Overview of Graduate School Admissions Consulting Program

IHL has been advising students on the graduate school application process since 1996. The company's original service offering included LSAT preparation and law school admissions consulting. Over time, we expanded our program to include all major graduate school disciplines and have continued to work with only a limited number of students each year. We are proud to be one of the most exclusive admissions advisory firms in the country.

Our founder, Mayssoun Bydon, leads our team of expert consultants and personally guides each of our admissions consulting clients on their application strategy. Since 1996, Mayssoun and her team have advised hundreds of students, placing students at every top academic program in the country. Mayssoun is a master of the graduate school application process, and she is regarded as one of the foremost experts in the field. Our success in this space is a result of the amazing results we have obtained for our students over the years.

IHL's graduate school admissions consulting program is a comprehensive, full-service offering designed to help students and their families navigate the increasingly complex application process and maximize the probability of a successful outcome. We advise students on all of the following graduate programs: law, business, medicine, various master's disciplines, doctoral and post-baccalaureate. We also advise students on the transfer application process. In an environment where a student's choice of graduate program is having increasing influence on job prospects, it is vital that students seek and obtain the right expert advice to guide their application process and strategy.

Wherever you want to go, we can help you get there. Our team of expert consultants work with students of all different backgrounds and abilities. We have been just as successful and effective advising students who seek admission to top-notch state schools as we have been advising students who are targeting ivy-league programs. We know how each individual school views applicants and how best to position a student for any given program. Our ultimate goal is for a student to have a number of good options and to make an informed decision about where to attend graduate school based on their personal goals, strengths, personality and background.

Elements of our Program

While we have the ability to offer cover-to-cover guidance on every aspect of the application process, our tailor-made services are individually based, designed on the needs and wants of each student.

There are three primary components to our program:

1. School Research and Selection
   • Our process begins with getting to know as much as we can about a student including: grades, classes, high school reputations and history of placement, test scores, career objectives, target geography, personal/family relationships, key faculty, desired career path, social/Greek life, clubs and organizations, athletic opportunities, research opportunities, special needs, transfer opportunities, etc.
   • Then, we work with the student to generate a list of target schools that fit his or her unique needs
   • Your target list is then divided into "high reach," "average reach" and "low reach" programs, and we help you determine the appropriate order in which to submit applications, including early action/early decision options
   • We are intimately familiar with all major graduate programs in the country; there isn't a program that we haven't encountered and if we are facing something unfamiliar, our team will do whatever homework is needed to get up to speed
2. Application Strategy - Our consultants will help you address questions and topics including:
   • When and whether to retake a standardized entrance exam
   • Which extracurricular activities to become involved in
   • How to frame application answers
   • The appropriate tone and content of all communications with a school
   • How to appeal to an admissions committee by leveraging aspects of student's background
   • Selecting recommenders and assisting with tone and content of letters of recommendation
   • Whether and how to utilize connections to a particular school
   • How to handle negative information such as poor grades, poor test scores, academic misconduct or criminal history
   • Interview preparation
   • Waitlist strategy and deposit advice
   • Peer match
   • Obtaining and maximizing scholarships
   • Managing communications with alumni and development offices
3. Writing Consultation - Our consultants are world-class writers who can advise you on:
   • Résumé development
   • Personal statement development
   • Development of supplemental essay(s) and school-specific essay(s)
   • Relevant addenda
   • Letters of commitment and statements of continuing interest

You can use as much or as little of these services as you need. As with all IHL programs, our application consulting services are completely à la carte. Students can work with us on a single element of their applications or utilize us for our comprehensive cover-to-cover service. All work is billed on an hourly basis.

Admissions consulting is available in-person at one of our offices or remotely via Skype, WizIQ or other videoconferencing platforms. We have worked with many students remotely, and have found it to be as effective as in-person consultation.

Other Related Services

• LSAT Tutoring
• GMAT Tutoring
• MCAT Tutoring
• GRE Tutoring
• Subject Tutoring and Academic Support
• Law School Tutoring and Support

If you have any questions about our graduate school admissions consulting program, please do not hesitate to reach out to us by phone at (212) 889-8378 or (734) 623-8378. Our Executive Director, Chad Biggert, is always available to answer any questions you may have. To enroll, please click here.