The Red Pen Admissions Consulting Reviews

I've been seeking TRP's help for a year, so I believe I am in a good position to submit this review.

Initially, I wanted to apply in R3 of the 2022 application cycle. So, when I first reached out to the TRP team around January 2022, I was connected to Namrata Khosla. She provided some valuable insights and helped me understand how difficult it is for an international applicant to secure a spot in the top business schools in the US by applying in R3. Hence, I chose to defer my plans and reached out to TRP again in April after my second GMAT attempt.

The first product from TRP that I used was the 'Application Roadmap Meeting' or the ARM. It was an hour-long discussion with a Lead Consultant from TRP, in which my resume and profile were analyzed in-depth, and later, a list of suitable target and dream schools was provided. This hour-long discussion with Preeti Waderkar was phenomenal! The session served as a much-needed reality check. Having gone through the ARM process, I was aware of my strengths and weakenesses earlier in the cycle. I would recommend everyone to take the ARM product even though it is a bit pricey - chances are that you probably need it!

After the ARM, I decided to sign up for the 10-school package as this product was costing me the same amount as the 5-school package would have cost me. I am still unsure if that was the right decision, but to each their own. You probably won't apply to 8-10 schools. Or even if you do, after writing your 5th application, you'll get the hang of it. So, choose accordingly and wisely.

One of the things I loved about TRP from the get-go was its multi-member team model. Right after joining the program, I joined a group where Prerna helped me with Ops, Divya helped me with LoR pointers, Natasha helped me with my resume, and Mitrabina was responsible for the bigger picture as my Lead Consultant (LC). While working with everyone was a bit of a learning curve, I am grateful for the support I have received from them throughout the process. More importantly, I am thankful for the multiple perspectives I received throughout my application journey. Knowing that my essays were reviewed and proofread by experts was reassuring.

Mitrabina helped me streamline my career goals SO many times. I walked into the process without a clear post-mba goal, but Mitrabina did her job well as a mentor. She was supportive and direct throughout the process. She even helped me review an essay for my safety school (Georgetown McDonough) even though I applied to the school outside of the package. Mitrabina helped me phrase my answers before my interviews, too. I am glad that I had the opportunity to learn from her.

Lastly, and most importantly, a huge kudos to Anju Goela from the TRP team! Initially, Divya and Anju helped me perfect the LoR pointers, which I had to forward to my recommenders. But I had the opportunity to work with Anju after getting waitlisted at my dream b-school (Duke Fuqua) in October 2022. Anju has been so supportive and encouraging throughout the Waitlist process. She has always been quick in responding to the submitted drafts with meaningful and insightful review comments. She motivated me to be optimistic about my chances and asked me to trust the process. Working with Anju was delightful. I got off the Fuqua Waitlist with a merit scholarship last weekend, and if I am being honest, I don't think it would've happened if Anju didn't help me out.

My advice (based on my experience): TRP has a great and very knowledgeable team of people, and you should work with them. But the entire ownership of your application is on you and I don't think that is an unfair ask. Please do your research well in advance and ask about the other commitments your TRP team might have. Communicate and plan your assignments, essays and application components accordingly. It makes your life easier.

All the best!

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I recently applied for an executive MBA and worked with TRP on the selection, application and finalization. TRP is thoroughly professional, gave me prompt support and adequate guidance throughout the process.

I was applying for an executive MBA and my circumstances were unique. The TRP team lead by Preeti helped me throughout the process - their support was pivotal in three ways: helping me target better schools than I had initially identified, helping me think clearly and articulate my ambitions in the EMBA applications and guiding me during the interview process including multiple mock interviews.

Thanks to the support by TRP, I was selected by all the schools I applied to and am currently finalizing my admission in my dream school.

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TLDR: I had a dream M7 school in my mind right from the beginning when I started my school research. I ended up getting admitted into that same school. It would be impossible to achieve that without The Red Pen team - Preeti, Natasha, Ritu, Prerna, Anju, and Kim.

I signed up with The Red Pen based on the recommendation of my friend who got into Wharton last year. I had made multiple switches in my career and was not strong on my extra-curriculars, but regardless had some good highlights in my story as well. Looking at the process, I was unsure about how to approach it and make sure everything was inch perfect. This is where the entire Red Pen team came in. They made me thoroughly analyze my life journey, helping me discover some unique experiences which were crucial in shaping my outlook in life.

