Admissions & Career Advisory

The myth is that top schools only want MBB consulting, bulge bracket investment banking and MANGO-tech CVs. The truth is they want a convincing story.

A limited admissions practice for ambitious applicants from across industries, functions and borders dreaming to move to top MBA and masters programmes in the UK, EU and US. Built by someone who did it without a brand-name feeder employer: 5 admits, 4 scholarships.

MANGO: Meta, Apple, Nvidia, Google, OpenAI. The 2026 successor to the FAANG tech acronym.

4
MBA Scholarships
10+
Years Across Industries
#2
Imperial · QS World 2026
1:1
Personalised Advisory

You don't need a brand-name consulting, banking or tech employer on your CV to win admits, scholarships and offers from the world's best programmes and firms. You need to tell your story in a way the people on the other side of the table can understand.

The Crestwise Thesis

All leading admissions consultancies charge $5,000 to $15,000 for comparable packages. Crestwise exists to make the same quality of thinking accessible to everyone who dares to dream.

Pre-MBA Outcomes

I applied as a non-traditional candidate from Indian public sector banking, with 8 years of experience and a 6-month career gap, through one of the most AI-disrupted global hiring cycles in recent memory. The outcomes below are what a well-positioned story can achieve.

Imperial College London
SDA Bocconi
Warwick Business School
Alliance Manchester
ESADE Business School
Post-MBA Outcomes

Through one of the most AI-disrupted job markets in recent memory.

10+
Interviews Secured
2
Private-Market Internships
Bluewater & Ashington
2
Visa-Sponsored Offers
0
Tier-One CV Signals
About the Founder

Why Crestwise exists.

Admissions consultancies either quoted unaffordable fees or politely informed me that my ambitions were unrealistic, given my 6-month career gap after my MSc and 8 years at a public sector bank of India. Some said I was too experienced for an MBA and should rather consider an executive MBA at an Indian school, that I should rethink pursuing a global degree at this stage of my career. Honestly, this hurt my confidence at first, but I decided to go ahead anyway: what did I have to lose? I ended up with admits from 5 of the 8 prestigious European business schools I applied to, 10 interview calls (including 2 of my out-of-reach consulting firms), 2 private-market internships and 2 visa-sponsored offers.

But the consultancies were not all wrong about my odds. What they underestimated was my positioning. The right story, clearly told, is what makes a CV stand out from the thousands that read the same. Same experience, different framing, entirely different outcome.

Over the past year I've supported Imperial applicants through their essays, interviews and scholarship applications. Crestwise is the next step: the same work, open to a wider community, at prices that do not require a trust fund.

The Journey, Briefly
2015 – 2023
Public Sector Bank of India
Finance, Operations and Strategy
2023 – 2024
Imperial College London · MBA
Forté Fellow and Dean's List
2024
Bluewater PE & Ashington Capital
2 investment internships
2025
EY-Parthenon · PE Value Creation
Transaction strategy for large-cap private equity funds
2026
SF-based Start-up · AI Evals for Frontier LLMs
Project Manager, Frontier LLM evals

A note for anyone reading this and thinking it isn't for them

In a room full of bankers and consultants, the one who stands out is you.

Plenty of applicants arrive with the brand-name employer, the tidy linear CV and the usual cookie-cutter answer to "why an MBA". Very few arrive with a background that is actually distinctive.

You would be surprised at how a navy veteran approaches a business problem compared with candidates from traditional careers such as consulting, investment banking and so on. That is the kind of difference that got me 10+ interview calls from the firms I was told would never look at my CV, and it is the kind of difference that will make your profile outshine thousands of near-identical profiles.

Who This Is For

A practice built for serious applicants.

Deliberately limited. I'd rather do a smaller number of applications properly than a volume of them indifferently.

