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ApplicantLab was created by a Harvard MBA who wants to teach you MBA admissions secrets others charge thousands for. You’ll create your strongest possible application via interactive, online exercises and videos that guide you every step of the way.
Joined: Jan 14, 2024
Purchased Course: Jul 15, 2023
Purchased Course: Jul 15, 2023
Major: Finance
Industry: Consumer Products
All You Need for your MBA Application with the Lowest Cost-Admitted to Stern and Kenan-Flagler ($$$$)
January 14, 2024- Teacher: Luqzan
- Recommended for —Verbal: No Math: No
- GMAT Scores —Before: N/A After: N/A
To give an overview of my profile and application journey, I applied to 3 M7, 2 T15, and 1 T20 schools. I have below average GMAT and GPA for all of them except 1 T20 school. I knew that I had to craft excellent applications and show the schools that I deeply researched them to stand a chance. And I did that with amazing resources at ApplicantLab. I went 5/6 on interviews and was accepted to Stern and UNC Kenan-Flagler ($$$$). At the start, ApplicantLab does a great job of establishing the right foundation(crafting your vision, why MBA, leadership stories, and resume) – I highly recommend the add-on service Sanity-Check-, which you build upon in later stages(essays and interviews) of your application. After that, Essay Advice and Interview Prep modules give you all you need to know to write killer essays and put your best foot forward during interviews. Maria and her team are super responsive and they really care about the applicant’s success. I used all of their add-on services (sanity check, resume and essay review/polishing, interview prep), which I benefited a lot. In one instance, when I was running out of time to have an essay polishing service for one school before the deadline, Maria advised me to not take the risk and proceed without a polishing service, even though the advice was not in their best interest monetarily. I think this applicant-centric viewpoint and exceptionally detailed information make them the best consulting service out there. To anyone interested in add-on services, I worked with Luqzan for my sanity check, essay/resume reviews, and interview prep. His help and the care he took were incredible throughout my application process. Wishing everyone the best of luck!
Joined: Dec 19, 2023
Purchased Course: Mar 8, 2023
Purchased Course: Mar 8, 2023
Country: United States
Highest ROI of Your Life
December 19, 2023- Teacher: Ken, Luqzan, Carin
- Recommended for —Verbal: No Math: No
- GMAT Scores —Before: N/A After: N/A
If you apply to business school without using ApplicantLab, I think you're doing yourself a disservice. I didn't have any friends or coworkers applying to business school this year, and using just ApplicantLab and the add-on services, I got into Kellogg with a half tuition scholarship. Here's the thing: no matter how uncommon your background, adcom is going to be looking for similar things (i.e. that you've demonstrated leadership, that you can get a job after graduation, that an MBA will fit your needs). It makes NO SENSE to pay thousands of dollars to reinvent the wheel with a traditional admissions consultant. The ApplicantLab modules do a really good job of breaking down the components of a successful MBA application, it just takes time, introspective, and initiative to apply the information to your own circumstances (and if you're applying to business school, you've presumably got ample reserves of time, introspection, and initiative). Christians have the Bible. Celtics fans have the 2008 championship. Every major group has something they pay a religious devotion to. For MBA applicants, that's ApplicantLab's school-specific advice. This is going to be your Rosetta Stone while writing your essays. 2 major value props: it helps you decipher what the school is REALLY asking in the question (believe you me, it's usually far from obvious), and it helps you understand the culture and priorities of each school so you can subtly weave those breadcrumbs in your essays. To me, this is the biggest value of ApplicantLab compared to a traditional admissions consultant. Sure, a traditional consultant could walk you through the high-level components of a business school application and get you equally as prepared for that portion as ApplicantLab (at 10x the price). But I'm very skeptical that the random consultant you get from some agency is going to have in-depth, program-specific knowledge of each of the 5+ programs you're applying for. If you're serious about getting into your dream program, it's a no-brainer. Finally, the add-on services. Big fan of these as well. I think it's very helpful to get a second set of eyes on your materials by someone who has experience with the application process. I'm not sure how traditional consultants do it, but ApplicantLab's process for reviewing essays is completely asynchronous (they record a video explaining how you can improve your essays/resume/etc). I like this for two reasons: it mimics the way adcoms review your essays (you don't get to explain to them why you chose to put that sentence there) and you can review the video as many times as you need. Really solid service, and offered way, way cheaper than a traditional consultant.
Accepted at Booth ($$), Kellogg ($$), and UCLA ($$$$)
June 27, 2023- Teacher: Maria
- Recommended for —Verbal: No Math: No
- GMAT Scores —Before: N/A After: N/A
YOU DO NOT NEED TO SPEND THOUSANDS ON AN ADMISSIONS CONSULTANT. I cannot stress enough how incredibly helpful ApplicantLab was for so good of a price.
• Resume Template – ApplicantLab’s resume template is the most concise, organized, and efficient use of space that I have come across. I had spent multiple unsuccessful weeks looking for a new template to update my resume before signing up for ApplicantLab and nothing came close.
• Essay Breakdown – This is where I spent the majority of my time on the website. Maria breaks down each essay for each school – she puts the essay prompt in the context of the school’s culture and priorities and helps you think from the admissions perspective. It was so so helpful I highly recommend to read through to spark ideas for essays.
• Unique School Info – A lot of what you have to do throughout the admissions process is show why that specific school is the best for you and Maria has so much good information about what makes each program unique that you can incorporate into your essays and interviews.
• Interview prep – She has all sorts of great interview tips and questions typically asked by each of the programs. Maria was incredibly supportive, responsive, and helpful throughout this process. When I submitted an essay for a final polish edit, she was worried it was a little close to the deadline so she filmed a 20 minute video of her breaking down my essay and providing amazing insights to improve my essay. She goes out of her way, above and beyond. This is an amazing one stop shop that gave me direction throughout the daunting application process and helped me get into my dream schools while saving me thousands!!
Joined: Aug 7, 2020
Purchased Course: Mar 20, 2020
Purchased Course: Mar 20, 2020
Country: United States
Incredible resource!
August 7, 2020- Teacher: Carin Nelson
- Recommended for —Verbal: No Math: No
- GMAT Scores —Before: N/A After: N/A
As a deferred applicant, the MBA application process was a mystery to me. I didn't have a network of colleagues who had gone through the process before to lean on. I also didn't have the savings to spend on expensive admissions counselors. ApplicantLab entirely demystified the process and was incredible value for money. The Lab's interface is extremely intuitive. It's perfect for an individual who wants to learn as much as possible about application strategy and school-specific advice before writing a single word. I watched all of Maria's well-researched and well-organized videos for every school I applied to and followed the Lab's concrete steps to develop my career vision/story. I intend to pursue social innovation and much of my past experience is in the public sector; the Lab's process helped me hone in on my strengths and weaknesses and taught me how to showcase my strengths in a way that allowed me to stay true to my story while still presenting a stronger application than I would've been able to alone. I also leveraged the extra services, namely the Sanity Check and Mock Interview. Carin was really thorough and helped me practice answers that I struggled with and honed in on subtleties that I wouldn't have noticed alone. In the end, I was accepted to three deferred programs, including Berkeley Haas, Chicago Booth, and Wharton. Both Maria and Carin were so helpful throughout the process and are really invested in all their users' experiences. I can't recommend ApplicantLab enough!
Joined: Jul 16, 2020
Purchased Course: Mar 16, 2020
Purchased Course: Mar 16, 2020
College: Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur
Major: Engineering
Major: Engineering
Industry: Consulting
Country: India
Country: India
ApplicantLab is the BEST resource out there, even for deferred applicants!
July 16, 2020- Teacher: Maria Wich-Vila
- Recommended for —Verbal: No Math: No
- GMAT Scores —Before: N/A After: N/A
I got into Wharton and Chicago Booth as a deferred applicant, and I owe all the success to Maria and ApplicantLab!! As a deferred applicant, I was very skeptical about using ApplicantLab, because I felt that most of the advice was for traditional applicants with work experience, and I wasn't sure how without any personal interaction I'd be able to craft a compelling story. I did my research and talked to over 10 admissions consultants through the free consultations, but as a deferred applicant with no savings of my own, I couldn't get myself to spend thousands of dollars, and after reading numerous amazing reviews, I decided to go ahead with ApplicantLab. I was proven so wrong about my apprehensions from the first day I started to use the lab. This is what I absolutely loved about ApplicantLab, and why I feel EVERYONE needs to stop using traditional consultants and switch to ApplicantLab: 1) The lab took me through a step by step process, starting from identifying my strengths and weaknesses, to very specific advice for all parts of the application. The videos and the advice was so thorough that I didn't need to look anywhere else. The lab helped me with the exact structure of the essays, resume, and other short questions in the application. 2) Maria and Carin are available at all times, and every time I'd send them any doubts through the chat feature on the ApplicantLab, they'd get back to me with to the point answers. I could see from her responses that Maria was super interested in my story and wanted me to succeed. 3) The interview module is OUT OF THIS WORLD, and the approach ApplicantLab has for all the specific interview questions is going to help me all my life!! 4) I also used the additional services, including sanity check (career vision and resume review) and essay review. If not for these services, I would've made a couple of huge blunders in my applications! But, that being said, if you're diligently following the advice on the lab, you won't even need these services and the lab should be enough. But, it really helped me in turning a good resume/essay into a great one. Maria has done a fantastic job with ApplicantLab, and where consultants would've charged me over 5000$ for my applications, I got in with spending just 269$. Don't think twice, go with ApplicantLab!
