Maria Wich-Vila

Founder

ApplicantLab

United States

Net Promoter Score: 9

Consultant Bio

Maria started volunteering with the HBS admissions office when she was getting her MBA, helping organize events for prospective students. At those events, she’d invariably be asked: “Applications are due soon, and I’m stressing out, but I can’t afford a consultant! Can you help me?” Always happy to have an excuse to procrastinate from reading cases, she agreed.

That was over 15 years ago, and she’s been providing admissions advice ever since.

Maria founded ApplicantLab in order to level the playing field when it comes to MBA Admissions – expert advice shouldn’t cost a fortune!

ApplicantLab’s unique on-demand platform gives applicants all the advice they need to prepare strong applications in self-service format for one low price. After working through all of the advice modules, users who wish to receive additional help are able to schedule 1:1 reviews to receive individual feedback and guidance on how to refine and strengthen things.

Because of this setup, ApplicantLab’s optional services are extremely high value for money (since we don’t have to spend our valuable time covering the “basics” with you).

Maria is a member of AIGAC, and has partnered with non-profits aiming to expand access to MBA programs for lower-income or under-represented groups. ApplicantLab is proud to partner with the Forte Foundation, the Riordan Fellows program, as well as Prospanica (the organization formerly known as NSHMBA). Maria serves on the Board of Prospanica’s Los Angeles chapter, where she routinely holds admissions strategy events. In addition to advising MBA applicants for over 15 years, she has served as an alumni admissions interviewer for Princeton for over 20 years, helping to make her mock interviews a particular client favorite.

Company Information

ApplicantLab was created to provide world-class admissions advice at an affordable price. Founded by a Harvard MBA who used to volunteer with the HBS admissions office, our mission is to provide our clients with the frameworks and tools they need to learn how to win the admissions game.

ApplicantLab’s clients have been admitted to the world’s top business schools including: HBS, Stanford, Wharton, Booth, Sloan, Kellogg, Haas, Columbia, Yale, Tuck, Fuqua, Stern, Darden, UCLA, Cornell, USC, UT Austin, Carnegie Mellon,  Georgetown, Kelley, Olin, LBS, INSEAD, IE, IESE, ISB, Cambridge, and many others! Often times, with substantial scholarships.  We also help candidates applying to the Consortium.

On the part-time and executive MBA front, we have helped people get accepted to Stanford MSx, MIT Sloan Fellows, LBS Sloan Fellows, Ross EMBA, UCLA FEMBA, Darden…and more success stories are being added all of the time!

A key offering of ApplicantLab is its on-demand platform for admissions advice, which will walk you through every step of the process with a series of interactive exercises.

ApplicantLab’s platform won the “Audience Favorite” vote at the “HBS Alumni New Venture Competition” and was named a top ten “Education Technology Pioneer” by the SIIA.

If you’re a motivated, independent worker looking for a cost-effective way to prepare your winning admissions strategy, ApplicantLab could be a great fit for you!

Menu of Services and Associated Costs

ApplicantLab’s step-by-step series of interactive exercises teach you how to win the admissions game at a significantly lower cost than working with a traditional consultant!

Here’s how it works:

– For $349, get a step-by-step interactive platform that walks you through everything you need to craft a strong application (essays, resume, recommendations, and interviews).

– After going through the exercises, should you like additional guidance and 1:1 feedback, we offer a number of optional add-on services including our famous “Sanity Checks” (in which we review your resume and overall story to make sure your application “foundation” is strong), Strategic Essay Reviews, Editing Services, and Mock Interviews.

 

 

