Ryan Barba Consulting Reviews 93

After attending Ryan's webinar, I realized how key his guidance would be for undergoing the MBA application process.

I got into my top school - CORNELL !! - because of his consistent direction and feedback throughout the process. He works with you and is there for you each step of the way. From general advice, to essay help, to scholarship guidance, and so much more...I would highly recommend Ryan to anyone looking for direction that will play an integral role in getting you to where you want to go! He made himself available when I needed support, and his knowledge around this space is well known.

Ryan will help you find ways to stand out among other applicants and that's the key!

I interviewed with several admissions consultants before deciding on working with Ryan's team. I felt really insecure going into the progress and was looking to work with a positive team that would help me build confidence.

I worked with Christine on two schools, Tuck and Sloan, and applied separately to Fuqua and Darden, using many of the same materials I worked with Christine on for those applications. I felt Christine did an excellent job helping me flush out my story, and developing essays that helped me stand out. We went through every detail of my applications together, ensuring that I was delivering the best possible version of myself to the admissions committee. Christine provided honest constructive feedback, but always in a positive and reassuring manner.

I was admitted to Tuck and Darden, waitlisted and Fuqua and ultimately rejected at Sloan, but I did receive an interview. I am thrilled with the results as Tuck is my dream school!

The only downside I can possibly think of, is that in working with a smaller company they do not have some of the prepackaged resources that larger firms have (ex. interview guides, resume templates). However, these are very easily googled and found on your own.

Overall, I am very happy with my experience!

Ryan is a guy who delivers results, makes dreams come true! He was very helpful to develop strategy for my applications. I went with very risky way applied to only top MBA programs with below average stats in terms of GMAT and GPA. Ryan clearly elaborated that this was something like landing on the Mars but with Ryan’s guidance I did land at Stanford GSB, something that was only in my wildest dreams.
We started with creating brand strategy and I believe, he has some skills and vision that helps him to see between lines and create a brand that conveys person’s identity in the best way.
During the process Ryan was direct, he didn’t sugarcoat his comments. Sometimes these comments were harsh, but they pushed me until my essays were perfect. His edits always made sense and provoked me to think differently, find new approaches to essay questions.
During almost two months of application process, Ryan was always available despite huge time difference we had. I felt free to approach him with any question, even if it sounded stupid and he always had answers for them.
To conclude, I highly recommend Ryan as MBA consultant as he makes the process very efficient and effective!

Coming from a unique background in fashion, I was very unfamiliar with the MBA application process and had a lot of anxiety trying to figure out the best strategy to apply to top ten programs. After my first 1-on-1 call with Ryan, I knew we would make a great team. He had such a positive, energetic, and enthusiastic personality, and most of all, I could tell he felt passionate to help clients get into their dream school.

Over the 5 months we spent working together, Ryan provided advice on how to effectively explain my aspirations in application materials and highlight my unique background, experience and skill set. I had no idea how an MBA resume should be formatted, and he helped me do a complete overhaul - which was huge! He also provided really helpful feedback on my essays. Having served on an admissions committee before, Ryan had insightful critique and knew what types of topics would be over-used and therefore should be avoided. He was always spot on with his advice, responded within 24 hours, and wasn't afraid to be totally honest with feedback - which I liked.

The GMAT was definitely my biggest struggle. I took the test numerous times and ended up submitting a 640 (well below top school averages). I still decided to submit my 2 applications with this low GMAT score because I felt THAT confident in my essays and other materials. With Ryan's interview prep advice, each interview went really well and I recently found out I was accepted into BOTH Columbia Business School (my top choice!) and Kellogg. The cherry on top - I received an $80K scholarship ($40k/year) from each school.

I couldn't be more thrilled and am so happy I had Ryan's insight and advice along the way!

With only 2 weeks to finalize a resume and interview prep for Fuqua's admission process, leveraging Ryan's services couldn't have come at a better time. He is extremely flexible and works around times that work best for you. He keeps his feedback honest, to the point, and does not sugar coat anything. This definitely helped strengthened my resume and interview skills and overall how I present myself to the admissions team. Preparing with him got rid of my interview jitters and it was nice to get the perspective of a former admissions counselor that has been through all this song and dance before, so you know you can trust his advice and feedback. I am planning on applying in Round 2 admissions and cannot wait to work with Ryan again, gain his perspective, and write the best essay that I can with hopes of getting into my dream schools! Who wouldn't want to get first-hand insight into the minds of the admissions team?

