Deepak Punwani

Deepak was a pillar in my MBA application journey! Right from the feedback on the essays, to interview prep – he was very supportive and kept me honest throughout the process.

Where do I even start? I was an unconventional candidate, reapplicant to most M7s, applying in R2, good but not great GMAT score, searching for the right consultant well into November, and not one brand name in my profile. I found Deepak through P&Q testimonials and am absolutely thrilled to be writing him one. With his guidance, I got into Haas as a first-time applicant in one of the most difficult application years (AdComs claiming ~30-40% uptick in apps than before) plus a Sloan waitlist. AND as a bonus, he helped me develop the right mindset about MBA + my career forward!

I started my application journey by talking to EVERY admissions consultant that was well-reviewed on Google or P&Q. As someone who had done a mix of consulting, startup ops, and investments with industry jumps and career breaks peppered throughout, I wanted someone who could see my strengths first to then elevate them. But most consultants I spoke to were highly transactional, narrow-minded about unconventional profiles, clueless about macro factors and adcom preferences. All of them told me to forget about M7 and try for more “realistic” T15 admits – almost made me lose all confidence in my profile. It took some time to realize that this is a common industry tactic to get candidates to aim lower, increasing their admit chances and hence, maintaining the “success rate” stats that consultants advertise. Where is the talent in taking template candidate profiles and not helping them punch above their weight?

Speaking to Deepak was like a breath of relief – he was genuine, knowledgable about even the niche-st of industries, spent time learning the details of my profile, and truly believed in my story and its POTENTIAL. Deepak himself has been an entrepreneur and his real-world experience shows: ready to take on the challenge of aiming high while also balancing with apps to safety schools. Throughout my application journey, he helped me surface strengths that even I had underestimated, saw beauty in the blips and the pivots of my career path, reached out to his own network for relevant insights, and fiercely countered my imposter syndrome with sound logic + evidence. His belief in you will make you work harder on your own application, imagine that! Be warned though, he will not babysit you through the process like a tuition teacher – he will treat you like the adult you are 😊 I suggest you directly ask for what you need and he shall deliver!

Deepak is professional, clear, organized, and flexible with his availability. Naturally talented at thinking and writing, he works with you on all parts of your application without an eye on the clock. The tools and process used by Deepak and MBA Exchange are detailed and effective, drastically improved my essays + interview performance from previous years. Deepak is not afraid to tell you the real deal about your own application, MBA goals, expectations of a program so you make the best choice for yourself. The man is actually a career guide, a life coach, a philosopher. And like all good things, surprisingly underrated!!

I sought Deepak’s help for two applications and one interview preparation. My experience working with him was decent overall. His guidance on resume building was helpful.

If you are serious about getting into a top business school, look no further than Deepak as your MBA consultant. His guidance was the game-changer in my journey, leading me to Columbia Business School with a $100,000 scholarship. Here’s my story:

I am a product manager who faced the disappointment of being rejected by all the business schools I applied to in my first application cycle. Determined to succeed in the second cycle, I researched various consultants. Deepak stood out immediately after our first conversation. His clear and open communication assured me that he was the right choice.
Deepak’s magic lies in his ability to be both supportive and brutally honest. He championed my ideas while gently nudging me in the right direction, ensuring my application remained authentic while hitting the B-school sweet spot.
My goal was to get into a top business school, and Deepak ensured I did not compromise on my choices even though I was reapplying. He advised me on the strategy for choosing between R1 & R2 schools and encouraged me to apply to Columbia Business School in R1. Thanks to his encouragement, I applied to CBS and not only got accepted but also received a $100,000 scholarship.
Deepak doesn’t believe in cookie-cutter advice. He dissects your profile, identifies your strengths and weaknesses, and crafts a strategy that leverages the former and fills the gaps with relevant experiences you’d genuinely enjoy, not ones forced for the application. This personalised approach makes all the difference.
Deepak’s expert guidance and unwavering support were crucial in achieving my dream of attending Columbia Business School. I highly recommend Deepak to anyone looking for an MBA consultant who will go above and beyond to help you succeed.

As someone coming from a very over-represented candidate pool and having a lower than desirable GMAT, I had an uphill battle to face when applying to top schools. I spoke to many exceptional consultants, but Deepak was the only one who believed in my overall profile and personality more than a test score – and encouraged me to apply.

I loved working with Deepak – as much as he wanted me to get an admit, he was also keen I learn more about myself through the application process and achieve my post-MBA goals by studying at the right school. I had read reviews on this forum speaking about how Deepak is more of a mentor/friend than a consultant, and I can now say that is absolutely true! Deepak was available to help at almost any hour and was always very re-assuring to speak to – which was very helpful in all the moments of self-doubt which invariably come up in the MBA application process. His guidance on how I could overcome my less than ideal GMAT was a game-changer, and I really appreciated the pointed feedback he gave on my essays. The tools his firm have for interview prep and video essays were also super helpful.

INSEAD had always been my dream school but the application process is a grueling one. By the time I got to the scholarship essays I was exhausted – but Deepak kept me motivated. He also kept my spirits high when I got put on the waitlist and helped me strategize on how to convert it into an admit.

