I was international applicant going through the process for the first time. To make things worse, I was working 12-15 hours a day and had very little time to work on my apps. Applying during the COVID-19 application cycle, I knew I could use all the help I could get. I think ApplicantLab was the best investment I made. Three things that made ApplicantLab stand out for me:

1) It's extremely cheap compared to traditional consultants
2) You pay for what you use
3) Maria and Carin are amazing at what they do

I highly recommend ApplicantLab to anyone going through application process. You won't regret it.

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Truly wonderful prep, it helped me organize my thoughts for my application and nail my interviews. Its interview prep is unbeatable, the videos are easy to follow and the tips are super useful, even for the eventual job interviews.
After using the program I felt confident and ready for my interviews having polished my story and narrowed down the examples I wanted to use. Without it I would not have gotten the offers I am currently receiving. The team is also super helpful and always available. They go the extra mile for their clients. Anyone who is in the application process should use this program, you will not regret it.

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I worked with Carin via Applicant Lab this past year for my MBA applications and I can't say enough positive things about the experience! As a reapplicant and first-time Applicant Lab user, I loved how the platform had self-guided modules so I could leverage the work I had already drafted in a cost-effective way. I did a Sanity Check and Essay Reviews with Carin and her feedback was so helpful and candid. When I finally finished my re-applications with Carin's help, my test scores / work experience hadn't changed at all - but the way I presented my story was different. Thanks to Carin, I was able to shape my narrative in a more unique and compelling way. And it made all the difference - this time around I got accepted to my top schools! I highly recommend working with Carin / Applicant Lab if you're looking for a game-changing admission consulting service that won't break your bank.

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It wouldn't be an understatement to say that Maria got me through the gruelling MBA application process.

ApplicantLab holds your hand through the ENTIRE process, from understanding what is required for every component of the application package, all the way to interview preparation. Since the website already explains what makes ApplicantLab different from traditional consultants, I'll focus on addressing a few concerns that I initially had, in an effort to dispel any skepticism that you might have:

- The speed and quality of Maria's support for one-off questions: I was initially worried that given the virtual nature of the platform, that if I had questions that were unanswered by the website content, I wouldn't be able to get answers as quickly as a traditional consultant. I can tell you from my experience that this should absolutely not concern you. Maria is extremely quick to respond (often in a few hours, always within at least 1-2 days) and the thoughtfulness and expertise behind her answers were incredible.

- How 'in-the-know' Maria is: It will soon become very clear that Maria is an absolute EXPERT in the space. She pulls incredible insights from her numerous previous clients, and also keeps up-to-date on the latest by attending admissions consulting conferences and speaking with adcoms of top schools.

- How current the website stays: Maria very quickly translates these latest insights into the website, so throughout the application process, the website stays extremely current. For example, when I was applying to CBS, within two days (!) of a new application question going live, the website had a FULL page of advice as to how to tackle the question. Amazing.

- Quality of the "story" and essay reviews: If you can afford it, I HIGHLY recommend for you to sign up for the 'strategic essay reviews', at least for your top schools. With Maria's advice, I ended up applying with a very different story than my initial draft. It would be an absolute mistake to think that just because this platform is lower-cost compared to admissions consultants, that the quality would be compromised. I was blown away by how Maria was able to assess the strength and weaknesses of my overall story
(the big picture), as well as advise me on very granular details such as word choices.

Overall, I couldn't recommend ApplicantLab enough, and I honestly feel so grateful that Maria founded ApplicantLab to level the playing field in higher education because I definitely could not have afforded to pay an admissions consultant USD 10K (I applied to 5 schools). I hope this helps, and best of luck with the journey! :)

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I am a white female with 7+ years of professional experience and was only willing to leave my job for very specific programs, so going into the application process I knew this was my last shot. This pressure initially pointed me towards the standard MBA consultant. I physically could not stomach the insane price tags that came with that one-on-one help, but luckily a friend of mine alerted me to ApplicantLab. I can not recommend this platform enough!!! ApplicantLab provided easy to use, step-by-step instructions to help me clearly define why I wanted the MBA. During essay writing, ApplicantLab helped me break down the questions to understand what the schools were asking. The best part though was that in the end, the essays sounded like ME! I got to keep my authentic voice, and didn't feel like I was "cheating" the system, but was also sure that I was presenting myself in a way that showcased my strengths. The platform exceeded my expectations by far!

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To whom it may concern,

Hello! I am writing a review on my experience using Applicant Lab.

- The advice is school-specific and helped me craft my answers to each school differently while still being easy to use.