Joined: Mar 23, 2020
Purchased Course: Oct 26, 2019
Purchased Course: Oct 26, 2019
Major: Mathematics
Industry: Consulting
Country: Philippines
Country: Philippines
Efficient, Effective, helps you go the Extra Mile
March 23, 2020- Teacher: Maria Wich-Vila
- Recommended for —Verbal: No Math: No
- GMAT Scores —Before: N/A After: N/A
Efficient! As someone in Asia, online modules are an effective way to learn more about the MBA application process and how to navigate it without having to grapple with time zone differences (other consultants are willing to bridge the gap, but I can say this: it's not the same). Being a series of online modules also gave me a broader view of what I needed to convey, as the big picture is laid out already and I can just self-correct when I learn more about the details. Very effective! Within the first few modules, I already spotted red flags with how I was approaching the process. This helped me fine-tune and structure my essay-writing, video-recording, and my story overall. The key points were laid out in digestible forms that make it concrete and actionable, which helps A LOT when you're juggling several applications with work and other things. Lastly, Maria gave thinking points that helped me reach out to alums/current students better, which boosted information-gathering (and morale!). Students from all schools I applied to actually responded to my e-mails, some agreed to a call, and one of them even gave positive feedback on my line of questioning (which came from Maria). Overall, ApplicantLab is strong even before you consider the price. It gets better when you see they charge a fraction of what others do.
Yale & Ross Admit with Full Scholarships
March 19, 2019- Teacher: Maria Wich-Vila
- Recommended for —Verbal: No Math: No
- GMAT Scores —Before: N/A After: N/A
I cannot say enough good things about Maria and the ApplicantLab software. The software gives very detailed advice and really helps you navigate what AdComs are ?really? looking for in their questions. I did not have a stellar GPA or GMAT but thanks to ApplicantLab and Maria?s reviews of my essays, I was able to leverage my strengths and got full scholarships to Ross and Yale, got interviews at ALL the schools that I applied to (including MIT Sloan) and will have all my school decisions in by April. Maria truly cares about the success of her clients, and I know I could not have done this without her! Especially if you are unfamiliar with the MBA process and need detailed guidance, ApplicantLab is a must!
REMOVE THE NOISE (NEGATIVE AND POSITIVE)
March 6, 2019- Teacher: Maria
- Recommended for —Verbal: No Math: No
- GMAT Scores —Before: N/A After: N/A
I must write and share this story because it will help not only one but everyone in the applicant pool for all the MBA programs out there. A story of ONE for ALL.
I am more than 35 years old ? A NO NO for all the consultants (considered too old)
I have 2 undergrad degrees ? A NO NO for all the consultants (considered a degree collector)
One GPA is very low, under 2.8 ? A NO NO for all the consultants
One GPA is high, above 3.5 ? Just OK for all the consultants
High GMAT, above 730 ? A plus for all the consultants
Have not worked for a well known company ? A NO NO for all the consultants
AND
I just finished my interviews for Columbia, Wharton, and SLOAN.
So how did I do it so far? And how much money I have spent? ApplicantLAB and only $250.
I must thank all the consultants who refused to help me because they considered me as a risky case for their credibility of getting people in to top 10 schools.
I decided to study MBA because I wanted the knowledge and backbone to start my own idea, my own business. I did not know I was considered too old and considered as an outlier! I just knew this is what I want to learn! This is What I want to do with this part of my life!
So I went ahead and studied for GMAT (best resources: Manhattan GMAT and GMAT CLUB ? more on GMAT history later and will share with you all my FLASH CARDS) I got a score above 730.
Then I started looking for books on amazon on how to apply for MBA. The first book that came up on Amazon was a book written by one of the famous consultants, who charge more than $350
Per hour. On the first 20 pages, it was written about the consulting company of the author and how it has advantages if I use a consultant for this journey. So after finishing the book, I went to the recommended consultancy website and signed up for a free 30 minutes consultation.
I entered my age, my GPA, and my GMAT score. After one week, when I received no response, I sent another form, still no response! So I called and spoke with the company! I was promised a call back that I never received! I could not understand WHY!
So I bought another book on Amazon from another consultancy company. I contacted them for a 30 minutes free consultation, during which I was told the following:
? You are too old
? Your GPA is too low
? You have not worked for a renowned company like Google or Apple
? You may be only accepted in a part time program or executive MBA and only for schools that are ranked 10-20.
When I told them my dream schools are Sloan, Wharton, and Columbia, I was told, well they are all really stretch schools for you. It will not happen.
So I researched online and went to the most renowned MBA website out there (for privacy reasons I will opt out to name names) and wrote down the top 10 consultants listed on that website. I was so sad and could have not believed what that consultant had told me! Was taking the GMAT and spending all that time a waste? Why am I not a good fit? I am smart, determined, and I know exactly what I want.
The story above repeated itself but even worse. One very famous consultancy company told me that they will make an exception and will take my case only with a freelance consultant who works for them occasionally. They charged me about $400 for the first 2 hours. I called and told my story for 45 minutes during which the consultant was completely quiet and then she/he told me that she/he will contact me after her/his analysis. I already had done so much research that I knew exactly what my weaknesses and strengths are and I had already told all of them during that 45 minutes. After 2 weeks of not hearing from her/him, I contacted the consultant and was told that she/he has been too busy and they will try to send me the analysis in 2-3 business days. 3 weeks of my precious time passed and I received an email that was the duplicate of what I had said in that 45 minutes and at the end saying that I should only target schools that are ranked 10-20 and only the executive programs! When I asked for the rest of my 1 hour and 15 minutes to talk about my resume, I was told that she/he has taken that time to write that analysis and if I want more time I have to buy another 2 hours! :O I was furious because I had lost 3 weeks and had received my own insights as $400 analysis!!!!!! That situation could have not been more like that of being stuck with a horrible lawyer that sends you to the prison at the end! Another consultant told me that he/she will get back to me and never did! He/she refused to even respond to my follow up email.
I had heard about ApplicantLab the year before but I was hesitant because it was only $300! How can it be that all consultants charge $5000 and above for guidance on one school only and this website offers unlimited advice on unlimited schools for $300!
I had no choice but to use ApplicantLab! And I am believer that everything happens for a reason! I am so HAPPY that all the top 10 ranked consultants refused my case because then I would have not used ApplicantLab and I would have not been where I am today! I also realized that I do not need the noise that I am too old, or I am not fancy enough! I wanted only my noise on my applications and that was this is what I want to do and this is where I want to study and I am going to do my best to get it! That is the only noise you need
Before these consultants, I did not even know that you could be considered too old for learning!
ApplicantLab helped me with all the following,
? Helped to realize what schools are truly my dream schools! I have added and deleted schools from my list because of ApplicantLab! Because of ApplicantLab I learned
o How to research schools.
o How to contact students of each school. How to approach them! What is the politest way to contact them! What to expect! what to ask and how to ask!
o How to learn more about the community, culture, and learning experience of each school.
? Helped me realize why I really want an MBA. True Selfawareness
? Maria, the founder of applicantlab, has provided, extremely detailed and thorough research on each school and has provided very detailed instruction videos on each school. There are details from how to contact students, research schools, to how to craft your essays and build your stories and there is even details on how to fill out the forms of each school and you know that each school?s form is different from the other! But she has even those covered in videos and writing!!!!
? Maria has even constant and immediate updates on each school?s academic change from curriculum to application requirements.
? There is a MAY WE HELP YOU form at the bottom of each page, that you can fill out and receive an immediate response from Maria or Karin on ANY QUESTION OR CONCERN YOU MAY HAVE AT NO CHARGE! There is no ?it took me 30 minutes to answer this question of yours and you owe me 100 dollars!? in ApplicantLab. Pure and Genuine HELP!!! IF I were Maria I would charge users! Every time I sent a question about my resume or application or story or essay, I got an answer in less than 24 hours!
? There is detailed help on how to do your interviews from the over the internet ones to the one on ones
? There is also Sanity check, resume, essay editing help which I highly recommend to sign up for as they are very much affordable and extremely valuable and I wish I took more advantage of them! The last-minute sanity check that I did, was just completely path changing as Karin saw stories in my essays that I thought are not important but were! And pointed out stories that are not as important and I thought they were.
Do not let the noise of consultants (=lawyers) deter you from the path you want to go and community you want to be part of! Do not spend thousands of dollars and let someone else tell you what schools or programs you should go to.
Sign up with ApplicantLab, and find yourself, find your voice, and better understand the schools that you want to go to and NEVER EVER GIVE UP ON YOUR DREAM NO MATTER HOW OLD YOU ARE OR WHAT GPA YOU HAVE.
I have reached out to more than the 10 top consultants and I have done thorough research and examination on this path. My advice is coming from my journey and my heart!
None of those consultant would have ever dreamed that I would get interview invitations from Columbia, Wharton, and Sloan.
In the movie ?pursuit of happiness?, the father tells his son that ?don?t ever let anyone tell you that you cannot do something because it only means that they cannot do it?
So don?t let any consultant tell you that you cannot go to a certain program because it only means that they cannot do it!
Best of luck all of you
positivelyMBA
MBAblueredwhite
I am more than 35 years old ? A NO NO for all the consultants (considered too old)
I have 2 undergrad degrees ? A NO NO for all the consultants (considered a degree collector)
One GPA is very low, under 2.8 ? A NO NO for all the consultants
One GPA is high, above 3.5 ? Just OK for all the consultants
High GMAT, above 730 ? A plus for all the consultants
Have not worked for a well known company ? A NO NO for all the consultants
AND
I just finished my interviews for Columbia, Wharton, and SLOAN.
