Before MBA Protocol

Growing up in the DC area with two parents who served in the federal government sowed a deep appreciation and admiration for the work the US Government does. The work I do at Deloitte, partnering with federal agencies, feels akin to the service my parents provided.

Also, because of how massive Deloitte is, we get to play with some very cool problems the USG has. The level of experience and exposure I’ve received at the firm has affirmed my decision that this is the kind of firm I want to be at for a long time.

My goal going into the MBA process was to streamline my development to a partner level role at Deloitte. I was already in the consulting space, but I had seen directors and partners exhibit a level of nuanced analysis that I did not possess; this made me nervous about my long-term viability in the firm. When I asked them about how I could replicate their development path, each contact said their time back in school allowed them the time and space to take the deep dives into the work we do. Essentially, they would not have developed the level of nuance required to provide the level of service they provide for our clients.

Why MBA, why now

I was in a client meeting with a senior manager, who had done his MBA at UNC Kenan-Flagler, and I watched him effortlessly rip off strategic analysis for the client that, frankly, left me dumbfounded. After the meeting, I pulled him aside and asked “Gavin, how’d you develop the skill to be able to do that?” He laughed and said “That came from two years of a million case studies.” He emphasized that while the firm certainly provides a lot of opportunity to learn, the sheer volume of client demands prevents you from doing the deep academic dives a full-time MBA program provides.

If this was the work I wanted to do for the rest of my career, I knew I needed to take a two-year strategic break that would pay off twenty years down the line.

Why MBA Protocol

In 2024, I applied to four schools (Tuck, Darden, Ross, and McDonough) in Round 2 with little to no guidance. I went through the process trying to piece together tips I found online. I received one offer of admission, but felt like I really left meat on the bone looking back at my process; my essays lacked a punchy theme and my resume was all sorts of lackluster. I decided to use the material and test scores that I already had to try my hand again, this time in Round 1. This time I would seek optimal guidance, as I really did not want to go through this process a third time.

I remember thinking “I should look into that site that had all the rainbows and unicorns on it.”

While the website’s happy go lucky attitude stood out in my mind, what hooked me was Heather’s understanding and excitement for my story and previous efforts. She seemed to be fully in my corner before even giving MBA Protocol a dime and that certainly stood out to me.

Whether it was good marketing or not, I felt that I had a teammate from the get go.

The work we did together

I remember reading Brian’s reviews on P&Qs describing him as an admissions wizard, knowing exactly how to describe yourself for certain schools, and being somewhat skeptical before we met. Yet, Brian proved that he was in fact an admissions wizard and was able to add critical details to my story that I would have never thought to add if it were not for his suggestions.

Between my two application cycles, one thing changed: what kind of advice I was receiving on my essays.

I learned that I wasn’t great about talking about myself. Brian’s patience and objective feedback helped me tailor a story that seemingly wowed admission’s committees.

I walked away from my time with Brian understanding the importance of humbly selling yourself; a skill that I’ll need to continue to hone as I enter my MBA years and after in the consulting space.

Better essays acted as a domino for everything later down the line. My essays allowed me to script a better interview pitch of why me and why this school.

Interesting note: very late in the game, probably with two weeks from my submission dates, I heard a Tuck AdCom reader say something along the lines of “I don’t want to read an essay like X.” Well, my main Tuck essay read exactly like X.

I went to Brian, nearly in a panic, and said “we need to burn it down and start over.” He very calmy told me to check myself and trust him. My story was excellent and anybody would love to read it. I trusted his judgement, knowing he had done this a hell of a lot more times than me, and it paid off.

I truly believe that Brian’s ability to sherpa my story into something more strategic is the reason I went from 1 acceptance in R2 of 2024-2025 to 6 acceptances on R1 of 2025-2026.

MBA Admission Results

Dartmouth Tuck, Class of 2028!

