David White

Founding Partner

Menlo Coaching

Amsterdam

Netherlands

Net Promoter Score: 9

Consultant Bio

David’s 15-year tech career included executive roles at startups across the SF Bay Area and Europe, during which time he hired, trained, and developed dozens of young professionals. He has been coaching MBA applicants since 2012 with a special focus on developing the right career goals.

“I truly felt David believed in my story (even sending me related news articles for personal interest) and worked hard to ensure my ideas and experiences came through in my essays and interview responses.”

“I want coaching that goes beyond just essay editing, and helps me to succeed in my career.”

In his corporate career, David has supervised more than 100 elite young professionals, preparing them to take on leadership roles early in their careers.

For example:

  • Phil Dance joined David’s team in 2006 as a graduate trainee in digital marketing at the startup Efficient Frontier. David’s guidance as a manager helped Phil to advance within the company to a role as Commercial Director for emerging markets. Phil’s success at Efficient Frontier / Adobe laid the groundwork for his later roles as a country manager for a Google business unit, and his current role as regional SVP for Salesforce.
  • Olivier Lemaire joined in the same graduate trainee role, became the company’s general manager for France, and after leaving the company ran a 50-person media agency in Belgium, and became successful as an entrepreneur in an unrelated area.

You can also see testimonials about David’s career coaching on his LinkedIn profile.

David can help you understand the skills you need to be successful as a general manager with P&L responsibility, and a people manager, and tell you how employers are likely to react to your profile. It goes without saying that David can also guide you through any tough questions about how to approach your managers for recommendations.

His advice will not only help you to articulate clear career goals for MBA admissions, but give you a roadmap for actually advancing in your career.

“David was very helpful in helping me determine my career goals (one of his specialties) and making sure that my applications told a cohesive and compelling story.”

No matter your background–David has worked in supervisory roles at startups, mid-sized companies, PE-owned companies, and publicly traded companies, across the US and Europe — David can help.

“I want a coach who is honest.”

David is famous in the MBA admissions industry for publishing brutally honest commentary like 4 Secrets to Know Before Hiring the “Best MBA Admissions Consultant”.

His clients have said:

  • “David did not mince words, and was very honest and objective with his feedback.”
  • “David is a great resource and is always very candid and helpful in sharing advice and insights.”
  • “I got some honest, valuable inputs from David on my essays.”

“I want to continue or pursue a career in tech or entrepreneurship.”

David has worked in every corner of the tech industry and helped to launch numerous successful ventures.

The first step in David’s tech career was joining startup Efficient Frontier as the #1 full-time employee after the founders, even before the company’s Series A round. In this role, David:

  • Served as day-to-day contact for the company’s major US customers (incl. eBay, Amazon)
  • Acted as a product manager for the company’s forecasting and competitive intelligence products
  • Launched the European business from scratch, growing it to 30+ employees, $7M of annual fee revenue, and $200M of media spend under management

In 2011, Efficient Frontier was sold to Adobe for $400M.

David has also managed intrapreneurial ventures, and helped traditional yellow page directory conglomerate European Directories to launch digital advertising products across eight European countries. These experiences are complemented by several roles at publicly traded Internet companies Yahoo and Travelzoo.

Whether you want to know the nuts and bolts of launching a startup, the difference between business roles in tech (like biz ops, BD, product management, product marketing management, and more), or how your non-tech background might translate into a tech role, David can guide you.

Company Information

If you want to do everything you can to win admission to a top MBA program, and you are ready to do the hard work involved in building your profile and creating great applications, Menlo Coaching can help. We have high standards and will push you hard to uncover every detail that will help you to find your voice and tell your story in the most compelling way possible.

You will never have a blind spot when you work with us. We visit campuses, interview admissions directors (see our blog), and employ a network of students to give us candid feedback about their MBA programs. We know the things that aren’t always discussed openly, like how schools manage their rankings, the side channels through which schools receive feedback on applicants, and more.

Our services combine unlimited 1:1 coaching with a self-paced curriculum that allows you to learn the basics in a way that fits your incredibly busy schedule. We also bring you together with other applicants to build your MBA network and keep your motivation high throughout the process.

To ensure the highest quality of service, we accept only a limited number of clients each year so that we can keep a low ratio of clients to coaches. Contact us as soon as you have committed to pursue an MBA and want to maximize your odds of acceptance.

Menu of Services and Associated Costs

We support applicants across all stages of an MBA application: planning your career goals, selecting schools that will help you achieve those goals, networking effectively with students, staff and alumni, identifying your personal story, and telling it across the many essays, application forms, resumes, and recommendations. Our structured approach means that you’ll always know the answer to the question “What should I be doing NOW to improve my odds of acceptance?”

Our interview preparation combines mock interviews, tailored to each school’s format, with communications training provided by former professional actors. You’ll overcome your interview nerves and will feel confident, authentic and relaxed on the day of the interview.

Even after the interview, we work with you to negotiate your merit-based aid. Although we cannot promise an award for any particular candidate, our clients have received millions of dollars of additional awards based directly on our negotiating strategies.

Finally, we love helping future-year applicants to build their MBA profiles through our “Early Birds” program because taking the right steps now will give you an edge in the competitive application process later.

