Duke

When I started with my MBA application, I was completely overwhelmed with the volumes of essays I had to write and the whole application process. Hence I decided I needed someone who could guide me through the whole process and help me bring out the best in me. A good friend of mine from a reputed B-school introduced me to Vikram and after speaking to him I was convinced he was the right person for me to work with.

While other consultants paint a pretty picture and tell you flowery things you like hearing about yourself, Vikram takes a very different approach. He is brutally honest with you and tells you what your strengths and weaknesses are upfront. I must say working with Vikram is not for the faint-hearted. He gets right to the point, gives you a reality check when required, makes sure you aim high and put your best foot forward. He understand your profile thoroughly, helps you reason and put things into perspective beautifully. While all of us have great stories to put into our essays, what most of us lack is how to put things into perspective. That is exactly what Vikram helps you do – pick a good story and make it into a great one. Right from building my resume, brainstorming about essays, editing essays, preparing for interviews Vikram's help has been invaluable.

From working with Vikram over a period of 6 months and applying to 5 schools, I can definitely say that it has been an incredible learning experience. Beyond putting together strong applications for my schools, he has taught me how to tell a compelling story, how to build a good resume and be absolutely prepared for an interview – skills that will help me throughout my life.

If an MBA is you life's dream, here are three reasons why you should work with Vikram:

• 1) Rather than telling you things, he teaches you how to do them yourself, he helps you reason and build a great application
• 2) He is always available and very flexible with his time. He gives you as much time as you wants and never shies away from spending an extra hour
• 3) He is absolutely honest with you. He doesn't waste your time sugar coating things and saves a lot of your time

Vikram is incredibly good at what he does and a great friend. I highly recommend him to anyone seeking a guide to help them get into a great B-school.

Duke (with scholarship). Also accepted at Ross and at Darden with a $50,000 scholarship.