Do You Need An MBA Admissions Consultant?

Is hiring an MBA admissions consultant the right choice for you? David White, of Menlo Coaching, explains how an admissions consultant can help your MBA application

The same holds for MBA consulting. You could find some of the information on your MBA applications online, for free. But it would take you hundreds of hours to find it all, and then to sort out the parts that are true from the parts that are mainly marketing spin.

And as an MBA applicant with a demanding job, you will be busy taking the GMAT and networking and brainstorming essay topics, all on top of your normal duties at home and in the office.

It would be a more efficient and more effective use of your limited time to rely on the expertise of an MBA advisor, rather than trying to recreate their knowledge through your own research.

Further, no matter how much research you conduct on MBA admissions, you’ll never be able to match the experience of an admissions consultant, especially a consultant who has been in the industry for many years.

For example, at Menlo Coaching we have seen thousands of applications and their outcomes. No matter how much an applicant searches on their own, they will never be able to recreate this experience.

What's the return on investment?

Applying for an MBA is a major time investment, and an MBA admissions consultant can help you free up for the important work of preparing your application. But the MBA is also a monetary investment, and despite the up-front cost of a consultant, many applicants come to realize that they will receive a better outcome by working with a consultant.

Consider why you are getting an MBA in the first place: the degree will significantly boost your career prospects. This is true not only in the jump from a pre-to-post MBA position but also throughout your career. Put simply, an MBA will help you get promoted faster.

And because going to a higher-ranked—and more competitive—school often gives you disproportionately more value than going to a lower ranked school, having an expert guide you through the admissions process will improve your chances of admission and later financial gain.

In a way, signing up for consulting services comes down to some basic calculations. Getting into a better MBA program can mean hundreds of thousands of dollars in compensation down the line, and in the short-term, a strong application increases your chances of earning a scholarship.

Compare these numbers with the average admissions consulting fee, and you will realize that the higher chance of admission thanks to a stronger application makes the initial investment well worth your while.

So what can you expect from working with an admissions consultant?

You can expect to save time during the application process, to be confident in your career goals and interviewing skills, and to improve your chances of admission (with a scholarship) to a top MBA program. You can expect a strong return on your investment!

Read another Applicant Question:

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