Experienced Management Consultant Enters Partner Track
How he pivoted from an analyst role to a strategic though partner with MBA Protocol
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Andrew got into 7 schools with $360,000 in scholarships
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.
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.
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!
Name | Brian's Gauge | Status | Interview |
|---|---|---|---|
Tuck | Reach | Accepted – No scholarship | Yes |
Haas | Reach | Denied (who caaaaaaaares) | No |
Darden | Match | Accepted – $60K | Yes |
Ross | Match | Accepted – $40K | Yes |
Johnson | Match | Accepted – $30K | Yes |
Fuqua | Match | Waitlisted | Yes |
McDonough | Safety | Accepted – No Scholarship | Yes |
Kenan Flagler | Safety | Accepted – $50K | Yes |
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.
Andrew’s Success Statistics
- Tuck Class of 2028!
- Pre-MBA: 6 years Management Consulting Experience
- Post-MBA goal: Partner Track in Strategy Consulting
- Admits: Tuck, Darden, Ross, Cornell, Darden, Georgetown, UNC
- Scholarships: $360,000I