Melody

Switching to Melody/ Vantage Point midway through my MBA application process was a game-changing decision. After landing on the waitlist for both HBS and MIT Sloan with another advisor, I realized I needed someone with deeper insights and experience. Melody exceeded all expectations. Some highlights I want to share:

1. Super rich experience and insights about the top MBA programs: Melody has the deepest knowledge and insights among all the of MBA advisors i’ve talked to – details on what traits specific schools look for, examples of past successful turnarounds, what realy makes a difference etc.. Her ongoing connections with students across various MBA programs also provided me up-to-date experiences from the campuses themselves.

2. Exceptional Storytelling: As a consultant, I thought my storylining skills are already quite good. But Melody can always lift my essays to the next level. She can pinpoint the most distinctive highlights of my story, and ask the right questions that pushed me to think more deeply. The depth and authenticity of my final essays could not have been achieved without our extensive discussions and her guidance.

3. Continuous emotional Support: The most invaluable aspect of working with Melody was the emotional support she provided during the exhausting application process. Applying for an MBA was quite a tough experience for me as I don’t really have anyone to share or talk about it, and need to manage my demanding job at the same time. But Melody was always there to celebrate every win and energize me when I needed it most. I can feel that she truly wants me to succeed and wants to help as much as she could.

Choosing Melody/ Vantage Point was one of the best decisions I made on my MBA journey. And she helped me get off the waitlist with MIT Sloan. Her expertise and heartfelt support were instrumental in navigating the complexities of MBA applications. I couldn’t have asked for a better coach.

I was introduced to Melody through a referral, and from our very first conversation, she immediately stood out as one of the most attentive and perceptive professionals I have ever encountered. Her exceptional listening skills allowed me to share my stories and background in depth, enabling her to shape my candidate profile effectively from the beginning. This ability to truly understand my unique background and profile allowed her to craft a highly personalized strategy. The results speak for themselves: I am now preparing to move to London to attend London Business School, one of the most prestigious MBA programs in the world.

Melody possesses a remarkable talent for identifying both the strengths and weaknesses of an applicant’s profile. This skill was invaluable to me, as it enabled me to position myself effectively, leveraging my strengths while addressing any potential shortcomings early on. Equally important was her unwavering responsiveness, which proved crucial in meeting the tight summer deadlines and ensuring my applications were submitted on time.

Melody’s guidance has been life-changing. I am confident that without her expertise and support, my application journey would have been far less successful. The insights and advice she provided were among the most valuable I have ever received. I am profoundly grateful for everything she has done to assist me over the past year.

Melody is an excellent resource for all MBA applicants regardless where they are in the process. I reached out to Melody after having been accepted into one of my target 2-year programs and unexpectedly accepted into a 1-year program. Although we had not worked together throughout my application process Melody was able to provide me with the insights and considerations that I needed to make an informed decision between programs. She is extremely knowledgeable and was able to directly answer my questions while considering my specific decision factors. Melody provided me exactly what I needed to make the best decision with unexpected options and significant time pressure. I would highly recommend her to all MBA applicants!

I owe my acceptance to my dream school entirely to Melody Jones. Her unwavering commitment and expertise were pivotal in shaping my application. Here are the highlights of my experience working with her:

Guidance Beyond Expectations: Melody’s personalized approach went far beyond mere consulting. She meticulously reviewed my essays, ensuring that my best foot was always forward. Her team’s feedback was invaluable, and their dedication was evident throughout the process.
Friendly and Patient: Melody’s friendly demeanor made collaboration enjoyable. She worked tirelessly, leaving no stone unturned until she was satisfied with my application. Her patience and encouragement kept me motivated.
Self-Reflection and Growth: Every conversation with Melody was a moment of introspection. Her insights helped me understand my profile better, and I learned immensely along the way.
Dream University Admit: Without Melody’s guidance, achieving my dream university admission would have been impossible. Her expertise transformed my application.
In summary, Melody Jones is not just an admissions consultant; she’s a mentor who believes in her clients’ potential. I wholeheartedly recommend her to anyone seeking personalized guidance on their MBA journey.

Thank you, Melody, for making my dream a reality!

I reached out to Melody after having a horrible experience with a consultant and a failed attempt to get into any top 10 school. From my experience I realized that most top consultants take you into their batch but do provide the time and energy afterwards, compromising your career for their monetary gains. But this was not the case with Melody. With every discussion I had with her or with every draft of an essay I shared with her, I was surprised with the depth and breadth of feedback she covered. For the first round I worked with her on an hourly basis, and took her advice only where I was confused and every time her feedback was beyond what I could have even imagined. This was the reason I was very confident in my applications and got into Kellogg, Tuck and LBS in R1. I was so impressed with her expertise that I decided to do Stanford with her for R2, and she helped me understand and craft my story in such a way that I could have never done with any other consultant. She brainstormed with me, carefully analized my drafts, and pushed me to go deeper and deeper into my story. Finally my essay was so good that I got the Stanford GSB interview invite, and despite having a very abnormal (bad) interview experience from the interviewer’s end, I was waitlisted at GSB. I am sure that had I not worked with Melody I would have never even got an interview invite from GSB. If anyone is on the fence, I can surely say that after applying to B-schools consecutively for 2 years and dealing with many consultants, I can surely say that it is very hard that you find someone more skillful, knowledgable, willing to go the extra mile for candidates than Melody. You would see a mentor and friend in her and would look forward to speaking to her and getting her feedback every single time. You would more often than not find consultants who affects candidates’ odds negatively than positively, but I can assure you that it would never happen with Melody. I will be forever grateful to her for the efforts she put into my application from beginning till the end.