Advice to other pivoters

There are a TON of MBA consultants out there. You may feel compelled to go with a certain consultant because they are the biggest name out there (one that I knew even before starting this process) and they seem to provide results. I too felt the draw of the big name, but something in my gut said the team at MBA Protocol actually had my best interests at heart and I was going to get their full undivided attention.

You, as a client, need to feel an extra level of care as you go into this process. The money, time, and what’s riding on this effort dictates that. I fully felt that I was Brian’s only priority as we were going through the essay drafting process

Personally, you need to understand what your story is and why you’re about to do what you’re about to do. Not only does an MBA require a hefty tuition, it requires maximal effort that I don’t think many prospective MBAs understand.

Each of the top 25 schools offers you a chance to be back in the classroom with really smart people and be on a campus that has tangible energy and opportunity to change your life.

You need to do the work to make that happen, though.

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Mission Accomplished - Brian Is The One!

12 months ago I was down in the dumps. After 8 years of riding the self employment rollercoaster my business was getting quiet once again. I had just lost a parent, I was lacking direction and knew I needed a factory reset. I was seeking a path to a more purposeful existence that offered stable employment and long term financial prospects.

I was a 32 year old immigrant with a BA in Communications from a European university and I had no direct corporate experience. I had worked in media production for 8 years taking whatever work came through.

After spending many nights going down rabbit holes looking for inspiration, googling “how to get a good job”, I discovered Career Protocols YouTube page and benefited from a wealth of information that I felt was leading me in the right direction. I had never heard of an MBA or a GRE!

I recognize the ridiculousness of pursuing a $150k degree without a specific career goal but the employment reports were promising and I knew with the right guidance this could be an opportunity to get back on track. I was open to new challenges but didn’t want to completely start from scratch competing with 22 year olds for entry level jobs. I was willing to make the investment in myself to learn new skills which would help me to compete for coveted roles at amazing companies that I currently had no access to. I rolled the dice, made contact with Career Protocol and was matched with Brian Birdwell, aka The Wizard.

Within the first week of working together I knew my investment with CP was going to pay off. The first round of essay edits opened my mind to a whole new way of storytelling and I can’t believe I ever thought I could do it alone. We did a deep dive into my entire background and not only did Brian identify the most impactful events of my life, he wove them into a framework that helped me rediscover my confidence, recognize my achievements and inspired me to reach for the stars.

Brian balances being an absolute professional while also being the chillest dude. He’s a sage and has an unbelievable memory - 2 months into the process he was still recalling details of my background that I had mentioned during our initial discovery call, making for an incredibly personalized experience.

Aside from my age, lack of corporate exposure and unclear career goals, I hadn’t taken a math test in 14 years. I self studied over the Summer and improved immensely but ultimately managed to score below average on the GRE. In hindsight I should have sought professional help here as well. I subsequently took the Executive Assessment, scoring above average, and I used that test score when applicable.

Brian helped to identify programs for which I was a competitive candidate but encouraged me to apply to a range of schools. Despite the initial challenges with my profile we stuck to the plan and I ended up getting admitted to Michigan Ross, NYU Stern, Georgetown, the University of Washington Foster with a scholarship and I was waitlisted at Columbia!

I am immensely proud of what we achieved, particularly because I crafted truly authentic, soul bearing stories that are entirely original and unique to my experiences. Before connecting with Brian I interviewed 2 other admissions consulting firms. One of them told me I didn’t have a chance at top programs and the other pitched a scenario where their team of writers would interview me once and then write my essays for me - a ludicrous proposition. During one MBA school interview the admissions director told me I was one of the best storytellers that had ever applied to their program - wow. Without Brian’s expertise that would never have been possible.

This service is so much more than just essay support. It’s part admissions consulting, interview training, resume refining, school selection, career guidance, community support and at times, therapy. I achieved what I set out to do and learned an arsenal of new skills that I will take with me into my MBA and beyond. I am eternally grateful to Brian, Angela and the Career Protocol community!

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Money & Effort Well Spent With Brian!

