Maria Wich-Vila Reviews

I'm an international student and the MBA application process initially was a bit daunting, and seeing the admission consultant prices spooked me even more. I looked for alternate options and came across ApplicantLab. I was initially sceptical as I was scared this would not have personalized information, but after reading client testimonials, I decided to take the chance and boy, did it pay out!!!

I applied to 7 schools in total - Stanford, Kellogg, Booth, Yale, Fuqua, Darden and Stern - and got interview invites from all of them except Stanford. All the interview invites converted and I received $300K+ in scholarships!

The Lab helped me across the process - some specific examples below:
•⁠ ⁠I loved how the Lab split the entire process into different modules and summarized it all into to-do lists. From initial identification of profile strengths & weaknesses, building career vision and brainstorming stories to writing the essays, LORs and resumes, the advice given is super helpful and gives the best structure to the whole process.

•⁠ ⁠The interview prep module is also amazing with school-specific advice and detailed videos for even the 1-minute video interviews that you would have to do for some schools

•⁠ ⁠The BEST thing about this is the team - my initial misconception that you might not have personalised advice was broken during the first review I had with Austin. She helped me perfect my initial story and gave me ideas on what I could do better and how I can show my story in the best way possible. I had my interview prep and school review with Ken and he gave me some great pointers on how I can make my essays better and how I can tell my stories better in my interviews. And Maria is always super responsive and gets back within a few hours, always positive and encouraging!

I would highly recommend the tool as you go through your application process, as an individual tool or complementary to other services that you are availing. The tool and the team behind it will have your back :)

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Trying out ApplicantLab was the best chance that I took. I had just sat my first GMAT and was looking for guidance on how to tackle the whole application process. Coming from India, all those highly rated consultants who I felt would be the best for me, were priced completely out of my reach. To add to the cost was the fact that these consultants work in packages of 3 or 5 or more schools. This felt like a limiting factor. What if I wanted to apply to more schools? What if I changed my mind and wanted to apply to some other school than what we would decide initially? Do not misunderstand me. I come from a non-traditional background, and at that time, I also felt that I would be best served in a 1-1 model working with a consultant. But I also felt like that would hamper my originality.

In my research phase, I spoke with a lot of students and someone fleetingly mentioned Applicant Lab. It was after this that I tried the trial version and I was hooked! Applicant Lab felt like the perfect blend of the guidance I needed while keeping my originality intact and being able to tell my story in my way.

Another big factor was I wanted to be sure of the person I would be working with. I saw many of Maria’s videos on YouTube, and what struck me was how genuine she seemed, a good person, someone trustworthy, and I liked her sense of humor too!

Apart from the 1-year Lab subscription, I also took a Sanity Check since I was in a huge mess regarding my story. I am not exaggerating, Maria hand-held me throughout the process, helping me narrow down my choices and making me realize the holes in my initial story. I cannot thank her enough. There are almost 50 emails back and forth between Maria and me, and not once did I feel unwelcome. Maria will be your cheerleader in your journey.

Speaking about Applicant Lab, Maria has done a great job in distilling all the advice in bite-sized pieces that don’t overwhelm you. My advice would be to sign up well in advance so that you can follow through with all the advice at the intended pace. But you can also jump through modules as I did.

Coming from a non-traditional background, I was struggling with my resume. The way Maria has set up the Resume module - getting into the nitty-gritty is so good! The school-specific advice was a goldmine for me. I cannot speak highly enough of the value of this module especially.
Applicant Lab has some advice for every facet a candidate might need help with. Right from helping guide how to reach out to students and looking for potential companies to target, to giving tips on trying to re-negotiate scholarships, Applicant Lab has it all.

Another aspect of Applicant Lab that I liked is that it does not have any ‘sample’ essays or guides. There are excerpts only where Maria would just give you a flavor of the essence of how to go about telling your story, and that’s all. You have to think for yourself. And that’s the best part! You sharing your thoughts in your own words.

After I got my interview calls, I was worried about how to go about preparing for them. But Maria has covered interviewing ‘in detail’ within Applicant Lab. Just to give you an example, she even tells you how to position your camera and where to look, and a very funny, but extremely handy trick to use in training yourself to look at the camera when speaking!

I applied to 6 schools in R1 and interviewed at 5 of them. I got significant scholarships at 4 schools, and none of this would have been possible without Maria and Applicant Lab.