I started working on my application with Melody more than a year before the deadline. Throughout that time, Melody was a coach, a mentor, and a constructive critic. She was instrumental in finding my true passion beyond the MBA, perfecting my story along the way. I truly believe that Melody’s personalized input has uplifted my application giving me a much better chance at my target school, and it Worked!
I would also like to mention that I live in a different time-zone than Melody’s (7 hours ahead) which should have been a communication nightmare if it was not for her continuous commitment and care.

I highly recommend Melody to anyone looking for a personalized experience with a top-notch expert. Thank you, Melody, for believing in me and pushing me towards achieving my dreams.

Working with Melody was an extremely positive experience – her guidance and insight throughout the application process was instrumental in gaining admission into my top choice program. Melody’s expert advice and feedback at every stage of the process – including crafting and conveying an overarching personal story, resume and essay development, and interview preparation – was invaluable and reflective of her extensive knowledge of the admission and application process at top business school programs. I was working within a fairly short timeline to meet my targeted application deadline, and Melody’s tailored, thorough feedback, often provided on a quick turnaround, really demonstrated her commitment to her clients and their goals. I would highly recommend Melody to anyone considering working with a top-notch consultant to maximize their chances of success in the business school application process.

My experience working with Melody and Vantage Point was amazing! I cannot recommend enough signing up for one of the comprehensive packages. Even during the free initial consultation, it was very clear Melody would be 100% invested in helping me put together the best application. I hired Melody in late April (~4 months before R1 apps were due) and she simplified the entire MBA application process. Before starting on my essays, she invested time in getting to know me and helped piece together different personal and professional experiences that would make sense to highlight in my application. Melody was extremely supportive throughout the process and would always make herself available whether it was for a quick question or a longer brainstorming call. Her comments were always very thoughtful, and the constructive feedback helped professionalize my essays. I felt extremely confident with the final versions I submitted and cannot imagine how I would have made it without Melody and her team. I also cannot stress the value of the mock interviews with Melody and the test run with a former M7 AdCom! This was such a worthwhile investment. Thanks to Melody I was accepted to 2 of my dream schools and am so excited for this next stage in my career!

Melody went above and beyond to ensure that my essays were top-notch. Her expert guidance was invaluable, and she leveled up my writing beyond my expectations. Her thoroughness and commitment to excellence were evident in every interaction, and she was always available to answer my questions. I highly recommend Melody to anyone looking for a skilled and dedicated consultant to help them achieve academic success. Thank you, Melody!

I can’t say enough good things about Melody!! Throughout the entire process, Melody was patient, hardworking, communicative, and supportive. She is incredibly intelligent and always knows how to put my thoughts into words. At first, I used the pre-pack and quickly realized how helpful she was and how I was going to need her in the process so I upgraded to the Comprehensive package. She was always on time with her edits, was always available to call when I needed advice in the process and is so dedicated to me and the rest of her clients. Once I found out I got the interview, I had three days until the interview and she was able to fit me in for an interview prep the day before it. Because of her I was 100% prepared for the interview and had an idea of the questions I would be asked. Because of her I got accepted to my dream school! I can’t recommend Melody enough!!

I cannot recommend Melody enough! I used the Comprehensive Package and was accepted to two of the four schools to which I applied and chose to attend Wharton/Lauder. Melody was always quick to provide extremely honest and constructive feedback on each component of my application package — from the application itself, my CV, and essays, to interview preparation. Throughout the entire process, I was always so impressed with how Melody truly cared and personalized the experience to what I needed. I never felt like I was “on the clock” and she was there to help with all my last-minute anxieties. Notably, I needed to navigate a deferral process (something that is not officially included in an admissions consulting package), and Melody was quick to offer advice and help me navigate the situation, even after I was admitted to the school. I highly recommend Melody and the Vantage Point team to anyone looking for guidance in this process!

Melody is not only incredibly knowledgeable about this ecosystem and what it truly takes to get into top tier programs, but is uniquely committed to her clients at every step of the way. I noticed immediately that she was as committed and invested in my success as I was, and I was often very positively surprised at how above and beyond she went when working with me. I consider myself extremely lucky to have found her by sheer chance as she was focal in helping me build applications. I ended up getting into every single school to which I applied including a crazy reach + dream program that I simply never even thought I would have had a shot at! Melody, you’re the bomb!

From our very first meeting, Melody managed to ease my nerves and help establish a timeline for my application. From the GRE to my essays and recommendations, she made the process streamlined and stress-free, all while being kind and patient. I applied to only one school, so the stakes were high, but Melody helped me frame my story and my post-career goals perfectly. I could not have done it without her, and I highly recommend her to anyone who is intimidated by the process. Thank you, Melody – Vantage Point Consulting was the most worthy investment!

I was a reapplicant who had tried to navigate the daunting process by myself before and had not gained admissions to the schools I had my heart set on. I had never considered working with an admissions consultant and found them generally intimidating until I met Melody. I was referred to Melody by a long-time friend who had just worked with her and valued her high standards of excellence, promptness, and kindness.

