Avanti Prep | MBA Admissions Consultants

Greg helped me with scholarship and waitlist negotiations with M7 and Top 10 programs. From the beginning of our time working together Greg displayed utmost professionalism and was very astute with his advice. It is amazing to see the amount of care and attention to detail that Greg maintains with all the different essays, forms, emails, etc. I would 100% recommend him to anyone who would like a close second look on your profile, essays, and anything else regarding your MBA applications. I ended up learning skills that would be applicable even beyond just MBA applications. Greg is the best!

Working with Avanti Prep has been one of the most pivotal decisions in my MBA journey. Greg is meticulous, deeply empathetic, and combines professionalism with genuine care for his clients. I don’t think I would have made it out alive without his superpower abilities and heart to serve.

From the start, Greg paid close attention to details that are often overlooked—from talking through my stories and understanding the nuances of my experiences… to opining on the meaning of every sentence and how they should be framed across EVERY essay… to squeezing the very best leadership and impact out of my professional and volunteering activities.

Beyond the professional support, Greg was also a joy to work with as a friend, and he actually believed in me. This is so important. Let me tell you why:

I was balancing many spinning plates and significant personal challenges, including caretaking for two sick parents, and battling long hours at work and changes in jobs which led to simultaneous job interviews. Greg was more than just a consultant: he was a steady source of empathy and realism. It was difficult to find someone who not only understood my background but truly saw my potential. Greg believed in me especially when I struggled to believe in myself.

Greg impressed me even further with his generosity: he would often round DOWN hours, give extra time, and share candid advice without hesitation. Unlike many consultants in the admissions consulting space who feel either transactional or careless, Greg is neither avaricious nor sloppy. He is precisely the opposite: generous, conscientious, empathetic, attentive to detail, and invested in you.

It took a lot of hard work and iterations to get there, but I periodically re-read my essays and I still LOVE them. Greg understands how admissions readers think and strategically guides applicants to bring out their strongest, most authentic stories. He spends as much time thinking about how to bring out your best as you do, and he has a special talent for helping you tell your story in the most compelling way!!

I would strongly recommend Avanti Prep to anyone seeking not only an expert consultant and storyteller but also a mentor who truly cares about your journey.

I was a reapplicant for most T-25 schools in the latest admission cycle, and my performance went from:

Last Year: 21 Apps –> 3 Interviews –> 3 Waitlists –> 0 Admits;
This Year: 21 Apps –> 13 Interviews –> 9 Admits (and 4 rejects after waitlist post interview) (total of $350,000+ in scholarships)

He helped me finesse my story-telling skills which have helped me successfully even in recruiting.

The major difference was in my entire “why MBA” story, connecting it with my previous work experience and describing ambitious yet plausible post-MBA career goals.

My resume was totally revamped, along with the key pointers shared with my recommenders (as an exhaustive list of instances highlighting some of my key strengths).

And the targeted list of suggestions shared by him to show my love and connect with the school that I was applying to.

I first discovered Avanti Prep thanks to their detailed reviews and client testimonials. They appeared to offer a higher level of hands-on attention and caring than other firms, and they absolutely delivered on that promise.

I was an international applicant with a 760 GMAT and several years of U.S. work experience (H1B). But I was older, came from one of the most competitive applicant pools, had a mostly technical background, and did not have much experience “telling my story” through essays and interviews.

I wanted a lot of hand-holding, and Avanti Prep provided exactly that. I signed up for the Hybrid Package for 5 Schools, and we went through numerous highly detailed calls and iterations for School Selection, Story and Goal Development, Resume Reviews, Essay Reviews, Recommendation Feedback, and Interview Prep.

I was ultimately accepted to an M7 school – my dream outcome – and also received interview invitations from every program I applied to, including admissions offers from Cornell and NYU. I even reached back out to Greg after being accepted for help with my Scholarship Negotiations essay, after which the school increased their offer from $0 to $40,000. The ROI was already there from the acceptance, and this was a huge icing on the cake.

In addition to the M7 admit and scholarship, I cannot overstate how committed, caring and detail-oriented they were. You hear many stories about superficial experiences with other consultants (e.g., just a few quick comments in Essay or Resume Reviews), and this was exactly the opposite. I was deeply invested in the MBA application process, and I felt that same level of investment from Avanti Prep.

There was also a mentorship and skill-building element throughout. Everything I learned through our Resume, Essay, and Interview Prep helped me feel better prepared to tell my story and message my experiences during the MBA and in consulting recruiting. Greg and I have kept in touch and even met for coffee. Avanti Prep was a game-changer for me. I cannot recommend them enough.

Sarah’s advice was indispensable as I crafted a compelling narrative for the admissions essays. She took the time to get to know me and understand my story, which helped her offer tailored insights. She helped me sharpen hone my essays to showcase my unique skills and background. I am so grateful for her help during the application process. For reference, my background is: White Male, US Military Veteran, above a 700 GMAT, above a 3.5 GPA, and was accepted to Harvard, Booth, Ross, and Darden.

Sarah was instrumental in helping me craft my stories for my Stanford GSB application. She has an exceptional ability to listen deeply, draw out meaningful experiences, and help shape them into authentic and compelling narratives.

Coming from a non-traditional, non-prestige firm, I was apprehensive to approach M7 applications, even with a GMAT of 740 (classic). I signed up for just 7 hours with Greg to help with my dream M7 school, and thought the guidance and support Greg provided was incredible. He went above and beyond, used extra time with no charge, and was blunt and candid with me through the whole process. From what my story should be to how best to frame my goals as well as interview prep, Greg was thorough and pushed me to give the best application possible. I got waitlisted by my dream school, and even though I didn’t end up getting in as an international, I signed up for more hours with Greg to apply again this year. Would definitely recommend him and Avanti Prep to all!

I was very worried about starting the application process for round 3, so I knew I needed help. Greg was extremely supportive and the very-high touch service he provided gave me a lot of confidence throughout the process, from the very beginning of idea generation to the polishing of the essays and understanding the nuances of interviewing at different programs, I could see the true interest, not only getting everything across the line, but also championing me as a client.

I initially paid for hourly services, but as time went by, Greg was very kind in suggesting and allowing me to restructure the service I received into a combination of hourly services and school packages, which made me better off in terms of my costs. In the portion that was still being charged outwardly, he would round down the time he spent helping me.

I applied to three M7 programs (accepted to 1) and two T15 (accepted to both). And received very significant $$$ scholarships, especially for someone applying in R3. I am certain I couldn’t have achieved these results without him.

Working with Avanti Prep was an incredibly reassuring experience, and I would wholeheartedly recommend their services to anyone navigating the MBA journey. After receiving mixed results from schools, I found myself at a difficult crossroads—unsure of what the right next step should be. Greg stepped in during that stressful, last-minute phase and offered thoughtful, honest, and pro bono guidance that truly helped me find clarity. From evaluating school options to navigating scholarship negotiations and thinking through long-term goals, his support made a real difference. I’ll be attending a T15 MBA program this fall with a significant scholarship, and I’m genuinely grateful for the time Greg put into helping me during such a pivotal moment.

It was an absolute pleasure working with Xin. He was instrumental in my application process and in my ultimate acceptance to Booth with a $60K scholarship.

