Advice Column: Common Admissions Consultant Questions

Hello P&Q readers, and welcome to my advice column! My name is Karen Marks, and I am the Founder and President of North Star Admissions Consulting. I have been helping people get into their dream schools since 2012, and prior to that I was the Associate Director of Admissions at the Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth. In both roles, my goal is to give people the accurate, insider information that they need in order to succeed and make good decisions. 

Towards that end, I am thrilled to be joined by my friend and former Colleague Amy Mitson, who is the Director of Admissions, Recruitment & Marketing at Tuck. Amy has seen both the student experience through her years in student services and now the admissions process as a member of the Tuck Admissions committee for the last 15 years. Amy shares my commitment to transparency, and together we will give you the real answers to your burning admissions questions, from both sides of the desk. Ask away, no topic is off limits!

This week, we will address a common question that we both hear. 

Dear P&Q – If you are applying to a less competitive and less selective program (with accept rates at a third or more), does it make sense to hire an MBA admissions consultant?

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Amy: First, take a moment to ask yourself what you need to be successful. All applicants have different tools in their tool kits and will access school resources differently. 

Working with a consultant is not a transaction, it is a relationship with someone who is encouraging and guiding an applicant on their journey through the application process. 

I believe the value of an admissions consultant is to boost knowledge, confidence, and forward momentum. Consultants encourage self-reflection, provide process knowledge as well as an industry perspective that an applicant may not have access to in their network. Many admissions consultants have been on the admissions committee and worked for years at the exact institution an applicant may be targeting. Consultants provide services and counsel to help applicants put their best foot forward, no matter where they are applying.

Karen: Is it possible to succeed without hiring an admissions consultant? For many candidates, absolutely. However, there are also many reasons to work with someone who can guide you, making the process less stressful and optimizing your outcomes. Because the admissions process is so personal, with each school evaluating applicants in depth and across a variety of metrics, it’s extremely difficult for candidates to know where they stand in the pool. Therefore, looking at average test scores and grades to assess your competitiveness doesn’t work well – the majority of applicants likely have numbers at or above the admitted profile. An experienced admissions consultant can help you come up with a good list and can orient you to the landscape. This type of profile evaluation (and guidance) can be useful no matter where you’re applying. By the way, most consultants, including me, offer free initial conversations that can help you think about the process. 

Amy: Another value add for applicants, regardless of where you are applying, is the project management support. 

Karen: Absolutely – my clients are usually balancing intense personal and professional commitments, while navigating the application process. Having successfully guided so many people through this over the years, I know how to help you get through it more efficiently and with less stress. There is no need to submit rushed, last-minute materials, or to lie awake at night wondering if you are missing important milestones or opportunities.

Amy: I often hear questions from applicants who are seeking reassurance they are on the right path or requesting feedback on which story to tell. While your best friend can also provide confidence and reassurance, they may not know the landscape of MBA admissions. Consultants are sought after because they can boost your confidence and confirm ideas you have about how to navigate the application process.  

Karen: Yes, exactly! There is so much MBA admissions advice swirling around, it can be very hard to know what’s real. Furthermore, it’s confusing for applicants to understand how to apply this advice to themselves. Should they talk about their entrepreneurial dreams? Challenges they have overcome? Do their goals make sense? What are they leaving on the table? Are there weaknesses that need to be addressed? 

Amy: Information overload can be real, but an applicant should not make the mistake of neglecting primary research. Going directly to a school’s website or attending a zoom chat is a foundational step in the research and application process. A consultant may also help an applicant understand their alignment with a school’s culture.

Karen: I totally agree with Amy’s advice – whether or not you are working with a consultant, it’s super important to interact with the schools, and to take advantage of the resources that they provide. Amy, I often get asked whether applicants should disclose that they are working with a consultant. (Many application forms ask this question.) Can you please explain why schools are interested in gathering this information, and what they think about candidates who work with consultants?

Amy:  I am interested in what tools an applicant uses and finds helpful when applying to the MBA program. Has an applicant referenced my website, opened an event based or resource-based email communication, or attended an event? If a school is asking about using a consultant, it is a data point that could signal an applicant trend.

Karen: Interesting, thanks. Another reason that people hire consultants is because it’s very hard to know what you don’t know, and many applicants are rightly concerned about underestimating both the time it takes to apply well and the competitiveness of the process. Experienced consultants can help you feel confident that you are maximizing your opportunities for admission and scholarships, no matter where you are applying.

Amy: Everyone’s path is different and there are so many amazing MBA programs with guidance to share. Whether a program is known/perceived as being more or less selective, a consultant can complement your primary research, be a sounding board or project manager, and maybe even a bit more of a truth-teller than your BFF.

Karen: Bottom line: I really love working as an MBA admissions consultant – and I also loved working at Tuck! Collaborating with applicants, and with colleagues like Amy, is a great privilege. My expertise allows me to help you achieve your goals.

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Karen has more than 15 years of experience evaluating candidates for admission to Dartmouth College and to the Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth. Since founding North Star Admissions Consulting in 2012, she has helped applicants gain admission to the nation’s top schools, including Stanford, Harvard, Yale, Wharton, MIT, Tuck, Columbia, Kellogg, Booth, Haas, Duke, Johnson, Ross, NYU, UNC, UCLA, Georgetown and more. Clients have been awarded more than $65 million dollars in scholarships, and more than 98% have gotten into one of their top choice schools.