TL;DR: I was a reapplicant with one offer who sought a high touch, yet personal, consultant to counsel me through the reapplication process. Brian was exactly who I needed and now I find myself this time around with multiple top 10 offers and serious scholarship support. Brian, and the larger MBA Protocol team, have been nothing but an asset and I would highly recommend partnering with them through your process.

In 2024-2025, I applied with little to no guidance to four schools with a below average GPA, strong GRE score, and strong work experience. I was accepted to my safety school, waitlisted at a top 10, and rejected outright from the other two top 10s.

I was tempted to take the offer from my safety school, but felt a nagging feeling to apply again. I knew if I was going to do the whole application process over again, I'd have to have the helping hand of a consultant who truly knew how to overcome the hurdle of my poor GPA.

I shopped around the major consulting firms and was no doubt impressed by their track record and extensive resources, but there was a lack of personal touch that I knew would be important in this very people-based process.

I had previously stumbled upon MBA Protocol and their marketing, filled with unicorns and rainbows, stuck out to me. When I reached out, I felt that personal touch that had been absent with some of the other consulting firms I had spoken to. I was blown away by the initial support and energy the MBA Protocol Team had for my profile. I signed on hoping for the best.

What I received was even better than I could have hoped for. Brian. the MBA Application Wizard himself, sat down with me for two hours to chat through my 10+ page Discovery process and identified all of the great stories I could tell. We went through 19 iterations of my resume and another 19 versions of my target school's essays. The level of personal touch, expertise, and care was pretty incredible. There were multiple times I came to Brian with near paranoia and he was able to say "we got this dude." Sure enough, he was right.

I sit here now, mid December 2025, with three top 10 acceptances, $120K of scholarship, and waiting to hear from my final four schools. The MBA admissions process is nuanced in ways you won't understand unless you have a guide. Working with Brian and the MBA Protocol Team was a fantastic decision for me and my journey as a reapplicant. The time, effort, and capital committed to the process is well worth it with Brian and the MBA Protocol team.

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$1.4M in Scholarships // Brian Changed My Life

I began working with Brian at a vulnerable point in my life. I was recently unemployed with no expectations of getting a new job before applying. I also didn’t have a test score yet, I had no recognizable brands on my resume (schools or employers), I knew my post-MBA goals would need a lot of fleshing out and explaining, and that I’d only attend business school if I got a large scholarship.

What I did have was a lot of free time and a unique life story that I thought could lead to good results. I spent weeks interviewing a dozen or so of the top-ranked consultants on this site. A few told me what I wanted to hear to try to get my business. Most didn’t want to work with someone who had such a messy story. One of the most prominent groups went as far as to say that I probably wouldn’t get into any T15 schools and that I had a “0% chance” at M7 schools.

When I met with Brian, he didn’t say anything about potential results. All he promised was that we’d work tirelessly to tell my story in a compelling and authentic manner. Recognizing that that’s all anyone can promise, I signed up and never looked back.

Our first task was to go through my entire life and career to date, diving deep into stories that I had never thought would be relevant for applications. It didn’t take long to realize Brian is otherworldly intelligent (780 GMAT/99th percentile GRE and LSAT). But he’s not just intelligent in a fill-in-the-bubble kind of way. He’s intelligent in a pierce-through-the-nonsense (like my initial essay drafts which were flowery garbage) kind of way.

Brian quickly connected the dots between my life events in a way that I hadn’t connected in my head, and together, we worked on a story arc that fit my school’s essay prompts.

When writing this review, I looked back at the very first essay I ever sent Brian and then at the final draft of that essay that I submitted months later. There were eleven revisions in between. And, goodness, I’m surprised it only took eleven revisions. The difference between the two essays is enormous.

About seven or eight drafts in, I really thought the essay was done, and that it couldn’t get any better. It would’ve been easy for Brian to agree with me and for him to move on with his day, but he didn’t. I’d be shocked if Brian has ever used the phrase “it’s good enough.” Brian’s high standards, while tiring at times, led not only to incredible results (more on that later) but also taught me to communicate better which has been valuable even outside of the application process.