While concluding, I would like to point out that Applicant Lab is like a DIY admissions consultant. What I mean is, there will be no one pushing you and prodding you to get up and make the effort. You will need to be able to hold yourself accountable. And if you are someone like that, there is no better tool for you out there than Applicant Lab. This will be the best $300 you will spend.

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To give an overview of my profile and application journey, I applied to 3 M7, 2 T15, and 1 T20 schools. I have below average GMAT and GPA for all of them except 1 T20 school. I knew that I had to craft excellent applications and show the schools that I deeply researched them to stand a chance. And I did that with amazing resources at ApplicantLab. I went 5/6 on interviews and was accepted to Stern and UNC Kenan-Flagler ($$$$). At the start, ApplicantLab does a great job of establishing the right foundation(crafting your vision, why MBA, leadership stories, and resume) – I highly recommend the add-on service Sanity-Check-, which you build upon in later stages(essays and interviews) of your application. After that, Essay Advice and Interview Prep modules give you all you need to know to write killer essays and put your best foot forward during interviews.  Maria and her team are super responsive and they really care about the applicant’s success. I used all of their add-on services (sanity check, resume and essay review/polishing, interview prep), which I benefited a lot. In one instance, when I was running out of time to have an essay polishing service for one school before the deadline, Maria advised me to not take the risk and proceed without a polishing service, even though the advice was not in their best interest monetarily. I think this applicant-centric viewpoint and exceptionally detailed information make them the best consulting service out there.  To anyone interested in add-on services, I worked with Luqzan for my sanity check, essay/resume reviews, and interview prep. His help and the care he took were incredible throughout my application process. Wishing everyone the best of luck!

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ApplicantLab has lots of advantages. The school specific essay advice was something that stood out for me. I felt it was regularly updated and gives you proper guidance on how to shape your essays. ApplicantLab does not have support for certain schools and in those cases you can send an email using the prompt on the portal itself. Carin/Maria promptly reply to all the emails within a day and I always heard back from them when I was confused. I literally asked questions like "I have idea 1 vs idea 2" which would stand out better so it was nowhere like no consultant

After you are done with your essays there is an option to get their consultant to review it.

The guys who review your essays are alumni of top business schools and they really know what they are doing. To top that of, if you need a re-review of the essay for the same school you will get it at half the price. I remember getting my essays to these schools 4 times until I hit the right story.
I credit my admission to Foster, Scheller, McCombs(each with fee waivers of 70% at least) totally to ApplicantLab.
Thank you very much! Quality topped with affordability makes you a gem!

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An excellent and well thought out product that contains all that you could possibly need from admissions consulting.

- Guided process to help develop your MBA story
- In-depth information about what schools are looking for
- Guides for every question you could find on an application
- Detailed interview guides
- Resume advice
- And best of all, super fast answers to any questions that you email Maria about.

I literally do not understand why you would pay a small fortune to admissions consultant when you can find everything with ApplicantLab. In fact, even if you have a consultant, spending the $300 or so makes sense to me in order to get access to all this material, guides, and online application tracking system.

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ApplicantLab really helped me a lot to craft essays for schools on my own at a nominal price. It has detailed advice for each question for most of the top schools. I especially like how you can read specific areas based on how much time you have to devote. If you are in a hurry, you can skip to the gist of the advice and if you have time at hand then you can go through the detailed videos. When all is done, I would suggest getting your essays reviewed by your peers or someone who has experience writing/reviewing school essays.

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ApplicantLab is an ideal MBA application tool for candidates who need support in developing their "story" without spending thousands of dollars for a consultant. Maria's guidance is thoughtful, her videos are funny, and it's apparent that she genuinely cares about users' MBA results.

With ApplicantLab's support, I was accepted with significant scholarships to Michigan Ross, Northwestern Kellogg, and Chicago Booth. While much of the tool is self-guided, Maria was responsive to questions I asked on my resume, finalizing my post-MBA career goals, and negotiating my scholarships after I was accepted in R2. ApplicantLab's advice helped me secure $35K extra in scholarship support while I made my school decision (Insane ROI considering what I paid to use the service).

Thanks, ApplicantLab!!!

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Applicant Lab was a game-changer for me! Coming from Vietnam, I did not have a lot of access to the business school's info sessions - Applicant Lab took it to the next level with specific school details to help with essay and application strategies for a fraction of the price! On top of that, the HBS mock interview that I did with Maria was also empowering and gave me confidence and improvement points so I felt comfortable going to the actual interview, and ultimately secured the offer from HBS.