If you keep reading below, I think you will see that for certain applicants like me, the difference between getting into an M7 versus a non-M7—and in my case also getting a large scholarship despite applying from an overrepresented group with weaknesses in my profile—can come down to how committed, knowledgeable, and skilled your consultant is in pushing you to go deeper, be more specific, and tell your best story.

While those might sound like intangible qualities or abstract benefits, you can absolutely see the difference when they’re there, and the right consultant *will* tangibly change the quality of your application materials and final results. I truly believe that I would not have achieved this outcome on my own or with a common consulting firm. (You can read the comparison to my partner’s much more superficial experience with a large admission consulting firm below.)

Background – I am an Asian male who was raised in China, came to the US for high school and college, and am now a US citizen. I had a 3.6 GPA from a good US university, but I was age 30 at the time of application, had a relatively low GRE (325) for my demographic, had multiple jobs in different industries in the last few years, and was applying in Round 2. Xin helped me overcome these challenges and channel my varied personal and professional experiences into the best possible story.

Professional – Xin’s experience in finance, consulting, and retail helped me translate my chaotic professional background into a coherent career goals narrative. His extensive industry knowledge helped me communicate the relevance of my previous experiences, which heightened the credibility of my goals. His MBA program knowledge helped me highlight very specific resources at each school, connect with key contacts, and articulate not only why certain courses / clubs / conferences made sense for me, but how I could uniquely contribute to them.

Personal – Xin’s own move from China to the US for college resonated with mine. He was therefore able to provide a high level of understanding into the challenges and growth that come with changing countries and cultures at a young age, and he was adept at challenging me to share these stories in an authentic and vulnerable way. Where appropriate, he once again pushed me to convey how I would tap into these experiences to create a unique and specific impact at each school.

Comparison – During our brainstorming and review sessions, Xin took his time and never rushed me. This was very different from my partner’s experience working with an admission consultant from a large firm, who offered little pushback and seemed more focused on getting the essays and resume done quickly. With Xin’s help, I was able to explore and ultimately choose the stories and examples that felt right to me, which gave me a lot of confidence that I was telling my best story, not simply the most efficient one.

Resume – Before our initial session, I thought my resume was in good shape since I had just used it to apply for jobs. But Xin really took the time to help me pinpoint the purpose and communicate the situation, action, and impact of each and every bullet point. His patience and attention to detail once again stood out, and his professional persistence that we probe deeper, push harder, and be more specific was the difference between a typical resume and an exceptional one.

Mentorship – Xin is a genuinely caring person, and I felt a deep sense of trust working with him. I just finished my first year at Chicago Booth, and we have kept in touch and even become friends. I recently met up with him in New York before starting my internship in the Bay Area. He continues to offer great advice as I head into my second year of business school and think more broadly about life.

I am incredibly grateful that I had the opportunity to work with Xin, and I highly recommend Avanti Prep to anyone applying to business school.

I had an outstanding experience working with Greg and would recommend Avanti Prep without hesitation. I applied to only one dual-degree MBA program and was admitted with a generous scholarship: a result I credit in large part to Greg’s strategic guidance and meticulous feedback. My background included a lower GPA and a late start to the process, so I knew I needed to present my story clearly and persuasively. Greg helped me sharpen every aspect of my application, from my personal statements to my resume and interview prep, all through hourly services. What stood out most was his level of care, he truly invests in your success and brings both heart and precision to every step.

Overall:
Overall My experience with Avanti Prep was excellent. I was a very late round 2 applicant, only engaging with Greg around the end of November leaving around 5/6 weeks to get everything done and submit. Considering this time pressure and my local timezone being almost the complete opposite of Greg and the team, the fact we got everything done and I felt supported throughout was awesome. Would highly recommend for anyone scrolling through the reviews now. He is hands on and you get a true personal experience tailored to what you need.

Profile:
I had a less than ideal profile, with a well below average GPA (albeit balanced by an above average GMAT) and a somewhat chequered work history covering a few industries and a couple shorter stints. I did have some decent brand names and a good GMAT to balance out but nonetheless it would take a stellar application to even be considered in the T10-T15 range for which I was targeting. Also I was applying extremely late round 2 with only 5 weeks to prep everything – cards were definitely stacked against us!

Why I decided to work with Avanti:
Avanti were the last out of 5 consultants I had taken intro meetings with, and the decision was extremely easy after I met with Greg. Since Greg is a boutique shop, he takes extra time to understand your requirements and you are not handed off to a more junior consultants like some established consultancies. My intro call with all other shops maxed around 45 mins and with Greg we spent nearly 2 hours totally free! From first meeting it was easily to tell Greg was extremely detail oriented and broke down the quite daunting task of writing 20+ essays into a digestible format and plan. Considering the accelerated timeline, we decided to go with a block of 25 hours to use on whatever I needed – mainly personal and school related essays. We ended up going around 5-10 extra hours on top because I wanted some help on a few extra pieces, but I was never pressured to go over and was happy with the service thus far. I was a bit nervous about going hourly since the time can easily go over and wanted the security of the package, however considering the amount of schools I was applying for and the timeline, the option we went with was great in the end and the value was huge (lots of other companies will charge 10k+ for only 2-3 schools which is insane!!)

Where am I going:
Heading to my dream/target school in the T10 range. Cannot believe it and I always thought it was going to be impossible/stretch goal due to my profile (especially considering acceptance rate and no. of grad apps going way up this year and last year!!!!)

Extra:
What is really special about Greg and the way he works is that he demystifies the process so much. It can be so scary looking at the amount of essays and prep you need to do when going for 5+ schools at once. But the way he broke everything down and while not spoonfeeding me, it was simply a matter of following a structure/set of instructions. He was also realistic but also optimistic about my chances as well and I ended up with 3 interview offers and 2 acceptances in the end!
Another great resource was Sarah who is an English PhD and was awesome and flexible to work with to get the most bang for buck in essay writing. I would suggest anyone who has taken this long to read this review to setup a free consult with Greg ASAP and see the value for yourself. Just listen and follow instructions and you will get where you want to go.

PS:
Thanks so much Greg/Sarah for your help late last year, amazing service and the results speak for themselves. It is no exaggeration to say that you have both been instrumental in changing my life for the better. Wishing the best for both of you and long live Avanti Prep!

I’m 100% confident that working with Greg allowed me to maximize my MBA potential – I was accepted to my top choice (M7) program in addition to 4 other schools with scholarship money. His biggest strength is in molding how your story is told to best reflect the message you’re trying to communicate with adcoms – I had so many ideas for what to say, but his guidance and experienced filter turned those into a cohesive and effective narrative. He seemingly knows everything about every top program as well – we took a different, tailored approach to every essay, and it’s hard to say exactly what makes the difference in these applications but I’d guess that helped significantly.

Overall great experience!!

Working with Sarah was an absolute game-changer. Her sharp editorial eye and deep understanding of what top business schools look for helped me transform my essays from decent drafts into compelling, memorable narratives. She has an incredible ability to identify the core message in each story and bring it to life with clarity, structure, and impact. Sarah didn’t just correct grammar—she pushed me to reflect, dig deeper, and articulate my goals with authenticity. Her feedback was always honest, thoughtful, and actionable. I’m certain that my essays stood out because of her guidance, and I’m so grateful for her support.

Sarah was a pleasure to work with; she helped me rework and reformat multiple personal experience essays for my M7 and T15 applications. She has a way with words, taking 500 and 600 word essays and slicing them down to their required word counts and in the process adding to their emotional impact. I would highly recommend working with her for your writing needs!

