Deep work on candidate branding and differentiation to make you stand out among other highly qualified applicants. We’ll define your personal story, short and long-term career goals, and clear “why MBA” narrative. Together we’ll select target schools, choose and coach your recommenders, identify and mitigate weaknesses through optional essays, and build a detailed timeline by round and school.
Unlimited edits and feedback on all application materials for every school we select to work on together. That includes your resume, essays, short-answer responses, application forms, and recommendation letters. I’ll guide tone, structure, and storytelling to ensure each piece fits your brand and speaks directly to what each program values.
Comprehensive prep for everything after submission including tailored interview training, unlimited mock interviews, and scholarship negotiation coaching. I’ll also help you navigate waitlist strategy (if needed) and evaluate final admissions offers to ensure you make the best decision for your goals.
Ryan Barba is an independent MBA admissions advisor who has helped hundreds of MBA candidates from more than 30 countries earn acceptance to the world’s top business schools over the past 12 years. He has particular expertise in M7 MBA programs.
Ryan obtained his MBA from Cornell University on a full-tuition scholarship, and then worked in MBA Admissions for four years. As an Admissions Officer for both Cornell and UNC (Kenan-Flagler) Ryan reviewed thousands of MBA applications and conducted nearly 1,000 MBA admission interviews.
Ryan has been advising MBA candidates targeting top MBA programs since 2013. After working as a top consultant at Stacy Blackman Consulting for three years, he started advising candidates independently in 2016.
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 Read More
Aug 6, 2025
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. Read More
Aug 2, 2025
I worked with Ryan three years ago and still look back and say, "Wow, what a great decision!" Not only did Ryan help me get into MIT Sloan with a substantial scholarship (which is where.. Read More
Aug 13, 2019
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.. Read More
Jun 19, 2025
My experience working with Ryan could not have been better. He's so well respected within the world of MBA Admissions for a reason: He really knows what he's doing, is chock full.. Read More
Mar 28, 2025
I'll keep this short: Ryan is incredible. He is more than an MBA advisor, he's a legitimate mentor. He provided what you'd expect from an MBA consultant - editing, structure, strategy. Read More
Oct 4, 2024
I am so happy to have worked with Ryan to apply for business school. Ryan takes the time to get to know candidates inside and out. He really listens and helped me communicate my story. Read More
Apr 3, 2022
I have worked with Mr. Barba on applications for both law school and business school. He was forthcoming with the weight an essay carries and how realistic my admissions chances were given.. Read More
Mar 24, 2022
RBC came recommended by one of my close friends. Ryan and his team helped him get into a top MBA program last year, and I'm very glad he pointed me toward Ryan to guide me through... Read More
Mar 2, 2022
I run a boutique practice because I believe in personal attention. You’re not a number on a spreadsheet to me. But that doesn’t mean you miss out on the advantages of the big consulting firms.
I may work solo, but I’ve built a serious network of former admissions officers from every top-15 MBA program and I tap into it for you.
When we’re ready to hit submit, I’ll often bring in one of those former AdCom insiders for a final-pass review of your application from your actual target school. Applying to Stanford GSB? I’ll have a former Stanford AdCom read your essays. Wharton? A Wharton insider will review it.
Why? Because while I’m extremely confident in my strategy and storytelling, I also believe in stacking the deck in your favor. Getting one more set of eyes from someone who used to make the decisions just makes sense.
And here’s the other piece most consultants can’t offer: real-time intel. I stay in constant touch with admissions officers and insiders across the top programs. I’m always asking questions like:
That’s the kind of behind the scenes context that shapes strategy: the kind that turns a strong app into a standout one.
So yes, I run lean. But make no mistake: When you work with me, you get the focus of a boutique coach AND the network and insider access of a big firm.
4.9 Out of 5 based on 92 reviews
I maintain solid records of my candidates’ success over time in an effort to be fully transparent about my results with potential clients. Since 2018:
I don’t do cookie-cutter. I build applicant stories that get remembered.
Let’s get one thing straight - I’m not running an “MBA factory.”
I’m not cranking out 50 clients at once, juggling deadlines, and handing you some cookie cutter advice you could’ve Googled. I work with a maximum of four candidates at a time. That’s it. Because the only way I know how to do this right is to go all in on the people I work with.
I know my candidates inside and out. I take the time to really understand you, your story, your goals, your insecurities, your edge. This isn’t “fill out this intake form” territory. It’s late night texts, deep strategy calls, and honest feedback designed to help you stand out as you, not as another resume in a pile.
I’m always available. If you need to hop on a call same day, I make it happen. If you’re spinning out the night before submission, I’ll talk you through it. I don’t believe in office hours. I believe in momentum.
No limits. Ever. Unlimited drafts. Unlimited calls. Unlimited feedback. I don’t clock hours or count edits. My job is to make sure you submit A+ quality applications. Period.
You’ll feel supported, every step of the way. Look, the MBA process is stressful. There are highs, lows, and those awful waiting periods that mess with your head. I get it. I’ve lived it. That’s why I make it my job to be your steady hand, your sounding board, your strategist, and sometimes your therapist when it all starts to feel like too much.
