Prep MBA Admissions Consulting Reviews

As an European, I had little experience on the “how tos” and the key success factors of applying to top US MBA programs. I was therefore eager to find an admission consultant who could support me in the process. One thing that was really important to me was that I could trust the respective consultant not only to have contextual expertise, but to be easy to build a personal relationship with. After all, you are sharing deeply personal stories with the respective person throughout the application process.
After my initial call with Alex, I knew he was the right one. You could immediately sense that he cared and was passionate to see you succeed. But he was also honest and straightforward about my expectations and where my profile was strong/not so strong – as an example, he openly addressed the potential fallbacks of my current GMAT score or the limited number of current extracurriculars (given it was early in the process, we could also take action on those). Alex was open about the fact that his offering was slightly more expensive and also that response times might be a little slower, given he does not have a team of junior consultants. But what you get in return is a deeply personalized service, Alex’s full set of experience, and a creative, funny, and honest partner throughout your application process.
Working with Alex proved to be amazing. I only applied to three schools – Harvard, Stanford, and Wharton – of which I interviewed with 2. In the end, I got into Wharton and was waitlisted at HBS. While Alex officially only supported on Harvard and Stanford, I could use many of the tools (such as career goals) and even essay preparations for my application at Wharton.
I would recommend Alex in a heartbeat, and I already have to my former college friends planning to pursue an MBA. Not only did he play a massive role in my success of getting a MBA spot in the US, the whole process with him was super cool and a great reflection of my career, personal goals and ambitions. I feel strongly that Alex is uncommon as an advisor. He is sincere, funny, and often made me feel like I was his most important client.

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Alex’s biggest value-add is his ability to draw out the uniqueness in each candidate. He starts the process by asking the candidate to fill out a detailed “Bio sheet”. Several times in the following months, while we worked on the applications, he would reference various details I had mentioned in the sheet - ones so small that even I had forgotten them! Alex spends a lot of time and energy preparing to work on the applications with the candidate, and throughout the process I felt assured that his advice/suggestions were personalized to showcase my strengths most effectively.

He also has incredible editing skills, and has a knack for trimming all the excess fat from written pieces without losing the essence. Through his interview prep sessions, he also coaches the candidate on how to be concise yet thorough and impactful, making the candidate very appealing to the AdCom.

Lastly, I immensely valued Alex’s work ethic throughout the process. He would tell me exactly when to expect a response and I always got a thoroughly reviewed piece back from him as planned!!

As someone who has not only helped candidates over multiple application cycles but has also been through the process himself, Alex realizes how stressful the process is. Beyond simply providing great advice on the application materials, Alex took the time to connect with me, helping me through stressful times. I am so glad that, after debating amongst multiple consultants, I chose to work with Alex - it would be difficult, if not impossible, to find a better guide and support through this life-changing process.

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I was initially interested in Alex Leventhal’s consulting firm, PrepMBA, because it appeared to be one of only several firms that prioritized crafting a personalized approach to business school applications. I also liked that Alex didn’t have a cabal of junior associates working with his clients; Alex directly worked with each one himself. It was clear that Alex was personally vested in each of his clients’ success.

When I started with Alex, I could tell that he was focused on getting to know my story from my early childhood to the present. Through his detailed biosheet questionnaire and other supporting materials, we both got organized on what my strengths and weaknesses were.

As we had more meetings and the conversation moved to my resume and future career goals, I appreciated Alex’s help in thinking critically about my past accomplishments and the messaging I wanted to convey on my applications. We ended up brainstorming and refining my thoughts for many weeks before I began to write my essays, which gave me confidence as I wrote my essays and completed respective applications. Alex’s same honest, thoughtful approach carried over into interview prep as well. Throughout it all, Alex was always there to provide a deep dive into a portion of my application that needed substantial attention or a quick answer to an ad-hoc question. This all culminated in my acceptance to NYU Stern.

I would highly recommend Alex and his services to any MBA applicant, and have already spoken highly of him to several of my friends who are considering applying in the near future. He is diligent, hard-working, very kind, and genuinely cares about helping his clients achieve their goals. I could not be happier that I worked with him.

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Alex’s services played a huge role in my acceptance to Booth! After checking out a number of consultants, I chose Alex because of his personalized approach and his honesty in assessing my odds at different programs, especially during this tougher COVID cycle. What truly differentiates Alex from other consultants is how comprehensive and rigorous his methods are. The breadth of support that Alex provided surprised me and alleviated a lot of stress. For example he spent significant time helping me tailor communications to recommenders and coaching me on body language and vocal tonality for my video essays and interviews.

One key area where Alex was able to provide invaluable guidance was in helping my differentiate myself as an Indian American applicant in consulting, a highly overrepresented pool. Alex starts his process by getting to know you as well as possible by having you fill out a bio sheet and interviewing you. Therefore, when I reached roadblocks later on, he knew my story and background well and was able to point out examples that portrayed me in a unique and positive light.

As a result of working with Alex, not only was I accepted to one of my top choices, I also received significant scholarship. I thought working with Alex was really enjoyable and helpful, and I would recommend him to anyone hoping to put their best foot forward in their MBA application journey!