Location: Amsterdam Netherlands

Email: david@menlocoaching.com

Website: http://menlocoaching.com/

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P&Q Consultant Reviews

  • David Was Incredibly Helpful & Patient
    1 year ago
    Overall David was an incredible resource. He knew the answer to every single MBA-related question I had throughout the process. I could not have asked for a more knowledgeable resource to help me through this process. He was also very patient during our conversations and pushed me in the right direction to make some incredible essays, and, quite frankly, better understand my own desire for getting an MBA. With his help, I was accepted to Columbia Business School with an $80K scholarship which was an extremely exciting result!
    Class of 2025 Admit
    All reviews are independently verified by Poets&Quants staff.
  • He Is The Best
    1 year ago
    I highly recommend Menlo Coaching! I was accepted into the HBS 2+2 program, and working with David made the whole application process so much more manageable and less stressful. David is extremely intelligent and creative. He knows exactly how to bring the best out of you and craft an extremely compelling story. He has highly keen insight and intuition into what admissions officers are looking for with his vast experience. I also visited their office in person in the Netherlands. It was an awesome experience and greatly boosted my productivity. Not only is David highly gifted, but he is also just an extremely pleasant and generous person. Even though we were under significant stress to hit deadlines (since I decided to apply only a couple ...
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    Class of 2026 Admit
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  • Best Coach For MBA! Totally Worth The Investment!
    2 years ago
    I worked with David at Menlo Coaching in the 2021-2022 admissions season based on the recommendation of another family member, who got into Stanford GSB after working with David. Early in the decision period, I got into Wharton with a $130,000 scholarship! This was great news and made it easy to wait for the other decisions. And then a week later I got into Stanford!!! Kirsten called around 7:30 pm right as my 5-hour flight was departing, so I couldn't tell anyone for forever! I still can't believe it, I am so so lucky and so so grateful to David and his team. Given my busy work schedule, David was great at keeping me on a weekly schedule. This helped me break down the application into manageable ...
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    Class of 2024 Admit
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  • Truly The Best Coach!
    2 years ago
    I cannot speak highly enough of my experience with David and the Menlo Coaching staff! I started working with David 1.5 years before applying for my MBA, and all of the time and money was well worth it - I got into my top choice, the Stanford GSB! I pivoted from wanting to apply to graduate school to business school, and so the MBA admissions process seemed daunting and overwhelming. David and the team at Menlo Coaching supported me through the whole thing, with structured resources, test prep, unlimited one-on-one coaching, and comprehensive mock interviews. From helping me craft my story of wanting to move from engineering to management positions, to helping me identify weak spots in my application and how I could use the ...
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    Class of 2024 Admit
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  • Best Consultant - admitted to HBS!
    2 years ago
    I could not have asked for a better consultant and a smoother application process, all thanks to David! I applied R1 this year and got into HBS, Sloan ($) and Stern (full scholarship). I started working with Menlo Coaching two years ago through the comprehensive Early Bird program but had to defer my plans for a year due to my partner's relocation. David and his team were super understanding and supportive! The things I like most about David: 1) 100% focused on you - even before we started writing essays, David spent hours talking to me about my background and childhood story. After these conversations, I realized there were so many things I had forgotten or thought were unimportant, which ended up being instrumental for my ...
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    Class of 2024 Admit
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  • David Is The Best!
    3 years ago
    If you are looking for an MBA consultant, look no further, David is your man! David was absolutely critical to my MBA admissions success. I am 100% certain my MBA application would not have been as strong without David. David was a great listener and was able to quickly understand my background and my story. David's willingness to take the extra step to know his clients enables him to provide amazing feedback and guidance as I crafted my story for the MBA process. Not only was David available all hours of the day, but his turnaround for feedback was never more than six hours. David became a trusted advisor for not only my MBA journey, but he provided me with great guidance on a few ...
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    Class of 2023 Admit
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  • Thoughtful, Honest, And Insightful
    3 years ago
    I used David for the interview prep for HBS because I heard how great he was from prior applicants. David's knowledge of the MBA admissions landscape shines from the minute you have a conversation with him. His feedback is honest and direct, which is greatly appreciated. My mock interview with David prepared me for the intensity of the HBS interview -- he asked probing, detailed questions at a rapid pace, and the largest takeaway for me was to develop a stance on all questions. Consequently, I went into the actual interview feeling a lot more confident, and I ended up being admitted!
    Class of 2023 Admit
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  • Best Of The Best!!
    3 years ago
    David was instrumental in my successfully receiving an offer to my first-choice top MBA program, and he exceeded my expectations in every sense of the word. My MBA application process was longer than expected, taking place over several years due to a diagnosis of bipolar, which caused me to postpone applications until I received treatment and felt ready to apply. David and the Menlo team were very supportive and understanding about the unexpected pause in the process and helped me complete very thorough applications to four top schools. David went above and beyond every step of the way, making sure I had strong career goals and well-written essays and was very prompt with his feedback; after submitting an essay draft in the evening, I would wake ...
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    Class of 2023 Admit
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  • Admitted To HBS!!
    3 years ago
    I worked with David and the rest of the Menlo Coaching team to apply to all M7 programs in an extremely competitive application cycle. David went above and beyond to challenge and help me clarify my career goals, and communicate them through various essay formats (e.g., video, free form HBS, etc.). We iterated on each essay over 10 times until it was flawless, and all the hard work paid off: I was invited to interview at 5 out of the top 7 programs. During these iterations, I sometimes made suggestions based on advice from friends or colleagues. Menlo always had the courage to push back on anything they thought wouldn’t work, and to explain why rather than just rubber-stamping anything just to get me out ...
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    Class of 2023 Admit
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  • Great Experience and Outcome at GSB!
    3 years ago
    I've been working with David on my MBA application since almost two years ago. Coming from an over-represented demographic and a finance background, I wouldn't have gained admissions to Stanford GSB without David's help in picking out the pieces in my experience that can connect to make a great story. I had a lot of questions and David was always patient and had a point of view. He exceeded every bit of my expectations coming into the process (and I had high expectations!). I highly recommend David and recommend getting in touch with him early so you have enough time to address points on your profile that may come across as weakness (I'm glad I did!)
    Class of 2023 Admit
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  • Great Services & Results
    4 years ago
    I worked with David exclusively in R2. David is extremely knowledgable about MBA application from school selection to scholarship negotiation. I was successfully admitted to two M7 schools with scholarships. I strongly recommend to work with David, because he doesn't use a cookie cutter approach for everybody, instead, he helped me craft a unique and compelling story. I come from a very untradtiional background with below average GPA and average GMAT. He still managed to help me create a very strong application. David is very resourceful. He has sent students to almost every top MBA school in the world and kept in touch with most of them (this tells how satisfied we are with his services!). I had a last minute school-specific question when I was working ...
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    Class of 2022 Admit
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  • Couldn't Have Done It Without David
    4 years ago
    tl:dr I was accepted at 3 T20 FTMBA programs (with money at 2), waitlisted at 2, and will be attending my dream school in the fall. In my search for an admissions consultant, it was important to me that the reviews I read through were genuine and authentic. Though there isn’t a secret sauce to identifying these, key characteristics immediately jumped out for David’s reviews: long, detailed reviews that couldn’t have been completed in a minute; the human side of David that every single person raved about; and, reviewers specifically talking about the enjoyment of the process (and NOT, just the prestige of the admit results). But in actually working with David, I realized a few other things. 1. Full service nature - Because David and his ...
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    Class of 2022 Admit
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  • Admitted to Wharton & CBS (with $60k scholarship)
    4 years ago
    David and his team at Menlo Coaching were instrumental in helping me get into Wharton & CBS despite the limited preparation time (started in Q3 without a first attempt at GMAT). David quickly demystified the entire process and highlighted what really mattered to the adcom team at the different schools. This allowed me to focus my time and energy on the aspects that maximized my chance of admission. What I really appreciated: 1)100% focused on you: Starting from the initial chat, David had a genuine interest in my background and helped me identify the qualities that differentiate me from the other applicants. He made sure that every part of my application was highly relevant and presented an angle of me that altogether made me a strong ...