I started relatively late in the Round 2 cycle, engaging with Greg in late October, while working to raise my GMAT score (and dealing with a below avg undergrad GPA, albeit from a T5 public school).

Greg did a great job of breaking down the process, telling me what was (and wasn’t) achievable, and distilling my key strengths and unique selling proposition for application essays. He was essential in helping me polish “Why MBA” into a concise story that I was able to use in networking with students/adcom, my essays, and ultimately interviews.

He went above and beyond throughout the process, helping me navigate idiosyncrasies that arose in various applications, and ended up providing ~10 additional hours over our budgeted 30 hours for free.

Ultimately, I received a significant ($$$) scholarship from a T15 school (which he helped me navigate off the waitlist), along with acceptances (with $$) to other T15s.

I could not have done this without Greg and firmly believe he provides the best value compared to others in the space.

I have watched Greg on multiple GMATClub videos and appreciated his openness in discussing various admissions-related questions, which led me to sign up for Avanti Prep’s free consultation. We had an engaging conversation, and he was very kind to stay longer (70 minutes) during the first consultation, adding a second free consultation (75 minutes) to answer my long list of questions, given I was applying to reach schools with lower-than-average test scores.

I signed up for his hourly service to mainly work on my resume and one school essay, given my budget constraints. I thought I had a decent start on my resume, but Greg asked numerous questions to better understand my job responsibilities, allowing me to flesh out and highlight the most critical aspects. The final draft turned out to be perfectly polished. I enjoyed working with him, so I added additional hours to review my essays for an additional school at the very last minute (not something I am proud of), and he somehow managed to review them on 31 December, just before the R2 deadlines.

I believe the quality of my resume, essays and all the complementary information that Greg provided (recommender preparation material and interview prep guidance) was crucial in securing admission to a T10 school.

Overall, Greg is an excellent consultant – someone who is super polite, encouraging and truly invested in you throughout the process. I highly recommend Avanti Prep to everyone, especially to applicants who are on a tight budget and may be unsure whether a few hours of consulting can make a significant impact on their application package – it absolutely will!

I worked with Greg at Avanti Prep for my Round 2 MBA applications and couldn’t have asked for a better guide. I’m a software engineer from a top state school (3.7+ GPA, GMAT 750+), ORM, with a compelling side project but not a natural communicator. My biggest challenge was figuring out how to stand out and clearly “sell” my story. I found Greg via YouTube, and his transparent, approachable style immediately stood out. What followed was a true partnership: we tackled everything – recommendation letter strategy, essays, interview prep, resume polish, and a lot of last-minute, deadline-driven advice/support. Greg’s feedback came not just through comments in Google Docs or Word, but also over live Google Meet sessions and thoughtful emails, making every round of edits actionable, honest, and directly tailored to each school.

Greg’s real strength is helping you clarify your brand, voice, and story. He never let me settle for surface-level answers and was always pushing for more depth and clarity, no matter how many iterations it took. His school-specific insights were invaluable; every application felt customized rather than generic, and when it came time for interviews, he even researched my real interviewer to tailor the prep. His commitment showed in fast turnaround, transparent communication, and a genuine investment in my results. He treated my goals as his own.

Thanks to Greg’s guidance, I was admitted to both schools I applied to (Stanford GSB and Berkeley Haas) with a significant scholarship at one. If you want expert, honest, and deeply personalized support, I can’t recommend Greg and Avanti Prep enough. I went in thinking Haas was my best-case scenario and came out with Stanford too. Working with Greg truly made all the difference.

I worked with a few different coaches at various points in my MBA application journey, and Greg was without a doubt the best. Before working with Greg, I did not really understand how there could be such a big pricing or quality difference between coaches. After working with Greg, the difference in quality is clear. You simply cannot compare the level of nuance, experience, and school-specific expertise of someone (Greg) who has done this thousands of times for hundreds of applicants to a coach who has only applied on their own, helped a few clients, or does this on the side. It becomes evident as soon as you speak with him.
I am an older applicant from South America who had targeted mostly T30 schools in Round 1. Thanks to Greg’s guidance, I was admitted to Berkeley-Haas and even waitlisted at Stanford in Round 2—a dream result and massive upgrades for me coming out of Round 1. I truly believe I couldn’t have done it without him. (I am still on the waitlist at Stanford, trying to increase my GRE score, and holding out hope!)
Beyond his professionalism and expertise, Greg brought a level of dedication that is incredibly rare. He genuinely cares. You’re not just a client—you’re someone he’s fully invested in. It felt like he owned the mission of getting me admitted. When I succeeded, it felt like we succeeded. And had I not, I know he would’ve felt the pain just as strongly. That level of emotional investment is rare and deeply motivating. On top of that, Greg is unbelievably proactive. He was always a step ahead, sending me exactly what I needed to do next—even things I didn’t know I should be doing to maximize my chances. From little things like finding the right ways to engage with club members to crafting a thoughtful post-interview thank-you email to so much more, he knew it all and made sure I was on top of every detail.Greg isn’t doing this on the side—he’s a true professional. Coaching is his craft, and it shows in everything he does. He’s full-throttle, forward-thinking, and the most committed coach I’ve encountered. If you’re serious about getting into a top MBA program and want someone who will coach you like your success is his own—work with Greg. Best coach I’ve ever had. Hands down.​

I had the privilege of working with Greg during my application to the Haas MBA program, and I can confidently say I wouldn’t be where I am without him. From day one, Greg was all-in—not just as an advisor, but as someone who genuinely cared about me and my story. He was generous with his time, incredibly thoughtful in his feedback, and consistently pushed me to elevate my writing and self-reflection.

Despite a lower GPA and test scores, I got into Haas, and I credit a large part of that to Greg’s guidance. He helped me find and articulate my unique value, and never let me settle for “good enough.” His strategic insight and emotional intelligence made the entire process feel less transactional and more personal. Greg is the real deal. If you have the chance to work with him, take it.

GRE Score of 319, top 30% in my class, and transitioning Naval Officer. I used Greg’s hourly service for 20 hours of essay prep for three M7 schools. I was accepted at one and waitlisted at another. I was hesitant to have someone help craft my essays, but he knew how to guide and not take over my narrative. He took my disorganized thoughts across multiple drafts and showed me how I could amalgamate them into coherent themes. I felt confident that all my essays were my own original thoughts expressed in my unique voice. I enjoyed building a relationship with Greg and we will definitely stay in touch.

Sarah – Advice from an expert writer and storyteller.

I came from Consulting industry and had a 3.82 GPA with 329 GRE.

I was accepted at multiple M7 and T15 programs with a scholarship ($$) and cannot recommend Greg more. Working with Greg was the smartest thing I did during my admissions process. He invested a ton of time and went above and beyond to help craft my stories and essays. The investment in his hourly services definitely paid off and was worth every penny.

The one application that I did not use Greg for was the only school that I was not accepted to – go figure.

As a reapplicant from an overrepresented demographic, Greg helped me think from first principles about how to position myself for success. He went above and beyond, providing detailed and thoughtful feedback. Ultimately, I was accepted to multiple M7 schools thanks to Greg’s expertise and diligence!

Background: Female, International, 2.5 years of work experience in investment banking, GMAT: 655.

