Available 2024

Since 2002, I have been one of the world's most in-demand and successful graduate admissions consultants

• My service reflects 30 years of professional experience in teaching critical thinking, improvisational theatre, storytelling, and instructional design

• I help clients around the world get admitted to MBA programs at HBS, Stanford, Wharton, Columbia, MIT,  Chicago Booth, Kellogg, INSEAD, LBS, Berkeley Haas, Yale SOM, Dartmouth Tuck, UCLA Anderson, and other top programs

• I have also helped clients get admitted to public policy programs at Harvard Kennedy School and other leading programs

• On the law side, I have helped clients get admitted to LLM programs at Stanford, Berkeley, UPenn, Columbia and others 

• Perhaps my favorite clients are those pursuing design degrees; I helped the first Japanese admitted to Stanford d.school  

• Overall, I aim to provide the world's best graduate-school admissions support to a select group of global leaders

• I also help a select handful of former clients engage stakeholders and advance their careers by preparing for TED Talks & funding pitches

• To quote a top tennis coach, “I’ve got your back" 

• During our sessions, I try to maintain the right balance between asking good questions and listening to your answers

• Most of all, I use my training as a Stanford Improvisor to inspire creativity and innovation through collaboration and assist in the development of interpersonal and leadership skills

• I want to help you identify the best mix of stories that will maximize your chances of being interviewed and admitted

• I often ask, “How can you connect with your admissions office readers on an emotional level?” 

• Applicants who lack deep writing training often struggle to tell stories on paper with the same passion they use to tell stories in person

• Adding emotional depth and rich detail to your written application materials will help the admissions officers imagine your classroom and event-based contributions

• Finally, I encourage you to watch this short video, where I explain my approach

• school selection strategy (where to apply and when)

• resume or CV creation and editing (what to include on a one-page resume or CV)

• essay analysis (what is the question behind the question? which stories best fit which essays for which?)

• essay brainstorming, outlining, writing, revising, and editing

• application data forms (what information to include in data forms and mini-essays requested by some top schools)

• recommendation letter strategy (whom to ask and how to help recommenders support your candidacy)

• interview strategy and mock interview training

• waitlist support (as needed)

1. Brainstorm (list and discuss ideas and options with Vince)

2. Outline (list your main ideas and supporting details)

3. Draft (turn your outline into complete sentences and paragraphs)

4. Revise (add words to make the story clear and interesting (explain what happened, add details)

5. Edit for concision (cut words to meet the word limit)

• Because it can often take longer to secure scores than you think, I only work with students who have secured competitive scores

• I am flexible about GMAT – you need only secure a 640 (or GRE equivalent) before working with me comprehensively. I understand that scores improve with time, and I have helped multiple clients who did not have 700 GMAT get admitted to HBS and other top schools. It does not happen often, but it does happen. I always love helping someone beat the odds! 

• For TOEFL/IELTS, however, I need to be a bit more strict because experience has shown that I sometimes struggle to communicate with those whose listening and speaking skills are below 103 TOEFL or 7.0 IELTS. Please do not take this as any form of a judgment. I am studying Japanese actively and wish I could secure JLPT 2. Someday. Meanwhile, please keep working hard to master your English communication skills and let me know when you are done with "score-making." 

• If you meet the above conditions, please contact me using this online form

• If I have capacity and feel that I can help you, we can arrange an initial 15-minute consultation  

• I can answer questions about my service and we can discuss the possibility of working together

1. Career goals / why MBA essay  

2. Leadership / accomplishments essay 

3. Failure / mistake / setbacks essay 

4. Contribution / personality essay

5. Application data forms 

6. Letters of recommendation (LoRs) 

7. Interview preparation 

It can take anywhere from four to sixteen weeks to complete your first application

How much time you need usually depends on four factors:

1. How deeply you have thought about why you need an MBA  

• Can you articulate your strengths and weaknesses?

• Do you know what kind of job you want right after MBA?

• Do you have a clear and convincing long-term career vision?

2. How quickly you outline and write essays 

• Do you have to write in your native language first? 

• Can you make logical outlines?

3. How much time you can spend thinking and writing

• Are you especially busy at your job?

• How much travel will you be doing between now and your target school deadlines? 

• Are you able to carve out personal writing time during business travel? 

• What other family and community commitments will distract you from the creative process that is writing an authentic, self-reflective, concise, and compelling application?

4. How well you balance input from friends, family, mentors, advisers, alumni, and other stakeholders

• Can you send Vince regular updates?