Many of my past candidates stay in touch. I’ve helped them prep for job interviews, coached them through promotions, and celebrated their wins long after they got admitted. Some have become lifelong friends. For past candidates, I’ve been to more than 20 weddings, stood as a groomsman in three, and even officiated one.
I offer free profile evaluations with candidates who are interested in working together. I'll take time to learn more about you and tell you more about my process.
Hell no. If you think I’m only working with 780 GMATs and blue-chip résumés, you don’t get it. Yes, I’m selective. Yes, I’ve got baseline criteria. But some of my favorite wins come from so-called “longshot candidates” - the ones with average scores, unconventional backgrounds, or a big chip on their shoulder. I love that. I love proving people wrong. I love watching someone blow past their own ceiling because they were coachable, hungry, and willing to grind.
Here’s the truth: I don’t care if you’re polished or rough around the edges. What I care about is commitment. Are you ready to go all-in? Can you handle direct, no-BS feedback without getting defensive? Are you willing to do the work? I will go to war for your applications. But this is a two-way street: if I’m putting in that level of effort, I need you right there with me.
That’s why I spend real time on the intro call figuring out chemistry. This isn’t just about essays and apps. It’s about whether we can push each other, trust each other, and operate as a team through a grueling, months-long process. If that alignment is there, we win. Period.
Every year, about 15–20 MBA candidates hit me up. I work with 3 or 4. That’s it. Not because I’m playing scarcity games, but because I refuse to half ass this. I protect my success rate like my life depends on it, and I’d rather watch four people crush multiple acceptances than stack my calendar and double my revenue at the expense of candidate outcomes.
This isn’t about money for me; it never has been. It’s about impact. The high I get when someone I coached walks into their dream program… that’s the payoff. That’s legacy. Helping someone do what felt impossible: secure M7 admission letters, break into consulting, pivot into VC. That’s what lights me up.
I’m not here for transactions. I’m here for transformations. I look back at the people I’ve worked with and I don’t see “clients.” I see stories of grit, risk, breakthroughs. And I know I was part of that moment that changed their trajectory forever. That will always mean more than money.
Always.
Nope. Straight up, no. If you’re looking for cheap, I’m not your guy.
Here’s why: the ROI on what I do is insane. Most of my candidates not only get into their dream programs; they land scholarships that make my fee look like pocket change. That’s the real math.
I already charge less than the big-name MBA firms that need to cover their big advertising budgets and office rent. I don’t have bloated overhead or some army of marketers pumping out glossy brochures and expensive social media campaigns. My “marketing” is this website and the word-of-mouth from past candidates who crushed it. That’s it.
So no, I don’t discount. Because I know the value. And my clients know it too.
The candidates who choose to work with me (and who I choose to work with) are targeting top tier schools. Most of my candidates apply mostly to M7 programs plus a couple of “safety schools” in the top 10 or 15. I’ve sunk a ton of effort into becoming an expert specifically in the top-tier programs: I keep in touch with past candidates who become students and alumni, I visit their campuses, I maintain professional relationships with their admission officers. I know these programs really intimately. In other words, I can talk to you until I’m blue in the face about Stanford GSB or HBS and how to get in there. But if you’re interested in Foster, at the University of Washington? I’m not your guy. No offense to Foster - I’m sure it’s a great program in many ways - but I only work with candidates who are aiming really high.
Of the top programs, I have the most experience working on Stanford GSB. I just really love the way they structure and approach their application and essays, and I love working with candidates to gain clarity on their “what matters most” message, which Stanford asks directly. My track record getting candidates into GSB is unbelievable, even to me. I don't share my Stanford success rate because people think I’m bullshitting them. I’ve also gotten a ton of candidates into Wharton, HBS, Booth and Columbia in particular, as they’ve just happened to be the most popular choices for the candidates I’ve worked with, but really, I’ve had a lot of success with all the top-15 programs, especially M7 programs. While not quite top-10 (yet!) Cornell is of course close to my heart because I went to school there and worked on their admissions team.
I’m blunt and direct. I don’t do the “compliment sandwich” crap. You’re not paying me to sugarcoat. You’re paying me to help you get into your dream MBA program, and that means clear, high-quality feedback that actually moves the needle. If something’s weak, I’ll tell you straight up. If it’s strong, I’ll tell you that too. But I’m never going to waste your time with fluff or fake praise and I don’t pull punches. My goal is acceptance letters.
That said, I’m not a robot. I’m always available to you, and I care, deeply. This process is brutal. It messes with your head. The standardized tests, asking your boss for a recommendation and essentially announcing you’re planning to leave your job, the essays, the interviews, the waiting game after you hit submit. It’s stressful as hell.
And that’s where my other side kicks in. I’ve taken late-night calls just to calm candidates down, talk them through the self-doubt, remind them they’re better than they think. Sometimes it feels like half MBA coach, half life coach. And honestly, I love that part. Because this isn’t just about apps and essays. It’s about helping you manage the grind, silence the doubt, and navigate this process with confidence.
I’ll push you hard, I’ll be real with you every step of the way, and I’ll have your back when the stress hits.
