As a student applying to deferred programs, I was hesitant to use ApplicantLab as it seemed expensive (a real 1-1 consultant was way out of my budget). I decided to bite the bullet however and it was the best decision I made for my applications. I only applied to 3 schools but the amount of school-specific knowledge and advice in ApplicantLab was crazy - if you are applying to more schools then I can only imagine it will be of even more value to you. I was interviewed at all 3 of the schools - I’m convinced this would not have been the case if I did not follow the essay advice on the Lab.

I cannot recommend this product enough. If you are willing to go through the Lab and learn and follow the advice, ApplicantLab is 1000% worth it.

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I was admitted to an M7 with a weak profile and interviewed at at every other school I applied to (other M7s) using this service as my only guideline to writing my application. I was able to craft a great story using the essay and application advice in here as well as Maria and her team's feedback after emailing her a couple of times. They offer specific advice for different backgrounds and different MBA goals - you will be able to relate to this advice regardless of your background or how strong you are as an applicant. Maria has considered all angles when putting this together.

If you can't afford a consultant (or consider one unnecessary), try this out, its a great way to put together your apps efficiently for a reasonable price point.

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To put it plainly, working with Carin & the entire ApplicantLab team was absolutely fantastic. Not only do I recommend the service as a whole, but I especially recommend the additional consulting services with Carin!

I solicited Carin's feedback on essays for two schools - Kellogg and Booth - and received offers from both. In each case, she went above and beyond to give honest, actionable feedback that I was able to immediately apply…and, in the case of my Kellogg essays, undoubtedly meant the difference between receiving an offer and not!

Since I'd used Carin for my essay reviews in 2020, when I first applied to Kellogg, it was a no-brainer to solicit her feedback again when reapplying. I struggled with the essays this time around, and it showed. Carin demonstrated "tough love," and gave very candid feedback on my first drafts. The difference maker, however, was that she went BACK to the essays I'd sent her nearly TWO YEARS prior, and pointed out elements from those that I could re-incorporate and expound upon. She provided some rewriting recommendations, which helped me quickly identify the necessary edits, and gave some general feedback on how to make my "growth since first applying" really shine in my re-applicant essays (again, having looked at the materials I shared years prior). None of this was in the "job description," but showed how much she really cared about steering me in the right direction. Due wholly to her feedback, I was able to completely transform my essays, and receive the offer of admission I was hoping for. This is just one of the many examples I have of Carin going above-and-beyond to help out.

I have no doubts that Carin's candid feedback played a crucial role in my receiving these 2 M-7 offers. Though I know her sessions are a little more costly, I can wholeheartedly say it makes all the difference.

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I started applying for MBA's around two years ago and used both ApplicantLab and another very popular/well known MBA consulting service for the first year of applications and only used ApplicantLab for the second year (in which I was successful in getting a place). Here are my comments:
- The consultant I was working with (Carin Nelson) was very supportive and every piece of feedback she gave was very specific to me and my application. She was very responsive whenever I had ANY questions about anything which was very useful during stressful times.
- My mock interview with Carin was also the most effective/useful $500ish that I have ever spent with respect to MBA applications. During that 2 hour interview + feedback session I had with her, I learnt more about how to speak in interviews and how to present myself to interviewers than I had ever done during the 2 years that I had worked towards getting accepted into a top MBA programme.
- The other consulting service gave me a fish and ApplicantLab taught me how to fish. I guess my phrasing is cheesy but the way in which ApplicantLab is structured helped me learn how to take ownership of my application and gave me the skills required to present myself in the best way possible. The other consulting service polished my application and story, but I didn't come out that experience feeling as if I could tackle another MBA application-type situation if I was forced to face it once again.
- ApplicantLab's fees for the 1 year membership was less than half of the price charged by the other consulting service for an hour of their time

One caveat I really do have to mention is that with ApplicantLab, you need to have at least some sort of clarity on where you want to apply and what you want to do with your MBA. Perhaps other consultants might be able to help with that but I wouldn't know as I approached the other service after I had figured out my MBA story.

Overall, I think the title of this review summarises my impression of ApplicantLab really well: great support, great value and great advice.

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ApplicantLab was a life-saver! The user interface is easy to navigate. The videos are full of insight (and humourous!). In short, the advice is excellent. ApplicantLab helped me structure my thoughts, so that I could write the most impactful admissions essays that I could have hoped to. There is good advice on every little detail of what should (and should not!) go into the essays, so that you can really pack a punch into 500 words.
The section on advice for Interviews is excellent, too. Again, ApplicantLab guides you with insightful questions/prompts, and helps you structure your answers to a variety of potential interview questions.
The MBA admissions process is exhausting. I am glad I had ApplicantLab to support me. I am certain I would not have received an offer of admission without its help. Great value for money. I recommend their service whole heartedly!

