Accepted into Kellogg, UCLA Anderson (120K), Interviewed by CBS & Haas, W/L by Chicago BoothWhile searching for a consultant for the MBA application, I occasionally saw an article about tips for writing a good essay. The detailed information and guidance within the article attracted me to view the MER webpage. When I read the positive feedback from students, I scheduled a call to understand more about MER. After the introductory Zoom call with Poonam of MER, my heart told me that MER is the one I want to take for my MBA application process.
School selection is a process of figuring out which school will help me achieve my career goal. I enjoyed the school selection process with Poonam, as our discussions clarified my logic for selecting my target programs.
The counseling session on Zoom is one of the parts I enjoyed the most in the application process. It's a process of learning. We brainstormed to make each resume point short and robust. The resume-building process gave me a deep understanding of my past achievements. I took her suggestions to build each bullet with the STAR method. For essays, I still remember the confusion when I prepared my first draft essays for Haas. I had 100 ideas but could not decide where to start and end. Our discussion provided me with directions.
I appreciate the questionnaire of 25 questions that she made me fill out to brainstorm ideas before starting the application. It provided me with a lot of materials we later used in essays. Also, the questionnaire helped me find the right story that fits the essay topic (especially for Stanford), which I didn't realize before. Her guidance helped my essay flow more smoothly and led me to do self-reflection sincerely. The self-reflection she encouraged me to do also helped me a lot when I prepared 2nd round school essays. Poonam significantly helped me highlight my strengths in my resume, essay, and interview. She helped me show my best aspect to the admission committee and suggested many stories I had ignored earlier. Her editing was excellent, especially when we needed to meet the word limits.
Poonam always answered my questions and provided practical advice. Her guidance was not limited to the professional level; she also helped with emotions. I truly appreciate her encouragement and moral support after my Round 1 failure, which led to my success in Round 2.
For LoR, my recommender initially didn't follow the proper format. Poonam’s guidance and feedback were beneficial. Also, I faced a peculiar situation regarding my recommenders, as both my recommenders quit PwC in late November 2022. Poonam helped me draft an optional essay explaining why taking my LORs from them was crucial. This was indeed helpful. Poonam's response time is within 24 to 48 hours, and she was very particular about following the timelines. But I couldn’t follow it well and shared some draft essays late. So sorry for the inconvenience.
The interview was my weakness in my application process, and I wasn't well prepared for Round 1. However, the interview tips, mock interview session, and her detailed feedback on the mock interview greatly helped me prepare for 2nd school interview. Following her advice, I practiced more, felt more confident, and kept getting better in my subsequent interviews.
I am happy to say that I have been accepted into Kellogg, Anderson (with a 120K scholarship, and UC Davis (a 70k scholarship). Also, I was interviewed by CBS and Haas and waitlisted by Chicago Booth. I am excited to join Anderson in Fall. I would not have been able to achieve this without Poonam's help.
Thank you, Poonam. I am 100% sure I will recommend MER to my friends who want to apply for the MBA program.
Click here for Katherine's testimonial on LinkedIn.
While searching for a consultant for the MBA application, I occasionally saw an article about tips for writing a good essay. The detailed information and guidance within the article attracted me to view the MER webpage. When I read the......
Katherine- 2022 applicant, accepted into Kellogg, UCLA Anderson (120K), Interviewed by CBS & Haas, W/L by Chicago Booth
Accepted into Berkeley Haas EWMBA program. Thank you, Poonam!I signed up for MER (myEssayReview) for help and guidance with my application essays for the Haas EWMBA program after a lot of research. Three of the many reasons why I signed up:
a. "myEssayReview" website– The website is very well structured and provides a lot of detailed information regarding MER services. Listing the expectations and operating procedures in advance helped build the required confidence. The website also houses insightful blogs (on several topics such as Essay, MBA Admissions, etc.) and samples (Essays, Resume) which I found immensely helpful in drafting my essays. I also used one of the blogs to draft my MBA resume from scratch.
b. Testimonials– It was encouraging to see testimonials from candidates who were accepted into the program I was targeting. I also had positive reviews from someone who I personally know.
c. Proven track record – Success stories for over a decade
Personal Experience: In the introductory Zoom call, Poonam took time to go over my personal and professional background in detail. We also went over the essay prompts to identify the right structure and approach and discuss timelines. After my first drafts were ready, Poonam scheduled a Zoom call to discuss her review of my drafts and help me critically analyze them. This session was very insightful since I realized how far I was off the essay prompts and what I needed to do to close the gap. I also liked that we worked off of ideas that I had already brainstormed for one of the essays. Important advice related to content – “Show not tell,” “Identity essay is about you” helped me draft the essays better in the later revisions.
