2024 Best MBA AdmissionS Consultants
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Top-tier MBA programs have some of the most competitive admissions processes, and securing scholarships can be even more challenging. Many qualified applicants face rejection—not because they lack the credentials, but because they fail to effectively showcase their strengths in their applications. This is why finding the right MBA admissions consultant is so important. It’s not about hiring just any consultant; it’s about choosing one who truly understands your unique profile and will help you communicate your story in a compelling way.
To assist you in making an informed decision, we’ve curated a comprehensive list of the top MBA admissions consultants, complete with detailed reviews and insights. Here are key factors to consider as you explore your options:
1) Consultant Team: Review the backgrounds and expertise of consultants from each firm. Look for those who have extensive experience with MBA admissions and who align with your specific goals and needs. The right consultant will have a proven track record of success with applicants like you.
2) Service Offering: Make sure the consulting firm offers the level of personalized support you need. Some firms provide more comprehensive, hands-on guidance, while others may focus on specific areas of the application process. Choose a consultant whose services match your expectations and who demonstrates a genuine commitment to your success.
3) Reputation: Look for consultants with a strong reputation. Read reviews, check testimonials, and seek out feedback from other MBA applicants. Avoid firms that make unrealistic promises or boast exaggerated success rates.
At MBAInsight, we’ve done the hard work for you. Since 2016, we’ve been gathering and analyzing detailed student testimonials to create a reliable, star-rated list of the best MBA admissions consultants. Our guide provides you with everything you need to confidently choose a consultant who fits your unique needs, helping you take the next step toward achieving your MBA goals. Explore our curated list and make an informed decision that sets you on the path to success.
MOST- REVIEWED Admissions Consultants
With almost a decade of review history, we can identify consultants whose names are mentioned in client testimonials for our top five:
Rank | MBA Consulting Firm | Which Consultants Reviewed? | Years of Business | Review Totals | % of Five Star Reviews | Rate per Hour | |
#1 | Beth, Caryn, Jen, Alex, Margaret, Amy, Bill, Jennifer | Since 2001 | 137 | 97% | $395-$895 | ||
#2 | Rafael, Damon, Ben, John, Julie | Since 2007 | 46 | 93% | $375 | ||
#3 | Chimri, Shriram, Chaya, Prasanth | Since 2002 | 51 | 86% | $315 | ||
#4 | Faisal, Christina | Since 2009 | 15 | 75% | $350-$425 | ||
#5 | Jeremy, Harshad, Harold, Krista, John | Since 2004 | 83 | 67% | $400- $650 |
Money Well Spent- Best MBA Admissions Consultants
Do not let the price of some of these consultants dissuade you from pursuing one. While the prices may seem a bit steep, they are an invaluable asset to your application and will provide a strong return on investment. Some of these consultants provide a one-time payment or an hourly rate for their service. Here’s our full list of top 10 for 2024:
Rank | MBA Consulting Firm | Review Totals | % of Five Star Reviews | Average Rating | Rate per Hour | |
#1 | Stacy Blackman Consulting | 137 | 97% | $395-$895 | ||
#2 | Admissionado | 46 | 93% | $375 | ||
#3 | Aringo | 51 | 86% | $315 | ||
#4 | MBA Prep School | 15 | 75% | $350-$425 | ||
#5 | MBA Mission | 83 | 67% | $400- $650 | ||
#6 | Stratus Admissions | 23 | 65% | $495-$585 | ||
#7 | Accepted | 73 | 63% | $385-$485 | ||
#8 | MBA Admit | 27 | 59% | $365 | ||
#9 | Fortuna Admissions | 16 | 50% | $395-$450 | ||
#10 | MBA Exchange | 49 | 33% | $375 |
Meet The Best MBA Admission Consultants of 2024
#1. Stacy Blackman Consulting
Stacy Blackman Consulting (SBC) offers something that no other MBA admissions consulting service can provide: a complete panel of former MBA Admissions officers. These former admissions officers all spent their time working for the top-tier programs in the nations, such as Harvard HBS, Stanford GSB, and Wharton. They are experienced in both the top US and European MBA programs and have the expertise to mold your application into what is required for the ultra-competitive MBA programs. SBC consistently finds themselves at number 1 across a slew of rankings on the internet and for good reason. They have a thorough matchmaking process based on evaluating candidacy strength and differentiating qualities, because they have a client-per-consultant cap. After matchmaking, they go full force in delivering on their promise: getting you into a top-tier MBA program.