- Goes through what the ADCOM themselves are thinking when they read your application

- Maria is hilarious! The way she intersperses humour in between the advice is really good and keeps things interesting.

- The Lab gives you in-depth analysis as to what your strengths and your weakness are and how to leverage and explain them respectively.

- It goes through interview prep as well.

- Basically, it is an all-in-one admissions prep! With specific advice for each school.

- On top of this Maria and Carin reply back very fast and their advice is very good and consistent with what's in the lab. This extra support was extremely beneficial to me as it helped me craft my application more specifically!

- For someone like me who's an athlete applying to B-School they really helped frame my stories and brings the best ones to the forefront. I did not see this elsewhere!

Overall I would give it a 10/10, 5 stars, and my full approval! It's affordable and a great resource to get a third person's view on your application to B- School!

Thank you so much Maria and Carin!

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Prior to Applicant Lab, I was really insecure about my GMAT score and was not expecting to get into a top MBA program (or any scholarships).

Working with Carin has exceeded my own expectations: I was recently accepted to a Top MBA program where most of my tuition will be paid for (70%)! I don't think I'd have had the same results without Applicant Lab and here's why:

1) The information on Applicant Lab is incredibly thorough. You will understand what business schools are looking for in a very honest, straightforward/easily digestible way. Every question you have is probably answered somewhere in applicant lab. Resources are accessible 24/7-- super convenient when you're working a full-time job-- all for a few hundred bucks! You do not need to spend 10K on MBA application advice.. (in my opinion)

2) I got constructive advice from *Carin* which REALLY elevated the quality of my application and I felt SUPER confident submitting my application before the deadline. Carin is friendly but honest-- she pointed out ALL the weak parts of my app and suggested ways to improve them. With Carin's help I was also able to leverage my strengths/unique aspects of my story!

Having her guidance really saved me ALOT of time, effort and anxiety while writing my essays. I think my stress levels would've been much much higher without Applicant Lab and Carin's guidance.

Nothing but great things to say about Applicant Lab! Such an amazing resource with GREAT people behind it.

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I signed up for the Applicantlab services, not really sure what to expect. I researched multiple consulting services (the usual complimentary 30 minutes of 1:1 consulting) and prices were out of reach. Applicantlab seemed a safer bet in comparison and I am delighted with my choice. The resources are phenomenal, Maria walks you through each school and, believe me, EVERY POSSIBLE question you might have. The material is updated to include the latest application requirements and the detail level is amazing. The process is beautifully designed to let you efficiently brainstorm for your career vision, the resume, and organize your thoughts to draft your essay in a way that brings out the qualities every specific school looks for.
I also worked with Maria on my essay and interview prep. She's amazing and her advice is strong and honest!
I couldn't have hoped for a better outcome!

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To give some background before I start the review - I come from an overrepresented minority and have admits to 4 top business schools including 3 M7s.

For two (MIT Sloan,Ross) out of the four admits I have, my application was 100% based on the advice I got from Applicant Lab. And while I did work with an external consultant for the other two schools I have been admitted to, I can vouch that Applicant Lab was an invaluable source of guidance for me which I constantly referred to during the application process.

The guidance available at Applicant Lab for top business schools is beyond amazing! The guidance is provided through written prompts and some super engaging videos by Maria. The platform is well structured and helps you do the same with your application.

The insights that the lab provided for all stages of the application, be it on brainstorming goals, drafting your resume, selecting stories for your recommendation and structuring the essays were bang-on. Infact, there was insightful guidance available for short-answer application prompts which are often taken casually but can be tactically leveraged to demonstrate personality and differentiate yourself from a ton of applicants.

Moreover, Carin and Maria are always available to promptly respond to any additional questions that you may have.

I highly recommend Applicant Lab for anyone who is looking to start the strenuous MBA application journey on their own or looking for additional insights if working with a consultant. It's a micro-investment and totally worth it!

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Maria has created a truly wonderful product! I only used ApplicantLab and did not pay for an expensive consultant and I was blown away! I was admitted at all four schools I applied to (HBS, Wharton, Booth, and Kellogg) and I'll be attending HBS starting next fall! The product is extremely easy to use, you can move at your own pace, and all the information is tailored to the specific school you are applying to. Maria's videos are super helpful and the modules that help you reflect on your own experiences are great ways of pulling out stories for your essays and interviews. The interview module really helped me prepare for the most common interview questions and made me feel confident going into my interviews. For only $300, you cannot beat this deal! I would have paid $1,000 for ApplicantLab!

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