Poonam provided me with great input and feedback in her reviews, which helped me create a compelling narrative. I was very happy with how the two essays shaped out in the end. The time spent initially on developing a structure and strategy and her excellent editing skills helped maintain essential details even after we trimmed down a lot of details from the essay in the later revisions to meet the word limit. The comments section in the document helped a lot.
Lastly, it was nice that Poonam kept me posted on when she would return with her review. She followed the 24-48 Hours response time as promised on her website. I am very happy to say that I have received acceptance from the EWMBA program of Berkeley Haas.
I would definitely recommend MER services to prospective applicants.
Click here for Saurav's testimonial on LinkedIn.
I signed up for MER (myEssayReview) for help and guidance with my application essays for the Haas EWMBA program after a lot of research. Three of the many reasons why I signed up: a. "myEssayReview" website– The website is very......
Saurav- 2022 applicant, accepted into Berkely Haas EWMBA program
Accepted into ISB and McDonough, interviewed by Tuck and Foster , and W/L by Tepper. Thanks, PoonamWhile researching for consultants in the previous application cycle, I got to know about Poonam; I saw one of her videos with one candidate whom she helped to get into Harvard. I really liked the way she discussed how they went about doing things, and Poonam’s process made sense to me.
I got on a call with Poonam pretty early in March. We had a discussion, and she was able to help me with my doubts, mainly about my comparatively less work experience. What struck me was that she was more concerned with clearing my doubts and getting to know my profile than convincing me to take her up as a consultant.
In our 2.2.5-hour-long counseling session, we went in-depth about my first drafts, the right stories, and the process of how she works. Poonam helped me make my resume more B-school- appropriate. Also, she gave me pointers about my accomplishments that I shared with her in the questionnaire. A majority of our time went into the initial questionnaire, and Poonam made sure that I gave it the importance it needed. Surprisingly, the questionnaire focused on not only my academic/professional achievements but also my personal traits, which proved crucial in the long run as we were able to leverage such traits for a couple of essays.
Out of all the areas, I think organizing my stories in a coherent essay was the area in which Poonam helped me the most. With her help, I was able to flesh out proper essays, which didn’t seem like a collection of random stories put together. I can’t thank Poonam enough for her editing skills. She played a critical part in helping me meet the word limits of the essays without compromising on the stories I wanted to tell mostly. This gave me the confidence to present my stories knowing that Poonam will be able to trim them down to meet the word limits.
Regarding LORs, she helped my recommenders use more concise language and overall structured the points shared by them to be more in line with our stories, highlighting my achievements.
Poonam was always available to answer any questions I had, and she did, in fact, quickly respond to my queries about the essays, stories, and general admission process. She was absolutely fantastic with her response time. Since I started the process a bit late, we only had 1.5 months to cover five B-schools. But I was able to complete all of them properly with time to spare. This wouldn’t have been possible without Poonam’s help, as she instantly responded to all my drafts and queries within 24 hours.
One thing I loved about our time together, and one of the main reasons I wanted to work with Poonam, was the genuine attention she gave to my applications. It didn’t feel like I was just another client whose applications she just wanted to get over with. She was always straightforward and let me know when my drafts weren’t up to the mark. I have received admission offers from ISB and McDonough. Also, I was interviewed by Tuck and Foster and waitlisted by Tepper. I will be joining McDonough in Fall.
I will definitely recommend her to other applicants.
Click here for Reetvik's testimonial on LinkedIn.
