3 M7 Admits and $390K in scholarships as an unusual candidate

When I decided in September 2024 to apply for round 2 by January, it was a sprint. I had just a few months to study for the GMAT, get my applications in order, and make some magic happen. I was referred to Angela by my GMAT instructor, and I could immediately tell she was a great fit. She has a fascination for good stories, and having started three cannabis companies, and grown up across several countries, mine was anything but a traditional MBA path.

We signed the contract in early December and hit the ground running. Her process was incredible. The way she made me download what felt like my entire life into a structured brainstorming session, my accomplishments my personality, who I was as a person, it felt like no stone was left unturned. It’s a wild feeling to have someone analyze your life and come back with insights you never considered yourself. Experiences I thought were mediocre she called out as “rockstar” stories. It felt like she was helping me craft my autobiography, not just for work, but really digging into my personality and letting it show through in every application.

We were in a race against time, and our time zone difference was actually a huge advantage. I would work on essays late into the evenings, send them at 1am, and wake up to comments from her. Rinse and repeat.

After submitting apps I was genuinely proud of, the results were humbling. I went 0/4. But I wasn’t deterred. I retook the GMAT and improved my score by 100 points. The following September, I went back into the process armed with essays I’d already written, stories I’d already excavated, and a clearer strategic gameplan Angela helped me create for reapplying. I was much more focused in the stories I told, and my career vision more aligned to my experience. Angela checked in on me, helped me retool my narrative approach, and armed me with the tools to approach this cycle myself. Success! I received offers from Kellogg, Booth, and Columbia, with a total of $390k in scholarships! (After negotiating, of course.)

I truly couldn’t have done it without her. Her ability to identify and elevate great stories is unmatched, and her genuine investment in my success across two application cycles despite me only paying for one made all the difference. She has my strongest recommendation.

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My Coach Is The Swiss Army Knife MBA Savior

I found my coach in a pretty dark time where I was working with another full package consultant who was not delivering on the agreed terms, I was tanking the GRE, battling major discriminatory legal issues at work, and feeling overall depleted with less than 2 months to apply for R2.

Immediately upon meeting my coach, her warm energy made me feel seen and offered a sense of emotional safety I did not even realize I needed. The space she held enabled me to re-tap into a renewed sense of reinvigorated inspiration on why I was applying to an MBA, and through her uncanny command of the English language, she began to tease out the best aspects of my background.

I work in an esoteric field in which it can be challenging to find the linguistics to make it ubiquitously relevant to a wide range of individuals. Yet she was always able to translate a garbled 1-minute ramble, into a cogent, specific, and uplifting resume bullet or sentence. Even the mere act of working with her on crafting language allowed me to rebuild a bit of the confidence I had lost and better appreciate all I had to offer.

It can be easy to fall into the trap that working with a consultant who got an MBA or worked on admissions is the best way to go. However, after working with my coach, I realized to bring your best application forward, you need someone that knows how to translate and tease out the best aspects of your profile to a wide audience. Not many possess that conglomerated skillset as it takes someone who is patient in hearing your story, open minded in receiving your story (without an agenda), and creative in helping you tell and tailor the story (rather than artificially force your story into a template).

My coach can do all of that so naturally.

The results after working with her for only a month at the tail end of my application process was, I got interview invites to 5 of the 6 programs I applied for (all T15 or above), and admission offers at 4 programs – including two M7s, and 150K in scholarship offers.

I genuinely believe if I had worked with my coach much earlier in my MBA process, those metrics may have been even higher. Regardless, working with her is an opportunity to re-write your own story and I could not recommend her enough!

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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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My Coach & The Confidence Factory

My ROI working with my coach was hands down above and beyond my wildest expectations. I am a non-traditional applicant, mid 30s female, 11 years of work experience at the same company in a sales and business development role, LGBTQ, above-average GPA in social sciences, with a ton of international experience. Prior to embarking on my MBA application journey, I hit rock bottom- I was losing my job, navigating an international move amidst COVID, studying for the GRE, and last but not least, going through a break-up.

