Reviews and Testimonials

To be accepted by one top school would be a victory—but ALL of them? Certainly unexpected.

Thanks to TAOA, I now hold admission offers from all four Ivy League institutions I applied to!
 
I am deeply grateful for my offers, but I also know that this was no accident: TAOA’s editors are TOP NOTCH. They are excellent proxies for actual admissions officers, and will judge your writing accordingly.

They will work with you tenaciously so that your file is as compelling as can be.
As long as you put in the effort (and give them good raw material to work with), their rigorous editing process will transform your essays from good to superb—from “maybe” to “admitted”!

I could not have done this without you. Thank you, TAOA!

As a super busy executive, the biggest part of the Art of Applying experience was providing the structure and discipline for me to submit a high quality application. This came from the internal AOA resources, deadlines and guidelines as well as the feedback from the consultants.

The Art of Applying team are knowledgeable, transparent and ethical. They are a great team and it’s worth the investment to have that support during the rigorous application cycle.

TAOA program helped me believe in myself and gave me the tools to succeed. I’m so grateful for my consultant and the larger team, who supported me fully from the breakthrough call all the way to celebrating several admissions and fellowship offers. The team is incredible and my life is truly changed because of them. As a reapplicant, I knew I needed to develop better strategies for showcasing my skills and my story and TAOA  helped me do just that.

Applying to grad school is a long, complex process and having guidance is essential. It was very helpful to understand what schools are looking for and how to shape my narrative.

Consultants…are awesome in telling you how to get your essays right to the point.

AOA supported me in reaching to my goals of studying in an Ivy-league institution faster; Kaneisha and Karina know the pulse of the process and transforming an application into a winning application

This program is a gem. I encourage anyone who is seriously thinking about getting into top schools to give it a shot. It is like selling you a diamond at the price of apple, because the lifetime value of the education at a top school is invaluable. Never rely on your sole intelligence to get into Harvard, rely on a collective intelligence and expertise of TAOA.

I couldn’t have been accepted to my dream school without Kaneisha and Elisa! This was my second time going through the application process, and, initially, I naively thought that I was prepared based on my concerted desktop research. I was clearly mistaken.

During the months leading up to my application deadlines, I worked with my dedicated consultant and Kaneisha to not only select schools that fit with my goals and personality, but also prepare my essays, applications, and GMAT/GRE.

Those months were incredibly transformative, from both an application standpoint and a personal perspective. I am thankful for the past 11 months, and I can’t wait to experience the next two years in business school!

As a first-generation Graduate School applicant, I felt TAOA provided a platform of support and guidance throughout the entire process.

I’d highly recommend anyone applying B-school or Public Policy schools to consider working with TAOA.

I honestly didn’t have a clue what I could do to make my grad school a reality for me. What I did know was that I wanted to go to grad school. Kaneisha and the Art of Applying laid out the foundation for what I needed to do and led me through every step of the way. I really don’t think that I would have been accepted to three schools without them 2 of them providing full scholarships, and the other providing a partial scholarship and a graduate assistantship. And for that, I will be forever grateful.

I really liked how organized the program was in order to help me. The fact that there was SO many resources was important to me as I couldn’t commit to weekly calls just because of the nature of my job and the times available. I also really loved the Facebook group (despite the fact I am anti-Facebook), but when I need comfort or just to know that people were going through the same things I was going through AND I made connections with those individuals either at Super Day interviews or will make those connections with them at OP.

If you want to achieve something BIG with a team of LOVING and supportive experts, choose TAOA. The wild card strategy and wounded warrior mentality will carry your dream far and achieve the impossible! I have most definitely achieved so much more than I thought in the past few months working with a team that believes in “the sky is the limit”.

I am grateful for the experience, everyone was very helpful. I was not only accepted into my top school, I was also able to redefine more goals.

I started my applications just a few months before my first group of submission deadlines and my application/profile required a tremendous do-over.

TAOA helped me put my best foot forward even though my test scores were way below all the school’s average.

I don’t think I would have gotten into the top schools without the guidance of my consultants and the essay-editing service, let alone a full tuition scholarship.

It was a positive experience working with TAOA. The dedicated consultant worked with me through the process of applying for various schools and egged me on to deliver better.

Thank you Kaneisha and Mario!  I had an amazing experience working with The Art of Applying to prepare my application to graduate business school. 

