You may be surprised to hear my response – “You don’t need one. But you probably would benefit from using a good one.” Do you absolutely need a coat in the winter? Nope. But you know that knowing-smile that someone wearing a super-warm goose feather has in a full-on winter storm? That person has no regrets. And applicants with the use of an exceptional admissions coach usually have that same satisfaction.
Here are few reasons to consider finding yourself a good admissions consultant to help you get on campus to your dream school.
He has knowledge about what works and the muscle memory of having done it before
A coach who has seen hundreds or thousands of candidates from a variety of backgrounds, professions, nationalities, and perspectives can offer an applicant a true compass on effective structures of persuasion as well as ones that fall on their faces. The understanding of knowing how to leverage stories, accomplishments, and personal characteristics into a cohesive narrative across essays, letters of recommendations, resume, and data portions of applicants takes time. Good admissions consultants have a built-in muscle memory that you can tap into.
Don’t expect your mother, best friend, partner, or Friday night crew to be critical (enough) of you in this process. Especially when they know the odds of getting into your dream schools are tough statistically. But the honest critique of a paid supporter will compel you to address weaknesses that give you a viable shot to get into your dream program as opposed to excusing blemishes that will likely keep you out. While it can be hard to give objective and sometimes harsh (but accurate) feedback about someone you have known for a while and care deeply about, admissions coaches have no such qualms. It’s not that we don’t love you, but tough love is our business. Literally. And administered correctly, it can be quite good for you.
A good…rather…a great admissions consultant will be equipped with a robust process that will exhume your finest points and mitigate your most crippling weaknesses. He will focus on how to harness the 20 minutes you have during a weekday while giving you the undervalued ability to avoid writer’s block of any kind. He will give you a compass (and a shove) to start along a well-illuminated path and ensure you don’t falter/give up in the dark of indecisiveness. How? The process will be outlined and have been architected before you even start. And the good ones will know where you’re most likely to get a bit wobbly and be there to steer you thru this period. The peace of mind of having the security of putting your best foot forward in an admissions world of great opaqueness is reassuring.
And the benefit of working in a modular manner with a leading advisor will help you be efficient and get your applications out to more programs for round 1 and round 2 alike.
The base of inner knowledge on program is three-pronged and quite helpful for you if used correctly. Your admissions consultant (assuming she is excellent – blanket statement for this whole article) likely went to a top-tier MBA program, has friends that are currently at or are alums of many of your target schools, and has placed candidates there. So she’s got a little ‘inside baseball’ that can make your application be more reflective of the culture and give the admissions committee more confidence that you’re actually going to matriculate if you’re accepted and have an outsized impact there. That foundation can yield a better result than your hours of looking thru the website and speaking to a few current students a few weeks or months before you apply.
These reasons partly explain why great admissions companies like ours (AdmitAdvantage) have consistently helped candidates gain entry into great MBA programs- often with scholarships.
I’m not remotely stating that you need an admissions consultant to get into an MBA program. Walk away…run way from anyone who dares claim such a thing. However, I am suggesting that the correct selection and usage of one can give you a decided admit advantage ☺ when you do make that push.
Think I’m super insightful or just plain fascinating? Let’s discuss your admissions candidacy or swap stories about the craziest thing you’ve seen in the admissions process.
Never Apply Alone,
Kof