I was really nervous about the MBA application process. For personal reasons, I really wanted to stay in the Boston area to be near family, especially this past year with everything happening with COVID. I had a GMAT score of 690 (which is good, not great for top schools) but had an otherwise decent candidacy, I thought. Even though I knew where I wanted to go – I literally had dreams of attending HBS or MIT - I had serious doubts about my ability to get into either of them.Ryan gave me immediate confidence in my chances, but not in a fluffy, “trying to sell me his services” kind of way. It was clear that he really thought I had a legitimate shot, and was able to explain to me WHY that was and what I could do to differentiate myself through my application and explain away my GMAT score. I’ll be honest: I did hire Ryan but still didn’t completely believe in my chances. I was still skeptical. So he helped me on my MIT and HBS apps, but I still applied to a couple safer schools on my own… just in case!Ryan was the very definition of efficiency and support throughout the process. He’s more than an MBA advisor; he’s a mentor in many ways. He provided a lot of emotional support, not just application support! He was very direct with his feedback as we developed my strategy and edited my application materials, never hesitated to share the ugly truth about what I needed to improve, and he always delivered edits quickly. He was available for a call whenever I needed it (even weekends), and even pulled in another consultant on his team (who used to work in admissions at HBS) at one point to share his perspective on an essay, which gave me even more conviction in my essays’ quality.Overall, the application materials we churned out were beyond anything I could’ve created, or even thought to create, on my own. I was so proud of what I submitted; I thought my true self really jumped off the page in an impressive way. I applied in Round 1 this past year (2020), interviewed with both schools (I was shocked), and received offers from both programs!!!! Getting those acceptance calls was literally a dream come true, and I have no doubt that the reason for my success was choosing to work with Ryan and his supportive team. The application process to business school can be intimidating. It’s easy to doubt yourself. Having someone by your side to talk you off the cliff now and then, and who can help you through the process of creating top-caliber application materials, is simply invaluable. Ryan and his team are worth every penny if you’re serious about getting into a top-tier business program. Having now gone through the process, it’s clear to me why they’re so respected and successful – They literally do everything they can to help you succeed, and it works.
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Ryan Barba is an independent MBA admissions advisor who worked in MBA Admissions offices for four years and who has been supporting candidates applying to top business schools for more than 13 years.
Ryan has helped hundreds of candidates from more than 30 countries earn acceptances to top-15 MBA programs and has particular expertise in M7 MBA programs. Ryan prides himself on providing a "white glove service" and takes on a small number of clients each year, to ensure a very high level of accessibility, attention, and admissions success. He works with both "traditional" and "non-traditional" candidates and enjoys the challenge of working with driven candidates who have weaknesses in their profile - such as lower-than-ideal test scores or college GPAs - but who still want to aim for top-tier programs.See more