Location: United States

Email: support@applicantlab.com

Website: http://www.applicantlab.com/

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P&Q Consultant Reviews

  • Maria Is A Wizard & ApplicantLab Is The Highest ROI Investment You Can Make!
    2 weeks ago
    Applying to business school is a deeply personal and transformative journey, and as I sit here with multiple admits to some of the best business schools in the world, I'm filled with gratitude for Maria and ApplicantLab! The application process is fairly long and complex, but ApplicantLab's structured framework truly demystifies applying to business school. The Lab is set up the way it is for a reason and requires putting in the work end-to-end. Put simply, ApplicantLab works if you work. Three aspects that truly stand out are the school specific recommendations, the interview module, and ApplicantLab's ability to help you introspect. Most of the top business schools are covered, with specific advice for each application. Furthermore, if you've put in the work up-front, the interview module ...
    Read the full review
    Class of 2025 Admit
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  • Applicant Lab Is The Best VFM Help You Will Get
    2 months ago
    Trying out ApplicantLab was the best chance that I took. I had just sat my first GMAT and was looking for guidance on how to tackle the whole application process. Coming from India, all those highly rated consultants who I felt would be the best for me, were priced completely out of my reach. To add to the cost was the fact that these consultants work in packages of 3 or 5 or more schools. This felt like a limiting factor. What if I wanted to apply to more schools? What if I changed my mind and wanted to apply to some other school than what we would decide initially? Do not misunderstand me. I come from a non-traditional background, and at that time, I ...
    Read the full review
    Class of 2026 Admit
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  • ApplicantLab & Maria Helped Me Get To My Dream School - THANK YOU!
    8 months ago
    Applicant Lab was a game-changer for me! Coming from Vietnam, I did not have a lot of access to the business school's info sessions - Applicant Lab took it to the next level with specific school details to help with essay and application strategies for a fraction of the price! On top of that, the HBS mock interview that I did with Maria was also empowering and gave me confidence and improvement points so I felt comfortable going to the actual interview and secured the offer from HBS. Would highly recommend it to everyone who is applying to business schools, thank you, Maria!
    Nhat Anh Le
    MBA Class of 2025 Admit
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  • INSEAD Admit With $, Thanks To Applicant Lab
    8 months ago
    As a lawyer who wanted to get into a top business school, I didn't have much knowledge or experience with the process. I wanted guidance, but I didn't want to pay a lot for admission consultants. I came across Applicant Lab through some YouTube videos (AdCom's hierarchy of needs!) and it had an immensely positive impact. Once I signed up, I realised that Applicant Lab is an extremely powerful platform that helps you with every aspect of your MBA applications. It can assist you in identifying your strengths and weaknesses, clarifying your career objectives and accomplishments, matching your personal qualities with the preferences of each school, crafting impactful essays, getting ready for interviews, and providing other forms of support. Simply put, it's a wonderful treasure trove ...
    Read the full review
    Class of 2024 Admit
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  • ApplicantLab and Maria helped me get into my dream school
    9 months ago
    I come from a non-traditional background. No one in my professional circle has an MBA, let alone an MBA from a top school in the country. So when I started thinking about applying to business schools, I knew I needed someone to guide me. However, the absurd prices some of the other consultants asked for was too much for me to pay without feeling guilty for wasting money. I came across applicant lab through GMAT club, the prices were astonishingly low, so I decided to try them out and I am so glad I did. The modules in the program were designed so thoughtfully that it was a joy to work on the different modules on my own time to build a story for my ...
    Read the full review
    Class of 2025 Admit
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  • Game-Changing - HIGHLY RECOMMEND
    2 years ago
    I worked with ApplicantLab on reviewing my MBA narrative and resume. ApplicantLab distilled mountains of wisdom through their rich experience in the domain down into (1) fun, digestible and straightforward videos and (2) an easy-to-use and insightful platform. What really made ApplicantLab work for my relatively non-traditional background were the sanity checks with Maria and the ApplicantLab team. While the ApplicantLab platform framed 95% of my application, the 1-on-1 sanity check and resume review with Maria really helped me drill down on weak spots (as a low-GPA applicant with little work experience, there were plenty). Not only were Maria & her team detailed and astoundingly responsive on email, they were EXCEEDINGLY generous with their time and critique. Maria completely revamped my resume and helped me ...
    Read the full review
    Class of 2024 Admit
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  • ApplicantLab & Maria Are AMAZING! Don't Miss Out!!
    2 years ago
    ApplicantLab offers very succinct, structured, and comprehensive advice and guidance that were extremely helpful for me throughout my preparation phase. It was very easy to navigate the platform without getting bored or overwhelmed with information. There are a lot of videos that make the learning experience insightful and fun at the same time. Also, it helped me plan for my next steps and remain disciplined in my prep. Incredible affordable, great value for money, and amazing service and support from the entire team. Also, I found the essay review service quite helpful. Maria provided really helpful and candid feedback that helped push my essays to the next level and create the best version of my application. She was always there to answer questions in detail and ...
    Read the full review
    Class of 2024 Applicant
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  • HBS Admit, ApplicantLab & Interview Prep With Maria IS A MUST
    2 years ago
    I originally heard about ApplicantLab on several MBA forums and was dead set on avoiding the "traditional" admissions consultants because of the exorbitant costs. The program itself walks you through your story very well, and the supplemental essay help was incredibly insightful and affordable for what you get. The highlight of my experience was my HBS mock interview with Maria. I firmly believe that this prep made a difference in my interview performance. Maria prepared a comprehensive list of mock questions that VERY closely mirrored my actual interview. Seriously - 90% of my interview was comprised of questions we had gone over. Maria even advised me to use a prop that I ended up using in the interview to help explain my engineering background. If ...
    Read the full review
    Class of 2024 Admit
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  • ApplicationLab Was Extremely Helpful During My MBA Application Process
    2 years ago
    ApplicationLab was extremely helpful during my MBA application process. I came from a nontraditional background and was not too familiar with the MBA application process. A friend of mine recommended the website. After I sign-up, I knew it was the best decision. What I like about this website is how comprehensive it is each step of the way. It took an extremely structured approach and detailed breakdowns for each stage. I really like the recorded videos because they were very easy to digest. They were helpful because I could always playback the episodes that I thought were helpful. I would not have been able to get into my dream school without ApplicationLab. I would love to thank Maria for her effort in bringing an affordable solution ...
    Read the full review
    Class of 2024 Admit
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  • Highly Recommend ApplicantLab!! (HBS Admit)
    2 years ago
    When designing my game plan for R1 applications, I was hesitant to pay thousands of dollars for a top-tier consultant after hearing some mixed reviews from friends. After spending many months studying for the GMAT using Target Test Prep (and loving it), I was looking for a similarly innovative platform for my applications. I decided to use ApplicantLab as my consulting service after reading many online reviews and noticing how inexpensive it was compared to virtually every other consulting option. Overall, I found ApplicantLab to be incredibly helpful from start to finish for each of my applications, but I’ll go into detail a bit on how I used the product to help others understand its value. I started with the Strategy Modules (My Strengths & Weaknesses, ...
    Read the full review
    Class of 2024 Admit
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  • ApplicantLab - Affordable, Comprehensive, & Fantastic
    3 years ago
    During R2 of the 2020/21 cycle, I - a non-traditional, outlier, international applicant - applied to eight business schools and relied on ApplicantLab's fantastic platform to organize my narrative, stories, past experiences, and achievements. This affordable platform, which provides quality service in a fraction of the cost of its competitors, allows its users to learn how to appreciate their strengths and address their weaknesses while engaging them with the many pieces that would make each unique application (both the written portion and the interview) successful. The ApplicantLab staff was always accessible to answer specific questions about the different applications and provided solid advice throughout the process with no additional cost. Besides the platform, I opted to use complementary services, such as the Sanity Check and ...
    Read the full review
    Class of 2023 Admit
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  • HBS 2+2 Admission Thanks To Maria and ApplicantLab!!!
    3 years ago
    As a recent college graduate, I was tight on money and skeptical of spending big bucks on an admission consultant. After doing some diligent research (as a college student on a budget always does) I found ApplicantLab. The ApplicantLab modules allowed me to build not only my application, but also my unique story in steps. I first completed the career vision, and "why MBA" sections before purchasing a Sanity Check Consultation with Maria. Her feedback was honest and gave me clear direction on what areas of my profile I needed to project to admissions. For the next month, I worked through the remaining modules on ApplicantLab to form my essay. I purchased two essay reviews with an ApplicantLab Alumni (the cheapest option) before submitting my application to ...
