Admissions Consultants Aren’t Evil

Last week an article on CNN Money shared the journey from admissions officer to admissions consultant. My friend, Chioma Isiadinso pointed out that her former employer frowns upon admissions consultants. Having been in Admissions, I know this is a common sentiment. But seriously, admissions consultants are not evil! Admissions consultants fulfill a need and provide a service that many young professionals want.

Don’t read this as an endorsement of admissions consultants. Whether to use one is your choice; you are fully grown!

Value of Admissions Consultants

• Structure: good admissions consultants have a step-by-step approach to guide candidates through the application process. They provide structure which helps candidates stay on track.
• Expert Advice: good admissions consultants have helped hundreds of candidates successfully apply to business school; they have experience and insight that can be incredibly helpful as candidates try to sift through the “noise” of how to apply to business school (i.e., all of those forums of anxious candidates sharing misinformation with each other).
• Coaching: good admissions consultants help candidates strengthen their applications by coaching them on the application components (not by writing the application for the candidate, but by supporting the candidate to deliver their best work).

Downside of Admissions Consultants

Admissions Committee members are often leery of Admissions Consultants because of concerns around:

• Fairness: Is a candidate that has $5,000+ to spend on an admissions consultant more worthy of a spot in the class than a candidate that does not work with a consultant? The candidate with the admissions consultant is likely to present themselves better and may have an advantage over the other candidate, although substantively the candidates may be no different.
• Impact on Other Applicants: Will candidates who do not have the means to employ a consultant decide not to apply because they don’t feel like they will be competitive? If admissions consultants become too important, candidates who can’t afford consultants may be less likely to apply to MBA programs.
• Unrealistic Expectations: Do candidates need an admissions consultant to be successful in the application process? Admissions officers don’t want candidates to believe that they can game the system by employing an admissions consultant. Admissions officers also don’t want candidates to expect that they will be more likely to get into an MBA program with the help of an admissions consultant.

For candidates, the downside of an admissions consultant turns on quality and on cost. Anyone can consult on anything if they so decide, but that doesn’t mean they are adding any measurable value. Just because someone has an MBA or is a good writer themselves doesn’t mean they are a good coach. Frankly, even an admissions consultant that has MBA admissions committee experience may still be a pretty crappy consultant.

At the end of the day, you need to decide for yourself if using a consultant will be helpful. Please, please, please do your homework first (To learn more about evaluating admissions consultants, check out Choosing an MBA Admissions Consultant: 6 Questions to Ask).