MBAPrepSchool Admissions Consulting Reviews

Being an Indian candidate comes with its challenges and at the same time not everyone out there can help non US/Europe candidates bring the best out in their applications. But after working with Chris and MBA Prep School I would recommend them to anyone who is serious about putting in a strong application to a top b school.

Worked with Chris throughout my application process. Unlike a lot of other consultants out there MBA Prep School offers a very personalized experience, I talked with Chris many times over the phone as well in addition to normal editing. Despite the massive time difference he was always available and post editing the difference was there to see.

I did not have the best GMAT out there but with his help and planning I managed to get a Top European Program. The MBA Prep School online process is simple and anyone can use it without hassle. 24 hour turn around usually meant your edited documents were back in lesser than 24 hours. Chris knew the specific needs of individual B school essays and that made all the difference. He knows individual B school cultures inside out and brings that out in your application, without which a strong candidate too doesn't stand a chance at the best B schools.

I used MBA Prep School's mock interview service as well and I have to say the mock interview was tougher than my actual interview. No aspect of my application or essays was left untouched and Chris made sure the interview experience was akin to the actual culture of the B school.

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I can’t say enough about my admissions consulting experience with Lorraine Tong at MBA Prep School. When I began the application process, I had one goal in mind – to get accepted to Columbia Business School. I explored a few different admissions consultants before speaking with Lorraine. The 1st consultant reviewed my CV, and after sitting down with me for a few minutes, advised me that my background was not strong enough and that I not even apply to the likes of Columbia. Another consultant spoke with me on the phone for a few minutes and offered nothing more than generic feedback and a vague approach to the application process. Lorraine, on the other hand, provided thorough and thoughtful analysis of my background and admissions prospects, laying out a specific and strategic approach to my application and how to differentiate myself among the sea of qualified applicants.

Throughout the entire process, Lorraine was intelligent, insightful, thoughtful, and patient. She worked to accommodate my changing schedule and was understanding of the stress and difficulty associated with applying to business school. Most importantly, she exhibited complete understanding of the admissions committee’s mindset and the ways to successfully navigate their essay prompts. At one point I actually argued with Lorraine when she recommended that I totally rework one of my essays, thinking my response was already pitch perfect. She confidently and deftly explained why my essay was missing the mark and brainstormed with me to help come up with the right topic.

It’s worth noting that I went through the application process a few years ago without the benefit of an admissions consultant like Lorraine. Given the various costs associated with this process – i.e. test prep classes, GMAT costs, application fees – I was certainly loath to part with even more money. I completed five applications that year and came up empty.

When I revisited the process this past application season, I decided that whatever the final outcome might be, I needed to give it my all and put forth my absolute best effort. What I found was that Lorraine had an impact on every phase of the application, from my resume, to the essays, to the way I completed the actual application itself. She guided me around various pitfalls and mistakes I never would have recognized on my own, and the result was simply a much more finely tuned final product than anything I had submitted to schools in the past.

Each person should obviously decide for themselves how much money they are comfortable investing into their applications, but I can attest that having Lorraine as my consultant put me in the best position to succeed.

Putting my faith in Lorraine was one of the best decisions I could have made in this process. Had I listened to that 1st consultant’s advice, I might not even have put in an application. Instead, I went with Lorraine and will be attending my dream school in the fall. I would wholeheartedly recommend Lorraine’s services to anyone applying to business school.
-Columbia Business School ‘15

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I am above 30 years old, with a GMAT score below 690. I have more than 6 years of working experience and lived in Europe and Asia. I want to contribute back to this forum and share some words on Tyler Cormney. Btw I got into Stanford Sloan, Kellogg (with full scholarship), Insead and Wharton.

Tyler has been critical in my success. His methodology is nothing short of exceptional. He pushed me beyond my limits and helped me to craft applications that put me into the top business school. Tyler has a strong business background but also a Master’s in writing. I chose a boutique firm vs the big firms because I wanted to work with the founder, with a person who knows not only what the MBA schools want but also could make my story more attractive and sharp. If you go with the big firms you will end up working with one of the many MBA consultant who has MBA admissions experience but might not understand good writing.