As a first generation college student, working professional, and being a child of immigrants, I didn’t have very many people in my support system and network to whom I could turn to advice in apply to graduate school  I knew that I needed the careful guidance of an expert to successfully apply to business school. 

I was given invaluable advice from the personal consultant and team in my application strategy and throughout the application process

I liked the sample templates that were offered for how to write letters and how to format your resume. As well as, referencing other school essays was helpful. Very happy with my overall results!!

I am so glad I reached out to the Art of Applying during my initial Law School application process. Not only was this a very organized process but the amount of help I received from my consultant and Kaneisha was incredible. I was struggling to hit a high score on my LSAT but with their help I was able to shine through with other parts of the application such as the Personal Statement and Diversity Statement. Not to mention the work we put into my Resume! If I could I would chose them all over again.

I am grateful to have a process to put my best self in each application and have a community of people dedicated to my success.

Working with [my consultant] (and other consultants) helped me narrow down my goals and they were extremely helpful with my essay. I don’t think I would have been able to envision my dream as clearly if it weren’t for them asking me to detail my essay as much as possible.

As a marketer, it’s my full-time job to develop strong brands and evaluate positioning. I wasn’t sure that consultants would be able to provide much value shaping my personal brand for my business school apps. I was pleasantly surprised by how quickly my TAOA consultant proved me wrong!

Not all MBA consulting programs are equal even if they are run by Ivy league grads.

I chose the Art of Applying after working with another ivy league MBA consulting company the year before and getting no results from them except a lot of pretending of who I am supposed to be to get in. The Art of Applying was different as it is a great and unique program.

Prior to going in I wasn’t aware of my goals for MBA. By working with [my consultants] and Kaneisha, I was able to create goals that connect with who I am. Art of Applying helped me connect write a story that matters to me truly and not something I made up just to get in. This made everything easier.

The additional benefit with the Art of of Applying is that chances are multiple consultants will look at your application throughout the process and not just one which gives multiple perspective.

Kaneisha, the founder, is heavily involved in making sure applications are thoroughly reviewed. There is a community of people and applicants that are also available to provide feedback.

The Art of Applying helped gave me the right mindset, tools and feedback to get admitted to IESE, one of the best business schools in Europe, for my MBA.

This program is a commitment but a commitment that is worth it. I wouldn’t have had the faith in myself to reach for the stars if it hadn’t been for TAOA.

I am so grateful to Ritu, Nicole, Kaneisha and everyone at TAOA for all of their help throughout this otherwise daunting process of applying to top MBA programs. I never could have imagined how much advice I would need, from something as simple as how to tell “my story” to crafting a thoughtful email to an admissions director I met at an event to ways to ask a university that has already offered a generous scholarship for even more aid.

The TAOA team has also been incredibly supportive in connecting me with their strong alumni network as I anxiously sit on the waitlist for my top choice university. I feel confident that I have given this round my absolute best shot thanks to TAOA!

First, I am in my mid-thirties and already had a master’s degree so I was concerned with how the admission committees would view me. Second, I was completely changing my profession so I had no experience in the field I was interested in working.  

TAOA helped me write the best essays and resume that truly reflected who I am and help make my story personal. Looking back, I don’t think I would have produced the excellent quality work that I poured into with TAOA by my side.  Excellence is in TAOA’s DNA and they know what they are doing. Thank you!!

I am extremely grateful for the Art of Applying team! I went into the MBA application process a bit lost and came out with a solid plan for my career path.

This helped me craft my story in my applications and aided me in the interview process substantially. The attention given to my resume and essays is something I do not think I could have received anywhere else.

[My consultant] was so gracious and really got to know me. I felt like as soon as I started working with her I saw growth in myself but also felt excited about delivering my story. She was very kind, patient and compassionate and provided the emotional and intellectual support when I felt discouraged.

I had already worked with the Art of Applying to develop my applications to MPP programs. Once I saw just how expensive the program I wanted to go to was, I chose to defer one year. In the year that I deferred, I worked with the Art of Applying to request more financial aid from my program. I got it! Initially when I was admitted, I was only offered a $12,500 renewable scholarship. Once I submitted my financial request letter, I got $20,000, which is renewable for both years.

Worth it!

