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Personal MBA Coach Admissions Consulting Reviews

About Personal MBA Coach

Founded 14 years ago by Scott Edinburgh, a Wharton and MIT graduate, Personal MBA Coach has helped hundreds of applicants around the world get into top MBA, EMBA, part-time MBA and specialized master’s programs (including Master of Finance, Master of Analytics, Master of Public Policy, law school) with a 96% success rate. Personal MBA Coach is consistently ranked #1 or #2 by leading sources. Last year, our clients earned more than $6M in scholarships!

All clients have direct access to Scott, who serves on the Board of Directors for AIGAC, the Association of International Graduate Admissions Consultants and is invited to speak at MBA Admissions events globally, including the annual Graduate Management Admissions Council (GMAC) conference.

Scott is supported by a boutique team including MJ Shores, a former Wharton MBA Admissions Director, GMAT/GRE/EA tutors who scored above the 99th percentile (most with 780+) and former M7 admissions interviewers.

Personal MBA Coach Services:

Pre-Application Support:

  • Early MBA Planning 
  • Customized One-on-One GMAT/GRE/EA Tutoring

Application Development:

  • Comprehensive Packages Including:
  1. Application strategy
  2. School selection
  3. Personal story development
  4. Resume editing
  5. Essay brainstorming and unlimited essay editing
  6. Video essay feedback
  7. Letters of recommendation support
  8. Interview preparation with former M7 interviewers
  9. Pre/post interview essay editing 
  10. Waitlist strategy and waitlist essay editing
  11. Post acceptance support 

Ad Hoc Services:

  • Interview Preparation (with former M7 interviewers)
  • Waitlist Strategy
  • Ding Report

Schedule Your 30-Minute Consultation Today!

Take a look at our package options and contact us to discuss your situation!

Working With Personal MBA Coach:

Personal MBA Coach Deal Page

Personal MBA Coach Admissions Consulting Reviews

Personal MBA Coach Interview Prep Service
 $600  $600
Reviews
11
Average Rating
5
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Personal MBA Coach Comprehensive School Packages
$4900
Reviews
187
Average Rating
5
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Reviews:

198 Reviews
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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

REVIEWER IDENTITY VERIFIED by school email address [?]

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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This reviewer has not participated on GMAT Club but it is a REAL person and a REAL review. GMAT Club has verified this test-taker's identity through GMAC/Pearson Vue Score Reporting system or .edu email address and confirmed that this reviewer indeed took the GMAT, is unique, and has not submitted multiple reviews.
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

REVIEWER IDENTITY VERIFIED by score report [?]

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

REVIEWER IDENTITY VERIFIED by membership [?]

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!

REVIEWER IDENTITY VERIFIED by membership [?]

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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March 31, 2017
rmuko

Joined: Mar 31, 2017

Posts: 0

Kudos: 0

Scott is the best!

REVIEWER IDENTITY VERIFIED by school email address [?]

I can highly recommend Scott for his interview prep. I only applied to one business school, so wanted to make sure everything would go well in the interview. Scott did an awesome job in prepping me for it. He took great time and care to go through all my submitted application documents in order to be prepared for our mock interview. He provided many insightful comments on how I should rather phrase my answers, which aspects I should emphasize and which aspects I just rather de-prioritize.
Also it felt like a real interview and was simply a great mock-up.
What I found even more helpful were his comments on the post-interview submission. As I only had 24 hours to submit the reflection on my interview, it was great to get Scott's opinion on how I should write the reflection and how to re-frame some answers from the interview.

Overall, Scott played a significant part in my admission and I would highly recommend him to anyone who doesnt fell 100% confident about the interview!

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March 30, 2017
Peavy

Joined: Aug 08, 2015

Posts: 23

Kudos: 19

Self-reported Score:
730 Q49 V40

Personal MBA Coach got me admitted at all schools I applied to

REVIEWER IDENTITY VERIFIED by school email address [?]

At the start of my MBA journey, I had never written an essay, did not know what leadership experience was and could not think of anything that distinguished me from the thousands of other well-qualified candidates. Thanks to Scott Edinburgh as my Personal MBA Coach, I was not only admitted to all 5 top 15 programs I applied to, but was also awarded scholarships totalling over $200k.

Navigating the MBA admissions process is a major project in itself. Luckily there are rockstars like Scott Edinburgh who make the entire process so much easier. Being an international applicant with an unconventional background, I had no idea how to craft a powerful narrative to tell admission officers my story (when starting out, I did not even fully know what my story actually was).

Scott broke the entire process down in easy-to-understand components and tackled them with me one by one. As you will discover when working with him, his thorougness and attention-to-detail is second to none. As a result, he unconvered several great topics I had too readily discarded and helped me turn them into outstanding essays.

