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Number Of Expert Admissions Coaches: 1
Total Reviews: 175 | 5 Star Reviews: 175
Firm Website: http://www.prepmba.com/
Prep MBA is my company. There are no junior consultants or editors getting a cut of the business. You will be working directly with me, the head of the firm. There is some special sauce to what I do, and my track record over time demonstrates that my process and insights work. I have not scaled up with contractor consultants like my competition because I have wanted to keep a personalized, boutique experience with the highest quality results.
I work, therefore, with a limited number of clients each application season, and I always fill up. Over half of my business comes from referrals.
I started working with Alex during my MBA application process, and although I have not yet completed the full cycle, I can confidently say that the experience has been transformative. From the very beginning, the process felt enjoyable, detail-oriented, and deeply customized. Alex’s approach is not an off-the-shelf product, but it is principle-driven, highly structured, and tailored to bring out the most authentic version of each candidate.
One of my biggest hurdles was my lower-than-average GMAT score and an inconsistent narrative around my career journey. I was unsure how to connect my past experiences with a compelling set of short-term and long-term goals. Alex excelled at helping me think through these challenges in a logical and structured way. He pushed me to articulate my ambitions with clarity while grounding them in my true motivations. This made my story not only stronger but also more personal and authentic.
What stood out most to me was Alex’s ability to simplify the complexity of the application process. He consistently helped me refine my essays, so they were concise, impactful, and aligned with my overall story. He encouraged me to think critically about my choices and guided me to present myself in the most genuine light possible. Working with him felt like having both a coach and a thought partner who cared about my success as much as I did.
Even though I am still completing the application cycle, I know that the work we did together has given me a clear edge. I feel more confident in how I present my background, my goals, and my potential. I would absolutely recommend Alex to anyone considering an MBA, whether you’re applying this year or in the future. His insight, patience, and strategic guidance make the daunting process not only manageable but rewarding.
I was referred to Alex by a college friend who had a great experience working with him during their MBA application process. I spoke with a few larger consulting firms, but it quickly became clear why my friend—and many others—chose Alex. From our very first call, Alex was patient, clear, and thoughtful in explaining his approach to the MBA journey. One of the biggest advantages of working with Alex is the direct, one-on-one support. You’re not handed off to someone else—Alex brings all his experience and insights from past applicants to every conversation. Additionally, he is very accommodating – on numerous occasions I had to reschedule due to a last-minute work conflict and he was always willing to be flexible. Even when he was on the go – for example given family holidays – Alex carved out time to support me. He was upfront with me about the strengths and weaknesses in my profile and gave me a realistic view of my chances at the schools I was targeting. A few things really stood out to me. I wasn’t sure what story or career direction to focus on, and Alex essentially became a career coach, helping me think through different paths and choose one that aligned with both my goals and what would resonate with admissions committees. Coming from an overrepresented demographic and having a lower academic score, I appreciated how Alex helped me find creative ways to highlight my unique strengths and quantitative skills. His deep experience also showed in how he used examples and insights from past clients to guide my writing. While I was waitlisted at a few schools and didn’t get in during the previous round, I’m planning to work with Alex again for Round 2. We’ve already identified areas to improve, and I feel confident about the direction we’re heading.
I was referred to Alex by a friend who had previously worked with him prior to getting into Wharton. Just as she told me, one of the great things about Prep MBA is that Alex truly takes the time to get to know your story personally, and there is no being handed off to junior consultants and having your application piecemealed. Alex truly works with you on crafting every aspect of the application from start to finish.
When I began the application process, I thought I was in a good position. However, I quickly found out through working with Alex that the application process was much more competitive than I initially thought. Given various weaknesses in my background—a lower GPA, lack of post-college extracurriculars, and my non-differentiated, traditional background—Alex helped me think strategically about how I presented my story in the application process. He also encouraged me to employ a level of rigor in my resume and essays that I wouldn’t have included without his guidance. I can confidently say that without Alex, my application would have been significantly weaker, and I doubt I could have achieved the results I did without his guidance.
I was referred to Alex by a third party with good knowledge of the consultant landscape. In addition, I did introduction calls with several others, both independent consultants and those part of a larger firm. While meeting with Alex, it was clear that he was the best choice. As a non-traditional applicant (legacy media), my profile needed significant refinement. Alex’s straightforward approach was a major help in that regard. It led me to effectively tell the story and impact of my professional path to date, plus connect it to attainable short and long-term goals. All of his feedback was extremely specific and personalized to my situation, profile and background. It led me to a final GMAT attempt in order to highlight my quantitative ability, plus numerous essay edits to make sense of a professional life that didn’t fit well in the format of the online application.
Out of the 10 schools I applied to (three M7s, five T15s and two T20s), I was accepted to five, two with significant scholarship money. I am now attending a T15 in the fall — one of my top choices throughout the process.
It would have been very easy for Alex, like other consultants, to sugarcoat his feedback, whether at the start of the process or in specific essay edits. His to-the-point approach focused on perfection in all aspects. It’s reasonable to credit that approach and his feedback as a significant reason I am headed to a top choice. I’d wholeheartedly recommend Alex as the choice for anybody looking to maximize their chances. That applies both to those coming from a traditional background, as well as to others like myself looking to make significant pivots.
I am writing to express my sincere appreciation for Alex’s exceptional guidance and support throughout my MBA application process, culminating in my successful admission to Kellogg.
His dedication and expertise were instrumental in achieving this outcome.
Specifically, I am deeply grateful for his efforts in:
Aligning my future goals with my post-MBA aspirations: He took the time to thoroughly understand my career objectives and helped me articulate a clear and compelling vision for my future. This alignment was crucial in presenting a cohesive and impactful application.
Gaining a deep understanding of my motivations: He went beyond surface-level discussions, delving into my thought process and motivations for pursuing an MBA. This allowed him to help me craft authentic and insightful essays that truly reflected my personality and ambitions.
Providing comprehensive interview preparation: He went above and beyond in preparing me for the interview process. His meticulous attention to detail, from refining my video background to offering valuable suggestions on my appearance and responses, significantly boosted my confidence and performance. His willingness to dedicate extra time to this process was particularly commendable.
I firmly believe Alex’s guidance was the key factor in my successful admission to Kellogg. I am incredibly thankful for his unwavering support and highly recommend his services to any aspiring MBA candidate.
I found Alex after researching different MBA consulting firms and was sold after my first consultation with him. Alex came across as very knowledgeable and honest in that meeting, which I appreciated. He immediately pinpointed my strengths and weaknesses and recommended that I retake the GMAT given the schools I was interested in. Alex even referred me to an excellent tutor and my score shot up by 50 points.
I signed on for the three-school package and really valued Alex’s process. I particularly liked that he personally handled all aspects of my applications, from developing my career goals to interview prep. He always provided timely feedback and his guidance made the entire journey significantly less cumbersome. Throughout the entire process, I valued that Alex was straightforward in his feedback — he was very kind but did not sugarcoat anything, which I found to be the most valuable part of working with Prep MBA.
I strongly recommend leveraging Alex’s expertise and excellent guidance when applying. He is genuinely passionate about your journey and success, and working with him feels very individualized. Ultimately, I really appreciate that Alex was able to help me get into Booth!
I was referred to Alex by a friend – and Alex stood out for his high-touch, personalized approach. I worked exclusively with him throughout the process (no junior consultants). He invested heavily with me up-front in articulating my journey and defining my story, and he provided honest feedback on my school options given my GMAT score and academic background (+ an honest view on my well-represented demographic / professional background). He is direct, insightful, and highly experienced when it comes to MBA admissions.
