepthi and MBAEssayNation was one of the best decisions I took. Her personalized attention and astute feedback helped me refocus on my application with greater confidence.I worked with Deepthi on my ISB business school application and though I reached out to her with just a week before the submission deadlines, she was extremely patient in coaching me with my essays and was always available for a quick call. In fact without her help, I couldn’t have come up with strong post MBA goals. She has a strong industry background which she used to help me to gain more clarity about how my post MBA goals should be structured. All my essays looked brilliant thanks to her and MBAEssayNation. MBAEssayNation is the ONLY reason why I got admits from ISB, Michigan Ross and INSEAD. Highly recommended!“

One of the main things I decided to work with Deepthi is that she is an extremely straightforward person who doesn’t hesitate to share honest feedback about your admit chances or about the various parts of your application. This is something I didn’t anywhere else – most admission consultants will try to lure you by saying you have a strong chance or try to direct you to programs that aren’t a good fit for you, or as in my case, being an older MBA applicant, many admission consultants didn’t want to work with me because they didn’t think I had a shot at getting into the schools I was targeting. During our initial conversations, she told me clearly that as an older applicant to full time MBA programs, my chances of getting an admit might be less but what she could assure was that we’d submit the best applications to the schools I was targeting. And that’s exactly what happened. I got admits from all the schools I had applied to. I took Deepthi’s help for applying to Emory and NUS, and both the schools accepted me with Emory giving me a 50% tuition fee waiver as scholarship. Deepthi expertly turned my lengthy essay drafts into the most compelling essays, she just knows what stories will grab the attention of the AdCom. Without her help, I would have taken months to write my essays. Deepthi would just send me flawless essays within days – felt like magic! Besides the sharply written essays by Deepthi, she coached me splendidly for the video essays to both these schools. I remember for my video essays, I was struggling to identify the right stories and within minutes, Deepthi had already shortlisted and told me the ones I should focus on for my video essays, she’s just that superb with a brilliant eye for detail. I give 100% credit to Deepthi for the enormous success I gained with my business school admits.

“What makes Deepthi an amazing coach is her strong understanding of the process, attention to detail, empathy, ability to quickly identify the stories that will resonate with AdCom, and flexibility in approach. Thanks to her help, from my essays to my interview prep, I was offered an admission from ISB within a week of interviewing. Though I was initially hesitant because I felt that MBAEssayNation’s pricing was on the higher end of the spectrum, I soon realized the huge value I gained from working with Deepthi and MBAEssayNation was far more than the engagement fees I paid. In fact, I even tried working with another consultant because his pricing was lower, and it turned to be a huge waste of time and money. But my time working with Deepthi, I realized she’s the finest MBA consultant – extremely sharp and brilliant at what she does. Overall, Deepthi was my biggest advocate and believed in my application more than even I did. She always encouraged me throughout the process which is something hard to find in the industry. It never felt transactional. By the end, we had become good friends. I 100% give Deepthi my highest recommendation and can confidently say, I would not have been able to get admitted to ISB without her help.“

“Thanks to Deepthi Rajan, MBAEssayNation’s Founder, I got admits from all my 3 dream schools this year – The Indian School of Business (ISB), NUS Business School (NUS) and Nanyang Business School. I would like to conclude by saying this – Deepthi is THE best MBA admissions consultant in India. She’s truly an awesome coach and mentor, who is even more invested in her clients’ success than her clients! That’s really incredible and literally unheard of in this space. That’s why I believe Deepthi and her company MBAEssayNation is a beacon of hope in a space like MBA admissions consulting where most companies are only interested in making money rather than helping their clients succeed. Work with Deepthi and MBAEssayNation if you want the finest essays, resume and the best interview preparation – the seamless experience that you get with MBAEssayNation and the high Return on Investment you achieve thanks to Deepthi’s mentoring is the best value for money.“

“In one simple line – MBAEssayNation will take up 75% – 80% of the efforts towards your MBA application and you need to just put in 20% – 25% of efforts. Whereas with all other MBA Admissions consultants, you will be made to put in the bulk of the work, nearly 80% to 90% of the work, from brainstorming, to shortlisting stories to actually writing and editing your essays, will be done by you. The consultants will only provide “cosmetic” suggestions and advice on your application. Working with Deepthi Ma’am and MBAEssayNation was the best experience I had – I didn’t really to have to worry about my application at any point. And because Deepthi would quickly grasp the essence of my achievements or my career trajectory, and capture all that beautifully in words, I had a very comfortable and almost effortless ISB application experience thanks to her and MBAEssayNation.”

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Ready to get started with MBAEssayNation?

Email us on letsgetstarted@mbaessaynation.com or call us on +91 9901875008 and let us help you submit a stellar application

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