I can’t recommend working with Alice and Leslie enough. From the very start, I knew Menlo was differentiated in that they take a holistic approach to you as a candidate vs. just pay-per-hour essay advice. The entire process is truly comprehensive and helped me highlight the best aspects of my candidacy and execute flawlessly.
One of the most valuable things about their service, for me, was a session where for two hours I basically narrated my life story from childhood to where I am today and Alice and Leslie then helped my parse that narrative for the salient/interesting pieces. After this session, I wrote my initial essay drafts with this guidance. This exercise was extremely helpful in that it helped me identify a comprehensive narrative that would stand out to the adcom. Some aspects of my life I thought were salient or interesting were actually cut from my application all together; I found the unbiased advice very honest and helpful. Additionally, I have a very traditional MBA background (banking/consulting) and though I have many peers and supervisors that went to business school, I think getting essay advice from a non-banker/consultant helped me avoid confusing industry jargon and helped my essays stand out amongst my peers.
Additionally, as busy professional, the speed and professionalism of communication was top-notch. Alice and Leslie got back to me 24/7 (especially around deadlines) which I appreciated immensely. I always had small questions about how to fill out certain sections of the forms, and I was answered within 24 hours. If you have a demanding job, I can’t overstate the benefit of having an expert “on call” to bounce ideas off of or help answer questions.
Finally, the Menlo service is so personal because Alice and Leslie are completely invested in your success. I 100% knew that they were in my corner, rooting for me, cheering for me, and that made all the difference when she pushed me over and over to rework certain areas of my application. Applying to business school is quite the process – and I loved having their support.
Worth the investment – can’t recommend enough!