I worked with Alex on a multi-school package – and I was accepted to every school that we worked together on. He was very accommodating to my busy schedule (I spend a lot of time on the client site / often had limited time Mon-Fri to work on apps). I’m very excited to have been accepted to HBS, which was my #1 choice throughout the process.
From the initial work on my career story, through mock HBS interviews and mock Wharton Team-Based Discussions, Alex provided clear, sincere, and intelligent feedback that I am confident made a meaningful difference in my application and odds of success. I’d highly recommend working with Alex to anyone looking to maximize their chances through an (increasingly competitive) business school application process.
I was referred to Alex by a person who had recently gone through the process. As an overrepresented minority with median scores for my target schools (HBS/GSB), I felt it imperative to work with a seasoned advisor. Alex is exactly that. He helped me craft a narrative that was not only authentic to me, but one with the highest likelihood of success. More importantly, he did this in a highly expedient manner reducing friction with my day job as a private equity associate. I encourage all the folks that I have come across to work with Alex – even as my firm provides hours with a separate consultant. Alex has deep knowledge about the process and can help find your best path forward. My only regret was not engaging with him sooner.
Alex was instrumental in my acceptance to Harvard Business School. Working with Alex was incredibly helpful, and I owe much of my acceptance to his strategic guidance, expertise, and support throughout the process.
When I began my applications for business school, I faced several challenges, including an employment gap in my resume and coming from a well-represented demographic. Alex not only acknowledged these hurdles from the start but helped me create a well-supported story that aligned with my post-MBA goals. With his help, I was able to craft a compelling narrative that emphasized my unique qualities and experiences made a significant difference. He took the time to understand my professional background and long-term aspirations, ensuring that every aspect of my application was authentic and differentiated. Whether it was brainstorming essay topics, refining my resume, or preparing for interviews, his feedback was always constructive and insightful. He pushed me to dig deeper into my story, which not only improved my application but also gave me greater clarity and confidence in my own narrative.
Ultimately, I was accepted to my top choice at HBS. I would recommend Alex to anyone seeking to elevate their business school application.
Alex is the best decision I made during my application process. I’m an Asian student and have never applied to a school in the U.S., so I was pretty much lost when I started with my applications. So I searched through big-firm consulting services but heard cynical comments that I come from a too much over represented pool and that it will be hard for me to get in to GSB/HBS. However my friend from GSB recommended Alex so I reached out to him – and he was the only person who was enthusiastic about giving a shot for those schools. Though my other friend told me that I should look for an Asian woman consultant as she may understand my story better, I decided to believe in Alex’s profession and passion.
Alex was amazing throughout the whole process. What I appreciated the most was his balance of enthusiasm and being realistic. I often fell into exaggerating my story too much or being overly dramatic, but Alex always advised me to find a logical and persuasive tone in the middle. I believe this was the key for my application success. He also gave me very practical tips from which activities I should highlight in my application, to really minor things like how to approach to testing institutions when I was having issues with my online test.
As a result I got in to HBS, GSB and MIT, and also all the schools I applied for. I never thought that I could get an all-kill score, but it became true thanks to Alex’s help. Thank you so much!
I was on the fence about using a consultant, and wasn’t sure whether it would be a worthwhile investment. I had intro calls with most of the larger firms and some other independent coaches, but felt like Alex had the most personalized approach. My intro call with Alex stood out because he focused on diving into my personal background and goals right away, rather than trying to sell me on his service.
After speaking with one of Alex’s previous clients and hearing firsthand just how helpful Alex was in her application cycle, I decided to commit to a 2-school package. I was ultimately accepted into Harvard, and was able to apply some of Alex’s feedback into some other school applications as well, where I was also accepted into Wharton and Columbia.
Alex provided clear suggestions and advice on how I could build up my extracurricular involvement and test scores, especially because of my lower average GPA. During my time working with Alex, he had a concrete timeline that gave me ample time to prepare multiple school applications without feeling like I had to sacrifice time outside of applications. With his initial career goal planning and self-reflection exercises, I felt incredibly well-equipped to dive into essays. Alex’s feedback and suggestions for essay revisions took my application to another level that I wouldn’t have achieved without his services.
I’m so thrilled about my acceptances into my top schools and highly recommend working with Alex!
I was referred to Alex by a family friend that knew him from their professional career. I knew an MBA would position me to reach new heights. However, I did not know where to start in the application process post-GRE and I was worried that weaknesses in writing would prevent me from showing the best version of myself.
Immediately, Alex set up a very methodical plan for us to tackle the application process. This put my fears at ease about where to start to create a successful application. We then laid the groundwork to organize all aspects of my life, so I could put my best foot forward the during the application. Because of this detailed planning, I could focus on my writing prose instead of what part of my life displays myself best in each essay. While Alex did not dissuade me from applying to reaches, he was honest about my chances and gave the same effort in advisory. Then, ensured I set up myself up to be accepted to a program I’d be extremely excited about in the first round.
Once I submitted my application, the hard work and advisory garnered me some interview invites. Although I’ve always been skilled at interviewing, I knew the preparation would be vital to nailing the admission interviews. Alex then spent time with me refining my skills with thoughtful feedback on how to improve. And I was admitted to every school I interviewed at!
Ultimately, I highly recommended Alex’s consultation! His services ensure you’re organized, confident, and able to show your authentic self to each program you apply to. His is extremely skilled at finding connections in different parts of your life that you did not even know were there.
I am absolutely overjoyed with my MBA admission results and owe a huge thanks to Alex, founder of PrepMBA, for his exceptional guidance and support. From the very beginning, Alex’s dedication to my success was evident. His hands-on approach, always available for calls, texts, and emails, made me feel supported throughout the entire process. He does all the work himself, which ensures a high level of consistency and quality in his services.
Alex’s assistance with essay writing and interview prep was particularly invaluable. One moment that stands out was his deep dive into my personal story and goals. This thorough understanding allowed him to help me frame my narrative effectively, especially during the interviews. His strategic advice on how to present my experiences and aspirations was instrumental in my acceptance into several top MBA programs.
Despite my mediocre grades from a ~50 ranked undergraduate institution and a subpar GRE score, Alex helped me craft compelling essays and prepare rigorously for interviews. His expertise turned potential weaknesses into strengths, showcasing my profile in the best possible light. His advice was critical in shaping my story and ensuring I presented myself confidently during the interviews.
Alex’s background and the fantastic reviews he received were what initially drew me to his services. Unlike larger firms, Alex handles everything personally, ensuring high-quality, tailored guidance. His commitment to his clients is unparalleled; he is sincere, thoughtful, efficiently, and excellent at what he does. I always felt like I was his only client, and his personal touch made a significant difference in my application journey.
Thanks to Alex, I was accepted into two T20 schools. This outcome is beyond my wildest dreams, considering my academic background, and I attribute this success to Alex’s exceptional guidance and support.
I highly recommend Alex/PrepMBA without reservation. His creativity, deep understanding of essay structure and logic, and rigorous interview prep are unmatched. If you are looking for a consultant who will go all in and truly care about your success, Alex is the one to choose. Thank you, Alex, for everything!
I had a great experience working with Alex. I thought he was especially helpful keeping me on schedule (as somewhat of a procrastinator with a busy work schedule). He had very quick turnaround times with reviewing essays, which I greatly appreciated, as I was often working right up against deadlines. Alex has a great sense of how to structure and frame application essays and was honest with me when my first passes were not on the right track. He is very generous with his time and would frequently hop on the phone with me to make sure I understood his feedback and knew how to move forward.