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    Class of 2022 Admit
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  • Thanks to David, Incredible Results!
    4 years ago
    The last 12 months were a whirlwind: getting promoted, application essays, interviewing at ALL b-schools I applied to, navigating waitlists, and securing (deferred) enrollment at a top choice. David simultaneously was the subject matter expert, coach, project manager, and supporter that ensured I got the best possible outcome from my applications. David and the Menlo Coaching team were absolutely worth the price for me, with the biggest value from: Time saved and well-spent; knowing the limited amount of time I could spend in a given week on applications was absolutely focused on the most impactful improvements. In the middle of working on applications, a family illness caused me to have to take 4x unplanned roundtrips across the country. Additionally, I was working toward a promotion at ...
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    Class of 2022 Admit
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  • Prompt & Candid Advice from an Expert
    4 years ago
    I worked extensively with David White of Menlo Coaching and have to say it was an incredible experience. I particularly found his coaching on perfecting the essay interviews invaluable as well as the prep for both the video interview essay and the video interview (COVID times). Menlo Coaching provides not only a comprehensive set of resources for getting into your desired MBA (I ended up getting into the top school I was targeting) but also offers the opportunity to work with a variety of experts to perfect your interview skills.
    Class of 2022 Admit
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  • Above & Beyond His "Job Title"
    4 years ago
    I was accepted to Wharton, Stern (with full scholarship), and Ross (with $$). David helped make my MBA admission dreams come true! Looking back to when I was first researching MBA consultants, I was hesitant about the price, but I KNOW now that David and Menlo Coaching were worth every penny. He exceeded my expectations as an MBA coach. Not only did he provide the services that I expected (with recommendations, essays, interviewing, etc.), but he helped me beyond what I was paying for. David helped me develop a very sensitive, personal story (that I have only shared with a handful of people including David) into essays that I am still proud of and gave me guidance with multiple, unexpected issues that came up at ...
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    Class of 2022 Admit
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  • Best in the Business!
    4 years ago
    If you want to work with the best consultant in the game, look no further. I worked with an admissions consultant for undergrad, and then again to apply for deferred MBA programs while still in school, and most recently for full-time MBA applications with David. The experience working with David when compared to the others I have worked with or friends have worked with is astounding. David and I started working together about a year before I submitted my first application. He did a great job helping me make professional decisions that would improve my candidacy. Unlike other consultants I've worked within the past, David is continually available to meet via Zoom. David doesn't just help with the tangibles (resume/essays etc), he works to learn about ...
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    Class of 2022 Admit
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  • Adversity vs Persistence: A Four Year MBA Journey
    4 years ago
    I first started working with David White back in 2016. I had just started my first job out of college and wanted his help in strategizing my career while I plan to apply for MBA programs in the next 2-3 years. From the first time we chatted, David demonstrated that he was committed to helping me achieve my dreams. Always responsive, professional, and structured, he spent so much time helping me craft my story, advising me on making the right career moves, and even connecting me with great GMAT tutors. I was definitely not the easiest client to work with: I had a lot to juggle along with my job and extra-curricular, I had a below-average GMAT/GPA, came from a non-orthodox background, and went through family ...
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    Class of 2022 Admit
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  • Extremely Reliable + Very Structured Process, Admitted to Wharton ($30k Scholarship) & Columbia
    4 years ago
    My only regret was that I wish I started working with David and his team earlier in the process! Not to say that I ran out of time or felt rushed, but David referred me to a fantastic GMAT tutor that I wish I started with earlier and has great insights on how to approve your application. Menlo coaching has put together a thorough set of materials that lays out the application in a very structured way, making it tough to procrastinate. I required a lot of attention throughout the application process and David always responded within one day, even on weekends. I was persistent and non-orthodox in my approach and appreciated David's support. He continued to assist me while I was wait-listed at Wharton and ...
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    Class of 2022 Admit
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  • Highly Qualified, Thoughtful & Valuable Feedback
    4 years ago
    I enjoyed working with David during my EMBA application process. He was responsive and provided excellent feedback in order to help present the strongest application possible. David has built an efficient, well-run company and am proud to have worked with him throughout the process. He did a great job, enjoys what he does, and is genuinely invested in your success. I would recommend to future applicants.
    Class of 2022 Admit
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  • Accepted to First Choice School!
    4 years ago
    David made the whole MBA admissions process much easier. First, he worked with me to understand my true motivations for applying. It began with a multi-hour video call in which I walked him through my background and reasons for wanting to attend business school. He was quick to point out trends in my life that even I hadn't noticed. Then, he helped me to conduct the necessary research to understand each program to which I applied. I learned so much through the process, and David's nudge forced me to really connect with a plethora of current students. Next, David helped me find my voice in my essays, always probing with questions to force me to confront my weaknesses. My essays ended up being deeply personal ...
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    Class of 2022 Admit
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  • Low GMAT, Over-Represented Demographic, Laid Off From Job
    4 years ago
    Deciding to work with Menlo Coaching and David was the best decision I made in my MBA admissions journey. I came from a scientific background in the pharmaceutical industry and really had no idea how to market myself or the process involved in MBA admissions. David was instrumental in my success and overcoming the many challenges I had throughout the process. I did not have the best score on the GMAT for my demographic (white male) and I ended up losing my job right in the middle of the admissions process last fall. His advice during this time was critical to my success. His feedback was always honest and thorough, and he really helped me craft my story for both essays and interviews spending hours ...
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    Class of 2022 Admit
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  • M7 Admits with Scholarship for International Applicant
    4 years ago
    I worked with David and was very satisfied. He was supportive, responsive and he made the process more interesting than I thought would be. He always replies within one day. He also would push me when I am procrastinating. Menlo itself provides an extremely structured and also interconnected process. I felt less stressed knowing the pace is under control, and every step I make, every material I wrote will, in the end, support my application in some way. I would like to highlight also the interview training and preparation. They have a special communication program that I think I will be able to make use of beyond B-school applications. If you are close to Europe or have the time during your application process, I would recommend making ...
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    Class of 2022 Applicant
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  • Highly Recommended
    4 years ago
    I was wary of working with a consultant at all during the MBA application process, but by the end of the process, I was so glad I went with David at Menlo Coaching. He pushed me to dig deep and find the right story to tell instead of settling to tell the story everyone already knew. He pushed me to talk about uncomfortable things in my application which I think played a huge role in getting me interviews at two top MBA programs. If you want someone who will give you his full time and attention, I highly recommend David. He is incredibly well-versed in every aspect of the MBA application process and served as major support for me during the grueling process (he even ...
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    Class of 2022 Admit
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  • You Can't Go Wrong with David - Admitted to Wharton, Kellogg & Columbia
    4 years ago
    Going into the application season I was clueless about the process. Being an Indian male engineer I was in a very competitive cohort. Being a ground-level social worker I also had a couple of unconventional career choices in need of explanation. I felt a connection with David from the very first time I spoke to him. Working with him was effortless. He listens but never imposes. He would make sure I had all the data points, but he always left the final decision to me. He took me to great depths in my own story to ensure that I had the most compelling narrative. Every consultant portrays that they have a finger on each school's pulse. Maybe they do. David definitely does. He has ...
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    Nitish Tripathi
    MBA Class of 2022 Admit
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  • Admitted to 4 Top Ten Programs, with $380,000 in Scholarships
    4 years ago
    David and the Menlo Coaching team are the real deal and I couldn't be happier with their services and my admissions results. Despite my feeling that I had a generic pre-MBA story, David helped me highlight my strengths and unique experiences that I had overlooked. Thanks to David's guidance and support, I was admitted to 4 top ten programs, with scholarships from all 4, totaling $380,000. Menlo Coaching is a well-oiled machine, with a boutique, personalized feel. The process was well-orchestrated from start to finish, with an interactive project management software. Having Menlo Coaching based in Europe is actually a big advantage for US-based applicants; while you sleep, they work, and you will have feedback by morning. David is truly an expert when it comes to MBA ...
