Vikram Shah Consulting Admissions Consulting Reviews

I reached out to Vikram in late October. He was recommended to me by a friend and colleague who had got an admit at Wharton the previous year. Among other admission consultants, I found his methodologies and pricing transparent and structured.

Recognizing that my background as an Indian male engineer placed me in an overrepresented applicant pool for MBA programs especially as I had a humble GMAT score of 720. Despite that, Vikram approached my case with candor and unwavering encouragement. I took the full package and got his guidance on every aspect of my application journey.

He and Mitrabina meticulously helped me put together my goals coherently, and refine my resume, and essays. I got frank and actionable feedback which was crucial since there was very little time left for the deadlines. Overall, I witnessed the Vikram effect! I found massive improvements between my initial and final drafts as he helped me polish my narrative iteratively until the deadlines. I secured interview invitations from every school I applied to, including my target programs.

Beyond the initial applications, I got immense support for my interviews. He conducted multiple mock interviews, ensuring I was thoroughly prepared. Even after interviews, his counsel on navigating deposit deadlines proved invaluable.

In retrospect, the only thing I wish I had done differently was approaching him sooner. For my admission success at Kellogg, Oxford, and LBS, I owe immense gratitude to Vikram and Mitrabina for their exceptional mentorship. To a fellow prospective applicant reading this, based on my personal experience, I unreservedly endorse Vikram and his team, you simply cannot go wrong by having them on your side!

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I had the best experience working with Vikram and his team member Mitrabina.

They were extremely hands-on with my application from the beginning, very thorough and detail-oriented, and kept pushing me to dig deeper into my life journey/ stories until I arrived at the best points to bring up in the essays. Each part of the application - resume, essays, form questions, LOR - went through at least 4-6 rounds of edits, until they AND I were happy with every single word in there. Both Vikram and Mitra were available at all times of the day and night for any questions or to further rework the application.

After the application, they were equally focused on converting the interview, and did multiple reviews of my answers, mock interviews, and ensured that I was 150% prepared - the actual interview felt like a cakewalk after the grilling they put me through!

I applied to LBS, INSEAD, and Oxford, got interview offers from both LBS & Oxford, and eventually got admits from both of them as well. Additionally - I got a scholarship from LBS.

I strongly feel that a consultant who is flexible with their availability and time, and is willing to do what it takes, can make or break your MBA applications. I spoke to a lot of consultants before choosing Vikram but didn't feel confident about any of the others because they all had very fixed schedules, fixed # hrs of work every week, fixed # of iterations to the application, etc. I would strongly recommend Vikram to anyone who wants to make it to their dream schools!

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Working with Vikram Shah Consulting was truly an exceptional experience. I am extremely grateful to have had the opportunity to work with Vikram and Aarti, who have not only been incredibly knowledgeable and professional, but also supportive and patient throughout the entire application process.

Vikram and Aarti provided me with personalized guidance every step of the way, helping me craft a strong resume, brainstorm and refine my essay topics, and prepare for my interviews. They have an in-depth understanding of what MBA admissions committees are looking for, and their insights and advice were invaluable in helping me present my best self to the schools I was applying to.

I appreciated their flexibility and willingness to work with me on a timeline that fit my needs, and I was impressed by their responsiveness and attention to detail. They were always available to answer my questions, provide feedback, and offer encouragement, and their commitment to my success was evident throughout the entire process.

In the end, I was accepted into my top-choice MBA program, and I know that I would not have achieved this without the support and guidance of Vikram and Aarti. I highly recommend Vikram Shah Consulting to anyone who is looking for a knowledgeable, supportive, and effective consultant to guide them through the MBA application process.

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My journey of MBA had started with Vikram when he was straightforward about my GMAT score not being enough and the need to have a better score for a shot at top B-schools.


I recently had the pleasure of working with Vikram, and I have to say, it was one of the best decisions I've ever made for my career. As someone considering applying to business school, I knew I needed help navigating the complex admissions process, and that's where Vikram came in.



Vikram is incredibly knowledgeable, professional, and supportive. He took the time to really understand my life story, career goals, and unique strengths and weaknesses, and then worked with me to develop a tailored application strategy that showcased my best self.



Finally, and most importantly, Vikram helped me secure admission to UCLA. He worked closely with me to prepare for interviews, provided me with invaluable insights into the school's culture and values, and coached me on how to showcase my unique strengths in the most effective way possible.



If you're considering applying to business school and want to maximize your chances of success, I highly recommend working with an MBA admission consultant. And if you're looking for a consultant who is knowledgeable, professional, and truly invested in your success, look no further than Vikram – he is simply the best!

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Vikram is a complete package when it comes to business school applications. Once you partner with him, he is completely involved EVERY single step of the way right from college selection to helping out with post-admit logistics.