I learnt how important it is to have someone who can respond your email in 24 hours and gives you relevant comments.

Tyler has also become a close friend who helped me to decide what school to go to and gave me well reasoned and honest feedback. Now I am super happy with my choice.

If I were in your shoes would I go for Tyler? GO with Tyler, only if you are ready to work hard on your application, and only if you aspire to the top business schools.

Three point to remember about Tyler:

1. Best in class methodology to craft a top notch application
2. Best in class in story telling
3. Great motivator

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I was referred to Tyler Cormney (http://tylercormney.com) by a friend of mine who used his services and was admitted to Wharton. My first bit of advice - START EARLY! I started working with Tyler in April 2012 with the plan of applying to four schools in Round 1, and didn't realize how much work there would be! Yet it was all worth it - every exercise I completed and video I watched on the MBA Prep School website was integral to helping me craft my "story."

Tyler and I would chat once a week to discuss my stories, my concerns, and anything else that was on my mind related to applying. He was extremely supportive, yet always made sure that I was realistic in my outlook.

I think Tyler's greatest strength was making me feel like I was his only client. His uncanny ability to remember specific details about my career goals and my stories blew me away.

Ultimately, I was accepted to a Top 10 program, and will be matriculating there in the fall!

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Tyler's efforts were tremendous. He was extremely reliable, professional, dependable, and hardworking. I always received a thorough response from him within 24 hours of notification and knew that I could always count on his coaching advice. Not only was he patient with my hectic schedule, but he also provided insightful guidance throughout the stressful MBA application process. I didn’t realize all the prep work that went into an application, let alone the checklists from the B-schools. He helped me reach my maximum potential (on paper) by teaching me how to shape my ideas into a clear and concise message. My writing skills improved by working on the essays with him! I can’t speak on behalf of other consulting services, but I think another thing that distinguishes Tyler is the access his clients have to MBA Prep School (mbaprepschool.com). The tools from MBA Prep School were extremely useful and valuable because they helped me manage all documents, exercises, charts, videos, essays and project plans in a central location. Trust me – the application process gets a bit crazy and having this tool can save you hours searching through endless documents! Bottom line, Tyler was an awesome coach!

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I would encourage anyone who’s serious about earning an acceptance letter to a top-10 MBA program seek out Tyler’s consulting services. Before hiring Tyler, I interviewed other MBA admission consultants and quickly found Tyler’s approach to the application process, supported by MBAPrepSchool’s videos and useful tools, was the best fit for me – comprehensive, well structured, and logically thought-out. I had excellent resources to walk me through literally EVERY step of the application process.
Tyler’s contributions didn’t stop there. His background in creative writing helped me think critically about how to craft application essays that really brought my strengths to the surface while framing my story in a way that told a compelling story. With Tyler’s coaching, I produced applications that far exceeded what I could have produced on my own.
As an older (early 30’s), non-traditional applicant, the odds were certainly stacked against me but with Tyler’s assistance, I earned an acceptance letter to a Top-5 MBA program! I can’t recommend Tyler’s service enough, thanks Tyler!

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I was admitted into my dream school thanks to Tyler Cormney and MBAPrepSchool, read below for details! It’s a thorough / long review, but I hope it’s helpful to anyone doing research. PM me with any questions.

Background
The MBA application process is excruciating and stressful, especially for re-applicants who are waitlisted and ultimately rejected.

During last year’s application process, I initially thought that both my application and essays were strong. After all, I had been invited to interview at my dream school and a couple of very close friends had also thought my essays were compelling. However, the eventual rejection signaled that I needed to go back to square one and objectively re-evaluate my application if I were serious about re-applying.

To start, I decided to reach out to friends who did not know me as well as my previous reviewers; I thought they would be more objective because their feedback would not be clouded by intimate knowledge of my background and story. Their feedback helped me realize my essays were not as strong as I had previously thought.

