Shaifali was my go-to advisor throughout the entire business school application process. At the outset of the process, I was struggling to know where to start and how to craft a story that could be used in my essays. To get over this hurdle, she helped me organize my thoughts and develop a strategy for all my essays - even providing helpful tips that I was not aware of. I have spoken to friends who have worked with consultants and I can confidently say: nobody helps with essays as well as Shaifali does!

She was also accessible for small questions in between our scheduled meetings. Her accessibility provided me with comfort and made a stressful process less stressful. On top of all her help with the written application, she also was able to provide me with school-specific tips on what to focus on for each interview. At the end of the day, her support gave me confidence that I put forth my best applications and she ultimately helped me get into two M7 schools! If you are looking for a consultant whose guidance you can be confident in, look no further than Shaifali!

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Shaifali was very helpful throughout the admissions process. We really did a deep dive on my personal story and how to tailor my application to each school. I came from an over-represented background and she was able to spin my story in a unique way. She knew each of the M7 schools in depth, and I ended up getting into three of them! I enrolled in my top choice and this was hands down thanks to her help.

I spoke to several consultants before deciding to work with Shaifali. A lot of the larger admissions consulting companies split the workload among different people, which can sometimes work poorly. I had friends take this route previously and therefore I specifically looked for a consultant who would handle all aspects of the application. After speaking with Shaifali for the first time, I had greater trust in her being able to deliver a full and complete application than the other consultants. I was quite skeptical of paying the large sum for an admissions consultant, but it was well worth it and I would 100% work with Shaifali again.

A specific example of her work ethic & product: I applied for a deferral and scholarship, well after I received admissions, and Shafali happily checked my letters and corrected them. She didn't pay attention to time or say that the contract was over. She really worked till the end of the line. This speaks volumes about her work ethic. Most other consultants I spoke to were very tight and strict about any additional work. I'm really glad I chose to work with Shaifali and I can strongly recommend her without reservations. All I would say to applicants is don't leave the applications to the last minute (essay revisions require a minimal number of turns which requires a minimum about of time for consultant to add comments and applicant to fix changes and send back, couple weeks easy)

Best of luck!

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From the start, Shaifali was incredibly helpful! Going into the application process, I was skeptical about all of it and didn’t appreciate the value of the story. Before settling on working with Shaifali, I spoke to a handful of consultants who gave generic opinions geared toward what they thought I wanted to hear. Shaifali, on the other hand, was honest about everything from school choice to gaps and strengths in my application.
After I decided to work with her, the honest opinions, patience, strategic approach, and focus on authenticity showed throughout the process. We spent time early-on developing a holistic application strategy, which really helped me learn how to frame my story, paying dividends throughout the process. Because of her, I was able to submit my best applications and set myself up to get the most out of business school.

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Shaifali was fantastic to work with, and I would very highly recommend her services to anyone who is looking for an MBA admissions consultant. I am in an oversubscribed demographic (male in finance) and so was seeking someone who could really help to differentiate me in such a competitive pool. After speaking with multiple consultants, Shaifali and Ivy Groupe clearly stood out to me for the following reasons: 1) the very strong focus on authenticity and emphasis on understanding who I am, 2) Shaifali’s impressive credentials and experience in the space, 3) the importance given to collaboratively working through the process, and 4) the company’s strong track record and systematic approach.
Throughout the engagement, Shaifali was extremely responsive and accessible, which was important given the demands on my time. She could also always be counted on for honest advice. By digging into my background, she teased out my unique attributes and helped me connect-the-dots in my story – she truly is a magician in this regard. As a result, she was absolutely critical in helping me to position myself as much more than a male in finance. In addition, her feedback throughout the process (essays, recommendation letters, interviews, etc.) was invaluable and always on point. In all of our conversations and her feedback, Shaifali’s robust knowledge and nuanced understanding of the schools were evident.
Overall, Shaifali was the much-needed guide I needed throughout this process, always pushing me to think deeper, which resulted in the strongest applications. There is no doubt that Shaifali was instrumental in taking my applications to the next level. Her approach and work ethic are definitely differentiators – after comparing notes with my peers who used other consultants, it was extremely clear how much value Shaifali brings to the table and how committed she is to her clients’ success.
I was accepted to Wharton and couldn’t be more thrilled with the outcome! You will be in excellent hands working with Shaifali!

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Shaifali is an exceptional consultant who helped me properly present myself to top-tier business schools. Thanks to her coaching and reliable comments on my application materials, I am now attending my dream business school. Her consulting process was stress-free, straightforward and highly individualized. She presented me with all the information I needed to prepare my strongest applications. Her proofreading, suggestions and interview prep were invaluable in securing spots in the top schools I applied to. I would strongly recommend Shaifali to anyone interested in a competitive MBA program. Ivy Groupe is absolutely a positive and engaging experience that served not only to improve my acceptance chances, but also teach me more about the MBA programs I was interested in.

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Shaifali was my main advisor during my application process to several top MBA programs. She was incredibly knowledgeable about the nuances of each admissions process and was able to tease out the traits of my profile that were applicable to each school's priorities.

In addition to helping curate the content of my applications, Shaifali was a crucial part of my support network when things inevitably did not go my away in the process (e.g., rejections, waitlists, etc.). She coached me through these hiccups in an elegant and comforting way.