Melody was thoughtful and challenged me to do things differently, pushing me in the best way to stay motivated and make it through the finish line (through testing, the applications, and interviews). I appreciated her expertise and how she equipped me with the tools and knowledge to empower me to make decisions throughout my application process. Over time, I added more schools to our comprehensive package as I was impressed by our work together.

Ultimately, I had the opportunity to choose between my top 2 school choices, both Ivy League business programs that offered me scholarships, and I accepted the offer to my dream school. I’m confident it was because of my carefully crafted application and profile with Melody’s guidance. I highly recommend working with Melody or Vantage Point MBA to maximize your chances of success in your application journey and make your MBA dreams come through.

Early in my application process, I originally hired a consultant from a very well known firm that I’ve heard a lot of other people use. After sending that consultant my application materials, I was shocked by not getting feedback that was substantive – whether good or bad.

That’s when I found Melody. She gave helpful insights into my essays – their strengths, areas I could provide more clarity on, areas that might sound too cliche, and so on. She was always open to working around my schedule and definitely went out of her way to make time for me, whether it be via email, a phone call, or through comments in essay drafts. Her feedback was always encouraging, but she didn’t hesitate from being honest and frank in her delivery. Thanks to Melody, I earned admission and a scholarship to Wharton, where I will be attending this fall. Thank you, Melody!

To start off, I would say the time and money invested with Melody and her team is one of the best investment decisions I have ever made! I switched from hourly service to an all-inclusive package with Melody after realizing her professionalism, experience, and passion could be of great help in my application process. She would challenge me all the way until the application materials exhibited exactly who I am and what I want to express. As a non-native speaker, I received tons of help to shape my essays in line with the American culture, while retaining their authenticity and bringing out key nuances of my stories.

The self-reflection process is key and the hardest part of the process, but thanks to Melody’s patience and guidance, I finally have a much clearer picture of my goals and desire, as well as the motivation behind them.

The journey can be exhausting and suffering, but you can always believe hard work pays off: I got into Kellogg and Yale and received full ride scholarships at Stern and Anderson. I don’t think I would achieve these without Melody’s help. I would highly recommend Melody and Vantage Point to anyone who wants to give their best shot to the application process.

My journey with Vantage Point started with a free consultation phone call with Melody, after I found out about the company on GMAT Club. The amount of insight Melody gave on the call, her knowledge and passion for the entire MBA application process stood out, and shortly after I signed up for her company`s comprehensive package.

The package was worth every penny because Melody doesn`t approach what you do together as just another job. She is very hands-on and an experienced and wise guide, not agreeing to any subpar ideas. It was very easy to reach Melody. She is open to always giving feedback, and all conversations with her are very genuine: no sugar coating, brutal honesty – the right recipe that encourages you to think outside the box and inspires you to compose the best essays you possibly can.

If you are ready to do the hard work to decide between the multiple offers you`ll get at the end of the road, I recommend you work with Melody. After a lengthy thought process, I decided that this fall I will be joining Tuck`s class of 2024.

My partner and I worked with Melody on an hourly package and we both got admits to all the 4 schools that we applied to including Kellogg, which was our top choice school. Melody is simply the best – she challenged us to get out of our comfort zones and motivated us to put our best foot forward. She helped us shape our essays in line with the American culture, all the while retaining their authenticity and bringing out key nuances of our stories. We loved how she always gave us direct and honest feedback on our essays. We would not have been able to craft our essays as well as we did without her guiding us through the self-reflection and essay writing process.

The process was sometimes overwhelming as my partner and I wanted to get into a school together. But Melody kept our morale high and motivated us at every step. Even when my partner struggled with GMAT, she not only encouraged him but also went out of her way to provide him with great resources for his preparations. She is the nicest person to work with. I would highly recommend Melody and Vantage Point to anyone who wants to give their 100% to the application process.

From our very first meeting, Melody managed to ease my nerves and help establish a timeline for my application. From the GRE to my essays and recommendations, she made the process streamlined and stress-free, all while being kind and patient. I applied to only one school, so the stakes were high, but Melody helped me frame my story and my post-career goals perfectly. I could not have done it without her, and I highly recommend her to anyone who is intimidated by the process. Thank you, Melody – Vantage Point Consulting was the most worthy investment!

Working with Melody, Jaime, and the rest of the Vantage Point MBA team was an amazing experience from start to finish, and I wouldn’t have received acceptance to multiple top 20 full-time MBA programs without their invaluable knowledge, expertise, recommendations, and insights. Going into the round 1 applications I knew I had some noticeable gaps in my overall application. The Vantage Point team worked with me throughout the process to give me the confidence to follow through with the applications, highlight my strengths, and demonstrate to admissions committees I have what it takes to be in their programs. They believed in me even when I doubted myself, and I can’t thank them enough for their consistent support and help. I couldn’t have done it without them, and I highly recommend them to everyone!

I had the absolute pleasure of working with Melody Jones on a comprehensive package for my application to Columbia Business School and NYU Stern. Melody was an incredible resource and advisor throughout the entire process. Her guidance and support enabled me to optimize and highlight the strengths of my candidacy, eventually leading to an acceptance to my first choice and dream school, Columbia Business School.

