Review for Laura Freedman from Access Education

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In 2015, I worked with a well-known MBA admissions consulting company, but wasn't accepted to my target school. In 2016, I found Laura Freedman at Access Education. I immediately noticed a dramatic difference in her approach.

Laura specializes in international MBA programs, which was a good fit for me, since I was looking to leave the US (I'm an Indian IT engineer working on the west coast). I worked with Laura to apply to LBS, Cambridge Judge and ISB. I got an admit from Cambridge Judge - with a scholarship! - and from ISB. Laura played a major role with me on my MBA journey.

I found several aspects of Laura's approach to be very, very effective:

Face to face interaction. From the first consultation to editing essays to offering valuable advice post-MBA offer, everything was done via Skype face to face interactions. This level of commitment in ensuring that I put my best foot forward was incredible.

Very personal in her approach. She didn't compromise on the quality of my application, and kept meeting with me until she was totally convinced about my story and my application in general. She went above and beyond to make sure I submitted my best possible application. There was no limit to the number of meetings, and we had calls that lasted for 2 hours as we were discussing my story, tweaking or reviewing essays etc.

Valuable career advice. Laura is a former management consultant and was a career counselor at INSEAD and NUS in Singapore. She imparted invaluable career advice as I was putting together my application and my story, and encouraged me to talk to people in my target industry as part of my essay research. Laura also connected me with other LBS and Cambridge Judge alumni she'd worked with, which was very helpful. After I got the admit, she emphasized the importance of having fun, exploring, doing what I enjoy and focusing on learning/skills in my first post-MBA job.

I highly recommend Laura to anyone considering expert guidance in their MBA journey. Beyond any doubt, I'm very confident she will make a big difference in your MBA journey.

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I worked with Laura in 2017 on my MBA application to INSEAD. After taking the GMAT once and obtaining a mediocre score, I had a initial consultation with Laura to see where I stood competitively. She told me point blank that I needed to take the GMAT for a second time if I wanted a real chance at the program. During this first conversation, Laura evaluated my profile and told me she thought there was no reason why I couldn't crack the GMAT. I appreciated her directness and honesty when evaluating my profile even before I was a paying client. A month later on my second try, I raised my score 80 points. Laura had helped me find the confidence I needed to push myself to reach my potential (and this was only after a brief free consultation)!

After such a good first impression, I knew that I wanted to work with Laura to help craft my story. As an INSEAD alum herself, she provided valuable insight into the application process and the program. She also provided critical feedback on my career goals. Her own diverse career experience means that she has excellent advice and wisdom to offer anyone seeking to take their career to the next level with an international MBA.

I am happy to say that I was admitted to INSEAD. I highly recommend Laura to anyone looking for not only an admissions consultant but a true mentor and coach for the MBA journey!

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I completely agree with the above reviews.

If you’re applying to INSEAD and are looking to use a top MBA admissions consultant, Laura Freedman at Access Education is truly the only choice. For this applicant with a low GMAT quant score, she was instrumental in helping me address this weakness directly in my application and overcome it. I am confident that without Laura I would not have been accepted to INSEAD which was my top choice.

Laura is an INSEAD alum and former INSEAD career coach who specializes in working full-time with applicants to international business schools. She also knows the INSEAD admissions process inside out. But she is genuinely so much more than just an MBA admissions coach. Over my six months working with her, she guided me through a period of deep self-reflection. I learned so much about myself that I have applied to both my personal and professional life. Laura is also so encouraging - when she takes you on as a client, you can be assured that she believes in you and will invest in you. Laura was honest with me about my GMAT score throughout the process, yet focused on the strengths of my application and made me feel confident in and proud of my application, as well as my own career progression and aspirations. I can't recommend Laura enough for both the MBA application process and as a fantastic mentor and friend.

Thank you for everything, Laura!