Having done consultations with almost every admissions consultant out there (and after even paying a hefty sum for one!) I finally found ApplicantLab. I found their information and advice to be by far the most helpful of any pricey consultant that I spoke to. Their user interface is incredibly easy to use, and they were an invaluable help to me as I researched schools, refined my story and resume, and drafted essays. I was incredibly delighted by my outcomes (admits to Stern, Haas, LBS, Kellogg, Yale, Tuck, UCLA and McCombs—as well as generous scholarships from many of them and one full ride!) and I couldn’t have done it without ApplicantLab and Carin.

The self-introspection and questions they ask about your experience and interests really allow you to identify what is unique about your story and uncover ways to tell that story in a way that is compelling to the admissions committee. I also found that their information and advice on essays was incredibly well-researched and supported, rather than just based on one consultant’s opinion or anecdotal experience. The informational videos and write-ups for how to outline essays really streamlined the process for me, and I’m sure were the reason I was able to get admits at 8 schools!
In addition to all the information on ApplicantLab’s service, the Sanity Checks and Strategic Essay Reviews I booked with Carin really helped me polish my story and make my essays shine. I found that her advice on one of my essays was often applicable to several of them, and she really helped me showcase my strengths and personality to the admissions committee. I honestly couldn’t have done it without her!


I also think that ApplicantLab’s process for reviewing a user’s resume and career vision for the Sanity check most closely aligns with the experience of the admissions committee—brief and to the point! The fact that they are able to review more applicant’s stories than an hourly admissions consultant gives them a better perspective as well, which also came through during the strategic essay reviews.

Overall, it was money extremely well-spent, and I couldn’t be happier with my outcomes!

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When designing my game plan for R1 applications, I was hesitant to pay thousands of dollars for a top tier consultant after hearing some mixed reviews from friends. After spending many months studying for the GMAT using Target Test Prep (and loving it), I was looking for a similarly innovative platform for my applications. I decided to use ApplicantLab as my consulting service after reading many online reviews and noticing how inexpensive it was compared to virtually every other consulting option. Overall, I found ApplicantLab to be incredibly helpful from start to finish for each of my applications, but I’ll go into detail a bit on how I used the product to help others understand its value.

I started with the Strategy Modules (My Strengths & Weaknesses, Career Vision, and Why MBA) to develop my unique story for applications. Each module enabled me to think introspectively and helped me leverage my best leadership examples effectively. Before diving into my essays, I wanted to make sure my story was sound, so I paid for a “Sanity Check” with Maria. This review was immensely helpful! She provided feedback via a recorded video, and I watched it several times through to make sure I perfected my story.

After the Sanity Check, I felt comfortable with my goals/story and started outlining my essays. I found the advice tailored to each school's essay prompt(s) incredibly helpful and helped me feel confident with the materials I was submitting to each school. I received an interview invite at 5 of the 6 schools I applied to, including an invite for HBS. After hearing this exciting news, I decided to pay for Mock Interview session with Maria. She spent a considerable amount of time reviewing my application and coming up with questions similar to the ones I received during the actual interview!

ApplicantLab was 100% worth the money for me and helped me get into HBS, my dream school, and I am incredibly thankful to Maria for designing such an awesome product!

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Whether you are paying for an admission consultant or planning to complete your application on your own, ApplicantLab is an almost necessary tool for applying to business school. The website is set up to walk you through the entire process, from brainstorming essays to completing your resume to preparing for interviews.

ApplicantLab is especially useful for those who are finding themselves overwhelmed by the application process. It gives you the concrete next steps and planning items that you should be taking and helps you to ensure you are not missing any key details in your application. I began applying to MBA programs with very little knowledge of the process and ended up getting accepted into two M7s; I believe ApplicantLab deserves a substantial amount of credit for the success of my applications.

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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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ApplicantLab's process, checklists, and advice empowers you to create your own best application. The insight that Maria brings is invaluable and helps sharpen your own unique personality in each application. I knew I wanted to apply to business school and believed I could drive the action myself as long as someone helped point me in the right direction. ApplicantLab's resources and analysis of admissions committees trends make it easy to emphasize the points that matter and spend time finding the school that you fit with best.