This is for you if

  • You're applying to top UK, European or US MBA and masters programmes
  • You come from a traditional or non-traditional background and you're switching industry, function or geography and need the pivot framed properly
  • You don't have a perfect GMAT or GRE score but still want to make it to the top schools
  • You're targeting merit scholarships and want to compete for funding
  • You want to take charge of your global career instead of letting someone else decide your fate
  • You want a thought partner who'll push back, not just agree
  • You want structured, written feedback rather than platitudes

This is not for you if

  • You want someone to write your essays for you (admissions committees are interested in your authentic experiences, not mine)
  • You don't have the time to do the basic research yourself, such as which school offers which course (honestly, ChatGPT can handle that bit)
  • You want something delivered overnight. My diary can get rather busy and I'd rather only take on work I can see through properly. If you really need it by tomorrow morning, ChatGPT is probably your best bet
What You Can Book

Clear scope. Honest pricing. Written deliverables.

Every service has a defined output and a published price. No upsells, no hidden tiers, no surprise invoices.

Not sure where to start?

  • Still deciding where to apply → start with the MBA and Masters Application Strategy call
  • CV needs tightening for admissions → CV Review for MBA and Masters Applications
  • Drafts in hand, want expert eyes on one school's essays → Per-School Essay Review
  • One school, full package reviewed with a call → Full Single-School Application Review
  • Three schools in the same round → Three-School Application Package (saves £150)
  • Targeting merit scholarships → Scholarship Strategy

If you're not sure which fits, book the strategy call. It's the lowest-commitment option, the broadest in scope, and if you end up booking a bigger service with me afterwards, consider it diagnostic.

MBA & Masters Application Strategy
£120
45 min · Live Call

A focused review of your profile, target programmes, timeline and competitiveness. We map a realistic application strategy for the top UK, European and US MBA and masters programmes. The right first step if you're unsure where to apply or whether to apply at all.

Book Session →
CV Review for MBA & Masters Applications
£180
Written CV + 30-Min Debrief

A full rewrite-level review of your CV for MBA and masters applications. I return inline comments and rephrased bullets within 5 working days, followed by a 30-minute debrief. Tailored for what admissions committees actually look for, not generic recruiter advice.

Book Review →
Per-School Essay Review
£400
Written · 5–7 Working Days

Covers one school's complete essay set in a single flat fee, however many essays that school requires (typically 2 to 4). I return inline comments, structural feedback and school-fit positioning. Written feedback only, no live call.

Book Review →
Full Single-School Application Review
£550
Written + 45-Min Debrief

A complete review of your application package for one school. Includes CV review, essay reviews across all prompts for that school, and a 45-minute debrief to walk through revisions. All written feedback delivered within 5 to 7 working days. Saves £30 compared with booking the CV review and per-school essay review separately, and the debrief call is included.

Book Review →
Scholarship Strategy
£150
45 min · Live Call

For applicants targeting merit scholarships at top schools. I won four. We work through your scholarship positioning, specific essay prompts and how to compete credibly for funding.

Book Session →

Please share materials (CV, target schools, drafts if any) at least 72 hours before any live call.

How I Work

A deliberate process. Not a rushed call.

Every engagement follows the same four steps so you know exactly what to expect.

i.
You Book

Select the service that fits where you are in your application. Pay via secure checkout. You'll receive a short intake form by email.

ii.
You Share

Send your CV, target schools and any existing drafts at least 72 hours before our call, or at booking for written services.

iii.
I Review

I review your materials carefully against the requirements of your target programmes. For written services, I deliver within 5–7 working days.

iv.
You Act

You leave each session with specific, prioritised actions. Not generic advice. Something you can start on today.

What You Can Expect

Three principles this practice is built on.

Honesty over flattery

If your profile isn't competitive for a target school, I'll tell you. If your essay buries the lede, I'll say so. You're paying for a critical eye, not reassurance.

Your voice, your essays

I provide structural feedback and revision suggestions. I don't rewrite essays. Admissions committees are interested in your authentic experiences, not mine, and they are very good at spotting the difference.

A limited practice

I take on a small number of clients each round so each application gets proper attention. If I'm at capacity, I'll say so and point you elsewhere.

Get in Touch

Ready to work on your application properly?

Book directly through my calendar, or send a short note first if you'd like to discuss fit before committing.