While researching for consultants in the previous application cycle, I got to know about Poonam; I saw one of her videos with one candidate whom she helped to get into Harvard. I really liked the way she discussed how they......
Reetvik- 2022 applicant, accepted into ISB and McDonough, interviewed by Tuck & Foster, W/L by Tepper
Excellent Service by myEssayReviewI got in touch with Poonam early summer of 2021 when I was getting my application ready for NYU Stern. She was quick to respond and had an initial conversation regarding my profile and advised me I should not apply in R1 as my GMAT score was low as well as I needed more time to prepare an application. That was the best decision ever. I re-took the GMAT and got my dream score. After that, Poonam, with 15 days left before the deadline, helped me compile two school applications. She went through my essays word by word, spent hours refining them, and asked me questions that helped me even during the interview process. I will highly recommend using myEssayReview's services, especially for people who are working full-time and have very limited time to apply for MBA programs.
I got in touch with Poonam early summer of 2021 when I was getting my application ready for NYU Stern. She was quick to respond and had an initial conversation regarding my profile and advised me I should not apply......
Aalam- 2022 applicant, accepted into NYU, Rice ($60K scholarship), Foster ( waived 75% tuition fee), McCombs ($30K scholarship), and UCLA Anderson ($50K scholarship). Went to UCLA
Accepted into Tuck and Ross Co24!! WL at Fuqua!I started my MBA application journey in early July because I still didn’t have a decent enough GMAT score until June. I had gotten in touch with Poonam early on and knew how important it was to start the process early. I couldn’t follow through with her warnings and timelines because I was so underconfident given my GMAT.
When I finally started the process with her, I knew I was late, but she was more than willing to formulate a strategy with me and get going. She never made me feel like I was too late, and there was little hope left. She was encouraging and never suggested that I aim for or settle for anything less than my dream.
School Selection: Post GMAT, this was the first step. I have always appreciated her for instilling in me the understanding of school ‘fit’. As Indians, we are taught from a young age to obsess over rankings. Through her, watching her content, and speaking with her, I learned how truly important ‘fit’ is. This was showcased in my school selection list as well. Since I was so late in the process and only had a 710, I was trying to be conservative about the list, but she kept highlighting how GMAT is only ONE component. If it wasn’t for this over-emphasis, I won’t have taken my Tuck application seriously and won’t have gotten in as well.
Brainstorming: The questionnaire she shares with you at the very beginning really helps in getting your story aligned. It helps YOU more than it helps her because the stories go back so much in the past that on a day-to-day basis, we don’t even remember that some of the stuff happened with us or what we made happen! The questions are expansive and really make you think hard. Don’t consider this exercise a waste of time because this is what ultimately saves you time in different essay prompts.
Resume: The STAR method saved my life here. I sent Poonam a resume way above the word or page limit. She sat me down and explained what the Ad Com is looking for and how each point in the resume is a smaller version of the STAR method. It’s a total game changer.
Essays: I used to think I am a good writer, but boy was I wrong! My style of writing was superfluous - too many words and sentences that spanned three lines. This was a disaster for b-school apps! Poonam understood that this was a weakness for the apps, and she patiently cut short my sentences into concise ones, which delivered the point and sounded beautiful too. This is where her experience of writing for decades comes in. This is where her very well-earned Ph.D. comes in. The fact that she has edited over 10K essays enables her to retain your message and communicate it in a third of the words you used. Not only that, she guides you enough so that your future iterations and fresh versions come off better than your initial drafts. She truly empowers you. You slowly realize you’re spending way lesser time churning out drafts by the time you reach your second or third school.
I’d like to conclude by saying that while I got into 2 of the 4 schools, I worked on with her, I also got waitlisted at Fuqua. I was complacent, and since Tuck was a dream school, I didn’t focus on the waitlist too much and withdrew my application. I can guarantee that had I listened to her tips for the waitlist, I could’ve stood a chance at a positive outcome from that too. She gave me very valuable insights for the same and had a stellar record of converting waitlists too.