On top of that, the customer service/support from Maria and her team is unparalleled. When I was unsure of how to approach a recommender I sent a message to the support email and received a human, helpful response quickly.

I'm certain that my success in applications can be largely attributed to my preparation with applicantLab

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The business school application process can be pretty hectic especially as a working professional. I needed structure, guidance but also the flexibility to do it according to my own timelines. ApplicantLab was a wonderful resource. I completed all the sections and so many of the ideas outlined resonated with my own experiences and thinking.

With only 3 years of experience under my belt, I was skeptical about applying to business school. ApplicantLab helped me realize my unique strengths and ways of approaching the applications. I got admits from 6 schools with scholarships ( Tuck, Yale, Cornell, Anderson, Marshall, Tepper) and I am happy to inform you that I have matriculated at Yale :)

Greatest Strength:
1) A step-by-step and very comprehensive guide on various aspects of the application process - resume, story, goals.
2) You work on the parts you want to work on and on your own time.
3) I especially loved Maria's videos- funny, creative, and a great way to understand the application process. ( esp when the going gets tough!)
4) Constructive and timely feedback.

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I had only a month to prepare four applications. I was so overwhelmed with all the information on schools' websites, forums, etc. I didn't have the budget for consultant services, so I gave it a try when my friend suggested Applicant Lab. And this is a beautiful tool; not only does it guide you with selective and insightful information about the school, but it also guides you on how to reflect on yourself deeply and build your unique story. It helps brainstorm your essays confidently. I love how Maria instructs through her videos, very straight to the point, and allows us to see through the uniqueness of each school that we should focus on and feature how we match in. When I reached out to the team for questions, they answer my email very quickly and insightful.
I got into Haas thanks to Applicant Lab. Instead of many other friends spending like 6000 USD for consultancy, I only paid 400 USD and gained a lot of practical knowledge through the application process. I am so thankful! I highly recommend Applicant Lab.

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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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As a recent college graduate I was tight on money and sceptical of spending big bucks on an admission consultant. After doing some diligent research (as a college student on a budget always does) I found ApplicantLab.

The ApplicantLab modules allowed me to build not only my application, but also my unique story in steps. I first completed the career vision, and "why MBA" sections before purchasing a Sanity Check Consultation with Maria. Her feedback was honest and gave me clear direction on what areas of my profile I needed to project to admissions.

For the next month I worked through the remaining modules on ApplicantLab to form my essay. I purchased two essay reviews with an ApplicantLab Alumni (the cheapest option) before submitting my application to HBS.

Coming from a non-traditional background, and having a GMAT score (700) lower than the median, I did not expect an interview invite, but to my suprise, one morning I got the email. Without hesitation, I booked a mock interview with Maria.

As a HBS alumna, Maria knows the interview like the back of her hand. We spent 30 minutes conducting the interview before she gave valuable feedback. Not surprisingly, my real interview was near identical to my mock with Maria.

ApplicantLab is an amazing resource for aspiring MBA students. Maria possesses a bubbly and bright personality that is rare amongst the general robotic nature of admission consultants. Maria (and Carin) reply fast to any questions and are always willing to support ApplicantLab users.

I can't wait to attend HBS, all thanks to Maria and ApplicantLab!

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Applicant Lab is an exhaustive online tool to prepare for your MBA applications and interviews as it covers all the major and minor aspects of the admission process in a step by step and well structured program. While the service does an outstanding job in assisting a user through each phase of writing recommendation letters, resume, essay, and interview components of the application, it also covers lesser discussed but important components such as how and when to connect with current students and alumni, perspectives of admission committee while evaluating an applicant and how to work things out accordingly, importance and ways to build digital brand, what is leadership and ways to bolster it, etc. It not only guides on what all to do but also suggests on how to do so. The other obvious implications of my review so far is that a user gets started in a right direction and saves plenty of time that would have been spent otherwise on self research, and thus making Applicant Lab worth its cost.

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