After I took the gmat I spent about two weeks thinking about if I should get a consultant and who that would be. I went through two test prep companies prior to the gmat that were so terrible and draining financially. So I felt extremely nervous and burnt out about seeking a consultant and what that would entail.

It turned out to be the best decision I made and money spent during this whole process. Alicia Stewart specifically is a phenomenal, kind, and experienced consultant. Vantage point in general was such a good company to work with (maybe because they are more boutique, they can focus on quality/clients). Consultants from other companies that I talked to came off as aggressive (at times condescending) while Vantage Point (Melody) was very upfront and trustworthy. I always felt like the process was transparent and ethical. At no point did I feel like I was vying with other clients' time.

Don't get me wrong, it's not a free ticket to anything. You have to put in the work so that they can understand who you are and best set you up for success. The valuable insights and brainstorming content that Alicia set me up with were so essential. She helps you identify your strengths and what will ultimately make you shine uniquely on paper. Moreover Alicia helped me get past weaknesses, one of which was a low gpa. The consistent conversations I had in explaining what my goals were over the summer made my bschool interview much easier (she even helped me with my interview and financial aid follow ups). If you trust her advice and follow the pace that she sets up, you can't go wrong.

I did get the comprehensive school package for an M7 which I got into and will be attending. But since Alicia is the best, I also ended up getting additional hours for help with specific parts of other schools. Alicia is *peak* professionalism. She was consistently available to help (even through a summer family emergency!).

These applications/essays while they seem like just another hurdle are actually really helpful for much needed soul searching about bschool. It's imperative to have someone with experience to guide you through the process like Alicia.

I'm lucky to have been paired up with her. Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions about my experience with Vantage Point and/or Alicia. Always ready to speak the truth about what was a great experience.

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I really did not want consulting services in my B-School admissions process because the prices seemed unaffordable but, in the midst of a mild freakout, I scheduled a free consultation with nearly every consulting service around because I thought it would at least point in the right direction for doing apps on my own. These consultations ranged from too complimentary to not believing in me at all, but none of them actually gave me time to explain why I wanted to go or why this process made sense for me except for Vantage Point's. I had a phone call with Meredith and she genuinely cared about my path and the pragmatic steps I needed to take to achieve my goals, which impressed me so much that I decided to get hourly services.

After matching with Alicia, my initial worry about money was immediately out the window. The very first call, Alicia set my expectations and assuaged my fears that I was going to be a lower rung client as I had engaged in hourly services. She even gave me her personal phone number to text her with questions. As she walked me through all of the things she would help me out with outside of the five hours I had paid for, it all felt immediately worth it. All the Vantage Point resources Alicia gave me on that first call really directed me into forming a strong narrative, which in retrospect I could not have done without Alicia guiding me. She was incredibly detail-oriented, patient, and kind throughout the whole process. What's more is that she was as much a friend, a confidante, and a valuable resource as an ex-CBS adcom as she was a consultant; she was just as excited about me turning in my apps as I was. For those looking for guidance on whether you should engage in consulting, Vantage Point, and Alicia, my response is a resounding yes!

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Had an excellent experience working with Alicia and with Vantage Point! I was pretty skeptical of admissions consultants when I reached out, but my initial chat with Melody (Vantage founder) and correspondence made me feel way less pressured than I did in speaking to larger firms that were just trying to upsell me some package that I didn't really need (had been waitlisted year before so was at least close to understanding what to do). Alicia was very warm and delivered feedback in a constructive, optimistic way that made it easy to take her advice! Very glad to have gone to a small firm that clearly cares about its clients! As for Alicia, her feedback as a re-applicant to be less formal and let my personality shine through a bit more, critiques on how to restructure my resume, and the awesome advice on bringing a "hook" to my essay writing all made me feel soooo much more confident this year about the process! Also as a former CBS adcom, her insider knowledge of what CBS cares about and how to highlight my future contributions to them made this feel like a slam dunk. She was able to draw my attention to things that I would have never thought about in my previous app and I felt like an expert on this process by the time I clicked submit! She was very available and did not make me feel like I was less of a priority by not buying some giant comprehensive package. Would highly recommend!!!!

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I worked with Alicia over the course of three months during my application prep for Columbia. Having worked in admissions at Columbia Business School, Alicia was able to provide insight into the admissions process and how best to tailor my story to make me stand out. Her advice and feedback was also instrumental in helping me write a coherent and focused essay that highlighted the strengths of my application and mitigate my weaknesses. Alicia was also very accommodating and flexible in scheduling meetings or quick chats. I'm extremely pleased with how the process went and would wholeheartedly recommend Vantage Point and Alicia.

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