    Read the full review
    Harrison Schipke
    MBA Class of 2026 Admit
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  • Maria Is Best-In-Class! You Are In Good Hands
    3 years ago
    Maria is a phenomenal consultant and resource when it comes to the admissions process. She has a keen eye for detail and keeps the big picture in mind when helping craft your application. I’d highly recommend scheduling a kick-off call with her – going through the strategy phase of the process with Maria was extremely valuable. She listens to your story and brainstorms strategies to position your application effectively in a way that is unique to you, and it is especially helpful if you’re from an overrepresented group like I was (Indian-engineering). Maria’s insights were crucial to help distinguish my application from the rest of the pool, especially since I had less than stellar GMAT scores and graduated from a school that wasn’t well known, even in ...
    Read the full review
    Ishan Vij
    Part-Time MBA Class of 2021 Applicant
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  • R2 Wharton, Booth, & Yale SOM Admit With A Disability
    3 years ago
    When I started looking into the MBA process, I was astounded by the astronomically high prices of many MBA consultants. There's no way I could afford it - until ApplicantLab (AL) came along! Disclosure: I got free access to the AL modules because the content was not captioned for the deaf and hard of hearing, so it was not fully accessible at the beginning. Maria was kind-hearted enough to grant me free access and then later had the videos captioned within a few days. So if you're deaf or hard of hearing and thinking about an MBA, AL will definitely make its content accessible for you. Instead of a video review of your essays, they'll write in notes/comments in the Word doc. I mostly worked ...
    Read the full review
    Class of 2024 Admit
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  • Amazing Experience. Highly Recommended
    3 years ago
    I was an international applicant going through the process for the first time. To make things worse, I was working 12-15 hours a day and had very little time to work on my apps. Applying during the COVID-19 application cycle, I knew I could use all the help I could get. I think ApplicantLab was the best investment I made. Three things that made ApplicantLab stand out for me: 1) It's extremely cheap compared to traditional consultants 2) You pay for what you use 3) Maria and Carin are amazing at what they do I highly recommend ApplicantLab to anyone going through the application process. You won't regret it.
    Class of 2023 Admit
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  • HIGHLY Recommend Maria & ApplicantLab!
    3 years ago
    It wouldn't be an understatement to say that Maria got me through the gruelling MBA application process. ApplicantLab holds your hand through the ENTIRE process, from understanding what is required for every component of the application package, all the way to interview preparation. Since the website already explains what makes ApplicantLab different from traditional consultants, I'll focus on addressing a few concerns that I initially had, in an effort to dispel any skepticism that you might have: - The speed and quality of Maria's support for one-off questions: I was initially worried that given the virtual nature of the platform, that if I had questions that were unanswered by the website content, I wouldn't be able to get answers as quickly as a traditional consultant. I ...
    Read the full review
    Class of 2023 Admit
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  • Very Highly Recommended | Unbelievable Value!
    3 years ago
    I got into three schools - Wharton, MIT, Columbia with Maria's help. As I was intimidated by the process, I hired a personal consultant (very $$$) before I learnt about ApplicantLab. As the ApplicantLab was comparatively so inexpensive and the reviews were awesome, I decided to give it a go as an extra cushion. Now after completing the whole process, I regret paying for the personal consultant. Value I got from Maria was 100x (not exaggerating) compared to the personal consultant for <1/10th of the price and I not only used the software but also the other services from Maria i.e. the strategic 1:1 essay review, mock interview, etc. I wanted to leave this review so that others don't miss out on this and end ...
    Read the full review
    Class of 2022 Admit
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  • ApplicantLab Is AMAZING!
    3 years ago
    Accepted R1 To HBS, Wharton, Booth($$), Kellogg($$), And Darden($$$) I am a white female with 7+ years of experience and was only willing to leave my job for very specific programs, so going into the application process I knew this was my last shot. This pressure initially pointed me towards the standard MBA consultant. I physically could not stomach the insane price tags that came with that one-on-one help, but luckily a friend of mine alerted me of ApplicantLab. I can not recommend this platform enough!!! ApplicantLab helped me clearly define why I wanted the MBA, and better understand what the schools were asking in their essays. The best part of ApplicantLab was that in the end, the essays sounded like ME! I got to keep ...
    Read the full review
    Class of 2023 Admit
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  • SO Worth It!
    3 years ago
    I was admittedly surprised when I saw the price tag for ApplicantLab. At a fraction of the price (like, literally 1/10 or less) of the other MBA consultants I'd researched, it seemed too good to be true. I decided to give it a shot, mainly because I was feeling really stuck with my essays and was near the point of giving up on my applications. I'm really glad I did, because the essay guides on ApplicantLab were my saving grace. Not only is the interface great for organizing your thoughts and planning your application, there is so much specific guidance for each program - down to every letter of the essays questions. Maria provides insightful and engaging (and at times hilarious) videos which gave crucial direction ...
    Read the full review
    Class of 2023 Admit
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  • Highly Recommended
    4 years ago
    I worked with Maria on my MBA applications, and I got admitted to IESE Business School. The Applicant Lab platform made me change the way I approach the application process. The platform is very organized and thorough. Working with Maria is a smart investment. She gave me valuable consultations on building my story, and on aligning every piece of the application with that story - from the resume to the essays to the interview prep. I highly recommend using the Applicant Lab platform and working with Maria.
    Mohammad AlBader
    MBA Class of 2023 Admit
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  • Huge Thanks to Maria!! Got into HBS, Stanford GSB, & MIT Sloan!!!!
    4 years ago
    Coming from the most over-represented applicant pool, INDIAN-MALE-ENGINEER, I realized the need for professional consulting. Then I came across ApplicantLab by Maria, and after reading its great reviews, I took the trial. It immediately made me feel confident that I also can MAKE TO MY DREAM SCHOOL. Step-by-step, I then subscribed to all the services that Maria offers. The ApplicantLab is definitely the best one-stop portal for anything you need regarding any top business school. Maria has done a fantastic job of organizing her knowledge and experience on an online platform that you can use at your own pace. I particularly liked the “Why MBA & Career Vision” section, as it helped me lay a strong foundation essential for a winning application. Also, a unique virtual ...
    Read the full review
    Class of 2022 Admit
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  • Applicantlab is The Best Tool at an Outstanding Price!
    4 years ago
    Accepted to Ross($), Cornell, UCLA, and Tepper ($). I used ApplicantLab after having a bad experience with one of the top consultants who had charged their usual hefty fee. I used ApplicantLab's videos/essay advice, resume review, essay review, and mock interview services. Maria went above and beyond those paid services by responding super-quick and going the extra mile throughout the application process. I cannot recommend her highly enough, even if she were to double the price of her services! I come from an over-represented applicant pool (Indian, Engineering background) and wanted to make sure my application stood out. Other consultants had told me that the application process can only be completed by spending 6 months to 1 year on it. I did not have the luxury ...
    Read the full review
    Class of 2020 Admit
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  • Amazing Person & Product- Helped Me Get Into CBS With Scholarship!
    4 years ago
    These reviews helped me so much when I was going through the admissions process and I vowed to pay it back when I was done. So, here I am. Just a few months ago I was in your shoes reading each and every review to make sure I wasn't drowning more of my savings into a pipe dream. After scouring this site and many others, I decided to give ApplicantLab and Maria a shot. My only regret was not finding her earlier in my admissions process. What Maria has done is a breath of fresh air. She’s basically offering you outstanding consulting services for a fraction of the price. It’s time these larger admission firms get a real competitor in the space. ...
    Read the full review
    Class of 2022 Admit
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  • Completely Different (+Better) Product Than Consulting
    4 years ago
    Used ApplicantLab in conjunction with other consulting services. And the platform was just as valuable as what any of them provided but so much cheaper! The $ you spend is totally worth it for the materials that you get. I found it particularly helpful for my Booth interview short responses (separate essay they send you that has to be completed on short notice). One caveat is that the videos should be used as a guide/tool and if you disagree with some advice ApplicantLab, you should look at it with perspective and be honest with yourself. I would say I used about 95% of the advice they provided but went 'against the grain' on some other things she said. Overall, the only school I got into was ...