Alex really helps you throughout the entire application process. I was not sure at all of my post-MBA career goals when I started the process. However, through discussions with Alex and the reflection and research process he had me do, I came up with career goals that not only were compelling for applications and interviews, but also ones that I am eager to actually pursue. Alex also ran a great Wharton team based discussion and provided me with personalized feedback, which I thought was super helpful!
With Alex’s help, I was accepted to 4 of my target schools, all with significant merit scholarships!
I found Alex through a recommendation from a friend, and near the end of my application process, I recommended him to another friend of mine. I will continue to suggest Alex to friends as they decide to pursue MBAs!
Alex was such a pleasure to work with! He was essential to my application process, and I would not have gotten into my dream school without him. Alex helped keep me on task and provided valuable insight throughout the process. For each school, Alex provided individualized advice, which allowed me to better understand each school and tailor my essays.
I lacked confidence going into the application process because of my lower GPA and GMAT struggle. Alex pushed me to play my strengths and highlight certain experiences that would help me stand out. Despite my less than ideal numbers, the advice Alex provided me with helped me secure interview invitations from all three schools I applied to.
Alex’s passion for helping his clients is evident. When I decided to rewrite part of my Columbia essay the day it was due, Alex went back and forth with me multiple times over email to provide edits until minutes before it was due. He never allowed me to settle for any sub-par points I made in my essays. He made sure I had solid evidence no matter how many revisions it took.
Alex also has great contacts in the industry. When I sought help for my GMAT studies, Alex provided me with an excellent tutor suggestion.
As someone who started the process in the latter half of the year, that too without a GMAT score, I was looking for a counselor who could give personalized attention and advice to approach the admission process. A friend referred me to Alex who had a successful round with him. After a couple of calls with Alex and a LOT of questions, I was convinced he was the right fit for me. He helped lay out a personalized and structured approach to the application process, with the flexibility to work with him as I prepared for my GMAT in parallel.
I really valued Alex’s advice throughout the process as he helped narrow down my engineering profile for a business degree. He helped me understand how to better position myself in my resume, essays, and interviews. His eye for detail and prompt feedback were instrumental for me to build my story from the ground up effectively and quickly! He urges you to think in a lot of depth during the preparation phase which helps you to transition your material into your essays. I believe directly working with Alex throughout the process without any intermediary was also key to a successful and personalized experience. The resources he shared with me to refer to for my resume and essays were useful too.
I would strongly recommend Alex to anyone who is looking for a personalized experience to go through the MBA admissions journey. His level of expertise is without a doubt top notch and anyone will find it very comfortable to work with his pleasant and calm personality.
I was introduced to Alex by my dad, who does undergraduate admissions consulting. I did look at one of the larger firms, but was turned off by reviews from students who stated that they had trouble getting their advisor on the phone. With Alex, all calls and e-mails were returned within 48 hours.
On the initial call, I explained that my application was going to be a mixed bag. I had dropped out of college after freshman year, waited 4 years to go back, and then took more than 4 years to graduate after returning. I had a GPA that was okay, but not great, and my job titles weren’t going to impress anyone. On the other hand, I had a pretty good personal story, one really solid extra-curricular, and I could usually interview and test well after some prep. I also explained to him that I have ADHD and might need some support with keeping myself on track, and asked if he had worked with clients with learning disabilities before.
He stated that he had worked with similar clients before, and the he believed he could help me. He also talked me through some things I wasn’t aware of (such as that my age would start to be an issue if I waited until the following year to apply, as he might have otherwise recommended).
Alex recommended a GMAT tutor who took me from a 590 on my first practice test to a 750 on the real thing. Alex helped me develop a list of schools to apply to that would represent a good mix of reach and realistic options. He helped me evaluate my potential fit for schools I was interested in, and helped me see where I was overlooking some schools that I ended up liking once I graduated. He worked diligently with me through multiple drafts of each essay, working to ensure that I was presenting a strong case for my admission while retaining my own voice in the essays. He also made sure my resume was properly formatted for B-school and worked with me on interview techniques. He kept me on track with deadlines throughout the process. Most critically, he gave me good tips about how to connect with students at each of the schools I was targeting.
In the end, I got solid scholarship offers at multiple T15 schools, made the waitlist at 2 more, and, most importantly, I got a full tuition offer at Stern (NYU), which had been my #1 choice from the beginning of the admissions process!
Choosing Alex as my MBA admissions consultant was a game-changer! His personal approach really stood out from our first intake call. Alex’s expertise in every aspect of the application, from securing a GMAT waiver to essay writing and interview prep, ensured a seamless process. He really showed his expertise through helping me to develop my “admissions story” through all of my essays and application responses. With only a 2 month timeline from my decision to apply for an MBA to the application deadlines, Alex made the entire admissions experience as easy as possible. In addition, thanks to his help throughout the entire process, I also received a merit scholarship.
Working with Alex was a fantastic experience. I did a few calls with other consultants, and it was clear to me immediately that Alex is who I wanted to work with. Not only does he have a great track record, but it was clear he was listening to my story and giving thoughts tailored to me, not just general insights. He was tremendously helpful in helping me connect the dots around previous experiences, and brainstorm topics for essays that would help me stand out among other qualified candidates. He made himself available for questions when I asked, and was always genuinely engaged in the process. I can’t recommend him enough!
I found Alex while researching for a tutor and some professional help with my MBA applications. I called around a few dedicated companies and Alex was clear and straightforward regarding his services. Through the consultation call we were able to identify what our target schools will be and my potential shortcomings as an MBA applicant.
During the first few sessions, Alex helped me focus on identifying my goal in terms of the critical reason of why I wanted an MBA and capitalized on that idea to build up my profile as an MBA applicant. Alex is very thorough with his clients and helped me overcome several challenges.
One of the biggest obstacles I faced was interviewing. Alex once spent three hours in a row to help me prep for my interview, and I was finally able to have confidence to face the interview questions. I invested in some extra mock interviews, and I recommend you do so too. I learned so much practicing interviews with Alex that can even help me with recruiting. With my lower GPA and nontraditional background, I would have never thought that I would be able to get into Cornell if it wasn’t for his encouragement, positive reinforcements, and constructive criticism.
I would recommend Alex Leventhal with total confidence that he can maximize your chances.
Working with Alex was a crucial factor in my acceptances to CBS and UCLA Anderson. The application process is overwhelming and arduous, and I legitimately don’t think I would have been accepted into my two dream programs without his ongoing advice and guidance. Several years ago, I worked with a different consultant (and didn’t get into my target school). The difference in working with Alex was like night and day – he’s whip smart and he just gets it.
Alex is extremely incisive. During our first conversation, he took in every aspect of my candidate profile to assess my strengths and weaknesses, and was very candid about where he believed I could get in (spoiler: he ended up being correct). He quickly helped me craft application narratives that were strategic yet still authentic to me. My biggest weaknesses in my application were a low undergraduate GPA and a lack of quant experience – Alex helped me show quant thinking throughout my applications and helped me create a narrative that played to my strengths. It’s clear that from working with dozens upon dozens of students, he’s built a real expertise in the space. Guidance comes to him quickly and instinctually.
I primarily utilized Alex’s help for my essays. His feedback was critical and his judgment on what to add/where to zero in was always on point. I can be a wordy writer and he helped me immensely with cutting down on fluff and being as articulate as possible. He was consistently quick on the turnaround to give me notes, and I honestly couldn’t have asked for a better experience.
Initially, the cost of hiring a consultant made me super nervous, but in hindsight, working with Alex was a no-brainer. If you’re going to hire someone, just hire Alex – you won’t regret it.