So how did I do it so far? And how much money I have spent? ApplicantLAB and only $250.
I must thank all the consultants who refused to help me because they considered me as a risky case for their credibility of getting people in to top 10 schools.
I decided to study MBA because I wanted the knowledge and backbone to start my own idea, my own business. I did not know I was considered too old and considered as an outlier! I just knew this is what I want to learn! This is What I want to do with this part of my life!
So I went ahead and studied for GMAT (best resources: Manhattan GMAT and GMAT CLUB ? more on GMAT history later and will share with you all my FLASH CARDS) I got a score above 730.
Then I started looking for books on amazon on how to apply for MBA. The first book that came up on Amazon was a book written by one of the famous consultants, who charge more than $350
Per hour. On the first 20 pages, it was written about the consulting company of the author and how it has advantages if I use a consultant for this journey. So after finishing the book, I went to the recommended consultancy website and signed up for a free 30 minutes consultation.
I entered my age, my GPA, and my GMAT score. After one week, when I received no response, I sent another form, still no response! So I called and spoke with the company! I was promised a call back that I never received! I could not understand WHY!
So I bought another book on Amazon from another consultancy company. I contacted them for a 30 minutes free consultation, during which I was told the following:
? You are too old
? Your GPA is too low
? You have not worked for a renowned company like Google or Apple
? You may be only accepted in a part time program or executive MBA and only for schools that are ranked 10-20.
When I told them my dream schools are Sloan, Wharton, and Columbia, I was told, well they are all really stretch schools for you. It will not happen.
So I researched online and went to the most renowned MBA website out there (for privacy reasons I will opt out to name names) and wrote down the top 10 consultants listed on that website. I was so sad and could have not believed what that consultant had told me! Was taking the GMAT and spending all that time a waste? Why am I not a good fit? I am smart, determined, and I know exactly what I want.
The story above repeated itself but even worse. One very famous consultancy company told me that they will make an exception and will take my case only with a freelance consultant who works for them occasionally. They charged me about $400 for the first 2 hours. I called and told my story for 45 minutes during which the consultant was completely quiet and then she/he told me that she/he will contact me after her/his analysis. I already had done so much research that I knew exactly what my weaknesses and strengths are and I had already told all of them during that 45 minutes. After 2 weeks of not hearing from her/him, I contacted the consultant and was told that she/he has been too busy and they will try to send me the analysis in 2-3 business days. 3 weeks of my precious time passed and I received an email that was the duplicate of what I had said in that 45 minutes and at the end saying that I should only target schools that are ranked 10-20 and only the executive programs! When I asked for the rest of my 1 hour and 15 minutes to talk about my resume, I was told that she/he has taken that time to write that analysis and if I want more time I have to buy another 2 hours! :O I was furious because I had lost 3 weeks and had received my own insights as $400 analysis!!!!!! That situation could have not been more like that of being stuck with a horrible lawyer that sends you to the prison at the end! Another consultant told me that he/she will get back to me and never did! He/she refused to even respond to my follow up email.
I had heard about ApplicantLab the year before but I was hesitant because it was only $300! How can it be that all consultants charge $5000 and above for guidance on one school only and this website offers unlimited advice on unlimited schools for $300!
I had no choice but to use ApplicantLab! And I am believer that everything happens for a reason! I am so HAPPY that all the top 10 ranked consultants refused my case because then I would have not used ApplicantLab and I would have not been where I am today! I also realized that I do not need the noise that I am too old, or I am not fancy enough! I wanted only my noise on my applications and that was this is what I want to do and this is where I want to study and I am going to do my best to get it! That is the only noise you need
Before these consultants, I did not even know that you could be considered too old for learning!
ApplicantLab helped me with all the following,
? Helped to realize what schools are truly my dream schools! I have added and deleted schools from my list because of ApplicantLab! Because of ApplicantLab I learned
o How to research schools.
o How to contact students of each school. How to approach them! What is the politest way to contact them! What to expect! what to ask and how to ask!
o How to learn more about the community, culture, and learning experience of each school.
? Helped me realize why I really want an MBA. True Selfawareness
? Maria, the founder of applicantlab, has provided, extremely detailed and thorough research on each school and has provided very detailed instruction videos on each school. There are details from how to contact students, research schools, to how to craft your essays and build your stories and there is even details on how to fill out the forms of each school and you know that each school?s form is different from the other! But she has even those covered in videos and writing!!!!
? Maria has even constant and immediate updates on each school?s academic change from curriculum to application requirements.
? There is a MAY WE HELP YOU form at the bottom of each page, that you can fill out and receive an immediate response from Maria or Karin on ANY QUESTION OR CONCERN YOU MAY HAVE AT NO CHARGE! There is no ?it took me 30 minutes to answer this question of yours and you owe me 100 dollars!? in ApplicantLab. Pure and Genuine HELP!!! IF I were Maria I would charge users! Every time I sent a question about my resume or application or story or essay, I got an answer in less than 24 hours!
? There is detailed help on how to do your interviews from the over the internet ones to the one on ones
? There is also Sanity check, resume, essay editing help which I highly recommend to sign up for as they are very much affordable and extremely valuable and I wish I took more advantage of them! The last-minute sanity check that I did, was just completely path changing as Karin saw stories in my essays that I thought are not important but were! And pointed out stories that are not as important and I thought they were.
Do not let the noise of consultants (=lawyers) deter you from the path you want to go and community you want to be part of! Do not spend thousands of dollars and let someone else tell you what schools or programs you should go to.
Sign up with ApplicantLab, and find yourself, find your voice, and better understand the schools that you want to go to and NEVER EVER GIVE UP ON YOUR DREAM NO MATTER HOW OLD YOU ARE OR WHAT GPA YOU HAVE.
I have reached out to more than the 10 top consultants and I have done thorough research and examination on this path. My advice is coming from my journey and my heart!
None of those consultant would have ever dreamed that I would get interview invitations from Columbia, Wharton, and Sloan.
In the movie ?pursuit of happiness?, the father tells his son that ?don?t ever let anyone tell you that you cannot do something because it only means that they cannot do it?
So don?t let any consultant tell you that you cannot go to a certain program because it only means that they cannot do it!
Best of luck all of you
positivelyMBA
MBAblueredwhite
ApplicantLab is a godsend for nontraditional applicants
February 22, 2019- Teacher: Maria
- Recommended for —Verbal: No Math: No
- GMAT Scores —Before: N/A After: N/A
As a nontraditional business school applicant with public policy experience and no GMAT score (I only took the GRE), I initially thought I didn't have much of a chance at getting accepted to top MBA programs. I balked at the prices of most private admissions consultants, but fortunately one of them referred me to ApplicantLab.
ApplicantLab was a godsend: it taught me how to describe my story and experience in a way that would appeal to business schools, and eventually helped me land interviews and acceptances to some of the top programs in the country, including Sloan and HBS! I also bought a few hours of review time (as well as interview prep) from Maria herself, and her advice and guidance was absolutely indispensable. Her unparalleled insight into the business school admissions process helped me identify and fix a number of weaknesses in my application, and I would not have have found a way to translate my policy experience into a business-oriented career vision without her expertise.
Considering the affordability of ApplicantLab versus other private consultants, the value you receive is off the charts. Whether you consider yourself a standard applicant with a business/consulting background or someone like me who comes from an entirely different world? it's a no brainer! I cannot recommend ApplicantLab and Maria highly enough.
ApplicantLab was a godsend: it taught me how to describe my story and experience in a way that would appeal to business schools, and eventually helped me land interviews and acceptances to some of the top programs in the country, including Sloan and HBS! I also bought a few hours of review time (as well as interview prep) from Maria herself, and her advice and guidance was absolutely indispensable. Her unparalleled insight into the business school admissions process helped me identify and fix a number of weaknesses in my application, and I would not have have found a way to translate my policy experience into a business-oriented career vision without her expertise.
Considering the affordability of ApplicantLab versus other private consultants, the value you receive is off the charts. Whether you consider yourself a standard applicant with a business/consulting background or someone like me who comes from an entirely different world? it's a no brainer! I cannot recommend ApplicantLab and Maria highly enough.
Joined: Feb 20, 2019
Purchased Course: Nov 11, 2018
Purchased Course: Nov 11, 2018
Major: Finance
Country: Russia
thank you AdmissionsLab
February 20, 2019- Teacher: Maria Wich-Villa
- Recommended for —Verbal: No Math: No
- GMAT Scores —Before: N/A After: N/A
Hi,
I would like to share here my story.
GPA 3.9 out of 5
TOEFL 109
GMAT 710
masters in economic cybernetics and PhD in economics (Russia)
I have prepared my essays and applications using the ApplicationLab and have an interview training with Maria.
First and most important about the applicantlab:
it helps you identify how to present your story in a better way, what to highlight and what is not at all important.
Secondly,
it helps to identify the examples you should give in your essays - which are valuable to the admissions.
thirdly,
it shows what each school is looking for in their students (it saves a lot of time for the applicant, you have all the information at hand)
Finally, it is a great value for money. Other consultants charge by hour and it takes much more budget to allocate.
Regarding the interview: Maria was great asking the most severe questions and giving great feedback. After this trial real interview was really easy, because Maria covered almost all the questions I was asked.
So, I got admitted to Stanford, MIT and Chicago. And HBS executive program.
Thank you, ApplicantLab. It is our common success!
I would like to share here my story.
GPA 3.9 out of 5
TOEFL 109
GMAT 710
masters in economic cybernetics and PhD in economics (Russia)
I have prepared my essays and applications using the ApplicationLab and have an interview training with Maria.