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    Class of 2022 Admit
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  • A One-Stop-Shop To Get Into Your Dream School!
    4 years ago
    TL;DR: Some of the best money I have ever spent. If you are looking for a one-stop-shop where all info for each school is aggregated, and where you can craft a winning school-specific essay for every application, look no further. Don't let skepticism hold you back! If you are reading this it's probably because you are skeptical – as I was when I was in your shoes – of how a product could somehow deliver the same results as a traditional admissions consultant. I honestly could not afford a full package from any of the consulting agencies, so I decided to give it a shot. After all, it costed about the same as one hour of most consulting services. Boy, did I make the right choice! The ...
    Read the full review
    Class of 2022 Admit
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  • ApplicantLab & Maria Got Me Into HBS + Wharton!
    4 years ago
    If you're still wondering if you should work with ApplicantLab and Maria- I beg you to please give it a try. It will save you ~10K USD for the best-in-class admission help! In my application journey, I started with an hourly package with another consultant and I was not really happy with the limited tips I got from these expensive $350 per hour consultation and slow turnaround time. Then my friend referred me to the ApplicantLab and it was a game-changer for me! I wish I could have met ApplicantLab much earlier so I wouldn't even need to pay for those expensive hourly rates! The strategy section on the Lab was so intuitive that it allowed me to build a strong set of career goals ...
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    Class of 2022 Admit
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  • Maria & ApplicantLab Helped Me Prepare For MBA Essays In One Month
    4 years ago
    I learned about ApplicantLab from a friend who got into Wharton with the help of Maria. I started the application process very late: finished the GRE test at the end of October, and did not start researching and preparing for the essays until mid-November. Additionally, I decided to apply for 10 business schools which means that there were over 20 essays to write. At first, I was a little skeptical about how much a website could help with my application, so I did not pay for the premium version. Two days later, I realized researching for each school's programs, clubs, defining value was extremely time-consuming and there was no way I would finish all of them before the deadline. I contacted my friend for advice ...
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    Class of 2022 Admit
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  • Applicantlab is the best guide to the MBA Admissions process
    4 years ago
    Maria gives clear information about the MBA admissions process. The Applicantlab "coursework" helps you understand where the many pitfalls of the admissions process are and helps you prepare for the frantic application season. Most importantly the questions she asked helped me put my best foot forward by helping me think about my past experiences and which ones I wanted to share in my essays.
    Class of 2022 Admit
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  • Accepted into dream school (Wharton) + Chicago Booth, CMU Tepper in R2
    5 years ago
    Thank you for creating such an incredible tool! I fully recommend, even if you are using a consultant (which I didn't, except for an essay review for 1 of my 5 applications), because ApplicantLab allows you to organize your application holistically and experiment different dispositions of your stories, background, and future contributions to the community. I got accepted in all the 4 programs I applied to in R2 (except NYU Stern, because I withdrew my application after being invited to interview for NYU Stern - I had my Chicago acceptance and would've needed to travel overseas to NYC to interview). I decided not to apply to Stanford GSB, HBS or Columbia, so I don't know how that would have gone, but I'm super happy with my first-year ...
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    Leonardo Rolim
    MBA Class of 2020 Admit
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  • Indian, IT, Female - Tepper + McCombs + Marshall + KF Admit + Anderson Invite @ 720
    5 years ago
    Short on funds, a negative outlook from traditional consultants for your dream schools, consultants talking in a language you think is nonsense - if any one factor out of these resonates with you, read on! I got to know about ApplicantLab through a GMATClub scheduled webinar Maria was giving wherein she talked about how and what of the MBA preparation. The moment I started listening to her, the candid nature of her advice made a difference to me. I thought I cannot afford this, coming from India and this being a running experiment (I only had one chance at this before everyone got me married, right?) I was just half-listening like I had to put my attendance to the session. My ears got perked up ...
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    Nandita Jaya
    MBA
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  • Affordable & Reliable
    5 years ago
    I used Applicant Lab for my Interview Preparation. I also paid a Consultant for the same but it was not helpful at all. Applicant Lab will provide good fodder for answering run-of-the-mill questions. I was interviewed for Rotman School of Business and got an admit. I prepared my answers using tips from Maria. I went through the videos 2-3 times and made notes. It really helped. I was able to make up a good story to convince the ad-com. Just trust Maria and her video lessons. Thank You!
    Aikansh Jain
    MBA
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  • Amazing Tool For Amazing Price
    5 years ago
    I can confidently say that my applications would have looked very different before I found Applicant Lab. It was recommended to me from a fellow women’s weekend participant, and I am SO happy that I found it. Maria's videos help A TON in preparing applications, and it is so much knowledge for the $299 price tag. She helps with things like school brand traits, how to address weaknesses, how to spin your past experiences for each school, specific stories each school looks for— things that I didn’t necessarily know how to address. Applicant Lab also offers add-ons like resume reviews, “sanity checks” to make sure your resume + essays holistically flow, which I took advantage of as well, and the feedback I got was great ...
    Read the full review
    Class of 2021 Admit
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  • ApplicantLab - My Secret Weapon (Accepted To Darden & Sloan)
    5 years ago
    I was very fortunate to meet Maria at an event back in 2015 and get to know ApplicantLab. I wasn't applying to MBA programs back then but going into this application cycle (2019) I was one step ahead. I'd say the most important piece of ApplicantLab is that it works on your schedule! If you need to check things at 2am you know you can go into your account and start reviewing prep material or jotting down ideas for your essays. Maria has also placed a ton of valuable content about each school and the essay writing process which saves you the time it'd take to go and find it through google searches. I found myself constantly going back to her videos for refreshers or ...
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    Jose Ramos
    MBA
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  • ApplicantLab For The Win!!
    5 years ago
    After scouring the many MBA consulting sites out there and reading all the reviews I could, I came across ApplicantLab as an alternative route. For someone who wanted to independently work on my own schedule and wanted a framework to support that, ApplicantLab was perfect!! The modules guided me through presenting a true, articulate story about why an MBA made sense given my background and actually helped me learn a lot about myself in the process. With a lower GPA (3.2), I was concerned that the rest of my application needed to be flawless if I was going to get any admits. After hitting submit, I truly felt that I had done all I could to put myself in a place to be admitted, all ...
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    Class of 2021 Admit
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  • Accepted To Stanford GSB
    5 years ago
    Maria is excellent - very communicative and knowledgeable, I enjoyed all my back and forth conversations with her. The ApplicantLab process is intuitive and easy to use as well - for a very reasonable price it helped me create a solid framework and process for all my ideas, story, history and so forth :-) There is no way you will be disappointed with the purchase here - the process will help you craft the story you're looking for and make sure you are putting your best foot forward with your application! To give you a rough idea of my background - I was a finance major in the UK but spent all years since doing consumer products entrepreneurship in the US. Worked out well and ...
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    Class of 2020 Admit
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  • Accepted: Stanford GSB (Full Ride), Wharton-Lauder (Partial Scholarship), Kellogg, Yale SOM (Partial Scholarship)
    5 years ago
    Coming from a non-traditional background, I was totally lost about how to go about the MBA Application process. Most Admission consultants were very pricey and unaffordable. Then I stumbled upon ApplicantLab and I was astonished as to how it covered the entire 9 yards of the MBA application process. Applicant Lab provided a structured approach for me towards the application process. With the strategy module, I was able to easily understand my strengths & weakness from the Adcom's perspective and learn how to maximize my strengths and mitigate my weaknesses. Also through the career vision and why MBA, I was able to clearly state my career vision and why I wanted an MBA. Furthermore, for each school's essay, Maria provides solid video advice on ...
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    Class of 2021 Admit
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  • ApplicantLab - Game Changer For MBA Admissions
    5 years ago