Due to the fact that I applied as both a round 3 applicant and a reapplicant to CBS, I had the pleasure of working with Melody for over six months.

While the business school application process is naturally a long, introspective, and stressful time, Melody did an amazing job of being a true partner throughout the whole process. She constantly impressed me with her ability to provide direct, honest feedback in a polite manner. She responded to essay drafts and general questions very reliably and timely. Separately, I was pleasantly surprised with how much time Melody spent with me digging deep into my personal and professional background to help me effectively present my goals and story.

After being rejected by CBS following the submission of my round 3 application, Melody provided clarity as I was not fully sure if I wanted to reapply. She was not pushy and provided encouragement during a time when I was very discouraged.

During my reapplication process, her advice drove me to seek ways to improve my candidacy both professionally and through extracurriculars. After receiving an interview invite during my reapplication process, Melody thoroughly prepared me for my interview. I entered the interview fully prepared and I subsequently received an acceptance to CBS within a week.

In addition to Melody’s guidance, the Vantage Point team also provided phenomenal resources that supplemented my research and preparation phase. The Vantage Point team’s effective admissions committee trial run also provided amazing feedback from the perspective of an experienced former admissions committee member.

Overall, I highly recommend Melody and the Vantage Point team to anyone looking to apply to a competitive MBA program! Even if I had not received admission into my dream school, I believe working with Melody and her team put me in the best position to apply to my programs of choice. I cannot thank Melody and the Vantage Point team enough for helping me achieve my goal!

I never thought that I would be accepted into my dream school, CBS, for the Aug entry (ED round) when I started my MBA process early this year. But Melody MADE it happen. I CERTAINLY wouldn’t have done it without her help, given that 1) I do not have a stellar test scores/GPA (right at average) 2) my competitive demographics. I feel very fortunate that I was able to connect to work with her from a mutual connection, who also worked with Melody and got accepted to CBS. Not to mention – Melody is also a CBS alum, so she understands ins and outs of CBS and the CBS process very well.

I worked with Melody on the comprehensive package. It is pricey like any other comprehensive consulting packages- make no mistake about it. BUT it’s definitely WORTH every single penny. I chose the comprehensive package vs. hourly or essay services bc I wanted my consultant to be fully engaged and be able to shed his/her insight throughout the process. It turns out to be the absolutely right decision, bc Melody, and I spent a lot of hours discussing my background, personal stories, etc., that ultimately help put together a very coherent application. I don’t think that could’ve happened if I decided to save a couple hundred or thousand dollars opting in for an essay coach/hourly chats services.

While I can’t speak for other services, what I would highlight from my experience working with Melody is that she is extremely encouraging knowledgeable, and responsive. From time to time, she would listen to my vent about my average test scores and anxiety reading about forums, etc. But she has remained reassuring throughout this whole time, motivating me to focus on what I can control. She also shared extensive knowledge of the admission and application process from her previous experience with other clients. During the process, she has also been much more responsive than what I would expect from a consultant, especially at the founder level. She typically responded to my general inquiries/questions/emails/texts in 12 hours or less even though she was extremely busy.

Another thing I wanted to highlight is that bc I signed up for the comprehensive package, I was able to gameplan with Melody at the early stage on the process such as timeline, LoC, and other admission items. Throughout this couple of months, I definitely had a bunch of follow up phone calls, emails, and texts just on items other than the essays.

As far as the services, Melody and her team have a holistic plan that really helps you dig deep into your personal story- and most importantly- challenges you to think about what really matters to you. While the story and working experiences are mine, Melody really did a great job in connecting all the dots and helped me craft a genuinely authentic story. I am extremely satisfied with the final essays that Melody and I worked together on after multiple drafts. I certainly would not be able to come up with the articulate essays/personal stories without Melody’s help. Not to mention, Melody is also an excellent writer! After I got invited for an interview for CBS, Melody and I also had a mock interview, which was extremely helpful.

Lastly, had I not get accepted, would I regret my decision of choosing Melody and VP? Definitely not. Coming into our first call, I expected my consultant to fully invest her time and to be the shepherd of this daunting process. Melody well exceeds my expectation regardless of the result, as she fully invested her time and effort in my application. I truly feel that every dollar is well spent. Of course, the result speaks for itself. I STRONGLY recommend Melody and Vantage Point!

The first time I spoke to Melody I really felt like she made the effort to connect with my story and understand my circumstances. It was an extremely smooth experience working with her and her team because I signed up for their services right before the deadline. The team got back to me always in a timely manner and gave critical feedback on my essays and material. I would encourage anyone considering an MBA consultant to consider Vantage Point.

To realize my dream of being accepted to and elite MBA program, I needed the best MBA Admissions Consultant to guide me and to encourage me throughout the rigorous admissions process.

My military training taught me to prepare, so I diligently researched to find the best possible person. My exhaustive research led me directly to Melody.

I completely trusted her. Melody’s advice, support, and encouragement helped me fulfill my dream of being accepted to The Wharton School and the Kellogg School of Management.

Melody’s expertise enables me to obtain a substantial scholarship at Wharton. So, working with Melody ended up making me money in the long run. This was a huge return on my investment. If your goal is to attend one of the top MBA programs then Melody is your choice.