• Can you balance the input of senior colleagues, mentors, friends and family as you find your own voice to best answer each essay question?

• I encourage you to get feedback from people who know you well

• I only request that you synthesize that feedback and present it to us as your idea

• I can only support you as you decide what to share and how to share it in a way that best represents your candidacy and your contributions to your future MBA classmates and alumni community

• We know that it sometimes takes longer than expected to secure your best-possible scores and create your best-effort written application materials and interview responses delivered in a relaxed, conversational style

• Therefore, to maximize your potential for success in this highly-competitive process, we agree to support you in applying to as many schools as you like

• Once you and Vince agree to work together, Vince agrees to help you for as long as you need his help with written applications, interviews, and any wait list issues that may arise

• Because the process can sometimes take longer than you expect, this agreement covers up to 12 months (364 days from the date your payment is processed)

• Once you complete your written applications and interviews, however, you are no longer eligible to book Vince's schedule for up to two-hours per week

• If your need for Vince's services should expand beyond the 12-month period of our agreement, Vince promises to work with you to find a mutually agreeable arrangement that allows you to get the help you need for as long as you need it

• I will continue to provide strategic guidance on school selection, resume updates, essay services, guidance on letters of recommendation, and interview training for up to twelve (12) months from the date your payment is received 

• During that time period, we can continue to work together for up to two (2) hours per week  

  • Please do NOT schedule more than two sessions per week, and never twice on one day, especially during peak months of August, September, December, January, and February. Thank you in advance for your kind understanding

• Around deadlines, when you may have extensive written application materials for me to check, our real-time meetings may be shorter

  • Also, near deadlines, sessions may be audio-only when we are finalizing written materials 

  • Mock interviews always include video but I've found over the years that looking at each other is less important when we are both focused on your documents 

• The first time I offered a Comprehensive Consulting package, all services needed to be rendered before 1 March

• This time, I decided to make it more flexible since some schools like INSEAD and Columbia offer January-start options

• Also, some clients need to delay when they apply, so I want to be as flexible as possible

• If you are targeting fall-entry at a typical U.S.-style MBA program that has deadlines in Sep/Oct and Jan, then I would expect that most of our work would wrap up by 15 Mar

  • Please feel free to ask me questions during our initial consultation  

• Yes, it would my pleasure to do so

• Just for your reference, I was admitted to every graduate school of education to which I applied (Harvard, Northwestern, Columbia, and NYU)

• I was also admitted to every undergraduate university that I applied to, including Harvard, Yale, Princeton, Brown, Wesleyan, UC Berkeley with a Regents Scholarship

• Because I had been able to visit and learn about each school's academic and student culture, I would have attended any of them

• In the end, I chose the schools where I felt the best sense of fit and contribution (Stanford and NYU). Despite rankings or published ROI, those were the schools where I had to most to get and the most to give 

• I encourage you to do the same

• Look beyond the rankings. Find your fit. Maximize your potential to succeed at school and beyond 

• I can help you edit as needed 

• I am fast and effective

• That said, regardless of my editing, your essay will only get results if the story makes sense, contains interesting details and, most importantly, is communicated in your authentic voice

• Editing is the LAST thing we do

• Since 2002, my most successful clients have told me they value my brainstorming and strategic advice as much if not more than my editing

• We need to get your story straight before we start working about your word choice or tone

• I suggest you start cutting words one or two weeks before the deadline

• I will ask you do the heavy lifting because this is your story and you will need to sell it at your interview

• I strictly limit the number of applicants I support to guarantee my availability even during peak season 

• I always do my best to keep clients aware of my black-out periods as shown here https://www.vinceprep.com/services/availability 

• I also use Calendly to share my availability and make it easy for you to schedule our time

• If you cannot find a mutually convenient time, please email me to inquire about additional options

• I will always do my best to find time for you

• JPY1,500,000 if paid before 4/1/2024

• JPY1,800,000 if paid after 4/1/2024

Rates for clients in Japan, including Japanese Consumption Tax

• JPY1,500,000 + tax 150,000 = JPY1,650,000

• JPY1,800,000 + tax 180,000 = JPY1,980,000

• Worldwide except Japan: All payments are via International wire transfer, Wise, PayPal, or international credit card and must be paid in Japanese yen (or USD equivalent using the published FX rate on the day payment is made)

• Japan: Your payment will also be subject to Japanese Consumption Tax, and payment is via domestic bank transfer

• Please contact me via my intake form so that we can schedule an initial consultation