For me, the stand-out is the absolute dedication that Vikram commits to your application journey. He is extremely accommodating of your needs - may it be getting on a call every time you need it, editing essays until the both of you are satisfied, or tweaking working methods to suit you.

Speaking of on the job skills, Vikram is a master at succinct, impactful writing. The clarity of thought that he induces, his writing process, resume writing and interview techniques will benefit you far, far beyond your MBA applications.
Unlike several other consultants, Vikram will never write your essays for you. Instead, he asks deep questions, pushes you to think and draws out unique insights from your stories rather than fitting them into a standard essay template.
He truly considers you and himself an equal partner - he will work as hard as you and will give your opinions/thoughts as much weightage as his own. The amount of work he puts into getting to understand your journey, critiquing each written output, and preparing you for interviews is truly admirable and I believe rare to find in an MBA consultant.

Working with Vikram is a uniquely balanced process. He will push you to work hard, produce better output, meet timelines. At the same time, he will also be incredibly patient with you. He will be your toughest critic but he will also be your biggest, calmest motivator during the storm! Most of all, he will be the true partner that you need as you navigate your MBA application journey.

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I had spoken to several admission consultants to see what was best suited for me. Given my background and GMAT score, many of them enticed me with top B-schools that were 'easily' achievable. When I first spoke with Vikram, I was taken aback. He was the only one who wanted to know me in depth before talking about top B-schools. He elaborated on the factors I should be giving thought to before blindly choosing a school by the ranks. His honest, detailed, and non-sugarcoated feedback on the initial assessment was an eye-opener and I immediately knew whom I would choose.

His structured process and intriguing questions helped me introspect and transform my simple stories to ones that were more appealing. Under Vikram's mentorship, I have gained valuable skills that go beyond B-school applications. From resume building to essays and interviews, he has provided his valuable expertise to help me get admission into Vanderbilt University. The best part - throughout the applications, where tension is high, Vikram is ALWAYS there for you. There were times where he's given me pep talks at 1am with the calmest voice. Besides preparing me for interviews, he has assessed the interviews I have taken to provide meaningful feedback and gear up for the following interviews.

Vikram's approach to building an application is unique to every applicant and thus he's helping one build and sell their unique stories. I am delighted to choose Vikram Shah Consulting for my applications.

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I am extremely grateful to Vikram for helping me get an admit to my dream school- Kellogg school of management. During the application process, I found that he was always there to help me, and at times went out of the way to do so. I work in an early-stage startup and many a time left MBA applications to the last minute because of work pressure, but Vikram's determination to get me through made him work late nights and at the last hours to get my applications submitted.
I also found that Vikram's structured approach to writing essays helped me save time and reduce the number of edits. Vikram is also genuine, which helped me take practical decisions during B-school shortlisting.
Lastly, I have also realized that the interview preparation for B school interviews is helping me during job/internship interviews and will continue to do so post-MBA as well. I strongly recommend Vikram for top B-school MBA applications.

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I talked to several consultants before I decided to work with Vikram. I chose Vikram because I felt that he truly understands what the top B school wants, and I am glad to have made that choice. He gave me confidence in my strengths but didn’t sugarcoat the feedback. The thing that I liked the most was that he helped me build a story through which I can highlight my strengths while allowing me to present my true self to the admission committees.
I remember how he helped me with interviews by identifying my problem areas and helping me practice to overcome my weaknesses. It was largely because of the structured approach that he follows in the admission process that I am joining NYU Stern this fall. Thank you, Vikram, for being patient with me, I am really grateful.

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Worth every penny. I spoke to around 15-18 consultants before finalizing Vikram for my MBA journey start. Being blunt, honest, non-pleaser and working towards the application as his own are some of the qualities that positions Vikram different, rather better than the other pool of consultants. Vikram spent a lot of time on my story, gave me directions, helped me with introspection, self-access my goals and articulate what's within before preparing every single application. Well, I was lucky enough to get one application free of cost along with his package of 5 school applications. The way he taught me behavioral round helped me not only secure an MBA seat but also pioneered my interview for job in the US making me one of the highest paid interns in my school. I believe spending time and money with Vikram on your B-School journey is an investment and not an expense.

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I began working with Vikram soon after writing my GRE and what a journey it has been! Accepted into all the three one-year programs that I applied to include Kellogg School of Management, I owe it to his tailored approach, eye for detail and straight talk.

Be it vetting essays, pushing me to commit to deadlines much in advance, anticipating busy schedules of recommenders so as to get everything together on time, Vikram came through on all aspects as a 10/10 mentor.

He prepped me for all three interviews as well with extensive mocks along with detailed feedback, highlighting my strengths and giving me the confidence to play on them.

He inspires you to give your best! I strongly recommend him and his team to all applicants.

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