In preparation for the MBA application process, I realized that resources and references regarding the application process of American business schools are much more scarce in Germany than I had initially expected. While looking for an experienced sparring partner, an undergrad friend strongly recommended Alex. A stout recommendation, as he was successfully accepted to HBS with Alex’s support.
Using the confidence of a good friend’s recommendation, I reached out for a first conversation with Alex. Even before we started working together, I noticed two qualities that immediately convinced me to continue working with him – personal collaboration and individual approach. Unlike larger agencies, you work exclusively with Alex, who dedicates all the time you need and doesn’t follow a standard “one size fits all” scheme. This becomes especially noticeable when building one’s profile, one’s career story, and the resulting application documents. Each building block is based on your own experience and perspective, refined and challenged by Alex’s profound process knowledge.
Even from a purely pragmatic point of view, the cooperation is impeccable, appointments are always made at short notice and feedback follows promptly, even if you have written a few extra lines. This is particularly helpful when you get closer to the deadlines and it allows you to efficiently manage the process.
Just as I got the recommendation, I can pass it on without reservation.
Thank you, Alex!
I was referred to Alex by a friend who had also been referred by someone Alex helped get into HBS. From our first introduction call, it was clear that he was dedicated and passionate about getting to know me on an individual level and helping me create the best possible application. His incredibly deep experience and expertise further convinced me that he was the right person to work with. Despite belonging to a common applicant demographic and having a below-average GMAT score, I felt confident and safe with Alex by my side. I always appreciated his honesty about my chances at different schools and trusted that he would always tell me the truth and have my best interests at heart. His service was always very personal, and he was almost always able to accommodate my schedule and last-minute queries (which were really appreciated as I am notoriously late with everything :-)). Alex has an incredibly sharp eye for MBA-relevant characteristics and information that I hadn’t even considered important. He is also an amazing and creative storyteller. He helped me uncover my unique attributes and present them convincingly and authentically. I’m still amazed by how well all the documents complemented each other, without repeating themselves and how each word and each photo was telling one cohesive, compelling story. By the end of the application process, I felt confident that there was nothing that could have been done better, a very nice feeling that was quite new to me. And it proved to be right, because I got accepted to a top MBA program (NYU Stern)!!
I wholeheartedly recommend Alex Leventhal to any future MBA applicant. His creativity and ability to think outside the box allowed me to present my experiences from a fresh perspective and focus on what’s important. I am truly grateful for his dedication and support throughout the journey and will recommend him to all my friends that are considering applying to an MBA.
I was referred to Alex by a previous client who was a current student in the MBA program I wanted to attend. Coming out of the military, I had not interviewed for a job in over 6 years and knew I needed some guidance on this portion of the application. During our first call, he was extremely personable and very honest with me about what I needed to improve. He not only provided great advice on the content of my answers, but more importantly he highlighted what I needed to work on to be more friendly/approachable during the interview. He has a unique talent for figuring out what experiences you need to highlight and how to do this properly. I highly highly recommend Alex if you are worried about your MBA interviews. I was ultimately accepted into the program of my choice.
I decided to work with Alex for my MBA applications because of my friend’s recommendation (she got into her reach school W). I can say the same thing about Alex as my friend did: he is very sharp and gets the job done. He was instrumental in helping me develop my personal story and shape my career visions for the essays. I found it easy to work with Alex because he would patiently hear out my ideas and often made suggestions in the least intrusive way. He also edits with surgical precision in terms of structure, word choices, and word counts. For each of the 10+ essays that I worked with him, I was satisfied with the end result – they were all clean and to the point, and preserved the stories I wanted to tell.
I bought a 3-school package with him and used it hourly for additional schools. The value-adds really shine through given the final quality of my essays and how we finished them in a pressing timeline (1 month for 6 schools).
I am glad I got to work with Alex and got into my dream school! Alex is the guy if you need a knowledgeable, easy-going and no BS MBA consultant to help you cross that finish line to your dream school.
I was recommended to PrepMBA by a close friend who was admitted to the GSB after working with Alex last year. My long story short: after deciding to work with Alex this year, I was also offered admission to the GSB. There are numerous other applicants that can attest to this – Alex helps drive real results at highly competitive programs. This isn’t magic or luck; Alex has a tremendous breadth of experience, insightfulness, and authentic engagement with the stories & the success of his clients. He pushed me to retake the GMAT, provoked new ideas about storytelling around my career, and challenged some big assumptions in my essay – all of which greatly improved my application. Then, comes the interview, Alex worked with me generously to uplevel & make my answers punch harder. Working with Alex isn’t a magic wand, but if you’re willing to put in the work, he is a wonderful sounding board, coach, and asset in the application journey. I’d recommend him highly to other aspiring applicants.
Alex was highly recommended to me by a close friend who was accepted into his #1 school the year before me. I was at first hesitant to reach out, but given that I was coming from an over-represented demographic and had a below-average GMAT, I felt that it was necessary to at least explore the option. In my first conversation with Alex, he instilled much-needed structure and organization into my application process that would force me to dig deep for the compelling and unique attributes that ultimately allowed me to stand out from the crowd, and get accepted into two of my top choices schools with significant scholarships!!! Alex is an extremely talented storyteller and helped me to transform my application into a captivating story that the admissions committees were excited to read. I truly cannot thank him enough for his dedication and would strongly recommend Alex to any future MBA applicant!
As an international applicant, I started looking for an MBA consultant who could help me to review the whole application package for HBS, and suggest how to improve it. Since I am not a typical applicant (much older than the average age of MBA applicants), I didn’t want to spend thousands of dollars on this service but at the same time aspired to get the best value for a reasonable price. In my research and review of multiple feedbacks Alex’s name repeatedly showed up. Alex is one of the top-rated consultants in Poets&Quants, Harvard MBA graduate, and has 15+ years of experience in consulting MBA candidates. I truly enjoyed my work with Alex. He reviewed all my application documents without exception, edited and highlighted specific wordings that needed revision. He suggested how to improve each document not only grammatically but also what other information or ideas could strengthen overall my application package. I particularly struggled with essays and Alex helped me to get rid of unnecessary information, and suggested how to demonstrate more profound research and understanding of the school’s profile. I was very pleasantly surprised by Alex’s delivery timeline. In a few days after providing him my applicant package, he got back to me with reviewed documents. What really impressed me that Alex followed-up this review with a call to discuss my application package, and explained in detail his feedback. Instead of 1 hour call, he spent more than 1.5 hours explaining to me in detail his suggestions and sharing his thoughts on why I should consider EMBA options (due to my working experience and age). For this call with me, Alex even prepared a list of specific schools that better suited my profile and still helped me achieve my career aspirations. I am extremely happy with the quality of Alex’s support and wholeheartedly suggest him to everyone who aspires to get into a top MBA program.
The application process for top B-schools was a complete black box to me when I decided to apply. The application process seemed overwhelming, and the road seemed too steep! I initially consulted several admissions consulting firms and independent consultants to understand better what it takes to get into a top business school. My friend, who worked closely with Alex on her applications and managed to crack multiple top MBA programs, recommended Alex’s PrepMBA while I was still attempting to understand how to approach my applications. As soon as I got on an introduction call with Alex, I could sense he knew his craft well and went straight into a personal assessment of my MBA aspirations. He was extremely passionate in his approach, and I could tell he wasn’t treating this like a client-sales call but was there to help! After the first call, things seemed more achievable as he had broken down the entire process into specific small objectives, which was very comforting for me. Alex was quite honest about my chances at a range of schools and was very involved in helping me select the right ones basis my aspirations and profile. Alex, a Harvard MBA himself, understood the overall process well and helped me calm in this rather strenuous process. It was so amazing to see that he worked directly with me, not employing any supporting consultants – this personal touch to his service really helped me brainstorm my thoughts directly with him and get my story right.