Starting with my initial consultation with Angela I could immediately feel the Career Protocol support web and instead of staying in my pity party, she helped me see a way out- a window of opportunity in the usually cursed Round 4/5 application cycle. After thinking about it for a few days I decided to take Angela’s advice to move up my timeline and maximize my opportunities. Before I knew it, I was on the arduous journey to meet R4/5 deadlines, an adventure that would end up being the greatest hustle of my life.

I expected my first discovery call with my coach to be her reading back the stories I had provided on the worksheet, telling me which to write about were, but it was so much more than that. She helped me contextualize from 30,000 feet the impacts of my accomplishments and built up my confidence over time to proudly and loudly wear them as a badge of honor, something that I have struggled with.

She gave me the perspective and framework to dig deep into wounds/painful stories, providing guidance on how and where to leverage them as opportunities highlighting character growth, culture fit, and grit. My coach’s emotional intelligence is through the roof- she was straightforward with me when I needed it and gentle when I was at my most vulnerable. Her ability to see the optimal structure and flow for each essay is a true talent- I never ever in a million years would have ended up with so many fantastic essays in such a short period of time that I was extremely proud of without her help. The first deadline we worked on was only 4 days away when we started the process but she woke up early and stayed up late with me every day to make sure I submitted on time. Working with her massively contributed to rekindling my passion for writing, something that will prove invaluable when I start my program as well as in my personal creative life.

I applied to five schools, all of which had deadlines less than two months away from my first call with Angela. I BOMBED the GRE, falling far below the median scores for all the schools I applied to. As others have mentioned, my coach helped me focus on my stellar work experience and stories to offset my test score, which was absolutely the weakest aspect of my application.

She helped me prep for all my interviews and video essays with several live mock interview sessions and made herself available on multiple occasions so I could run answers by her for specific questions I was preparing for. I ended up with two acceptances (one M7 and one international w/ $) and one T15 waitlist.

2020 has been a year for the books but I am so happy to have tackled it with my coach by my side. She really is so much more than a consultant…a therapist, executive coach, mentor, and most importantly a friend when you need it most, all rolled into one. Thank you!

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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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Before MBA Protocol

I was working in a biotech startup as a project lead in clinical trial development as well as accounts payable specialist for the past two years. Before that, I was a lab bench scientist working in drug discovery within the same biotech startup for four years.

By the time I began working with MBA Protocol, I knew I wanted to pivot away from a pure R&D science role to one of corporate-facing clinical trial development and strategy in order to improve drug approval pipelines.

Why MBA, why now

My pivot would require knowledge in business development and an understanding of the corporate and legal dynamics in the healthcare industry, which I lacked. The right MBA program would enable me to fill these major gaps and equip me with the network and resources to make the pivot.

No change in my post-MBA vision when I left MBA Protocol, but the process of self-discovery from working with them enabled me to later make adjustments to my post-MBA vision with confidence once I began my MBA. One month into the program and my immediate post-MBA career goal is aimed at healthcare consulting; I still wish to remain in the healthcare industry with the goal of improving drug approval pipelines, but general consulting experience would best prepare me for future roles in business development and strategy in clinical trial planning and execution.

Why MBA Protocol

When I firmly committed to applying for an MBA, I had fewer than 2 months and unfinalized test scores before my target application deadlines in Fall 2025. Given my time constraints, I was drawn to MBA Protocol for the concise and information-rich nature of Angela’s video presentations on Youtube. I can confirm that these reflect their high-impact, proven approach to advising prospective MBA students.

The work we did together

The clarity in self-knowledge I gained from working together did not end with the conclusion of the MBA application cycle, but continues to inform me even now as a current MBA student in how I navigate life and career decisions. For the longest time I dismissed pursuing consulting as a career possibility due to a perceived lack of ownership compared to my current role as project lead, but I now recognize it as an integral transitional step in my personal and professional growth for the near future. I have no doubt that understanding myself better after MBA Protocol allowed me to become more comfortable in making that adjustment in my career trajectory.