Deepak helped me cross the finish line and I secured an admit into my dream B-school, INSEAD, that too with scholarship! 😊

Let’s get the scary detail out of the way first- Deepak Punwani is everything BUT your run of the mill MBA admissions consultant. If you are looking for one, must stop reading this here itself!
Since you are continuing to read, let me now try and explain why the above is relevant (especially if you are not a typical run of the mill MBA aspirant).
Reality check- business environment the world over is becoming far more complex and competitive than before, and a premium B school education is perhaps the most sought-after route to achieve that ‘edge’, especially for mid-career professionals. While ‘what’ to do could be a common knowledge, the devil as usual lies in the ‘how’ to achieve the desired result – which can be quite tricky often. This is where Deepak comes into play seamlessly – in his capacity as a friend, philosopher, mentor and if the requirement remains – as an admissions consultant.
To me his biggest advantage is understanding of the macro environment in terms of industries, economies, geographies and schools and then going into details relevant to candidate’s aspirations, to help him or her put the best foot forward making the entire experience relevant for candidates and Adcoms.
All this comes from the global perspective and insights gained in his own journey – firstly as a top B school student him self and later as a seasoned professional and thereafter as a top notch admissions consultant.
He is quick on establishing connect, uptake, updated on latest trends and flexible enough to schedule those late night/weekend calls – which are so crucial for working professionals. To me he is a super star, yet modest in his approach and demeanor, which makes him a perfect match for consultative engagements. His experience gained after having worked with hundreds of candidates yet looking for that star in you is what sets him apart!
Don’t go by my words alone, but if you have read this far then just go ahead and schedule that first call and see if any of this resonates with the current and future you?
All the best!

I have been late to the party as I reached out to Deepak around July. It was just the first interaction that convinced me that he was the right mentor for me. Though he was fully booked, he agreed to help me. That’s where the journey started and we kept going for almost the next 6 to 8 months. This journey was rewarding as there was so much self-reflection and I was so impressed with how Deepak pulled out one or the other element which I never felt was important. In the end, it was a smooth journey, with some failures, some celebrations, and a lifelong mentor.

I would strongly recommend him to anyone looking for a Top 5 Business School. He has a unique ability to pull out stories and create a story that looks super compelling.

When I contacted Deepak, I was already late than most of the applicants and was freaking out. I gave my GMAT in July mid and then started working on my applications. Like most of the people from overrepresented geographies, I also thought that R2 will reduce my chances of admission and wanted to apply in all of my dream schools in R1. Deepak was very kind to help me understand that a strong application in R2 is way more useful than an average application in R1.

He was more of a friend than a counsellor throughout the process. His thoughtfulness helped me open up to him to share my story and put my random strings of life together in a cohesive narrative. He was very patient with my numerous iterations and also gave great insights on what schools valued the most and how I can emphasize those aspects of my personality.

Talking about failures before the successes: I applied to 3 schools in R1 and was waitlisted in all of them. This spiked my craziness because I couldn’t figure out the missing thread. Deepak helped here again by sharing my profile with other experts and helping me understand what we could change in our subsequent applications. When I applied in R2, I had more clarity of thought and hence was able to communicate my experiences better in both application and the interview.

Deepak was the wind to my boat. He gave me direction and speed. I wish you the best and hope you get to work with him as well!

Deepak is a quiet rockstar!

Let me explain.

I started my application journey way back in 2020 when Covid lockdowns were in full flow. I researched consultants at the time and spoke to Deepak back then. His calm demeanor and his ability to get to the depth of my story really impressed me. I did not have a straightforward story and had certain unique challenges in my profile. I already held an MBA from India and had a personal challenge to deal with. However, I decided to give the application cycle a go myself as I was confident in my ability to write the essays and had a decent enough GMAT score. I did not get a single interview invite. The same cycle repeated the next year as I went solo not really analyzing what went wrong the previous year. I did not receive a single interview invite. AGAIN.

I never could pinpoint what I was lacking in my profile or my application as a whole. I thought I will try one last time and contacted Deepak again.

He not only remembered our last conversation but also lent me more of his time than allocated. He did not give false hopes but was never pessimistic.

From then on, every conversation with him was eye-opening as I learned more about my story and in his words had a “penny-drop” moment.
He gave me confidence in some of my stories which I thought were not as impressive as they were long back in my career. Despite the recency challenge to those, he mentioned how they were “spikes” in my profile.

His iterations of the essays were clear, concise, and well-thought. They were not rushed and ensured that the style, word choice, and flow were unique to me.

After a 3-year journey having applied to more than 15 schools, I applied to IMD and got through on my first try. Moreover, he helped me negotiate a sizeable scholarship.

He is deeply invested and does not limit conversations only to the application. It feels like speaking to a friend and a mentor. He never rushes conversations and does not dictate conversations via the clock.

A quiet rockstar indeed.

When I approached Deepak – I was at a stage of being unsure of my post-MBA goal but he was the one who recognized that my aim to do an MBA was more an escape plan from my current industry than an actual future goal. I was impressed at how candidly he highlighted that to me instead of painting a rosy picture thus guiding me in finally figuring out my goal. What I absolutely loved about working with Deepak was how he truly cared about the applicant and every aspect of the application rather than just treating it as his job. The framework he applies is very intuitive and thought-provoking, it helps you create a MAP of your life which is tremendously useful while writing the application. He also went out of his way to support me in applications/interviews of b-schools that were not included in the initial package I signed up for. I spoke to a couple of consultants before working with Deepak and found that unlike others, Deepak truly believed in my profile and also gave me the confidence that helped me perform well in my interviews. Special mention of the “interview stream” (a tool for interview prep at MBA Exchange) that gives you unlimited opportunities to practice and get feedback from your consultant.