Would highly recommend it to everyone who is applying to business schools, thank you, Maria!

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As a lawyer who wanted to get into a top business school, I didn't have much knowledge or experience with the process. I wanted guidance, but I didn't want to pay a lot for admission consultants. I came across Applicant Lab through some YouTube videos (AdCom's hierarchy of needs!) and it had an immensely positive impact.

Once I signed up, I realised that Applicant Lab is an extremely powerful platform that helps you with every aspect of your
MBA applications. It can assist you in identifying your strengths and weaknesses, clarifying your career objectives and accomplishments, matching your personal qualities with the preferences of each school, crafting impactful essays, getting ready for interviews, and providing other forms of support. Simply put, it's a wonderful treasure trove of information and guidance. The content delivery is also flexible - both videos and text (including bite-sized summaries of key points). It also provides some examples, tips, videos, and resources to support you along the way.

What I appreciated about Applicant Lab was the feedback I received from the experts on the team. I booked sessions with Souvik and Ken, who were knowledgeable, friendly, and honest. They reviewed my essays and CV and provided feedback on areas that needed improvement. They gave me some valuable tips on how to improve my application.

Thanks to Applicant Lab, I was able to create a story that I believe accurately portrayed my personality, skills, and potential. I applied to INSEAD and I received an admission offer. I appreciate the assistance of the entire team in helping me reach my goal.

There is no doubt that Applicant Lab is a wonderful tool for anyone who is looking to ace the MBA application process. I wholeheartedly 'advocate' it!

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ApplicantLab played a pivotal role in my successful application journey, and I must acknowledge the value it brought to the table. The platform, along with its unwavering guidance and expertise, became an unwavering anchor throughout the challenging process. The strategic insights and sanity check provided by the team were truly invaluable, while the contributions made by Maria to ApplicantLab are simply outstanding. The platform created by Souvik is an absolute gem for anyone preparing their MBA applications, and words cannot fully express my admiration for its comprehensive and intuitive nature.

ApplicantLab's platform impressed me with its comprehensive and intuitive approach. Right from the beginning, it offers a structured path that makes the daunting task of crafting a compelling MBA application more manageable. Each section of the application is thoroughly addressed, with detailed guidance, examples, and actionable steps that ensure applicants stay on track and present their best selves.

One of the standout features of ApplicantLab is its strategic insights. The team's expertise shines through as they guide applicants to think critically about their experiences, strengths, and goals, and how to present them in the most impactful way. Their guidance is practical and actionable, helping applicants understand the thought process behind every element of their application. The strategic insights offered by ApplicantLab were a game-changer, enabling me to align my story with the expectations of top business schools.

Maria's outstanding contributions to ApplicantLab deserve special mention. The platform is enriched with her valuable insights, essay tips, and sample essays. Her expertise in storytelling and essay writing is evident, and her contributions provide a wealth of resources for applicants to tap into. The combination of the team's expertise creates a powerful synergy that significantly enhances the effectiveness of ApplicantLab.

The platform itself is incredibly user-friendly and intuitive. Navigating through the different sections and modules is effortless, thanks to the clean and visually appealing layout. ApplicantLab's comprehensive nature ensures that crucial elements of the application are not missed. It covers every aspect, from resume building and essay writing to interview preparation, providing applicants with a holistic and well-rounded application.

What sets ApplicantLab apart from other platforms is its affordability. Despite being the most cost-effective option available, it delivers exceptional value. The platform's effectiveness and the level of guidance provided far exceed its price point, making it an incredible investment for anyone serious about their MBA applications.

Thanks to ApplicantLab, I received admits from UC Berkeley, Kellogg, and CMU Tepper, three prestigious business schools that were at the top of my list. A significant portion of my success can be attributed to the guidance and support I received through this platform. ApplicantLab empowered me to present a compelling and authentic application that truly showcased my strengths and aspirations.

In conclusion, I wholeheartedly recommend ApplicantLab to any MBA applicant. It is a comprehensive, intuitive, and cost-effective solution that provides invaluable guidance throughout the application process. The team behind ApplicantLab has created a remarkable platform that demystifies the application journey and equips applicants with the tools they need to succeed. Don't miss out on this gem of a resource—it may just be the difference between an average application and an acceptance letter from your dream business school.

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