Stacy Blackman Consulting Review Statistics
SAMPLE REVIEWS for Stacy Blackman Consulting
“Thanks to SBC, I received dual admission to HBS and GSB as a reapplicant! I would like to thank the SBC team: Dawn, who was on this journey with me for almost 2 years. I am grateful for her work ethic and her support; Amy, who was my flight tester (test drive of a full application) and provided a comprehensive and independent advice on how to strengthen my application even further; Esther, who had an introductory call with me, was very helpful in walking me through the packages and matched me with Dawn; Large SBC database which was priceless, especially when understanding the differences between schools and when preparing for interviews. Would not be able to do this without SBC (know it as a fact :)!”
“HBS Reapp. Consider my experience with SBC as an A/B test — the results speak for themselves! I initially applied in R2 last year and didn’t even get an interview at HBS. Just a few months later, I worked with SBC and got in. I didn’t have a substantial change in my work experience, or even improved test scores — just expert guidance on crafting my application. Because of SBC, I am going to my dream program!”
Learn About Stacy Blackman Consulting
Stacy Blackman Consulting Services
They offer students an “All-in” service with a primary consultant, meaning that you will get 1-on-1 guidance that has no cap on hours or time. Through their client screening process, they take the time to find the proper consultant from their diverse team that best suits your needs and goals as an applicant.
SBC offers a range of comprehensive packages for you to find what best suits your needs.
- “All-In” Package: 1 school, starting at $7,300
- Hourly Services: Starting $395/hour
- The SBC Flight Test: $825
- MBA Interview Prep: Starting at $575 for Video Interview/Video Essay only
- MBA Plan Ahead Package: $4,995
- GMAT & GRE Test prep: Starting at $540 for 2 hours
#2. Admissionado
Admissionado is committed to the success of its clients. They boast a staff of over 100 employees and have reviewed over 35,000 applications to date across undergraduate, masters and business school clients. As a client, you will receive guidance from an MBA expert and an editor, along with access to a team MBA experts and editors to ensure the best quality throughout their consultation experience.
Admissionado Review Statistics
SAMPLE REVIEWS for Admissionado
“I came to know about Rafael and Admissionado from my friend, who eventually went to London Business School. I took admissions consulting service from Rafael for two schools. Rafael was a great coach from the start who pushed me to believe in myself and focus on showing what’s unique about my work experience in mining, leadership, problem solving and analytics skills.
“…the quality of the advice provided wasn’t excellent – they didn’t push me on a couple of essays to get deeper into my motivations and get the best out of my story. Pros – very nice, helpful, prompt. Cons – Didn’t go deep enough, didn’t challenge some of my assumptions, much more a fluid guide then an expert.”
Admissionado Consulting Services
Admissionado also offers the following packages:
- Silver: $3,250 for 1 school
- Gold: $5,850 for 1 school
- Platinum: $8,650 for 1 school
- Discovery & Competitive Edge Positioning: $925
- Resume Development: $750
#3. Aringo
At Aringo, each client receives 1-on-1 consultation from an admissions expert, who then convenes with the entire consultant team on how to best serve each individual client.Their product offerings include hourly services, full school packages and interview preparation.
Aringo Review Statistics
SAMPLE REVIEWS for Aringo
“Very insightful and supportive team; helped me throughout the process.”
“…Looking back at my application I think I could, today as an MBA graduate, do the application myself slightly better, at least for some of the essays I wrote.”
ARINGO Consulting Services
Aringo offers the following packages:
- Hourly Services: Starting at $315/hour
- Full School Package: Starting at $5,200 for 1 school
- MBA Interview Preparation: $315
#4. MBA Prep School
MBA Prep School is a full-service consulting firm focused exclusively on helping clients applying to an MBA program. They claim a 90% success rate at getting clients into a top-ranked business school. In a move that sets them apart from other companies, they’ve also chosen to provide a series of video-based lectures that clients can watch at their leisure. However, they only offer a limited number of free consultations.