Our engagement started 2 years back when in June 2020 when I was looking for consultants to apply in R1. After talking to more than 10 consultants from India and US, I realized Deepak was the one who understood my story really well and added to it from our very first conversation. I had no clue on how to go about my applications and knowing that my consultant understands me well was reassuring. I must say that I had the same feeling throughout our engagement over the last 2 years.

I found the MBA Exchange process very systematic and mature. With Deepak’s constant guidance, I could clearly see through the whole application process and develop my stories. Deepak could pick up deeper nuances from my ‘average looking’ stories and craft them into meaningful life lessons. Whether it was story development, school selection, or interview preparation, Deepak had undivided attention. I could have not asked for more. Deepak was always approachable and he never said ‘no’ to my queries/requests.

In the first year, I applied to 6 top schools in the US and Europe and managed to get one waitlist. Deepak was always there to guide and support me throughout the whole journey, and I could reach out to him even for moral support. In fact, he spent an inordinate amount of time and resources to help me evaluate an alternate plan to secure a job outside India. Deepak is way more than a consultant. He is a genuine human being who is invested in his candidates and wants them to succeed.

I decided to give MBA applications another shot. Deepak assessed what went wrong and we decided to go with a refined school/program selection as I had higher than average work ex (9 years). The reapplication process was a success and I secured an admission from Kellogg. I strongly believe that it would have not been possible without Deepak.

I have been admitted to attend the Sloan Fellows MBA at MIT Sloan School of Management and this wouldn’t have happened had I not engaged with Deepak in preparation for my application. We may tend to believe that our stories are very well known to each one of us but Deepak is capable of exploring a multitude of dimensions and creating a package that is remarkable, not only for the applicant but also for each school specifically!
Right from crafting every application aspect diligently to advising on which schools to apply to, Deepak gets involved at each stage of preparation; his knowledge of schools and their peculiar requisites is in-depth. Also, he does not restrict himself to the agreement clauses and ensures that his involvement in every facet that affects the admission process is optimal.
Finally, the application process to a top B-school made me realize that one does not just need a consultant to set the paperwork right, it is a demanding process that requires a friend, philosopher & guide. By the end of the application process, Deepak knew me as well as any of my closest friends and he never shied away from encouraging what was applaudable or denigrating what was sub-standard – that worked for me, Deepak was an accomplice who guided me to an admit and not just a proofreader.
His dedication to the process, unwavering commitment to exquisite delivery, and an eye for detail have led me to where I am, Thank you Deepak for being a part of my journey! We remain friends and I know I can always knock on his door for any professional advice, and that is where Deepak goes beyond the business model!

Seeking admits to top B schools can be a long and tedious process, involving confusion and crises of confidence. The process of getting the admit at times seems like a black box and hence it is critical to have someone you can trust guide you in figuring out the right approach. And Deepak plays that role to T; he has the deep knowledge/expertise in the process and has the emotional maturity to equip you with the right tool in traversing tricky situations. He guided me not only on how to shape the core application bits but he also became a true confidant about the various softer aspects (such as the reality of my post-MBA goals) that accompany this life-altering journey. Working with him allowed me to feel at least a modicum of control in the ambiguous process and gave me confidence that I was putting in the right ingredients. In the end, it resulted in an admit from Ross with scholarship, along with a few other waitlists (Kellogg, Tuck, Fuqua).

Applying during the pandemic year, the application journey proved way more challenging than I had anticipated. But Deepak’s emotional maturity kept pushing me and allowed me to gain results. His well thought out approach helped me explore my stories and also who I was as a person and what I actually wanted to achieve in the short and long run. And then he provided perspective on how these will be viewed by the adcom and enabled me to put everything in concise and convincing narratives. For interviews, which tended to be an intimating affair for me, Deepak put in genuine effort in preparing me, giving me helpful tips and much-needed doses of encouragement at the right time. His pep talk a day before one interview put me in the right frame of mind to go ahead and ace the interview. But the thing I’ve most appreciated is the conversations with Deepak: given his sagacious nature, every conversation with him led to unique tips and insights that will serve me for a long time even post the admission process.

Reached out to Deepak after getting a mediocre GMAT for an Indian male engineer despite multiple attempts but was highly impressed with the trust he showed in me from Day 1 of my preparations which helped me become confident in my target to apply to 5 M7 Schools.

Despite being one of the standard Indian applicants, Deepak and MBA Exchange’s structured process helped me identify unique aspects of my profile that helped distinguish my strengths and further boosted my confidence to apply to these schools. I started working with Deepak in April as I wanted to be thorough in my research and give sufficient time to my applications. The most amazing aspect of the entire process was the comprehensive structure followed during the last 9 months from school identification, networking, shortlisting to then actually customizing the applications and preparing for interviews. The process is a bit tedious and consumes a lot of time but if you do it right you definitely do it just once!