Brian is unique in that while he’s not laid back with the work itself, he’s very laid personality-wise. I didn’t realize how important this would be when I was interviewing admissions consultants. The application process is long and stressful, and it’s super valuable to have someone in your corner who doesn’t add to that stress.

I worked with Brian on three schools, two M7s and one T10. I got full rides from all three. I also applied to eight schools on my own and got into six of them with five full scholarships and one-half scholarship. In total, I received $1.4M in scholarship offers and will be attending an M7 school on a full ride this fall. None of this would have been possible without Brian. Working with him changed the course of my life and I’ll always be grateful for that.

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The Best Decision I Made: Why I Highly Recommend Brian & Career Protocol

Brian truly embodies the “Under-commit and OVER Deliver” spirit, and the career protocol package is both super-detailed and truly end-to-end (they guide on everything: from deciding which schools to apply for  to now sharing tips on how to maximize the next 2 years).

Top 3 value adds for me: helping me improve my GMAT score from 740 to 770 (V47!!), helping me find my calling and encouraging me to make a pre-MBA pivot from consulting to Venture Capital, and of course, helping me land an offer from my dream school, Booth! I applied to 7 schools (Harvard, Stanford, Booth, Columbia, Duke, UCLA, and McCombs), got interview invites from 5 of them, and finally got into 3 (Booth + UCLA and McCombs with 50% scholarship).

I’ve had a FANTASTIC experience working with them and would highly recommend them to anyone who’s willing to put in the time and effort. Below are my top 5 reasons:

• Extensive support – When you sign up with CP, you don’t just get a consultant, you get an army of people who have your back and a community of applicants who are driven and supportive. I am someone who asks a LOT of questions, and I can safely say that their team has a wealth of experience to guide you/point you in the right direction. For instance, I was gutted when I learned that I was waitlisted from Booth in R1. Soon enough, another member from the CP team who was a waitlist expert stepped in. She gave me tips on how I can continue engaging with the school and helped me approach the waitlist process with a positive mindset.

• They give you “no-nonsense” advice – I come from an over-represented Indian, Engineer, Male demographic. Brian was honest about what was realistic for me and had enough knowledge and inspiration to help me make a valiant attempt for the top. He didn’t hesitate from telling me if I needed to completely scrap off an essay draft or that I needed to retake the GMAT.

• Their process is painfully introspective – When I signed up with CP, I was completely clueless about what I wanted from my MBA. Their “Discovery process” pushed me to take a pause and reflect on my life experiences: My successes, failures, choices, everything. For someone who’s not as open about their life, Brian created a comfortable environment for me to express myself freely which led to some beautiful essays, and ensured that my applications were 100%, authentically me. (That’s their way of helping you stand out). Beyond the results, their process was transformational for me. Personally, I’ve become much more comfortable owning my story. Career-wise, I’ve been able to join a VC firm. Something I could not have imagined doing a year prior. The clarity I gained on what I wanted motivated me to consider my options and the confidence he inspired enabled me to boldly “go for it” and pursue the change.

• Brian is a GMAT God! – I thought I had maxed out when I scored 740 and didn’t know how to go beyond that. Brian used his expertise to quickly identify what my gaps were (Verbal + taking too much stress) and gave me advice that inspired me to take a fresh approach to the test, which combined with my work ethic, helped me score 770 in <1 month. This gave me a lot of confidence as I approached R1 applications at top B-schools.

• Value for Money! Brian works with only a handful of applicants every year and I could feel that he was genuinely invested in my success. As an international student, their package was well out of my budget. But I can reassure you, that he is worth every penny and then some more. By the end of our time together, Brian knew my stories better than I did. He is very generous with his time and leaves no stone unturned: he happily responded to my countless questions, returned drafts faster than expected as deadlines approached, and things like GMAT advice, and preparing for VC interviews were technically not a part of our MBA application scope. Yet, he did that. (with a smile!)