    I always had a deep-rooted skepticism for any form of online coaching/advice. Online advice, I felt, could never be personalized and would provide generic results. I was skeptical about whether at this price point, I could get personalized advice. Applicant Lab, however, dashed all my inhibitions. Applicant Lab is a Gold-mine for school research and MBA admissions advice. I initially got introduced to Applicant Lab's offering when I saw Maria's webinar on creating the Resume. Once I went through Maria's advice for creating the Resume. I could immediately see that even though my resume was packed, it lacked in content and appeal. Mind you, at this time I had already gone through several edits with 2 separate consultants. At 299$, I ...
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    Nishant Panigrahi
    MBA
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  • ApplicantLab Made Applying To Five Schools In One Round Doable
    5 years ago
    I used ApplicantLab to apply to five schools in round 2. It really helped me to organize my thoughts and tell my story in a complete and compelling way. I had some weaknesses in other parts of my application, so I needed to nail the essays. I was accepted to three schools and I couldn’t be more excited! I highly recommend ApplicantLab, especially if you’re applying to more than 2 programs.
    Cynthia Mills
    MBA
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  • Fantastic App & Consultant
    5 years ago
    ApplicantLab was very helpful, particularly for the process of drafting essays. With so many potential topics to cover in my essays, ApplicantLab helped me to sift through my anecdotes and cohesively link my work experience and personal history. Maria is also very knowledgeable about the nuances of admission at various schools and a great person to have on your team in addition to the app. As a result, I was admitted to several M7 schools including H and W.
    Class of 2021 Admit
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  • ApplicantLab Is A MUST!
    5 years ago
    I originally heard Maria speak on an application prep webinar right before I started applying, and I could immediately tell that she thoroughly understood the MBA admissions landscape. I decided to start off with the free version of ApplicantLab, but I got hooked and I wanted to use all that it had to offer — so I decided to move forward with purchasing the full package with all of the modules, and I later learned that I made an awesome decision. I really liked that Maria’s resume advice was clear cut and showed me exactly how I needed to phrase my experiences to bring out the richness of my story. Additionally, she provides SCHOOL SPECIFIC information (which is beyond amazing), so I knew precisely what ...
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    Class of 2021 Admit
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  • Got Accepted At HBS!! Thanks, ApplicantLab!
    5 years ago
    I’ll get straight to the point here: admissions to top business schools is a game and I found that ApplicantLab was there to help me every step of the way to win it. Coming from a background in strategy, I was really attracted to how well thought-out the modules are in ApplicantLab were and how it is structured to continue to build upon each other in order to develop a holistic profile for your application. B-school applications are so stressful because of the ambiguity and different needs from each school. Maria covers all situations and her modules would essentially guide you throughout the whole process from start to finish. Starting out with career visioning and strengths and weakness modules, you will get a better understanding ...
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    Class of 2021 Admit
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  • HBS & Wharton Admit :)
    5 years ago
    Using ApplicantLab was my secret weapon! Maria really broke down the application process into the most manageable chunks. The pre-work section of the Lab is super reflective and really helped me drill down on not only what my journey has been, but the value I can add to any b-school community. My essays basically wrote themselves after I completed this section. Moreso, Maria adds video explanations on each essay and walks through 20+ minutes of tips and tricks. I recommend this to literally everyone instead of using other services. I got into Wharton and HBS! 10/10 will recommend ApplicantLab over every other option
    Class of 2021 Admit
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  • Applicant Lab – An Invaluable Partner On My MBA Application Journey
    5 years ago
    When you first log in to Applicant Lab, you are asked to complete a diagnosis, which gives you a sense of where you stand. While this first module helped me validate some of my strengths, it also shed light on some of the weaknesses in my profile. Looking at my report, being accepted to a top MBA program felt almost impossible. Yet today, I have offers from my two dream schools: Columbia and Harvard. The secret is realizing that no one is perfect, that we all have our flaws, but also have something to offer. We all have distinct journeys, and the Lab truly enables you to create an authentic, compelling, and unique story to share with Admission Committees. The platform is organized in an intuitive way ...
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    Class of 2021 Admit
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  • 7 Interviews, Full Rides At YSOM/Fuqua/McCombs - Thank You ApplicantLab!
    5 years ago
    Applied to 8 MBA programs in R2 of the 2018-2019 cycle and used ApplicantLab to craft my essays. From the essay-drafting to the interview prep, ApplicantLab was INCREDIBLY helpful. Maria's advice was spot-on for each essay and I literally followed her recommendations on what types of things to focus on for each essay. I was extended 7 interviews and received two full rides to T10s, a full ride to a T20, and 80k at a T15. I'm thrilled with my results and would recommend ApplicantLab and Maria to anyone.
    Class of 2021 Applicant
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  • Admitted To Harvard, Stanford, & Wharton
    5 years ago
    As a non-traditional applicant who doesn't know many people with MBAs or who are applying to business school, ApplicantLab was incredibly helpful in crafting my story, making sure all the details made sense and knowing what to emphasize for each school. "Human" consultants were out of the question for me because of the cost, and in hindsight, I cannot believe they would have been worth the money. ApplicantLab has a module about you, your past, your goals, strengths and weaknesses and how to sell your story, and asks very detailed questions to be able to give you personalized advice based on your responses. The module guides you through the process of crafting everything you need before you actually start writing, and it actually feels like ...
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    Class of 2021 Admit
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  • HBS Admit
    5 years ago
    ApplicantLab has been crucial for getting me accepted into my top schools. By the time I signed up, I already had my story crafted but AplicantLab helped me making it more cohesive and linking my background and previous experience with my future goals. Knowing that I had access to Maria for 1:1's when I needed extra help was also important for me as it provided me with clarity and peace of mind. Maria was extremely helpful with mock interviews. I felt more confident and prepared after our session. I'm very excited about the journey ahead and grateful for finding AplicantLab in my MBA application journey.
    Class of 2021 Admit
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  • ApplicantLab Is The Real Deal
    5 years ago
    In December 2017, I was chewing over an admit to the Forte MBALaunch program and whether I was really cut out for top business school programs. After all, I had a 3.2 GPA and wasn't a manager--could I really apply to T25, let alone HSW? ApplicantLab made it happen. Not all of us are current MBB or IB with cash to burn on expensive consultants. Thanks to Maria's incredible product, I was able to apply to EIGHT (YES, EIGHT) top programs in R1. I received seven interview invites (one to HSW!) and four admits, three with scholarship offers. The program was unbelievably easy to use, even as I was losing my mind over eight separate apps. I recommend ApplicantLab to everyone I meet who is ...
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    Class of 2021 Admit
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  • ApplicantLab Is The Best Thing That Has Happened For MBA Applicants
    5 years ago
    I have used two services for my MBA admissions 1) ApplicantLab 2) Blind interview with Maria 1) The Lab – first of all, she has put all her passion and love in this lab, so how can it not be so Awesome as it is!!! Those of you who are going to get started with this research lab will not take more than a few minutes to start realizing the same. This tool is the best thing that has happened for MBA applicants. The beauty of this invention is that it keeps guiding you to keep you on the right track and you get to learn, research, and explore your stories all by yourself. It was fun for me because I found the lab like experiential ...
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    Class of 2021 Admit
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  • Straightforward Wealth of Information!
    5 years ago
    As someone who didn’t have any insight into the process before applying, ApplicantLab caught me up quickly. The platform logically walks through the application process, providing general career focused advice as well as school-specific guides that are a wealth of information. I was continually impressed To see how frequently the information in the modules was updated. It is clear that this product is getting better with time. Similarly, Maria and her staff were always very quick to respond to any questions I had along the way. I know that I would not have had the success I did if it weren’t for ApplicantLab!
    Class of 2021 Admit
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  • Great Platform & Service!
    5 years ago
    The ApplicantLab platform is fantastic for helping you think through the different aspects of your application and getting school-specific advice for essays and interviews. I also greatly appreciated that they were responsive to my emails with specific questions about the platform/process. I am very impressed with the whole platform and I recommend ApplicantLab to any prospective MBA applicant. I ended up getting into Haas with a significant merit scholarship and am beyond thrilled to start there this fall. :)
    Class of 2021 Admit
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  • ISB Admit Guidance
    5 years ago
    Applicant Lab has immensely helped me in finding my MBA story and crafting my essay to the level of perfection that I got an interview and ultimately an admit to my dream college, Indian School of Business.