Preeti and Natasha helped me write my thoughts into original essays, without ever asking me to follow any standard template. Natasha really helped in bringing out the best of content and Preeti was solid on pointing out any misdirection in my story. It often felt like I was working with two brilliant consultants at once and helped me gather multiple points of view in every interaction.

Ritu did a great job with my resume, making sure all the highlights are carefully captured without wasting too much space. With Preeti's guidance, my final resume was an optimal balance of professional excellence, academic highlights, and extra-curricular engagements.

Shoutout to Anju, who helped me with the letters of recommendations throughout the journey. One of things I was struggling with was the fact that my recommenders were related to me in similar functional roles and their content had a lot of intersection. Anju made sure that the LoRs were distinct and highlighted different aspects of my contributions.

Lastly, I got waitlisted in Round 1 from my dream school. This is one aspect where Anju really shined. She helped me navigate the waitlist by preparing multiple updates for the admissions committee, which resulted in my acceptance into my dream school.

I would also call out the contributions of Kim, who helped me identify areas of weakness in my interview skills, which reflected in my Round 2 performance.

All in all, I am very happy to have signed up with The Red Pen. They have a great team and make their best attempt to bring out the most unique and original story of a candidate, while ensuring that the story is something that would catch the AdCom's attention. Highly recommend to anyone who is starting off with their MBA prep. Cheers!

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I would highly recommend everyone whose aim is to get into an excellent business school to enroll with The Red Pen. I was extremely stressed and kind of clueless before starting with my applications. But as I signed up with the consultancy, I started getting a clearer picture of the process and a sense of confidence that I can sail through it successfully. Red Pen guided me throughout the process, from selecting the best fit schools for me till helping me prepare for my interviews. I have had some great brainstorming sessions with Preeti (my consultant at The Red Pen) to identify the most impactful stories and finally putting them down in the form of the essays. Preeti has always given me honest and timely feedbacks which helped me make my essays stronger. She helped me think about some out of box stories through her examples which ultimately culminated into some of my finest essays. I fared well at business school interviews due to the mock interviews conducted by the team. Their feedback was extremely valuable. Lastly, based on my personal experience, I will definitely recommend everyone to go with The Red Pen to successfully land up in one of their dream business schools.

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I had approached Team Red Pen less than a month prior to Round 1 of admissions to the Sloan Programme at the London Business School. A shout-out to my consultant Anju Kesharwani Goela and her back end support team is in order and is an apt acknowledgment of her enterprise, zeal and commitment. She is singularly responsible for mentoring me and leading me across the line in a very short time whilst following a highly disciplined work schedule and stringent deadlines. I credit her for her dynamism, ingenuity and energy which not only yielded a near flawless application but prepared me optimally for my eventual two-stage interview. Grateful indeed, sincerely!

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In middle of 2022, when I decided to apply for a B-School, I was aware of all the components that go into an application but had no idea how to approach any of them. Although there’s tons of free materials available on the internet, none of them are personalized and the trouble comes from too many choices amongst which finding out the best fit materials is a daunting task. So, I knew I had to undertake a structured approach.
What really drove me to work with The Red Pen was their personalized touch and their team-based approach. Even before I availed their services, Preeti Wadekar was so generous with her time with me. I had conversations with her where she focused on finding out what I wanted which stuck with me. When I enrolled with them, I was assigned a dedicated team, Abhishek, Rachel, Prerna, Anju, Preeti, and Dhiraj. Dhiraj Daryani, one of the best mentors I’ve ever met, was my lead consultant. No matter how or how much I try to thank him, it won’t be enough (hence parking that here).
In the first step, they made me spend a lot of time on getting to know myself, unearthing stories even from my childhood days, how my upbringing, how all the people I have encountered really shaped me up. And this for me was the most important part of the process. As from this point onwards I could refer to these stories, these characteristics that I found out about myself for goals, essays, interviews and even having a discussion with my recommenders for LORs. They ensured that I communicate my story and that I put my best foot forward with the essays and every other application material, no matter how many iterations it took. They truly went above and beyond to ensure that I feel supported and confident throughout the application process.
On top of that Dhiraj personally took time out to help out with some school applications that were not even part of the package I signed up for. It’s this personalised approach that guaranteed that I got interview invites and admit from M7 colleges.
I want to thank them for their guidance and I couldn't be more grateful. I would highly recommend TRP and especially Dhiraj to anyone who is looking for support as they take on this daunting journey.