Alex will always be openly honest with you – which, confidently, is the most critical thing you’d need from your consultant in this lengthy, challenging journey. He told me my GMAT may be an issue, given an overly represented demographic, and suggested a range of schools to target. Even then, he always encouraged me to target my dream schools and worked extremely hard to help me gain admission to those schools, despite my below-average GMAT score. It was great working with Alex Leventhal. His service was very personal, and he helped me craft my own individual story, which was not emphasised to any school but was VERY ME! I wound up getting into my first choice, Wharton!! It was not something I could have imagined happening before working with Alex. It was such a surreal experience reading the admit letter, and I immediately texted him regarding the same. Our brainstorming sessions to evaluate how to incorporate my different experiences best was a huge reason I got in. Alex helped structure my thoughts toward some of the prospective career options that made sense and encouraged me to research more to nail the explanation of what I wanted to do. Alex also provided multiple samples of successful essays from past clients, helping me better understand the typical writing styles and structure my story well! Besides being a great storyteller, his creativity, specific knowledge of schools, and sense of essay structure really stood out. Word limits in this process can be challenging when you get to writing, but with Alex, word limits are never an issue as he would always have the prioritization in place on what to retain to tell a great story! For anyone who is seriously eyeing a top business school program and is currently unsure of how to get there, I very confidently recommend Alex to crack your dream school!
It was a great pleasure working with Alex on my MBA application. I could sense Alex’s candidness and breadth of experiences during our initial consultation call – I knew he is the consultant I am looking for. The whole process proved me right. First, I appreciated his honesty in terms of assessing my candidacy; he challenged me to give one more attempt at GMAT to be more competitive in the applicant pool. Secondly, he is great at guiding you to find the best angle to approach each school’s essay question based on one’s past experiences and personality. Last but not the least, his company, Prep MBA, is a one-man show, which means Alex will be the only one reviewing and editing your essays. Although he is the only one running the business, he is always very prompt in providing feedback and certainly makes sure that you feel well-supported in the entire process. I started the process relatively late; however, we managed to submit CBS prior to the ED deadline. I am also so thankful and excited to receive the acceptance while preparing for my Round 2 application, allowing me to try more stretch schools.
When I started the MBA admissions journey, I reached out to a number of admissions consulting organizations, including many of the ones you have likely heard of. Once I talked to Alex, I was immediately sold. Even in our initial consultation, Alex provided incredibly detailed advice, a refreshingly honest assessment of my chances at the schools I was interested in, and an overview of the MBA admissions landscape. He did not sugarcoat his opinions about my profile, and in fact suggested tangible ways to compensate for what could be perceived as shortcomings in my profile (i.e., younger-than-average applicant, mediocre test scores). This was a breath of fresh air.
After I began working with Alex, I was blown away. He has a phenomenal ability to pick out interesting trends and characteristics in profiles and identified strengths I would have normally ignored. I am sure that without Alex’s support, I would not have had nearly as much clarity and confidence in my career goals. In every conversation and email, Alex went above and beyond to provide well-reasoned feedback. I should also note that Alex took the time to be an incredibly supportive advisor, entertaining even my trivial queries and reassuring me during times of stress and anxiety.
When I received invitations to interview, Alex held one-on-one mock interviews with me; this practice and his input made me feel much more confident going into the real thing.
As bonus points, given Alex’s successful track record over his 16 years in the consulting business, he comes armed with extensive knowledge of what admissions officers are seeking and what has worked/hasn’t worked in the past. He also is very well-informed on changes in application processes, criteria, etc.
In the end, I was accepted to BOTH of my top-choice schools. Without a doubt, this would not have been the case without Alex being in my corner. I highly recommend Alex for any applicant seeking a personalized, productive admissions advising collaboration. You won’t regret it!!!
I knew from the start of the MBA application process that I would really benefit from having an admissions consultant to work through the wrinkles in my application and to have an independent voice to bounce off ideas. However, the search for the right consultant was not easy – not only are there hundreds, if not thousands, out there, but they also come with varying sizes and capabilities.
I was very lucky to be able to find Alex during my search process. Two things stand out for me right away for Alex and Prep MBA: his deep domain expertise stemming from his 16 years of experience doing this, and the ability to work with a top-ranked consultant DIRECTLY. The latter point was especially important to me after I talked to a few other consultancies – you don’t get to choose who you work with for most, if not all, of them, and this is especially true for the larger ones.
Working with Alex did not disappoint me one bit and was exactly what I signed up for initially. I tend to be very STEM-minded in my writing style, so Alex’s creative writing skills really shined through and complemented very well with my writing style. That extra touch was exactly what I needed to make my essays pop!
I also really appreciated Alex’s willingness to go the extra mile to help his clients. Alex patiently guided me through frustrating waitlist processes by finding new school contacts for me to speak to, reviewing my extra video essays and updated materials, and strategically planning for AdCom updates and school interactions. Suffice it to say that Alex is willing to invest in his client’s success and support them through rough patches. With Alex, you have an ally in your court!
As I reflect on my application process, one piece of advice for aspiring MBA applicants is to start the process early. I waited until May to take my GMAT for the first time and did not start the application process until late June. Even though I was “on cycle” for the most part, I still wished that I could have an extra 1-2 months. Just remember that it will always take longer than you think, so make sure to start as early as possible. Good luck!
I initially called a number of admissions consulting firms, and immediately Alex’s service stood out in that he handled the intro call and was not a sales intermediary. He spent 45 minutes with me in the initial consultation even though he said that he would spend 20 minutes. I could tell he was passionate about his service and helping me think through my critical issues. Many companies suggest you can get into the top schools without spending careful time assessing your profile. Alex was quite honest and upfront about my chances of admission, given the application hurdles I faced such as coming from a non-traditional job and suggested a range of schools to target. Prep MBA is his business, and he does not have a team of junior consultants. He is a Harvard MBA, very articulate and funny, and will not BS you.
Working with Alex Leventhal proved to be the winning move. His service was very personal, and he was almost always able to accommodate my schedule and last-minute queries. I wound up winning multiple admissions offers and scholarship funds, too. The time we spent thinking through my career plans, and how they connected the dots with my previous experiences was probably a huge reason why I got in. I was not really sure what I wanted to do, and I was going to write about a career direction that was not really supported or well explained. Alex also provided multiple samples of successful essays from past clients, and these were incredibly helpful for structure, flow and word limits.
I would recommend Alex Leventhal in a heartbeat. The two things about him that most stand out are his creativity and his sense of essay structure and logic. He was always able to come up with a different angle or way of looking at my experiences, and I was always amazed that we got the essays down to the tight word limits. He is sincere, hardworking, super bright, and often made me feel like I was his only client.
I had worked with Alex for my MBA admissions process and decided to re-engage him a year later for my school’s scholarship applications process. Alex remembered pretty much everything about me. One of his superpowers is being able to get at what the selection committee might really be looking for from a question. He’s incredibly detail oriented and helped me come up with answers to questions (with details from my own past) that I myself might not have come up with. Alex helped me bring out vulnerable elements from my past that were extremely personal to write powerful stories that made a significant difference. I was fortunate to get a full tuition scholarship. He brings deep insights, asks probing questions about you, and forms hypotheses that guide you in the right direction. He has great empathy and spends the time to understand your context and background. You will be doing yourself a big favor by engaging Alex.
