Admissions Special: Finding the right consultant

by 06:01 0 comments

First of all, if it weren't for consultants, a lot of deserving people would not have made it to business school. MBA Admissions is a maze and it makes sense to find the right consultant for the job. I am applying this year too, and I am looking for a great consultant. Let me be clear. I did hire a major consulting firm a few years ago, and I got stuck with an "expert" who did not give me the time that I thought my hard earned x thousand bucks demanded. I won't say it was a total loss, but I got into a really "safe school" and that's not where I wanted to go. But the experience did teach me something. I am on the lookout for a great consultant again and there is a process/checklist that I am following:


  • Contact consulting firms that have already been used by people you know -friends, colleagues, etc. 
  • Ask for specific people who come highly recommended. Specific names are really the key, because not all consultants working at big consulting firms are the same. For example, if a Ms Y comes highly recommended, you should try to get her to work with you too.
  • What if you get stuck with a douche bag - ask for another consultant asap. Don't wait for things to go wrong.
  • Do the BS test: This may be Machiavellian, but if a consultant isn't answering my mails during a weekend, I don't want that person on my case. I always mail on a Saturday or a Sunday.
  • Free Consultation test: Look, if someone is trying to just sell you a service instead of asking you what you'd like to know, that's a major red flag. Also, their tone and demeanor is just as important.
  • Ask for referrals, even if someone comes recommended.
  • If they promise you a Harvard when you know its a long shot, that's a red flag. But, when they try to sell you a really low ranked school, that's not a great sign either. If I wanted to just apply to a rank 20-50 school with a high gmat, gpa, work ex and interesting life stories, I wouldn't be looking for a consultant now would I?
  • A consultant trying to scare you about your profile is good. That just tells me I am working with the right consultant- they know how to hook a client, so they know how to market me as well. They need to scare me. They need to be brutally honest. Else, I would never create a stellar app now would I? 


Overall, the process is a daunting one for anyone. Especially, if you have not walked this path before. Just make sure when you spend the money, you get the best value for money.

0 comments:

Post a Comment