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    Class of 2022 Admit
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  • Accepted to 3 Top Schools w/ Scholarship!
    4 years ago
    Working with David from Menlo Coaching has been a huge factor in me getting accepted by Kellogg, MIT, and Tuck, all with scholarships. I chose to work with an admissions consultant well before starting my applications, primarily because 1) my undergrad and firm names aren’t as impressive as many other applicants, and 2) I’m not a sponsored student and wanted to maximize my chances of getting a significant scholarship. David’s been a fantastic partner through the entire process, from helping me make decisions to beef up my resume, to working to structure and convey my story in a compelling way, to preparing me for interviews and even helping with scholarship negotiations after the fact (I managed to get additional money from 2 top schools). David’s ...
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    Class of 2022 Admit
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  • Highly recommend - admitted to Stanford and Wharton
    4 years ago
    Working with David & Menlo Coaching is one of the best decisions I’ve made through the MBA application process. He demystified the process, kept my application on track, and ultimately helped me put my best foot forward. I worked with David on 3 schools and was admitted to two: Stanford & Wharton (with $$$). Here are a few key reasons why I recommend David & team: Expert advice: - It’s so easy to fall down the rabbit hole of blogs, testimonials and well-meaning friends who might all offer conflicting advice. David cut through that noise. I can’t count the number of times I fact-checked a piece of advice with David, only to find out it didn’t apply to my particular profile or situation. - David has ...
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    Class of 2022 Admit
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  • Last Minute Interview Prep
    4 years ago
    At the beginning of my MBA Application process, I spoke with Menlo Coaching and another MBA admissions counseling firm and ended up going with the second firm only because it was slightly cheaper (admittedly a roll of the dice as I felt like Menlo would have provided the most intensive, hands-on service). I kept in touch with David and, after I got an interview at my top school, I reached back out to get some additional interview prep so I would be confident that I would really nail it. It was very last minute but they managed to squeeze in a couple of sessions with me and the sessions really boosted my confidence going into the interview. Evidently they also prepared me well because I ...
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    Class of 2022 Admit
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  • Fantastic Experience
    4 years ago
    I really enjoyed working with David as I went through the application process. The structure of his methods makes the entire application process easy and not overwhelming. My GPA is on the lower end and I had a solid GMAT score coming in, but David was adamant that I could improve my score with a retake (was able to raise my score another 30 points). I felt like we were able to get my personal story out well and he positioned my overall application with care to make sure each aspect of the application was consistent with the others in telling a compelling story. Very happy with how it turned out as I was interviewed and admitted to my top choice rapidly.
    Class of 2022 Admit
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  • Very Helpful
    5 years ago
    When it came to the application process, I knew I really needed to nail the essay-writing and interviews; although I felt good about my GMAT score, my GPA was less impressive at a 3.4. David was great about figuring out how to position me in the big picture, what stories to tell, and how to communicate most completely. My application process ended up extending a bit longer than I'd expected. Though I'd been admitted to Stern, I was waitlisted by Booth (among my top choices) and Ross, and frankly, given that Stern offered no merit scholarship, I knew that to invest so much money into b-school, I wanted to attend a school with an attractive enough offer to leave my job that I still ...
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    Class of 2022 Admit
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  • Phenomenal Support!
    5 years ago
    80% interview-acceptance conversion. 100% thanks to David. I worked with David just for interview preparation. Effective communication has always been a personal area of improvement, and I knew a bit of guidance would go a long way. As many others have attested to, David’s support has been absolutely incredible. He was always quick to respond to inquiries, and his knowledge of the MBA admissions process was immense. Through multiple live online sessions that included communication coaching and mock interview deep dives, I was able to significantly improve my delivery and sharpen my responses. The accuracy of the rehearsed questions was spot on and allowed me to focus on things other than just answering the question in the interview (such as a building rapport and managing ...
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    Class of 2021 Admit
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  • Fantastic Experience - Admitted To Wharton & Booth
    5 years ago
    Having a very non-traditional background with a less than stellar undergraduate GPA as well as an average GMAT score, I was terrified to go through the MBA admissions process. How would I stack up against other candidates with amazing work experience and stats? How could I make myself stand out? Given these concerns, I decided to partner with an admissions consultant, and am so glad that I partnered with David. From the get-go, he was honest with me about my chances at top schools and pinpointed areas of weakness for me to address. There was nothing I could do about my undergraduate GPA, but he pushed me to raise my GMAT score. Despite my initial hesitation, I decided to move forward with the process and worked ...
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    Class of 2021 Admit
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  • Fantastic Service
    5 years ago
    David was an amazing person to have in my corner throughout the application process. As someone coming from a non-traditional background with an underwhelming profile for the top business schools, I knew that I needed all the help I could get on bolstering my resume and story. One of the greatest things about David is the time he takes to learn about you and your situation. It’s a huge difference maker in the quality of service he provides. Because of it, his insight was spot on as it related to my industry, story, and career goals. David is also extremely responsive. He’s very receptive and easy to talk to, but he won’t beat around the bush when it comes to giving you honest feedback, ...
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    Class of 2021 Admit
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  • Accepted To Darden & Stern
    5 years ago
    I first contacted David in March of 2018 after reading some of his reviews on various sites and forums. At the time, I was still studying for the GMAT and beginning this process with no idea of what to expect. Fortunately, I was able to set up a call with him in which I discussed my career aspirations and gave him a bit of my background. David immediately shortlisted a few schools that matched my goals and that he thought were attainable based on my profile and potential GMAT score. I decided after that call that I was going to go with David and Menlo Coaching. He was honest and didn’t tell me what I wanted to hear. He was realistic about what was achievable ...
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  • Outstanding Consultant - Admitted Into CBS With Full Funding
    5 years ago
    I approached David end of April 2018 while planning to apply in Round 1 2018 and told him that I am aiming for the lower half of the top 10 MBA programs in the U.S. Even though David already had his slots for R1 applicants filled he took me as his client because I was living in close proximity to his office and was able to work with him in person. Shortly after, he began to intensively work with me on my applications. His services went far beyond what I expected to get when I approached him. He invited me to the Menlo office in Baarn and basically discussed (almost for an entire day) my personal life, academic path and professional career up to a ...
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  • Overcame Employment History Obstacles
    5 years ago
    After graduating from college I had always had plans of attending a top business program. I decided to reach out early in my career to seek advice, so set up a few initial phone calls with admissions consultants. Although I wasn’t looking to sign up for any formal programs, I was so impressed with Alice and David during the initial phone call that I decided to hire them 3 years ahead of applying. Their initial thoughts about my background, story, and goals were extremely helpful and I was excited about working through their comments the next few years. However, something unexpected happened soon after. I was fired from the company I was working at. It was a stressful experience, and I knew this would leave a ...
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  • The Best Of The Best! Admitted Into Wharton With Low Test Score
    5 years ago
    I highly recommend everyone to consider a consultant especially if you are applying internationally (like I did). There are SO many ill-informed "facts" out there and what you should/should not do. Firstly, I just could NOT get anywhere near my target GMAT/GRE scores and ran out of time to even consider it further (do not recommend!). I was well aware that this was a huge risk submitting with a low 600 score, gave up hope many times, BUT throughout the whole process, David went above and beyond to ensure I was equipped to do my best in other parts of the application. With a low test score, it meant truly bringing out the best parts of my story in my essays and smashing those interviews ...
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    Class of 2021 Admit
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  • Amazing Experience - Without A Doubt, Well Worth It!
    5 years ago
    I can’t speak highly enough about David. I came to David with a lower GMAT score, an average GPA from a top 50 undergrad program, and an untraditional background. As I couldn’t rely heavily on my scores or well-known company names to prove myself, David helped me to tell my story in a convincing way. I got an offer from my top choice school (Wharton) with scholarship money, and I also received offers from Columbia and Kellogg. Throughout the five months I worked with David, he responded quickly, answered all my questions with care, gave me honest feedback and kept my expectations realistic. This made the process feel smooth and less stressful. He had invaluable insights into what schools are looking for, and he helped me ...