I talked to several consultants before deciding to work with Ryan for business school applications during the fall 2020 application season and couldn't be happier about my choice. From the start, Ryan was energetic, friendly, and took a true interest in getting to know me and my background so that we could best position myself in applications.

Ryan's feedback on application materials was always quick (often even less than 24 hours), and he continually challenged me to think more deeply and critically about what I was writing. I felt very confident with the essays that I was submitting after working through them with Ryan, and do not think I would've felt nearly as confident otherwise.

From the start of the process, Columbia was always my first choice, and with Ryan's help I am happy to have been admitted!

I feel extremely fortunate that I found Ryan Barba Consulting in April 2020 and had the opportunity to work directly with Ryan during my whirlwind of “round 4” business school applications. After a COVID related furlough from my job, I decided to apply to a few business schools at the very last moment to have options in the case of a potential layoff. From our first conversation, with me doubting I would be able to put together a strong enough application in such a short amount of time, Ryan was extremely encouraging and worked with me tirelessly over 3 weeks to help me submit my best application. He came up with a very detailed schedule, consistently provided feedback in a timely manner and helped me develop my “brand” in this tight time frame. Ryan helped me differentiate myself amongst a very crowded field of last-minute, round 4 business school candidates. I am not sure I would have been accepted to Duke University’s Fuqua School of Business with a Forte Fellowship scholarship, among other top MBA programs including Ivy League, without the assistance of Ryan!

I am so excited for this next chapter of my life at Duke. Thank you again so much, Ryan!

Ryan was very thorough and prompt in our initial call. Looking forward to working with him.

UPDATE: Got into Cornell Johnson and Hopkins with a full scholarship! Ryan was fantastic in helping secure these admissions!

I unreservedly recommend Ryan Barba and his consultant, Alex, especially to help any applicant with the "brand" and "story" in the essay portion of business school applications.

I learned about Ryan via social media ads. We had a 30 minute intro call where he was very helpful and answered my specific questions about what I can expect from the consulting services. I was then able to have 30 minute calls with two different consultants and pick one (Alex) based on my preference.

Alex spent a lot of time getting to know everything about me, asking me detailed questions, and eventually was able to identify a theme for my essays that I otherwise would not have been able to identify and articulate. I strongly believe that the strength of my essays, especially the GSB ones, was a big reason for my admission.

Alex and Ryan were both prompt with communication, help with editing multiple drafts of essays, and overall attention to detail throughout my application journey.

With 6 only weeks to go before the Round 5 Admissions deadline at USC, I decided to work with Ryan (directly, not his team) to help primarily with positioning strategy and resume and essay editing. With a non traditional professional background, lower than average GPA for USC admissions (3.1), no GMAT score to prove my candidacy (requirement waived at USC for 2020 year), and applying so late in the decision cycle, I knew getting in would be a challenge. However, Ryan's knowledge in the MBA admissions process, ability to develop a convincing personal branding strategy, and superior editing skills gave my application "an edge" and I was accepted into the Part Time Program at USC with a scholarship! I also applied to the Full Time Program, and was not accepted (why I'm giving 4 stars instead of 5).

I preferred to attend the Part Time Program, and was so surprised by the scholarship offer, so it really was a win in the end! I'd also like to mention that Ryan is incredibly smart, kind, and works hard for his clients. I really could not have done this without him, and cannot thank or recommend him enough!

I had chatted with about 8 consultants from different backgrounds/companies, and I chose to work with Ryan for 3 reasons: 1, he showed me his passion and energy and convinced me I could be successful with the schools I was applying, 2, he was willing to work with my schedule and commit to a tight turnaround time while the others weren't willing to accommodate my schedule. 3, he has great knowledge/experiences about the MBA admission, and his quick analysis of my application strategy cleared lots of my concerns; I believe I need him with me during the entire application process.

Once we started, Ryan was able to quickly help me to build a profile that was unique and attractive compared to others. his strategy package was extremely helpful guiding me along the process: I knew exactly the steps I need to take and how I should tackle them. The most challenging part for me was my essays. I was stuck many times, thinking about the ideas and writing styles, but Ryan's direct and timely feedback was able to guide me to find better angles and clear ways to write my stories. He won't stop at just OK, he would push my essay to be perfect.

Another part that scared me was the interview and Ryan covered almost all the key points. As I mentioned, he has lots of experience with MBA admission and my actual interview went 80% similar to Ryan's mock-interview.

