When it comes to undergrad admissions, many high schools would have in-house counselors to guide you on variety of topics ranging from what stream to choose and which exam score to submit to what subjects and more.
Where does a professional college admissions consultant come in then?
How college admissions consultants can help
Here are just a few areas where professional help can be of immense value, as you’d see from Preksha’s story below:
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Positioning
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Articulation
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Unbiased critique
A lot of candidates partner with their parents when it comes to applications. We’ve seen that in most cases, familiarity breeds contempt.
It is natural for high-schoolers to disregard words of wisdom coming from their parents as too pedantic.
Getting an external consultant involved can help candidates be more receptive to feedback which is essential to bring out the best version of yourself.
This is a key aspect which is pretty tough even for those having stellar profiles.
Simply because most students in high school may not have the exposure and lived experiences to understand nuances of storytelling, connecting the dots, structuring and more.
More often than not, especially in the Indian schooling system, candidates end up over-fretting about scores which is just a small part of the picture.
Next comes the art of pitching yourself to admissions committees. In here comes the tough part of being selective.
Deciding what to tell and what not to expand upon unnecessarily. Tweaking your story basis the stream and the school you are going after.
Undergrad college admissions consulting review
How I got multiple university admits in USA with scholarship
by Preksha Jain
My different qualities and experiences culminated into several application essays I wrote.
In high school, I participated in numerous extracurriculars such as DECA (a student-led business organization with 3,200 chapters globally), American Cancer Society, Museum on Main (a local museum), and more.
I held various leadership positions within these organizations. Additionally, I was employed in an internship for two years for an IT company, where I improved on my software skills and worked with a team.
I chose to pursue an undergraduate education in business due to my experience in DECA. I enjoy the versatility in marketing and finance and see a future for myself in these fields.
Why I hired a college admissions consultant
I graduated in the top 9% of my high school with an SAT score in the 95th percentile.
Due to the increasing competitive nature of college admissions, I had concerns with my more accomplished peers and the lottery aspect of acceptances.
Additionally, while I attended a top public school in my residential area, my high school does not feed many students to top colleges.
This led to me believing I would not be accepted to any schools of my choice and feeling inferior to those with better profiles.
My high school counselor offered minimum guidance and was more of a moral support and ensuring I met deadlines.
Separately, we hired a college counselor who gave more time in the application process and ensured all criteria were met with little help on essay content.
But I had the feeling that my essays still required more attention to avoid becoming the weakest link in my applications.
That is when I turned to Manish Gupta from MBA Crystal Ball.
He was the best college admissions consultant I could have hoped for.
He offered me detailed insight and valuable feedback on all of my essay content and structures. He revised all of my writing as many times as I needed.
Talking with him helped me come up with innovative ideas and draft stories that were meaningful to me.
He gave me advice that allowed me to take my ideas and shape them into essays fit for college admissions officers to read.
When it came to revisions, he reviewed each essay several times until there was not much left to polish.
I had a very smooth experience and he edited my essays in 1-2 days even with his holidays or time off. He prioritized my applications which allowed me to feel more secure in the process.
Overall, I believe it is his support that helped me get into the schools that I did.
College admission results
I applied to 20 undergraduate schools. I had broad criteria in my selection including location, strength of business program, and strength of overall school.
Through current students and previous alumni, I have learned the most about school environments.
For example, while UC Berkeley and UCLA are regarded as some of the top public universities, both schools deal with brutal housing crises and extremely selective clubs and extracurriculars, increasing the competitive environments at these schools. However, their academic prowess keeps them high in the ranks.
Alternatively, some private schools such as George Washington University keep small class sizes and have more programs benefiting their students allowing one-on-one time with professors and TA’s. These schools are not as popular or well-known, but their students benefit from it.
I was accepted to some of the UC schools, and a few public and private universities, such as IU Kelley School of Business. I was also waitlisted from a few schools such as Carnegie Mellon.
I received financial aid from the State of California in the form of a Cal Grant which applied to any school I attended, with the highest aid for the UC schools.
I was also offered different scholarships and special programs from many of my acceptances, such as the Dean’s scholarship from IU and the Presidential Academic Scholarship Award from George Washington University.
Summary of scholarships & grants
| University | Scholarship (per year) | Total (over 4 years) |
|---|---|---|
| University of California Irvine: Inclusive of Cal grant |
$17,000 | $68,000 |
| Arizona State University: New American University Scholar – Dean’s Award |
$8,500 | $34,000 |
| Indiana University Kelley: Dean’s Scholarship |
$6,000 | $24,000 |
| George Washington University: Presidential Academic Scholarship Award |
$22,000 | $88,000 |
| Grand Total | $214,000 |
At the end, after much debate, I selected UC Irvine, receiving the Cal Grant as well as an additional scholarship from UC Irvine.
While the final deciding factors in college admissions are a mystery, I believe the diversity in my essay topics helped differentiate me from other applicants, which ranged from my love for reading and murder mysteries and how I created a talent show from that to my experience with cancer in my family and how I joined the American Cancer Society.
If I could go back, I would spend more time on other aspects of my application, such as selecting my major for some schools and improving my activities section.
Looking back, I am proud of what I wrote and submitted but also happy the stress is over!
Undergrad college application tips
My advice for anyone entering the process now would be:
- Take others’ advice. [If you’re looking for the best college admissions consulting, I’d highly recommend Manish from MCB]
- But also trust yourself and be as authentic as possible.
- Write a story you believe an admissions officer needs to know about you; one that makes you you 🙂
Looking for a good undergrad college admissions consultant? Drop us an email:
info@mbacrystalball.com
Also read:
– Life as an undergrad student in USA
– How to get into the top universities
– Best undergraduate business schools
