Hello BeatTheGMAT Community,
I'd like to share a great experience I had with a tutor. Stuart Park of Simply Brilliant (www.simplybrilliantprep.com) truly helped me through the entire b-school application process and is definitely someone I'd recommend working with.
Overall: Stuart Park and Simply Brilliant helped me get through the entire application process. From GMAT prep, to essay reviews, to interview prep, to connecting me with other students – Stuart was a great partner to help me through an incredibly challenging process. Stuart helped set my mind at ease at a very stressful time for me. Stuart's essay/application assistance in particular was tremendously useful considering how labor intensive this area was for me. I highly recommend Simply Brilliant and Stuart Park for application assistance of any kind, as well as GMAT assistance and interview practice.
My Background: I live in Denver, CO and came from a non-quantitative background with 5.5+ years of professional experience. I was focused on getting into a Top 20 program. I took a Manhattan GMAT course and was initially scoring in the high 500's. However I needed some more help improving my speed and math score. Additionally, I knew I could use an extra set of eyes on my applications and wanted to find someone with experience with business school applications.
My Prior Frustrations before working with Stuart Park: Before I found Simply Brilliant, I had worked with another professional tutor in math, however was unimpressed with that person's pushiness and general lack of caring. This other tutor never seemed to move at my own pace. He was always eager to setup additional sessions but always seemed to care more about the business (and the money) than the client. Additionally, this previous tutor didn't make an effort to acknowledge or appreciate the previous study tips I had received through Manhattan GMAT, instead insisting that his tactics were far superior. This way of belittling what I had already learned did not help with my progression or general morale.
GMAT Experience with Stuart Park: I began working with Stuart Park about 8 months before I took my final GMAT exam. We first focused on question types of the GMAT that I was struggling with. Stuart did a great job of diving deep into specific question types. I liked how he had a lot of the material and books that I already possessed, which made it easy for him to focus on a particular question I was struggling with. He also offered some really helpful suggestions about study technique and test taking strategy (timing, preparation, day of test mindset, etc.) that helped me mentally prepare for such a big test. In the end, I ended up getting a 670 on the GMAT. Because of how great Stuart was to work with on the GMAT, it was an easy choice to continue working with him for essay feedback and application advise.
Essay/Application Experience with Stuart Park: Stuart was especially helpful with reviewing my essays and giving me feedback on them. His flexible schedule and quick turnaround times with feedback were tremendous. I found myself applying to several schools each with a tight deadline. Additionally, I had a full-time job working 45+ hours/week. Stuart recognized this and cleared his plate to work with me at the times I was available. Stuart also took time up-front to understand what I wanted feedback on. I was very particular about the areas I wanted feedback. I wanted to make sure my voice was being represented in my essays. Stuart honored this and did not waste time in areas I was confident in. He also took time to explain his suggestions, which helped me understand where he was coming from.
Other Areas of Assistance: Stuart really went above and beyond to help me get into the schools I was interested in. We had several training sessions on interview preparation. Additionally, Stuart connected me with several students at a variety of schools I was applying to. This came in really handy when trying to research the programs and get to know current students.
Result: I was accepted to Kenan-Flagler Business School (UNC Chapel Hill) and Carroll School of Management (Boston College). BC offered me a $15k/year scholarship. In the end, I decided to attend Kenan-Flagler because the academic offerings aligned more with my interests and because it was a higher ranked program.
Things I really liked about Stuart Park:
- Essay writing suggestions
- Ability to adapt to my learning style
- Ability to give feedback based on what I was looking for
- Flexible schedule
- Competitive rates
- Ability to answer one-off questions
- Eagerness to learn my story and background
- Didn't nickel and dime me
- Genuinely cared about my success!
If you're looking for someone to assist with any part of the business school application process, I highly recommend Simply Brilliant and Stuart Park. You can learn more at www.simplybrilliantprep.com.
Regards,
Charles T.