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  • Admitted To HBS - Well Worth The Investment
    5 years ago
    Coming from a tough professional and demographic cohort, and finding it initially challenging to adequately differentiate my application from my peers, I looked to admissions consultants to provide the guidance and expertise needed to tell my story best and make my application stand out. David came highly recommended and he certainly did not disappoint. There is an excellent online portal with weekly video modules, assignments, message boards, and other resources. The program was structured and organized, which was particularly useful during times when work or other life commitments were taking up a lot of my time and energy. David was always patient, but also not afraid to remind me of my pending to-do's or offer up his time for a phone call. When I needed something ...
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  • Well Worth The Investment!
    5 years ago
    Before deciding to work with David, I had applied to several schools and not gotten the results I was expecting. My best offer was acceptance at NYU Stern with $60k in scholarship, but I had a feeling that I could do better with a little help on my messaging. I contacted Menlo Coaching and had my introductory phone call with David, who, after reviewing my previous applications thought he could help me get much better results. Even before paying him a dime, he pointed out several areas for improvement in my applications. After deciding to go ahead with Menlo Coaching, I could immediately tell that I had made the right choice. They laid out the upcoming tasks for the roughly 8 months before application time, and the ...
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  • Great Experience - More Than Your Typical MBA Coach
    5 years ago
    I’ve been very fortunate to have worked with Menlo Coaching: David, Alice, and Team! As a male Indian tech applicant with a <700 score, I knew that I was in a very competitive pool of applicants. With Menlo’s help I was able to secure admission into a top 15 school in the US (with significant scholarship) and a top school in Europe, and I’m super happy with the result! The fact that Menlo chooses to work with only a limited number of students per round, maximizes their value add and personalized attention to help you succeed. In our 30min introductory call itself, I realized that David and team really care for you and want you to succeed in getting an admit and not just help you ...
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  • Great Coach From Start To Finish
    5 years ago
    David was a remarkable coach. He was equally helpful on the macro items (which schools were a good fit, what the full application cycle looks like, etc.) as he was on the small details that were unique to specific applications. Menlo has a structured program that helps you understand the very basics and then David makes himself available to answer as many questions you can think of... and then a few more. Coming from eight years in a niche form of sales David helped me to clearly articulate my accomplishments in an easily understood way, explain how the skills and knowledge I had acquired would be helpful in an MBA (and add value to an MBA community), and why the MBA was a critical next ...
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  • More Than Your Typical MBA Coach
    5 years ago
    I first began working with David as part of Menlo’s “Early Birds” program, which is designed to help candidates develop/improve elements of their application profile that require ample lead time (GMAT score, brainstorming “your story”, etc.). As someone from a very non-target background, I found this program to be incredibly helpful. I was able to hear firsthand the experiences of previous Menlo clients, and David worked closely with me to develop my story. After finding the Early Birds program so valuable, I decided to work with David through the primary application process as well. I applied within a very competitive industry pool, and David spent hours helping me think through ways to position my profile as unique. Then, while writing essays, David continually challenged me ...
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  • Amazing! Would Work With Menlo Coaching Again
    5 years ago
    Tl;dr; a) Brings structure to an unstructured process. b) Great work ethic. Usually got responses to questions within an hour or two (unless it’s super late for them) and usually responds to all of your essays within 8 hours. The time difference (I live in the US, David in the Netherlands) really worked to my advantage as I got input on my essays at least twice a day – once before I woke up and once before evening. c) Gives solid advice and is always there to listen to your ideas and concerns. d) No room for complacency. Will not sign off on any essay/topic until the final product lives up to his expectations. e) Structured program breaks the application into 15 bite-sized modules to make it easy to know ...
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  • Admitted to HBS, Kellogg, Sloan, and Haas in R1 with scholarships
    5 years ago
    The journey to get admitted to top MBA programs, some including scholarship, is an arduous marathon and I couldn’t have asked for better support than David. I am admitted to HBS, Kellogg, Sloan, and Haas, including a full scholarship at one of the schools, making me humbled and elated! Menlo Coaching’s structured approach to the admission process ensures that you submit the best possible version of your candidacy to the schools because you spent time understanding what schools are looking for and more importantly your own personal story. Before I approached David, I already had a good GMAT score (750) and knew that I only wanted to apply to a few top 10 programs. I appreciated that David’s involvement emphasized networking with schools heavily including campus visits and ...
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  • Admitted to CBS and Wharton
    5 years ago
    This was my second year working with David. Last year, in the first admissions cycle under the Trump administration, my best result was being wait-listed at Booth and eventually denied admission. I’m a Canadian applicant looking to pivot in to investment banking and after David analyzed R1 2017 trends, he helped me trace the issue back to schools being wary of potential H-1B Visa issues. Despite a disappointing outcome, I had zero doubts that David and I shaped an effective narrative for my story (actuary working with pension funds on investment strategy, wanted to continue to make an impact in this space by moving in to infrastructure investing at a pension fund). David really helped my essays reflect that this was a very well thought out ...
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  • Admitted to HBS / Wharton / Yale in R1
    5 years ago
    My husband and I both worked with David on our applications. David really helped the two of us to create coherent and resonating stories in order to maximize the chances of us getting into the same school. Along the process, he was a true friend who always thought about our applications from our perspectives, offering advice at every single decision making point. A few things that I really appreciated 1) Timeliness: Even though he is located in Europe, the time difference actually helped to get very efficient turnarounds. 2) In person interactions: He was in NYC for quite some time (and actually camped in our apartment for almost a week) so that we could have face to face meetings, which was very efficient. We also got ...
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  • Highly Recommend
    5 years ago
    I strongly recommend Menlo Coaching for anyone who is looking to get into top MBA programs. I started my application in early 2018. After shopping around for a few consultants, I decided to go with David and Alice because of the fabulous reviews on the internet. I am glad that I made the decision as I received an offer from a few to programs including Wharton. Personally, I especially appreciated three aspects of my journey with Menlo Coaching. First, Menlo Coaching helped me to manage a hectic application timeline. I work long hours, and setting aside time for MBA application is extremely challenging. David helped me to compartmentalized the entire application progress into smaller, digestible pieces, which made my application process much more efficient. ...
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  • Great Experience - Admitted to GSB
    5 years ago
    Simply put, David was instrumental to the success of my Round 1 applications and I’m grateful I had the chance to work with him. A few things really differentiate David/Menlo: 1) Timeliness - David gets back to you right away with meaningful and concise feedback, whether it’s for small, informal questions you have on how to approach a recommender, or with edits on an essay you are drafting. 2) Efficiency - When you sign up with David, you get the full benefit of the program he and Alice have crafted, which starts several months in advance of deadlines. They’ll make sure you visit schools, prep your recommenders, etc. - this helped me stay on track while balancing a demanding job and never feeling too overwhelmed by ...
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  • Accepted at Wharton, Kellogg, and Anderson with Scholarships!
    5 years ago
    Investing in David, Alice, and their holistic approach to the application process is an investment in 1) admission to a program that is right for you and 2) your subsequent success there (which is to say, VERY important!). Starting Day 1, David gave me invaluable guidance on exactly how to research each target school in a meaningful way – with this research, I painted a 75% picture of what my experience would look like at each program, which removed the uncertainty I felt about whether a program was “right” for me. The research also provided ample material for my essays, reducing the time it took to produce a usable first draft. Since David is based in Amsterdam, his feedback was almost instantaneous – I would ...
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  • Highly recommend – Accepted at Kellogg and Booth with Scholarship
    6 years ago
    I could not have made it through this process without David's guidance. David was highly effective in making certain I put forward the best application possible and that I was fully prepared for each of my interviews. For me, going into the process my highest concern was lack of a cohesive, personal story. David helped me pull this narrative from my experiences and career trajectory and helped me to realize the importance of personal branding and presenting stories in a compelling fashion. Additionally, he took the time to speak with one of my friends to help get an understanding of how others view me. Importantly, he balanced constructive feedback with support. Personally, I went into the process with the expectation that I may be able ...