I had the pleasure of working with Sarah in crafting and refining my stories for my MBA applications. Sarah’s expertise in essay brainstorming and development was particularly helpful in highlighting my stories in the applications. I am ecstatic to be heading to an M7 program in the fall. Highly recommend Sarah / Avanti Prep for MBA prospective applicants!

Background: Female, International, 2.5 years of work experience at a boutique investment bank, GMAT: 655

Greg was such a pleasure to work with and I would wholeheartedly recommend him to everyone looking to apply to an MBA program! I started working with Greg on the Columbia Business School application roughly 2 months before the R1 deadline and got accepted despite concerns about low undergrad GPA, GMAT, and relatively little work experience. Greg was able to provide exceptionally targeted and personalized recommendations and tends to go above and beyond!! Cannot recommend him enough and I trust many will have a pleasant experience working with Greg in crafting your stories and goals!

I had a fantastic experience working with Sarah on my MBA applications, particularly for Booth and Stanford. Despite the tight timeline, she quickly understood my background and goals, helping me refine my story in a way that was both authentic and compelling. I also had a discussion with her regarding Kellogg’s essay problem statements, which helped me structure my thoughts more effectively.

Sarah’s efficiency and storytelling expertise were invaluable—she provided clear, actionable feedback that strengthened my essays while ensuring they remained in my voice. She was incredibly strategic in helping me highlight my unique experiences, making the application process much smoother and more structured.

Thanks to her guidance, I received an interview invite from Kellogg and Stanford (!!), with final outcomes TBD, and I remain optimistic about my other applications. I highly recommend Sarah to anyone looking for an admissions consultant who is not only insightful and efficient but also deeply invested in helping applicants craft a compelling narrative under tight deadlines.

Xin was not just an MBA consultant-he was a guide who helped me craft essays that truly reflected my journey and aspirations. His thoughtful approach went beyond just polishing my words; he helped me discover my core story, encouraging me to connect with my authentic self. Xin’s support was invaluable in helping me present my best self, and the impact of his mentorship extended far beyond just the application process. I’m grateful for his expertise, which not only strengthened my application but also helped me grow as a person. I greatly appreciate his help, especially given the very short period of time we had.

More than just help for my MBA application, Greg became a life mentor who guided me through a transformative journey. The holistic approach made a profound impact, helping me to see my experiences as a foundation for my future. I am incredibly grateful for this mentorship and the lasting changes it has inspired in my personal and professional growth.

Repeat customer for Greg – he helped with my MBA applications and now half-way through at HBS, is assisting with interview preparation.

Greg’s feedback and mock interviews are valuable in helping me organize and practice speaking through the behavioral interview.

Will continue to recommend his services to others.

Background: 25F, 319 GRE, 3.3 GPA from Top 25 undergrad in computer engineering, sponsored consulting candidate, applied R2

I couldn’t recommend Greg and the Avanti Prep team more. Greg was very supportive, encouraging, and extremely helpful throughout my MBA application process. He had a very strong understanding of each school I applied to and still was close to the admissions process which I found very helpful. He started by getting to know me, my background, and my future aspirations post business school. He then helped me finalize my overall story, essay topics, and recommenders to make sure all aspects of me were covered and shining through in the various parts of my application. I ended up getting into 2 of 3 top 10 programs (CBS, Tuck) that I applied to and am not sure I could’ve done it without Greg. The Avanti team was very hands on when I needed more support, but had options for me to not leverage their services where I felt comfortable on my own. I chose a 30 hour package for 3 schools (averaging 10 hours per school), which included resume reviews, essay brainstorming, essay reviews, recommender selection, non- essay application responses, and help navigating every other part of the process. I signed up for 30 hours since rates dropped significantly with an increase in the hours and it was a better deal. I never felt like my minutes were tracked too closely, Greg and team were very generous with their time and the hour tally. I ended up saving ~30% with Avanti’s hourly package, and got the same (if not better) outcomes than if I went with a typical 3 school package.

Again, I couldn’t recommend Avanti enough. From my experience working with Greg, the differentiator for Avanti is that they truly care about you as a person and as an applicant. Greg understands how stressful and introspective the MBA application process can be and guides you through it seamlessly. I also recommend going with an hourly package because it offered me so much flexibility (and savings) in how I leveraged the team. Again, I couldn’t recommend Greg and the Avanti team enough and was very happy with my outcome.

As a non-traditional applicant with average GMAT score and below average GPA, Greg had helped elevated my overall application profile with his detailed analysis of my background, story, and career goals. He provides extremely helpful guidance on how to research a school’s resources.

Greg is also very fun and easy to work with, and is honest in his approaches, during which he was willing to debate with me different approaches suggested by myself. Greg also helped me dissected and structured my interview answers – which ultimately leads to dual admit to the 2 most prestigious MBA programs.

Overall I would suggest him to anyone, be prepared to open yourself up to him to best utilize his service!

Background
• Age 30
• Asian male (raised in China, now a US citizen)
• GRE 325 (low for my schools and demographic)
• 3.6 GPA in a T-20 US university
• 5 jobs in 6 years across multiple industries
• Applied in Round 2

I decided to apply to business school in the summer of 2023, having done no prior preparation. Once I committed, I realized I would miss the round 1 deadline, and with only 5 months until round 2, I needed guidance. An HBS alum highly recommended Greg and Avanti Prep, which was refreshing since many of my friends felt their MBA consultants added little value besides grammar editing on the essays.

Consultation and Services
Before meeting Greg, I had met with five other consultants, but I knew immediately after our intro call that I wanted to work with Avanti Prep. Greg had clearly put in significant effort to understand my background and suggested schools that would be a good fit. I left the call feeling confident I would be in good hands.

I chose the 4-school package and added 18 more hours of service for extra schools, high-touch recommendation feedback, and comprehensive interview prep. Greg was my lead consultant, but given the extent of our engagement, he put together a team customized to my background and career goals, and I also worked with Xin, Sarah, and Fahad during the process. The team exceeded all my expectations.

Comparison with Other Consultants
I have a unique vantage point on different consultants because my wife also applied for an MBA at the same time as me. She chose one of the “big name” consulting firms with a higher price tag, and despite their flashy advertising, her consultant did not go into the depth they promised compared to the tremendous degree of attention and care I received from Greg and Avanti Prep.

For example, when my wife worked on her resume with the other firm, her consultant helped her with only two rounds of edits: one for format and one for content. In contrast, Greg and Xin conducted five extensive reviews, including both calls and document reviews. During these, they went through my resume line by line, asking detailed questions about my experiences and finding the best ways to convey them. My wife’s consultant mainly polished the language, without much guidance on the resume content itself, which is what distinguishes a great resume from a mediocre one.

Avanti Prep’s thoroughness was equally apparent during the essay process. They helped me work through multiple drafts, with each draft showing significant improvement, while my wife’s consultant focused mainly on two iterations and then shifted towards grammar edits. Whenever I told her about the processes I was going through, it was like night and day to her experience with the other firm.

Resume
Before starting my resume reviews, I believed my resume was in excellent shape, having recently applied for jobs. However, after meeting with Xin, I realized an MBA resume is different from a traditional job-seeking resume. Xin’s extensive experience in resume editing, both as a former Career Management Fellow at CBS and as a resume screener for one of the largest consulting firms, was invaluable.

Xin quickly identified the key highlights of each of my experiences and selected those with the most effective evidence to support my overall story, painstakingly employing a situation-action-result approach for every single bullet point on the resume.

