GMAT Club

Scott Edinburgh Reviews

Company: Personal MBA Coach

A Wharton MBA graduate with a BS from MIT, Scott Edinburgh has been an MBA admissions consultant and career advisor since he founded Boston based Personal MBA Coach in 2008. Through his boutique admissions consulting and tutoring company, he and his team have helped hundreds of applicants around the world get into top MBA, EMBA, part-time MBA and graduate programs as well as advance their careers with a 96% success rate. Last year our clients earned over $6.5M in scholarships. Prior to founding Personal MBA Coach, Scott began his career at Deloitte and worked across consulting, financial services and strategy & corporate development roles. Currently Scott also serves on the Board of Directors for AIGAC, the Association of International Graduate Admissions Consultants and he is a speaker at events around the world on MBA application strategies.

5.0 /5 Average Rating
Based on 183 reviews
September 16, 2017
whartonmba123

Joined: Sep 16, 2017

Posts: 0

Kudos: 0

Verified GMAT Classic score:
760 Q49 V44

Great service!

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Personal MBA Coach did a great job and I could not have asked for better. Considered the big MBA consulting shops but chose Personal MBA Coach because it's his full time job to do this and he and the team have been doing it for almost a decade now and I simply felt more comfortable with them. Scott and Personal MBA Coach are very honest in the feedback and solutions focused but I valued that highly because others sugar coated feedback or suggested I not apply to certain schools. Scott was always available for helpful advice through the application process, interview process and even McKinsey Energing Scholars applications after. He is reponsive usually within 24 hours which is important considering I decided to apply for round 2 in mid November. In the end I got into Wharton and had six figure scholarship to go to another M7. If he hadn't advised me to do this or not that I wouldn't have gotten in. Word of advice for those going into this but consultants seem like a lot of money but you get what you put into it. Scott had to encourage me to work harder on my essays and I'm glad he did because if I hadn't put in the effort in some of these early rounds the material would not have come off as authentic.

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August 09, 2017
nycmba12

Joined: Aug 08, 2017

Posts: 1

Kudos: 1

Verified GMAT Classic score:
740 Q50 V40

Great MBA Admissions Consultant - A+

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After speaking with numerous consulting services about my background and specific plans to pursue a top-tier MBA, I hired Scott from Personal MBA Coach. I had a short timeline to submit four applications and knew very little about the application process. From the beginning, Scott appeared (and was) genuinely interested in my situation and made a point to gather every detail. By the end of our time working together, I felt Scott knew everything about me.

As stated in some of the other reviews, Scott is clear and to the point. I didn’t need someone to boost my ego and praise my accomplishments. I needed someone who could comprehend my background, goals, etc. and guide me in telling an effective story. That was exactly what Scott did throughout the process!

Scott continually pushed me to think about how I (my essays) would look to the admission committees. This was very helpful in writing essays that effectively displayed my strengths and specific motivations to attend the different schools. After submitting all of my applications, I was depleted, but I felt that I had submitted my best possible essays and left nothing on the table.

Scott also coached me through the interview processes and performed mock interviews over the phone. This guidance was very helpful and gave me the confidence I needed to ace the interviews.

In the end, I was admitted to one of my top three schools (M7). I dedicated myself to those applications and feel worthy of admission, but credit much of my success to Scott. Without his knowledge of the process and ability to push me for more details and polished stories that were directly applicable to each school, there is no way that I could have crafted my story in such an effective way. Thank you, Scott!

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July 28, 2017
gmat1122

Joined: May 04, 2016

Posts: 8

Kudos: 5

Verified GMAT Classic score:
790 Q50 V51

Great Experience - Highly Recommend

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I spoke with numerous large consulting firms and ended up choosing Personal MBA Coach because he was very clearly focused on this industry (rather than doing it on the side) and didn't sugar coat his feedback. Scott isn't in the business of telling you how great you are in order to make you like him - he'll be totally blunt and straightforward with you. In the end, this is something that I felt was extremely valuable for my application because it forced me to really look at what I was bringing to the table and go into the entire process more prepared than I would have otherwise. On top of that, he's always very responsive and I always felt like I was receiving above and beyond help.