MBA Prep School Review Statistics
SAMPLE REVIEWS for MBA Prep School
“Deciding to work with Faisal Khan and the MBA Prep School team was the best decision I could have made regarding the application process. I come from a non-business background and do not have many in my close network that are knowledgeable about MBA programs or even the graduate school application process in general. I was truly flying blind.”
“Really disappointed in my experience. I was hoping for a true mentorship, someone who listened to me and helped bring out unique qualities and customize my application to various schools. My experience felt rushed, canned and insincere.”
MBA Prep School Consulting Services
Potential applicants can opt for any of the following packages:
- Admissions Consulting Services- Two schools $7,495
- Hourly Consulting: Minimum of 3 hours- $1,125
- Prepare to Apply Program: $1,995
- Admission Interviewing Prep Package: $595-$795
#5. MBA mission
MBA Mission is comprised of a team of consultant who all graduated from top-tier MBA programs and have the expertise to know what it takes to get an acceptance letter. While you work 1-on-1 with a consultant, you are afforded the benefit of the entire firm, as consultants meet twice a month to discuss new ideas and strategies to continuously improve their overall service quality.
MBA Mission Review Statistics
SAMPLE REVIEWS for Mba Mission
“They have a lot of things going for them. But the best ones are attention to details, and an overwhelming commitment to customising your learning experience to suit your specific needs”
“I was dinged from 3 out of my 3 schools and felt that MBA Mission mislead me for much of the relationship. They sung my praises from the initial consultation about H/S/W and so I hired them on that good faith. When I interviewed other consulting firms, I received advice that was more critical and honest. So, in hindsight, I regret I fell for the sales pitch and hired MBA Mission. I was dinged by all three schools in round one.”
MBA Mission Consulting Services
- Complete Start-to-Finish Package: Starting at $7,200
- Hourly Services: Starting at $385/hour (minimum purchase 2 hours)
- Pre-Application Strategy: Starting at $1,540
- Mock Interview Sessions: Starting at $800
- “Ding” Review/Reapplicant Strategy: Starting at $700 for 1 school
#6. STRATUS ADMISSIONS COUNSELING
Stratus employs a team of graduates from top tier graduate programs such as Harvard, Stanford, and MIT. They start your application journey by speaking with a Strategist, where you will lay out your profile and overall goals. From there you are given a 1-on-1 consultant, while also enjoying the expertise of the entire Stratus team, as each consultant works on every aspect of your application and how to make you most competitive for admissions officers.
Stratus Admissions Review Statistics
SAMPLE REVIEWS for stratus admissions
“I worked with Melisa, who was extremely kind and made me think holistically about my work and life experience.”
“Waste of money. I was set up with the “number 2 consultant” in the company… who immediately tried to fit me into a template based on my current job in finance, despite the fact I repeatedly mentioned to her that I was trying to switch careers into technology… I stopped using her after 3 frustrating months (before even applying to any schools), but the company refused to refund any of the massive cost that I’d paid for her services.”
Learn About Stratus Admissions
stratus admissions Consulting Services
Stratus Admissions offers the following packages:
- Comprehensive MBA Admissions Consulting: Starting at $7,600 for 1 school
- Hourly Admissions Consulting: Starting $495-$585/hour (minimum purchase 2 hours)
- MBA Application Fundamentals and Strategy: Starting at $2,250
- MBA Interview Prep: Starting at $800- $1200
- MBA Ding Analysis: $900-$1100
#7. Accepted
Each applicant for Accepted is paired with their own admissions consultant who takes the time to do a deep dive into your application. They highlight your needs and where your application needs to get stronger and the things you should highlight about yourself. You tell them what your goals are and their team works to help you achieve those goals. In addition, they offer a diverse team of consultants who speak 6 different languages: English, Chinese, Hebrew, French, Japanese, and Spanish. This opens up their services to students from different corners of the world.