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Applying to MBAs can feel like a second job at times with tons of ambiguity to navigate, but ApplicantLab takes so much of the stress away by bringing loads of transparency and structure to the process. I love how easy the platform is to use, and how it empowered me to approach my applications confidently at my own pace through its wealth of content, advice, and exercises to support every imaginable step and question you would encounter while applying.

I also engaged Carin and Maria's services for personalized essay feedback and interview prep - they are both amazing advisors who provided super honest and actionable feedback in a really personable way. My story definitely came out a lot stronger after their help.

For the price ApplicantLab is charging vs. other consultants, this really is a no brainer - I cannot recommend them enough.

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If you are serious about your MBA application, and if you are applying to a top business school, ApplicantLab provides everything a serious MBA applicant needs to create your best application. I can confidently say that ApplicantLab quite literally changed my life, as there was no way I would have gotten accepted to Chicago Booth without it.

When I started my MBA application process, I figured I would do it all independently. I thought I could "bootstrap" my way to a successful application. However, after struggling to craft a compelling narrative while writing my essays and drafting my resume, I researched consultant services. I loved the breadth of resources available on ApplicantLab and that I could work through the portal at my own pace. ApplicantLab helped me perfect my resume, design a compelling narrative for my essays, and prepare for my interviews.

ApplicantLab was worth every penny. Going to business school has been my dream, and I am so thankful that ApplicantLab gave me the necessary tools to put together my very best application. In my view, ApplicantLab is the best business school consultant service in the industry.

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ApplicantLab offers very succinct, structured and comprehensive advice and guidance that were extremely helpful for me throughout my preparation phase. It was very easy to navigate the platform without getting bored or overwhelmed with information. There are a lot of videos that make the learning experience insightful and fun at the same time. Also, it helped me plan for my next steps and remain disciplined in my prep.

Incredible affordable, great value for money, and amazing service and support from the entire team.

Also, I found the essay review service quite helpful. Maria provided really helpful and candid feedback that helped push my essays to the next level and create the best version of my application. She was always there to answer questions in detail and always made time for me. Maria always pointed me in the right direction and I consider myself lucky to have worked with her. It was also fun interacting with Maria.

Couldn't recommend ApplicantLab enough!!! It helped me get into my dream school.

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I found ApplicantLab's services to be incredibly useful. As a career switcher from the public policy sector, I was unsure about how to optimally convey my past experience and need for an MBA to admissions committees. I used ApplicantLab's branding module and resume review services to construct an effective personal brand and "Why MBA?" story that helped me stand out from the pack. I also found ApplicantLab's school-specific essay advice to be very effective in tailoring my supplemental essays. The money that I spent on ApplicantLab has easily paid for itself in multiple acceptance and scholarship offers. I would highly recommend ApplicantLab to any MBA applicant, but especially self-directed career switchers who are curious about how to effectively communicate their "story" throughout the admissions process.

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How did I get to know the applicant lab? As a round 2 applicant, I was struggling to put together my essays, resumes. Around December, I was watching one youtube video on GMAT Club where Maria talked about the MBA resume and it immediately caught my attention by how much insight she provided for the admission process. Thanks to her 15 years of working experience in this field.

As an online platform, I wasn't 100% sure if it would be reliable. So I started out with the free trial and made use of the free sections, gauging whether I should subscribe to the full service. And I did! Because it was so helpful and insightful and completely changed how I viewed my profile and application strategy.

Thinking back, I wish I had watched the youtube video sooner so I can use the applicant lab sooner before my submission. But even only using it about 1 month before the submission deadline, I had, fortunately, got admitted to Yale.

For those more interested in specifically what I found most helpful, here are some general take-aways
1- Maria knows every single detail of the admission process and she shared it in great detail in the applicant lab. From how to structure your stories, shining a light on your achievements and making you stand out, to how to address your shortcoming e.g. lack of formal leadership experiences. I am extremely grateful for this portion because with her advice and objective view I was able to see positives in my profile and be more confident to sell them to the AO.

Second, what's great about it is also once you paid for it, you can access it anytime, anywhere. No need to schedule any appointment and all the information you need is readily available.

Lastly, don't think that because this is an online platform and you're left alone after payment. Carin and Maria actually handle queries you have and they are so responsive and thorough in their response that you feel like they are not just trying to get the most $$ from you but rather really trying to maximize your chances of success.

Overall, I had a great experience using the applicant lab and I have already recommended it to my friends who are also planning to apply for an MBA, same to any one of you who are planning for an MBA. Get Applicant Lab, try it out, and your chances of getting the offer you want would surely increase.

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