The MBA Application Work Process Components

The MBA application process does not have to be all-or-nothing. With ARINGO, you can choose the parts of the process where you need the most support, from strategy and Personal Data Mining to essay editing and interview preparation.

Some candidates use the full process for their first school and then work more independently on the others. Others choose only the strategy phase or selected services. The aim is to create a process that fits your needs, timeline, and budget.

The purpose of this page is to allow you to create your own personal work process to suit your particular requirements and budget. You may choose those specific elements of the work process that you require (see efficient shortcuts below).

The following estimation applies to a candidate who commissions the full work process for applications to four universities.

Approximately one third of all candidates undertake the full application work process with us for the first school and work relatively independently for the remainder of the universities based on the established framework.
Approximately 10% of all candidates undergo the strategy phases only (4-6 hours).
The full process usually takes about 20-35 hours for the first school, 10-20 hour for the second school and 5-10 hours for each subsequent school.

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Strategy – Phase 1: Resume and PDM

Description: Personal Data Mining
Percentage of total cost: 7-12%
Percentage of clients who invest in this phase: 80%
Efficient shortcut for limited budget: “Get the concept” in the first meeting and continue working independently on the resume/PDM using the same methodology.

Strategy 2: Career Essay Summary

Description: Preparation of career plan to be utilized in the career essay
Percentage of total cost: 2%
Percentage of clients who invest in this phase: 99%
Efficient shortcut for limited budget: Carefully read the preparation instructions for the first meeting. Work hard to create a first draft of the career plan that requires little or no ARINGO input for improvement.

Strategy 3: Advanced PDM

Description: Verification of PDM/resume. Improvement of PDM or resume according to the career plan.
Percentage of total cost: 1%
Percentage of clients who invest in this phase: 60%

Strategy 4: Deadline Interview

Description: Definition of time allotments and work plan for the purpose of meeting application deadlines.
Percentage of total cost: less than 0.5%
Percentage of clients who invest in this phase: 99%

Brainstorming and/or Creation of Outlines

Description: Brainstorming with the consultant before the first draft is written.
If needed, writing headings and a “skeleton” for each essay with the consultant before the first draft is written.
Percentage of total cost: 20-30%
Percentage of clients who invest in this phase: 90% of candidates do brainstorming. 40% of candidates write one or more outlines.
Efficient shortcut for limited budget: After the first outline is prepared, choose one of the following shortcuts: www.ARINGO.com/OutlineCuts/

Writing Recommendation Drafts

Description: The consultant may help your recommender prepare the recommendation draft through editing, writing or translation.
Percentage of total cost: 15%
Percentage of clients who invest in this phase: 80%.
Efficient shortcut for limited budget: The recommender will use the consultant for the first school only, and will then use a secretary/language editor to create recommendations for the other schools.

Application Forms

Description: Completing the schools’ application forms based on the PDM (shortening or expanding the PDM according to each school’s requirements).
Percentage of total cost: 5%
Percentage of clients who invest in this phase: 60% of candidates complete one or more application forms in cooperation with us.
Efficient shortcut for limited budget: Do one application form with a consultant. Understand the concept and do the rest independently.

Essay Editing

Description: The consultant reviews the essay draft you’ve written and gives constructive suggestions for improvement.
Percentage of total cost: 20-25%
Percentage of clients who invest in this phase: 80% commission editing of one or more essays.
Efficient shortcut for limited budget: You can continue improving the essays almost endlessly. Suffice with one or two rounds of corrections on each essay and continue independently.

Test Drive

Description: An ARINGO consultant who was not involved in creating your application reviews your essays and provides suggestions for improvement (if necessary).
Percentage of total cost: 6%
Percentage of clients who invest in this phase: 25%

Interview Preparation

Description: The consultant, or the relevant School Specialist, conducts a mock interview and gives suggestions for improvement in technique or content.
Percentage of total cost: 5-10%
Percentage of clients who invest in this phase: 60% do one or more interview preparation role-playing sessions
Efficient shortcut for limited budget: Make clear in advance that you would like one hour-long session and subsequently decide whether or not to do additional sessions.

Frequently Asked Questions: MBA Application Work Process

Do I need to use the full MBA application process?

No. You can choose the parts of the process that are most useful to you.

Some applicants want support from the first strategy meeting through interview preparation. Others need help with one particular area, such as:

Resume and Personal Data Mining.
Career planning.
Essay brainstorming.
Essay editing.
Recommendation letters.
Interview preparation.

There is also an option to use ARINGO more intensively for the first school and then follow the established framework independently for the remaining applications. That can be a practical choice if you want expert direction but also want to manage part of the work yourself.

How many hours does the MBA application process take?

The time depends on how much support you choose and how many schools you are applying to.

For the full process, ARINGO estimates approximately:

20–35 hours for the first school.
10–20 hours for the second school.
5–10 hours for each additional school.

These are estimates, not fixed requirements. A candidate using strategy support only will need much less time than someone commissioning the full process for several universities.

What is Personal Data Mining?

Personal Data Mining, or PDM, is the process of examining your academic history, professional experience, achievements, decisions, challenges, and goals to find the strongest material for your application.

It helps answer questions such as:

What has shaped your career?
Where have you shown leadership?
Which experiences support your goals?
What should admissions committees understand about you?

The information gathered during PDM can then be used to shape your resume, career plan, essays, and overall application strategy.

What is the Test Drive?

The Test Drive is an additional review by an ARINGO consultant who was not involved in creating your application. That person reads the essays with fresh eyes and offers suggestions if something is unclear, unconvincing, or not working as well as it could.

It is optional, but it can be useful when you want an outside perspective before submitting.

Can I work on some parts of the application myself?

Yes. The process is designed to be flexible.

You may work with ARINGO on the areas where outside guidance is most valuable and complete other parts independently. For example, you might do one application form or outline with a consultant, understand the approach, and then use that framework for the remaining schools.

This is one reason the page includes efficient shortcuts for applicants with a limited budget.

What happens during essay brainstorming?

Essay brainstorming takes place before the first draft is written. You discuss your experiences, decisions, achievements, and goals with the consultant, then identify the material that best answers each school’s question.

If needed, the process can also include creating an outline or a basic structure for the essay. The aim is not to force your experience into a formula. It is to find the strongest story and give it a clear direction before you start writing.

Do you help with recommendation letters?

Yes. ARINGO can help with recommendation drafts through editing, writing support, or translation, depending on the situation.

The recommender still needs to provide genuine examples and an honest assessment of your work. The consultant’s role is to help make the recommendation clear, relevant, and aligned with the rest of the application.

Do I need interview preparation?

Not every applicant needs several mock interviews, but interview preparation can be helpful if you are unsure how to present your story or respond under pressure.

A session may cover:

Common MBA interview questions.
Your career goals.
Leadership and teamwork examples.
Reasons for choosing the school.
Questions that may arise from your application.

You can begin with one session and decide afterward whether additional preparation would be useful.

The MBA application work process can be as comprehensive or as focused as you need it to be. Whether you want support with strategy, essays, recommendations, or interviews, ARINGO can help you choose the right combination of services for your application journey. Register today for a free consultation.