MPP/MBA Admissions Experts

Welcome to my profile! With over a decade of experience in MBA admissions, I have guided hundreds of clients to success at top programs such as Harvard, Stanford, Wharton, and MIT. As the Director of MBA Admissions at Stratus , I lead teams that have helped clients secure hundreds of thousands of dollars in merit scholarships and prestigious fellowships like the Forte and Consortium Fellowships. My background includes evaluating thousands of applications globally, ensuring I bring a wealth of knowledge to your application process. Whether you need help with application strategy, school selection, or interview preparation, I'm here to help you craft a standout application. Read more about me here https://poetsandquants.com/2025/07/02/mba-admissions-consulting-when-tough-love-matters/

With over a decade of experience, I’ve helped candidates break into the world’s most competitive MBA and master’s programs, consistently delivering results across applicant types and industries. My unique qualifications include: ◉ At Harvard Kennedy School, collaborated directly with the Head of Admissions to revamp evaluation processes and led formal knowledge-sharing with other policy programs and M7 MBA programs (e.g., HBS, Wharton, Booth) to align HKS selection standards with leading graduate admissions practices. This revamp gave me unique insights across top MBA programs to understand what they look for in their processes, a cross-school lens not many coaches have been afforded ◉ Leland Top Coach in 2023, 2024, and 2025 (since rankings began), with reviews attesting to strategic, high-touch coaching ◉ 150+ M7 admits and tens of millions in scholarship funding secured across MBA, MPP, and master’s programs ◉ Proven success with traditional (consulting, banking), deferred, joint-degree, international, and non-traditional candidates With deep insight into how top programs evaluate applicants, I specialize in translating client profiles into compelling narratives that highlight leadership, trajectory, and potential. Some big wins include helping an individual with a 3.2 GPA and 145 (Quant GRE) / 158 (Verbal GRE) secure admission to a top 5 MBA with 60% tuition scholarship and negotiating another candidate's M7 waitlist offer to admission with 100% tuition funding. Given my extensive client-facing experience in consulting and investment banking, I am extremely responsive and tailor my approach to fit each client's needs. I am especially helpful to: ◉ applicants from established pre-MBA careers (e.g., consulting, banking) hoping to differentiate themselves in a crowded field ◉ international applicants looking for guidance on the U.S.-specific nuances for MBAs ◉ non-traditional candidates without cookie-cutter GPAs or test scores looking to highlight strengths in other areas ◉ deferred candidates looking to show their future *potential* through storytelling ◉ candidates seeking scholarship funding ◉ underrepresented minorities, especially LGBTQ+ / BIPOC applicants, who want to work with someone with a shared lived experience ◉ joint / concurrent degree applicants ◉ candidates who want to make a great impression during interviews. I take special pride in one of my interviewers saying I was the best-prepared applicant he had seen in 10 years :) ◉ waitlisted or rejected applicants who want to make a compelling case for their candidacy through informal channels

Expert storyteller for Big 4 consultants applying to M7 MBAs, especially if you're worried your experience won't stand out. As a non-traditional government consulting applicant admitted to 3 M7s, I guide your application journey across essays, resumes, and interviews. I have experience across private, public, and non-profit sectors and understand how to craft stories that are personal and compelling to admissions committees. This approach has helped several clients overcome weaknesses to get into their top choice programs at Harvard, MIT, Georgetown, and other elite programs. The difference is a storytelling formula that I provide to my applicants.

I draw on my expertise as a former Harvard Business School MBA Admissions Board member, brand marketer, and Kellogg MBA to help my clients fulfill their MBA dreams. My strength is helping applicants identify what is most distinctive and compelling about their background, and then communicate it in a way that feels both strategic and authentic. My work covers a range of services: school selection and fit assessment, narrative and essay brainstorming, career goal refinement, resume and recommendation guidance, short-answer revisions, interview preparation, post-acceptance decision-making, and ongoing feedback and guidance throughout the MBA application process. I've coached clients across a wide range of industries, backgrounds, and career stages, from experienced professionals to college students pursuing deferred MBA programs. I bring particular expertise in deferred admissions, as I was one of the original founders of the HBS 2+2 Program. I know how daunting the MBA admissions process can feel. My goal is to demystify the process, reduce unnecessary stress, and help guide my clients to discover and achieve their full potential.

Welcome to my profile! With over two decades of experience as an MBA Admissions Consultant, I have guided over 500 clients to gain admission to their dream programs, including Harvard, Stanford, Wharton, and more. My background in marketing and as an award-winning creative writer allows me to help clients craft compelling narratives that bring their unique qualities and potential to light. My experience as a professional journalist helps me to ferret out your unique stories and find the best way to bring all the elements of your profile together. Whether you are applying to full-time, executive MBA, or dual-degree programs, or any other graduate degree, I'm here to be your partner in this journey. Let's work together to make your MBA dreams a reality!