I was very fortunate that I had the initial 30-minutes call with Ryan, it changed everything for me.

I knew from our first conversation that Ryan was the consultant that I wanted to work with, while I was doing my due diligence and setting up consultations with several different admissions consultants/firms. His depth of knowledge of the MBA admissions process (many years of experience as a consultant and previous experience working in MBA admissions offices) and conviction in his ability to help me get to where I wanted to go immediately set him apart. Furthermore, I was happy to hear that he chooses to only work with several applicants at a time (in contrast to consultants at large firms that work with dozens of clients at a time).

Ryan was excellent at helping me identify my differentiating factors amongst a crowded pool of applicants. I was initially nervous about my standing as an applicant, as someone who had gone through several career switches and was hoping to make another one post-MBA, but Ryan helped calm my fears as he helped me tell my story in a compelling way that would stand out to Admissions Committees. Ryan was extremely organized throughout our process of working together, and I was impressed by his quick turnaround time in getting back to me during the essay review process. The MBA application process can be nerve-wracking, energy-draining, and ultimately take a toll on your sanity, but with Ryan's guidance, I always felt like I knew what to expect and where I stood, and achieved a peace of mind that would not have been possible had I taken on this journey alone. Ultimately, I was accepted to several of my dream programs, with scholarship money to boot! Ryan, I cannot thank you enough for your guidance and knowledge throughout this journey!

Acceptances:
NYU Stern (Tech MBA) (with scholarship)
Johnson Cornell (Tech MBA) (with scholarship)
UCLA Anderson
**Berkeley Haas (waitlist)

I consider myself extremely fortunate to have worked directly with Ryan on my MBA applications this past year! From as early as June last year, Ryan and I began identifying and tailoring my short and long-term career goals. We came up with a very detailed schedule and maintained weekly communications to ensure that I could submit four applications for Round 1. Throughout the process, Ryan consistently provided feedback in a timely manner and always ensured that I stayed true to my story and my voice. His tips and strategies are top-notch and this really differentiates him from other MBA Consultants. There was no problem too big or small that Ryan would not help me solve. I'm extremely grateful for Ryan and his services and I hope this testimonial provides you with all the clarity you need to know that Ryan is a fantastic coach!

Without Ryan and his services, I would not have been accepted to my DREAM school, The Wharton School!

Additionally, I was accepted to:

1) Northwestern Kellogg ($40K scholarship)
2) Berkeley Haas ($60K scholarship)
3) UCLA Anderson ($100K scholarship)

I'm humbled and excited for this next chapter. Thank you so much again, Ryan!

Ryan was incredibly helpful, insightful, and a great resource for me to rely on to get through the process. He helped me identify key areas to focus on / strengths of my experience and helped craft essays (and a resume) that put my best foot forward to the admissions committee. His interview prep and mock interview were also very helpful in preparing for any and all questions that would be asked during the interview so I wasn't blind sided at all. I was well rehearsed without sounding robotic.

Acceptances:

Yale SOM
NYU Stern
UVA Darden
Cornell Johnson (18k / year scholarship)
UCLA Anderson (30k / year scholarship)

I had the pleasure of working with Judy Young. Judy spent a crazy amount of time getting to know me in order to help me put my best application forward. Midway through the process, we switched one of my essay structures to better fit my overall story. She worked with me many nights in a row back to back working around her schedule to make sure I had my absolute best application when I clicked submit.

Judy always made my applications a priority. She spent time helping me prepare for interviews early on, giving me a pep talk an hour before and debriefing with me right after when I thought it went terribly (I ended up getting accepted).

She is also a master at helping you tell your story in a concise manner (and within word count).

Judy helped me through every step of the and I know my application would not have been as strong without her. Would gladly recommend Judy to others. Dinged at HBS, accepted at Wharton, and accepted into MIT Sloan!!

It's an absolutely privilege to write this review. I consider myself SO LUCKY to have found and had the opportunity to work with Ryan. He doesn't have the "big brand" that the huge MBA consulting firms do, so I was lucky to have fallen upon his Facebook ad for an MBA webinar. I liked the content, so decided to book some time to speak with him, and WOW - it was immediately evident to me how knowledgeable and insightful he was, and how much he could help me with my business school applications. I still did my "due diligence" with some of the large firms before deciding, but there was really no question for me that I wanted to work with Ryan.