Amazing experience! There is a genuine care and interest Kaneisha and her team have for their clients. Cannot thank you guys enough 🙂

Keneisha and her team are the most knowledgeable and dedicated team out there. They will help you get in and keep a smile on your face while you do it. I could not recommend them highly enough.

I recall being disappointed as I read many blogs and online posts that suggested that I could not get into top business schools without first improving my GMAT score… until I discovered The Art of Applying. The consultants were confident that I had a great chance of getting into the best schools based on the other aspects of my profile. The support and advice were invaluable and I would have been hesitant about applying to my preferred programs had it not been for The Art of Applying. Thanks to [my consultant], I’ve gotten admitted to one school on a full tuition fellowship and I am currently awaiting decisions from two other top business schools from which I had received interview invitations.

As someone with a GPA under 3.0 and a unorthodox professional background, I thought my chances to get into a Public Policy program were slim to none. Thanks to Kaneisha and her team, I was accepted to multiple programs, one of which is ranked top 5 in the country. The Art of Applying folks provided encouragement, hope, and structure that I sorely needed.

Kaneisha and the entire team at Art of Applying was extremely helpful in giving a sense of direction and motivation through out the application process. There are times when you feel down, but the weekly calls would always lift up my spirits ! My consultant’s help during the essay editing was also filled with extremely valuable inputs which made all the difference!

Experienced and knowledgeable consultants (Raven, Kaneisha). Raven was thorough and consistent in providing feedback, knew what she was talking about, extremely friendly and personable, and astutely balanced straightforward critiques with encouraging feedback. Raven actually gave me the confidence to apply for programs I would not have (Harvard) at the last minute and made me feel secure about my application approach, especially after feeling defeated after a failed PhD application season the year before. I got some great help and much-needed on my resume that has been useful in other endeavours as well. Dylan and Raven made me feel like I had people in my corner when I needed it most. Application Accelerator’s schedule was also effective in keeping me on top of and ahead of my applications when I was so overwhelmed with everything else going on at work as well, which was a huge plus for someone like me who is organization – obsessed. I thought Basecamp was handy and found all of the online applications and communications quite organized and efficient.

My consultant turned things around quickly, faster than she had to. She worked over the holidays and was very available. I loved the flexibility.

I was scrambling to get five applications completed in about a month, and my consultant Elisa helped me get organized and on track and held me accountable. She was always available to answer a question, edit an essay or give me words of encouragement. The longer we worked together, the more confident I became.

(What I liked best was) Kaneisha’s intervention. I only had a week until the deadline and she jumped in at the moment I was most panicking. Rosette also was very committed to my case and I could tell that she took my case very seriously.

My process went off track once I started my MBA program, but I decided to refocus late in the game and The Art of Applying team worked magic to make sure I was ready to submit despite the tight deadline. I really appreciate it.

I was grateful to have Kaneisha and Shayla’s help in making my essays more compelling and bridging the gap in communicating my background and vision more effectively. With their support and feedback, I felt like it gave me that extra confidence in knowing I did everything possible in being competitive. Also, it was  nice to go through the application process with other applicants and see/hear their thoughts and concerns, and to feel inspired by one another. Art of Applying has a great community (of team members and applicants) who is truly interested in seeing everyone succeed.

Becoming a lawyer had been my dream career for as long as I could remember. When I applied to law school many years ago, I was told my LSAT score had to improve drastically and to focus on that to apply at a later date. The Art of Applying was able to help me strategically reapply to law school and help me craft my personal statement in an authentic way. I’ll forever be grateful for this program and its ability to assist me in telling my story and winning the case of my life to date, to convince law schools of my worth as an applicant and future student of their institution.

I truly enjoyed working with my consultant Raven. She was very supportive, provided coaching and kept me accountable which was exactly what I needed through this process.

Kaneisha was instrumental in helping me understand how to present my authentic self to the admissions committee at schools that I applied to.  The weekly client calls with Kaneisha were by far the most beneficial part of the program.

Great experience! Your consultants help you from start to finish. Once I’d been admitted, they even helped me negotiate my fellowship amount. I got $5000 more! I am doing a dual degree with a full tuition scholarship for one school and a 65+% tuition scholarship for another. I am paying around $15,000 for two degrees in 3 years. Highly recommend working with them.

