I had profile reviews and initial consultation calls with almost 15 consulting firms before Admissionado. These firms could be classified into two categories - those which were quite certain that I should NOT apply to a top-10 school as I would be wasting my time (most were in this category), and those that were just making a sales pitch. Admissionado stood out as there was an immediate connect - they gave me the much needed confidence that my aim should be to get into the best school that I can (I loved this approach - seriously no bull approach! Furthermore, they had a PERSONALITY that appealed to me - all the beautiful ladies (Stefanie, Claudia, Lauren) were people I could talk to quite candidly, and have witty, humorous interactions (helps me be engaged).

The drill was similar to what I assume other consulting companies follow on paper, but the execution was always sincere (I think that differentiates Admissionado from the pack). There was never an issue with timelines or thoroughness of the reviews. It was great to really see that Stefanie shared my goal - to see me get into my dream school, even if that meant going beyond the contract (had multiple, lengthy telephonic discussions, more than 3 iterations on my drafts, etc.). I could see that Admissionado's advice was always genuine; in fact some of it did not even help their own business with me - I really liked the honesty. Make no mistake - the entire admissions process is tiring, frustrating, grilling! As an applicant, one needs to understand that eventually does the consultant have neither a crystal ball, nor a magic wand (contrary to what one would wish).

With Admissionado, I got a great friend to help me through this difficult journey and get me into a top tier school. I would be happy to serve as a reference.

Thanks!

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INSEAD was my dream school and unlike advised by most, I wanted to apply there first.

The idea of going through the essay process alone was however the most intimidating one: scared that I would not answer questions properly/fully, that I would not dig deep enough, or that I would leave out a what would seem insignificant yet impactful detail. To avoid all the above, I decided to get help.

I discovered consulting firms through GMATclub, and once I pocketed my GMAT (700), I decided to get in touch. The first firm I contacted was Admissionado—though it could have been any other as I was also eyeing Accepted and Stacy Blackman, the INSEAD specialist.

I started by answering the bunch of essay-like questions on the website and sending my resume to book the free consultation session with Admissionado.
I liked that the consultant assigned to me, Stefanie Barlow, was from the same industry (Real Estate). During the consultation, through skype, she pointed out what was great about my profile (to be highlighted) and what was not. I particularly liked that she shared my view about INSEAD being a great fit for me. :)
The consultation went well enough that I decided not to get in touch with other consultants. I unbundled the Deluxe package and only went for the essays, the LORS, and the Resume. I later signed up for the interview preps.

Stefanie and I did a massive work on essays, figuring out my hits and my best stories before working on the real thing. I liked the deep introspection process: action (example)/result (example)/learning (example)...
By the time I started writing my essays in July, I already had a lot to tell and during the long ping pong sessions, I concentrated on clarifying my stories and bringing in additional examples.

My recommenders also went through the same process, though to a smaller scale. That said, that was enough to make them eager to see me admitted, so that they wouldn’t have to go through the process again!

I would also add that the consultant is not there to get the job done for us. He/She will not babysit or send reminder emails to let us know that our deadlines are around the corner and that we should be editing our essays on time. He/She is there to help us produce the best version of our essays, by pointing out what we are doing right and what we are not, and making us work for every bit of it. Stefanie did that “avec brio”!

All in all, I enjoyed working with Stefanie—she was very reactive and lively, and the Admissionado team quite vibrant (Hi Claudia)! There was something bubbly about Admissionado that made the throbbing essay redaction process almost seem palatable!

I got admitted to INSEAD, with a merit scholarship based on the quality of my application ( before I finished my interviews). So I guess spending time with Admissionado was definitely worth it!

So thank you Stefanie!

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