First and most important about the applicantlab:
it helps you identify how to present your story in a better way, what to highlight and what is not at all important.
Secondly,
it helps to identify the examples you should give in your essays - which are valuable to the admissions.
thirdly,
it shows what each school is looking for in their students (it saves a lot of time for the applicant, you have all the information at hand)
Finally, it is a great value for money. Other consultants charge by hour and it takes much more budget to allocate.
Regarding the interview: Maria was great asking the most severe questions and giving great feedback. After this trial real interview was really easy, because Maria covered almost all the questions I was asked.
So, I got admitted to Stanford, MIT and Chicago. And HBS executive program.
Thank you, ApplicantLab. It is our common success!
Joined: Feb 4, 2019
Purchased Course: May 21, 2018
Purchased Course: May 21, 2018
Country: Australia
Humble Beginnings
February 4, 2019- Teacher:
- Recommended for —Verbal: No Math: No
- GMAT Scores —Before: N/A After: N/A
Just like so many others, I am a long time (1.5 years) lurker.
First, some background to put my story in context.
I, like so many others here, had always wanted to do an MBA. However, my exposure to international options was limited. I never appeared for CAT/ XAT or any other Indian competitive exam either.
I felt comfortably settled in my job with early promotions and decent hikes as milestones.
Fast forward to April 2017, my husband calls me in office and says ? the visa application results came through. I am flying off probably by June.
Umm..
Okaaayyy.. what now? I love my job!
The voice at the back of my head said ? this is your chance!! What could be better timing, it has fallen in your lap like a gift, now Go and Get IT! Now is when you can realize your dream of an MBA and become golden.
My husband and I had always discussed what will we do when he moves to US ? the plan was always for me to go for an MBA. But all of these talks were on the dining table, I had never studied for it or taken any serious action.
Until I just had to.
While helping him pack and move, I enrolled in a local GMAT coaching centre, with a dream to go to H/W/S.. lol. Excuse my lofty aspirations, I was na?ve and ignorant.
I studied at the GMAT coaching centre, while also researching about the process and the requirements.
My office ? however mundane you might imagine it to be considering that I am an IT analytics consultant - is very demanding. I have to put in 60+ hour work weeks at intervals ? not regularly though.
Fast forward to me juggling office and GMAT ? I appeared for the exam 1.5 months into my initial introduction to it.
640.
To be fair ? I had scored only 640 on GMATPrep1 and 680 on GMATPrep2 right the day before exam (both on same day one day right before the real GMAT ? I know, stupid).
However, I was greedy and hoping that I would miraculously score a 730. I kept reading stories of people who only got 600s on GMATPreps and scored 720+ on the real exam and prayed and hoped that something like this would happen to me too.
I was not one of them.
I was, however, determined. I cried in the cab on my way back home. I mourned and cried and pitied myself for exactly 1.5 days and got back into the game.
Purchased GMATClub tests for quant. Studied verbal by doing and redoing the official GMAT guide.
28 days later ? appeared for the exam again.
Received a 710.
I was not happy. I was not sad. I broke the 700 mark. My husband was ecstatic. But I, having read so many debriefs, knew that it was not enough (and they said 720 is the new 700, so no trophies there).
I did not go to an IIT. Did not work for a fantastic glamorous firm. My undergrad college is not even among the top 100 (dare I say 200) in the country.
I did not have amazing extra-curriculars.
I, however, had a lifelong dream of finally becoming golden with that silver bullet of an MBA.
I decided to go ahead and apply with my dismal 710 score. I worked with 2 consultancies, applied to 5 with the first one, and 3 with the other one. I was invited for interview by 3 schools. One of them was Kellogg (doesn?t it interview everyone anyway), Tepper (they had a Women?s weekend ? I received the invite 3 days after hitting submit on my application - did they get time to read my application?), and ISB. I was also waitlisted without interviews by 2 schools.
None of the offers were converted.
I was adamant to break through the top 20 schools. I had read about how hard it is for an IT Indian, but really had no idea how cut-throat the competition in-doing was.
When the last decision came through in March-end 2018, I was in a very dark place. To say that it was rock-bottom is an understatement, I could not sleep and could not eat. I took the rejection very badly.
Which in itself shows how ?un-ready? for business school I really was.
Tip ? you can practice getting rejected while you?re at it to fare better in this process. I, for example, started asking for random upgrades in flights and hotels. I was almost always rejected (almost ? because I wasn?t once). And it helped rewire my brain to take rejections as part of my daily life. They may say yes, or they may say no ? but really, you?re not doing that bad right now either.
A new opportunity to travel to international client location came through to me at that time. Since I was looking for a change, anything to break through the night, I said yes straightaway.
After the initial sting of rejection subsided, I started to reflect on my applications and interviews. First things first, the goal ? I had said MBB on my applications. For someone like me, with 710, no golden undergrad, no prior management consulting experience, it was downright stupid. The 2 consultants that I had worked with did not find that goal unrealistic at all.
Second - my essays weren?t really that honest either ? they were doused in what I thought I should say, and what I thought would make me look like a winner in front of the adcom ? aka ? no sincerity (came through even to me during those re-reads). Nothing from the 2 consultants on THAT either.
I decided to discuss what I thought with one of the more ?intimate? consultancies of the two ? I said that I thought that my goal was probably too ambitious/ unrealistic for someone without a golden pedigree.
The response came ? ?we are happy to work with you this time (no feedback on the goals statement) ? however, having said that, you were punching above your weight in the last cycle, and looks like you are trying to do the same this time too. The schools you are targeting are all??jksdnjsvjheg? ? translated to me as ? ?you have no shot, apply to lower colleges kiddo?.
It felt like a punch.
When I went into that first application cycle, I was delusional, sure. However, I had realised how difficult it really is during the process. The reason I paid so much money to these consultants was for them to help me realize this dream ? I already know its hard. But can you help me?? Or if you cannot, can you be honest during or before the process, and not after-the-fact?
If there is just one thing that you consider while choosing to work with a consultant, it is ?
? They should believe in you.
Now to all you brilliant people, it might sound too romantic and perhaps even stupid. But for me, the belief is the only secret ingredient. The consultant should be a person who holds nothing back and gives you all the advice that they think will help you. Regardless of your undergrad, or your work ex, or your GMAT score.
I think the consultant who works with any applicant should not know about these details at all. One person can do the identification of the schools they think are right for you based on your profile, but the one who helps with your application should know nothing; except you as a person and your essay story. (business advice for you all boutique consultants).
Anyway ? as I settled into the new international location, I started studying again for GMAT.
Appeared for the test a month later. 710 again (Q48 V40). Felt like a loser.
But decided to go ahead with applications again, to work harder on them, and apply to ?lower? ranked schools.
I did not want to pay thousands of dollars to any consultant.
But I still wanted to make sure I don?t miss the mark by 100000 kilometres. I had read reviews of ApplicantLab, and decided to go for the trial version of the application.
It blew my mind.
And considering that the cost was almost only as much as 1 school?s application fee for UNLIMITED applications, I decided to go for it straightaway.
Maria is brilliant. If you just go through with the tool and see the amount of hard work that she has done ? for EVERY school?s application form ? you will understand and marvel at her brilliance.
In one of her advice videos (in some relevant context) she says ? ?these schools are good, but they are not HOGWARTS?. I disagree ? hers has definitely contributed in making her a magician - and ApplicantLab is pure magic.
What distinguishes ApplicantLab in my opinion ?
? Price - I mean, seriously?
? Quality of advice is just plain spectacular ? here?s the thing ?
o the tool does not know if you scored a 780 or 650. It does not know if you are Minister of Foreign Affairs or a software engineer.
o the tool does not ? cannot ? hold back. The advice remains the same for a 780 and a 650 person.
o The tool gives you advice EVEN FOR THE other APPLICATION COMPONENTS ? which, IMHO, tend to make or break your chances. So fine, you did brilliant with your essays using that 780-score advice from the ?consultant?. What about the rest of the 12 pages you need to fill on the form? The adcom goes through all of it while making their decision, not just your essays.
o Maria is brilliant.
? Step-by-step process ?
o You get started, and you build upon your strengths and weaknesses.
o You have everything documented, from what you can leverage to where can you show improvement, and how.
? Interview advice ?
o Does not charge extra for it.
o And it is just plain brilliant (you know, Maria).
? Turnaround time ?
o Ok, so you may think that working with a ?real? person gives you more intimate/ quicker/ personalized advice. But in my case atleast, the ?consultants? had a turnaround time of 3-4 working days. ApplicantLab has a small box at the right-hand side corner of her tool ? you just type in your question, and ladies and gentlemen, I kid you not, Maria or someone from her team, HAS ALWAYS responded within 1.5 days (working or not).
o And the advice is pure gold.
I can go on and on, but I am already close to 2000 words and I should really get back to work.
As parting words - I have cracked into 3 of the top 10-20 schools with big sums of scholarships, ISB, a top 10 school without scholarship, and have 4 top-15 waitlists. Two schools have rejected me ? which was my wrong-doing ? I rushed the application for one of them and recorded the essay for another in ?not-a-right-state? of mind.
And, I am a reapplicant to all of the above schools.
The above is just my perspective, and my journey.
There will be many bumps on your road, and you will meet many people who will tell you that your dream is unrealistic. For all that its worth, it might be ? but it might also not be ? and it is our duty to do justice to ourselves, and try just one more time.
The night is dark and full of terrors ? but hear this, young men and women, the earth is yours and the fullness thereof. Be kind but be fierce. - Winston Churchill.
