Cormney Consulting Engagement Terms & Conditions

Your payment confirms your acceptance of the following terms and conditions.

1. Our Commitment to You

Although no admissions consultancy can guarantee admission, we strive to provide high-quality guidance and dedicated support to help you navigate the admissions process. Your consultant is available throughout the agreed-upon engagement term, responding to emails within one business day and turning around written materials within three business days.

2. Your Commitment to Us

You are the author of your application materials. We rely on you to generate original ideas and drafts and to engage with the process in a timely manner. Your prompt participation helps us deliver our best work within the application deadlines.

3. School Packages Project Terms

  • Service Retainer Period

    • All-Inclusive School Package

      • Round 1 (September deadlines) - For clients applying in Round 1, all engagement services are covered through November 15th of that year.

      • Round 2 (January deadlines) - For clients applying in Round 2, all engagement services are covered through April 15 of the following year.

      • Round 3 (April deadlines) - For clients applying in Round 3 and to the deferred MBA programs, all engagement services are covered through July 15.

  • Services After Retainer Period or Out of Scope:

    • After Retainer Period - Any services needed by school package clients after the end date of the Service Retainer Period defined above will be billed at 50% of the standard hourly consulting rate published on the Service page..

    • Out of Scope - Any services needed that exceed the scope of services in the package (e.g., Advice on schools not in the package, Resume editing for Essay-Focus Package) will be billed at 50% of the standard hourly consulting rate published on the Service page.

  • Refund Policy: We offer a 14-day refund period from your purchase date with the following terms:

    • Refund calculation: We will refund your payment within 14 days of purchase, minus $500 for each hour of consultation services already delivered.

    • No refunds after 14 days: MBA admissions consulting is seasonal and time-sensitive. Consultants are dedicated to a limited number of clients each admissions cycle and invested in their success; therefore, it is not possible to refund a client who opts not to utilize the services during the agreed-upon Service Retainer Period.

4. Strategy & Story Packages Project Terms

  • Phase I - Strategy & Story

    • The Strategy & Story Package includes a fixed-fee Strategy Phase focused on personal brand development, career strategy, and application positioning. This phase is typically completed over a 2–4 week period, depending on client availability and responsiveness, and is designed to produce core narratives and positioning frameworks that inform all subsequent application work.

    • The Strategy Phase is limited to the development of personal brand, career strategy, and application positioning frameworks. All application execution work (including resumes, essays, recommendation letters, application forms, and interview preparation) is outside the scope of the fixed Strategy Phase and is billed hourly.

  • Phase II - Hourly Coaching

    • Following completion of the Strategy Phase, all additional services (e.g., resume development, essay editing, recommendation guidance, application review, and interview preparation) are delivered on an hourly basis.

    • Hourly consulting under the Strategy & Story Package is governed by the Hourly Consulting Packages Project Terms set forth in Section 5 above, except as modified below.

  • Peak Period Hourly Rates

    • Due to the time-sensitive nature of MBA admissions, hourly consulting rates increase during peak application periods. The peak period includes August, September, December, January, and April, and the applicable peak hourly rate will be charged for all services delivered during these months. Hours purchase off-peak will be converted to peak-period hours.

  • Refund Policy

    • Refund calculation: We will refund your payment within 14 days of purchase, minus $500 for each hour of consultation services already delivered.

    • No refunds after 14 days: MBA admissions consulting is seasonal and time-sensitive. Consultants are dedicated to a limited number of clients each admissions cycle and invested in their success; therefore, it is not possible to refund a client who opts not to utilize the services during the agreed-upon Service Retainer Period.

5. Hourly Consulting Packages Project Terms

  • You must purchase Consulting Hours ahead of delivery at the billing rate stated on the project invoice.

  • All time spent by the consultant working on this project (e.g., time in live meetings, preparation for meetings, and document editing) will be billed and recorded on a project timesheet.

  • You agree to use hours purchased evenly throughout the retainer period. To ensure the consultant's availability, the maximum number of hours available to each hourly client is 5 hours per week (even the week before the school's deadline).

  • Hours purchased are available for a 60-day period from date of purchase and expire at the end of that period.

  • Refund Policy: We offer a refund for unused hours within fourteen days of the date of purchase, less a $250 administrative fee and a charge of $500/hour for the consultant's time delivered before the refund request. Refunds are not possible after this period ends.

6. Upgrading/Adding Services

Our site describes the services included in your package. If you need additional support, you can upgrade your consulting package, assuming your consultant is available.

  • School Packages: Add schools within 30 days of purchase and only the published per-school package rate. After 30 days, work on additional schools will be billed as hourly coaching at 50% of the the standard hourly consulting rate published on the Services page of the website.

  • Hourly Packages: Add hours at the effective per-hour rate of the original hourly package.

7. Payment Timing

Payment by wire transfer or credit card is due in full prior to the project commencement.

8. Confidentiality

You agree to keep all of our proprietary information confidential. Similarly, we will keep your information and our working relationship confidential.

9. Arbitration

If any claims or disputes arise that we can't resolve amicably, the parties agree to resolve them via arbitration in Los Angeles County, CA, using the services and Fast Track Rules of the American Arbitration Association.

10. Limitation of Liability

You agree that Cormney Consulting and our consultants' total aggregate liability for any and all disputes arising out of this agreement and/or in connection with this project is limited to the amount paid by you.

 

Click this link to view a Google Docs version of this agreement and version history. Cormney Consulting Terms & Conditions