After my sessions with Xin, I thought my resume couldn’t improve further, but Greg’s subsequent reviews helped me perfect it. This was the first instance where Greg’s signature “above and beyond” approach made me feel extremely confident that we were putting the absolute best forward in my application, and little did I know, it was just the beginning of many such instances in the pursuit of success.

Essays
Greg and his team helped me tremendously with my essays, and I could never have expected my final versions to be as strong as they turned out. Applying to five schools with essay prompts ranging from deep self-reflection (where Sarah’s storytelling expertise was pivotal) to professional ambitions (where Fahad’s experience in my target industry was pivotal) was no easy task.

Each essay began with a brainstorming session that sparked new inspiration and provided me with an actionable outline. After the initial stages of essay development, Greg gave detailed comments, ensuring each sentence served its purpose, methodically refining each essay like a surgeon. Greg is a terrific coach and communicator, and his passion for helping you tell your best story is evident throughout the process.

Another hidden value was Greg’s help with planning my essay sequencing, which was especially important given the number of essays I needed to write. We strategically tackled the most foundational essays first and then adapted them for each school, making the process efficient. I sometimes felt like they had a PhD in the nuances, potential for overlap, and customization between different essays.

Conclusion
Working with Avanti Prep was worth every penny. For me, the ROI was felt in the quality of their process; in that I was accepted to Booth from an overrepresented group, with a subpar GRE, and multiple pre-MBA job changes; and in the $60K scholarship!! Their dedication, attention to detail, and personalized approach far exceeded my expectations and far exceeded my wife’s experience with a well-known, big name consulting firm. Greg’s commitment to excellence was evident every step of the way. I wholeheartedly recommend Greg and his team to anyone seeking a consultant who truly goes above and beyond to ensure success.

As an Indian male reapplicant in my 30s, I achieved my dream of getting into a T15 MBA program with a strong scholarship, and I highly recommend Greg for his pivotal role in this achievement.

I am a finance professional with 10+ years of experience across multiple functions in financial services. I had previously faced multiple rejections from T20 schools. My stories likely weren’t strong enough or were too technical for the admissions committees, which led to dejection and frustration, especially given the stiff competition as an over-represented applicant.

After hearing good things about Greg from a colleague who got admitted into an M7 school, I decided to reach out to him. From our first meeting, Greg was very accommodating. As a reapplicant with multiple essays from previous applications, he suggested that hourly packages would be more cost-effective for me.

We worked together for around 25 hours on both my application materials and interview preparation. Greg was patient in understanding my story, prompt in his replies, and detailed in his reviews. He helped me make strategic changes to my application, and even during deadlines, his turnaround time was quick. One of Greg’s best qualities is his approachability. He was considerate in counting the minutes, often not charging me for small queries and only billing minimal time for brief reviews.

Greg was also a supportive mentor. During our conversations, he motivated me when I felt low on confidence. In our interview preparation sessions, he guided me on intangibles like articulating myself without losing the listener, structuring my thoughts, and communicating effectively through gestures. He helped me adapt my interviewing skills specifically for admissions interviews.

These multiple adjustments made a huge impact! I applied to nine T25 schools with Greg’s help and received admits from four, each with strong scholarships. One school even offered me a full ride. I will be attending a T15 program with a strong scholarship this fall. This was a massive improvement from previous cycles, when I was not accepted anywhere. Remarkably, I was a reapplicant to three of these four schools, and despite no significant improvements in my scores or profile, I not only gained admission but also received generous scholarships.

Background: 30M, India, 760 GMAT, 9+ years in the Tech Industry

We spent 20+ hours together, focusing on everything from reflecting on my story to working on the application and preparing for the interviews. Right from the first call, Greg was super responsive. He was very transparent about the process and took the time to understand my background and goals. I signed up for hourly services with Greg, which was worth every penny. I would not have been able to achieve these results on my own.

Result: I applied to Booth and Kellogg, got admitted to both, and received a scholarship offer from Booth.

Background: 31M, India, 760 GMAT Classic, Non-traditional engineering background

I can’t emphasize how much value Greg provides for your money and the depth with which he helps craft stellar applications. From the very first introductory call, I knew Greg is the guy I want to work with. He provided me with so many more services that he charged me for. I wholeheartedly recommend Greg. He is super friendly, warm and actually is fun to work with.

I took Greg’s hybrid comprehensive package for 5 schools and later added 3 more schools, waitlist support and interview prep on hourly basis. With every aspect of applications- essays, resume, actual application, interview prep and waitlist support, he makes you go super deep, dig the best stuff and help shape the best version out of them. He doesn’t only focus on the big picture but gives every word importance.

Outcome – Accepted and going to an M7 school, waitlisted at another M7, got into 2 T10 schools and 1 T15 school. Total scholarship (includes scholarship from an M7): $240,000.
Lastly, I am just going to say- “Do not go anywhere else or go after big names. Greg is your guy”. Some of the other companies that I talked to were charging more and do not provide the same hands-on service that Greg does. One of them straight away said no for NYU stern as the deadline was close but Greg said let’s do it and we will put our best foot forward.

Background: International, software developer, GMAT 750, GPA: N/A, GPAs not used

I worked with Greg from Avanti on my interviews, primarily my HBS interview. I met him through a group interview prep session he held for an organization I was affiliated with, and I instantly understood why people use consultants. When they’re good, they are absolutely worth it!

I had worked on my applications alone up until that point, not expecting much to be honest. But once I got the interview invites from HBS and the other schools, I knew I had to put my best foot forward.

Before working with Avanti, I had one sub-par mock interview with a very well-known consultancy service that left me feeling hopeless and considering withdrawing from HBS’s interview process. But Greg’s encouraging approach really brought out the best in me and helped me see that I had a good chance of getting in if I had the right technique. I signed up for Avanti’s 3-hour interview prep package split across 2 sessions: an HBS Interview Prep strategy/response design session and a personalized HBS mock interview and feedback session.

Overall, Greg was an absolute pleasure to work with! He understood all the nuances of how the HBS interview works and he had obviously done a lot of work before our session to make sure that my mock interview experience was as close to the real thing as possible. And beyond prepping for specific questions, he taught me a general approach to structuring my answers that would work in any scenario. That approach was very useful not just in my HBS interview but for the other school interviews I had. Greg helped me recognize any weaknesses in my application that could come up in the interview and prepare for anything that HBS could throw at me. He really went above and beyond; even though I had booked only 3 hours, he actually worked with me for 4 hours despite some personal constraints.

Just before ending our last session, Greg told me that he knew I would do great. I don’t know if he says that to everybody 😀 but those were the exact words I needed to hear going into my interviews. And he was right! I got into all four schools I interviewed with – a 100% success rate – including HBS!

After getting in, I also got an email from Greg recommending pre-MBA programs to check out, giving me a fantastic head start on recruitment. That’s the level of dedication and commitment that you get from Avanti Prep.

Background: 31M, military veteran, good GMAT and GPA

I cannot overstate how much Greg enabled my success as an applicant. I think a previous review described him perfectly when it said, “he’s like your friend that really wants you to get into your dream school.”

Greg came strongly recommended by another military veteran who attended HBS. Together, we worked on essays, resume, recommenders, interviews, and navigating the waitlist. Here are some of my highlights.

Essays – Greg’s greatest asset was helping me develop overarching themes that tied together different elements of my life, career, etc. He had me write up five or six short stories that I felt were significant and was able to see the larger themes that tied them together. It led to an “a ha!” moment when I realized my “why” behind the decisions I’ve made throughout my life.