But hey, if the shoe fits. :)
First, some background to put my story in context.
I, like so many others here, had always wanted to do an MBA. However, my exposure to international options was limited. I never appeared for CAT/ XAT or any other Indian competitive exam either.
I felt comfortably settled in my job with early promotions and decent hikes as milestones.
Fast forward to April 2017, my husband calls me in office and says ? the visa application results came through. I am flying off probably by June.
Umm..
Okaaayyy.. what now? I love my job!
The voice at the back of my head said ? this is your chance!! What could be better timing, it has fallen in your lap like a gift, now Go and Get IT! Now is when you can realize your dream of an MBA and become golden.
My husband and I had always discussed what will we do when he moves to US ? the plan was always for me to go for an MBA. But all of these talks were on the dining table, I had never studied for it or taken any serious action.
Until I just had to.
While helping him pack and move, I enrolled in a local GMAT coaching centre, with a dream to go to H/W/S.. lol. Excuse my lofty aspirations, I was na?ve and ignorant.
I studied at the GMAT coaching centre, while also researching about the process and the requirements.
My office ? however mundane you might imagine it to be considering that I am an IT analytics consultant - is very demanding. I have to put in 60+ hour work weeks at intervals ? not regularly though.
Fast forward to me juggling office and GMAT ? I appeared for the exam 1.5 months into my initial introduction to it.
640.
To be fair ? I had scored only 640 on GMATPrep1 and 680 on GMATPrep2 right the day before exam (both on same day one day right before the real GMAT ? I know, stupid).
However, I was greedy and hoping that I would miraculously score a 730. I kept reading stories of people who only got 600s on GMATPreps and scored 720+ on the real exam and prayed and hoped that something like this would happen to me too.
I was not one of them.
I was, however, determined. I cried in the cab on my way back home. I mourned and cried and pitied myself for exactly 1.5 days and got back into the game.
Purchased GMATClub tests for quant. Studied verbal by doing and redoing the official GMAT guide.
28 days later ? appeared for the exam again.
Received a 710.
I was not happy. I was not sad. I broke the 700 mark. My husband was ecstatic. But I, having read so many debriefs, knew that it was not enough (and they said 720 is the new 700, so no trophies there).
I did not go to an IIT. Did not work for a fantastic glamorous firm. My undergrad college is not even among the top 100 (dare I say 200) in the country.
I did not have amazing extra-curriculars.
I, however, had a lifelong dream of finally becoming golden with that silver bullet of an MBA.
I decided to go ahead and apply with my dismal 710 score. I worked with 2 consultancies, applied to 5 with the first one, and 3 with the other one. I was invited for interview by 3 schools. One of them was Kellogg (doesn?t it interview everyone anyway), Tepper (they had a Women?s weekend ? I received the invite 3 days after hitting submit on my application - did they get time to read my application?), and ISB. I was also waitlisted without interviews by 2 schools.
None of the offers were converted.
I was adamant to break through the top 20 schools. I had read about how hard it is for an IT Indian, but really had no idea how cut-throat the competition in-doing was.
When the last decision came through in March-end 2018, I was in a very dark place. To say that it was rock-bottom is an understatement, I could not sleep and could not eat. I took the rejection very badly.
Which in itself shows how ?un-ready? for business school I really was.
Tip ? you can practice getting rejected while you?re at it to fare better in this process. I, for example, started asking for random upgrades in flights and hotels. I was almost always rejected (almost ? because I wasn?t once). And it helped rewire my brain to take rejections as part of my daily life. They may say yes, or they may say no ? but really, you?re not doing that bad right now either.
A new opportunity to travel to international client location came through to me at that time. Since I was looking for a change, anything to break through the night, I said yes straightaway.
After the initial sting of rejection subsided, I started to reflect on my applications and interviews. First things first, the goal ? I had said MBB on my applications. For someone like me, with 710, no golden undergrad, no prior management consulting experience, it was downright stupid. The 2 consultants that I had worked with did not find that goal unrealistic at all.
Second - my essays weren?t really that honest either ? they were doused in what I thought I should say, and what I thought would make me look like a winner in front of the adcom ? aka ? no sincerity (came through even to me during those re-reads). Nothing from the 2 consultants on THAT either.
I decided to discuss what I thought with one of the more ?intimate? consultancies of the two ? I said that I thought that my goal was probably too ambitious/ unrealistic for someone without a golden pedigree.
The response came ? ?we are happy to work with you this time (no feedback on the goals statement) ? however, having said that, you were punching above your weight in the last cycle, and looks like you are trying to do the same this time too. The schools you are targeting are all??jksdnjsvjheg? ? translated to me as ? ?you have no shot, apply to lower colleges kiddo?.
It felt like a punch.
When I went into that first application cycle, I was delusional, sure. However, I had realised how difficult it really is during the process. The reason I paid so much money to these consultants was for them to help me realize this dream ? I already know its hard. But can you help me?? Or if you cannot, can you be honest during or before the process, and not after-the-fact?
If there is just one thing that you consider while choosing to work with a consultant, it is ?
? They should believe in you.
Now to all you brilliant people, it might sound too romantic and perhaps even stupid. But for me, the belief is the only secret ingredient. The consultant should be a person who holds nothing back and gives you all the advice that they think will help you. Regardless of your undergrad, or your work ex, or your GMAT score.
I think the consultant who works with any applicant should not know about these details at all. One person can do the identification of the schools they think are right for you based on your profile, but the one who helps with your application should know nothing; except you as a person and your essay story. (business advice for you all boutique consultants).
Anyway ? as I settled into the new international location, I started studying again for GMAT.
Appeared for the test a month later. 710 again (Q48 V40). Felt like a loser.
But decided to go ahead with applications again, to work harder on them, and apply to ?lower? ranked schools.
I did not want to pay thousands of dollars to any consultant.
But I still wanted to make sure I don?t miss the mark by 100000 kilometres. I had read reviews of ApplicantLab, and decided to go for the trial version of the application.
It blew my mind.
And considering that the cost was almost only as much as 1 school?s application fee for UNLIMITED applications, I decided to go for it straightaway.
Maria is brilliant. If you just go through with the tool and see the amount of hard work that she has done ? for EVERY school?s application form ? you will understand and marvel at her brilliance.
In one of her advice videos (in some relevant context) she says ? ?these schools are good, but they are not HOGWARTS?. I disagree ? hers has definitely contributed in making her a magician - and ApplicantLab is pure magic.
What distinguishes ApplicantLab in my opinion ?
? Price - I mean, seriously?
? Quality of advice is just plain spectacular ? here?s the thing ?
o the tool does not know if you scored a 780 or 650. It does not know if you are Minister of Foreign Affairs or a software engineer.
o the tool does not ? cannot ? hold back. The advice remains the same for a 780 and a 650 person.
o The tool gives you advice EVEN FOR THE other APPLICATION COMPONENTS ? which, IMHO, tend to make or break your chances. So fine, you did brilliant with your essays using that 780-score advice from the ?consultant?. What about the rest of the 12 pages you need to fill on the form? The adcom goes through all of it while making their decision, not just your essays.
o Maria is brilliant.
? Step-by-step process ?
o You get started, and you build upon your strengths and weaknesses.
o You have everything documented, from what you can leverage to where can you show improvement, and how.
? Interview advice ?
o Does not charge extra for it.
o And it is just plain brilliant (you know, Maria).
? Turnaround time ?
o Ok, so you may think that working with a ?real? person gives you more intimate/ quicker/ personalized advice. But in my case atleast, the ?consultants? had a turnaround time of 3-4 working days. ApplicantLab has a small box at the right-hand side corner of her tool ? you just type in your question, and ladies and gentlemen, I kid you not, Maria or someone from her team, HAS ALWAYS responded within 1.5 days (working or not).
o And the advice is pure gold.
I can go on and on, but I am already close to 2000 words and I should really get back to work.
As parting words - I have cracked into 3 of the top 10-20 schools with big sums of scholarships, ISB, a top 10 school without scholarship, and have 4 top-15 waitlists. Two schools have rejected me ? which was my wrong-doing ? I rushed the application for one of them and recorded the essay for another in ?not-a-right-state? of mind.
And, I am a reapplicant to all of the above schools.
The above is just my perspective, and my journey.
There will be many bumps on your road, and you will meet many people who will tell you that your dream is unrealistic. For all that its worth, it might be ? but it might also not be ? and it is our duty to do justice to ourselves, and try just one more time.
The night is dark and full of terrors ? but hear this, young men and women, the earth is yours and the fullness thereof. Be kind but be fierce. - Winston Churchill.
But hey, if the shoe fits. :)
Incredibly Helpful! Got into MIT Sloan with Full Fellowship!
January 31, 2019- Teacher: Maria
- Recommended for —Verbal: No Math: No
- GMAT Scores —Before: N/A After: N/A
I used ApplicantLab for my MIT Sloan Round 1 application and I plan to use it for my Round 2 apps as well. I am using ApplicantLab for 5 MBA apps and I'm sure I could choose more.... and it's just one flat fee! Anyways, I received my MIT Sloan acceptance call last Tuesday for Round 1 with a full fellowship!! I am over the moon and I owe a lot to Maria's ApplicantLab!! I know it wouldn't have been possible without the help of ApplicantLab's step-by-step (like incredibly granular) instructions on how to structure my ENTIRE application. Maria gives solid guidance on whichever path you decide to take with your apps (e.g. she provides great feedback on each of the pics for the Booth main essay, as well).