Deepak wholeheartedly ensured that I spend sufficient time following every step and despite getting an early ding from CBS, the trust in the approach helped me cross the finishing line. His thorough insights, creative touches, and personal investment in getting things ‘right’ even if it meant innumerous iterations makes him the professional you look for in a consultant.

If you are genuinely invested in crossing the line, want to do it once, and most importantly do it right, trust his process and guidance. He is an amazing mentor and an outstanding consultant for a stress-free MBA application process!

Working with Deepak, I received offers from HEC and INSEAD with a little over 2 years of work experience and a non-traditional background. A previous reviewer said it takes a truly exceptional consultant to take an unusual profile and turn it into a successful application and Deepak is exactly that- an exceptional consultant and mentor. His help and support really made a difference in my applications and I couldn’t have done this without him.

I had contacted a few consultants before the application rounds. Most seemed to apply a “cookie-cutter” approach and almost seemed to have a checklist that they used to gauge their application against. My initial call with Deepak was very different though- he took the time to understand my story and my motivations and in the end, I really left feeling like I had more clarity on why I was applying for an MBA. I feel this made a big difference in all my apps as I was working with someone who understood my story, meaning I could articulate it in a much more effective way. At the start of the process, Deepak insisted we spend quite a few weeks working on his 6 strengths framework. While this was quite time consuming, it was invaluable not just in my applications and interviews but in me understanding what my own strengths and weaknesses were. Through the application process, Deepak kept nudging me to develop my stories through honest yet supportive feedback and at the end of each application process, I could really see the difference between my first draft and my last. His practical input through my various interviews also prepared me really well to face the final meetings and again, made a key difference in the way they went.

I mentioned at the start that Deepak is not just an amazing consultant but also a mentor. Working with him, you really get the sense that you’re working with someone who is invested in your success and in your story. I would highly recommend him to anyone looking for a consultant for their MBA apps- I can’t imagine you’d find anyone better!

If you have been reading reviews for consultants and are confused about this intense process, read no further – hire Deepak as your consultant! You will significantly benefit!

Deepak goes above and beyond what I imagined my consultant would do for me. (I’ve tried other consultants in the past b school cycle before.) Unlike others, Deepak is gracious and helpful and always puts his client first – he really believes in you and goes the extra mile to get you what you need. He’s demonstrated this in many ways, be it encouraging my confidence before interviews, helping me choose the best consulting packages that work in my favor, etc. You can trust him to be your partner in this process 100%.

Deepak is clearly an expert in the b school admissions process, he’s consulted for 10+ years and has both the knowledge and resources to help you give the admissions process your best shot. We worked on everything from choosing schools, pros and cons of gmat score improvement, choosing stories and writing essays, selecting recommenders, choosing between admits, negotiating scholarships, and more. He knows the ins and outs of the admissions process holistically!

One thing I particularly remember Deepak helped with is zooming out and strategically helping me see the big picture. He didn’t just help me get into business school, but he helped me understand how business school will help me achieve my larger goals. We talked about my ambitions and also career topics like how to keep a healthy active network over time, how to finance the MBA, or how to tell your manager you’re leaving, etc. Deepak goes beyond a consultant – he’s your career coach.

If I have to include a critical detail of working together to try to make this a fully authentic review, I would say that at times a few of the essay drafts could be sent back a bit faster, which would help meet the deadlines. However, once I texted Deepak (yes, he’s very available over text!), then those were sped up and that was helpful of him so I had time to make more revisions. Deepak is great at being available for your questions and thoughts.

I’m very grateful for the time and energy Deepak has invested in me, he really believed in me, and it’s helped me get here in the place of choosing between multiple great schools! I was fortunate to receive 3 admits, several with $$, and 1 waitlist, all in the top 10 business schools. I might not have even applied to the top 10 types of schools if it weren’t for Deepak and MBA Exchange, as I didn’t know if my profile was strong enough – he helped me, first of all, believe that it was possible and then deliver on the areas needed to get there!

Give Deepak a shot! 🙂 He will significantly increase your chances of getting into the school of your dreams, and you’ll learn a lot about your career along the way. You’re signing up for a coach who will champion you.

Having spoken to Deepak, I am convinced that I have not come across a better strategic thinker, and a more brilliant yet genuine person than him. There is absolutely no doubt in my mind that I will recommend Deepak to all my peers who plan on applying to US B-schools.

I have known Deepak for more than 3 years now. Our association started of with a friendly call in 2017, while I was researching consultants. In 2017, I also spoke to a few more consultants and I was very sure that Deepak was the best for me. What ticked me was his approach to my candidature, while others used standard frameworks to filter candidates’ profiles. Deepak is a very patient listener too and I explained my situation – that I was a re-applicant from overpopulated demography and relatively lower GMAT score.
In 2017, while we made some progress (got waitlisted at one of the US Univs) – we realized some of the issues in the application process and as many have quoted here, the application process is like a black box. The best part was, Deepak was able to immediately identify the issue and in the next year – 2019 that I applied, we were very clear in the choice of schools.
Deepak’s ability to creatively craft boring stories stood out and is evident from the results of this year – got admitted to 3 schools (ISB, IMD, and HEC Paris). Many times, Deepak has also played ‘agony aunt’, calmly listening to my cries and worries and also providing actionable next steps. Furthermore, I have forged a strong relationship with Deepak as a mentor and a counselor – he has helped me with some critical professional decisions too.
I strongly believe, working with Deepak has been one of the best decisions in my life, and will strongly recommend him.