I would strongly recommend Alex to any prospective applicants considering applying to the top schools. Before proceeding with Alex I spoke to a number of other admissions consulting services and what struck me was Alex’s honesty and how he was immediately able to identify the weaknesses in my profile – but also suggest how to address them.
I had a muddled idea of how to put together my application, didn’t have clear career goals, and came from a nonstandard pre-MBA job. Alex explained the importance of a clear, compelling story in an application and we spent hours poring over all areas of my experience before even addressing an application question. He was able to organize my background, education, professional experience and extracurricular activities together to formulate a strong, coherent argument.
I am confident I would not have received offers were it not for Alex’s help – he was always available over the phone and offered speedy, thorough suggestions and feedback each time I sent through drafts or had any questions – my writing can be a little verbose so his help editing essays was very helpful! On top of this, the interview preparation and practice were immeasurably useful in having the confidence and being ready to give articulate and concise responses to questions.
Alex’s honesty, diligence, and a personal approach are exceptional and he would be an invaluable resource to anyone approaching the application process.
Initially, I underestimated the magnitude of work of my graduate school applications and was, therefore, skeptical about hiring a counselor. However, I am beyond grateful that my family urged me to get in touch with Alex and give this a shot.
Right after our first call, I realized that Alex had to be a part of my journey. He is smart, detail-oriented, and easy to work with–three qualities that make him stand out. One of the best things about Alex is how supremely insightful he is. In spite of being a copywriter, there were moments when I struggled with my essays and their word limits. Alex managed to understand my story better than anyone else, which was reflected coherently in my applications. He encouraged me to be honest, own up to my shortcomings, and not sugarcoat the truth, which is probably what helped me get into every school of my choice despite my low GPA. Given how tight my deadlines were, I also needed someone who had a quick turnaround time. Alex was super prompt and got back to me sooner than promised.
Alex’s biggest USP is that he knows exactly what is needed and can play any card that he is dealt. Needless to say, I recommend him without any reservation.
Working with Alex was incredibly easy and took a lot of the anxiety out of the business school admissions process. From the beginning, Alex’s honesty stood out as a differentiating factor from other consultants. As a former consultant who had already applied to business school and been rejected, I was nervous to go through the process again. While Alex was honest with me about my chances, he was incredibly helpful in shaping my story. When applying in the past, I really struggled to present myself in applications. Alex helped me take an incredibly vulnerable, personal story and convey it meaningfully in my application. It never felt like he was rewriting my essays or forcing me to be someone I was not. Instead, he took what was unique to my experience and background and helped me articulate it in a cohesive narrative. Throughout the process, I felt supported by Alex and like he was really aiming to understand me as a person so he could help me to the best of his ability. I would highly recommend working with Alex to anyone applying to business school!
I worked with Alex on three schools and was accepted to Wharton with a merit scholarship. Starting off in the application process, I knew I wanted to work with a consultant; after getting on initial calls with a couple of experts, Alex stood out by being direct about the advantages and disadvantages of my profile. I knew I would be getting his unfiltered, tactical advice from 15+ years of experience and was confident that he had a vested interest in my success.
Alex was a huge value add when it came to my career purpose. I was originally prepared to write about a direction that was not as clear and supported, but he edited my goals into a coherent vision that made it abundantly clear why I wanted to go to business school. I feel strongly that this was a crucial piece to my acceptance, tying together my application materials, and it is so cogently laid out I would go so far as to say it has become a real life roadmap for pursuing my long term goal!
Alex was also critical in my interview preparation. During our practice, he adeptly identified my weaknesses in both content and presentation. From his experience with the process, Alex identified my natural strengths and key tactics that would allow me to capitalize on these assets, and his feedback on how to present myself including minute details like hand placement was a massive differentiator in a remote setting.
Alex is a vastly experienced consultant and talented counselor who can get to the heart of any applicant’s story. Alex will not hold your hand and do all the work for you, but he provides the extra, personal boost you need in an ultra-competitive and sometimes murky MBA application environment.
As an international applicant with a non-traditional background, I had very little knowledge of the MBA process, especially with regard to the top US schools I was applying for; nor did I have many friends who had gone through the process before. I, therefore, set up several complimentary calls with consultants, ranging from the big-name firms to the more bespoke outfits where you’d be working with the founder of that firm directly. My key criteria were that the consultant could empathize with and contextualize my background and help bring out the best stories from my experiences while being brutally honest with feedback. After my introductory call with Alex, I knew he fit the bill 110%. He spent a considerable amount of time during that first call understanding my life, my motivations for pursuing an MBA, and where adcoms might perceive my weaknesses e.g. my lower-than-average GMAT and quant skills. I also really liked that he was intimately familiar with the healthcare space having had years of experience in the field, and even helped introduce me to one of his ex-clients before I committed to a school package, which was a really nice gesture.
Alex did not disappoint on those expectations. I decided to work with him over the course of 4 months on a comprehensive 3-school package for Harvard, Stanford and Wharton (2 of which I got interviews for, 1 waitlist). He worked tirelessly with me on brainstorming, fine-tuning my stories and just being a soundboard, taking my essays in creative directions that I feel many other consultants might find hard-pressed to. He allayed many of my concerns throughout the process and was always on standby to help where needed, especially when it came to interview preparation.
I can say without reservation that without Alex’s mentorship, brutal candor and sincerity, I would not have received that dream acceptance letter to Wharton. More than that, I am really grateful for his conviction in my success in applying to these schools from day one. He is a model consultant and I could not recommend him enough to anyone going through this process.
Coming from an over-represented demographic plus having a lower GRE score, I am beyond excited to find out about my acceptance to Haas with a great scholarship amount, especially in this highly competitive year where Haas is downsizing student recruitment overall.
I first got in touch with Alex through a friend’s referral, and from the first Zoom meeting, I could tell all the good comments about him that I saw online were true. He is very smart, experienced, gives me authentic advice, and will not BS anyone. He never let anyone else handle my case, and his service was very personal.
It’s a great fortune to get to know Alex and work with him on my application. He offered professional guidance for every aspect of my application, and I want to thank him for pointing out my weaknesses and pushing me to think more thoroughly about my career plans. He always knows how to be more logical and how to structure writings/interviews better. Although my application process is pretty short, I could tell that he knows the details of my life stories really well, and can always offer me a new angle to brainstorm ideas and connect dots.
Alex is someone I would love to keep in touch with, and I’ve gained more than two great offers from my dream programs (and scholarships that I didn’t expect) – my writing skills, interview skills, and overall skills to present stories in a more clear, logical way have significantly improved thanks to him.
I would recommend Alex Leventhal to any MBA applicant who is seeking professional advice. You will get more than what you pay for.
I did a lot of research on MBA admission consultants, and talked with more than 10 people. Alex is definitely the most patient consultant during the initial consultation. He even had another consultation with me, since I had follow-up questions about his services and my applications. He made very sincere suggestions based on my profile and didn’t sugar coating anything. I didn’t end up having comprehensive packages with him, because I didn’t have a very competitive score, and he was quite frank with me about that. Later on, when I had a higher score, I did an hourly service with him.
I really enjoyed working with Alex. There are three things I was most impressed with: he really wants the best for his client, his flexibility, and his patience.
First, he really wants the best for his clients and was very creative. For both my essays and interviews, there are several times when I found myself pretty satisfied already, but his feedback really made me think harder and get the essays and my interview answers to a better level. He did not only provide comments but also talked to me and helped me come up with the stories and the answers. For example, he really helped me figure out the entire story of my career plans. He was always able to come up with a different angle at presenting my experiences, and he was very creative in getting the essays to the word limits.