For context, I worked with Melody on a comprehensive package across multiple schools. From start to finish, Melody went out of her way to provide extraordinarily thoughtful coaching and guidance. The advising process began even before I had opened any applications, or decided on which schools I wanted to apply for. We spent weeks exploring my career goals, MBA goals, personality traits, and past experiences, to refine down a wide list of potential angles to apply from, tailored to which school might receive each angle best. Once we started going back and forth on refined topics, Melody provided the most detailed, insightful, creative, and well-articulated feedback I have ever received. It helped me brainstorm and craft well thought out essays that highlighted the most important facets of my applications and create applications well beyond what I would have otherwise crafted. To be clear, we worked well past version 25 on at least one of my applications, and I truly felt each turn was significantly better than the last. Furthermore, Melody is super nice, friendly, and incredible to work with. She maintained a positive attitude throughout, which helped get through such a daunting process. She certainly earns the highest marks possible and I would recommend her to anybody taking a hard run at applying to business schools.

Working with Melody on a comprehensive multi school package was the best decision I made as I started my MBA application process. Thorough and thoughtful, Melody was instrumental in me crafting and communicating a compelling story based on my background and experiences. She is extremely knowledgeable and had insights and tips for each school that I applied to. Melody strives for perfection – she made sure that I approached each application on its own and is not afraid to go back on her own advice. In addition, she is personable and a lot of fun to work with. She made sure that my personality shone through in my essays. Her mock interviews made me feel confident and comfortable as I walked into the real thing.
She is an excellent communicator and was always prompt with her responses. Knowing that my work was picking back up soon, she even worked double time with me to get my applications in order – an excellent example of her dedication to her clients. Thanks to her advice, I got interviews for 6/7 schools (All top-10) that I applied to and ended up getting multiple admits. I think the results speak for themselves. All in all, I could not have asked for a better guide and friend as I worked through the stressful application process.

I worked with Melody for over a year, from the initial phase of deciding whether to apply to business school, through a successful application to a top 10 program. I found her objective input and feedback to be a tremendous asset throughout the entire application process, both through providing a source of vetting for initial ideas as well as refining key themes and stories. From the outset of our work together, the structured framework she provided was extremely helpful in breaking down an otherwise daunting application process into manageable steps, while ensuring a high level of self-reflection throughout. In addition, coming from a professional background that did not require much creative writing, Melody’s insights were invaluable in translating raw ideas into a final product which was both more personal and well-polished. I would highly recommend her to anyone interested in applying to business school.

Melody was an exception and felt like a real partner in my application process. My MBA journey was off to a bad start, I had applied and got rejected to the only school I really wanted to attend. When I began the reapplication process, I knew I needed help to nail the re-applicant essay. Melody was the perfect partner in this. I reached out to her in late July on helping me with my application but was focused on improving my test scores until early September. I had an application deadline of October 4th leaving me just 3 weeks to perfect my essay. Melody was instrumental in providing quick, direct, and invaluable feedback. There were about 4+ iterations of my essay before we were happy with the final result. With just 3 weeks to work through this, she was incredibly accommodating of my tight timelines and was always incredibly timely in providing feedback. She helped take my essay from a generic story to a thoughtful depiction of me, as a candidate. I submitted my application feeling confident that all aspects of my application were as good as they could be… which definitely contributed to my acceptance! Very excited to be attending one of the top programs in the country this coming year!

Melody was an amazing admissions consultant through the entire process. From helping me think deeper about what I really want to do post-MBA, to providing detailed feedback and edits on my essays, to supporting me through the interview process. I cannot thank her enough for her support, and would highly recommend her based on her experience, professionalism, and personal investment in her client’s success.

As you can tell from other reviews, Melody Jones is an absolutely incredible MBA consultant. I believe that any good consultant can work with a strong candidate with a great GPA, great GMAT, great story, etc. but it takes a truly exceptional consultant to be able to work with a candidate that has large weaknesses in her application (like I did) and turn the candidate into not only a strong applicant but an accepted applicant. Melody is that truly exceptional consultant.

Melody’s patience and understanding are second to none, and she will diligently go through your story with you so that she understands every aspect of who you are and what you want to be. It is this depth of understanding, coupled with her insanely creative mindset, that allows Melody to partner with you to seamlessly develop a cohesive and realistic story.

If at any point you are confused or uncertain during the stressful application process, Melody will be your rock. She is honest and direct when she feels you are heading in the wrong direction and supportive and caring when she knows you just need someone to understand the stress you feel.

There are a million more things I can say about Melody, but what it all comes down to is: Melody was my partner. She was everything I could have ever asked for in a consultant, and I trusted her with everything. That trust paid off :).

So, if you’re looking for a partner in this process, you know who to call!

Melody (VantagePoint consultant) provided an excellent service which ensured that I got accepted to the school of my choosing (LBS) while minimizing friction in the process. LBS was the only school I chose to apply to hence our collaboration was fully geared towards LBS adcom requirements.
Melody is a very insightful person with a very clear perspective on how the admission process should be run in order to be successful– a clear sign of experience/expertise. While ensuring a super pleasant dialogue, Melody will know when to challenge the status quo and push to hit milestones. Melody was very structured and managed the timeline very well, which was the most important contribution that I was looking for.
Being a good consultant, Melody kicked off the advisory relationship with in-depth interviews. Melody provided a very tailored set of objectives/milestones for me to hit to really improve my profile before applying. Networking with past/current students was one important avenue that I explored thanks to her advice.
I recommend Melody and VP full-heartedly because of a very high level of professionalism, result-driven approach as well as supportive culture (for those tough moments where you will inevitably worry too much about your GMAT score, essay, etc).