I thought the "Review Advice" in the pre-writing section was INCREDIBLY helpful as I had trouble distilling what I thought would be relevant to the Sloan community. It definitely pushed me in the right direction and I have to give a significant amount of credit to Maria for helping me get there.
The flexibility of the self-pace style of ApplicantLab was also a boon as I was able to get assistance on my app whenever I wanted without relying on calling a consultant who may or may not answer the phone right away.
For those who are worried that ApplicantLab isn't personalized enough... don't fret. It goes very in-depth and highlights your traits that are desired by each school. You just have to do some thinking while in the brainstorming phase -- the same kind internal digging you'd do with a regular consulting service.
In sum, ApplicantLab was a very valuable resource during my R1 application cycle and I wouldn't be in my current position without it! 10/10 recommend if you want bang-for-the-buck help getting into a top MBA program!
I thought the "Review Advice" in the pre-writing section was INCREDIBLY helpful as I had trouble distilling what I thought would be relevant to the Sloan community. It definitely pushed me in the right direction and I have to give a significant amount of credit to Maria for helping me get there.
The flexibility of the self-pace style of ApplicantLab was also a boon as I was able to get assistance on my app whenever I wanted without relying on calling a consultant who may or may not answer the phone right away.
For those who are worried that ApplicantLab isn't personalized enough... don't fret. It goes very in-depth and highlights your traits that are desired by each school. You just have to do some thinking while in the brainstorming phase -- the same kind internal digging you'd do with a regular consulting service.
In sum, ApplicantLab was a very valuable resource during my R1 application cycle and I wouldn't be in my current position without it! 10/10 recommend if you want bang-for-the-buck help getting into a top MBA program!
Joined: Jan 19, 2019
Purchased Course: Jan 1, 2017
Purchased Course: Jan 1, 2017
College: USC
Major: Business
Major: Business
Industry: Accounting
Country: United States
Country: United States
Launching pad for success- thanks applicant lab!
January 19, 2019- Teacher: Maria Villa-Wich
- Recommended for —Verbal: No Math: No
- GMAT Scores —Before: N/A After: N/A
Full Disclosure: I am a first gen college student, first gen grad student. This entire process was something I had no prior resources to leverage.
The first step when thinking about grad school is getting a sense where you stand. First instinct is to check school sites, and at most you can see GMAT/GPA/Work experience. After asking students I enrolled, I learned that that doesn?t pain the whole picture. I knew my GPA, my work experience, and was in the process of studying for my GMAT. I was afraid of going into the application process without all the facts.
It was a tough pill to swallow when I did research and saw that most resources were several thousand dollars to get that ?secret insight?. I was fortunate enough to hear about Applicant Lab during my time in the Riordan MBA Fellows Program. I spent an entire afternoon inputting my background, and the feedback really transformed my entire trajectory. It grounded me with proven information as to where I stood, what things I could do to improve my application, and help me frame a game plan. I had planned to apply to school the following year, but with the insight provided to me by ApplicantLab, I felt confident to do so that very year, and I was blessed to be accepted into several top 10/15 schools.
The greatest resource that Applicantlab is the customized, and simple to use portal that provides meaningful feedback for a fraction the cost. Missing math in undergrad, low community service, etc any issues that you may face, Applicant lab has the answer. Logistically, it also helps keep everything together. Once you have many drafts of essays and deadlines going, having a portal to circle back to and stay on track of things makes a world of a difference.
Control your own path, with the help of the Applicantlab tour guide. Don?t let your dreams hinder on not being able to afford thousands of dollars for someone else?s advice.
The first step when thinking about grad school is getting a sense where you stand. First instinct is to check school sites, and at most you can see GMAT/GPA/Work experience. After asking students I enrolled, I learned that that doesn?t pain the whole picture. I knew my GPA, my work experience, and was in the process of studying for my GMAT. I was afraid of going into the application process without all the facts.
It was a tough pill to swallow when I did research and saw that most resources were several thousand dollars to get that ?secret insight?. I was fortunate enough to hear about Applicant Lab during my time in the Riordan MBA Fellows Program. I spent an entire afternoon inputting my background, and the feedback really transformed my entire trajectory. It grounded me with proven information as to where I stood, what things I could do to improve my application, and help me frame a game plan. I had planned to apply to school the following year, but with the insight provided to me by ApplicantLab, I felt confident to do so that very year, and I was blessed to be accepted into several top 10/15 schools.
The greatest resource that Applicantlab is the customized, and simple to use portal that provides meaningful feedback for a fraction the cost. Missing math in undergrad, low community service, etc any issues that you may face, Applicant lab has the answer. Logistically, it also helps keep everything together. Once you have many drafts of essays and deadlines going, having a portal to circle back to and stay on track of things makes a world of a difference.
Control your own path, with the help of the Applicantlab tour guide. Don?t let your dreams hinder on not being able to afford thousands of dollars for someone else?s advice.
Joined: Jan 18, 2019
Purchased Course: Mar 23, 2018
Purchased Course: Mar 23, 2018
Country: Canada
ApplicantLab is one-stop solution.
January 18, 2019- Teacher: Maria Wich-Vila
- Recommended for —Verbal: No Math: No
- GMAT Scores —Before: N/A After: N/A
Hi all,
I am usually not the person who takes time to review services; however, I couldn?t stop myself from sharing my amazing experience with ApplicantLab and Maria.
I have a competitive GPA and GMAT score in addition to strong international and diverse work experience. I didn?t think I needed help with my MBA applications and applied to my first choice MBA program on my own. I was rejected in the first round. It caused me frustration and disappointment. I didn?t know what I did wrong and started looking for advice. After researching about several MBA admission consulting services, I decided to go with ApplicantLab to help prepare my application for my other choices. In the first few minutes of using ApplicantLab, I knew exactly why I didn?t get in before.
I had no idea how to frame my stories or what the schools are actually looking for until I went through modules in ApplicantLab. The instructions are very detailed and thorough. Maria has done tremendous research for each school and what you need to showcase to strengthen your profile for the admission committee. There was no way for me to know these details without the help of ApplicantLab. You cannot find these things on google.
I am a MBA student at University of Cambridge, Judge Business School now and I give a huge credit of me getting into this school to Maria and ApplicantLab. I wouldn?t have gotten in without using ApplicantLab. It is absolutely the best investment (and it is relatively very inexpensive) you can make towards your MBA. So, if you are struggling with your MBA applications, ApplicantLab is one-stop solution.
I am usually not the person who takes time to review services; however, I couldn?t stop myself from sharing my amazing experience with ApplicantLab and Maria.
I have a competitive GPA and GMAT score in addition to strong international and diverse work experience. I didn?t think I needed help with my MBA applications and applied to my first choice MBA program on my own. I was rejected in the first round. It caused me frustration and disappointment. I didn?t know what I did wrong and started looking for advice. After researching about several MBA admission consulting services, I decided to go with ApplicantLab to help prepare my application for my other choices. In the first few minutes of using ApplicantLab, I knew exactly why I didn?t get in before.
I had no idea how to frame my stories or what the schools are actually looking for until I went through modules in ApplicantLab. The instructions are very detailed and thorough. Maria has done tremendous research for each school and what you need to showcase to strengthen your profile for the admission committee. There was no way for me to know these details without the help of ApplicantLab. You cannot find these things on google.
I am a MBA student at University of Cambridge, Judge Business School now and I give a huge credit of me getting into this school to Maria and ApplicantLab. I wouldn?t have gotten in without using ApplicantLab. It is absolutely the best investment (and it is relatively very inexpensive) you can make towards your MBA. So, if you are struggling with your MBA applications, ApplicantLab is one-stop solution.
Joined: Jan 16, 2019
Purchased Course: Mar 9, 2018
Purchased Course: Mar 9, 2018
College: VIT University
Major: Mechanical Engineering
Major: Mechanical Engineering
Industry: Engineering
Country: India
Country: India
Oh! God can't be so nice to show me Applicant Lab.
January 16, 2019- Teacher: Maria
- Recommended for —Verbal: No Math: No
- GMAT Scores —Before: N/A After: N/A
Did you ever feel, ' He finally heard me. Things are falling into place.' This was exaclty my feeling when I heard from Darden's admission office that I'm being offered a place in the class of 2021. You'd expect me to think of my loved ones first after hearing that. Well, quite literally yes. I thought of Applicant Lab and Maria.
Applicant Lab is want I needed. I was an MBA aspirant who wanted a shift in industry using an MBA but had no idea about admissions process. After my GMAT, I started talking to different consultants and taking free profile evaluations. The funniest part was, I couldn't get a proper genuine evaluation from any one of them. Some of them tell me I should be applying to HBS and Stanford. When I tell them I myself donot believe that I could get into HBS they start selling their service. I was fed up with everyone. But suddenly I came across someone who for the first time gave me an honest review of my profile, didn't try to sell me her product and genuinely wanted to help me. @Maria.
I came to know about Applicant lab from an e-gmat webinar. Thanks for Rajat and Payal. In my first interaction with Maria over e-mail. She clearly told me not what I want to hear but the actual scenario in admissions. She told me where I should go and not where I can go. There's a lot of difference. She only talked to me about my post-MBA goals and life ambitions and not where I want to study. She then told me how I should select my schools. I never thought I'd say this, but I started thinking, "Nah! I would choose Darden over Wharton" She recommended me no schools but taught me how I chose my schools perfectly.
This is exactly what's great about applicant lab. Applicant Lab makes you competent to say your story the best way possible. In my experience with applicant lab, forget about writing MBA essays. I learnt a lot about myself, my traits, my stories, my character, my strengths and my weaknesses. It was like a 2 month introspection into myself.
