Carin Nelson Reviews

Coming in with a below-average GMAT for my target schools, I was really nervous heading into the application process. A few of the reviews I read said other traditional admissions consultants discouraged applicants from applying to certain schools with certain scores, so I was hesitant to use them. A friend of mine suggested ApplicantLab not for just the incredibly affordable price relative to other consultants, but for how friendly and positive the team was.

The self-guided modules that Maria provided were extremely thorough - a lot more than I was expecting. On top of that, it was extremely well-organized, she linked the resources each school provided all in one spot for convenience, which definitely sped up the essay-writing process for me.

I worked with Carin mostly on my strategic essays and a mock interview. I was nervous about not being able to speak with her live (though we did for the mock interview, Carin is such a treat!) but the video format worked just as well. The feedback I got was tactical and constructive.

I am certain I wouldn't be in this position if it wasn't for ApplicantLab (and special shoutout to Carin!), and I couldn't recommend them more.

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During R2 of the 2020/21 cycle, I - a non-traditional, outlier, international applicant - applied to eight business schools and relied on ApplicantLab's fantastic platform to organise my narrative, stories, past experiences, and achievements. This affordable platform, which provides quality service in a fraction of the cost of its competitors, allows its users to learn how to appreciate their strengths and address their weaknesses while engaging them with the many pieces that would make each unique application (both the written portion and the interview) successful. ApplicantLab made my application process more manageable, acquainted me with the different schools I applied to (e.g., their program, their written application, interviews), and laid out the appropriate strategy to tackle each application given my profile, and every school is looking for. The level of service Maria, Carin, and the three alumni on the roster deliver is exceptional. I do not think you can beat ApplicantLab's offering, given the price, the quality of content, and the guidance they provide, alongside the flexibility and accessibility the platform allows. I was delighted with my outcomes, and I have no doubt ApplicantLab played a significant role in attaining them.

Besides the platform, I also used some of the supplementary services very targeted way, working with an alumnus on a Sanity Check, another alumnus on one application, and Carin to polish my Wharton & Lauder essays before submitting them. I appreciated the level of commitment and dedication she and the alumni exhibited throughout the process. Carin was highly responsive, was invested in my candidacy despite the fact we did not work extensively, and even made sure to add a special slot for me so that she could make a final review of my material. Her professionalism and experience as an admission consultant were evident as well. The feedback she provided was always candid, concise, and actionable. She highlighted the strong portion of the essays and precisely what was missing to make them even more robust, referencing specific resources. Besides working with her directly on my essays, she and the rest of the ApplicantLab staff were always accessible to answer specific questions about the different applications and provided solid advice throughout the process with no additional cost.

I highly recommend Carin in particular and ApplicantLab in general. Even if your essays are in good shape, they will provide you with encouragement and constructive feedback to make sure you submit the best application possible. Carin and her colleagues were over the moon when I told them that I was accepted to Wharton/Lauder with substantial fellowships to both programmes, indicating how invested they were in my candidacy and how rewarding it was to work with ApplicantLab during the application process.

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When I started looking into the MBA process, I was astounded by the astronomical high prices of many MBA consultants. There's no way I can afford it - until ApplicantLab (AL) came along!

Disclosure: I got a free access to the AL modules because the content was not captioned for the deaf and hard of hearing, so it was not fully accessible at the beginning. Maria was kind-hearted enough to grant me a free access and then later had the videos captioned within a few days. So if you're deaf or hard of hearing and thinking about an MBA, AL will definitely make its content accessible for you. Instead of a video review of your essays, they'll write in notes/comments in the Word doc.

I mostly worked with Carin to craft my narrative ("sanity check") and essay reviews, and how to shine a positive light on my lived experiences as a deaf person. I couldn't find a deaf student or alumni at my programs of choice (M7 + T10s) to reach out for helpful guidance and information. I had questions like "How did they present themselves well?", "how to show that we offer a lot to the community?" and "how did the employers view students with disabilities?"

However, Carin and Maria were awesome in lending thier experience and perspective as hearing people to make sure I present my unique, nontraditional background and experiences well. They responded quickly to my emails and questions, including their feedback/thoughts on selecting a certain topic my video prompts.

The modules are all top-notch, highly specific, updated, and very informative in all one place - great if you're short on time and need to churn out applications in matter of days. I highly recommend AL for any new MBA applicants at a very affordable price points for its platform and add-on services (which I did pay for).

Results? I got into Wharton, Yale SOM, and Booth for R2.

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I would recommend Applicant Lab without reservation. There are things you can't really change in your application (GPA, school, etc.), but Applicant Lab really helps you make the most of the parts of the application that you can control.

The Lab was a game changer in writing my essays and crafting a compelling story for each school. The self-service model appealed to me (as did the price), especially after some underwhelming consultations with traditional admissions consultants. I probably didn't use all the storyboarding/planning tools to their fullest, but just the advice and videos alone were so helpful. For example, beyond the big ticket items like essays and recommendations, there are a ton of little things in the application forms that I probably would have underutilized without Maria's guidance in the Lab. Early on, I also used the "Sanity Check" service with Carin. Her advice really helped me view the application holistically and identify areas to focus my attention.