Despite the rejection, I remained enthusiastic about reapplying. The first time I applied, I was skeptical of the value provided by admissions consultants. I thought my undergraduate record, work experience, extracurriculars, and writing skills were adequate / strong. With an open mind, however, I started doing research on admissions consultants to see if I could benefit from their guidance.

Given that using an admissions consultant is a significant investment, I was extremely diligent with my research process. I contacted all the consultants reviewed on GC and eventually spoke on the phone with six of them. On each call, we covered a list of 15+ questions that I had. I also set up follow-up conversations with the front-runners with more questions. Eventually, I narrowed down my list to MBAPrepSchool / Tyler Cormney, MBA Mission, and SBC. As someone without finances to spare, I was still hesitant but there were two deciding factors:

1. An emphatic endorsement for Tyler by a mentor who I had worked with
2. Tyler’s answer to, “why are you in admissions consulting?”

Process
I give Tyler and MBAPrepSchool my highest possible recommendation. Tyler was instrumental in pushing me to present an application that captured who I am.

The biggest advantage of working with Tyler is the personalized approach. He took the time to get to know me and understand my story. I felt he was invested in the outcome of the process as much as I was. The “care” factor is what I valued highly as a client.

In many ways, working with a consultant involved more work and hours than the first time I applied. The tools, tutorials, and (countless) videos on MBAPrepSchool helped me thoroughly understand my own story, strengths, weaknesses, and future goals. Yes, this was useful even as a re-applicant. While doing all this work, Tyler remained alongside, providing feedback as necessary. All my prep work also helped Tyler understand my story better. Initially, the amount of prep work required was actually perplexing because I already had a previous application and a set of essays. But I came to appreciate and understand the value of taking one step back, doing all of the MBAPrepSchool work, and trusting the process to take me two steps forward. All the prep work also opened my eyes to schools I had not previously considered.

Having followed the MBAPrepSchool curriculum, I had full awareness of the content pieces and stories to use for my resume and essays. Also, I was able to differentiate the qualities that were more important to one school vs. another, which helped me pick the appropriate stories for each set of essays.

Tyler’s feedback and the MBAPrepSchool videos were key in helping me understand how to position my stories in a memorable way. Sometimes, I thought my initial drafts were close to being “masterpieces” (just like last year, of course), but Tyler brought me back to reality and continuously pushed me to write better. In the end, I was confident in the essays and the application I prepared.

To top it off, MBAPrepSchool has video tutorials on acing your interview. In addition, Tyler’s mock interview and advice made me feel completely prepared to tackle this last step of the application process.

Another of Tyler’s strengths is his personality. He is sincere, honest, and encouraging. That combination and balance is hard to find, but much needed in someone who you’ll look to for advice through months of hard work.

Result
I was admitted into my top choice (think H/S/W). Unlike last year, I actually felt the application I presented was the best I could regardless of the results. Before decisions even came out, I told one of my friends that I would have no regrets about my applications this year or my investment, I knew I had done my absolute best – that feeling of knowing I did everything within grasp is thanks to Tyler. If you are considering working with a consultant, Tyler is the absolute best in the business – 5 out of 5 stars.

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For those interested in hiring a consultant, I would strongly recommend Tyler Cormney of MBA Prep School. He was punctual, honest, concise, and realistic. We spent a few months working together on applications to two Top 10 MBA Programs, and I was admitted to both programs.

I had several free ‘assessment’ calls with different consultants. I think the biggest difference that Tyler brought to the table was his crafted approach – I had the feeling on all the other initial calls that many other consultants and larger firms had a more ‘cookie-cutter’ approach. Tyler really took the time to get to know me personally and different strengths I could leverage in my application. He was very accessible throughout the process. There was a lot of prep work on my end, but as long as you put in the time and effort, Tyler will too and you will reap the benefits.