Applicant lab's process is the most streamlined I ever saw. It is as smooth as it can get and you'll never feel stressed. All the material in the lab is hand crafted specific to each school by Maria and it is amazing to see specific strategies for each essay question in each school. You'll get surprised by the amount of detail that's put into the material.
The best thing about Applicant lab is, you are doing everything. Today I have the satisfaction of writing my own essays and still getting admitted into one of the best schools. Applicant lab doesn't craft your essays. It makes you capable of writing the best essays. Applicant lab helps you choose which one of your stories to go with which essay. This will in turn make it easy for you in your interview, because you are going to be the same person on writing and in person.
Applicant Lab's greatest strengths are it's process and school specific material. I can assure you, you can never get so much information and guidance from anyone other than Maria.
For people like me, who couldn't afford a full time MBA admissions consultant for thousands of Dollars, Applicant lab is a boon. You may have to put in a little more effort than you would with a full time consultant. But for what you are saving economically and mentally, it's not even a tradeoff that you should think twice about before making.
I very strongly recommend Applicant Lab to everyone, especially those who are starting your application from scratch. Believe me, you'll never regret your decision. Applicant Lab and Maria are the best thing that happened to me in my MBA admission process.
Applicant Lab is want I needed. I was an MBA aspirant who wanted a shift in industry using an MBA but had no idea about admissions process. After my GMAT, I started talking to different consultants and taking free profile evaluations. The funniest part was, I couldn't get a proper genuine evaluation from any one of them. Some of them tell me I should be applying to HBS and Stanford. When I tell them I myself donot believe that I could get into HBS they start selling their service. I was fed up with everyone. But suddenly I came across someone who for the first time gave me an honest review of my profile, didn't try to sell me her product and genuinely wanted to help me. @Maria.
I came to know about Applicant lab from an e-gmat webinar. Thanks for Rajat and Payal. In my first interaction with Maria over e-mail. She clearly told me not what I want to hear but the actual scenario in admissions. She told me where I should go and not where I can go. There's a lot of difference. She only talked to me about my post-MBA goals and life ambitions and not where I want to study. She then told me how I should select my schools. I never thought I'd say this, but I started thinking, "Nah! I would choose Darden over Wharton" She recommended me no schools but taught me how I chose my schools perfectly.
This is exactly what's great about applicant lab. Applicant Lab makes you competent to say your story the best way possible. In my experience with applicant lab, forget about writing MBA essays. I learnt a lot about myself, my traits, my stories, my character, my strengths and my weaknesses. It was like a 2 month introspection into myself.
Applicant lab's process is the most streamlined I ever saw. It is as smooth as it can get and you'll never feel stressed. All the material in the lab is hand crafted specific to each school by Maria and it is amazing to see specific strategies for each essay question in each school. You'll get surprised by the amount of detail that's put into the material.
The best thing about Applicant lab is, you are doing everything. Today I have the satisfaction of writing my own essays and still getting admitted into one of the best schools. Applicant lab doesn't craft your essays. It makes you capable of writing the best essays. Applicant lab helps you choose which one of your stories to go with which essay. This will in turn make it easy for you in your interview, because you are going to be the same person on writing and in person.
Applicant Lab's greatest strengths are it's process and school specific material. I can assure you, you can never get so much information and guidance from anyone other than Maria.
For people like me, who couldn't afford a full time MBA admissions consultant for thousands of Dollars, Applicant lab is a boon. You may have to put in a little more effort than you would with a full time consultant. But for what you are saving economically and mentally, it's not even a tradeoff that you should think twice about before making.
I very strongly recommend Applicant Lab to everyone, especially those who are starting your application from scratch. Believe me, you'll never regret your decision. Applicant Lab and Maria are the best thing that happened to me in my MBA admission process.
Great turnaround story with ApplicantLab!
January 3, 2019- Teacher: Maria
- Recommended for —Verbal: No Math: No
- GMAT Scores —Before: N/A After: N/A
To give you some context, I applied to a bunch of schools last year with the help of a traditional admissions consultant. I ended up with a total of 8 rejections (7 without interview, 1 after interview & waitlist). The bad part of my profile - Indian, male, 4.5 years of work experience. No great brand names or real feeder companies on my resume. Fairly mediocre grades for an Indian (6.6ish GPA). The good part - Slightly diverse work experience and background, lots of ECs and community involvement.
After I was rejected last year, I contacted Maria and offered to pay her for a "ding analysis." I had already bought the tool, but figured a ding analysis would help me figure out what went wrong. Maria responded to my email and refused. She said that I should go through all the modules, and I'll be able to figure out exactly why I was dinged. She said that if I couldn't, I could get back in touch and pay her to get it, but she didn't believe I would need it if I finished the modules within the Lab. She was right. I not only figured out where my application fell flat last year, but also knew exactly what parts of my background to highlight this time around. The Lab has a section on how to address potential weaknesses (I obviously had a lot! :) ). Additionally, the career module of the Lab is pure gold. It really forces you to think through your story, how realistic your goals are and what you want out of business school. I'd say that my entire narrative going into applications this year was due to the career module on the Lab. Absolutely fantastic stuff.
The Resume section is pretty amazing. It had the characteristics of a "bad" resume, and my previous year's Resume seemed to fulfill all these characteristics. I ended up making my own Resume format based on the advice given here and it worked wonders for me. The school-specific and essay advice is incredibly detailed and useful. Maria really walks you through what the school/que stion is really looking for, what resources you should touch on and how to make your essay strong and genuine. Each essay question has a video of Maria walking you through all these details. The effort she's put in is fairly obvious, absolutely nothing is superficial.
I could probably go on and on about ApplicantLab, but the best way to see if its right for you is to sign up. It is a fraction of the cost of a traditional consultant. Buying it is a no-brainer if you want world-class admission help without the heavy price tag.
P.S - Just wanted to add that I got into Tuck and some other schools this year with ApplicantLab, but my traditional consultant last year told me not to even bother applying there. She felt that I did not stand a chance at all at Tuck and actually refused to work with me on that application. This should tell you enough.
After I was rejected last year, I contacted Maria and offered to pay her for a "ding analysis." I had already bought the tool, but figured a ding analysis would help me figure out what went wrong. Maria responded to my email and refused. She said that I should go through all the modules, and I'll be able to figure out exactly why I was dinged. She said that if I couldn't, I could get back in touch and pay her to get it, but she didn't believe I would need it if I finished the modules within the Lab. She was right. I not only figured out where my application fell flat last year, but also knew exactly what parts of my background to highlight this time around. The Lab has a section on how to address potential weaknesses (I obviously had a lot! :) ). Additionally, the career module of the Lab is pure gold. It really forces you to think through your story, how realistic your goals are and what you want out of business school. I'd say that my entire narrative going into applications this year was due to the career module on the Lab. Absolutely fantastic stuff.
The Resume section is pretty amazing. It had the characteristics of a "bad" resume, and my previous year's Resume seemed to fulfill all these characteristics. I ended up making my own Resume format based on the advice given here and it worked wonders for me. The school-specific and essay advice is incredibly detailed and useful. Maria really walks you through what the school/que stion is really looking for, what resources you should touch on and how to make your essay strong and genuine. Each essay question has a video of Maria walking you through all these details. The effort she's put in is fairly obvious, absolutely nothing is superficial.
I could probably go on and on about ApplicantLab, but the best way to see if its right for you is to sign up. It is a fraction of the cost of a traditional consultant. Buying it is a no-brainer if you want world-class admission help without the heavy price tag.
P.S - Just wanted to add that I got into Tuck and some other schools this year with ApplicantLab, but my traditional consultant last year told me not to even bother applying there. She felt that I did not stand a chance at all at Tuck and actually refused to work with me on that application. This should tell you enough.
Highly recommended tool - will be a great asset during the MBA application journey
December 30, 2018- Teacher: Maria Wich-Vila
- Recommended for —Verbal: No Math: No
- GMAT Scores —Before: N/A After: N/A
After coming off an unsuccessful application season, I wanted to make sure I utilized all avenues to not repeat my mistakes this time. After hearing some positive word-of-mouth, I signed up for Applicant Lab to see for myself. I used the Lab in addition to working with actual real-world consultants, and it turned out to be an immensely useful guiding tool through the application journey.
I must say that Applicant Lab was the most value-for-money item in my entire MBA application expense list. Maria's inputs and ideas often were the starting point for all my school essays. I did 8 applications in the entire season and utilized the Lab for all of them. Maria has a great understanding of the entire process and freely shares her knowledge through the Lab. Its almost like having a close friend who you can bank on in this stressful journey.
For the two additional questions posed by Booth after interview invite, the Applicant Lab team (hello Carin!) was quick to update the portal with their thoughts. Overall, I highly highly recommend this tool to everyone, even those working with consultants on full packages. The additional perspective, tips & guidance is worth much more than the cost.
I must say that Applicant Lab was the most value-for-money item in my entire MBA application expense list. Maria's inputs and ideas often were the starting point for all my school essays. I did 8 applications in the entire season and utilized the Lab for all of them. Maria has a great understanding of the entire process and freely shares her knowledge through the Lab. Its almost like having a close friend who you can bank on in this stressful journey.
For the two additional questions posed by Booth after interview invite, the Applicant Lab team (hello Carin!) was quick to update the portal with their thoughts. Overall, I highly highly recommend this tool to everyone, even those working with consultants on full packages. The additional perspective, tips & guidance is worth much more than the cost.
ApplicantLab is the best out there! Impossible is Nothing!!