If you're serious about MBA applications, you won't find a better value than Applicant Lab.

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I was international applicant going through the process for the first time. To make things worse, I was working 12-15 hours a day and had very little time to work on my apps. Applying during the COVID-19 application cycle, I knew I could use all the help I could get. I think ApplicantLab was the best investment I made. Three things that made ApplicantLab stand out for me:

1) It's extremely cheap compared to traditional consultants
2) You pay for what you use
3) Maria and Carin are amazing at what they do

I highly recommend ApplicantLab to anyone going through application process. You won't regret it.

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I worked with Carin via Applicant Lab this past year for my MBA applications and I can't say enough positive things about the experience! As a reapplicant and first-time Applicant Lab user, I loved how the platform had self-guided modules so I could leverage the work I had already drafted in a cost-effective way. I did a Sanity Check and Essay Reviews with Carin and her feedback was so helpful and candid. When I finally finished my re-applications with Carin's help, my test scores / work experience hadn't changed at all - but the way I presented my story was different. Thanks to Carin, I was able to shape my narrative in a more unique and compelling way. And it made all the difference - this time around I got accepted to my top schools! I highly recommend working with Carin / Applicant Lab if you're looking for a game-changing admission consulting service that won't break your bank.

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Prior to Applicant Lab, I was really insecure about my GMAT score and was not expecting to get into a top MBA program (or any scholarships).

Working with Carin has exceeded my own expectations: I was recently accepted to a Top MBA program where most of my tuition will be paid for (70%)! I don't think I'd have had the same results without Applicant Lab and here's why:

1) The information on Applicant Lab is incredibly thorough. You will understand what business schools are looking for in a very honest, straightforward/easily digestible way. Every question you have is probably answered somewhere in applicant lab. Resources are accessible 24/7-- super convenient when you're working a full-time job-- all for a few hundred bucks! You do not need to spend 10K on MBA application advice.. (in my opinion)

2) I got constructive advice from *Carin* which REALLY elevated the quality of my application and I felt SUPER confident submitting my application before the deadline. Carin is friendly but honest-- she pointed out ALL the weak parts of my app and suggested ways to improve them. With Carin's help I was also able to leverage my strengths/unique aspects of my story!

Having her guidance really saved me ALOT of time, effort and anxiety while writing my essays. I think my stress levels would've been much much higher without Applicant Lab and Carin's guidance.

Nothing but great things to say about Applicant Lab! Such an amazing resource with GREAT people behind it.

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To give some background before I start the review - I come from an overrepresented minority and have admits to 4 top business schools including 3 M7s.

For two (MIT Sloan,Ross) out of the four admits I have, my application was 100% based on the advice I got from Applicant Lab. And while I did work with an external consultant for the other two schools I have been admitted to, I can vouch that Applicant Lab was an invaluable source of guidance for me which I constantly referred to during the application process.

The guidance available at Applicant Lab for top business schools is beyond amazing! The guidance is provided through written prompts and some super engaging videos by Maria. The platform is well structured and helps you do the same with your application.

The insights that the lab provided for all stages of the application, be it on brainstorming goals, drafting your resume, selecting stories for your recommendation and structuring the essays were bang-on. Infact, there was insightful guidance available for short-answer application prompts which are often taken casually but can be tactically leveraged to demonstrate personality and differentiate yourself from a ton of applicants.

Moreover, Carin and Maria are always available to promptly respond to any additional questions that you may have.

I highly recommend Applicant Lab for anyone who is looking to start the strenuous MBA application journey on their own or looking for additional insights if working with a consultant. It's a micro-investment and totally worth it!

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ApplicantLab amazes me with its concept - it's like a one-stop destination for all advices you need to get to most top MBA with just one-time subscribe!

I am an international applicant who has never studied abroad before, so I wasn't familiar with the concept of a well-rounded profile which is highly emphasized in most top MBAs and this is where ApplicantLab came in. The tool is full of explanation on how to make your profile as strong as possible at any application stage you are in - whether you are still 1 year away from applying, still researching career goal/essay, or already receiving interview invite!

Personally, I started using the app really early (like 1 year before applying MBA) and it was a really great decision since I had time to boost my leadership examples at work and do networking with alums (which the Lab recommended for early preparation).

The advices Maria gave in the lab and her videos are really top-notch, detailed, and structured. If you are a self-starter, start early, and actually do all of her advices, I don't see any reason not to have an appealing and strong profile for MBA. She basically covered most of the weaknesses, how to tackle them, and what traits to highlight on each specific school you want to apply.

If you need extra-help, I also highly recommend to try the add-on services. I personally used sanity check (2x), essay review (2x), and mock interview - all with Carin. With really affordable price than most traditional consultants, I received some really spot-on feedback on how to shape the stories in the most appealing way and which parts to emphasize.

In the end, I received a full-ride scholarship from a T15 school (despite having GMAT <700, coming from somewhat overrepresented industry, and not going to a top-ranked college), and I'm giving this review to show my gratitude for all guidance I have received from ApplicantLab. Thank you, Maria & Carin for your awesome help!

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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 - 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!

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