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I recently worked with The Red Pen as my MBA admissions consultant, and I couldn't be happier with the results. My lead consultant David Santos Carvalho was incredibly knowledgeable about the MBA application process and provided me with invaluable guidance and support throughout the entire process.
One thing that really stood out to me was their personalized approach. They took the time to get to know me and understand my unique strengths and weaknesses, which allowed them to provide me with tailored advice that was specific to my needs.
In addition to their expertise, they were also extremely responsive and always available to answer my questions and address my concerns. They truly went above and beyond to ensure that I felt supported and confident throughout the application process.

Thanks to their guidance, I was able to secure admission to my top-choice MBA program, and I couldn't be more grateful. I would highly recommend TRP and David to anyone who is looking for a knowledgeable, supportive, and personalized MBA admissions consultant.

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I recently availed the services of The Red Pen (TRP) and Shreya Bajaj was my lead consultant. I cannot speak highly enough about her exceptional guidance and support throughout the college admission process.

In the initial calls, she took the time to understand my academic background, personal interests, and future goals, and offered personalized advice and insights that proved invaluable. Early on, her advice on which schools fit well not just for my career uptick but also where I would personally scale made it easier to filter out many options.

Shreya’s attention to detail and thorough review of my application materials was impressive. She provided constructive feedback that helped me present myself in the best possible light and stand out from other applicants. I felt confident submitting my applications knowing that I had their support every step of the way. Shreya was part of my MBA application journey from day 1 till the day I got admitted and still continues to support me while I am negotiating scholarship. The personalized care and advice throughout the process is one of the many strengths that stood out for me.

Thanks to Shreya and her team’s dedication and hard work, I received an acceptance letter from my Yale and ISB. I believe that without their help, I would not have achieved such an outstanding outcome. I would highly recommend TRP and Shreya Bajaj to anyone seeking guidance with the college admission process.

Their expertise, professionalism, and kindness were instrumental in my success, and I am confident that they will help many others in the same way.

Overall, I had a fantastic experience working with Shreya Bajaj and team and would recommend them without hesitation. Five stars all the way!

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I signed up with TRP in June 2022 and was able to finish 3 applications in round 1 and 5 in round 2: Booth, Kellogg, Sloan, Wharton, Haas, Anderson, Ross, and Stern. I have gotten admits from Booth, Kellogg, Ross, Anderson, and Stern (Kellogg and Anderson with scholarships) and I'm awaiting decisions from Sloan and Haas.

Dhiraj, my lead consultant helped me with refining my STAR stories and post-MBA goals, and helped me with my school selection. Dhiraj and Srishti helped me hone my essays to perfection by bringing out my perspective in a unique manner. Smita and Anju helped me with coordinating with my recommenders so that it was easier for them to draft different LoRs. Additionally, Anju helped me coordinate with various school alums in my network who could give me letters of support. Abhishek helped me draft a stellar resume. And Preeti, Dhiraj, and Anju really helped me hone my interviewing skills.

All of these aspects of the application - essays, goals, resume, interview - were iterated multiple times and vetted by the TRP team to ensure that they were tailor-made to fit each school and helped me stand out as a strong candidate. Additionally, I view every member of the TRP team as a mentor.

I'm truly grateful to the TRP team's efforts that have helped me get multiple admits to the top schools. Moreover, I'm thankful to them because they have brought me very close to my career and life goals. I would strongly recommend applicants choose TRP because of my experience and the dedication that the team shows towards achieving perfection in every application.

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I was really fascinated by team based approach of TRP. Individual experts helped me strengthen my resume, LOR discussion points and essays.

My lead consultant, Pradyot ensured that I put my best foot forward with the essays, even if that meant multiple iterations. I would really not have been able to communicate my story as well as I did without his help.

The entire team assigned to me team very approachable and willing to help anytime I reached out, even after my interviews. I personally was very comfortable working with all the team members, and they ensured that all my concerns related to my application were addressed without any delay.

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