I did not enjoy applying to business school. There is a tremendous amount of uncertainty inherent to the process and each school varies greatly in both deliverables and expectations.

That said, I did enjoy working with Melody Jones at Vantage Point. It is largely due to her amazing efforts that I was ultimately admitted to Stanford GSB, Columbia Business School, and the Cal Berkeley Haas School of Business. The reality is that I did not believe I would get into any of these schools and all credit goes to both the process and diligence of people like Melody at Vantage Point for helping me flesh out and articulate a coherent, authentic story.

This last point is perhaps most important as I think the tendency for most (at least me) is to write what one believes an adcom wants to hear. Melody and her team were particularly adept at helping me find and express the best version of my personal truth in my essays. This took many drafts and much patience and Melody is exceptionally disciplined and responsive and consistently provided meaningful feedback to keep things moving forward.

The fact that this specific service included a review from an expert at a given school helped me fine tune my application prior to submission and ensure that nothing was missed along the way. These services are expensive, but I can say without hesitation that Vantage Point represents a worthwhile investment in the future of any applicant.

I can’t say enough how great it was to work the Melody. My MBA journey started off disorganized, unsure and confusing. I’ve had an interesting (and very unconventional) career to this point and wasn’t quite sure how to staple it all together. I have about as many red flags that one could imagine: two job gaps, eh GMAT and GPA, and switched jobs a few months before the Round 1 deadline. Despite a stressful new job and all these headwinds, Melody was super *accommodating* (can’t emphasize this enough) with me throughout this entire process. She guided me on how to craft my story, clean up my resume, and write compelling essays. We must have gone through at least 10+ drafts on my first essay before I finally hit submit. The word limits force you to be careful with how you craft your essays, but Melody’s feedback is blunt (with the best intentions) and really make you get to the point. The service is expensive, but it’s an investment. It’s a stressful process and you only get out of it what you put into it. Thank you for everything, Melody!!

Choosing Vantage Point and Melody as my admissions consultant for my CBS application was the best decision I ever made. I originally entered the process feeling a bit uneasy with my average stats and my ability to stand out from a crowded pool of applicants possessing a similar background. Beginning immediately with our first phone call, Melody understood my goals and pinpointed the exact areas I had to improve on. We worked through numerous drafts of developing all aspects of my story, while also showcasing the unique qualities of my profile where her experience proved to be most impactful. She was always available through phone call/email despite being across the country. I highly recommend the Comprehensive Package because I was able to maximize my output while working a demanding job schedule and the interview prep gave me confidence heading into the real thing. I truly cannot express enough gratitude for the honest and thoughtful work Melody and her team dedicate themselves to.

Melody was a fantastic resource and cannot recommend her enough! I worked with her on an hourly basis since I decided to use a consultant relatively late in the process (I had already written first drafts of all of the essays). Melody was tremendously helpful in helping me refine my story and ensuring that every word of each essay and my resume supported that story. Her feedback was always constructive and relevant and reflected a high level of detail despite me being an hourly client. Furthermore, Melody is extremely professional: she initiated an introductory phone call to discuss my goals, accommodated my timelines, clearly communicated how much time each request would take, and never tried to up-sell me. She was also following up with me throughout the interview process and offered support and tips. Thanks to Melody I got into 3 of the 4 Top 10 schools I applied to (including my dream school) and was awarded one full merit-based scholarship!

Melody Jones at Vantage Point MBA is a wonderful consultant and I am very fortunate to have worked with her.

Firstly, if you are on the fence about hiring a consultant in general, I was in the same boat last year and I highly recommend pulling the trigger and going for it. When I first decided to apply to business school, I had never even heard of an admission consultant. The concept was foreign to me and as such I was reluctant to pay up for one. However, once I started my essays, I realized that they were nowhere near the standard required for the schools I was targeting. I was really struggling to express my “story” in a cohesive and compelling manner. Given that the MBA is such a large investment overall, I wanted to make sure that I wouldn’t be leaving anything on the table, and I ultimately decided to bring in a professional.

I researched most of the firms and interviewed consultants from each of them, but I was immediately drawn to Vantage Point due to its smaller size, which I felt would be most conducive to a genuine, personalized experience. When I spoke with Melody on the phone, I just knew that she was the one. Not only is Melody brilliant, but she is friendly and down-to-earth. I felt like she really understood where I was coming from and where I wanted to go. Having Melody in my corner curbed my anxiety tremendously and increased my confidence – that alone was worth every penny.

I had a 700 GMAT and not-so-great GPA and I was applying to some of the very best schools. On our kick-off call, Melody kept it real with me and was upfront about where my weaknesses were (later, she helped me develop a game-plan to directly address each of these challenges), but she NEVER attempted to discourage me from applying to the programs I’d set my sights on. I believe that it is crucial to work with a balanced consultant like Melody, who makes a point to manage your expectations but then puts in an insane amount of effort to elevate your application to the highest possible level as if your weaknesses didn’t exist.