Accepted Review Statistics
SAMPLE REVIEWS for accepted
“The entire admission process was a breeze with help provided across all steps during the admission.”
“A very good service for School applications and for finding schools to apply for in the future if one persists on continuing their educational endeavors.”
accepted Services
- Comprehensive MBA Application Package: Starting at $4,995 for 1 school
- Admissions Consulting: Starting at $360/hour
- Mock Interview Package: Starting at $540 for new clients
- Rejection Review: Starting at $360
#8. MBA Admit
Founder and lead consultant Dr. Shel Watts is a Harvard and Oxford graduate and works with each client that MBA Admit works with. She also spent time as a Harvard admissions worker, Harvard alumni recruiter, a Harvard academic advisor, and an interview coach for HBS students. She uses all of this experience to help her team put clients in the best position they can to be accepted to their MBA program of choice. MBA Admit pours over client’s applications to help pinpoint key strengths and weakness, and then optimize it so that it is as attractive to admissions officers as possible.
MBA Admit Review Statistics
SAMPLE REVIEWS for MBA Admit
“MBA Admit really helped me achieve success and efficiency while creating my MBA application plan. Overall, a great learning experience and highly recommend MBA Admit.”
“Wish that the course was a little more personalized based on my ongoing performance.”
MBA Admit Services
Potential applicants are afforded a free introductory call, along with the following packages:
- CEO Package: $5,095
- Gold “Plus” Package: $2,895
- Stand-Alone Strategy Session: $595
- Hourly Fees: $365/hour
#9. Fortuna Admissions
Fortuna Admissions has worked as gatekeepers to the world’s top tier business schools and are uniquely qualified to help students strengthen their profile, and position their application. The Fortuna coaches include former directors of MBA admissions and senior staff from Harvard Business School, Stanford GSB, Wharton, INSEAD, Chicago Booth, Columbia, Duke Fuqua, London Business School, Berkeley Haas, Yale SOM, UCLA Anderson, Kellogg, NYU Stern, IE Business School, Virginia Darden and Johnson Cornell.
Fortuna Admissions Review Statistics
SAMPLE REVIEWS for Fortuna Admissions
“I had a great experience with Fortuna. My consultant was very hands on and we met frequently to review my essays, resume, and recommendations.”
“I felt Fortuna was not as invested in my success as I would have liked. I used their comprehensive application service for 4 schools and I felt the support I received was just to tick a checkbox off the services they provide and not actually invested in how I can make my application stronger.”
Fortuna Admissions Services
In addition to one free consultation with a specialist, Fortuna offers the following packages:
- Comprehensive MBA Admissions Consulting: Starting at $6,380 for 1 school
- Hourly Admissions Consulting: Starting $395/hour (minimum purchase 8 hours)
- Early Stage MBA Planning: Starting at $1,580
- MBA Resume Review: Starting at $790
- MBA Ding Analysis: $790
#10. mba exchange
The MBA Exchange is a full service consulting company. They claim to have the largest staff of any consultation firm and to have the highest number of admissions as reported by another site, but this cannot be independently verified.
MBA Exchange Review Statistics
SAMPLE REVIEWS for The MBA Exchange
“So helpful, so honest. Really worked with me on essay and story.”
“I hired MBA Exchange for help with two school applications. I found them to be good initially and put on a great show of engagement and competence. However, they were not really committed to helping people get into schools, probably because it is pretty easy to take the checks, make surface level edits to some word documents, and call it a day. That seems obvious from the outset but I thought that perhaps it was just on the applicant to make sure they got the support needed. But I was wrong, and afterall, who could argue with their success rate??”
MBA Exchange Admissions Services
School packages are available starting at $5,150 for one school with an additional $1,400 for the Premium School Package, which includes guidance by a former Director of Admissions. They also offer a MBA resume review for $685, a Director of Admissions’ evaluation for $1,850, and hourly consultation starting at $386 or $480 for Directors. Discounts are available for larger bookings.
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Note: Only MBA Admissions Consulting firms with greater than 5 advisors were included in this 2024 ranking. Organic reviews from current MBA students, and not reviews pushed by the firms, were weighed heavily.
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