
Los Angeles MBA & Graduate Admissions Consultant
Oren Margolis, MBA
Based in West Los Angeles/Culver City, I work with MBA applicants in Greater LA, Southern California, and across the U.S., in-person or remotely
I push motivated graduate school applicants to bring their own stories to life through their application materials. As a former admissions professional, I have a strong understanding of calculations happening on the “other side of the desk” and work with clients on how to navigate what can often be a confusing, frustrating, and unpleasant process. My goal is for each client to feel confident about their application by the time they push the “submit” button - my clients have reported a marked improvement in their ability to convey an authentic written voice by the time they finish working with me.
As a practitioner in Southern California, I have high familiarity with Full-time MBA, Part-time MBA (FEMBA), and Executive MBA (EMBA) programs in the region and have professional ties to UCLA Anderson, USC Marshall, University of San Diego, and other California institutions. I have roots on the east coast and am happy to help clients whose sights are set locally or on other top programs across the U.S.
I have held admissions roles at various undergraduate colleges within NYU and, most recently, as Senior Associate Director, MBA Admissions at NYU Stern School of Business, which I represented throughout the continental US, China, India, and the UK. I also hold my MBA from NYU Stern, with specializations in Strategy and Marketing.
My clients have been admitted to top graduate programs, including University of Pennsylvania Wharton, University of Chicago Booth, Harvard Business School, Northwestern University Kellogg, MIT Sloan, Columbia Business School, Yale School of Management, Berkeley Haas, Dartmouth Tuck, NYU Stern, Duke Fuqua, UVA Darden, UCLA Anderson, UT McCombs, USC Marshall, and Harvard Kennedy School.
I have a particular interest in working with LGBTQ applicants and also enjoy working with underrepresented groups and "nontraditional” applicants.
Services Offered
I work with MBA, MPP/MPA, MS, MA, and other advanced degree applicants on the following and more:
Pre-application counseling & ROI assessment: is grad school right for me, and is now the right time?
Determining ROI of different program formats: Full-time MBA vs. Part-time MBA vs. Executive MBA
Personal narrative crafting
Essay development & review
Resume development & review
Application & school selection strategy
Interview prep
Philosophy & Approach
There are many admissions consulting services in the marketplace: in my observation, many are prohibitively expensive, and some consultants lack the knowledge, experience, and skill to justify their cost. From me, you can expect a competent, relatable coach who approaches this work with a sense of humility, levity, and drive to help others succeed.
My approach is consultative and down-to-earth, yet direct - I’m invested in enabling my clients to bring out their best and often push them to go beyond their comfort zones. Having moved from one coast to the other, I understand the major differences between East Coast and West Coast living, and am more than happy to talk California-based clients through considerations that come with moving out of the region.
Part of my job is also helping clients manage the stress and anxiety that comes along with the grad school application process, and I remain especially attuned to the fact that this work is a marathon, not a sprint.
How i work
I happily work with clients at different hours of the day and night and will tailor the medium of our work (in-person sessions, email-based feedback, phone workshopping sessions, video calls, text, etc.) to you, for maximum efficiency and effectiveness. I am located in West Los Angeles/Culver City, but happy to meet clients in a mutually-agreeable location.
I am willing to work with select clients on a sliding scale rate and gladly welcome a phone call with all clients before getting started:
20ish-minute free consultation, for you to feel great about your decision for us to work together on an ongoing basis
45-minute single working session (in lieu of free consultation):
Quick-fire Q&A or focused working session with a seasoned admissions professional
Is grad school/a specific program right for me?
Evaluation of your high-level strengths and weaknesses as a candidate
Matriculation decisions post-admit: weighing pros and cons
Application review + feedback session for complete or near-complete applications
Please note that I do not write essays or other application materials for clients, nor will I ever guarantee admission into any program as a result of working with me - I expect clients to put in significant time, effort, and energy under my guidance.
get in touch!
To help me best serve your inquiry, please provide some light background and high-level goals for engaging my services. I’ll follow up promptly to schedule an initial conversation. If you’d prefer, you’re also welcome to email me directly.
Oren Margolis
oren@pinetreepalm.com
310-893-0959
Testimonials