I can't say enough about my admissions consulting experience with Lorraine Tong at MBA Prep School. When I began the application process, I had one goal in mind - to get accepted to Columbia Business School. I explored a few different admissions consultants before speaking with Lorraine. The 1st consultant reviewed my CV, and after sitting down with me for a few minutes, advised me that my background was not strong enough and that I not even apply to the likes of Columbia. Another consultant spoke with me on the phone for a few minutes and offered nothing more than generic feedback and a vague approach to the application process. Lorraine, on the other hand, provided thorough and thoughtful analysis of my background and admissions prospects, laying out a specific and strategic approach to my application and how to differentiate myself among the sea of qualified applicants. Throughout the entire process, Lorraine was intelligent, insightful, thoughtful, and patient. She worked to accommodate my changing schedule and was understanding of the stress and difficulty associated with applying to business school. Most importantly, she exhibited complete understanding of the admissions committee's mindset and the ways to successfully navigate their essay prompts. At one point I actually argued with Lorraine when she recommended that I totally rework one of my essays, thinking my response was already pitch perfect. She confidently and deftly explained why my essay was missing the mark and brainstormed with me to help come up with the right topic.

It's worth noting that I went through the application process a few years ago without the benefit of an admissions consultant like Lorraine. Given the various costs associated with this process - i.e. test prep classes, GMAT costs, application fees - I was certainly loath to part with even more money. I completed five applications that year and came up empty. When I revisited the process this past application season, I decided that whatever the final outcome might be, I needed to give it my all and put forth my absolute best effort. What I found was that Lorraine had an impact on every phase of the application, from my resume, to the essays, to the way I completed the actual application itself. She guided me around various pitfalls and mistakes I never would have recognized on my own, and the result was simply a much more finely tuned final product than anything I had submitted to schools in the past. Each person should obviously decide for themselves how much money they are comfortable investing into their applications, but I can attest that having Lorraine as my consultant put me in the best position to succeed.

Putting my faith in Lorraine was one of the best decisions I could have made in this process. Had I listened to that 1st consultant's advice, I might not even have put in an application. Instead, I went with Lorraine and will be attending my dream school in the fall. I would wholeheartedly recommend Lorraine's services to anyone applying to business school.
-Columbia Business School '15