Vijay Raghunathan

If you are looking for a smart coach who cares about you and your success just as much as you, Vijay’s your guy. He’s by no means a mind reader, but he’s sure got a lot of nuanced insights and a way with people – he’ll connect with you as a person to understand what makes you YOU.

I like people who are particularly dependable and calm when the music stops. Looking back, Vijay’s calm and dependable personality was the MVP of my tumultuous but successful MBA journey. There were the last-minute revisions when I’d email him my essays late at night and he’d send back helpful comments by morning. There were those last-minute changes I’d make to my short-question essays to better communicate in those tiny 300-character word counts – in the evening before submission no less, after work had eaten up my entire week. There was the pre-recorded video interview I had to do within 24 hours – I hadn’t planned anything and was panicking when Vijay hopped on a call, calmed me down, and proposed a neat structure. I executed on it and the response turned out great. While last minute work certainly wasn’t my norm, when it happened, it really was high stakes for me, and Vijay was there. Through all of this, he stayed steady and helped me push through.

You want someone who himself has gone through the ring and come out swinging. Vijay had already been where I was as an MBA applicant and he knew the gaps I would have, the doubts that would creep in and work that needed doing. It took a lot of effort making those applications, and a lot of learning to understand how to be authentic in my essays and interviews. Even though it was me who put the work in, I know without Vijay’s nudges and shepherding, the process would still have been a little bit out of reach. I am very grateful : )

I loved working with Vijay and enjoyed the Career Protocol’s overall approach to MBA applications. The CP folks go by “MBA coaches” [not consultants] and Vijay embodied that in every sense, letting me drive the game play into directions I wanted to go in while guiding me throughout the way.

A few things that stood out:

a) They backed me before the score did.
CP onboarded me without waiting for my GRE score and after having received it, helped me apply to schools I wanted to go to, not ones they believed were a match. This is rare in MBA consulting. Most coaches I contacted in India said, “Let’s talk after you get your score.” and when I asked them what schools I should apply to, never have I been asked the question: “Where do you want to go?”. Vijay was the first.

b) The process of discovering my stories was impeccable.
We began with a 40-page write-up of all the turning points in my life, personal and professional, which gave me all the fodder I needed for essays and interviews. In a two-hour long conversation, Vijay reflected back some of the moments that stood out to him, helping me commit to the themes I really wanted to explore. I tend to write whimsically and was nervous that coaching might flatten that voice—but Vijay encouraged me to keep it. And I’m so glad I did. I never felt like my work was rewritten into something generic; it always felt like mine.

c) He helped me shoot my shot and get in.
Vijay went above and beyond, supporting me through two additional schools when I was struggling, even though it was technically “out of scope.” I was insecure about having worked at only one company for five years—even though the progression had been strong—and from our very first call, Vijay helped quiet the noise around what I had assumed was or wasn’t “MBA material.” We did more versions of my resume than any essay, teasing out the nuance in the different roles I’d held and helping me capture the full scope of my contributions. I also walked away with heuristics I’ll use for every resume update to come. Most importantly, I now feel more confident in my story and my ability to hold my own at a place like Stanford.

d) The Career Protocol community was a real value-add.
Office hours exposed me to multiple coaching perspectives, and I appreciated that my essays got input from more than one coach. The collaboration across the team showed through in the final product.

I’m so grateful for all the support I received over the past year, from the coaching to the community to the sheer belief in my potential. With Vijay’s help, I not only got into both Stanford GSB and London Business School, but I also feel more grounded in my story and more confident about what I bring to the table.

I had the pleasure of working with Vijay when I was applying to multiple top MBA programs. Before I met Vijay, I was struggling to find my voice and my purpose of going to b-school. It was until I met Vijay that I was able to craft my story in my essays, restore my confidence, and find my purpose for my career. Working with Vijay was an amazing experience because we built an organic relationship where I was able to reflect on my experiences and discover what really propels me in life. I had many insecurities about my upbringing and academic background, but Vijay helped me embrace these areas and make them into my unique strengths, giving life to my unique story. Working with Vijay felt like getting mentored by a passionate life coach who always inspires you and makes you feel good and proud about yourself. I really needed this during a time at which I lacked confidence and felt getting into a top MBA program seemed impossible. He helped me discover who I am. He is an outstanding listener and helps connect you with the best version of yourself. Through Vijay’s relentless energy and outstanding coaching, I was able to navigate seamlessly through the application process, and get admitted into Chicago Booth. Thank you, Vijay!

From my first call with Vijay, I felt safe and comfortable being transparent about who I am and what I wanted to gain from the MBA process. Vijay genuinely cared about my story and my success, which made me confident in working with him.

This was particularly meaningful because other consultants I encountered were very formal, while Career Protocol, with Vijay, was relaxed and approachable.

Throughout multiple draft iterations of my resume and essays, Vijay pushed me to reflect deeply and integrate those insights with exceptional communication techniques. This approach made me feel like I was truly taking ownership of my story.

Vijay’s coaching style perfectly blended honesty, firmness, and care. Through the Discovery PowerPoint presentation, I could see aspects of my story that I hadn’t recognized or considered relevant to my business school application before. Figuring out the essay structures was challenging, and I was initially nervous about aiming high, but Vijay’s support made all the difference.

Advice for future students: Trust the process. Put in the time, do the assignments, and don’t cut corners. Be punctual and committed, and you’ll see the results

My entire MBA application process became a valuable learning journey with Vijay, who helped me clarify my career path and life goals. The coaching steps were thoughtfully designed, starting with a self-awareness questionnaire that encouraged deep reflection on my past successes, failures, personality, and values. This was followed by an inspiring kickoff call that provided profound insights.
Vijay’s reasonable analysis helped me build the confidence to set ambitious school choices and work diligently toward achieving them within a structured timeline. The online coaching videos were excellent resources for learning about storytelling, resume building, recommender selection, and networking.
I was particularly impressed by Vijay’s prompt feedback on my essays, offering valuable comments and thoughts—something every applicant hopes for as the application submission deadline approaches. Despite the short but intense application period, I deeply appreciate Vijay’s hard work and exceptional cooperation, which played a crucial role in making my dream come true.

When I decided to pivot into a new industry and role, I was motivated to get an MBA. I was overwhelmed a few weeks into the process. Vijay’s help arrived just in time. He helped me see my application prep and post-MBA goals from a fresh perspective after our first call. In the following weeks, my list of target schools changed, I simplified my test preparation, and I stopped limiting myself to Texas-based schools. Vijay provided a robust framework for creating my career game plan and helped me look at schools that would be a good fit, given long-term goals and cultural fit. He advised me to take the EA instead of the GMAT based on my strengths. Vijay’s work with me was thorough at every step, whether 1:1 calls or async communication, and he challenged me to improve my essay writing. I am a proud Booth student today, and thanks to Vijay.