December 25, 2018- Teacher: Maria Wich-Vila
- Recommended for —Verbal: No Math: No
- GMAT Scores —Before: N/A After: N/A
"I would say do not even think of applying to M7 schools. Duke, Ross should be fine", said Stacy Blackman Consulting during their 30-min free evaluation call, without even listening to my "what matters most?" story for once. I was dejected.
From that moment just over a year ago to getting into Stanford GSB on a full tuition fellowship, has been an amazing journey!
But it all started when Maria "listened" to my story after I reached out to her as one of the 50 finalists for the Stanford Reliance Fellowship (given to 3 Indian students every year).
Being the first one to pursue a proper college education in my family, let alone applying to a business school, I had no clue about the admissions process, and I wanted someone to guide me - and not spoon-feed me like most Indian consultants do, for exhorbitant rates! - on what the admissions team expects from applicants. And Maria was willing to be the mentor I was looking for!
I wanted to take a DIY approach with some expert inputs along the way - something ApplicantLab offered in a unique way as Maria has listed specific advice for each school in terms of short write-ups and in-depth videos...and with a good dose of humor!
The best thing about the ApplicantLab platform is that it guides you to do a lot of "pre-work" before getting to write essays. Be it about your career journey, leadership traits, extracurricular stuff, future goals - it all comes into a matrix form once you are done with the pre-work steps. And then, it is very easy to pick and map the important points for a particular essay prompt. More importantly, this pre-work gives you enough time for self-reflection, something that eventually helped me bring out my most personal and authentic stories in the "what matters most" essay.
Towards the R2 deadline (I applied to 3 schools all in R2), I was lagging behind and so I even availed a few hours of help for AL's premium services, where each of the conversations with Maria were very helpful, especially for my MIT and HBS MS/MBA applications.
On the platform, the video guides for essays of all schools are in-depth and you'll have enough guidance to write the best essays on your own - that's what ApplicantLab stands for: "Be your own admissions consultant!".
In all, I thoroughly enjoyed the experience of working with ApplicantLab/Maria and would HIGHLY recommend anyone to go for it. ApplicantLab will be your best guide if you are taking the DIY approach!
From that moment just over a year ago to getting into Stanford GSB on a full tuition fellowship, has been an amazing journey!
But it all started when Maria "listened" to my story after I reached out to her as one of the 50 finalists for the Stanford Reliance Fellowship (given to 3 Indian students every year).
Being the first one to pursue a proper college education in my family, let alone applying to a business school, I had no clue about the admissions process, and I wanted someone to guide me - and not spoon-feed me like most Indian consultants do, for exhorbitant rates! - on what the admissions team expects from applicants. And Maria was willing to be the mentor I was looking for!
I wanted to take a DIY approach with some expert inputs along the way - something ApplicantLab offered in a unique way as Maria has listed specific advice for each school in terms of short write-ups and in-depth videos...and with a good dose of humor!
The best thing about the ApplicantLab platform is that it guides you to do a lot of "pre-work" before getting to write essays. Be it about your career journey, leadership traits, extracurricular stuff, future goals - it all comes into a matrix form once you are done with the pre-work steps. And then, it is very easy to pick and map the important points for a particular essay prompt. More importantly, this pre-work gives you enough time for self-reflection, something that eventually helped me bring out my most personal and authentic stories in the "what matters most" essay.
Towards the R2 deadline (I applied to 3 schools all in R2), I was lagging behind and so I even availed a few hours of help for AL's premium services, where each of the conversations with Maria were very helpful, especially for my MIT and HBS MS/MBA applications.
On the platform, the video guides for essays of all schools are in-depth and you'll have enough guidance to write the best essays on your own - that's what ApplicantLab stands for: "Be your own admissions consultant!".
In all, I thoroughly enjoyed the experience of working with ApplicantLab/Maria and would HIGHLY recommend anyone to go for it. ApplicantLab will be your best guide if you are taking the DIY approach!
Joined: Aug 30, 2017
Purchased Course: Aug 21, 2017
Purchased Course: Aug 21, 2017
College: Institute of Chemical Technology
Major: Chemistry
Major: Chemistry
Industry: Food Service/Lodging
Country: Singapore
Country: Singapore
Applicant Lab - Helped me achieve the impossible
December 23, 2018- Teacher: Maria Wich-Vila
- Recommended for —Verbal: No Math: No
- GMAT Scores —Before: N/A After: N/A
Belonging to an over-represented applicant pool (Indian male candidate working in an IT industry) and scoring an average GMAT score (700), I very well knew that the chances of getting into a top-tier B-school were slim. Almost all the admission consultants whom I approached pretty much dissuaded me to apply to any of the top 25 B-schools .But Maria was probably the only one who said ? ?Lets give it our best shot? and actually encouraged me to do so. I ended up getting wait-listed in two universities and got an admit from HEC Paris (one of my top choice schools). I can safely say that the Applicant Lab and Maria were the primary reasons because of which I could get into such an esteemed B-school even after having a low GMAT score.
I basically used all the features of the Applicant Lab including the add-on services such as the strategic feedback sessions, editing services and the mock interview session with Maria. My views regarding the product and the services are as follows:
Applicant lab as a tool: I feel , the applicant lab is a very innovative and intuitive tool which has succinct and complete advice segregated school wise. I was pretty much amazed by the detailed advice available on all the schools and specific suggestions for each and every essay question that is available in the Lab.
Strategic Feedback sessions: Booking the strategic feedback sessions for each school proved extremely helpful in my case. Maria used to give me a personalized feedback on the essays and even the short answer questions from the application forms. In many cases Maria actually chalked out the central theme of the essays which would best portray my candidacy. I strongly believe this was a game changer for me. Getting such a personalized and elaborate feedback from a Harvard alum was indeed a steal at the price at which it was offered.
Editing Services: Applicant lab has a tie-up with Admissionado for the essay editing part. The turn- around time is pretty good and you really get better versions of your drafts in practically no time. Maria was kind enough to do the editing herself for some of my essays during the strategic feedback session itself.
Mock Interview session: The interview prep section of the Lab is by far my favourite segment. Maria has uploaded video advice for almost all the possible questions that someone could get in an interview. I extensively followed the advice posted on Applicant Lab for all the interview questions and I believe it worked pretty well for me. I also took a mock interview session with Maria and I can?t emphasize enough upon how much this helped me. During the course of 90 minutes Maria fine tuned all my answers and made sure I was touching upon all my highlights within the 30 minute interview. I remember one of my interviewers specifically told me that my answer for the question ?Walk me through your resume? was one of the best he had heard during this year?s application season. The entire credit for this goes to Maria. During the mock interview session she practically framed this answer for me by recollecting the data she had read in my essays during the strategic feedback sessions.
To sum it up I would just like to mention that Maria and the Applicant lab were instrumental in getting me admitted to my top choice B-school. I can?t thank Maria enough for the support throughout the application season. In short I will recommend Applicant Lab to all the prospective candidates who want to get into a top b-school.
I basically used all the features of the Applicant Lab including the add-on services such as the strategic feedback sessions, editing services and the mock interview session with Maria. My views regarding the product and the services are as follows:
Applicant lab as a tool: I feel , the applicant lab is a very innovative and intuitive tool which has succinct and complete advice segregated school wise. I was pretty much amazed by the detailed advice available on all the schools and specific suggestions for each and every essay question that is available in the Lab.
Strategic Feedback sessions: Booking the strategic feedback sessions for each school proved extremely helpful in my case. Maria used to give me a personalized feedback on the essays and even the short answer questions from the application forms. In many cases Maria actually chalked out the central theme of the essays which would best portray my candidacy. I strongly believe this was a game changer for me. Getting such a personalized and elaborate feedback from a Harvard alum was indeed a steal at the price at which it was offered.
Editing Services: Applicant lab has a tie-up with Admissionado for the essay editing part. The turn- around time is pretty good and you really get better versions of your drafts in practically no time. Maria was kind enough to do the editing herself for some of my essays during the strategic feedback session itself.
Mock Interview session: The interview prep section of the Lab is by far my favourite segment. Maria has uploaded video advice for almost all the possible questions that someone could get in an interview. I extensively followed the advice posted on Applicant Lab for all the interview questions and I believe it worked pretty well for me. I also took a mock interview session with Maria and I can?t emphasize enough upon how much this helped me. During the course of 90 minutes Maria fine tuned all my answers and made sure I was touching upon all my highlights within the 30 minute interview. I remember one of my interviewers specifically told me that my answer for the question ?Walk me through your resume? was one of the best he had heard during this year?s application season. The entire credit for this goes to Maria. During the mock interview session she practically framed this answer for me by recollecting the data she had read in my essays during the strategic feedback sessions.
To sum it up I would just like to mention that Maria and the Applicant lab were instrumental in getting me admitted to my top choice B-school. I can?t thank Maria enough for the support throughout the application season. In short I will recommend Applicant Lab to all the prospective candidates who want to get into a top b-school.
Great Tool!
December 21, 2018- Teacher: Maria
- Recommended for —Verbal: No Math: No
- GMAT Scores —Before: N/A After: N/A
I have recently used Applicant Lab's services for my application process. We all are aware how much a normal admission consultant would charge - at least a couple grand. Unlike a normal consultant, Applicant Lab charges just a fraction of it and actually guides you to prepare your application process, this whole process actually a good experience or a good introspective session that one needs. Maria would help you if you are stuck anywhere, provide you good insight on what actually the Ad Com looks for, help you tailor-make the essays and responses for different questions that they might ask and train you for interview. Overall, I would highly recommend their tool and the process it lets you go through. Trust me it's value every buck you pay for.