    Ritika Siraj
    MBA
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  • Yale & Ross Admit With Full Scholarships
    5 years ago
    I cannot say enough good things about Maria and the ApplicantLab software. The software gives very detailed advice and really helps you navigate what AdComs are "really" looking for in their questions. I did not have a stellar GPA or GMAT but thanks to ApplicantLab and Maria's reviews of my essays, I was able to leverage my strengths and got full scholarships to Ross and Yale, got interviews at ALL the schools that I applied to (including MIT Sloan) and will have all my school decisions in by April. Maria truly cares about the success of her clients, and I know I could not have done this without her! Especially if you are unfamiliar with the MBA process and need detailed guidance, ApplicantLab is a ...
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    Class of 2021 Admit
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  • Booth, Kellogg, Columbia & Fuqua Admits - Thanks To The Lab
    5 years ago
    After coming off an unsuccessful application season, I wanted to make sure I utilized all avenues to not repeat my mistakes this time. After hearing some positive word-of-mouth, I signed up for ApplicantLab to see for myself. I used the Lab in addition to working with actual real-world consultants, and it turned out to be an immensely useful guiding tool through the application journey. I must say that ApplicantLab was the most value-for-money item in my entire MBA application expense list. Maria's inputs and ideas often were the starting point for all my school essays. I did 8 applications in the entire season and utilized the Lab for all of them. Maria has a great understanding of the entire process and freely shares her knowledge through ...
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    Class of 2021 Admit
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  • Applicant Lab & Maria - Not Just For MBAs!
    5 years ago
    Let me start by saying that without Maria, I would not have received offers to UPenn IPD and Carnegie Mellon MIIPS. Originally, I had planned to get an MBA and took the GMAT (score a bit under 700), but discovered these alternative programs that combine business, design and engineering, and knew that that was my true path. I had already paid $$$ for a (very good) MBA consultant, so my essays were solid, but I had not even thought about a portfolio, since MBA applications don't require them. I started searching the internet for additional help and found Maria. I had about a month and a half to create a highly-visual business portfolio from scratch. Needless to say, Maria's advice and review of my portfolio ...
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    Jillian Stahl
    Other Admit
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  • Remove The Noise (Negative & Positive)
    5 years ago
    I must write and share this story because it will help not only one but everyone in the applicant pool for all the MBA programs out there. A story of ONE for ALL. I am more than 35 years old – A NO NO for all the consultants (considered too old) I have 2 undergrad degrees – A NO NO for all the consultants (considered a degree collector) One GPA is very low, under 2.8 – A NO NO for all the consultants One GPA is high, above 3.5 – Just OK for all the consultants High GMAT, above 730 – A plus for all the consultants Have not worked for a well-known company – A NO NO for all the consultants AND I just finished my interviews with Columbia, Wharton, and ...
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    Class of 2021 Other
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  • Put Your Best Foot Forward With ApplicationLab!
    5 years ago
    I started with my applications (been already late for an international student) in Round 2 for most of my target schools. I had hired a conventional consultant for 2 of my target schools. I was midway through my applications when a friend of mine suggested me to try Applicant lab. I was apprehensive, so initially, I used his account to get a feel of it. The depth to which Maria has covered each and every module is simply amazing. This was when I decided to buy ApplicantLab as I was getting the complete package for 1/5th of the price I had paid to my consultant. I could already feel the depth of Maria's insight in this sphere as I progressed through the modules. There simply ...
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    Class of 2021 Admit
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  • A Godsend For A Non-traditional Applicant!
    5 years ago
    As a nontraditional business school applicant with public policy experience and no GMAT score (I only took the GRE), I initially thought I didn't have much of a chance at getting accepted to top MBA programs. I balked at the prices of most private admissions consultants, but fortunately one of them referred me to ApplicantLab. ApplicantLab was a godsend: it taught me how to describe my story and experience in a way that would appeal to business schools, and eventually helped me land interviews and acceptances to some of the top programs in the country, including Sloan and HBS! I also bought a few hours of review time (as well as interview prep) from Maria herself, and her advice and guidance were absolutely indispensable. Her ...
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    Class of 2021 Admit
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  • Incredibly Helpful! Got into MIT Sloan with Full Fellowship!
    5 years ago
    I used ApplicantLab for my MIT Sloan Round 1 application and I plan to use it for my Round 2 apps as well. I am using ApplicantLab for 5 MBA apps and I'm sure I could choose more.... and it's just one flat fee! Anyways, I received my MIT Sloan acceptance call last Tuesday for Round 1 with a full fellowship!! I am over the moon and I owe a lot to Maria's ApplicantLab!! I know it wouldn't have been possible without the help of ApplicantLab's step-by-step (like incredibly granular) instructions on how to structure my ENTIRE application. Maria gives solid guidance on whichever path you decide to take with your apps (e.g. she provides great feedback on each of the pics for the Booth ...
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    Class of 2020 Admit
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  • Where To Start - Applicant Lab!
    5 years ago
    Full Disclosure: I am a first gen college student, first gen grad student. This entire process was something I had no prior resources to leverage. The first step when thinking about grad school is getting a sense where you stand. The first instinct is to check school sites, and at most you can see GMAT/GPA/Work experience. After asking students enrolled, I learned that that doesn’t paint the whole picture. I knew my GPA, my work experience, and was in the process of studying for my GMAT. I was afraid of going into the application process without all the facts. It was a tough pill to swallow when I did research and saw that most resources were several thousand dollars to get that “secret insight”. I was ...
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    Class of 2020 Admit
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  • Oh! God Can't Be So Nice To Show Me ApplicantLab
    5 years ago
    Did you ever feel, "He finally heard me. Things are falling into place."? This was exactly my feeling when I heard from Darden's admission office that I'm being offered a place in the Class of 2021. You'd expect me to think of my loved ones first after hearing that. Well, quite literally yes. I thought of ApplicantLab and Maria. ApplicantLab is what I needed. I was an MBA aspirant who wanted a shift in industry using an MBA but had no idea about admissions process. After my GMAT, I started talking to different consultants and taking free profile evaluations. The funniest part was, I couldn't get a proper genuine evaluation from any one of them. Some of them tell me I should be applying to HBS ...
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    Murali Kondaru
    MBA Class of 2020 Admit
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  • Great turnaround story with ApplicantLab!
    5 years ago
    To give you some context, I applied to a bunch of schools last year with the help of a traditional admissions consultant. I ended up with a total of 8 rejections (7 without interview, 1 after interview & waitlist). The bad part of my profile - Indian, male, 4.5 years of work experience. No great brand names or real feeder companies on my resume. Fairly mediocre grades for an Indian (6.6ish GPA). The good part - Slightly diverse work experience and background, lots of ECs and community involvement. After I was rejected last year, I contacted Maria and offered to pay her for a "ding analysis." I had already bought the tool, but figured a ding analysis would help me figure out what went wrong. Maria ...
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    Class of 2021 Admit
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  • ApplicantLab is the best out there! Impossible is Nothing!!
    5 years ago
    "I would say do not even think of applying to M7 schools. Duke, Ross should be fine", said Stacy Blackman Consulting during their 30-min free evaluation call, without even listening to my "what matters most?" story for once. I was dejected. From that moment just over a year ago to getting into Stanford GSB on a full tuition fellowship, has been an amazing journey! It all started when Maria listened to my story after I reached out to her as one of the 50 finalists for the Stanford Reliance Fellowship (given to 3 Indian students every year). Being the first one to pursue a proper college education in my family, let alone applying to a business school, I had no clue about the admissions process ...
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    Class of 2020 Admit
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  • Admitted to Haas with Full Scholarship
    5 years ago
    I used ApplicantLab for my application to Berkeley Haas. At that time I had not many options in choosing an MBA consultant, because my budget was very tight. After seeing the CV-making tips from ApplicantLab, I decided to subscribe. It was the BEST INVESTMENT I've ever made in my MBA journey! ApplicantLab helped me to ponder my life story and package it together to address Haas' essay prompt accurately. I also used ApplicantLab to prepare for my interview. I followed each step and was very diligent in putting together my application. As a result, Haas welcomed me with a full scholarship and fellowship!
    Chrissa da Gomez
    MBA Class of 2021 Admit