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  • Wonderful Experience - Accepted to Stanford GSB
    6 years ago
    David & Alice were both imperative to my success in the application process - from the start of our engagement together, David wanted to understand my entire background and career history in order to craft a unique profile for my application. He was especially helpful keeping me on track and attuned to how my application should have been progressing, and provided insightful views into the application process that he learned from meeting frequently with admissions staff at various programs. I would not have been nearly as successful without his constant help and support.
    Class of 2020 Admit
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  • Accepted into Wharton, Booth, Kellogg ,and Tuck with scholarship
    6 years ago
    I could not have gotten into these four top MBA programs and received a total of >$100k scholarship without David’s guidance. David had proved to be an invaluable resource since our very first session. Because I am based in Europe, David invited me to Amsterdam for a full-day kick off meeting, and kindly helped with travel logistics. It was an extremely productive day. In the morning, I shared my stories in detail with David, who asked follow up questions and took pages of notes. By the afternoon, he already sifted through the notes and identified a few highlights that would differentiate me from others. I left Amsterdam with a near final selection of schools, a concrete plan of the application process, and a list of ...
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  • Great experience; received admission to Stanford GSB
    6 years ago
    David was an incredible resource throughout my business school application process. He typically starts his sessions by getting to know you over the course of a 2 hour phone conversation. After our initial conversation (which I found to be incredibly helpful and almost like therapy), he sent me a summary of some of his key takeaways from our conversation and suggested topics for my essay. My background is in investment banking / private equity and I found that David did a great job of helping to select an essay topic for me that would differentiate me from the other candidates who would be applying with a similar background. I iterated through a number of drafts of my essay with David and he provided candid and ...
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    - Sarah Farrell
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  • Excellent mock TBD experience - accepted at Wharton - competitive advantage going-in
    6 years ago
    I'm matriculating at Wharton this Fall. The Menlo Coaching experience for the mock TBD provided me with a clear competitive advantage going into the interview. Since I started the application process a little later in the season - having messed up the GMAT and needed to retake it - both David and Alice were fully booked (if I were to apply again from scratch, it would be with Menlo Coaching, no other admission consulting service even comes close!) However, on being invited to interview at Wharton - I reached out again, to try my luck at getting a mock interview with either Alice or David - and I'm glad I did. The mock TBD experience was seamlessly handled through a multi-person video chat. David shared expert ...
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  • Excellent Experience with a Fantastic Consultant
    6 years ago
    While I have had the plan of attaining my MBA since high school, only recently did I have an idea of why I wanted to do so. David helped me immensely in crafting my story for the application process especially considering my non traditional (engineering) background. He provided me with an unbiased opinion of areas to improve to give me the greatest results from the process. While I had done my own research initially into application strategy, David helped to clarify the goal of each individual piece, i.e. what I should be communicating in the essays or how to present myself in the interview. Even from the initial sessions I could tell that David was concerned with my success throughout the entire application process. David ...
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  • Highly recommend – Accepted at LBS
    6 years ago
    I decided to work with David White and Darren Kowitt in the first place because they genuinely tried to understand my unusual/European background and experience. I soon realized that I made the right choice. Working with David has been invaluable and reassuring from crafting my very first essay to pressing the submit button of my last application and sending a thank you note to my interviewers after my interviews: - He is incredibly efficient and responsive, which is more than appreciable, especially when, after spending hours on version 7 of an essay, you start asking yourself if version 2 was not better; - Even when I was satisfied with a draft, he kept on pushing me to go ...
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  • Interview success in HBS
    6 years ago
    David helped me a lot during the preparation for interview and I see the main impact in two areas. First, he challenged my application and my story and asked tough questions. That really helped me to think every aspect of my profile deeper and add a new dimension to the story. His approach is really thorough, analytic and no-bullshit. Second, the mock interview was an experience that was actually harder than the real one. I believe that's what you need before the real interview because the stress caused by the situation itself will balance it. Besides David responds really quickly and it's pleasure to work with him because of his punctuality and accuracy. P.S. I started to work with David a few days before the application submission date ...
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  • Received admission to Haas and Wharton EMBA programs
    6 years ago
    The results speak for themselves. David was very effective in ensuring that I had the best application package possible. In the end, I got into both Executive MBA programs at Haas and Wharton. For me, going to a consultant of David’s caliber is a no-brainer. If you want the peace of mind that your application package is the best reflection of who you are, and provides a compelling argument for these schools to admit you, go to David. Your application will be in good hands. After a good discussion, David was able to glean specific details of my personal experiences that would resonate strongly with the Adcoms. This provided me with the clarity and focus necessary to ensure that my essays had significant impact. His ...
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    Class of 2020 Admit
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  • In at Booth, Kellogg, Tuck, Yale, Darden and Ross with $$$
    6 years ago
    In 2016 I was waitlisted at Booth after an interview. After talking to various other consultants I was fortunate to come across David White. He asked for all my previous application materials to go over them before our consultation call. Unlike other consultants, who wouldn’t take a look at my previous material to do a ‘ding analysis’ unless I opted for a package, David really wanted to assess my situation to help me figure out the best way forward. During our call, he pointed out that my application materials went into too much technical detail (I am an engineer) and needed to be tailored for the adcom. He was kind enough to give a first-pass list of schools that I should target if I were ...
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    Class of 2020 Admit
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  • Fantastic experience, Great results!
    6 years ago
    After careful research on MBA consultants, I choose to work w David White as I was a re-applicant to HBS (2014, was not invited to an interview). Without any doubts, this was one of the smartest choices I ever made. From the first phone call, I felt support, care, and a very tailored approach. David not only studied my background, interests, and values, he also helped to understand my true passion and encouraged to follow my calling. He was with me every minute that I needed him and helped me to jointly think on many topics and make right decisions. David also brought completely new perspective on how I can tell my story in different ways and helped to pack everything I wanted to say ...
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    Class of 2020 Admit
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  • Great experience! M7 admit with full scholarship
    6 years ago
    After speaking with a number of admissions consultants, I decided to work with David and Darren Kowitt at Menlo Coaching due to their responsiveness, professionalism, and understanding of my story and goals. I primarily worked with Darren on my application essays, and he was thoughtful and encouraging throughout. He helped me prepare with deep introspection and then convey my narrative in a compelling fashion with clear language. David was there to provide overall advice and guidance throughout the process. This included how to approach my career pivot, where an MBA fits within that, which schools fit best, and how to devise an overall strategy to tackle the application process. He also helped with interview prep through mock interviews, and I can’t imagine walking into interviews ...
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    Class of 2020 Admit
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  • Best in the business
    6 years ago
    David and I first made contact around last March. I had talked to a few other consultants beforehand, and I told myself that I wasn't going to let the stellar reviews for Menlo bias my approach - I was committed to talking to each consultant with a blank slate and pick the one that was the best for me. It quickly became apparent that there is a reason that Menlo is rated so highly - David showed a deep understanding of my story and I could already tell that he would help me craft a compelling narrative. After confirming my intent to work with him, we narrowed down a list of a few schools to apply to Round 1 and began working on the essays ...
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    Class of 2020 Admit
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  • Experienced, diligent, fantastic!
    6 years ago
    I can easily say without hesitation that David is one of the best coaches to work with, if not the best. I'd already applied to business schools multiple times in the past but, because I wasn't good at crafting an application, had found no success. The prior processes had left me with lingering doubts about what admissions personnel look out for, what I should / shouldn't say, what was / wasn't important, etc and online forums had just confused me further. David, right from the get-go, was perfect in putting me at ease and convincingly addressing all my concerns. From our very first consultation, I knew he was different from others because he asked for my resume and prior applications beforehand, came into the consultation ...
