When applying to my dream business schools, I had only separated, pieces of ideas that I wanted to convey into the essays, but I didn’t know how to put them together. I learned about MER services which are highly recommended by the GMATClub community, made further research about MER and Poonam, and then quickly decided that MER is the perfect solution to guide me through the critical brainstorming process. I was lucky in making the immediate decision because available spots are filled rapidly, and I was happy to be one of a few candidates collaborating with MER each application round.
Poonam paid great attention to details and laid out the next steps for us to work on. It was so easy to talk to her because she cares about my story. She also made an initial evaluation of my profile and suggested which MBA programs that fit.
I’ve worked on my resume multiple times applying for jobs and other short programs such as the Global Energy Leadership at Rice, therefore I thought I was in a good spot to use the same resume version. And I also waived my right to check the LORs because I trusted that my recommenders knew me well enough to write those letters positively. Poonam helped me to understand what is needed in a one-page resume, there’s redundancy to be removed and information (usually be thought of as unnecessary) to be added. She also went beyond to advise me and offer her editing to clarify the sentences. My resume was presented in a transparent, connected, and sufficient. Thanks to her work.
Poonam gave me plenty of time to work on the questionnaire. It’s the next step after our zoom session to provide wider and deeper perspectives of my background, historically and emotionally. With her guidance and analysis, I answered the questionnaire only to realize that it was tailored to help me understand more about myself and my beliefs. The art of applying to business schools is knowing how to mix the significant desire of being successful (higher salary, reputation school, switching jobs, relocations, etc.) in the future with the humility of who you are as a person. Therefore, it’s a valuable time spent to think, answer, refine the mindset, and answer the questionnaire again and again.
She has the experience and wisdom to clearly understand my profile in a short time. She also knows exactly what characteristics business school will find interesting in a candidate and help me to spell out those enthusiastically. Organization of details was the most exciting aspect while working with her. With her review, everything I thought was perfectly structured was positioned in a stronger system. That helped me gain confidence in my resume and essay. She carefully paid attention to my background even in our first meeting before registration. So I had no doubts about her capability in sections that needed greater focus on detail. In fact, she beautifully broke the long sentences and divided them into more concise, simpler ones with carefully chosen words. I couldn’t and would never find her misses on word counting, grammar, or punctuation. Editing is her genius!
Poonam not only keeps our agreed timeline work but also understands that nothing is a fixed bullet point. I have a kid and a full-time job, therefore, I deal with the changed schedules all the time, and Poonam was so flexible, responsive, and patient to work with. And she always clarified my doubts/ questions in a super short time. She committed to deadlines and promises and let me know how many days she would take to revert while she was working on multiple applications simultaneously. They are solid commitments and I never got wrong with her response time. She helped me craft my resume and essays, and gave them a clear sense of purpose, conciseness, and strong voice about who am I and what I could bring to the class (in business schools). She always did repetitive reviews to guarantee there were no weak spots left in my resume and essays.
Poonam prepared me for a mock interview within two days after I apprised her of my interview invitation. It was a serious process of analyzing my performance so that I can equip myself better for the D-day. All actions and details were discussed by Poonam, and she gave tons of valuable advice that if I weren’t aware of, I would not have felt confident of having the important interview.
Application to business schools is not the same as applying for jobs but must be viewed as a learning process. And Poonam is a brilliant instructor for your learning. You will always expect your mentor to listen to your voice, understand who you are as a person, accept your failure, and encourage you to do the right thing; an instructor who is disciplined, experienced, and has a high value in your work. And you will find such personalities in Poonam.
I’ve learned so much from her and enjoyed every moment of working with her. If you’re thinking about business schools, I strongly recommend you reach out to Poonam and schedule your call with her.
I am happy to say that I have received an admission offer from McComb’s EMBA program, and I would like to say that this is my second MBA.
Thai,