Second, Alex is very flexible and always tried his best to accommodate my schedule. There is countless time he worked at nighttime and over the weekend for me. There are two stories I was impressed with the most. Once, I got an urgent question, I texted him pretty late at night, and he responded back to me right away with a very thorough answer. Another time, it was right before a school application deadline, he tested COVID positive, but he still reviewed the essays for me so that I can submit my application on time.
Lastly, he is very very very patient. I got panicked and had a million questions along with the application process. Every single time, he answered my questions very patiently. One example, English was my second language, and I was so concerned about grammatical mistakes in my essays and resumes. He noticed that, and he was always very patiently double-checking those stuff for me and making sure everything is correct.
I strongly recommend Alex Leventhal for MBA application advisory. I wish I had him for his comprehensive packages at the beginning. All my interactions were with him directly, and I can clearly tell that he personally did all the work himself. Because of his effort, my applications were brought to a whole new level, and I am so grateful for his kindness, patience, flexibility, and creativity.
I write as someone that has graduated from my MBA program several years ago, I can say with confidence that working with Alex Leventhal was one of the best decisions. The MBA application is a complicated endeavor and Alex served as a trusted guide from beginning to end. It was clear from the initial consultation that Alex clearly understood what admission officers sought in applicants. Being able to leverage that expertise was invaluable. My personal story and application went through multiple iterations, with a lot of feedback from Alex that takes it to the next level. There is a great deal of craftsmanship in Alex’s approach and I believe this is a unique benefit.
I think it is worthwhile to highlight that working with Alex was also a career development bootcamp. I found my writing quality dramatically improved, as I learned to write with conviction and clarity. This was a skill set that was integral to my career progression. On the public speaking front, I remember lessons learned from the interview prep with Alex that I still use today in important business meetings and conference speaking situations. Lastly, the discussions with Alex served as moments of reflection on my career trajectory. In a friendly manner, Alex challenged the vision I had for my career. From there, I was able to formulate a more compelling and well-defined aspiration in my industry. This not only played a critical role in the MBA admission process but also guides my current career decisions.
In the end, I was accepted to USC Marshall with a full merit scholarship, with PrepMBA being a clear contributor. The return on investment was certainly worth it, back when I matriculated and even today!
After contacting several top admissions consulting firms, I found that Alex handled our introduction differently than his competitors: he was far less concerned with selling me a package, and far more concerned with getting to know my goals and me. Additionally, he never limited our conversations to a designated amount of time, rather aimed to accomplish certain objectives with each correspondence. When you hire Prep MBA, you get Alex Leventhal, never a junior consultant. This combined with his no BS approach was what ultimately sold me on his service. He was always honest with me about my shortcomings as a candidate, and helped me strategize accordingly.
Hiring an admissions consultant was a tough decision for me, but working with Alex was absolutely worth it. He tailored his service to my needs and made himself available when I needed his help. I did a two-school package, and was ecstatic to get into my first choice, Harvard. My background before applying to MBA programs was very unconventional, and the time we spent strategizing about how to present my story had a massive impact on my final application. I can say with certainty that without Alex’s help my application would have missed the mark on many things, some as simple as essay word count and career goals.
I’ve recommended Prep MBA to several people already, and will continue to do so in the future. Alex has an amazing knack for pinpointing the crucial elements of a person’s story and helping them convey those points concisely. He’s a super sharp Harvard MBA with years of experience and a passion for the service he provides.
Working with Alex gave me confidence that I had done everything in my control to achieve the outcome I wanted.
Alex is a seasoned veteran when it comes to business school (MBA) applications and I would recommend him to anyone who is looking for best-in-class guidance. You can easily tell working with Alex that he’s been doing this for a long time and knows how to help his clients put their best foot forward.
Coming from an untraditional background, I struggled with having a clear direction on what I wanted to do professionally post MBA and how it all connected with my past work experiences. Alex spent a considerable amount of time with me over multiple calls and emails to think through my career goals, why I needed an MBA and ultimately helped me tie it all together with my past and future career plans.
I worked with Alex for about 6 months and I could always rely on him to give me prompt and thoughtful feedback. He was my soundboard throughout and if I were to redo the whole application process again – I would choose to work with him again!
Alex was incredibly helpful throughout the MBA application process. Though I started my applications relatively late, we still went through Alex’s methodical process, just on a more expedited timeline. I was grateful Alex was willing to accommodate my timing without skimping on thoughtfulness.
Alex helped me craft a compelling career story. This was the area of the application I needed the most help with, and we were able to develop a well thought out career story built on my previous experience. From the initial questionnaire to the in-depth conversations, every step of the process was purposeful and impactful.
The mock interview/working session was also a crucial boost of confidence ahead of my admissions interview. Alex knew which questions to focus on and offered tailored advice, which I acted on during my interview.
I would definitely recommend Alex to anyone pursuing an MBA. He was a pleasure to work with – very responsive, thoughtful, and transparent (which was important to me). CBS was my #1 school and I’m not sure it would have been possible without Alex.
lex Leventhal was truly vital to my Wharton interview prep, which was incredibly helpful. He is unquestionably the pro with years of experience working with various candidates. During the mock interview, he pointed out my problem directly, guided me on how to best present my answers, and gave me very personal as well as detailed and constructive feedback. Ultimately I built a lot of confidence and felt extremely well-prepared through the process. Overall, working with Alex was an overwhelmingly positive experience, and it is safe to say that I would not be headed to my dream school this fall without his guidance. The quality would be beyond what you paid for!
I made the decision to apply only to HSW this year, fully aware of the risk involved, and ready to re-apply the following year if I had to (spoiler: I don’t!). Coming from a family business background, with strong hard stats but weaker extracurriculars, I wanted to find the right admissions consultant to help guide me through the process. I did my homework and interviewed about 10 of the top MBA admissions consultants.
Alex quickly differentiated himself from the rest. In the free 30-minute consultation, he took the time to understand my background and motivations for applying to business school and gave a thoughtful and honest assessment of my candidacy. He completely understood my school list and was ready to help me succeed. The other consultations I took were either a sales pitch, or they tried to talk me into applying to 3 or 4 other schools. Alex’s process of working 1-on-1 with each applicant also stood out, as many of the top admissions coaches are often volume shops that pass you on to a more junior consultant.
Working with Alex made the application process so much smoother – and dare I say enjoyable! He started with a comprehensive questionnaire about my life and background that served as the groundwork for many of my essays and short responses. His career goals exercise was so useful for me to better understand my goals – I felt like even if I didn’t get into business school, I had a lot more clarity on my career path. He also encouraged me to take my HBS essay in a more personal direction than I otherwise would have, and I strongly believe this essay helped me stand out and secure an interview. There’s a lot of noise online about the application process and essay writing, and Alex’s guidance cuts through all of that. I felt confident that I had put my best foot forward when hitting submit on my applications.
Alex’s interview prep was invaluable. I was extremely nervous about this stage of the process, and the mock HBS interview helped me understand what to expect and where I could improve. Alex is not shy about giving direct feedback and always told me what I needed to hear, even when it wasn’t easy to hear. It’s clear that he has deep insight into what adcoms are “looking for” and how to present the best version of yourself.
I’d recommend Alex without reservation. He will coach you through the admissions process with humor, calming energy, and honest feedback. I’m excited to join the HBS class of 2024, and I couldn’t have gotten here without him!
The MBA admissions process is among the most personal and competitive processes you will navigate in your life. I can’t highly enough recommend Alex as your trusted guide, strategist, mentor, editor, cheerleader, and friend along the way.