Tyler has his MBA from a top program as well as a degree in creative writing – I believe the latter helped me significantly in my essays so that they stood out from the crowd. He does not write them for you, but he provided me with great feedback – specifically, I was having trouble identifying points of differences that Adcoms would find valuable, as well as coming up with a career ‘story’ that made sense given my interests and prior work experience. Tyler was able to help me pick my best experiences and craft them into meaningful stories. He also assisted with different ways of making points so that I was able to stay within the essay length guidelines. We spent hours and hours on them and I was very happy with the result. There is NO way I would have gotten to the same final product without Tyler’s guidance.

It was a bit tough for me to digest the fee at first, but in retrospect I think the value that Tyler provided was well worth the investment. To me the biggest value-add was the essay editing. We also spent a lot of time on assessing my strengths, picking target schools, and interview and resume prep. To those applicants who are finding it difficult to come with a concrete “story” that makes sense, or who are struggling with essay writing or having issued with self-reflection, I would encourage you to try MBA Prep School.

Additionally, MBA Prep School has a comprehensive online forum with seminars and tools for everything related to MBA applications – from selecting target schools to nailing the interview, and everything in between. I believe access to this online resource can also be purchased separately from the traditional hourly or comprehensive consultant fee. This would be useful if you are a particularly strong writer or have some really concrete stories already in mind – otherwise, I would go with the comprehensive package. As I said before, it’s my opinion the biggest value-add was the essay prep and editing.

Overall, it was a great experience. My outcome was very positive as I went 2/2 on acceptances. Though even if I went 0/2, I still would have been pleased with my applications as I felt with Tyler’s help I did absolutely everything in my power to make them as strong as possible.

I’d be happy to give more feedback or advice if necessary, so feel free to PM me if you want more info.

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It is time for me to write this review.
Chris and Tyler did a great job to walk me through the process of applying to top business schools.
Once I was done with the Gmat...a new journey began...
I did not want to spend a lot of money but I needed help..so I decided to invest for a seasonal pass (it was 97$ v good deal). I am so happy I took this decision. The video course gave me flexibility to follow it with my work schedule. On my free time, I was watching those videos as I was advancing during my application process. From essays (choosing the right stories), resume (the right format... very helpful for international students) to the interview process. MBAprep walked me through all these important steps. It was v helpful for the price I paid..On the top of the excellent preparation that the videos gave me, I really found v helpful the bi-weekly conference calls. Those conference calls create a safe environment for students to ask all kind of questions (interviews, essays and anything you might have in your mind related to your MBA.) GLAD I made this choice...THANKS A LOT Chris and Tyler. Hope this review helps other students choosing MBAPrep. If you are like me not willing or able to invest a large sum of money on preparing your mba applications, MBAprep will give you the tools to be competitive ... In my humble opinion in the end is always up to you (experience, work progression and etc) but You need to show those elements in the right way. Btw Thanks GmatClub for showing the right path from Gmat Preparation to the application process...
Best of Luck on your application process.
FT

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I thought I’d throw out another name that I haven’t seen mentioned on this thread as an alternative to the larger admissions consulting firms everyone is talking about: Tyler Cormney. Tyler used to work for a large brand name consulting firm specializing in top 5 schools but spun out on his own a couple years back. I was fortunate enough to embark on the admissions process with adequate scores, grades and work experience, but I had no idea how to navigate the application process itself. Tyler and I worked on my application together for about three months; he was always patient, insightful and responsive. We carefully selected essay topics to help distinguish me from the masses (I was otherwise a white male working in finance that went to a top tier undergraduate institution . . about as generic as you can get in b-school admissions speak). I was ultimately admitted to Wharton and Kellogg and waitpooled at Stanford GSB, which I thought was a phenomenal outcome. I had a number of friends apply to school at the same time as me that I perceived to be stronger applicants (750+ GMATs, Phi Beta Kappa, bulge bracket work experience) who were rejected from these same schools. I think this is a true testament of the value of Tyler’s services. I’ve already encouraged a number of friends to work with Tyler in the future and I would strongly recommend him to anyone considering working with a consultant. Feel free to message me with questions.

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