Kenan-Flagler Business School
Candidate, MBA ‘15
I'd like to share a great experience I had with a tutor. Stuart Park of Simply Brilliant (www.simplybrilliantprep.com) truly helped me through the entire b-school application process and is definitely someone I'd recommend working with.
Overall: Stuart Park and Simply Brilliant helped me get through the entire application process. From GMAT prep, to essay reviews, to interview prep, to connecting me with other students – Stuart was a great partner to help me through an incredibly challenging process. Stuart helped set my mind at ease at a very stressful time for me. Stuart's essay/application assistance in particular was tremendously useful considering how labor intensive this area was for me. I highly recommend Simply Brilliant and Stuart Park for application assistance of any kind, as well as GMAT assistance and interview practice.
My Background: I live in Denver, CO and came from a non-quantitative background with 5.5+ years of professional experience. I was focused on getting into a Top 20 program. I took a Manhattan GMAT course and was initially scoring in the high 500's. However I needed some more help improving my speed and math score. Additionally, I knew I could use an extra set of eyes on my applications and wanted to find someone with experience with business school applications.
My Prior Frustrations before working with Stuart Park: Before I found Simply Brilliant, I had worked with another professional tutor in math, however was unimpressed with that person's pushiness and general lack of caring. This other tutor never seemed to move at my own pace. He was always eager to setup additional sessions but always seemed to care more about the business (and the money) than the client. Additionally, this previous tutor didn't make an effort to acknowledge or appreciate the previous study tips I had received through Manhattan GMAT, instead insisting that his tactics were far superior. This way of belittling what I had already learned did not help with my progression or general morale.
GMAT Experience with Stuart Park: I began working with Stuart Park about 8 months before I took my final GMAT exam. We first focused on question types of the GMAT that I was struggling with. Stuart did a great job of diving deep into specific question types. I liked how he had a lot of the material and books that I already possessed, which made it easy for him to focus on a particular question I was struggling with. He also offered some really helpful suggestions about study technique and test taking strategy (timing, preparation, day of test mindset, etc.) that helped me mentally prepare for such a big test. In the end, I ended up getting a 670 on the GMAT. Because of how great Stuart was to work with on the GMAT, it was an easy choice to continue working with him for essay feedback and application advise.
Essay/Application Experience with Stuart Park: Stuart was especially helpful with reviewing my essays and giving me feedback on them. His flexible schedule and quick turnaround times with feedback were tremendous. I found myself applying to several schools each with a tight deadline. Additionally, I had a full-time job working 45+ hours/week. Stuart recognized this and cleared his plate to work with me at the times I was available. Stuart also took time up-front to understand what I wanted feedback on. I was very particular about the areas I wanted feedback. I wanted to make sure my voice was being represented in my essays. Stuart honored this and did not waste time in areas I was confident in. He also took time to explain his suggestions, which helped me understand where he was coming from.
Other Areas of Assistance: Stuart really went above and beyond to help me get into the schools I was interested in. We had several training sessions on interview preparation. Additionally, Stuart connected me with several students at a variety of schools I was applying to. This came in really handy when trying to research the programs and get to know current students.
Result: I was accepted to Kenan-Flagler Business School (UNC Chapel Hill) and Carroll School of Management (Boston College). BC offered me a $15k/year scholarship. In the end, I decided to attend Kenan-Flagler because the academic offerings aligned more with my interests and because it was a higher ranked program.
Things I really liked about Stuart Park:
- Essay writing suggestions
- Ability to adapt to my learning style
- Ability to give feedback based on what I was looking for
- Flexible schedule
- Competitive rates
- Ability to answer one-off questions
- Eagerness to learn my story and background
- Didn't nickel and dime me
- Genuinely cared about my success!
If you're looking for someone to assist with any part of the business school application process, I highly recommend Simply Brilliant and Stuart Park. You can learn more at www.simplybrilliantprep.com.
Regards,
Charles T.
Kenan-Flagler Business School
Candidate, MBA ‘15