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  • Super helpful for a triple admit!!!
    5 years ago
    I used ApplicantLab for my applicants to Harvard, Stanford, and Wharton in Round 1, and was accepted to all 3. Private admissions consultants were so so expensive and not an option for me, so I took the leap, and could not be happier about my choice. The service is unconventional as a concept, but superbly executed by Maria and is (to me) a gamechanger. I had questions about how effective an online system would be, and am blown away by how much direction it gave my essays and my interview prep. I felt super comfortable with my essays by the end of the process, and went through so many fewer iterations than I read about from other applicants. I cannot imagine any admissions consultant service ...
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    Class of 2022 Admit
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  • Best investment ever
    5 years ago
    I was a re-applicant to schools this year when I found ApplicantLab. I heard about the tool through the Forte Foundation's MBA Launch program and tried out the free trial. After just an hour working with the tool I could tell that I needed to buy it. It's a one-stop-shop for organizing all of your brainstorming and applications. Filling out the tool is actually fun because there are some great features such as writing out your stories and dragging and dropping the traits that it represents. Then, when you want to write about certain traits, you can use a filter to bring up the stories that best represent those traits. However, the absolute BEST part of the lab is that Maria makes videos where she ...
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    Elizabeth Visconti
    MBA
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  • Re-Applicant
    5 years ago
    About me: I am an Asian male working in IT consulting (but not from India). I just got admitted to Wharton in R1 as a re-applicant. Last year, I was rejected after wait list. As the school didn’t provide feedback after rejection, I was seeking any possible way to enhance my package besides English and interview practice. That’s when I came across ApplicantLab. I tried the free module and immediately decided to purchase it because it specifically pointed out the strategy for people like me who want to transition from IT consulting to strategy consulting. That REALLY surprised me because I thought such tool like many admission books in the marketplace can only provide general advice, but Maria did an amazing job making an interactive ...
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    Class of 2020 Admit
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  • Helped Me Achieve My Dream
    5 years ago
    I was not very confident about how a tool would help me write essays or get me into top business schools. I thought, "Are you really serious? This is just a tool, man!". I must admit today I laugh at myself when I think what I used to think about this tool. Since it was just for a few bucks, I thought let's go for it. I bought the tool and started working on it. I showed my last years resume to a couple of people and everyone said "Hey, did you really apply to business schools with this resume?". I was highly embarrassed. I paid so much for that and now they were laughing at me on this resume? Trust me: I was awestruck ...
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    Abhishek Mahna
    MBA Class of 2020 Admit
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  • Applied to 4 schools, admitted to Yale, Oxford, LBS – still waiting for Haas!
    5 years ago
    When my friend, a Boothie, said that ApplicantLab is the single best investment he had ever made in his life, I thought he was overselling the service. A mere six months later, when I got three admits from the four schools that I applied to (still waiting for the other one school to get back), I knew he was RIGHT! Coming from a developing country of Indonesia, few of my friends have gone through the MBA admission process, let alone top business schools’ admission process. I knew that I had to take the GMAT, but I had zero knowledge on how to package my experience and “sell” my profile to the Adcom. I also knew that I could get help by paying some $5,000 money to ...
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    Chrissa da Gomez
    MBA
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  • Applicantlab helped me bag admission into INSEAD & OXFORD
    5 years ago
    My journey to securing a spot at my dream MBA schools would not have been possible without Applicantlab!!! I am a South African and was never exposed to the typical US/Europe Ivy league school application process. I had written the GMAT and scored 640 so I knew that everything would hinge on the rest of the application seeing that my GMAT score wasn’t above 700. To put it simply, I needed the remainder of my application to be extraordinary! I did my research and found that Applicantlab was the best on the market. It is extremely cost effective and very convenient because much of the work is done a pre-established platform which eliminated complexities relating to time zone and consultant availability. I was skeptical at first, ...
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    Class of 2019 Admit
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  • Accepted to CBS with fellowship!
    5 years ago
    I strongly recommend ApplicantLab to anybody considering an MBA! I come from a fairly vanilla work background and was worried about differentiating myself among applicants in my "bucket". I utilized ApplicantLab for every aspect of my application (resume, essays, interviews, recommendations, etc) as the tool has advice for anything you could think of, as well as things you may not think of! Before using the tool, I had no idea that MBA admissions committees look for resumes that highlight experiences that generally aren't the focus of traditional professional resumes. Within the ApplicantLab, you are encouraged to map out experiences in your personal/undergraduate/professional life that demonstrated key traits that MBA programs look for in strong applicants (leadership, mentoring, innovation, overcoming obstacles, etc), and then allocate those ...
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    Class of 2021 Admit
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  • Maria Rocks
    5 years ago
    Maria and her selfless service got me into my #1 choice for business school - Columbia!!!! Maria took the time to walk me through what a realistic but compelling carreer vision looks like and in many ways helped me put compelling words to things that were just thoughts in my head. She helped me see how my passions and gifts could be leveraged in different career paths that would fit my season of life. After nailing down a very compelling career vision, Maria gave me the tools I needed to write the essays that led to my interview and acceptance at CBS! I would recommend Maria and ApplicantLab to anyone considering B-School!
    Jason Pappas
    EMBA Admit
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  • A complete MBA Application Tool - Got into HEC Paris
    5 years ago
    In short - ApplicantLab covers all aspects of an application, has personalized advice to address the weaknesses in profile and an in-depth analysis of all the essays of the school and writing advice that caters to all kinds of MBA applicant profiles. ApplicantLab is a complete product for MBA admissions - with help on brainstorming, strategizing, essay writing, resume writing and interviews. There are sections that help jog your memory to draft life stories and make your application come to life. The analysis of each of the essays is very intricate and mentions exactly what the school expects. There are video tutorials on how to navigate the schools' website to dig for material in terms of clubs, electives etc. There is a diagnosis of your ...
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    Mohit Durge
    MBA Admit
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  • Exceptional value for your money
    5 years ago
    Almost exactly a year ago (October 2, 2017) I was rejected from CBS early decision, my dream school since forever. I applied with what I thought were OK stats (e.g., 730 GMAT, 3.8 GPA from Southeast Asian Uni, MBB + PE). Dinged without interview. So I did what any rational re-applicant would do and immediately hone in on a higher GMAT score (which I was able to bump to a 750). The NEXT thing I did was go on these forums and find myself an MBA admissions consultant. At this point - we're practically on the same boat - and I found that Applicant Lab seemed to fit my needs (low risk $-wise, self-paced, school-specific help). I ALSO looked at these reviews myself and thought that ...
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    Class of 2021 Admit
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  • Admits (& Scholarship Money) at Fuqua & Oxford
    5 years ago
    With a quantitative score hovering at the 55% percentile, I knew I was going to be facing an uphill climb to convince admissions officers that I would be a good fit for the rigor of a top MBA program. Not knowing where to start, I scheduled a few free thirty minute consultations with some of the top MBA Admissions Consultants. They confirmed my worst fears, recommending I look at safe MBA programs in the Top 40 or 50. One even told me that in order to achieve my dream of a Top 25 program my applications would have to be “flawless.” Luckily, they could help... at a cool $11,000+ dollars for my five schools. As a non-profit manager, this equated to about 1/3 of my ...
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    Class of 2021 Admit
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  • Accepted into the Indian School of Business
    6 years ago
    I started at ISB two months ago. It has been an incredible two months, and this would not have been possible without Maria's help. I started using Applicant Lab to help me with my application for ISB last year. Applicant lab always had answers to all the silliest of questions that I had. To add to that, Mari'a videos were amazing and informative. Even if that were not enough, I mailed Maria for the craziest of doubts and got a reply within 4-6 hours. Her replies helped a lot to clear any sorts of confusion that I had related to my application. Her advice, be it via Applicant Lab or with her replies always always helped. I would advise anyone, just go for Applicant Lab, ...
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    - Nirvan Gandhi
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  • Applicant Lab – Helped me achieve the impossible!!!
    6 years ago