I still clearly remember my first call with Deepak, after talking to him for 20 mins I was sure I wanted to work with MBA Exchange, and today I can say more confidently that I made the right decision. Coming from a very unconventional background of oil & gas, applied with GRE and not the traditional GMAT, higher average work experience and age. There is a tremendous amount of uncertainty inherent in the process and applying with several challenges in my profile was not undemanding.
I believe that any good consultant can work with a strong candidate, but it takes a truly exceptionally good consultant to work with a candidate that has multiple weaknesses in the application and turn the candidate into an accepted student at the top two business schools. Deepak understood my goals, my aspirations, and most importantly my passion. The entire application process is undoubtedly very demanding and nerve-wracking at first but Deepak’s calm & reassuring demeanor, his structured outlook and his incredible responsive approach with thoughtful, comprehensive feedback and his unwavering support for interview preparation provided me perspective, improved self-awareness and facilitated a deeper level of learning about myself which was very important for me to write the MBA application essays.
Deepak’s creative, well-articulated, detailed, and insightful feedback & suggestion helped tremendously in exploring my post-MBA goals, personality traits, past experiences, etc. which helped, in turn, to filter out the best life stories out of a wide list and craft well thought out essays that highlighted the unique &a most impactful aspects of my profile. Deepak provided a lot of support for the interviews by taking multiple mock interviews and even a day before the actual interviews which not only helped me to calm my nerves but also prepared me for most of the expected questions. I applied to 6 schools & aimed for round 2 of the admission cycle, out of which I received interview invites from HBS, Wharton & Kellogg and got admitted to HBS & Wharton with a waitlist in Kellogg. HBS was my dream school and Deepak’s immense support made my dream come true. Working with Deepak and the entire MBA exchange – super responsive & helpful – team was the best decision that anyone can make. I highly recommend MBA exchange and especially working with Deepak.

Deepak has been an incredible support system over the past year. What stands out about him is his calm and reassuring demeanor – and this is reflected consistently through every conversation with him. Applying to B-school can be understandably nerve-wracking and stressful. However, Deepak’s attitude translated directly into this experience and ensured I was confident, always at ease and putting my best foot forward.

Deepak adopts a long-term lens to solving for an application. School selection, therefore, isn’t just about whether you’ll “get in” but whether you’ll be a good fit and actually succeed at achieving long-term goals through the program – an approach I found to be extremely balanced. It helped me maintain a linear thought process and stay optimistic. His feedback is honest and concise, and he doesn’t shy away from advice that be hard to digest. I also really appreciated Deepak’s proactiveness; he’d often leverage personal networks to access deeper insights into facets of my applications. His active mentorship and nuanced support helped me ace my applications and interviews and eventually gain admission to my dream school – Kellogg (uncannily the primary school he had recommended for my profile in our very first conversation).

Overall, it’s been an absolute privilege to work with Deepak (and the team at MBA Exchange) and I’d highly recommend him to anyone looking for a stress-free and positive application experience.

What I loved about working with Deepak over a period of 6 months was his deep understanding of schools and the application process. Deepak was candid and showed me the mirror which really helped me bring my best to the fore. Right from our brainstorming session to all the groundwork we covered even before coming to the applications was crucial to my success. Deepak’s continuous feedback, him being a call away and simply questioning my work helped me in the right direction and ultimately convert to my 2 dream schools! Another thing that stands out about Deepak is his ability to understand people, profiles, work and profile fitment with schools that you can’t find online. My first essay and the final one I submitted look so different! All thanks for Deepak

I worked with Deepak for about nine months over two different application cycles. After initially getting interviewed and waitlisted at Ross, I decided to wait and apply in the following cycle. Working with him for such a long time (more than an average applicant), I got to know him quite well. He was always positive, encouraging, and a reassuring presence during what was a new and challenging experience for me.

Deepak took time and interest to get to know me beyond my profile on paper and helped me reflect my authentic self in the application. He has a thorough understanding of the process and added value to every aspect of my application. He encouraged countless iterations of each element and ensured I was putting my best foot forward to stand out in arguably the most competitive applicant pool. I especially enjoyed my mock interviews with him. Deepak is an exceptional interviewer and I genuinely believe that some of his feedback will help me beyond just getting into B school. Similarly, brainstorming with him, I gained more clarity on the professional opportunities and my own aspirations post my Columbia MBA.

I would highly recommend Deepak and MBA exchange to anyone looking for guidance through the MBA application process.

I have worked with Deepak as my part of my MBA application journey over the past 9 months. He did a great job of understanding my current work profile since it’s quite non-traditional, providing strategic advice on which schools to narrow down on and multiple reviews of application material. However, what truly differentiated Deepak was the fact that he went above and beyond to get to know me as a person. This is invaluable since it helped him guide me through how to bring my genuine voice out to an MBA AdCom, how best to network suited to my learning needs and most importantly, how to enjoy what could easily be categorized as an arduous process. Admittedly, I’m not an easy client to deal with and had high expectations. Deepak not only delivered on them but handled the entire process with admirable composure. He doesn’t shy away from providing constructive feedback in a digestible, actionable manner. While MBA applications are one thing, a lot of the process is eye-opening towards what an individual vocational needs, what one’s strengths/ weaknesses are and ultimately, a prudent self-reflection of where one’s qualities would best fit in today’s world of endless opportunities. Deepak understands this aspect of the process and provided guidance that goes beyond just MBA applications. I look forward to continuing my association with Deepak as an INSEAD alum and acquaintance and highly recommend him to anyone looking to get into a top B school.

