But the slim odds of getting into have only fueled the admissions consulting industry. The Poets&Quants profiles over 562 consultants alone, up 13% in just two years.
Not surprisingly, hiring someone to help perfect your MBA application is, by and large, much more expensive than it was. But more than ever, technology and greater competition among firms have vastly expanded the number of options in the market: Services fall within different price points to serve vastly different circumstances. Whether it’s $16,000 for a three-school package of advice or one-on-one coaching for $195 per hour, there’s likely a consulting option to suit your needs at an achievable price.
As many firms point out in responses to inquiries from P&Q, the kind of help needed often looks different for every applicant. For this story, admissions consultants in the directory were asked to comment on their pricing and all the services offered at such prices.
COSTLY OPTIONS: THE 3-SCHOOL PACKAGE
Plenty of firms offer fully-inclusive services in packaged deals that include more than just an application overhaul, but in-depth, comprehensive support tailored to include something like crafting a personal brand. These packages might seek to help you develop long-term career aspirations and the path to get you there.
However, the bulk of services tend to run on the pricier side. The package plans provide, in most cases, unlimited counseling and includes help on virtually every realm of the application or selection process, including everything from school selection and mock interviews to your strategy on letters of recommendation. A three-school package can cost anywhere from $1,500 to $20,000.
, and were among three of the most-favorably reviewed large MBA consulting firms based on 1,233 verified client reviews from the fall of 2021 to the summer of 2022. ()
Vantage Point says their price is intentionally set on the higher-end, because consultants guarantee to spend 40-45 hours with a three-school client. The comprehensive three-school package, priced at $12,250 with a senior consultant, offers unlimited support on the following: application strategy, personal brand and career development, resume, school selection and research, letters of recommendation prep & review, school and career chats, essays for three schools, application forms, waitlist strategy and scholarship negotiation. And the list actually goes on.
Many of the firms in this price range provide this extent of such services if not exact ones. Working with Vantage means working directly with a primary coach, who according to co-founder and president, is also looping in feedback from their entire team of consultants, former admissions reps, post MBA professionals and current students to stay up-to-speed on MBA trends.
“We’ve found that there is such a thing as too many cooks in the kitchen when it comes to MBA applications, so we strongly believe in a primary coach model,” says Jones. It seems the only thing not included in Vantage’s package deal is GMAT or GRE test prep.
Just nine years ago, the price for a Stacy Blackman three-school package was $6,680 compared to today’s $11,100 fee. The three-school deal still includes the firm’s famous “All-in” engagement package that today consists of eight core modules and offers unlimited support from a primary consultant.
On the opposite end of the pay spectrum, for $1,500 with the three-school model includes basic application editing for content flow, editing across all other written materials, interview prep and advice on negotiating financial aid. Though Ivy Grad's packages might not encompass all the aspects of the application process, it comes at a more attainable price.
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