Best Reviewed MBA Admission Consultants of 2019

‘HIS SOLE FOCUS WAS ON GETTING A GOOD JOB DONE’

Despite the high costs, few of the clients who send in reviews have any remorse. “Chimni helped every step of the way, with the sole focus of getting a good job done,” writes another of Chimni’s successful applicants. “On occasions where I slacked and resulted in pushing work close to the submission deadline, Chimni was available even at odd hours on WhatsApp/email/phone, turning around deliverables in a couple of hours but not letting his guard down on ensuring perfect essay messaging. Overall, I feel like I have gained a well-wisher and supporter in the MBA journey rather than just a counselor.”

“What stood out for me during my experience working with Chimni was professionalism and expertise,” writes a Class of 2021 admit. “He was efficient in helping me brainstorm the elements of my essay…Rajdeep would devote time in helping me come up with new angles…I was impressed by his thoroughness when checking the resume and forms, pointing out some of the most easily overlooked gaps…Chimni even assisted me in writing to the schools for scholarships after receiving admits.”

The candidate’s results? He was admitted to Wharton with a $40,000 scholarship, Booth with a $50,000 scholarship, and London Business School. He was locked out of two elite MBA programs: Harvard Business School and Columbia Business School. Though he gained an interview at HBS, he was ultimately dinged, while Columbia rejected him outright. “My results were great,” he concludes.

It’s hard to argue with success.

Meet The Top MBA Admissions Consultants Of 2019

1. Rajdeep Chimni of Admissions Gateway

Chimni began his MBA consulting business in 2006, just as he entered the full-time MBA program at Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management. While at Kellogg, he served as an admissions ambassador, a role that put him in touch with many Kellogg aspirants. After graduating in 2008 with his MBA, Chimni ended up in product marketing roles at several software companies before deciding to do admissions consulting on a full-time basis in late 2011 largely for applicants in India and China. He does no hourly consulting, instead selling a three-school package for $6,000. His firm has helped more than 600 candidates get into top MBA programs with more than $20 million in scholarship grants. He specializes in helping applicants into the top-15 US B-schools, INSEAD and London Business School. Last year, he claims that his firm helped clients rack up 58 admits to the top-5 U.S. B-schools alone with a total of $6 million in scholarships. Chimni does not have hourly rates, preferring to do a three-school package at a cost of $6,000.

Five-Star Review Excerpt: ‘I was looking for a consultant who could help me secure an admit to a top-5 US B-School and Rajdeep came highly recommended by friends who had made it to top US schools. His approach is very structured and professional. We began with the resume and his way of looking at it from a strategic lens made my resume really strong. We finalized our schools, picking Wharton, Kellogg, Darden, and Ross in Round 1. Rajdeep’s approach of deep research on schools made my essays very relevant and specific to the schools. He was extremely patient despite multiple iterations, helping perfect the essays. The engagement went beyond what I had expected or imagined. I got three interview calls and zero rejects. He also helped in interview prep as I had a lot to improve in that area and all this led to my admission at Wharton.” — Class of 2018 admit to Wharton

2. Paul Bodine of Admitify.com

This is Paul Bodine’s third consecutive appearance on our top ten list, making him only one of three to gain that distinction this year. A graduate of the University of Chicago and Johns Hopkins University, Bodine cut his teeth in the admissions business with Accepted.com long ago after working as a freelance writer for the Orange County Register and having his own writing consulting shop, The Operative Word. He’s been helping MBA applicants for the past 20 years and is the author of six admissions books including Great Applications for Business School. Based in San Diego, Bodine was tied for first place last year with David White of Menlo Coaching and finished in second place a year earlier.

Five-Star Review Excerpt: “I was inspired to contact Paul after reading his book, Great Applications to Business School. From the moment I spoke with him, I was struck by his genuineness, his friendliness, and his knack for quickly understanding my background and identifying the most salient details of my ‘story.’ I am so grateful that I had Paul to coach me: strategizing, providing a second set of eyes over my materials, and pushing me when he knew I was capable of better work. I was motivated by his investment in my success and also impressed by how efficiently he could review my writing and give feedback. And it paid off. I received interviews at all five schools and was ultimately admitted to Haas, Kellogg, and MIT Sloan — each with scholarships ranging from $80,000 to $120,000. These amazing offers proved to me the incredible return on investment in working with Paul. I can’t recommend him enough.” — Class of 2021 admit

3. Caryn Altman of Stacy Blackman Consulting

A Kellogg MBA, Altman worked as an admissions officer for her alma mater where she read and evaluated written applicant essays and recommended admission to Kellogg. She also conducted numerous applicant interviews assessing candidate fit and future potential at Kellogg and beyond. Preceding her time at Kellogg, Altman was a senior marketing manager for Gatorade, leading Gatorade’s efforts to a variety of consumer targets. Concurrently, she co-led all of the Kellogg recruiting efforts for the PepsiCo Chicago office. Before earning her MBA, Caryn worked in corporate finance and public accounting with CPA certification. This is our second appearance on our list.

Five-Star Review Excerpt: “I worked with Caryn on four applications for Round 1 (HBS, Columbia, Wharton, Stanford) and had a phenomenal experience. First, Caryn was very effective and helpful in formulating my application strategy. She took the time to understand my background and my career goals and helped me package myself to create a compelling story for admissions committees. Secondly, Caryn was very organized and responsive throughout the entire application process. Even though we worked on four apps, I never felt rushed or pressed for time because Caryn established a clear schedule and game-plan for finishing each piece of each application. She turned drafts around very quickly and efficiently. Overall, the process went very well as I was admitted into both Columbia and Wharton with scholarships! I had a great experience and would highly recommend Caryn to anyone.” — Class of 2021 admit