Welcome! I am a coach and advisor who genuinely enjoys helping individuals achieve their MBA admissions goals. As a former member of the MBA Admissions Board at Harvard Business School (HBS), I have firsthand knowledge of the admissions process and what it takes to build a compelling application. I've reviewed thousands of applications and completed hundreds of interviews with applicants across all backgrounds, geographies, and industries. I also have experience working with college students applying for deferred admissions (I was part of the launch and management of the HBS 2+2 Deferred Admit Program). I work as an independent MBA admissions coach, guiding clients to success at their top choice schools. Whether you need assistance with school selection, crafting your story/brand, essay/resume writing, selecting/preparing recommenders, or interview prep, I'm here to help you navigate the sometimes overwhelming and mysterious MBA admissions world. Let's connect and discuss how I can support you in reaching your goals. Rated "Leland Top 50 Coach" 2023, 2024, 2025

Why I’m Qualified to Be Your Admissions Coach: With over 15 years of experience as a former director of Master's and MBA admissions, I have an insider's understanding of what top-tier business schools look for in applicants. I’ve worked with clients targeting prestigious schools like Harvard, Stanford, Wharton, and INSEAD, helping them navigate the complexities of the application process with personalized strategies. As the founder of The Admission Concierge, a boutique MBA consulting firm, I specialize in crafting compelling narratives, refining resumes, and guiding clients through every aspect of the MBA journey—whether it’s essay writing, interview coaching, or school selection. My approach is data-driven, hands-on, and tailored to each client's unique story, ensuring they stand out in competitive applicant pools. I also bring an academic background with a Ph.D. from the University of Paris, giving me a well-rounded perspective for applicants in both MBA and advanced-degree programs. Whether you’re applying for a top MBA program or considering a dual-degree, my goal is to guide you with clarity, confidence, and a strategic edge to make your application shine.

REPUTATION - Poets & Quants’ top consultant, client satisfaction score, or boutique firm lists six of the last seven years - In 2026, Poets & Quants ranked Greg #9 in the U.S. and Avanti Prep one of the top boutique firms - Among P&Q's most reviewed consultants, Greg has one of the highest ratings and *the lowest hourly rate* EXPERIENCE - One of only 23 MBA admissions consultants worldwide with 100+ lifetime reviews on Poets & Quants - In doing this full-time since 2017, I've amassed 7,000+ hours of client-facing admissions experience - These are key differentiators in a market otherwise defined by inconsistency and part-time practitioners SAVINGS - Other consultants with 100+ reviews charge an average of $495 per hour — most of my clients pay $295 - Avanti Prep's rates "remain one of the least expensive in the industry" (Poets & Quants, 2023) - "Among the top advisors, the least expensive is Greg Guglielmo of Avanti Prep" (Poets & Quants, 2020)​ RESULTS - Our lifetime HBS-Stanford admit rate is 42% — nearly 5x the baseline for the top two programs in the world - My Harvard-Stanford Interview Prep success rate is 78% — this success extends up and down the rankings - Our military clients' aggregate H/S/W admit rate is 73% and Sloan/Booth/Kellogg admit rate is 88% SCHOLARSHIPS - Since Avanti Prep's founding in 2017, 53% of our clients' offers have included merit scholarship awards - In the last two years, our clients' average merit award was $84,176 per school (i.e., not total across schools) - Nearly two-thirds (64%) of our lifetime Booth admits have received merit scholarships (average $65,086) TESTIMONIALS - My client reviews are among the most detailed and transparent you'll find anywhere ​​- I've worked with a lot of applicants who previously worked with other firms — read and compare! - Consistently lauded for providing an unmatched level of quality, commitment, and personal care

I've been coaching MBA and EMBA applicants since 2006 — which means I've worked through more admissions cycles, essay prompts, and school pivots than I can count. Poets & Quants has recognized me as a Top Consultant three times. Clients have called the work "transformative" and "the best help I never knew I needed." What I actually do: I help people find their story. Not the version they think they're supposed to tell, but the one that's true and specific and stops an admissions reader cold. That's harder than it sounds, and it's where most applications fall apart. My background is unusual for this field. I'm a Columbia MBA and a Columbia English major — and a former magazine editor. I'm also an ICF-certified leadership coach. That combination means I bring genuine writing craft and genuine coaching depth to every engagement, not just admissions strategy. My clients have come from consulting, banking, medicine, the military, entrepreneurship, filmmaking, and family business. They've gone on to HBS, Stanford, Wharton, Columbia, and programs across Europe and Asia. I work in English and Italian.

With over twenty years of multifaceted professional and MBA admissions consulting experience, I bring a perspective that most consultants simply can’t replicate. My career has taken me from Deloitte’s Strategy & Operations practice and Samsung’s Global Strategy Group in Seoul to the operating teams of multiple tech startups and the halls of higher education, where I have coached MBA candidates at UCLA Anderson and USC Marshall. I understand what admissions committees at top programs are looking for, because I’ve lived the kinds of careers they want to see and I know how to help you frame your story in the most compelling way possible. My commitment is to help you articulate your unique story and personal brand in an authentic and engaging way. I ensure that every aspect of your application, from essays and resumes to recommendations and interviews, reflects your full potential. Whether you need comprehensive end-to-end guidance or targeted assistance with a specific component, I provide honest, actionable feedback and individualized hands-on support. I work with a select group of clients each cycle—to give each engagement the attention it deserves and ensure that no one gets lost in the shuffle. The results speak for themselves: ➤ 100% of clients get M7 interviews ➤ 100% of clients interview with one or more M7 programs ➤ 90% of clients admitted to one or more M7 programs ➤ Clients admitted to HBS, Stanford GSB, Wharton, Kellogg, Booth, MIT Sloan, CBS, Berkeley Haas, NYU Stern, Yale SOM, Fuqua, and Tuck I hold an MBA from the Kellogg School of Management and a BA from Swarthmore College.