Lastly, I would like to add that the MBA application process is a long and tedious journey, when you do it with someone like Brian, it doesn’t seem like “work”.

Good luck with your applications! 😊

Lakshay Piplani

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Brian Birdwell & Career Protocol - Best No-Regret Decision I've Made

Personalized introspective MBA application experience with stellar outcomes.

One of the amazing things about Brian and the Career Protocol team is that they helped me whittle the many vast ideas in my brain down to concise essays that got results. Results including acceptances from 7 out of the 8 programs I applied to, with 5 of them offering me scholarships totaling $500,000. I went from worrying about not getting in anywhere to getting in virtually everywhere I applied. Acceptances included: Wharton, Booth, Kellogg, Columbia, Ross, Johnson, Fuqua. Brian helped me through the process end to end, and I wholeheartedly recommend Brian Birdwell at Career Protocol.

But since essays are done, here are some bullet points that describe how amazing it was to work with Brian: • When I initially decided to apply to MBA programs and work with Brian and the Career Protocol team, I didn’t know what I was getting into but took a leap of faith. I am so glad I did. • When I decided to go forward with applying to MBA programs, I felt behind. Brian accelerated my process to apply to 8 schools during ONE ROUND. He helped me through the journey by meeting me where I was at. He knocked it out of the park. • Brian keeps it real. He is very down to earth and easy to talk to. This was so helpful for me to be able to be authentic with him, the process, and my applications. • He was firm when needed and encouraging when I felt down. • Brian knows and has in-depth experience with the application process, enabling him to help me maintain the right mindset and avoid overthinking. • Brian is organized, thorough, sharp, and really knows his stuff. He’s extremely talented and smart. He kept the process lighthearted, which helped me relax. I definitely needed the humor and those laughs! • He is RELIABLE. I would hear back from him quickly with updates. Communication felt easy. • Scheduling video calls was easy, even with my busy schedule. Him being based in the United States / the time zones worked well for me. • He was one of my biggest cheerleaders throughout this process and helped motivate me to keep pushing forward. This helped me cross each hurdle, especially when it came time for interviews. • He focused on me and who I am rather than using a school focused lens throughout the process. It helped me reframe my thinking toward what I have to offer and who I am vs. trying to say things that I think the school wants to hear. He genuinely cares. • He offers great practical advice that I took to heart. Also, lots of great wisdom that I’ll cherish. • As we combed through the details of my life, the ups and downs, and dug into who I am as a person, I noticed his incredible attention to detail and story crafting abilities. When we would brainstorm together, he would bring up things about me that I was sure that he wouldn’t have remembered. Goes to show how much he cares and how personalized they make this experience. • Somehow Brian knew the right way to support me… pumping me up when I’m down, reminding me that I really don’t have to be so self-critical, also sharing KEY ADVICE to act as if each interview is my only interview…. Totally immerse myself in the school’s program for the 48 hours prior to the interview and only think about that school (because he noticed I was getting distracted thinking about other schools). SERIOUSLY such good advice that stuck with me and I adhered to it!!!! • Truly listened to me. Got to know me and focused on looking at this as the whole package. • Built my confidence to meet people, talk to admissions, talk to other candidates. Made friends!!! • Networking, campus visits, school research… guided me through it all! All the materials were so helpful. • Resume – killer job helping me with one of the things I dreaded and put off THE MOST. • Stories – many times I wanted to give up. But we kept going. • Knew how to cut the right corners for me and focus on the right things at the right times. • Brian offered encouragement and praise where he saw I was progressing. It may sound funny, but not only did it help motivate me, but it also demonstrates how much he cares and how much attention to detail he is giving. To be able to comment on someone’s improvements takes time and it takes knowing the person to have something to compare against. • Brian offered critiques and was a straight shooter when I was way off (e.g., stories, essays, video essays, interview mindset & approach) • Short responses / mini essays – they sneak up and can be a lot. Did a great job working through this with me and really the whole package end to end. • Interviews + Mock Interviews – practiced interviewing with Brian over video calls. Very helpful to get in the right headspace and think about how to approach it. By the time interviews came around, we had done so much self-reflection and digging deep into my values as a person that the interviews were an easier lift than I expected. And more enjoyable 🙂 • I had some atypical interviews but rolled with them. Brian would check in on me, provide his thoughts on my reflection, etc. He was there every step of the way. • Strategized applications together for 4 schools that I applied to independently. Got into all of them! Got into 3 of the 4 I worked closely with him on. This was where the real leg work was done. • This process revealed a lot about myself and pushed me to grow. I didn’t know how hard it would be. I also did not know how much I would get out of it with them. Truly 10/10. • These are good people that I trust. I have already recommended them to my friends.