He totally delivered. Applying to business school is certainly a lot of work, and can be stressful at times (especially as you constantly worry that you won't get in anywhere), but Ryan didn't mind constantly talking me off the cliff and making me feel more comfortable throughout the process. His edits were so clear and detailed, and his guidance definitely brought my essays and message to a depth I couldn't have come up with solo. And if you like lame Dad jokes, you might even get in a few laughs. :)

All-in-all, I worked with Ryan on 4 schools and got into 3 of them. My stats, in case you're interested: 3.6 GPA from a decent (but not Ivy League-caliber) school, 690 GMAT, 4 years of work experience. I got accepted to Booth (with scholarship money), Kellogg (with scholarship money), and Haas. I was waitlisted at Wharton, after getting an interview. But Kellogg was always my dream school, and I can't describe how excited I was to get the acceptance call from their admissions team, with a scholarship to boot!

If you're having doubts that Ryan doesn't have the big, fancy website and sales tactics that the big firms have, don't let that concern you. He's the real deal, and the fact that he doesn't take on too many clients at once makes him 100% accessible. I can't think of anything I would've asked him to do differently, and highly recommend him to anyone looking to be healthily challenged and encouraged to put their best foot forward in the business school application process. You'll get your money's worth - I've got the scholarship to prove it!

I worked with Ryan this past year on my MBA applications and COULD NOT BE HAPPIER the results. Not only did I get into three top-7 programs, but I'm going to my dream school next year: Stanford GSB! I seriously doubted this day would ever come and that I'd ever be so successful getting into my dream MBA programs, but thanks to Ryan's help, I achieved what was probably the most ambitious goal I've ever set for myself.

Ryan starts his process by really digging deep into your background, and asking really deep and thoughtful questions designed to uncover those true elements of your background and experiences that make you unique, and that will play well in your application. This process was so eye-opening to me, as we thought of things to project about me that I never would've thought of solo. Then, his help on my application materials, especially my essays, was extremely helpful. Again, he has this ability to say the right things the right way, and his way of helping you bring our your best writing is amazing. I grew not only in my self-awareness, but my writing abilities. Ryan could start his own business as an author, I'm convinced - He's such a good communicator.

After applying, Ryan helped me with my interview prep and provided amazing coaching. He even flew out to meet me for a practice interview. I'll forever carry the interview skills he taught me.

I could go on and on about how great this experience was, but suffice to say - I am a VERY HAPPY client!

Ryan helped me with my applications to NYU Stern and Cornell Tech, and I was accepted to both! I couldn't be more grateful to Ryan for his help and patience throughout the process. He's so knowledgeable, and he's a brilliant writer and editor. He made my essays (and my resume) better than I could've imagined!

I viewed this page several months ago and thought, "I hope I get to write a positive review on this page someday because that would mean I got into a top school!" And here I am! :)

I applied Round 1 2019 (to start school this upcoming fall, 2020) and worked with Ryan on 4 applications: HBS, GSB, Sloan, and Booth. My results were unfathomable: With a 700 GMAT score I got into 3 of the 4 (waitlisted at GSB) with a sizable scholarship offer from Booth. Needless to say, these results are better than I ever would have dreamed, and I literally couldn't have done it without Ryan's help. He gave me so much clarity around how to navigate the MBA application process with grace, and was able to help me craft a story and personal "brand" that I never would've thought to come up with alone. He's particularly good at pushing back when necessary, and pushing you to "go deeper" when articulating what sets you apart. Without his help, my applications would've been much softer / less hard-hitting and much more generic. I just remember getting his edits to my essays and thinking, "Wow, he's totally right. I never would've thought of that."

While the MBA admissions process is inevitably stressful at times, Ryan makes it as fun as I think it can be. He always made me laugh and kept me motivated without pushing unreasonably. He was also always accessible and made it easy to get ahold of him whenever I had a question.

I worked with Judy Y, one of Ryan's consultant team, for my MBA application for Fall 2020. I can't thank Judy enough for her help, guidance and support. Her knowledge about the application process and what top business schools ask for is incredible.

I am an international student so she did a lot of work with me, she went far and beyond to help with everything. She helped me think about my story and understand my strengths in a unique way. We designed my strategy and worked together to craft all the applications.

She was always available with great positivity and ready to help in whatever way I needed. Her supportiveness at every step of the process was so important for me that I can't put it in words.

I got accepted to Yale (my dream school), McCombs and waitlisted in Chicago. I couldn’t be happier with my results.