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    Class of 2020 Admit
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  • In at my Reach Schools!
    6 years ago
    I can say without reservation that if you work with Menlo Coaching, you will be able to craft your story in the best way possible to elevate your candidacy and produce writing that you can truly be proud of. You'll have someone in your corner who sees you and your MBA candidacy far more accurately than you can see it yourself- and you'll have someone who can help you shape your application materials to be the best they can possibly be. This, along with a little luck, can get you results that will surprise you (in the good, life-changing way). I achieved poor grades early in undergrad (mainly due to maturity issues). I have somewhat of a rough past, and am very un-diverse (ahem, white ...
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    Class of 2020 Admit
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  • Admitted to HBS
    6 years ago
    I contacted Menlo Coaching early in the admissions process (among other consultants) and was put in touch with David. This turned out to be one of the most fortunate relationships I formed while applying to full-time MBA programs. From the first conversation, it was evident that David was different from other consultants. We spoke at a time that was convenient for me, for longer than the expected 30-minute time slot, and by the end I felt well on my way to a successful application season. I was given realistic assessments of my chances for multiple programs, and David helped me define an application strategy. From that point on, things only got better, and eventually I was rewarded with admission to Harvard Business School. I would ...
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  • Full scholarship to Darden!
    6 years ago
    Choosing David as my MBA coach was the best decision I made during the application process. I first came to David over a year ago, and was seeking his help to submit rushed applications to USC and UCSD a couple weeks before the R2 deadlines. He talked me out of this and convinced me to wait until R1 the following year so that I would have time to put together the best application possible – I’m so thankful that he did. David was very helpful in helping me determine my career goals (one of his specialties) and making sure that my applications told a cohesive and compelling story. He is very knowledgeable about the tech industry and helped me chart my career path and the ...
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    Class of 2020 Admit
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  • HBS Admission, Thanks to David!
    6 years ago
    David and I worked on the application for 5 schools (Top 10 MBAs in the US). HBS being my dream school we focused on this application. David is extremely well organized and he doesn’t not only focus on the essays but on the whole process. David helped me tailored my essays to an MBA level, the words were 100% mine but the text is tailored in the best way possible. David knows the particularity of every school and helped me translate that in the essays. I was absolutely delighted with the final results. I got an invitation from 4 out of those 5 schools and did blank interviews with David and his colleague Alice. They both provided me a lot of feedback and it helped ...
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    Class of 2020 Admit
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  • Fantastic experience!
    6 years ago
    I can’t say enough about David and the team at Menlo. From my first conversation with David, it was apparent that he would be honest and realistic about my profile. For many aspects of my application, I worked with Darren, a member of David’s team. In a short time, he was able to understand who I was and help me find my voice. Ultimately that’s what differentiated my experience from my peers’ who went to other firms – Menlo Coaching clearly values each of their clients and provides individually tailored advice. As for the outcome, I was accepted to Booth with scholarship! I absolutely wouldn’t have been able to get here without David or the team at Menlo. I strongly recommend him to anyone in ...
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    Class of 2020 Admit
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  • Darden With Full Scholarship After Working With Amazing Coach!
    6 years ago
    I simply cannot recommend David enough. As an over 30 year old white male coming from a background with zero business experience I knew I was facing an uphill climb. Initial conversations with other consultants went one of two ways: sugarcoating my chances or telling me I was wasting my time applying to top full time programs. From the first conversation with David I knew I was in good hands. He helped me clarify my career path and demonstrate the transferable skills that I had from my previous career experience. His feedback on school selection was always tailored to what was important to me, the experience of attending school with a family, and making a significant career switch. Our work on my essays was efficient ...
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    Class of 2020 Admit
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  • HBS Admit - Thank You, David!
    6 years ago
    When I started the round one application process, I interviewed 7 different consulting firms to see who I thought would be most helpful. Out of everyone I talked to, David and the Menlo Coaching team stood out as incredibly insightful, responsive and organized. My initial positive impression was exceeded during my experience working with David on my application. I'm very thankful that I made the decision to work with Menlo Coaching - they made a potentially stressful process very enjoyable! The various application deadlines can sneak up on you and it's important to be chipping away at your essays and application forms well in advance. David helps you to manage this progress by sending you automated reminders and keeping track of the various deadlines via ...
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    Class of 2020 Admit
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  • Accepted to Wharton and Columbia
    6 years ago
    David remained a highly reliable resource throughout my MBA application process. This was exemplified by him not only responding to nearly all of my requests within 24 hours, but also constantly thinking on my behalf. Specifically, David was very good at identifying my uniqueness among all the other well-qualified applicants in the financial service industry, and helped me brainstorm ideas and eventually construct a highly compelling, personal story. I was also impressed every time when he came back with revised versions of my essays, which were succinct and to-the-point. I ended up receiving offers from my top 2 schools, Wharton and Columbia. David was definitely one of the biggest contributors to this pleasant outcome.
    Class of 2020 Admit
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  • Accepted to HBS, GSB, and Wharton with David's Above and Beyond Help
    6 years ago
    If you want personalized and thorough attention to your unique situation and needs, look no further than David and his team. He helped me get accepted to HBS, GSB, and Wharton. David was right for me because he only took me on as a client once he was positive he could devote the time not only for our meetings but for the intense preparation he wanted to do beforehand to offer highly personalized and effective coaching. David is flexible on schedules, brings a lot of experience to the table, and has unique nuggets of insight that you can\'t get elsewhere. His interview prep was so intensely tailored to my application that I felt very confident going into the real thing. He\'s continued to be a ...
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    Class of 2020 Admit
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  • Fantastic, Experienced Coach
    6 years ago
    David is a reliable and knowledgeable coach that will support you wholeheartedly throughout the admissions journey. I worked with David to prepare for my interviews and was impressed by how closely he mirrored the actual experience. Along with the questions he asked, he shaped the environment to help me stay focused, concise, and impactful. His feedback was priceless and helped me perform well during my interview. I wouldn't hesitate to work with David again and would certainly recommend him to others.
    Class of 2020 Admit
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  • Could not recommend a better MBA coach than David
    7 years ago
    I came to David late in the game---after receiving rejections in Round 1 I knew I wasn\'t bringing my best to the admissions process. Luckily for me, I was able to work with David just in time for Round 2. David helped me with my school selection and provided great feedback on my prospective career path. He helped me refine my overly-technical resume to fit an admissions audience. He and his partner, Alice, prepped me to ace my interviews. Finally, taking advantage of his central European time zone, he gave me timely, detailed, and effective feedback on my essays. He provided a structure for me to finish my applications in time, a feat I didn\'t think possible at the beginning of the process. And while ...
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    - kevinkphan@gmail.com
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  • Awesome MBA Coach!
    7 years ago
    With David’s help, I finally got admitted to my reach schools – HBS and Wharton. Throughout the process, David worked with me closely to plan out an achievable career path that fits my background and motivations. He took his time to understand why I wanted an MBA and how it could help me succeed. Every time David reviewed my essay drafts, he always provided thoughtful advice and feedbacks, encouraged me to do more research and dig deep into the schools – the essays turned out much stronger after all the twists and tweaks. David was also extremely professional when working with my recommenders. He can always grasp important information and helped my recommenders to highlight my strengths and focus on the point. For interview prep, ...
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    Class of 2019 Admit
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  • Amazing admissions coach
    7 years ago
    David was great with helping me figuring out my story and what differentiated myself from others, and he was very flexible, readily adapting to my needs with the admissions process. Without him, my applications wouldn't have been as well-rounded and focused. He also provided plenty of constructive criticisms on my essays-- his comments allowed me to understand what was wrong and what direction I should focus on with various parts of my applications, and with his help, I was able to get admitted at a top 3 business school. Thank you David!
    Class of 2020 Admit