Rankings are a great starting point when choosing your initial list of schools but to narrow it down, you need visibility to the true differentiators between each – information that you won’t find online. I found Deepak’s advice here to be most helpful. His insights into the nuances and unique traits of each school reflect his deep research and extensive network. His recommendations tend to be balanced, reasonable and objective. He very quickly helped me narrow down my choices to LBS, INSEAD and Columbia. I really enjoyed working with him on my applications too – he would challenge my work enough to help me see different perspectives before allowing me to take a decision on which route I wanted to adopt. Deepak was very flexible with his time and helped me fine tune, right till the end!

Background: 1.5 year of Big 4 experience and 2.5 years of international investment role in a Chinese real estate firm.

Offers: Kellogg, INSEAD, Duke, Ross, Cornell
Rejects: Tuck, Yale

Review:
1. Gave me a good and thorough analysis of the range of schools and recommended those that best fit my background and career goals.
2. I consider myself a reasonably prepared applicant but Deepak was still able to give me some valuable tips on how to make my goals from ‘good’ to ‘great’. He helped me dig deeper into my experiences and discovered stories that helped my application stand out from the rest.
3. He gave me a good detailed understanding of the job scope of management consulting. This not only helped me improve my career goals essay but also helped me make the right career choice. Today I work for one of the best consulting firms and I am glad Deepak helped me kick start this journey.
4. His interview preparation was also great. I felt this way 4 years ago as I was preparing for the MBA interview. Now that I have graduated for almost two years and having interviewing multiple candidates as an alumni interviewer, I have come developed an even deeper appreciation of just how practical and insightful Deepak’s mock interviews were!

While I felt that there were several challenges in my application like having higher than average experience and being part of one of the most competitive applicant pools (Indian Male), Deepak identified unique aspects in my profile which were valued by B-schools. His structured approach in which all my life stories – personal and professional – were mapped in a framework, not only helped me in writing the essays but also helped me in the interview stage (I had 3 interview calls – 2 of which were from top 5 US schools). I finally got an offer from a top 5 US school which was my first choice. Deepak also helped me to position myself for a scholarship at this program. Deepak is extremely approachable and friendly and that makes sharing one’s experiences, ideas and views with him very easy. I would strongly recommend taking help from him for cracking any top B-school.

Deepak and MBA Exchange have a very good process that they like to stick to and for good reason. I worked with Deepak on CBS and Kellogg and was admitted into both despite a low GPA. Deepak has a brilliant understanding of the admission process and the brainstorming sessions with him were just phenomenal. I got a great perspective on how to present my experience and position myself as a strong applicant despite only 2 years of full-time experience. He encouraged multiple (and seriously multiple) iterations on the essay and every iteration turned out to be an improvement.

One con though – I think his contribution to enhancing my CV was not up to the mark and current MBA students were of better help to me.

It was a pleasure to work with Deepak Punwani during my MBA Admission journey in 2012. He is exactly the sort of coach you want as you reflect on your goals, ambitions and define a pragmatic gameplan. Deepak is caring, impact-oriented and plays to win while his humility sets him apart from others.

Deepak builds relations for life and has stayed as my mentor over the years.

Deepak is absolutely phenomenal at what he does.
I worked with Deepak for 4 top tier tier schools and recieved admits to 2 of them.
Right from the beginning he was committed in bringing out my strengths. We would have long conversations about the the kind of work that I had done and Deepak would then provide an outside-in perspective on my work. Needless to say Deepak was extremely committed to my application. He always had time for me, even for the most minor clarifications.
In fact, he went above and beyond what he had committed to and helped me out for an additional school, without charging me, since he felt my profile would be a great fit with the school’s culture. In the end, I ended up going to this school.
Finally, I have made it to M/B/B consulting firm and I am grateful to Deepak.
I highly recommend Deepak to all future applicants.

Targeting these top European B-schools (INSEAD, Cambridge Judge, HEC Paris), I started with the odds not fully in my favor: 650 GMAT, relatively small work experience, average GPA. But thanks to Deepak’s help and amazing advice on all 3 applications, I managed to have a full house on the MBA acceptations! 3 out of 3 for me: HEC Paris, Cambridge Judge, and INSEAD! Deepak knew exactly how to handle the specifics of each B-school, suggested real value-added details to put in every essay and every CV I prepared. He was amazing on this first step of the process but also on the interview phase where we prepared mock question/answer sessions for each B-school. In addition to his real expertise on the content, Deepak is a generous, kind, friendly and open minded consultant, and I would recommend him greatly!!!