Melody is an MBA expert and if I hadn’t worked with her, I’m certain my application strategy would have been all wrong. Admissions folks only spend ~15 minutes reviewing your entire application and I was surprised to learn that most of them do not have business backgrounds. Therefore, you must present yourself and your materials in a way that is drastically different from a job interview, for example. MBA essay-writing requires a significant amount of introspection and Melody possesses the rare skill of helping you spin life experiences (that to you may seem mundane) into captivating stories. Melody worked tirelessly to help me put together seriously killer essays (I’m talking 10+ drafts each). She will not do any of the work for you, but she asks very pointed questions that force you to dig deeper and she will not let you off the hook until every single sentence is perfect. There were many occasions when, after 5-8 drafts, I thought my essay had finally reached perfection and I had mentally checked out of it, only to receive yet another completely red version from Melody. I cannot stress this enough — if you work with Melody, she will not simply check the box by providing a few iterations of useful feedback. Rather, she will be totally personally invested in you and your success. On that front, this review would not be complete without a shout out to Katherine Canning, who graduated from Wharton and works in my industry. She took time out of her vacation (!!) to do a final, last-minute review of my Wharton essays before submission. The consultants at Vantage Point are passionate about what they do and are seriously dedicated to you.

Finally, pretty late in the process, I realized that one of my 4 target schools actually wasn’t the best fit for me and I decided to switch it out for another top 10 school (which I will be attending in the fall!!) just a few weeks before the deadline. I NEVER would have had the courage to take such a big turn so close to the end without Melody’s encouragement. When it came time for interviews, Melody held several mock interviews with me. I went from being terribly awkward during the first mock interview to absolutely rocking it at the real thing! Also worth mentioning that throughout the process, I experienced several SNAFUs (the kind you never expect to happen), and if I didn’t have Melody to guide me and calm me down, I would have had a meltdown and handled the situation incorrectly.

TLDR: Do something special for yourself this year and hire Melody Jones from Vantage Point MBA!

After a round of rejection, I had one free consultation with Melody. Melody is an excellent listener and was able to take all of the information I gave her and focused in on a handful of ways I could quickly improve my applications. I wholeheartedly believe that her advice on how to frame a particular weakness in my application helped me get into every school I applied to in the subsequent round, including to an M7 school. Melody helped me describe why I struggled in one college quant course in a way that seemed natural, whereas my previous writing on the subject likely came off as excuse-making. It says a lot about the company’s integrity that they have refused even token compensation from me, even though the short time I spent with Melody was so impactful.

Melody is an exceptional admissions consultant. I signed on for the Comprehensive Package and added on two other schools. We have worked together for over a year, as I began my b-school application journey early on. Melody was very helpful in helping me craft and hone my story, and she really pushed me to elevate my resume and essays to the next level required for acceptance into a top business school program. She fully understands what AdCom is looking for at each individual program, which really helps as you go through the various drafts of your essays. My GMAT scores came in a bit later than I’d hoped but Melody was extremely flexible in working through all of my essays in a condensed period of time. She also made herself available to chat anytime I felt stuck and encouraged me when I felt frustrated with the process (let’s be real, the application process is incredibly stressful). I will be heading to an M7 school in the fall with scholarship, and couldn’t have done it without Melody. This is a worthwhile investment and I’d recommend Melody to anyone thinking about applying to business school. Major props to Melody for making my dreams come true!

I’m so thankful for Melody’s guidance and support throughout this process. I had initially begun visiting schools and crafting my personal statement for pursuing an MBA without a consultant. While I thought I had a decent educational background (college, GPA) and GMAT score, I wasn’t confident in the quality of my essays. Fortunately, through online research, I found Melody at Vantage Point. During our initial call, we aligned on how far along I was on my applications and school selection process, and she immediately worked with me to strengthen and shape my core story. I admit I was a bit nervous about how much attention I would receive as an hourly client compared to others with more comprehensive services, but I was highly impressed with Melody’s invaluable insight, along with her timely and honest feedback. I was out of practice with my essay writing skills and Melody challenged me to write in different ways that were true to my voice, yet more concise and compelling, which I believe helped to differentiate my application. I was thrilled to have gotten into one of my top choices and am appreciative of Melody’s support along the way.

The hourly services at Vantage Point were the perfect fit for what I needed in the application process. Going into the applications, I felt I had a strong GMAT score and reason for applying to school but needed help with the essays. I had a lower college GPA, so knew I needed to write really strong essays to have a chance at getting in. Melody was great at helping me from the brainstorming process through multiple drafts on different topics to the final polishing to make sure everything was “submit” ready. She was also very helpful in answering my one-off questions as I continued through the process, even after we had wrapped up our final hour. I would highly recommend this to anyone looking for help and direction with the overall application!