    Belonging to an over-represented applicant pool (Indian male candidate working in an IT industry) and scoring an average GMAT score (700), I very well knew that the chances of getting into a top-tier B-school were slim. Almost all the admission consultants whom I approached pretty much dissuaded me to apply to any of the top 25 B-schools. But Maria was probably the only one who said – “Lets give it our best shot” and actually encouraged me to do so. I ended up getting wait-listed in two universities and got an admit from HEC Paris (one of my top choice schools). I can safely say that the Applicant Lab and Maria were the primary reasons because of which I could get into such an ...
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    - Ajinkya Nalavde
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  • Accepted into Columbia Business School
    6 years ago
    I would strongly recommend ApplicantLab to anyone! I applied for four schools last year, spent a ton of money on admission consulting service, and didn't get one offer. This year I used the ApplicantLab throughout my whole application season. The content was amazing. Before I subscribe to the full version, I didn't expect too much from it. When I start navigating the lab, it is so much more than I expected! I can not only map my stories using the tool, but also get customized specific advice for every single program I apply for!!! That is really amazing! Maria provided such detailed insights for every single essay for every single top school!!! Watching the video for each essay in each school is always my first ...
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    Class of 2020 Admit
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  • Accepted into IE
    6 years ago
    I just started my MBA program at IE, and I want to share how good the service Maria provides before my super busy weeks start. Before I purchased her service, I actually researched a lot. I saw so many reviews but the only concern that I had was IE. As you may know, IE's admission process is kind of strange. You have to create a video and a slide and an essay answering the questions provided by IE. But eventually the reasonable price made me purchase her service, and it turned out to be the best thing I've ever bought. I was skeptical about how it works before I started using her service, but she embedded her own video explaining everything in every section so ...
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    Class of 2017 Admit
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  • Accepted: Haas, Yale, Tuck, Fuqua!
    7 years ago
    Working with Maria in conjunction with her online exercises was a great combination! She helped me narrow down the various "stories" I had in my head to identify short and long-term goals that told an honest story and were closely linked to my personal background. From there, she provided incredible editing on my resume, essays, and letters of recommendations. Her edits were detailed and clear, especially when paired with the video explanations that she provides. She was extremely responsive - one of my recommenders realized last minute that the application would not let her go over the suggested word limit and Maria quickly got back to me with suggestions for how to cut it back. I couldn't believe that for a fraction of the cost ...
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    Class of 2019 Admit
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  • Accepted Round 3 at MIT Sloan!
    7 years ago
    I applied and got accepted in Round 3 at MIT. That I got the entire process done (and eventually admitted) is a testament to Maria's superior know-how and editing prowess. I cannot recommend her highly enough. I ended up taking the GMAT too late in the game (after Christmas), not realizing that Round 3 acceptances are very rare. I also had another “red flag” in my profile that was making me feel pretty hopeless. In comes Maria, who first placated me that not all hope was lost. First things first was to come up with an angle with which I applied. Maria provided a simplified step-by-step process, also making me see the reasoning behind each part (aka - kinda like knowing how the Adcom would ...
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    Class of 2019 Admit
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  • Accepted by both Stanford GSB and HBS
    7 years ago
    I was accepted by both Stanford GSB and HBS. Maria and the ApplicantLab helped me so much to make my dream come true. I sincerely recommend Maria and the ApplicantLab to the future applicants. What makes Maria’s method of giving admissions advice special is not only the cost but the quality of content. Take resume editing as an example, I couldn’t find anywhere else such detailed and professional guide in writing a resume as her resume module. Then, when it was time for her to edit, she was able to do so quickly, using a video to let me know exactly what she thought and saving time. As an international student, I wanted to have a consultant who is a native speaker and went to ...
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    Class of 2019 Admit
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  • Wasted $10k on other "elite" consultants; Got in @MIT/Tuck w/ Applicant Lab!!!
    7 years ago
    Let me start off by saying that Maria has changed my life. I originally wasted $10k on 5-school package from a "famous" admissions consulting firm. I had seen their ads everywhere, they were very active on certain message boards, their founder had been interviewed in a ton of articles, and sadly, I mistakenly thought that was an indicator of quality. It wasn't. With Maria, I was able to pay a fraction of the price, and I got into two programs, including my dream school. Think about that: I paid a famous firm $10k and got 5 rejections; I paid Maria a tiny fraction of that, and got 2 acceptances (Tuck and MIT). She is the ideal admissions consultant for people who work long hours, people ...
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    - ajayrayasam@gmail.com
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  • Got 1 of the 10 annual Global Leadership Awards at Ivey Business School!
    7 years ago
    Getting an MBA in Canada has been a long time goal. However, I was really anxious about how I would be able to afford it. With Maria's help, I was able to present my best application possible which allowed me to obtain a significant scholarship (nearly half tuition). Maria's editing of my resume and essays was done professionally and efficiently, pointing out any opportunities to improve the format, include features of my profile I might have left out unintentionally, and mostly providing important feedback that made me felt like she was sitting right next to me discussing my application in person.
    Class of 2018 Admit
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  • Indian applicant, over age 30, IN at COLUMBIA
    7 years ago
    Getting an MBA from an Ivy League school was a long term dream of mine and thanks to Maria's Applicant lab that I just graduated in May 2017 from Columbia Business School ! I wanted to do an MBA after getting a considerable experience and so I put it off till I had had 5 years of experience. Too my surprise I learnt later that even with a 720+ GMAT score it was tough for applicants over the age of 30 years and specially for an Indian Male Engineer like me. Thankfully I learnt about Maria and Applicant lab from a friend of mine who had gotten into London Business School with a profile similar to me. I signed up at Applicant lab and was ...
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    - vav.jiit@gmail.com
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  • Accepted to my top choices! Full Scholarship to Kelley!
    7 years ago
    Maria's guidance helped me get a full ride to Kelley. I especially appreciated how Maria provided her edits through video recordings, which helped uncover my most powerful stories and explain my career vision in a persuasive way.
    - amosgmat@gmail.com
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  • In to first choice with $$$ in Round 3! 1 of only 3 Chinese accepted out of hundreds applied!
    7 years ago
    I was first interested in Maria's ApplicantLab online tool, but during the further phase of the application I needed some customized 'touch up' to my essay and help me with mock interview, it was no brainer that I picked Maria's hourly consulting service. Maria's tool saved a lot of time, so when I did hire her, because of all the files I saved on the website, Maria had already go through my detail background from my online profile, so I did not have to spend nearly as much time explaining my information, and the consulting session thus become extremely efficient--I only used 3 hours of consulting time overall for my essays and mock interviews and achieved all my goals. Maria's essay really brings out the ...
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    Class of 2019 Anonymous
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  • Reapplicant, Accepted to Columbia with a Fellowship!
    7 years ago
    Maria is phenomenal to work with. She is extremely efficient in editing documents and works closely with you to elevate the cohesiveness of your application, ensuring the various parts complement one another. Working with her helped me refine my post-MBA goals and clearly articulate how business school represents the perfect bridge between them and my previous experiences. Moreover, she challenged me to think differently about my goals, ensuring that I used the application process not only to get into my dream school but also as an opportunity to engage in candid self-reflection. Doing so with the help of a long-time admissions officer who has had many of the professional experiences towards which prospective business school students often aspire--from executive to startup founder--was invaluable. Maria has ...
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    Class of 2019 Anonymous
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  • I *loved* the Lab & Maria!
    7 years ago
    ApplicantLab and Maria were total game changers for me. The Lab helped make the application process far less overwhelming and expensive than it could have been, and I was admitted to two top programs - MIT & HBS! Contained within the Lab were some of the best resume, essay and interview advice that I found during the entire application process and the Lab gives you one place to house all of your application materials and brainstorming. I cannot recommend purchasing access to the Lab highly enough. I definitely cannot imagine doing the application process without the Lab!
    Class of 2019 Anonymous
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