Working with Elisa and her support. After talking to her and having similar career interests that she actually experience, Cornell actually became my top target school. She’s still helping me out on trying to get me off the waitlist.
The basecamp application was a great way to keep track of everything, the structure was very organized.

As a college senior who is about to enter the ‘real world’, I realised that one the most (if not the most) important skills you can have in life is the ability to persuade people and make a lasting impression. Whether you want a spot in a graduate program, a job, or even a promotion, it all comes down to convincing others to give you those opportunities. The problem, however, is how do you persuade and make a lasting impression on admissions committees in 600 to 1000 words? That is where the Art of Applying comes in. They are experts at helping you craft authentic compelling essays that will maximize your chances of admission into your top choice school. Applying to graduate school was a very exciting process, and working with the Art of Applying made the experience that much more memorable!

My consultant…was always so encouraging. Even when I thought my dream wasn’t possible, she inspired me to reach for the stars. Her encouragement and guidance helped me craft my story and that made all the difference.

Rachel helped me achieve 4 successful applications in a very short time, keeping every essay on the subject asked and specially keeping everything within the word count required!

The Art Of Applying Blog is an excelent source for anyone who wants to get into dream school. It gives complete answers to FAQ. Give it a look!

Kaneisha and the TAOA blog made all the difference in my application! I cannot admire more the work they do. I was accepted to all 6 programs I applied to (SIPA – my dream school!, Elliott School, Fletcher, LSE, New School, and the Maxwell school), with great scholarships from the last five, including a full ride and stipends to the Maxwell school! I could not be happier! Thank you TAOA!!

Working with Art of Applying does make a difference. I had read every single post on Kaneisha’s blog, and had applied to over 10 univeristies in the past. Yet none of it compared with a good consultant looking over my application. My first drafts were all over the place. I wrote my story and the things I wanted to do, but I had no filter. I tend to write a lot and didn’t know what to cut.

When we read our own stories we just don’t see the holes in it. My consultant saw these missing pieces and played with my essay paragraphs until it became a cohesive narrative. The most important, however, was being asked the right questions. The whole process gave me confidence on my story and on my strengths.

At the Deep Dive, Kaneisha convinced me I should go for it when I was thinking of waiting another year. Then throughout my essays’ edition my consultant just knew what parts of my story I should make the most of. So, if you have insecurities about whether to apply, or how to present your story, hire them. It’ll be worth it.

Kaneisha and Jamal were absolutely invaluable in my MBA application process. I was very concerned I would not get into a top business school because of my GMAT score, and through the support of the Art of Applying, I submitted high quality applications that resulted in multiple admissions, including a merit scholarship. One of the most helpful aspects of the Art of Applying is the preparation for the interview. The mock interviews were extremely helpful as was the feedback interview. I highly recommend using the Art of Applying!

I selected the option that you draft the testimonial. I’d love to do it right now, but I’m about to start a reunion, so there’s no chance to do it.

My decision to apply to MBA was at the last minute, and I reached out to you and your team out of desperation. I had less than 2 weeks till the application deadline, and felt the extreme pressure. But once I got my essays for my two schools back from you less than 2 days since I submitted them to you, I was relieved. You and Nicole knew what the school wanted and what I needed, and I am certain your team’s essay editing and feedbacks made a significant difference in my application. When I heard yes from Fuqua (Duke University), I immediately thought of you. Thank you for creating a great team.

Thanks Kaneisha and Vanessa! Your guidance throughout the process was invaluable. Vanessa’s feedback was really thorough, and I could not have gotten the thorough feedback I received from you by relying on friends and family to edit my essays.

I have known Kaneisha for four years now and knew exactly who to approach when applying for Landscape Architecture graduate programs after nearly eight years out of undergrad. I was somewhat at a loss as to how to inquire about the various programs, scholarships, and the basic application process. Kaneisha and her team (thank you soooo much Marcus!) helped me hone my Statement of Purpose, especially ones where the school asked for a 250 word brief purpose.

This last bit was pretty difficult since I have so much to say but Marcus helped me refine my statement to be succinct yet illuminating. I felt like I was in great hands and I think the results are the best testimony. Many, many thanks!

Judy and Kaneisha were great at helping me overcome some of the challenges in my application, including some spotty undergrad grades, and helped me craft a compelling statement of purpose. Despite my low GPA, I was able to get into 5 out of my 6 programs, including one of the top 10 international relations schools.