Last words. I had the rare opportunity to work with both Brian Birdwell and Angela Guido. You both amaze me. The speed at which you’re able to think, your relaxed demeanor, the enthusiasm you have. I hope it never dies for either of you. You are both such wonderful, talented, kind people. I can never share my appreciation enough.

Thank you both for taking a chance on me. Brian, I really cannot thank you enough for your thoughtfulness, wisdom, kindness, empathy, enthusiasm, and downright hard work. You really went above and beyond for me when I know you didn’t have to.

I remember showing my significant other one of your emails, and him being really impressed. Several times he has mentioned that it seems like I’m getting exceptional value for the investment.

You both always have people’s best interest at heart.

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An Enthusiastic & Inspirational Coach!

I approached Brian and the Career Protocol team as a re-applicant, after being waitlisted and dinged from my dream school, and having received no interview invites from 5 other schools.

I chose to work with Career Protocol because of their small team and the impression I would be important to them. And it was true! It was clear that Brian really cared about me and my success. From the beginning, he was interested in my story and digging deep into various moments of my life to get to know me. I was surprised by how thoroughly he knew me and could recall all the little stories we talked about in our first meeting, and how to make them relevant to my essays.

I loved how Brian didn’t settle for anything but the best, and how he pushed me towards improving my essays, even if sometimes his feedback was tough to hear. We even had a sort of “father/son” moment when he asked me to throw one of my drafts away and start completely over. It wasn’t easy to hear, but I knew he said it because I could do better and there was genuine support behind his feedback.

Brian is a hard worker, he matches your output, motivates you, and brings out your most original work. He always delivered on time and was there to push me to do the same, and our progress was immense.

For me, the re-applying experience was truly transformative. The introspection and coaching I received from Brian helped me set more believable goals and helped me discover how I could combine my passions and skills to find a meaningful purpose in my professional career. And the results speak for themselves. I was accepted to 4 schools with $$, including my admission to Booth, my dream school!

I couldn’t have done it without Brian’s help. He will bring the best out of you and make this stressful MBA application journey much funnier and more enjoyable.

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Down to the Wire with Brian!

I decided to apply to business school rather late in the process – about two months before the R1 deadline. I had strong work experience in private equity and a solid GMAT score, but knew nothing about the application process and realized I was going to need expert support to craft quality applications on the short timeline I had.

Brian was enormously helpful in supporting my application. He was genuinely invested in my success and his expertise shown through in his knowledge of each school – he helped me write to the personality of each school, crafting unique essays for each prompt rather than trying to cram one or two concepts for prompts that didn’t fit.

Most valuable was Brian’s commitment to intellectual honesty. Multiple times, I wrote drafts that simply weren’t up to snuff and needed full rewrites – he didn’t hesitate to tell me so when they did, and my applications were much better for it. He pushed me to write personal (and occasionally difficult) stories that conveyed my personality and connected with the reader. What’s more, Brian went above and beyond to help me hit deadlines while juggling a tight timeline and busy work schedule, often turning drafts multiple times in a day as we came down to the wire.

With Brian’s support, I was admitted to 4/6 schools to which I applied, including $100K scholarships at Wharton and Booth and $80K from Kellogg. Brian is a skilled, high-integrity expert and I can’t recommend him enough.

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