When it comes to apps, we already deal with enough stress as is. Be it taking and retaking the GMAT, spending years building our profiles, and then dealing with recommenders. It’s best to leave the essays to the experts as they’re a crucial part of the application! Thanks for not only your guidance but also your constant support by treating me not just as a ‘client’ but like a pupil whose future you’re so invested in!!
I started my MBA application journey in early July because I still didn’t have a decent enough GMAT score until June. I had gotten in touch with Poonam early on and knew how important it was to start the process......
Alisha Beotra- 2022 applicant, accepted into Tuck and Ross. Went to Tuck.
The most cost effective help that got me into Haas, UC Berkely!I got Poonam’s assistance for my resume and essays for the Berkeley Haas EWMBA program.
The 2.5-hour session was our first session while working with Poonam. The session was kept after I sent the first draft of my essays and resume. This was the right time to get feedback and make improvements. She was patient and went over everything slowly and steadily one by one. Her feedback was valuable in the brainstorming and coming up with the ideas for further drafts.
Resume writing for MBA was something I was most unfamiliar with. Her approval of the resume was something that was most valuable to me. During the resume-building process, she suggested submitting a two-page resume, considering I have a lot of volunteering experience and extra-curricular. This feedback was very valuable. She was also very helpful in removing extra details from the bullet points and making them crisp.
Poonam was very quick in understanding my strengths and was always, ready to patiently listen to anything I had to tell. She told me that it will be best to focus on the music aspect for the identity essay. This was again very helpful. She pushed me to not settle and kept me going till we got the best version.
With her feedback, we moved the story structure around multiple times to make the story more cohesive. She demonstrated good knowledge about the structure and always provided useful feedback regarding the flow of the essay. She made me very comfortable and was always open to questions. The answers were also pretty insightful. The response time was spectacular.
Most importantly, all this help I was able to get for the most cost-effective price because of Poonam. I couldn't have afforded the heavily priced packages from other consultants. Glad that I approached Poonam.
Overall, Poonam was very professional. Her approval of the essays and resume gave me a lot of confidence. I am happy to say that I have been accepted into the Haas EWMBA program. I would certainly recommend Poonam to prospective applicants.
I got Poonam’s assistance for my resume and essays for the Berkeley Haas EWMBA program. The 2.5-hour session was our first session while working with Poonam. The session was kept after I sent the first draft of my essays and......
Devashish -2022 applicant- accepted into Haas EWMBA program
Admitted to Kelley with $55833 per year with a waitlist from Tepper and McCombs, Thanks, Poonam!I was specifically looking out for someone to understand my career vision and guide me not only with the essays but also with college selection. MER is a dependable brand to rely on. The reviews and results available on the website and GMAT Club made MER my first choice and hence, I approached Poonam to help me out with my MBA application.
During the free Video consulting session, Poonam evaluated my profile on my work experience, participation in extra-curricular activities, and academics. I was also briefed on the current admission scenarios in various colleges which helped me choose my future colleges.
After registration, we had two counseling sessions on Zoom:
1. To discuss resume strategy, school selection, and turnaround time where we both agreed mutually to reply within two working days.
2. On the second call, we discussed my doubts regarding the school selection. We also discussed the essay stories and the important pointers to make my essays more effective.
Both sessions were informative and helped me make concrete decisions further. Before starting with the essays, we had a brainstorming session which made me explore my life deeply and we were able to extract relevant stories for different essays. This, I believe is one of the most powerful exercises during the complete process as it laid the foundation for story selection. Along with the story selection, we also worked together organizing even the small details in my essays to make them perfect. Poonam made sure that we reach word limits without compromising on the content.
Holding over three decades of experience in teaching and helping students out, her skills in sentence structure, grammar and punctuation made my content a professional one. Every iteration of the resume made me feel more confident as my total experience of more than eight years was classified on a single page. This was beyond my imagination. Poonam’s extraordinary review skills provided me the confidence to proudly brief myself during the interview.
Poonam guided me adequately regarding the selection of recommenders and the LOR process so I could guide my recommenders about LOR requirements.