Resume – Another theme of Greg’s is attention to detail, and he lets nothing go unnoticed. He helped me translate my military experience into language that was easy for admissions board members to understand. Instead of just quantifying everything, his technique offers a nice combination of descriptive language that speaks to the applicant’s values and skills while still being quantifiable and easy to read. He analyzed every word, sentence, and even the spacing between lines!

Interview – My HBS interview went smoothly because 90% of the questions asked by the interviewer were questions that Greg had prepared me for.

Pricing – Greg’s rate is a steal for the value that he offers, and he significantly rounds down on his hourly tracker. He doesn’t charge for routine email queries and even offered free service on a part of my application because he genuinely wanted to see me succeed.

Military vets – Greg has established himself as the go-to consultant for vets applying to top B-schools. Even though he doesn’t come from a military background, his ability to understand my experiences, roles, and skillsets was remarkable. He was able to offer a different point-of-view on almost every element of my application. For example, I thought I was going to lean heavily on my role as a military pilot, but Greg convinced me to highlight my leadership, mentorship, etc. Turns out, he was right!

Outcome – Accepted to HBS!

Greg challenged me to think deeply, and I feel confident that he helped me craft the absolute best possible application. I must highlight one last time that Greg is not only talented at what he does, but he is also a pleasure to work with. He is approachable, patient, honest, and detailed, and the quality and commitment of his work are unmatched.

With just a 720 GMAT, Greg helped me get an acceptance to HBS and a waitlist at GSB. He’s hands down the best admissions consultant / thought partner / writing coach / interview coach I’ve ever worked with. I actually began this process by signing up for a couple of hours with a few well-known firms before diving deeper with Avanti Prep. Working with Greg was one of the best decisions I made during the admissions process. Here are just a few (of the many) reasons why:

(1) Great for non-traditional backgrounds: I studied liberal arts at a non-target public university, had a fairly non-traditional background, and super non-traditional career aspirations. Greg was the only consultant I spoke with who actually “got” my background and helped me craft a really unique and cohesive story out of it. He struck a brilliant balance both supporting my goals, and challenging me to take them to the next level.

Financially favorable: Avanti Prep offers some of the best deals across the consultant landscape. (If you do your own hourly rates benchmarking you’ll come to the same conclusion!). I did a 20 hour package, and added an additional 10 hours for interviews. On top of all of that, Greg was extremely generous and gave me a lot of complimentary time.

Personality: I genuinely had fun during this admissions cycle, in no small feat due to Greg’s constant humor, warmth, and integrity. He’s just an overall incredible person to work with.

Essay expert: Greg has deep expertise in school programs. His essay guidance was thoughtful, direct, unique to each school, and extremely constructive. I often thought of myself as a strong writer, but Greg’s suggestions were always on point, mirrored my writing style, and significantly elevated my own voice.

Interview prep: I spent many hours with Greg prepping for HBS, GSB and a few other M7 interviews. He knew the interview style and nuances for each school, which can vary significantly, especially with HBS and GSB. He delivered highly personalized prep sessions and helped me significantly polish many of my answers unique to each school. In fact, many of his interview questions ended up being nearly verbatim to the ones I actually received!

If you’re on the fence and you’ve read up until this point, just take this as a sign to sign up. It’s absolutely worth it.

My journey to business school has been a long one, and without a doubt Greg is the reason I was finally able to begin this next step on my professional journey.

A bit of background: I’m a male, I studied Political Science at a top public university in the US, and I have very little quantitative background outside of taking some Calculus courses several years before applying. Professionally, I work in the non-profit/NGO space as a fundraiser – not necessarily your typical MBA-candidate profile. Academically, I had a lighter GPA than I was happy with applying and a test score around average for my target schools.

I didn’t realize that the MBA consulting industry existed until a very close friend shared that he had used one during his application cycle. As a liberal arts major I was skeptical of needing help with telling my story. After speaking to another close friend, he shared that he and Greg had gone to business school together, and that Greg worked in the industry.

After two initial information sessions with Greg and some internal debate, I eventually realized that having someone on my side who is an expert in the process and can help me be the best version of myself (regardless of what I thought of my own skills), would be invaluable. I also got feedback from friends who had used other admissions consulting firms, and quickly realized that Greg’s genuine desire to help you unlock your potential and share the best version of yourself with admissions committees set him and Avanti Prep apart.

Initially, as a non-traditional applicant, Greg helped me build a target school list as well as helped me craft my story. Then, unfortunately, I had a personal life-change that forced me to pause my application entirely and change my timeline. Greg was incredibly understanding and flexible through all my starts, stops, and pivots. When I was finally ready to return to the process and apply (2 cycles later), Greg was ready to dive back in and help me navigate everything.

Overall, I could not have been happier. Greg was a thought-partner, collaborator, coach, mentor, and so many other things through this process that land outside of his job description – but he did it because he cares and wanted me to succeed and achieve my goals. I’m particularly impressed with Greg’s attention to detail, precision in feedback, and expertise in telling compelling stories succinctly. And, his resume reviews are next-level.

My experiences with Greg exceeded all my expectations, and I’m happy to say that I’m at the school of my dreams – and without Greg, I don’t believe that would have been possible. I recommend Greg without any hesitation, and if you’re even considering his services, set up a call with him. You’ll be convinced after that, and you’ll be on your road to your dream business school with Avanti Prep as your partner.

– International male from ORG, Finance
– GMAT score of 720, GRE score of 332
– Three-time reapplicant, 30+ years old
– Had bad experiences with two other US consultancies before Avanti Prep
– Completed 31 hours of service with Avanti Prep
– Achieved three top 10 scholarships (50K, 40K, 20K)

After having very poor experiences by the so-called large consultant companies, I was losing hope on admission consultancy in general. But Greg and Avanti Prep changed that feeling. I found out about Avanti Prep from its free consultation. Greg went above and beyond the allocated 30 min (probably spent an entire 1hr) to share with me insights and next steps.

The level of dedication and excellence was completely different than the other consultancies. We worked on revamping my resume (total improvement even from what the previous consultancies considered “done”), essays, and interview strategies. I signed up for hourly services and kept adding because I really enjoyed the level of details, insights, and perspectives on how the materials are being interpreted by the admission officers as they read them.

The financial commitment to admission consultancies is real – HOWEVER – Avanti Prep’s rates are much more affordable versus others, I did not feel like I was getting ripped off like I did with the other companies, you end up receiving even more hours and services than you actually sign up for, Greg will tell you to save money if he thinks you don’t need advice on a certain area, he will give you discounted pricing when it’s possible, and most of all the final results are clear.

(I was even on the waitlist for one of the T10 schools with the other consultancy in Round 1 before I worked with Greg on the waitlist strategy, which led to my acceptance with a 20K scholarship. Greg’s waitlist strategy was so much better and more thorough than the previous consultant who was very abstract and wishy washy about the approach. Greg later helped me with the scholarship negotiations, and I was able to increase two out of my three offers.)

I would highly recommend Avanti Prep to anyone, especially if you feel burned by a previous consultancy. I felt the highest level of commitment and quality in everything that was done. If this can be a sign, I have taken almost ~9 months to write this, and NOT A SINGLE DAY has gone by without me thinking what I wanted to say. If anything, this shows how much I respect Greg and want to keep him as a mentor and a person to look up to even after the contract is completed. He has taken my perspectives and communication skills to a whole new level.