I have mobility limitation due to a form of genetic disorder, where most candidates starting point is to chose country or business school before starting the application, my starting point was bit different. I was trying to really understand whether MBA makes sense for me given my disability. Like many other consultants which all pushed this question to be of least priority, I was not expecting anything different from Deepak, but to my surprise the very first question he asked me was “How I plan to take this step in the current situation”, that moment I realized I was in the right hands.
Who says there are no free lunches! I got a full career counselling service for free, and this demonstrates a lot about Deepak’s personality. He genuinely cares about each story and only signs up after he is fully confident in helping an individual- Without even signing up he first helped me to drop note to different schools that I am targeting and helped me get their first-hand opinion before even starting my application, this helped me get rid of most undesirable choices and saved of lot of money.
With the complications around travel, medical care, visa rejection of my care take taken, we set our eyes to Indian School of Business, I remember I was working in the London office, despite the regional timing difference I never faced any issues in communicating with him, he almost responded every time within 12-14hrs. The entire process was smooth, he helped me in all aspects of applications including Resume building. He also introduced me to alumni of different school who guided me well and are still my mentors, this is something I feel was a great value add and very rarely do consultants do this.
Lastly, he brought so many positive aspects of my story and entire life journey which I thought would never have been possible without Deepak really taking deep interest and pushing me to bring out true essence of why I acted in certain a manner under different scenarios.
I got admitted to the school I wanted, Indian School of Business but the cherry on top was a merit scholarship granted to only top 20 applicants.

I have worked with Deepak for almost a year. At the start of my application I felt I was at a disadvantage as I had low GPA, I was older, Indian Male and I didn’t work for any Multinational Companies s or did have much international exposure.

The year before I subscribed to deepaks service, I was working with a younger consultant, who passed out from an ivy league school. While working with her, I realised that odds of her getting into top school were way better than mine due to demographics and she was the “ideal candidate” due strong academics. I felt there was lack of understanding regarding my candidacy and hence her advice ignored some important point. The reason I am stressing on other consultant is to highlight the importance of selecting the right consultant. It is very important that consultant should be able to value your individuality and then built on it.

Subsequently, when I met Deepak I felt he had the maturity to understand and project my candidacy in the right manner. He has in-depth understanding of each college and discusses the fitment for each one in detail. He helped me select the right program/ college and devised an independent strategy for each college. The approach for each college was subtly different. He also helped me connect with admission team as well as alumni where I didn’t have proper connection. He also helped me decide which colleges to apply in which round. Many a time I felt he had gone out of the way to help me with my application and got kind of hand-holding which not many other consultants provide.

My friends from top colleges has proof read my application and was more than happy with the outcome. I was waitlisted in two of the top ivy league MBA programs. Thanks to Deepak.

To start working on your MBA application, one would need help from an experienced consultant who can go beyond his work to understand you and wisely bring out your skills and career journey to the adcom.
Deepak, undoubtedly, works with you on your application beyond your expectations and brings the best out of you. He not only works like an expert consultant (structuring your application building, planning and working with timelines,etc) but also becomes your mentor and friend in the journey. He will guide you through your career path along with the application and hone some of your skills. His vast experience in this field across the continents helps a lot in terms of understanding the adcoms, the school choice and your fit with the school. He will be there with you not only till you get into the school but even after that. I have realized this by interacting with some of the other clients.

In my case, I had left a good banking job and started my own fintech firm in India. When the firm was 1 year old, we had received reasonable funding and scaled our team to set the operation right. We also applied for an NBFC. When things seemed in place, I thought of gaining more knowledge and enhancing my network so that we can strategically expand the firm after the first 2 years. That’s the time I decided to apply for an MBA. I was confused which school will suit my goals and how I should approach the school. I was also worried since I would be leaving my own startup which was picking up.
When I approached Deepak, I immediately connected/gelled with him. He guided me through school selection and also structuring my proposition to the school. He was so flexible to suit my application needs, that worked with me at nights, early mornings and even had personal meetings when needed. He did give a lot more time to on call conversions too. That is what I mean by going the extra mile.
I think such support of adjusting with the client, gelling well and becoming a mentor plays a key role in the candidate’s career.

His support got me an interview invite to Wharton and I was also waitlisted at LBS! This is so difficult for an Indian male engineer entrepreneur!

I had a slightly low GMAT score for the candidate pool I was applying in. Moreover, my work experience was extremely diverse and hence needed someone to help me stitch my story together and tie it with my goals.

Deepak went over and above what he promised. We experimented with different strategies in different rounds. At the end, I received an admit from 2 schools.

Would highly recommend Deepak.

It has been a great pleasure working with Deepak and MBAExchange. Coming from a non-traditional MBA feeder background (oil&gas), aiming to switch into management consulting, I admit that I was quite overwhelmed by the application process at the beginning. But the MBAExchange and Deepak really came through and helped me get a clear view of my position, my strength and weakness. Deepak was really thorough and insightful in the whole process. He has ample knowledge of the what AO is looking for in applicants. He helped me dig deep into my career and life to find my selling points, and helped me construct my essay in such a convincing fashion. I feel he totally elevated my application package to another level. The mock interview and feedbacks are another thing that I will always be thankful for. I had always regarded myself as an average interviewee. But Deepak’s feedback certainly changed my view, boost my confidence and had me notice my room for improvement. With the help of Deepak, I totally nailed all the interviews (7 in, 1 WL out of 8 interviews). I would recommend Deepak to anyone who is looking for maximizing his/her chance of getting into a top MBA program. Thank you, the MBAExchange and Deepak!