She is a proactive person when it comes to turnaround time. Because of her professionalism, her response to my draft was bound to come within 48 hours. She met all the expectations listed on the MER website showing 100% professionalism. Her over the decade of experience in admissions consulting gave me all the valuable inputs which made me strategize and execute the plan. She answered every query with all the knowledge she has which equipped me with information and enabled me to make further decisions.
In Conclusion, my experience with Poonam has been exceptional and I feel lucky that I had the honor to work with her. She is a live example of a disciplined professional and cares about every small detail in your application.
The hard work did pay off with an admission offer from Kelley with a scholarship of 55,833USD per year along with a waitlist from Tepper and McCombs. I would recommend Poonam’s amazing services to prospective students.
Click here for Karan's testimonial on LinkedIn.
I was specifically looking out for someone to understand my career vision and guide me not only with the essays but also with college selection. MER is a dependable brand to rely on. The reviews and results available on the......
Karan- 2022 applicant- accepted into Kelley with a $55833 scholarship per year and Tepper with a $15K scholarship.
Admitted to Chicago Booth MBA program. Thanks, PoonamI chose MER because of the following reasons:
1. Good feedback from the public
2. 10+ years experience
3. English Ph.D. background
4. Good at storytellingI signed up for the essay review service. During our engagement, we had two long counseling sessions on Zoom. The sessions were helpful and provided me with detailed feedback for my essays and how to improve them.
Poonam provided a lot of useful comments/suggestions about my story and how to improve it and make it strong. After her editing, the structure became much better than before, and all essays were completed within the words limit. The editing process made my writing easier to understand and more concise. Also, the editing made my story stronger. Poonam’s turnarounds were also on time. She always sent me back the edited essay within two days. We finished the essays before the deadline.
I am admitted to the Chicago Booth MBA program. I would recommend MER services to prospective applicants.
I chose MER because of the following reasons: 1. Good feedback from the public 2. 10+ years experience 3. English Ph.D. background 4. Good at storytelling I signed up for the essay review service. During our engagement, we had two......
Vergil, 2020 applicant, accepted into Chicago Booth!!
Oxford Saïd – Offer received!I signed up for MER services for support for my MBA narrative and essays. Before contacting MER, I had already chosen my preferred program but was unsure of how I should present my story. In my 5-year career, I have worked in different capacities in several sectors. I was clear on the next step I wanted to take but I was not clear on which highlights from my career I should stress and how I could tie my experiences to my post-MBA goals.
After looking at several other MBA consultants, I chose MER because I wanted to work with Poonam. Her profile as a Ph.D. in English with three decades of experience helping people craft compelling stories for business school applications convinced me that she would help me define and refine my essays in a clear and comprehensive manner.
During the counseling session with Poonam, we discussed my profile, goals, and ambitions. We conducted a review of my resume and post-MBA goals. The counseling session was well-structured and productive. We discussed my overall profile and purpose for pursuing an MBA; at the end of the session, we agreed on which achievements and strengths should be highlighted to bring the two pieces together. Poonam brought a professional and disciplined approach to the session. We worked slightly over the expected session time, giving me confidence that I was working with a consultant that was invested in my success.
During the resumé building process, Poonam was patient and informative. Through helpful probing questions, Poonam helped guide me to reformat my resume to concentrate on my achievements and specific contributions to each role. Poonam’s advice helped my work experience come to life. There was a significant difference between my first and final resumé draft.
Poonam and I spent a large portion of our counseling session discussing my professional and personal profile. I proposed which stories should be highlighted and Poonam provided her feedback. Poonam’s inputs regarding story selection helped emphasize my personal values and career ambitions in my post-MBA career goals essays and additional essays. Poonam consistently provided strong technical advice to improve the structure and organization of my essays. From Poonam’s feedback, I could better understand how the reader would interpret my essays and what questions they would ask. Poonam helped me eliminate vague and passive passages from my essays and highlight my strengths and achievements. Poonam also provided valuable guidelines, such as the STAR framework for situational questions, that helped me tell my story in a clear and fluid manner.
Poonam’s editing skills are top-notch. Her input on sentence structure, grammar, and punctuation helped me to craft well-structured and compelling essays that I am proud of. For the majority of my essays, we had to trim 10-20% of the words to meet the word limit. Poonam’s advice on where to trim and where to add substance to my essays gave me confidence and helped bring out the authenticity and originality in my story.
