“When Booth called me, the Admissions Officer told me she had been waiting for 2 months to make the call and that they loved my application. I know I wouldn’t have gotten this response without Paul’s priceless insights into Booth and his advice on tackling that nebulous photo/essay/PPT.”
I interviewed 4 different admissions consultants, including Stacy Blackman, Critical Square, Alice van Harten, and Paul from Amerasia. I felt that I didn’t connect at all with the Stacy Blackman consultant, and the Critical Square intake was extremely general. I was a bit torn between choosing Alice or Paul, but Paul really sold it with his 60-minute intake call (which ended up being more like 90 minutes) and a strong follow-up email. I felt really comfortable choosing him as my consultant.
The Results:
In total, I applied to HBS, Stanford, Ross, Booth, Kellogg, and MIT. I ended up getting admitted to Booth and Ross, and waitlisted at Kellogg. When Booth called me, the Admissions Officer told me she had been waiting for 2 months to make the call and that they loved my application. I know I wouldn’t have gotten this response without Paul’s priceless insights into Booth and his advice on tackling that nebulous photo/essay/PPT.
Why I Hired a Consultant:
I am a US applicant who lives and works overseas in a not-so-safe country for expats, and pursuing an MBA was something I was just beginning to explore when I contacted Paul. I didn't feel I could really engage my personal network from a few time zones away (easier to ask someone about business school over a cup of coffee rather than a shady internet connection). I was also unable to visit any schools. With a background in international development, I felt that I really needed an expert to help me with selecting schools, defining my strengths and weaknesses (such as my mid 600 GMAT), reworking my resume, and crafting essays that would speak to the individual Adcom audiences. Paul brought all of this to the table over the course of our engagement, and much more.
Why Paul/Amerasia:
“I actually gained more confidence in my candidacy through the process of working with Paul – something I didn’t expect and something that definitely made a difference when it came to interview time.”
Paul not only understands the nuances of each school’s application, but also knows how to work with you and your background to help you craft essays and responses that really hit the mark. To do this, he spends a lot of time getting to know you. I felt that our conversations went way beyond what other consultants would have offered. And in the end, these conversations and the relationship we built were key to honing in on my post-MBA goals, brainstorming on essay responses, and preparing for interviews. Also, in the beginning I did have some doubts about my candidacy (was I really “business school” material?). I actually gained more confidence in my candidacy through the process of working with Paul – something I didn’t expect and something that definitely made a difference when it came to interview time.
Whether you are like me and really needed help from the very beginning (full service), or are just looking for someone to provide (extremely valuable) feedback on your essays, Paul is the guy to call. It was well worth the cost and I was thrilled with the experience (and obviously, the results!).
"When Booth called me, the Admissions Officer told me she had been waiting for 2 months to make the call and that they loved my application. I know I wouldn’t have gotten this response without Paul’s priceless insights into Booth and his advice on tackling that nebulous photo/essay/PPT."