I got into my top school (M7) with a full scholarship and I credit much of my success to Scott's guidance throughout the entire process. I highly recommend his services.

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July 25, 2017
Junaid38

Joined: Jan 19, 2011

Posts: 1

Kudos: 0

While shortlisting the schools, I realized that my essays need to be crafted in an outstanding manner. My standardised test score was not in a high percentile, so I have to write a killer essays. I did my research about available admission consultants, and talked to them over the phone and emails, but no one was as convincing as Scott was. He is very enthusiastic, friendly, and intelligent. Furthermore, he is always reachable to give feedback and critique your application. With his help and guidance, I was admitted to UCLA- Anderson School of Management- Interestingly, this was the first school I applied, and I got an admit. I highly recommend MBA/MSBA aspirants to go for Personal MBA Coach.

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May 29, 2017
llillus

Joined: Sep 21, 2013

Posts: 0

Kudos: 0

Quality service from someone who cares about your success

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I have a bit of an unconventional background, so I knew from the beginning that I wanted to work with someone who is dedicated and who really looks into my background to help me put my best foot forward. After some initial research and scoping calls with a shortlist of admissions consultants, it was a no-brainer to decide to work with Scott, because he really listened to what I had in mind and challenged me where appropriate. He was patient, friendly, yet super straightforward and critical. It was really pleasant working with Scott; I followed on with additional interview prep services. Got into Yale and MIT Sloan.

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May 22, 2017
beachface

Joined: May 22, 2017

Posts: 0

Kudos: 0

Verified GMAT Classic score:
720 Q47 V42

Worth Every Penny

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Beyond being a master storyteller and project manager that knows exactly what it takes to get his clients into a top mba program, Scott is a genuinely good human being that wants what’s best for each of his clients. He spends the extra time getting to know you, and even more importantly he forces you to develop a deeper understanding of who you are and what you actually want. 
 
I am the epitome of an unconventional candidate, and Scott fully embraced my less travelled path to bschool by continually encouraging me to only incorporate material and apply to schools that were true to my personality. Scott worked his tail off for me and had my back every step of the way. Simply put, he couldn’t have done anything more, and he did so with a personal touch that I wouldn’t have gotten elsewhere. There’s no way I could have crossed the finish line in the fashion in which I did without Scott. So, if you want to click submit on your final app and send out your final interview thank you note without any regrets, then lock Scott down now before he inevitably books up.

Scott not only got me into a top 25 program that’s the perfect fit for me, but he also helped position me to receive a substantial merit scholarship as well.

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April 19, 2017
superman4591

Joined: May 19, 2016

Posts: 0

Kudos: 0

Great experience with Scott

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I worked with Scott this past year on both my Round 1 and Round 2 applications for business school. Scott and I met early on in the process and he helped me frame my story for why I wanted to go to business school and what I would contribute. Throughout the process, Scott helped me construct my broader pitch, refine my essays, and prepare for interviews.

I found Scott to be valuable across all three of these dimensions. His ability to offer constructive, candid feedback is a great asset and not something you will get at all admissions services. In particular, I would recommend Scott's ability to coach through interviews. His practice interviews prepared me very well for the actual ones, with the questions often being virtually identical. He was even able to help me practice group interviews in a way that facilitated improvement.

Overall, I would wholeheartedly recommend Scott. Working with him took a lot of stress out of the process and certainly improved my chances in what is often an uncertain admissions process.

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April 16, 2017
Brolando

Joined: Dec 14, 2016

Posts: 0

Kudos: 0

Verified GMAT Classic score:
770 Q50 V45

Personal MBA Coach is the Way to Go

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I searched around on the internet for weeks and used introductory consultations from more than 5 different admissions consulting services prior to selecting Scott of Personal MBA Coach to assist me on an hourly basis with my applications. My only regret was that I chose to use Scott for just a couple of hours for each of my applications rather than purchasing more extensive packages for each school.

