MBA Admissions Consulting Services- Yay or Nay? - MBAkarma
An MBA application can be a cumbersome process. Preparing and taking the GMAT, researching the right fit of B-Schools, writing application essays, requesting for Letters of recommendation, preparing for the interviews and so much more. Many applicants consider taking help from professional MBA Admissions Consulting services. But do you even need one in the first place? If yes, how do you go about selecting one? Let us look at some answers.
Do you need MBA Admissions Consulting Services?
No. You do not need an Admissions Consultant if you are reasonably confident on these five factors-
- Career Goals– You absolutely know what you want from a B-School and beyond. The selected goals are realistic and grow organically from your skills, experience and interests.
- Shortlisted B-Schools– Based on your career goals you are one hundred percent certain you have selected the right fit of schools. These schools will meet your expectations, profile and post-MBA plans. As a result, you stand a fighting chance of getting admission to most of your shortlisted B-Schools.
- Application Writing Skills– You have the perfect application strategy and have identified the best stories for each school and essay.
- Interview Skills– You have had enough practice of answering interview questions. More importantly you have the temperament to handle b-school interviews.
- Expectations from the Admissions Committee– You have a fair idea of what the admissions committee of each school is looking for and you will be able to bring that out strongly in your application.
That said everyone should get their applications reviewed be it from friends, family, colleagues or consultants.
However, personal contacts may not be able to get in the objectivity and neutrality in their feedback. Your friends or colleagues know you all too well and may know the stories hidden between the lines of your essays.
You should definitely get impartial assessment from anyone who can help review and improve your profile.
How do you select MBA Admissions Consulting Services?
One word- TRUST. Here are some pointers to start building trust.
- Read their past work– This could be on Blogs, Social Media, Quora or other such channels. Most of this is free advice. What kind of advice are they offering on these forums? Does is sound helpful? Or are they just marketing for more business by giving hallow advice?
- Speak to them– If their work interest you, go ahead and speak to them. A phone call, personal meeting or SKYPE call can go a long way.
- Company vs Boutique Services– Who are you dealing with? A large organization or a small boutique setup? Both have their own pros and cons. You might become just another file number in a large consulting company and a boutique consultant may work with a limited number of applicants per year. Is it an organization that primarily helps in GMAT, GRE or CAT preparation and wants to just expand into MBA Admissions Consulting? Are they accepting payment from you without an initial profile discussion? Big red alert here. This could mean they have not filter. Choose wisely.
- Services– What are they offering? Is the process and expectations clear? Will you be getting what you are looking for? Are they asking for payment before making things clear?
- Affordability– No brainer here. Different consultants have different charges. Not all nationalities can afford the same charges. But don’t make this your main reason to select or reject an MBA Admissions Consultant. As with an MBA try to judge the Return on Investment (ROI).
Research and make the right choice.
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MBAkarma is a boutique MBA admissions consulting service. We work with limited applicants every year. Speak to us to see if we mutually find a working fit.
Still have questions? Reach out to us on info@MBAkarma.com to get a free consultation on your career goals.
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