Ryan Barba ConsultingReviews of ryanbarba.com

Ryan was referred to me by a coworker who had used his services a year prior, who had gotten into both HBS and Wharton. I am so grateful that she referred me, because I'm not sure if I would've found Ryan otherwise, and he was just so amazing to work with! His attention to detail, knowledge of business school admissions for top schools, and collaborative style were truly off the charts. I can't imagine having had a better experience - especially because I was accepted to 4 of the 5 programs that we worked on together: HBS, Booth, MIT Sloan, and Columbia all said yes! Writing MBA essays is a unique exercise: it's not like writing a college paper. Ryan opened my eyes to how to write an MBA essay in a way that really appeals to what top MBA programs look for. I learned so much through the process of working with him, and am so thankful for his guidance! He really knows the top programs intimately, and his knowledge was invaluable. If given the chance, I would absolutely work with Ryan again and will absolutely plan to refer other applicants to him in the future. Hire Ryan if you're applying to business school - you won't be sorry!

Where do I begin? There aren't enough words to explain how grateful I am to have crossed paths with Ryan, but here is my attempt. Ryan was the single most important reason I was admitted to Wharton, Columbia, Yale, and Cornell MBA programs this year - with over $600K in scholarships, including 3 full rides from Columbia, Yale, and Cornell, and a partial scholarship from Wharton. To be typing that still feels surreal. I was referred to Ryan by a friend who spoke incredibly highly of him and the results he had achieved working with him the year prior. After just one phone call, I immediately understood why (and actually felt honored that he was willing to work with me). He has years of experience in admissions consulting, reading applications from the other side, and the strategic thinking of a seasoned consultant. His ability to take my completely scattered, messy, disorganized thoughts and turn them into a cohesive, polished, deeply compelling narrative was unbelievable.. He has formulated his own science, and he has it down to a craft. More than anything, Ryan has a gift for seeing people. He hears your individual story and weaves it through every inch of the application - so that no one in the world could replicate it. Over the years leading up to applying, I attended countless MBA events, campus visits, and met admissions committees, students, alums, and faculty. The question everyone always asked was "how do I stand out?" With Ryan, I never had to wonder. He had a hyper-individualized plan and a winning strategy from day one. While many consultants only help with one isolated part of the process, Ryan guided me through everything: identifying my story, developing application strategy, editing essays, refining my resume, preparing for interviews, navigating scholarships, and even helping with negotiations and decision-making afterward. He is intelligent, experienced, thorough, and straightforward - exactly the person you want in your corner. I owe him everything and will forever be grateful for the time, energy, and joy he brought to this process. To anyone reading this: I was once exactly where you are, reading these very reviews. Consider this the last one you need. If you're looking for a sign to work with Ryan - this is it. I wish you the same success and more, and wholeheartedly recommend him to everyone.

Working with Ryan was the most valuable decision I made during my MBA application process. What set Ryan apart is that he didn’t just help me write better essays—he helped me understand how my application would actually be evaluated. He gave me a clear view into how MBA admissions committees assess candidates—and how that should change the way you present yourself compared to a typical job application. He also provided insight into how an admissions reader would likely react to each iteration of my materials, which made every round of feedback feel grounded in how my application would actually be experienced in the review process. His experience reviewing thousands of applications is evident in his ability to quickly identify what would resonate—and what wouldn’t—with admissions readers. He was instrumental in identifying and proactively addressing potential weaknesses in my profile, ensuring nothing was left unexplained or working against me. He also brought a strong sense of what actually matters in the process, helping me focus on high-impact areas rather than getting lost in unnecessary detail. That shift in perspective changed how I approached everything, from structuring my story to aligning my experiences with my long-term goals. Ryan’s feedback is candid, detailed, and iterative. He consistently pushed me to go deeper, think more clearly, and refine how I communicated my experiences with precision and intention. Over time, I saw a meaningful difference not just in my essays, but in how I articulated my own journey. He also brought a strong sense of structure to the process. At every stage—school selection, essay development, and interview prep—I knew exactly what we were working toward and why. His approach is highly personalized and high-touch, and it was clear he was genuinely invested in my success from start to finish. In contrast, some larger, high-volume admissions consulting firms I spoke with felt far more transactional—focused on hedging outcomes, encouraging me to apply to a significantly higher number of schools, and advising that I would only have fair admission odds if every element of my profile—from test scores to academics to extracurriculars—was essentially perfect. Ryan took a fundamentally different approach: he focused on building a strong, well-positioned application backed by clear, strategic thinking rather than relying on volume. By the end of the process, I felt significantly more confident—not only in my application materials, but in how I represented myself in interviews. With Ryan’s guidance, I applied to four Top 15 programs and was admitted to Columbia, Yale, and NYU Stern (with scholarships from two of them). These outcomes exceeded what I would have achieved on my own, especially given my slightly softer GPA alongside GRE scores that were competitive but largely in line with program averages. I was initially referred to Ryan by two friends who had also worked with him and saw outstanding outcomes—one admitted to Harvard and Stanford, and another to Wharton and Columbia. Notably, both independently shared the same observation: Ryan’s approach felt highly personalized and strategic, in clear contrast to the transactional, volume-driven mindset they encountered with larger firms that emphasized near-perfect profiles. If you’re looking for someone who will invest deeply in your growth and hold you to a high standard, I would strongly recommend Ryan.

