Thinking of helping MBA applicants on the side - would this actually be useful?
Over the last 4 years, I've been through the graduate admissions process twice.
In 2022, I applied for Master's programs in Business Analytics and ended up receiving admits from some good universities.
This year, I applied for MBA programs and was fortunate to receive admits from NUS and ESADE.
For my MBA applications, I did work with a consultant, but I wasn't someone who simply outsourced the process. I spent weeks brainstorming, writing, rewriting and refining every essay. I also prepared for interviews on my own. Looking back, I think I now have a pretty solid understanding of what makes an application compelling.
One thing that disappointed me during the process was how transactional some of the larger admissions consultancies felt. Many wouldn't even consider applicants below a certain GMAT/GRE score, and a lot of the advice felt very cookie-cutter.
The consultant I eventually worked with was the complete opposite. He believed in me, challenged my thinking, and helped me tell my story instead of trying to fit me into a template. That made all the difference.
I'll be starting my MBA at NUS this fall, and I was thinking of helping a handful of applicants on the side, not as a big consulting business, but more as an application coach/mentor. Things like profile reviews, school selection, brainstorming essays, resume feedback, interview prep, etc. I'd probably charge much less than the big firms since this would just be a side project.
I genuinely enjoy this process, and it feels like a shame to let everything I've learned go to waste.
So I have two questions:
- If you were applying, would you consider working with someone like me instead of a large admissions consultancy?
- If you've already been through admissions, what kind of support do you wish you had received?
I'd really appreciate honest feedback, even if your answer is "I wouldn't pay for this." I'm just trying to figure out whether there's actually a need before I spend time building anything.
Posted Jul 8, 2026, 12:02 PM UTC