OUR STORY
MBA admissions consulting requires a deep interest in people and their stories; a passion for coaching and mentorship; an innate talent for storytelling and messaging; highly specific knowledge of programs and industries; and a willingness to tackle even the most minute of details — all to unlock and deliver the best you.

ORIGINS

I founded Avanti Prep in 2017 because my passions, skills, and interests lie at the eclectic intersection described above. Prior to Avanti Prep, I spent two years as an admissions consultant for Critical Square, two years as a student member of admissions at Berkeley-Haas, and eight years in private equity and asset management. My written work has been published in or covered by several leading media outlets. 

At Critical Square, I noticed a trend. I was repeatedly working with applicants who had been unsuccessful applying with well-known MBA admissions consulting firms. When we worked together, those very same applicants with the very same scores and profiles received multiple acceptances and/or scholarships to similarly ranked schools. You could feel the difference. So I started Avanti Prep.

DEPTH

The trends I observed during those early years have amplified at Avanti Prep. Clients who previously worked with other firms often tell us they only spoke to their consultant a couple of times — in a Package, no less. They describe getting charged for a one-hour essay or resume review that contains only a few comments. Or receiving only 30 minutes of interview feedback. We go way, way deeper than this.

Our average three-school Package includes 12 calls — even more if you prefer "live" essay and resume reviews. Our clients describe superior quality as well, reporting that working with Avanti Prep was like "night and day" compared with other firms and that "10 hours were more effective than 40+ hours with my previous consultant." Rather than me cherry-pick examples, please read our reviews!

COMMITMENT

In addition to depth of service and quality of reviews, I honestly believe our other big differentiator is that we genuinely care. This shouldn't be unique when you're spending thousands of dollars, but it is. We take your investment very seriously, and we honor the trust you've placed in us by investing our very best in you. Our engagements often become true relationships, and many continue beyond applications.

We are extremely proud that our client reviews consistently highlight themes related not only to masterful essay reviews, resume reviews, and interview prep, but also to our compassion, empathy, mentorship, and personal care — a willingness to go above and beyond — literally, in the form of free service, and emotionally, in the form of listening and coaching — to help you deliver your best and most authentic self.

RESULTS

All of this translates into superior client experiences and results. About 20% of our clients are re-applicants, and half of them previously worked with other admissions consultants or firms — usually with some of the "biggest names" in the industry. This creates a unique point of comparison, and one that we really want to make sure you read through, think about, and grapple with. You can read their reviews here.

In 2023-24, our Harvard/Stanford acceptance rate was 47% — nearly 4.5x the baseline acceptance rate for those two world-leading MBA programs. Our lifetime Harvard/Stanford Interview Prep success rate is 83%, and most who were not accepted were waitlisted. The success of our approach translates up and down the rankings. Please sign up for a Free Consultation to discuss your specific case!
Past performance is not indicative of future results. Avanti Prep makes no assertions or guarantees regarding client outcomes.

SAVINGS

This sort of sounds like a department store slogan, but with Avanti Prep, I also believe that you get more for less. Other consultants with 85+ lifetime reviews charge an average of $495 per hour, whereas most of our Founder-Director clients pay $295. That's $200 per hour less. Our average client (25 hours) saves thousands relative to other leading firms — for what we (and they) believe is better service.

Poets & Quants has twice highlighted ​us for this. In 2020, they noted that "Among the top advisors, the least expensive is Greg Guglielmo of Avanti Prep." In 2023, their industry-wide analysis pointed out that our rates "remain one of the least expensive in the industry." And even then, as so many of our reviews attest, we still make it a practice to offer clients special discounts upfront and free service along the way.

APPLICANTS

We work with applicants from all industries and geographies — and unlike other firms, we do not screen for certain scores, profiles, or pre-MBA experiences. In an average year, about half our clients are from the U.S. and half are international. Recently, about a quarter of our U.S. applicants have been from the military. We offer a 5% discount to military applicants, and our military-to-MBA track record is elite.

To date, we've helped clients from over 30 countries gain admission to over 50 different programs worldwide. And while our clients are often targeting highly ranked MBA programs​ — about half of the applications we've worked on have been to the M7 — our experience extends well beyond the top tier. We have almost certainly worked with applicants who match your industry, country, and school profile.

TEAM

Our team includes Greg Guglielmo (Founder), who is frequently featured on lists of top consultants and is among the most reviewed MBA admissions consultants worldwide; Morgan Bernstein (Director), who is the former Head of MBA Admissions at Berkeley-Haas; and Senior Consultants including professional writers and storytellers and admissions fellows and interviewers from top-tier MBA programs.

We are a very high-touch, boutique firm — in fact, Greg and/or Morgan are directly involved in the vast majority of our client engagements. We prioritize customization and flexibility, and we are super focused on making sure that you have the right team in place given your budget, timeline, requirements, and needs. To determine the best approach for you, please sign up for a Free Consultation!

SERVICES

We work with clients on all elements of the MBA application process — including School Selection, Story and Goal Development, Essay/Video Brainstorming and Reviews, Resume Outlining and Reviews, Recommendations, App Reviews, Interview Prep, and much more. The three main pathways through which we combine these services are Workshops, Hourly Services, and Packages.

Our engagements range from a few hours (e.g., standalone Interview Prep or targeted resume/essay reviews) all the way through large, multi-school Packages. We also offer further-discounted ancillary services — well before you apply (Pre-App Advisory), after you submit (Waitlist Support, Scholarship Negotiations), and for MBAs/professionals engaged in job searches and interviews (Career Services).