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  • Best of the best!
    7 years ago
    I worked with David and Alice for my business school application. David provided an amazing level of support with essay strategy and interview prep. I used David’s essay idea for my top choice business school (Harvard), worked together with him and Alice through multiple rounds of revision, and ultimately got the interview for HBS! After receiving the interview notice, I held numerous Skype-based interview practice sessions with David, and thanks to those practice sessions (where David provides very clear and actionable feedback), I was able to nail my actual HBS interview. Last week I got the admissions notice from Harvard and I’m sure that I couldn’t have done it without David’s help!
    Class of 2022 Admit
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  • Highly Recommend
    7 years ago
    David was an essential resource throughout the application process. I was late to the game in getting my applications underway but David was there every step of the way. He helped he realistically whittle down school choices and set up an efficient plan to complete the applications. He helped me craft a narrative about my experiences and goals that I would have struggled to do on my own. That narrative was very effective. Despite applying in Round 3, I was accepted at Berkeley-Haas and Chicago Booth and waitlisted at Northwestern Kellogg. I certainly would not have been successful without David's help.
    Class of 2019 Admit
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  • David is the steady guide you need
    7 years ago
    I found David through a friend's referral, after he was able to get into his dream school. Even coming to David after the "normal" time to start prepping for applications and essays, David still took the time to lead me through everything I needed. Time management became clearer because he kept track of every important date for every school (4 in total). I can easily say that without David my essays would have been a completely unfocused mess. Interview prep as well went extremely smoothly - David found time to practice over Skype, even changing his schedule to fit in last-minute sessions. But you're here to hear about results: I applied to HBS (knowing I was a heavy underdog), Booth, Kellogg, and Sloan. Of the ...
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    Class of 2019 Anonymous
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  • David is the best in the business
    7 years ago
    David went above and beyond anything I expected out of an MBA coach. I was blown away with how much he was invested in me and the outcome I wanted. David doesn’t treat you as just another client – he became intimately familiar with my background, motivations, aspirations and failures and was able to use this to provide incredibly insightful feedback as I crafted my narratives. I have moved between a couple of industries and given David’s dynamic career in various sectors he had an amazing understanding of my roles which allowed him to help me better articulate not only my career but also articulate what I want to do after business school and why. David’s support did not at all stop after I had ...
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    Class of 2019 Anonymous
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  • Accepted at 2 of the top 3
    7 years ago
    After interviewing multiple big name admissions consultants, and not finding anyone whom I felt was worth the money (or the time), I found David (& Alice) through online reviews. Their reviews revealed extremely satisfied clients, and a far wider variety of acceptances (all at the top 5-10 schools), whereas the other larger firms I had been speaking to either had very mixed reviews, or only seemed to get people into specific institutions. With Menlo, I was sold after our first call. As promised, David remained incredibly reliable, sensitive to my goals, punctual, and encouraging throughout the 9 months that we worked together. He provided extremely helpful feedback on a regular basis, kept me on track, turned edits around extremely quickly, and was always willing to ...
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    Class of 2019 Anonymous
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  • Couldn't have done it without David!
    7 years ago
    I worked with David and Alice during the 2016-2017 admissions season and was accepted to CBS, Stern, and Tuck. David worked with me on all aspects of the application, from figuring out career goals and drafting essays to interview prep. By the end of the very personal and individualized process, he could remember aspects and details of my applications that I myself had forgotten. The interview prep sessions I had with David truly helped me figure out and tighten my answers to common questions to the point where the actual interviews felt almost like another practice session. David also helped me to reach out to the Admissions committee regarding the possibility of a fellowship, which proved very successful. I can't recommend David more highly and ...
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    Class of 2019 Anonymous
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  • Excellent Career Coach – Accepted at Stanford GSB
    7 years ago
    With his tech background, David was very helpful in providing ideas and suggestions to help me decide my post-MBA goal. He was very patient when I asked a lot of questions and went back and forth on my decision. After I decided on my post-MBA goal, he urged me to write essays early, and was crucial in making my essay easy to read and concise. He also gave critical feedback for my mock interview. In general, I find him very sharp.
    Class of 2017 Anonymous
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  • Top coach for admissions and beyond - Admitted @ CBS
    7 years ago
    David was recommended to me by a colleague who was recently admitted into a top US B-School. David's best asset is his ability to quickly tune into your experience and goals, and help present a clear and compelling application. This combined with prompt communication resulted in an efficient application preparation timeline. David's experience working with many successful applicants also showed in the pre-interview phase, specifically in simplifying my responses. Based on my personal constraints, I applied only to CBS and was admitted. Working with David has returns far beyond the b-school admit - I have renewed my approach to written and oral communication after this experience. Based on my collaboration with David, I can easily see how he can also be a great executive/career coach. ...
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    Class of 2019 Anonymous
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  • Top career coach for post-MBAs
    7 years ago
    I worked with David White on my post-MBA career plans after attending Stanford GSB. He is an incredible value-add to anyone seeking tailored career guidance. I highly recommend David White at Menlo Coaching to those seeking well-thought out advice and direction. He's reliable for personalized feedback and guidance on actionable steps. His advice is detailed and up-to-date, which informed the way I looked at other career opportunities. Over the course of 10 months, David provided thorough feedback of my career choices and gave detailed counsel on the next steps I should consider. His comprehensive feedback helped me pursue a slight career change with much more confidence, which led to new opportunities I hadn\'t initially considered. His knowledge of the tech and search marketing industry provided ...
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    - joannepark929@gmail.com
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  • Super Admissions Coach - Accepted at Stern
    7 years ago
    I enjoyed working with David very much and I highly recommend him to anyone needing guidance through the process. The idea of working with someone who doesn’t ‘know me’/‘my story’ was daunting but I can now say that it was the smartest investment I have done this year. David’s was professional, organized and very thorough. He helped me achieve the best version of my personal story because he took the time to understand all its angles. He always provided the extra push when I needed it, and it was often! I am certain that the quality of my application wouldn’t have been the same had I not worked with him.
    Class of 2019 Anonymous
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  • Excellent Admissions Coach – Accepted at Wharton
    7 years ago
    I worked with David on my application to Wharton and I highly recommend him to anyone else looking for specific application support services. I came to David with a strong understanding of how I wanted to portray myself in my application and had already completed drafts of my application. David quickly validated which sections of my drafted application resonated well and which sections required work. His approach was structured, detailed, collaborative, and most importantly, highly critical, resulting in a strong application that wove a single theme/thread throughout. I was a accepted at Wharton and, in hindsight, value the worthwhile investment I made in David to help secure my spot in the class of 2019.
    Class of 2019 Anonymous
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  • Fantastic admissions coach!!
    7 years ago
    I worked with David over a six-month period during my applications to US B-schools and he helped me with almost every step of the process. Throughout our interactions I found him to be very professional, knowledgeable and experienced in the admission process & always willing to go the extra mile to help ensure that I turned in my best work. Our interaction started with a long discussion around my career goals & what I wanted to achieve post B-school. David not only helped refine my professional objectives but given his deep knowledge of Technology industry, also provided pros & cons of each route. In the next phase we shortlisted schools which were a good fit for my objectives and David & I spent a lot ...
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    Class of 2020 Anonymous
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  • Couldn't have gotten in without him!
    7 years ago
    David was a phenomenal MBA coach and came highly recommended from the GMAT tutor I used. He was beyond helpful at every stage in the process; from selecting schools, cleaning up my resume to be "MBA" ready rather than "job seeking" ready, brain storming how to tackle various essay topics, and overall making the daunting task of applying to business school structured and seamless. Once you get interviews to your school, David ensures you are completely ready by doing various mock interviews and going over dos and donts. He was extremely responsive and accommodating through the entire process, which turned out to be super clutch towards application deadlines. I would not have been able to get into my dream school (top 10) without the help ...
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    Class of 2017 Anonymous
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