MBA Admission Results

Despite a very difficult undergraduate record, I was admitted into my top MBA program of choice. The guidance and support I received from MBA Protocol were crucial in maintaining the focus and morale I needed for the two month sprint to complete my applications in time.

Especially notable is the resolve I carry going into my MBA. I left my current job and moved cities in February 2026, and though I am busy attending classes, looking for new employment, and establishing new roots in a city and campus I had never visited, I find myself prepared to navigate it all with a clear purpose and direction in mind thanks to MBA Protocol.

Advice to other pivoters

Networking is always valuable, but in particular connect with those who share a similar background as you who have made the same pivot you plan to make. There’s already enough uncertainty and friction in the job market as is.

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Admitted to Harvard and Stanford in 4 weeks with $295,000 in scholarships!

Working with Angela was one of, if not the best, decisions I made during my MBA application process. What truly sets her apart is that she never tried to impose a formula or reuse someone else’s success story. It is tempting for a coach to say, “this is what worked for another candidate, so you should do the same,” but Angela did the opposite. She consistently helped me draw the right answers from my own story, strengths, and motivations. As a result, my applications felt authentic rather than engineered. At the time, I was working at an MBB firm with long hours and intense deadlines. The process was stressful and fast-paced, with real constraints. Despite this, Angela helped me manage both time and stress, and we successfully completed two full applications in just four weeks, right in the middle of an August crunch period. While the investment was significant for me, especially given European compensation levels, it was absolutely worth it. Angela brought structure to chaos, pushed when needed, and raised the quality of my applications far beyond what I could have achieved alone. More than just improving my essays, she made the entire process clearer, calmer, and ultimately successful. In the end I was admitted to both Harvard and Stanford (with a total of $295,000 scholarships!) I would strongly recommend Angela to anyone looking for a thoughtful, rigorous, and genuinely personalized coaching experience.

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If You're An International Student Eyeing Up A US MBA, MY COACH'S YOUR WOMAN!

As a European applicant, I was overwhelmed by the whole American university admissions process. I’ve already got a masters from a Top 3 UK university, but the US admissions process was totally different to anything I’d encountered before. I have a high undergrad GPA in a non-STEM subject, have above average number of years’ work experience, worked with some multinational companies, and I was looking to gain admission to a top MBA to accelerate my career, have a change in scenery, and grow my network. I just needed someone to guide me, but through working with my coach I got much, much more than that.

I initially worked with her on R1 applications, we worked together on 3 schools, and I planned to apply to 9 schools, however I just could not get my GMAT high enough and I really felt like I wasn’t going to make R1 deadlines with a good test score. My coach and I had a debrief call, she calmed me down, told me that it was all going to work out, and I decided to change my strategy. I switched to the GRE last minute, and submitted all my applications in R2 instead. Despite all the tears, I’m happy to say that I was admitted into one M7, waitlisted at another M7, and admitted into three T15s and one T20.

There’s many things I’ve learnt from my coach – from crafting a good resume, the art of storytelling, to even small things like borrowing her meat cleaver and hacking through my essays to reduce word count! But the biggest thing I’ve gained from my coach is her loyalty and friendship. She is able to make you feel like you’re on top of the world, able to conquer anything, whilst providing all the guidance, constructive criticism, and real-talk you need. These are the traits you need in a good coach (and friend). I’ll miss her smile, wit, candor, and laugh and I GENUINELY hope we can stay in touch.

Now, don’t get me wrong, hiring an admissions consultant is not cheap. But be safe in the knowledge that you’ll be investing in yourself and your future. If you’re going to apply to some of the world’s top business schools, you might as well throw everything at it and do it properly. Schedule a call with my coach. You WILL NOT regret it one bit.

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