Standing out from the consulting herd

Applying from an office where every associate goes to B-school as a matter of course, Jeff was able to snag the HBS spot.

The Challenge

How to distinguish Jeff from other management consultants. Even at top firms, associates tend to look alike. Jeff had done good work, but nothing extraordinary. Plus, he didn’t have any ECs to speak of.

Possible Approaches

One approach would’ve been to highlight his solid work and leadership at BCG: helped shape Asia strategy for a large European bank, wrote a white paper on Chinese companies that was presented (by someone else) at the World Economic Forum in Davos, managed another colleague, etc. Then he uses his consulting skills to get a senior management position in an industry he’s familiar with: banking, telecom, etc. All good stuff, but not enough to differentiate him from the hundreds of consultants from BCG and other top-tier consulting firms applying to B-school every year.

The Admissionado Approach

The key was to look for not just what Jeff was good at, but also what set him apart. When he was growing up, his father was selling Chinese-made metal folding chairs out of the trunk of his car. This business over the years had grown into a sizable automotive parts manufacturing company. After college, Jeff took a risk and went to China to learn Mandarin. After a year and a half of studying, he knew enough Chinese to converse in a business setting and he convinced folks at BCG to hire him to work on Chinese-staffed projects. We emphasized his soft skills, particularly the ability he developed over time to navigate both Western and Chinese corporate cultures. More importantly, we told a story of effort and risk-taking over two generations (his and his father’s) that we felt would resonate with Adcoms, and that showed he had the character and the leadership skills to take over his father’s now-international auto parts business down the road.

The Result

Jeff was accepted at HBS with a scholarship.

Personal Shoutout

“I was only weighing two options: {competitor} and Admissionado. I had a 30 minute call with both and honestly, the call with Rose just blew me away. I could really tell that she was genuinely interested in helping me. I truly believe that when it comes to working with a consultant, having that connection and the feeling of family is really important. In Admissionado, they made me feel like they are with me in every step of the way and that they honestly want me to succeed and to be able to get into the top schools I am aiming for.”