This is in fact my second year working with Alex. In my first year, I applied to three top programs, getting an interview at one, but ultimately not admission. (For more on all the transformative ways Alex supported my first application in R1 2020, see my review titled “A straight shooter who cuts to the heart of the matter”, dated 11 months prior to this post.)
This year, I’ve been floored to have received acceptance with a merit scholarship at four top ten programs including both of my top two choices, plus a full ride offer at a fifth top ten program (out of eight applications total)! As a non-traditional applicant who really struggled to connect the dots and think of myself through a business lens or the perspective of admissions committees, Alex’s directness and focus were particularly helpful in keeping my story crisp, tight, and compelling. I know that without his extraordinary support, the outcomes would have been quite different.
Here are a few of the traits that make Alex so special:
(1) Alex’s perspective is one you can trust when you doubt yourself. After the prior year’s rejections, I questioned whether the career goals I’d presented were viable and whether I stood a chance as a reapplicant. I wrote a long email to Alex explaining what I thought had gone wrong. He wrote back within the hour reiterating how important to him my success was (regardless of whether we worked together again) and how much confidence he had in my potential. He also convinced me not to abandon the career goals I’d focused my initial application around, since he felt they were worked for me. And sure enough, when I got my acceptances and heard back from my interviewers, it turned out my career goals (which, following Alex’s advice, I stuck to) were one of the most compelling components of my applications.
(2) Alex builds confidence around your strengths and proactively helps round out weaknesses. Following my initial rejections, Alex also offered a free post-mortem, during which we identified areas for improvement: building stronger supporting bullets for my career interests, finding opportunities to deepen impact in service work, and refining my case for why I needed an MBA. Given that I was a non-traditional applicant with no prior business experience, Alex encouraged me to use the time between applications to take HBS Online’s Credential of Readiness, a crash-course in accounting, economics, and statistics (which I highly recommend for applicants lacking a business foundation). His strategic mindset in evaluating your strengths and weaknesses is distinctly strong in comparison with other admissions consultants I spoke with, and wherever you are in the process (considering applying, approaching applications, finalizing materials, or post-rejection) Alex has value to add.
(3) Alex’s interview prep is fantastic—both in terms of the coaching he gives and the encouragement he provides. It’s easy to forget when you’re agonizing over every word in an essay that interviews are half the battle. As interviews started coming in, we worked together to manage my liabilities (occasionally meandering, losing connection with the interviewer, or missing opportunities to speak about my experiences through the language of business). He also helped me lead with my strengths, like my unusual background and my intellectual curiosity. At the end of our session, he gave me some heartfelt and much-needed advice: to forget the prior year’s rejections and trust in myself that I belong in this process. In the end, I got an offer (with scholarship) at every school I was offered an interview at, which speaks to just how effective Alex is at coaching for the interview.
(4) Alex’s experience, perspective, and judgment are invaluable lenses for understanding how admissions committees think about applicants. The hardest part of the process for me was looking at myself as an admissions officer would. It’s a real black box, and if even you’re rejected, you never hear why. This is where Alex perhaps had the most impact. When one of my essays was headed in a risky direction, he told me directly how the essay as drafted might cast me in a negative light to an admissions officer and made the recommendation (which I followed) that I rewrite it before submitting. I was ultimately accepted to the school that that essay was for (a top choice of mine), but I believe that without Alex’s timely and transparent feedback I wouldn’t have been. At the end of the day, the feedback you need in the MBA process is not just feedback when things are working, but feedback when things *aren’t* working, and that’s what Alex is so good at giving. He is uncommon in that he will always tell you what he thinks, will always explain why he thinks it, and yet will never be prescriptive.
Read through Alex’s reviews on P&Q and you’ll see the same themes come up again and again: clear and insightful guidance, his heartfelt desire to help you put your best foot forward, the time he invests getting to know his clients, his intimate understanding of the MBA admissions process, and a proven ability to help scores of MBA applicants get spots at the most competitive schools in the world. All of this is absolutely true: he works wonders, and for that reason alone, you can’t go wrong working with him.
But if there is one reason I believe Alex is the best consultant around, it’s his uncommon combination of honesty, focus, and perspective. These are precisely the traits you are most likely to lack as an MBA applicant. It will be your first time (or at most, second time) going through the process, so you won’t have perspective. You’ll feel pulled in many directions in terms of how you present yourself, so you’ll struggle to show focus in your application materials. And while friends and family might give polite feedback on your essays, it’ll be difficult to get a true read on what’s really working and what’s not.
So, do yourself a favor, invest in your future, and go with Alex as your guide through the MBA admissions journey! The outcomes speak for themselves, and you won’t regret it.
I spoke to four other admissions consulting firms before finally meeting with Alex after he came highly recommended by an alum from my firm. From that initial consultation, I could tell Alex offered a uniquely tailored approach. Alex put time into getting to know me personally, which allowed us to construct a compelling AND authentic MBA application together. I especially appreciate that Prep MBA is HIS full-time business – this is not a part-time gig for Alex, and it shows.
I applied to five M7 schools, three of which I worked on with Alex. Through direct help from Alex and applying what I learned from Alex to the schools I was applying to “on my own,” I received acceptances at Columbia and Kellogg. Alex’s help didn’t stop when I got in. Not only did Alex advise me on waitlist management, but he also acted as a soundboard to help me decide which program to attend. Ultimately, we agreed that Columbia is the best fit for me, and I couldn’t be more excited!
I’ve already recommended Alex to friends/colleagues who are looking for a trustworthy, effective admissions consultant, and I will continue to do so.
I had been thinking about applying to business school for a number of months before deciding that I would seek the help of an admissions consultant. I came across an article on Poets and Quants about the best admissions consultants of 2020: https://poetsandquants.com/2020/08/26/best-mba-admission-consultants-of-2020/. What stood out to me in that article was that only four consultants made the Poets and Quants list every year since the site started this list, and, out of those four, only Alex was the sole proprietor of his consultancy. I read the reviews about Alex and his services and saw that Alex seemed to have a reputation for personal service and candor. As such, Alex fit the profile of the qualities that I was looking for in an admissions consultant – consistently ranked highly, personal service, and someone who would give it to me straight.
When I first spoke to Alex, I could immediately see why he was consistently ranked highly among admissions consultants. He began by asking me questions about me, my background, and my goals. It felt like he was taking the time to get to know me as a person first, which I greatly appreciated. Alex then very thoroughly explained the process of working with him and while doing that demonstrated a deep understanding of the various facets of business school admissions. Alex does not mince words. He made clear to me that the application process requires a significant investment of time and energy and that we would have to put in extra effort to overcome the challenge of my non-traditional background and weak GPA. I signed up for a package for a mix of MBA programs, some traditional and some not.
Alex spent significant time downloading information about my personal and professional background. I saw why later when we were working on my resume and essays as he was able to recall and connect information with such ease and precision that it made the process of actually putting content down extremely efficient. He made me think about essay prompts in unique ways while still ensuring that the responses were still genuinely me. His ability to understand the purpose of each part of the application process and how they all tie together in combination with his skills of teasing out information and helping to succinctly communicate ideas helped immensely in putting together impactful content.
Alex brought his vast knowledge and coaching abilities to bear in interview prep as it helped me to understand the various types of questions that may be asked in MBA admissions interviews and how I could respond genuinely and concisely. Alex really helped me to calm my nerves and to watch out for my nervous ticks.
Overall, I would not hesitate in recommending Alex’s services to anyone. He gets to know you well and the time and effort he takes in the process as well as his vast knowledge about MBA admissions and his candor really help put together your strongest application package. Alex helped me to get into my top choice program!
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