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Alex was extremely helpful in focusing me on the areas which I needed to spend the most time in the admissions process. After completing my GMAT exam, he worked with me to create my career purpose and story, which helped guided everything else in the process. He was thoughtful and honest in delivering feedback on my resume, essays, and interview prep. Not only was his process efficient, but also allowed me to submit my application early in the cycle and ultimately gain admission to my top choice program. Would recommend using Alex to get into your top choice school in an efficient and professional manner.

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I would not have gotten in my first choice MBA without his help!
Alex was able to help me brainstorm ideas, revise my essays many times until they are perfect, and finally deliver an outstanding MBA application. The MBA application process can be very stressful. Alex has patiently helped me identifying my target schools, deciding an ideal score for the standardized tests, identifying the right people for recommendation letters, brainstorming & revising essays, communicating with the Admissions Team, and finally submitting the application. Alex has been very transparent and supportive at every step.

What makes him stand out is his dedication to his craft, responsiveness, interpersonal skills, and honesty. Highly recommend him!

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I picked Alex as my consultant after talking to a few others because of his personal approach—other companies would have had me work with junior consultants.

I found Alex’s service to be helpful in all aspects of the admissions process, but especially the essays. His approach to writing the essays helped elucidate this tricky part of the admissions process. He was not satisfied until I crafted the strongest personal story I could, even though it took almost a dozen iterations of ideas. If your essay is not as good as it can possibly be, he will be direct in telling you so and recommending what you can do to improve it.

He has a fast response time and spends as much time as is necessary to perfect the application. For one school, I was working right up until the deadline and he still was able to provide feedback on my essays the day of.

Alex’s no-nonsense approach greatly improved my admissions prospects and I would recommend him without hesitation. I’ve found that he genuinely cares about and invests in the success of his clients.

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I was completely satisfied with the service Alex provided during my MBA admissions process. Alex had several helpful tips and brought up ideas that I would have never found otherwise. At first I was not sure if I should bother with an admissions consultant, but I believe that without his assistance I would not have gotten in to the schools I wanted. Alex also gave a personal touch I highly appreciated, and took the time to get to know me to give personalized advice and service. Alex regularly checked in with me to see how things were going, even though I was only an hourly client. Great guy and highly recommend.

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I had called around a couple of consulting firms and worked with another consultant prior to working with Alex. The difference is night and day! First of all, Alex is the owner and sole consultant for Prep MBA – if you sign up with Prep MBA, you are guaranteed to work with Alex, a Harvard MBA grad. Second, Alex will give you direct and honest answers. After our initial conversation, he quickly identified some critical issues about my profile (work gaps, GPA, age, etc.) and how to address each of the problems from the point of view of the admin team. Third, Alex’s creativity and sense of essay structure are beyond impressive; I was always amazed at how we were able to turn a 1000-word draft into an articulate 500 words essay. Finally, I am extremely impressed by his knowledge of various details of the MBA schools and he was able to identify a group of school that fits my career aspirations.

After the initial conversation and assessment with Alex, I decided to rethink my application strategy completely, even though I had previously worked with another consultant. I only had a month to complete my application prior to final deadlines, and Alex was able to accommodate such a rushed schedule. With his help, I was able to get into Tepper and McDonough, both with scholarships. Looking back, I believe that his advice on how to tailor my essay to the admission committee was the main reason I was accepted. The devil is in the detail, and Alex was very meticulous – he really helped me with the tones of my essays and worked with me to find the right words to express my goals concisely. Additionally, Alex was able to provide me with different samples that fit with my career aspirations. These samples were extremely useful when I was trying to find the right flow and structure for my essay drafts.

I highly recommend Alex Leventhal and Prep MBA. If you are honest with him and follow his advice, know that he will provide you with the clearest path to your dream school!

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I am so glad I chose to work with Alex this year during my application process to HBS. I applied as a current medical student only to HBS for a dual MD/MBA. I had introductory calls with a number of consultants but ultimately chose Alex because he was personable, approachable, knowledgeable about HBS, and demonstrated a clear interest in me and my story from the introduction call onward.

Throughout the application cycle, he was a calming presence and helped me navigate the application process while quelling my anxiety. Whenever we embarked on a portion of the application, Alex always gave me space to brainstorm, soul search, and draft, before he provided feedback. This helped us get to know each other better, and also ensured that my vision and story guided my application. At the same time, when I was stuck with tons of ideas and no clear direction for my personal statement, he helped me come up with a creative essay approach that I am extremely proud of. I genuinely believe that this is the first personal statement I have written that truly gets across who I am as a person, and I have Alex to thank for that.

As a dual-degree applicant, I had to write an additional essay explaining my interest in the program. Alex was happy to dedicate time to helping me brainstorm, draft, and perfect that essay, despite it not being part of the typical application. I really felt like Alex was rooting for me, and had a vested interest in getting me into my dream business school. He was unafraid to give me direct feedback when I needed it, and ensured that I put my best foot forward in my application and interview. I would work with Alex again in a heartbeat!

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