Applying to MBA programs was hands down the most stressful part of my transition out of the military. Ultimately that stress led to me apply to a single MBA program in round 2 (Haas) and thanks to Greg’s diligence, support, and coaching, I was accepted.

Background:
Demographics: White, Male
GMAT: Below Middle 80% Range
GRE: 159V/162Q
GPA: 3.4
Undergrad: Mechanical Engineering, Service Academy
Prior Experience: Aviation, 8 Years

Connecting with Avanti Prep:
I was referred to Greg by a military peer at the very beginning of my application journey. At the time, I was still struggling with my GMAT scores. Greg gave me two free consultations to plan my application timeline from start to finish. During this time, he also encouraged me to switch to the GRE which I believe was a pivotal step in my future acceptance. As someone who felt (and was statistically) below average, Greg’s expertise in building a roadmap felt like a lifeline for a journey I wouldn’t have been able to complete alone.

Services:
When I transitioned my efforts from test taking to applications, I had one and a half months prior to the round 2 deadline and I was defeated – I felt that I had no story to tell and nothing that differentiated me from other military applicants. Greg is an absolute expert in his craft and his brilliance showed through with our first story and goal development session. After helping me identify an overall goal and my unique experiences that coincided with that goal from a very in-depth personal assessment, we formed the blueprint for my application. We then systematically tackled each aspect of my application.

Greg is a phenomenal storyteller and has all the skills to edit and a build a “perfect” application, but what makes his services special is his attention to detail and ability to push you past “good”. Every detail of my application was thoroughly analyzed, and reviewed multiple times with the intent to be more specific so that every story, message, or word served a purpose in communicating who I was as an individual, and how my individuality will bolster the community of the school to which I was applying. This is what makes Greg special and this skill applied to my essays, my resume, my interview answers, and even extracurricular parts of the application that could have easily gone unnoticed.

Takeaway:
I got into Haas not only because of Greg’s technical skills, but really because Greg is a great person who was uniquely suited to help me see parts of myself that I couldn’t see. He gave me the confidence I needed to complete the journey, and that journey ended with a fantastic result thanks to his excellent services and pseudo-role as life coach, teacher, and encourager.

Overall the time commitment, effort, depth of work and level of support that I received from Greg was far higher/better quality than two other (quite well known) consultants that I worked with before I came to Avanti Prep. Greg was extremely detail oriented and it was an absolute pleasure working with him.

Background:

I initially reached out to Greg for extra interview support with one of my Rd1 schools. I was already working with another consultant but I figured I could use more help. His interview feedback was so detailed that I decided to sign up for a 2 school comprehensive package with him for Rd2. I had done some of the initial career goals exploration with another consultant but I worked with Greg on everything else for these two schools (he also helped me refine my career goals to a certain extent).

Here are some of the things that stood out as I worked with Greg on the two schools:

1. Right from the very outset, starting from the initial intake form, he went really deep into my personal and professional background and really spent a lot of time getting to know me. And this was not a one time thing – in future calls, when we were brainstorming essays, he would bring up stuff from work/extracurriculars and we would spend a lot of time going even deeper into those topics as needed. He asked a lot of probing questions to extract the relevant fodder for essays. This translated really well in terms of him being able to guide my essay/interview content and overall application.

2. He really cares for his clients. He went above and beyond to make sure I was supported and all my questions/nagging concerns were answered.

3. His overall demeanor is very relaxed and friendly, and he is very easy to talk to. The application process is extremely stressful and I felt like I had someone by my side to support me throughout the process and calm my nerves when things got scary. This translated really well to me being candid and honest about my background and helped us bring my best self to the application.

4. He knows how to strike a balance of being polite and respectful but at the same time being persuasive to get you to do things. He was never rude but at the same time he made sure I knew when he thought something was not good enough, or more information was needed, or if there was a better way to do things, or if I was not putting my best answers forward for the interview. Nothing slipped through the cracks and he made sure I was giving it my best shot.

5. The level of depth and thoughtfulness that went into the process was simply remarkable. And this was true across the board – getting to know my story, essays, interviews, etc. The essay process involved 5-6 extremely detailed reviews which involved him asking me a lot of questions in specific areas so I could get the best ideas on paper. Even the brainstorming involved multiple calls to nail down the appropriate content for each specific school/essay. Likewise with interviews, it went far beyond content – we talked about vocal tonality, length of answers, body language, answer structure, etc.

In summary, I strongly recommend working with Greg for your MBA applications for all the reasons mentioned above.

I worked with Greg and Avanti Prep on both my MBA application cycle and a separate scholarship/fellowship application process. Not only was I accepted to one of the top MBA programs in the world (my absolute dream school), I was subsequently accepted to a super prestigious graduate scholarship program (one of the most well-known and competitive ones), which provides a full scholarship and its own leadership curriculum.

In total, I worked with Avanti Prep for over 20 hours of service, which included MBA application essay brainstorming and reviews, MBA application interview prep, scholarship essay brainstorming and reviews, and scholarship interview prep.

Greg’s ability to understand your story and what makes you unique, and then help you tell that story in the most authentic and compelling way is truly incredible. The scholarship applications had really unique essay, video, and interview requirements, during which Greg displayed an even more impressive mix of creativity (to select the best ideas based on my life and experiences) and precision (to guide me in how to most cleanly and clearly express those ideas, not only essays but in the spoken word).

Greg is like this magical combination of artist, storyteller, wordsmith, coach, and mentor all in one. Our sessions helped me not only to succeed, but also reflect on my journey and solidify my goals. I definitely look forward to working with Avanti Prep again in the future on anything related to storytelling, writing, interviews, or even public speaking.

I worked with Greg for both MBA admissions and years later career coaching. He is simply the best at what he does, because he actually cares about his clients and gets to know them personally and professionally. This gives him the ability to give bespoke advise on specific client needs and goals. Greg cares about his clients and their outcomes and is always willing to get on the phone anytime and work through any issues the client is having. I would 1000/10 recommend Greg for both MBA admissions and career coaching for any industry. More specifically I worked with Greg on Investment Banking and Private Equity and his knowledge in these areas are second to none.

TLDR- If you want a consultant whom you can trust, who holds a mirror to who you are as a candidate and help you build on your strengths, look no further than Greg! My application journey was a long and difficult one and it became easier since I started working with Greg. I initially came to Greg for helping me get off the waitlist for one school but quickly found myself working with him for other parts of my application as well. Greg will consistently go to great lengths to get things right and have a candid dialogue to keep you motivated throughout the application process. I wholeheartedly recommend Greg as an MBA consultant!

My background:
For the most part, my (29, F) stats are average: 720 GMAT, 8.5 GPA from T20 undergrad university in India. When I started the application process, I knew that it was not my stats but my story and vision that I would have to lean on to differentiate myself. Also, I did have work experience in the US that could have helped me stand out.

Of the 4 schools I applied to in R1 (working with another consultant), I was waitlisted at Haas and Booth and rejected at others. Unclear how to manage the waitlist process, I combed through several videos on Youtube and found Greg’s video on waitlist strategy to be most thorough. Shortly after, I reached out to Greg for his hourly services to help me get off the waitlist. I applied to HBS in Round 2 where I leveraged Greg’s services for the HBS Interview prep and post-interview reflection.

