Chris Aitken is the real deal -- attending MIT Sloan this fall

Nothing but good vibes and kudos for Chris Aitken. I applied to 4 schools, was accepted into 2, and ultimately selected MIT Sloan because of the school’s strength in tech and entrepreneurship. A year ago, the mere thought of getting accepted into a “Top 5” was a pipe dream and yet here I am. Chris was absolutely instrumental in my application process – no doubt I wouldn’t have had such success without his coaching.

I was referred to Chris through my work colleague who had been worked with him and was accepted into a couple of top business schools the previous year. Before enlisting with Team Chris, I held a few introductory calls with other b-school consultants. From my initial calls, it was evident that Chris had just the right amount of realism and idealism. I felt that this approach really fit me. I never liked hearing that I could “do anything” but also didn’t appreciate people who saw me as anything less.

I started working with Chris in August 2014 and since I intended on applying Round 1, I was already fairly late to the process. For folks with busy work schedules, hiring Chris is a must. The cost of a great consultant / coach such as Chris more than outweighs the amount of time saved trying to figure everything out on your own. Although I was late to the process, Chris created a work plan for me and led me through the vast online resources at MBA Prep. We did a ton of brainstorming and planning upfront, which paid off big time down the road. Chris challenged me to think critically about my story and helped me put my best foot forward for each application. Although I have a fairly traditional background (banking/PE), he helped me discover many “hidden gems” that I didn’t even know existed. Throughout the entire process, Chris was very engaged, hands-on, and detail-oriented. Chris genuinely cared to see through my success.

The application process is brutal and time-consuming but with the right coaching and advice, it can be strangely insightful. In many ways, the process acts as a professional “life check.” Looking back, I would say the numerous hours of conversations I’ve had with Chris helped me truly understand what I wanted to do with my career. I consider Chris to be a good friend and life coach. I’ve been fortunate to work with him and would absolutely recommend his coaching.