Ultimately, in large part due to her guidance, I was admitted to the Stanford GSB. I HIGHLY recommend Shaifali for anyone looking to put his or her best foot forward in what is a very competitive process.

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I highly recommend admissions consulting services with the Ivy Groupe. Shaifali Aggarwal, Founder/CEO of the Ivy Groupe, helped me navigate the business school application process and successfully gain admission to my top schools. I was extremely impressed by Shaifali’s professionalism, thoughtfulness, attentiveness, and expertise. Working with the Ivy Groupe was a true value-add to my application process and I can’t speak highly enough about my experience.

I began working with Shaifali after completing the GMAT and she helped me brainstorm/narrow my list of schools, strategize for my applications, create a manageable timeline, craft my story, complete applications, prep for interviews, and ultimately finalize my school selection. Shaifali provides a highly personalized approach. She spent time getting to know my background, assessing my strengths/weaknesses, and understanding my personal and professional goals in order to provide meaningful consultative advice as we worked through applications. Because she took the time to know me personally, Shaifali’s feedback was always thoughtful and she brought out the best in my applications. I was grateful for Shaifali’s commitment to my applications and her communication was outstanding and she responded promptly to all questions via email or phone call.

Shaifali’s guidance goes beyond the applications. After submitting applications, Shaifali advised me on how to manage the rest of the process in order to best position myself with each school. As a result, I was well-prepared for interviews, campus visits, and conversations with current students and admissions officers. Finally, Shaifali shared her extensive knowledge of the MBA world and specific details about each school that I was admitted to in order to help me determine the best fit. I was admitted to my top school and could not be more thrilled with the outcome.

Shaifali is truly an expert in admissions consulting and she is also personable and very fun to work with. For all of these reasons, I give my highest recommendation for Shaifali and the Ivy Groupe.

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I had a pre-med background so did not have many peers who were familiar with the business school application process, so I needed a consultant to support me through this process. I had purchased a package from another consultant at the time and did not realize how unhelpful his services were until I met Shaifali. I was blown away by the care she put into my entire application, from brainstorming to choosing between schools I got accepted into. She sent me a questionnaire that not only asked me to outline my main activities at work and outside of work but also asked me to summarize key themes and ideas which really got me to think critically about my background and how it comes together to tell a compelling story. Instead of just doing mere line edits of my essays, which I know from experience many consultants do, she looked at the essay as a whole and advised me on how to thoughtfully proceed.

Besides our brainstorming phone calls, Shaifali was also available via email whenever I had a question, no matter how big or small. Her responses were never automated or generic. She remembered the smallest details about my background when answering my questions, which showed she was invested in each of her clients as unique individuals.

Out of the 6 schools I applied to, I received 5 interviews - Haas, MIT Sloan, Kellogg, Booth and Wharton and got accepted to 3 and will be attending Wharton (my first choice) in the Fall! And my success in this process is definitely attributed to Shaifali's tremendous support and knowledge about the application process.

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With Ivy Groupe's help, I was accepted into my first choice MBA program at the University of Michigan (Ross School of Business)!

In our initial consulting call, Shaifali honed in quickly on the weakest part of my application (undergrad GPA) and suggested specific ways to offset it by emphasizing my graduate school and work experiences.

I was impressed with her experience and insight throughout the month-long process! She helped me write compelling essays that were extremely authentic, without ever suggesting that I change my voice or the narrative. Her feedback is honest and direct- it helped me feel both confident and self-aware going into the B School interview.

I chose the hourly package as I was only applying to one school in this round, and Shaifali was very accommodating. She was prompt with essay feedback and was available for phone calls throughout the week. I'd recommend Ivy Groupe to any of my friends applying to B School!

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I signed up for the comprehensive package for three schools and I can honestly say that it was worth every penny. I’m beyond happy with the results that I have achieved in my application journey and I couldn’t have done it without Shaifali’s guidance along the way.

I had signed up for a number of free consultations with various consultants and it was only with Shaifali that I’d felt a true, comfortable connection. The others would tell me to give up on so-and-so, leaving me completely discouraged. Sure, this approach might work with some, but certainly not for me. During my conversation with Shaifali, she was frank and honest about what my chances are but relayed that as long as I understood where my candidacy stood with respect to my selected schools, you just never know until you try. These words of encouragement helped me to establish a sense of confidence in working with Shaifali, and that sense of confidence only grew as we began to delve deep into the applications.

Shaifali is incredibly patient, very quick on her feet, amazingly sharp, and is somehow always able to magically give the best feedback based on the given situation. During our calls and also our email exchanges, I’m constantly bombarding her with questions, often with a lot of anxiety attached. She would answer those questions and alleviate my concerns one by one in a very straightforward manner, and I’m always left feeling assured after our correspondences, knowing exact what my next steps should be. Not only this, Shaifali also gives her feedback in a no-nonsense, straight-shooter type of way that doesn’t beat around the bush; trust me, when you’re juggling multiple essays (in addition to the all of the other aspects of the application) at a time, you just want to talk to someone who gets right to the point and tells you exactly what you need to work on. Shaifali’s feedback is always very actionable and provides a clear sense on how to proceed; I’ve never been left feeling stuck after a conversation or exchange with her!

Anyway, I could go on and on and on about what an amazing experience I’ve had working with Shaifali. For those who are considering working with an MBA consultant, I cannot recommend her enough! Thank you for all your help, Shaifali!

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