Outcomes:
Through Greg’s support, I was able to get off the waitlist for both Booth and Haas with $$ scholarship. While I ultimately couldn’t get off the HBS waitlist as the class was full by R2, I was extremely grateful to have Greg’s counsel through this process. Managing the waitlist process for several schools felt like a very taxing and ambiguous process. Working with Greg helped me break this down into tactical steps and overall made it very manageable.

What worked well:

I. Diving deep in my story- I believe what helped me get off the waitlists was Greg’s support with my introspection followed by effectively articulating what truly made me unique as a candidate to the schools. For example, in the Booth waitlist video, Greg helped me comb through Booth’s website/articles to identify a theme that would be unique and most importantly, true to my story. In the HBS post-interview reflection, because of Greg’s guidance, I took a more holistic view into my application to reiterate my strengths vs. the more tactical route I had in mind. This ability of Greg to help a candidate build a deep understanding of themselves and tailor it to specific MBA programs is what helped me stand out in a crowded waitlist field.

II. Building a waitlist strategy- We started with poking holes to parts of my application that may have been perceived as weakness by the adcom. During this part, I felt Greg provided feedback in an honest yet candid way. Working backwards to R2 decision dates, we mapped how many updates I can share with each school and the topics each waitlist update would address. Greg recommended that I take GRE (as I had maxed my GMAT attempts for the year) and prep course like Math for Management to establish my quantitative readiness.

III. Detailed and thoughtful feedback- There were several times Greg went above and beyond in reviewing my waitlist material. Be it an email that I sent to adcom or my waitlist video for Booth, Greg was willing to review every single part of my waitlist communication to ensure I was giving it my best. What I also noted in the written feedback provided by Greg was that he gave ample context on why he was asking me to reconsider how I had framed a sentence in my waitlist updates. This context was crucial as it became easier to come to consensus and I had a clear view on Greg’s recommendation.

IV. Empathy- The MBA admission process can make you as a candidate feel very vulnerable. You need people on your side who are rooting for you and are in your corner, even your MBA admission consultant. With Greg, I felt that he was truly committed to help me get to the school of my choice. Almost every session that I booked with him ran over time ( at least 15-20 mins) and yet, Greg was flexible and stayed true to the discussion we were having. I had booked Greg’s hourly services and he could have easily charged me for the overtime, but he chose not to.

Other context:
I had worked with another consultant for the schools that I ended up being waitlisted/rejected. My experience with this other consultant was less than positive (delayed responses, limited feedback and poor interview and waitlist support). Given this, I was keen on finding a consultant who could be transparent, was thoughtful in their feedback and most importantly, cared for my success. Greg was all of this and much more. You won’t regret working with Greg as your admission consultant.

My profile:
– Mid-twenties white Male (US)
– 4 yrs total experience in Strategy/Ops at lesser known F500 companies
– GPA 3.4 from top undergrad
– GRE: 325
– Only applied to 2 (reach) schools, with low expectations of having to potentially re-apply next year to far more schools… then met Greg.

My application journey was a sprint due to my own indecision about whether to pursue my MBA. I had no clue where to start beyond the GMAT, but eventually decided only a couple of months before the round 2 deadline to dedicate myself fully to the application process and to find an admissions consultant to assist in the process. After setting up several introductory calls with admissions consulting firms, I found Greg and could immediately tell that he cared far more about my personal journey and success in the process than any other consultants that I spoke with. This proved true throughout.

I decided to purchase the “25 hour” package with Greg, during which he helped brainstorm, applied structure and shared strategies for recommendation requests, resume and essays, interview prep, networking, thank you notes, you name it. Greg was the first to suggest that I switch from the GMAT to GRE, which turned out to be a crucial improvement to my profile. He was ready to work on whatever I thought was most pressing, or guide each session based on what he thought I should be prioritizing most at that point in the application cycle. He is willing to make himself available for consultation at nearly any time of day and is beyond patient, even when I tested the far limits of procrastination before my deadlines. By the end, I got the sense that Greg cared considerably about me as a person and my success in the process, evidenced by his willingness to do whatever it takes to get my apps in, and polished, on time.

Greg is incredibly smart, knowledgeable, efficient, patient, and friendly.

Greg holds himself to such a high standard as a consultant that he does not charge for any time spent below 100% efficiency. 1 hour sessions regularly drifted toward 90 minutes of pure productivity, only 60 minutes of which he would charge for due to the fact that he somehow expected to be able to complete things faster. Even when the reason for overtime was me distracting him with off-topic items, chit-chat, etc. Truly remarkable. Could not recommend Greg more highly.

1 Top 10 (dream school) and 1 Top 15, all thanks to Greg!

I worked with Sarah for HBS, Booth, LBS, and a few other schools. To answer first, I got in most of them including HBS!

I think I had a few good fragmented stories, but Sarah really helped bring it to life. I mean you have an English professor who’s helping you one-to-one! Her easy-going personality and humor also helps making the interaction fun.

MBA prep is painful… but I’m glad I chose to work with Sarah to ease that pain. Thank you Sarah!

Greg is an incredibly compassionate, patient, and gifted mentor. If you’re reading this, you’re likely feeling the stress and anxiety of the graduate school application process. Having Greg on my team was not only tactically helpful but provided a sense of security and support on an emotional level. Not only is Greg brilliant, but he’s incredibly patient and empathetic. He’s a consultant, mentor, and coach who deeply cares about his clients and works hard to ensure they’re set up for success.

Summary:
– Female (US)
– Undergraduate: Top 3 public university
– Career Background: 5 years in education; 9 years in multinational software company
– Admitted to dream program at a top-tier Ivy League graduate school

Unlike most of Avanti Prep’s clients, I was not seeking admission to an MBA program, but a unique social science master’s program at a top-tier Ivy league institution. Given it was the only program I was applying to, I was committed to doing everything I could to put my best foot forward. A close friend who worked with Greg strongly recommended I connect with him, and it was the best advice he could have given me. Greg took the time to learn about the program and what my needs were, specifically around my resume and application essays.

This was the first time I had sought and received professional support with my resume, and it was eye opening. We spent time discussing my various roles, and ultimately chose to approach it line-by-line, with Greg asking many clarifying questions along the way. He helped me synthesize my strengths and experiences, pushed me to dig deeper and identify compelling data points to strengthen my bullets, and encouraged me to add my community work and interests at the end, which I had never included before and gave it a more personal touch. We all know, formatting a resume is no easy feat, and Greg worked his magic to make sure I could fit everything cleanly on one page.

Most of our time together was spent on essays. Greg patiently listened as I shared my background and brainstorming, before helping me narrow my focus to tell the most compelling story I could. Our discussions were invaluable, from setting up the essay structure to developing my story and providing supporting evidence to strengthen my points. He challenged me to get specific and succinct, which was not always easy as I tend to get wordy in my writing.

Through this process, Greg helped me dig deep and get clear, not only on the essays and resume, but on what I want to do in the short and long term. He inspired me to dream big and I will be forever grateful for this. Needless to say, I highly recommend working with Greg and his team!

First time applicant with low GRE and military experience. Admit into multiple M7 schools with scholarships. My experience with Greg was fantastic. He was truly invested in helping me succeed and find the school that was the best fit for my background and my goals. Greg’s honest and timely feedback was instrumental to my success and went well beyond my expectations. I give Greg my highest recommendation.