Throughout my 4-month engagement with MER, Poonam was always very prompt and professional in responding to queries via email. The tone of our email exchanges was always friendly and productive. MER’s turnarounds and response times were consistent and reliable from the start. Each question or edit was answered within 1-3 business days. Poonam is organized and possesses strong collaboration skills. From the very start of our engagement, I felt as though I was part of a team. Poonam’s set strict turnaround guidelines compelled me to push myself to meet deadlines and produce my best work. Poonam’s organization on a tight schedule helped me to produce a final MBA package that was complementary and comprehensive.Poonam asked me to think critically about each component of my MBA application, highlighting my strengths and addressing my weaknesses. My low undergraduate GPA was the one glaring weakness in my application I was especially concerned about. Poonam advised me to address my low GPA head-on in my additional essays, describing the circumstances that led to it and assuring the admissions committee that it is not an inaccurate indication of my abilities or potential. Poonam provided me with strong technical guidance to mitigate my weaknesses and highlight my strengths throughout the editing process. Both of my recommenders produced drafts of the LOR’s. Poonam’s feedback helped align my recommendations with my qualities.
I was elated when I received an invitation to interview at Oxford Business School. The interview prep offered by Poonam challenged me during the interview prep to think critically about the “why” behind each facet of my application. Our mock interview lasted 45 minutes, and Poonam’s verbal and written feedback pinpointed specific strengths and weaknesses in my presentation and profile, helping to better position me for success during the live interview.
It was a pleasure to work with Poonam. Poonam is a skilled storyteller and possesses expert editing skills. Throughout our engagement, I was impressed by Poonam’s professional and organized approach as well as her encouraging and warm persona. I have received an offer from the Oxford MBA:) Thank you, Poonam, for your guidance throughout this process!!
I recommend her without reservations to any prospective MBA candidate who is searching for a consultant to help tell their story in a compelling and comprehensive manner.
I signed up for MER services for support for my MBA narrative and essays. Before contacting MER, I had already chosen my preferred program but was unsure of how I should present my story. In my 5-year career, I have......
John (not real name), 2021 applicant, admitted at Oxford!!!!
Accepted into UCLA Anderson’s FEMBA program. Thanks, Poonam, for your help !I wanted to work with someone who can help me articulate my story and ideas in the form of an essay. I was less than three weeks away from my deadline and wanted someone who can guide me through the short challenging time frame. I am glad I chose MER services. I chose MER services because I was very much impressed with Poonam’s profile on GMAT Club and how she had helped other students who were in similar situations like me.
The counseling session on Zoom was the most informative session. Poonam was extremely detail-oriented which really helped me to converse with her. She made me understand that there were some key aspects that were missing in my draft essay, which I should highlight. The session helped us organize our essay in a much better way. The outcome showed in our final versions. Poonam did extremely well in understanding my profile and my stories. The zoom session as stated above helped us better position my story.
Organizing details of my story was one of the most important aspects for me. Poonam has done a great job in organizing and structuring my essay. My personal experiences draft essay word count was almost 500 words above the limit. It would not have been possible to edit it without Poonam’s expertise in organizing the essay and structuring it in a way to retain the important aspects and stay within the word limit. Poonam’s editing skills are flawless. I am happy to have chosen Poonam to work on my essays. I had a ton of queries and Poonam was very patient to answer them all. Thanks for the zoom session.
Finally, Poonam’s turnaround time is commendable. She delivered the essays as promised on time and I was able to meet my application deadline. It wouldn’t have been possible without her quick response.
I am extremely happy to have chosen Poonam’s services to work on my essays. I am accepted into Anderson’s FEMBA program. I would definitely recommend Poonam to prospective students.
Click here for Preetham's testimonial on LinkedIn.
I wanted to work with someone who can help me articulate my story and ideas in the form of an essay. I was less than three weeks away from my deadline and wanted someone who can guide me through the......
Preetham, 2021 applicant, admitted to FEMBA program of UCLA Anderson