Bryan Chao
MBA admissions consultant and GMAT, GRE test prep coach
| Hourly rate range | $70 to $145 an hour |
|---|---|
| Focus areas | MBA admissionsCollege essaysIvy League and top schoolsInternational studentsCareer changeStartups and founders |
| Works with | Professionals |
| Also coaches | Career coach and Business coach |
| Credentials | MBA, MIT Sloan School of Management; University of Pennsylvania, M&T Program |
| Experience | 12 years coaching |
Bryan Chao is an MBA admissions consultant who also teaches test prep for the GMAT, GRE, SAT and ACT. He helps applicants build one clear story from their career, experiences and goals. He has coached 50 MBA applicants aiming at top 10 programs over 12 years. His own career covered M&A, venture capital and startup operations in the U.S. and China. He holds an MBA from MIT Sloan and scored a 770 on the GMAT twice.
What Bryan helps with
Bryan helps applicants turn scattered experience into a clear story for MBA applications. He also teaches test takers to reason through problems instead of memorizing answers.
- Finding the story that ties career and personal experience together
- Writing essays that sound like you, not a template
- Explaining career pivots and non-obvious transitions
- Presenting international experience in an application
- Positioning technical roles and startup backgrounds
- Building a personal GMAT or GRE study plan
- Getting test-ready in about two months
Who Bryan works with
Bryan works with MBA applicants, including those aiming at top 10 programs. He does his best work with applicants whose backgrounds have many moving pieces, such as international experience, career pivots, technical roles and startups. He also teaches students preparing for the GMAT, GRE, SAT and ACT.
How Bryan works
For admissions, Bryan helps you find the story that links your career choices, experiences and goals. He does not use templates, and he does not write essays for you. For test prep, he builds a personal plan around each student's strengths and weaknesses. He teaches reasoning over memorizing. He skips generic problem sets and topics you already know. Most of his students are test-ready in about two months.
Background and qualifications
Bryan studied at the University of Pennsylvania in the M&T Program and earned his MBA at MIT Sloan. His career covered M&A, venture capital, startup operations and corporate development across the U.S. and China. He now uses that experience to help clients position themselves and tell a credible story. Over 12 years he has coached 50 MBA applicants targeting top 10 programs. His test scores include a 770 on the GMAT twice, 337 and 338 on the GRE, 1600 on the SAT and 35 on the ACT.
Bryan Chao pricing
Programs and services
- MBA admissions consulting
- GMAT and GRE test prep
- SAT and ACT test prep
- Executive Assessment prep
- Drop-in Q&A sessions for MBA applicants
Bryan Chao reviews
Bryan Chao has a 5.0 out of 5 rating from 17 reviews on Leland, as of September 2026.
The CoachVouch take
Bryan pairs MBA admissions coaching with test prep, and he has scored a 770 on the GMAT twice.
Best for MBA applicants with complex backgrounds, such as career pivots, startups or international work, who want a story that is their own.
Common questions
How much does Bryan Chao charge?
Coaching with Bryan runs $70 to $145 an hour. Message Bryan from this page for an exact quote.
What does Bryan Chao help with?
Bryan Chao helps with finding the story that ties career and personal experience together, writing essays that sound like you, not a template, explaining career pivots and non-obvious transitions and presenting international experience in an application.
Does Bryan Chao have reviews?
Bryan Chao has a 5.0 out of 5 rating from 17 reviews on Leland, as of September 2026.
Is Bryan Chao certified?
Bryan Chao lists: MBA, MIT Sloan School of Management; University of Pennsylvania, M&T Program.
Does Bryan Chao help with test prep as well as essays?
Yes. He teaches the GMAT, GRE, SAT and ACT with a personal plan for each student. Most of his students are test-ready in about two months.
Does Bryan Chao write applicants' essays for them?
No. He helps you find your own story and does not use templates or write the essays for you.
How do I contact Bryan Chao?
Send Bryan a message from this page. It's free and takes a minute.
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Last updated September 2026. Request a correction.