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How to Choose the Best MBA Admissions Consultant? Harvard, Stanford & M7 Success Stories
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How to Choose the Best MBA Admissions Consultant? Harvard, Stanford & M7 Success Stories
Keys to MBA Application Success: 10 Principles for Choosing the Right Counselor ~ Learning from Alpha MBA Advisory
When considering applying to overseas MBA programs, choosing the right counselor is crucial for success in the application process. Beyond mere MBA admission, what factors should be considered when selecting a counselor to ensure long-term career success? We'll explore these essential aspects through insights from Alpha MBA Advisory.
Choosing an MBA Counselor
An MBA is an essential degree for professionals aspiring to global executive positions. However, an MBA is more than just a degree—it's a crucial step toward a global career. Without proper guidance, many fail to fully leverage their MBA experience.
10 Principles for Choosing an MBA Application Counselor
Selecting an MBA counselor is a critical decision that affects not only MBA admission but also long-term career success. Here are the 10 selection criteria proposed by Alpha Advisors:
1. Track Record of Top MBA Education
- The counselor must be a graduate of a top MBA program themselves
2. Ability to Choose Suitable Schools for Applicants
- Suggesting realistic target schools based on applicant's background and career goals
- Avoiding unrealistic school choices and showing a clear path to success
3. Understanding the Recruiter's Perspective
- Post-graduation career matters; blindly targeting top schools isn't always best
- Can they provide school selection advice based on actual job market evaluations?
- For example, don't attend a marketing-focused school if you want to work in investment banking
4. Capability to Build Winning Career Strategies
- Strategic planning that considers both admission and post-MBA career
- Suggesting industries and roles that leverage the applicant's strengths
5. Efficient Test Preparation Strategy
- Not unnecessarily prolonging TOEFL and GMAT preparation
- Some places propose $10,000 for MBA applications and another $10,000 for GMAT & TOEFL prep. This only shows they want to sell GMAT curricula rather than considering candidates' interests
- Alpha charges less than 1/3 of that. Moreover, they rarely recommend GMAT since most schools accept GRE, which is easier
6. Understanding the Admissions Perspective
- Deep understanding of what each school's admissions team seeks
- Support in building compelling statements of purpose
- Alpha Advisors' CEO TJ worked in Chicago Booth's admissions during his student years and understands the internal workings well
7. School Selection Aligned with Long-term Goals
- Choosing schools that align with applicants' long-term career visions
- Selection based on more than just rankings or reputation
8. Essential Support for Essay Writing
- Guiding the creation of essays that reflect the applicant's true "soul"
- Supporting the development of personal thoughts; ghostwriting is absolutely forbidden
9. Professional-level Resume Creation
- Support in creating resumes that meet global corporate hiring standards
- Content that considers post-MBA job hunting
- Admissions officers spend about 10 seconds reviewing each resume. The key is making them want to invite you for an interview in those 10 seconds
- Alpha Advisors has a "strongest resume template" that has helped candidates get into top MBAs like Harvard, Stanford, and Columbia
10. Rich Business Career Insights
- Advice based on counselors' practical experience
- Understanding of current business environment
- Without business understanding, inconsistencies arise in long-term goals
Alpha Advisors' MBA Advisory Strengths
1. Commitment to Long-term Success
- Provides support beyond MBA admission, focusing on subsequent career development
- Reliable career guidance based on over 17 years of experience
Getting into a top school isn't everything. Post-MBA career is crucial, and regardless of admission outcomes, establishing strong long-term goals is the most important task. An MBA is merely a means to an end. While it's common to see the means become the goal itself, a counselor's role is to help candidates maintain focus on their true objectives.
2. Outstanding Job Placement Support
- Consistent support through post-MBA job hunting
- Extensive track record of successful placements in top companies
The real challenge begins with post-MBA job hunting. Alpha provides seamless support from MBA admission through job searching. Since recruitment processes begin before MBA enrollment, continuous support is essential.
3. Realistic Strategy Development
- Setting achievable goals based on applicants' backgrounds
- Creating sustainable roadmaps for guaranteed success
Nothing in MBA applications is one-size-fits-all. It's crucial to flexibly arrange schedules and tasks according to each applicant's situation.
4. Global Career Development Perspective
- Presenting diverse career options, including overseas employment
- Advice based on latest market trends
Alpha Advisors has supported many Japanese candidates. They have a proven track record of helping clients secure jobs in countries beyond Japan, including the United States, United Kingdom, Singapore, and Hong Kong.
To work outside one's home country, MBA school selection must consider: 1) visa requirements and 2) country selection. For example, with U.S. MBAs, STEM-designated programs extend OPT (right to work without visa) from 1 to 3 years. Most use this 2-year extension to obtain an H1B visa and secure U.S. employment.
Visa requirements vary by country, necessitating different approaches. Alpha Advisors considers these factors when supporting MBA school selection.
5. Cost
- Approximately $3,000-5,000, about one-third of competitors' prices
- Achieving high cost-effectiveness through online delivery
MBA counselors are typically very expensive. Western counselors often charge over $10,000. However, Alpha delivers high-quality support at significantly lower prices.
This stems from our CEO TJ's experience. When he moved from Sumitomo Corporation in Japan to Chicago Booth, he spent enough money to buy a luxury car. Based on this experience, he established Alpha Advisors with the mission of providing the most affordable MBA support, offering services at less than one-third of industry prices.
Common Failure Patterns and How to Avoid Them
1. The Test Score Fixation Trap
- Cases where excessive focus on test preparation leads to neglect of essential preparation
- Importance of balanced preparation planning
GMAT and TOEFL are merely one indicator of your academic ability. Therefore, obsessing over test scores defeats the purpose. Especially for non-native English speakers, achieving native-level scores in TOEFL or GMAT Verbal is extremely challenging.
Admissions officers actually understand this point. Therefore, it's more rational to strengthen your essays that bring out your essence rather than spending excessive time on tests, which are just one component of the overall evaluation.
In fact, among Alpha Advisors' students, there was a case of someone being admitted to Chicago MBA with only a 590 GMAT score. Of course, they wrote exceptional essays and had above-average work experience. This is a prime example of why one shouldn't be fixated solely on test scores.
2. School Selection Mismatches
- Choosing schools inconsistent with one's background and career goals
- Need for selection based on realistic assessment
Candidates who think "any top school like M7 will do" often struggle with post-MBA job hunting even if they get admitted. For example, if someone wanting to enter investment banking goes to Kellogg. If you want to work in investment banking, you should attend schools strong in finance like Chicago, Wharton, or Columbia - choosing the wrong school leads to recruitment difficulties.
3. Superficial Essay Writing
- Essays lacking thorough self-analysis
- Absence of long-term vision
Many candidates tend to postpone essay writing. However, this is a major mistake. At Alpha Advisors, we build essays thoroughly, sometimes spending over six months wrestling with them. This is a common path for many candidates.
However, this process is what brings depth to essays and ultimately moves admissions officers. Working at a top company doesn't automatically guarantee admission to M7 schools.
Because we recognize essays as the most crucial element, Alpha Advisors doesn't accept superficial essays. The process of thinking deeply through uncompromising feedback is the only way to create the best essays.
Conclusion
An MBA is more than just obtaining a degree - it's a crucial career turning point. The key to success lies in choosing the right counselor. Alpha Advisors provides support through overwhelming quality and know-how at less than one-third of typical costs.
Building strategies from a long-term perspective and having reliable support system to achieve them is the shortcut to true success. For MBA applications, consult Alpha Advisors right away!
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