In addition to Scott's impressive background as an MIT and Wharton graduate and his extensive track record of success in assisting MBA applicants to get accepted to their target schools, there are a few aspects of Scott's Personal MBA Coach services that I believe really separate him from most MBA consulting services:

1. Rather than provide me with cookie cutter advice and examples, Scott made a true effort to get to know me on a personal level first. Once he really knew me, he then helped me decide which of my features and accomplishments would be the best to focus on in essays and applications.

2. Scott works around the clock and made every effort to work with me whenever was best for my schedule. This flexibility ranged from calls at 7 and 8 in the morning prior to work to help me develop my essay strategies to 10 pm on a Friday to conduct a mock interview for my interview the following week. Despite his busy schedule, Scott did a great job of meeting whenever was best for me and typically found time within just 24 hours of my request. This was invaluable when applying to multiple schools within tight deadlines.

3. Scott's advice was always honest and intended to help me create the best applications possible rather than to increase the number of hours I would require him (and in turn his own pay). Scott never pressured me to use him/pay him more and simply explained what he could do in the time that I purchased from him and what he thought was the most efficient use of his time. He worked super efficiently in the time I purchased from him.

Overall, I was extremely satisfied with the service that Scott of Personal MBA Coach provided me and am very excited to attend Darden in the fall because of Scott.

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April 13, 2017
pvvp16

Joined: Feb 20, 2014

Posts: 1

Kudos: 6

Self-reported Score:
740 Q49 V41

Fantastic Coaching Experience

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Scott, the founder of Personal MBA Coach, was an amazing coach throughout every step of the application process. We began working together far in advance of the round 1 application deadlines, with gradual ramp up in exercises, reviews, and conversations throughout 2016. Scott provided the perfect balance of cautious optimism and realness, keeping me grounded after big events (like the GMAT) but confident in times of need (interviews, school visits, etc.). His feedback was incredibly helpful and always specific and detailed. I felt very comfortable relying on Scott not only for application specific questions, but also for school, career, and general life questions! One of us his greatest skills is the ability to pull details from applications and help mold them into inspiring stories. Most importantly, Scott allows each applicant to lead the process, for at the end of the day it is the applicants voice that must be heard above all else. I had lofty goals when I began my journey, needing a significant increase in GMAT score and a bit of luck on my side to be admitted to a top 10 school. Well, with Scott’s guidance, I was admitted to three, all of which offered me very strong merit based awards. I chose my dream school, U Chicago Booth. I would absolutely recommend Scott to anyone who is open to feedback and change, and willing to work hard to earn a ticket to a top school.

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April 06, 2017
gmatzoh

Joined: Oct 18, 2013

Posts: 2

Kudos: 7

Self-reported Score:
770 Q50 V45

Scott is fantastic!

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I hired Scott (Personal MBA Coach) to help me prep for my MIT Sloan Round 1 interview. I was a bit skeptical as to what an MBA admissions consultant could offer in terms of practical advice, but I was definitely pleasantly surprised with the service. Before our meeting, Scott sent me a number of materials detailing common interview questions and strategies for how to approach answering them. We exchanged a number of emails and phone calls back and forth before our meeting, and he was very available/approachable with anything I needed.

Scott came to my office to conduct a practice interview with me – which in retrospect is probably the best decision I made throughout the entire MBA recruiting process. The entire process was incredibly professional, and honestly felt like a real interview. After the interview we had a feedback session, and then the next day Scott sent me a detailed email with strengths and areas for improvement from our mock interview.

When I walked into my actual interview at Sloan, I felt incredibly prepared and confident. I knew my story, had prepped answers to all the possible questions I could get, and it felt almost like déjà vu hearing the admissions officer ask the same questions Scott had asked me a week prior.

If you’re on the fence about hiring an admissions consultant to give you a mock b-school interview, I would say go for it. In the long-run, it’s a drop in the bucket – but it can be the one thing that makes or breaks your interview – and in turn your admission to a top program.

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