I had the pleasure of working with Melody on two Round 1 applications to top 10 programs. I had unsuccessfully applied to several top programs last year and was unsure of why I had been rejected as my GPA/GMAT/undergrad school were strong and I felt I had interesting work experience. While I had initially been reluctant to use an admissions consultant due to the cost, it was definitely a worthwhile investment. I worked with Melody on an hourly basis, which worked well for me as I already knew the schools to which I intended to apply. I was impressed with Melody’s efficiency, as well as the quality of her feedback, and appreciated her regular updates on the time spent on various items. Melody helped me first by doing a quick review of a few my applications from last year and pinpointing that I stood to improve the most by strengthening my resume, stating career goals that better justified the need for an MBA, and writing more compelling and specific essays. We spent most of our time on resume edits, career goal articulation, and essay reviews and edits. The previous application cycle showed me just how competitive it is to gain admission to top MBA programs, and not knowing many people familiar with the MBA process, it was invaluable for me to have Melody’s insight into the admissions process and candid feedback on my resume, goals, and essay drafts. Additionally, Melody was always quick to respond and open to answering any questions I had about the admissions process. I was admitted to a top 10 program with a scholarship that more than makes up for the cost of working with a consultant and truly believe Melody’s help in developing a strong, polished application helped me gain admission with a scholarship. I highly recommend working with her!

I worked with Alicia over the course of three months during my application prep for Columbia. Having worked in admissions at Columbia Business School, Alicia was able to provide insight into the admissions process and how best to tailor my story to make me stand out. Her advice and feedback was also instrumental in helping me write a coherent and focused essay that highlighted the strengths of my application and mitigate my weaknesses. Alicia was also very accommodating and flexible in scheduling meetings or quick chats. I’m extremely pleased with how the process went and would wholeheartedly recommend Vantage Point and Alicia.

With only one month for Round 1 admits and after talking to numerous consultants, I finally decided to work with Melody Jones at Vantage Point. Though the fees seemed steep initially, choosing to work with Melody turned out to be the best decision during my MBA application process. Melody is an exceptional professional and her attention to details is brilliant. Her feedback was always spot on and she urged me to think out of the box and come up with innovative ways to express myself. Submitting 4 applications in 1 month was a huge task but Melody worked with me until the end and ensured that I brought my best out in every application. The interview prep was, again, very helpful and thorough. Melody gave me a great insight on what to expect for interviews and how to bring my A-game forward. I highly recommend Melody at Vantage Point as an MBA consultant. Applying for top B-schools is a stressful experience and it’s highly beneficial to have a good consultant by your side.

I initially met Melody during Forte workshop kickoff event and was impressed by her candidness immediately. Since early May, I had been working with her on every aspect of my CBS application package – career goals, strength/weakness assessment, resume, essays and mock interview. Melody always provided to-the-point feedback on my writing and pushed me beyond my comfort zone to polish my career goals (I’m seeking to change my career vertically post-MBA, hence the challenge). On top of that, I really enjoyed doing mock interview with her: she offered super honest and constructive feedback on my responses, and helped me brainstorm prompts that I struggled with. I was eventually admitted into CBS during ED round within 5 weeks! I can’t thank Melody enough for her directional guidance in the process.

I can’t say enough about my positive experience with Melody. I reached out to her when I knew I wanted to go to bschool but didn’t have any other thoughts beyond that – what school, best practices on GMAT prep, what I wanted to do after school, how to tackle interviews, essay writing, how to engage with my recommenders, etc. She walked me through the entire process step-by-step so it didn’t seem as daunting, and pushed me each step of the way to make my application stronger than I could have ever thought possible. She was to-the-point and always available, which really helped me focus on specific areas I needed to focus on and be as efficient as possible. I’m convinced that Melody’s guidance and pushing me to improve my application beyond what I could have done myself is what led to my overall success in the bschool application process. I’m happy to note that I received 4 acceptances (of 6 schools applied), with merit scholarships to all I applied to! Long story short: Best investment ever.

I worked with Melody on 4 applications for Round 1. We started late, but she proved an excellent resource for distilling my non-traditional story into an application that would prove compelling to adcomms. She was incredibly thorough in her analysis of my materials, providing feedback that enabled me to develop materials that were authentically mine, but still ensured I hit the many benchmarks of a successful application. I’m a crunch-time worker and had a chaotic work/travel schedule, but she made a point of making availability at odd hours and for often tight turnarounds– it was a level of dedication that made me feel that she was thoroughly invested in my success. I was accepted to two schools with scholarship offers from both. I’m pleased with my experience and the results of working with Melody. I would highly recommend working with her to future applicants– my only advice is start working with her sooner and don’t wait.

I worked with Melody for over four months on my application for the J-Term at Columbia Business School and had a truly terrific experience! Melody was the only consultant I spoke with who was genuinely interested in helping me get into business school and so I was confident in choosing her as my consultant. With her wealth of knowledge and experience as a Columbia alum, she was able to help me refine my goals and essays to highlight the aspects of my candidacy that Columbia was looking for. She went above and beyond to help me tell my story in a authentic and compelling way, pushing me to explore my own motivations and aspirations. Melody was also always incredibly patient and prompt with feedback, reviewing several drafts of my resume and essays until she and I were both confident my application was in the best possible shape. After everything was complete, Melody even had my application reviewed by a former adcom member who provided insightful and honest feedback that made my application even stronger. For the interview, Melody’s coaching ensured I would emphasize the right points, clearly articulating my story, goals, and enthusiasm for CBS. She even went out of her way to schedule another interview prep session before my actual interview to make sure I felt confident and prepared! Ultimately, I was admitted to Columbia Business School! I can honestly say I wouldn’t have made it without her guidance and support. She was professional, friendly, and positive throughout the entire process. I could not have asked for a better consultant to work with! Thank you for everything, Melody!