I'll let my results speak for themselves: With a GMAT score in the 75th percentile and a 3.4 GPA, Ryan helped me earn acceptances to Booth, MIT Sloan, and Kellogg - three of the four schools we worked on as a team. These results were very far above my expectations (I had doubts I'd get in to even one of these schools) and I can say with 100% certainty that these results would have never been possible without Ryan's help. He brings incredibly deep knowledge of how to succeed in this MBA admissions process, and knows how to coach, inspire confidence and creativity, and write with clarity. Our work together yielded application materials that were just so compelling and exciting to read; I had so much confidence submitting materials that I knew were so high quality. After helping me to negotiate offers, I then was able to negotiate a sizeable scholarship to Kellogg - my top choice program - and I'll be headed there in the fall. I can't wait! I talked to several MBA consulting coaches and firms before hiring Ryan, and I could just tell from our first conversation that he's genuinely vested in his candidates' successes. I'm so glad I opted to work with him instead of one of the large consulting firms that hire hundreds of consultants. He's truly one of a kind and I couldn't be a happier client.

Ryan was crucial in helping me get into Wharton, my dream business school. With his expert advice, I was able to drastically improve my essays / personal statements, and to guide my recommenders for the LORs. I would not be where I am today without Ryan! Thanks for everything. Best, Rob

I was referred to Ryan from a friend who had worked with him in the past and had an awesome experience and awesome results. Long story short: I did too! I worked with Ryan on 5 MBA applications last year, and am so thrilled that I elected to work with him. He's an incredible (and very patient!!!) mentor and just incredibly knowledgeable about anything and everything MBA-admissions related. He really, really knows the ins and outs of the top schools, what they look for, how to appeal to them, and so on. He's also just super smart: he was able to cut through my BS, keep me focused, push me to be clearer in my essays and resume, and find ways to creatively brand his candidates. I was amazed at how successful we were as a team: I was accepted to Stanford GSB (my dream program), MIT Sloan, Kellogg, and Yale. I was interviewed but ultimately dinged at HBS: But that was on me; I just had a bad interview day after a terrible night's sleep. I would've taken ONE acceptance, but ended up with 4!!! These results were far and away beyond what I was expecting, and I'm still a bit in shock. I'll make this simple: If you're applying to business school, work with Ryan. You'll have zero regrets.

Ryan is an excellent coach, mentor, and communicator. He knows how to put his clients at ease and give them the confidence they need to go through the long MBA admissions process well! I really enjoyed working with Ryan - I experienced a lot of personal growth (in terms of getting clear on my career goals and goals for myself during business school) while also growing as a writer and communicator myself! Without any doubt, my app materials were far superior with Ryan's help than I would've been able to construct on my own. He really pushed and encouraged me to go deeper, get more specific, and find my voice as a candidate (both in my essays and in my interviews). My results were off the charts good - far and away above what I thought I would achieve with a 3.3 GPA (and a decent GMAT). I was accepted to MIT Sloan, Chicago Booth, and Kellogg, and Ryan helped me negotiate an excellent scholarship package to Booth, where I'm about to start school. I'm completely grateful and excited about the next step in my life!

My experience working with Ryan Barba was exceptional. He understands the inner workings of MBA admissions offices, how to position his clients for success in the grueling admissions process, and most importantly - how to coach, guide, and mentor. He's patient but direct. His feedback is always super clear and encourages deeper, clearer thinking. I can say without a doubt that my application - and especially my essays - would never have been as quality without his help. I am so grateful to my friend, a former client of Ryan, who recommended him to me. I have two friends who hired MBA consultants from the large consulting firms. We were all applying to school at the same time this past year, to start school this fall. The difference in our experiences was night and day! Ryan's responsiveness, attention to detail, and how well he gets to really know his clients were all far superior to the experience my friends had. His editing and writing skills were so much better. His feedback was so much more clear and strategic. Midway through the application process, I found myself sharing the guidance Ryan gave me with my friends, who were awestruck by how solid the advice was. One tried to switch and work with Ryan but the consulting firm she'd hired refused giving her a refund. Despite having a GMAT score below the average for the schools I applied to, I was very successful in the MBA admissions process - with acceptances to MIT Sloan, Chicago Booth, and Kellogg. Ultimately, I was accepted to three of the four schools Ryan and I worked on together - better results than I ever would've dreamed of considering my GMAT score.