My experience working with Michelle (Amerasia)

With a clear idea on why I want an MBA, I started applying to B-Schools on my own. I wrote a few essays and sought feedback from my friends and family. From the feedback, I realized that I am not coherently conveying my message. Also, I needed honest advice, from a reliable source, on the admission process and on the quality of my application. I eventually decided to take help from a consultant.

Why Michelle Awuku-Tatum?
There is valuable advice on this thread on several consulting firms and their consultants. I have gone through most of the posts, spoken to several consultants, and shortlisted Amerasia, for its personalized services, and Stacy Blackman (SBC), for its structured approach. I also had very specific requirements based on my background – I wanted a consultant with corporate work experience and with international exposure. I reviewed several consultant profiles from both firms and decided to speak with Michelle (Amerasia) and another good consultant from SBC. I chose Michelle, a Kellogg alumnus, for her corporate experience as a VP at Citigroup and for her diverse international experience. After speaking to her, I was even more confident in her abilities because of her patience, experience, and composure. More importantly, I enjoyed my conversation with her - I decided to work with Michelle.
My advice to anyone who is in the process of choosing a consultant/firm – even if it is time consuming, please look for a consultant who fits with your profile/background and who is genuinely excited by your experiences.

My experience working with Michelle
Working with Michelle was a stimulating conversation because she truly is passionate about what she does. I felt motivated after every single call, and she inspired me to seek perfection. She gave me valuable feedback and unbiased advice. Her attention to detail is extraordinary, and I believe that this detail differentiates a great application from a good one. I always got back to Michelle with a ton of questions on every single aspect of the application, and she never fell short of answering all my questions patiently. I cannot emphasize the value of her experience that she brought to the table – I made confident and informed decisions because of her experience and knowledge.

What differentiates Michelle from other consultants is her faith in the candidate’s dream. I am sure she picks her clients well, and she is very ethical in choosing a limited number of clients every season. This dedication to offer her best to her clients creates an exceptionally personalized consulting experience. In my case, she truly believed in my goals, ambitions, and potential contribution to the society. She enjoyed listening to my experiences and understanding how they shaped my personality. When a consultant works at this level of detail, I am sure the candidate will present the best possible application.

Finally, I had a great time working with Michelle. She was a good friend with whom I could discuss every application question that was lingering on my mind. At the same time, she was very professional in her approach and advice. Also, I must mention her ethics: not once did she put words in my mouth or do anything that is remotely unethical. She helped me by giving a good structure and definition to the application through right questions.

Result
I have worked with Michelle on one (extremely selective) school from which I received an Interview invite. She is very helpful in preparing me for the Interview through her detailed feedback on the mock interviews. I promise to update this post with the name of the school and the result as soon as I hear from them (my interview is in a few days). I wish you guys all the very best on your applications!