Great feedback on presenting my story in a way to highlight my strengths and true beliefs – as well as those things that set me apart from the crowd. Timely feedback and pleasure to work with.

It seemed impossible to get into a top Global bschool with a GMAT score, which is a lot lower than the average GMAT scores of any top Global bschool. But both MBAExchange and Deepak believed that it is possible with such scores. I especially want to thank Deepak, who worked with me throughout the process and patiently listened to my viewpoints before putting his views. He knows the nuances of all the aspects of the application and knows what Adcoms are looking for in the profile. His strategies on how to proceed with the whole application process were really admirable. He made sure that even if application needs multiple edits but we should be submitting no less than 100% of what is needed. Also his insights during mock interview really helped me. His suggestions really gave a very unique perspective why something will or will not work. Moreover, he was so approachable throughout the process that he answered some of my very basic questions and doubts. Without Deepak’s help, it wouldn’t have been possible for me to get into IE Business school. Thank you Deepak and MBAExchange for working with me.

My engagement with Deepak was absolutely incredible! He knows the ins and outs of the admissions process, but more importantly has an exceptional ability to probe your stories with right questions in multi dimensions. Further, he always structured every conversation in a positive way, maintaining articulation and poise, which was completely inspirational. I have sought his advice on few small conversations on off-time hours, just as I was prepping up for the interviews, and was amazed to see he was always there, happily without any concerns even as he grappled with his personal life struggles. He would go out of his way to proactively schedule meetings if for some reason he felt the previous engagement wasn\’t sufficient. That spoke to me how client-centric he always is! I wish him nothing but the best of luck in all his future endeavors.

Working with Deepak has been an immense pleasure – he is incredibly knowledgeable about what adcom is looking for and provided the right guidance to tell my story in a way that resonated. Deepak genuinely takes an ownership mindset and was committed to helping me through the admissions process from beginning to end. He guided me through the introspection required for the essay and helped me structure my thoughts. In working with him on the essay, it was a delight to have someone that would really help reframe my story and help challenge some of my own perceptions about business school and the INSEAD experience. I would strongly recommend anyone looking to refine their story and essay for B school to work with Deepak. Also, I got accepted to INSEAD thanks to Deepak.

I saw significant improvement in my 2017 apps working with Deepak after I got all rejects in 2016 going solo. The application building process was very methodical and fruitful. Deepak’s support helped me completely gather all the information that can be put in front of the adcom from my life experiences. That made the essay writing easy and enjoyable. Had a few last minute delays due to unavailability from Deepak’s side, but that did not affect the quality of the application as we covered up. Overall the essay writing was strong and his advice on recommender selection was solid. But Deepak’s real strength is in preparing you for the interviews. He helped me prepare for Booth alumni interview with a pretty senior hedge fund manager. Two sessions and a few practical suggestions later, I was able to confidently navigate the interview. Got the admit.

Immediately after my first meeting with Deepak, I realized that he was the consultant I wanted to work with. For someone who was looking to get into the top B-schools at a relatively younger age, I was looking for a consultant who would understand my unique story. Also equally important was to be able to connect with the consultant at a personal level. Deepak’s strong abilities to empathize and warm demeanor helped successfully tick both the boxes. Once the process began, Deepak’s objective and honest opinion helped me select the best schools for my goals and profile. Simultaneously, the brainstorming sessions helped me dig deeper into past decisions and motivations, which in turn helped me script convincing essays. Deepak’s active oversight during the entire process ensured that I portray my strongest and truest self throughout the application. Further, his inputs during my interview preparation helped me improve on my flaws and gain the confidence to succeed in the interviews I will be headed to the Haas School of Business this fall and it really would not have been possible without MBA Exchange and Deepak!

Do you know that you can deliver the best results when we are at ease and when there is someone to remind us of our strengths rather than our weaknesses? If not, I would profess to all future prospective B school Applicants to just have a chat with Deepak before you choose any consultant and you’ll experience that instantaneously !! After completing my GMAT with a 700, I was skeptical about my chances of securing a place at one of the top B schools ,especially INSEAD. Moreover, my above average age (30+) and core engineering background in Oil & Gas industry increased the odds. Before I approached MBA Exchange , I had spoken to a few other consultants. Some didn’t even listen to my complete story and some claimed that my goals didn’t fit in. To my respite- I found MBA Exchange ! I was very much impressed by the free comprehensive evaluation of my profile they provided. I chose Deepak as my consultant after reviewing his profile but my decision was strengthened when I had my first ‘chemistry chat’ with him. His polite nature, motivating attitude and ability to stimulate a person’s thought in exploring his/her life experiences are exceptional. We all know that the candidates who are ‘5 stars’ in all aspects will anyways get into one of the top B schools . But, the art of helping an average candidate secure a place in a top B school is a real challenge and Deepak is an expert in this . He is very professional in what he does and provides proper guidance and support. He guided me to choose B-Schools and brought the best out of me. The final essays submitted to the schools could not have been the same without Deepak’s comments and edits. His insights during my mock interviews finally helped me ace INSEAD interviews. It gives me immense pleasure to thank MBA Exchange for the services and Deepak for his ‘serious and brilliant’ counseling. He was indeed very professional and accommodating. Enjoyed working and learning during the process. Much appreciated and highly recommended.