Darya Smirnova
September 13, 2023

Columbia Business School EMBA Admit ’25

I started the MBA application process a tad late and knew I needed some external help to refine my narrative. I contacted Scott, who responded within minutes and was readily available to start digging in. Despite the holiday season, Scott mobilized quickly and helped iterate with me to ensure my application was finalized by my desired timing. Beyond the care and vested interest he took in shaping my narrative, what struck me most when working with Scott and his team is their ability to make you think about the “why”. Scott pushed me to really think deeply and contemplate why I wanted to achieve certain goals, and the concrete benefits the MBA experience would afford me to help achieve these goals. That level of thoughtfulness and encouragement is something I doubt other services provide. I was ultimately accepted into an M7 Ivy – and specifically, my dream school! HIGHLY RECOMMEND Scott and his team – they are simply the best in the biz

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Darya Smirnova
About the Author

Darya Smirnova

Scott Edinburgh is the founder of Personal MBA Coach, an internationally recognized MBA admissions consulting firm. In 2026, he was named the #1 MBA admissions consultant by Poets&Quants, while Personal MBA Coach was recognized as a Top Boutique MBA Admissions Consulting Firm in 2023, 2024, and 2025. A Wharton MBA graduate with a BS from MIT, Scott has more than 18 years of experience helping applicants earn admission to top MBA programs around the world. Alongside his team of former admissions directors, he has guided hundreds of candidates through every stage of the admissions process, helping clients secure more than $11 million in MBA scholarships in the most recent admissions cycle.