When I then showed him my first essay drafts, Scott did his job - and ripped them apart! Imagine Scott as a tough coach: he will be relentless in pushing yourself to your limits and beyond. You may wish that he'd be easier on you, but once you are smiling from the top of the podium, you know how valuable his input was.

To be perfectly clear: the above is in no way to say that Scott is a mean guy - the complete opposite is true. Scott is with you every step of the way offering plenty of encouragement. He genuinely cares about your success. Despite a substantial time difference, Scott was always available to answer my questions, even on very short notice if necessary.

However, Scott's work did not stop once I received the good news that I was admitted. He acted as a sounding board, helped me weigh my options and also assisted me in drafting a letter to the admissions office that ultimately got me additional scholarship money!

If your goal is to get in a top MBA program and you want customized and personalized support at a very fair price, look no further - Personal MBA Coach Scott Edinburgh is the guy for you.

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March 09, 2017
jlaredo

Joined: Dec 31, 2013

Posts: 0

Kudos: 0

Scott is a tremendous asset

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Admissions consultants are not cheap - they're a big investment. Like many people, I did a bunch of free consultations with "big name" firms. Many of them sounded great, but it was impossible to know who exactly I would actually be working with and what their track record for success had been in the past. I wanted someone whom I could speak with and evaluate before I shelled out thousands of dollars. I decided to work with Scott, and it was the best decision I made throughout the entire process.

Scott is everything he advertises: timely, responsive, honest, incredibly hardworking, thoughtful, and efficient. When he says he'll get you edits in 48 hours, he means it. He's also almost always on call despite his hectic schedule. I sent him countless emails with quick random questions, and he almost always responded within an hour or two. He worked with my schedule and accommodated calls whenever I asked.

Scott was an enormous asset throughout the entire process. He helped me affirm my school selections, think through my career goals, evaluate and play to my strengths, hide my weaknesses, select my recommenders, and truly match my resume to the interests of my top schools. I consider myself a pretty good writer, but Scott tore my essays up regularly. He made them much, much better every time, without compromising what I wanted to say. He also works incredibly hard to build relationships at the top schools, which gives him amazing insight into what they look for and how to prioritize time on the applications.

With Scott's help, I got into my top choice, Northwestern-Kellogg. Without a doubt, Scott was a big reason why. Money well spent.

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March 02, 2017
Parzival

Joined: Feb 27, 2017

Posts: 0

Kudos: 5

Verified GMAT Classic score:
770 Q50 V46

Present the best version of yourself

REVIEWER IDENTITY VERIFIED by score report [?]

Do you want to get into a top MBA program? If so, you should work with Scott (Personal MBA Coach).

I tried applying to schools on my own first. Despite an extremely high GMAT score and good work experience I only got two interviews, and I struck out at all 6 places I applied. I didn't even get waitlisted anywhere.

For my second year of applications, I decided to get help. After talking to multiple consultants and feeling less than thrilled about their pitches (most were obviously just after my money) I talked to Scott. He was more engaged than anyone else, and most importantly he seemed to genuinely want to help me.

Long story short, I ended up getting interviews at 4 of 5 places Scott helped me apply to. I was accepted at two schools (one with a decent scholarship), and waitlisted at one. I also tried applying to one additional school on my own and did not even get an interview. This means that out of 12 schools, I was only admitted to those Scott helped me apply to, and Scott was involved in getting 4 of 6 interviews. Note that since he only helped me apply to 5 places I got interviews 80% of the time with him and 28% of the time on my own.

My last comment is about what you should and should not expect from Scott. He is not a magic genie who will instantly grant acceptance to your top school. He will not write anything for you. He will not tell you what you want to do in the future. What Scott will do is relentlessly critique your essays. He will push you HARD to fully distill what you are trying to say, and he will pull no punches while doing it. If you are six drafts into your essay and it just isn't there, he will tell you that you need to start over. At times it will suck, but as long as you continue to push yourself Scott will help unearth the best version of yourself in your final applications. I am extremely glad that I worked with Scott, and I cannot recommend him highly enough.

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February 13, 2017
mhend782

Joined: Feb 13, 2017

Posts: 0

Kudos: 0

Verified GMAT Classic score:
680 Q44 V39

Valuable Advice, Great Experience!

REVIEWER IDENTITY VERIFIED by score report [?]

At the very beginning of the process, Scott helped me identify the right MBA programs based on my career goals and academic background / work experience. He did an excellent job of helping me create "my story" and shape it so that it was clear, concise and consistent throughout my application. His review comments in my Admissions Essays were very value-add and he challenged me to really think about the content so that I could set myself apart in the application process. His full suite of services also included helping me prepare for admissions interviews and ultimately choosing the right school after I had been accepted. I would recommend Scott Edinburgh to anyone looking to apply to a top tier MBA program.

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