How to choose an admissions coach

Navigating college admissions is a daunting task.

An applicant has to engage in multiple activities, such as:  

1. Academic preparedness like transcripts, standardized tests
2. Research schools in terms of ranking, location, programs, facilities, cost,
3. Create a balanced list of ‘reach’, ‘target’ and ‘safety’ schools
4. Write essays that showcase your experiences and goals
5. Get strong letters of recommendation
6. Prepare for interviews
7. Search and apply to different scholarship programs and financial aid
8. Apply for visa and loans
9. Keep track of deadlines
10. Tackle any unforeseen scenarios such as government policy changes, etc.

For a single person, it might become daunting at time. This is where an admissions consultant comes into the picture, offering expert guidance and support throughout the application process.

Before you decide to work with an admissions coach, you should keep the following points in mind:

1. Background work: Do some background study

• Figure out what your goals are – even if you decide to go ahead with a coach, you would still need to help the coach with your goals
• Do some basic research on the schools you want to target
• Create a detailed CV mentioning each and every important aspect that you can think of (professionally, academically and personally) – this step is vital

2. Self ‘Profile’ analysis: Do a profile analysis to realistically determine your chances at the schools you have shortlisted. A few tools that can help with the above are mentioned later.

3. Your expectations: Decide what your expectations are - what do you need assistance with?

• School shortlisting
• Essays / Interviews
• Other aspects of the application

4. Credentials and knowledge: Make sure that you research the backgrounds of the admissions coaches. If you are applying to the top schools in the USA or Europe, the coach should be an alumnus of a top global school, or should have alumni from such schools in his or her team. A coach who is an alumnus, can provide valuable insights about the process which would be difficult for someone who has not experienced the process firsthand. A coach who is an alumnus can also help you in future networking if you end up in the same school!

5. Track record: Review client testimonials of coaches and connect with them, if possible, to get unbiased feedback about the process followed by the coach.

6. Availability and involvement: Check if the coach is usually available and involved enough in the entire process or if the coach simply outsources the work to juniors. Also, check if the coach can accommodate you based on a mutually agreeable schedule.

7. Personalization: Admissions coaches should provide personalised consultation catering to the unique profile and needs of each candidate.

8. Cost: Consider your budget. This is going to be a big investment; greater than the investment you might have made during your test preparation stage. However, the cost should not be the only factor. Understand that this investment is important considering your chances of admission (with scholarship) and hence will also affect your future career opportunities.

Shortlist professionals who you think are a good fit based on the above research.

A few tools that can help with your profile analysis are (not in any order of preference):

1. GMATclub forum (Free): Basic profile check:  

https://gmatclub.com/gmat-chance-calculator/web/

This is the one place to go-to for all MBA applicants, be it for test preparation of for admissions guidance. The top coaches are all on GMAT Club , offering free advice and answering queries of candidates. Have a query? Visit there – it has most likely already been answered!

• LilacBuds: MBA Profile Evaluation Package (and other tools):

https://lilacbuds.com/add-package/1

LilacBuds was founded in 2020 by Rajiv Ganjoo and Preyash Shah with a mission to “facilitate access to quality mentoring & unbiased advice to enable long-term career success for all global education aspirants.” With their deep expertise in education consulting and technology, LilacBuds has become a top study abroad consultant in India.

• MCB - MBA Crystal Ball:

https://www.mbacrystalball.com/profile-building/ They also have a free service: https://www.mbacrystalball.com/profile-evaluation/

MBA Crystal Ball was founded by Sameer Kamat. As an MBA consultant, he has been helping out international MBA applicants for over 10 years. Manish Gupta (Chief Consulting Officer) manages all application related services (from profile building to MBA essays, interviews)

Some of the other good options include:

• Crack Verbal:

https://www.crackverbal.com/masters-and-mba-consulting-services

Crackverbal was founded by Arun Jagannathan and Shreekala Kurup, they provide invaluable insights about your MBA admissions journey.

• College Lab:

https://www.collegelab.in/overseas-education-consultants/collegelab-team

Led by Shayantan Rahman , they provide services for study abroad programs. They are also involved in Undergraduate admission services.

Please note: The above list is based on my observations and interactions I have either directly or indirectly primarily on LinkedIn. There are many other great admission coaches and this article is not meant to be a list. A list of admissions coaches can be found here: Poets&Quants https://poetsandquants.com/2024/07/31/the-top-mba-admission-consultants-of-2024/

You can also find admission coaches on Leland : https://www.joinleland.com/

Please do your own research!