Fortuna Admissions | MBA Admissions Consultants

Six months ago, I had just taken the GMAT and decided to go all-in for Round 1 for the class of 2022. I figured I needed all of the help I could get and started to contact all of the consultants I could find. I spoke with probably a dozen, some said I’d get in, others said I wouldn’t. I got the same questions about my GMAT scores, what I wanted to do with my MBA and who would write my recommendations. It sounds cliché, but one was different, and that was Karen. She tried to understand me as a person and what led me to my current path. She made no promises about where I would get in or not get in, but she did say we would try our best together and see where we ended up, which resonated with me.

During the application process, Karen served as a mentor, proofreader, guide, therapist, and cheerleader. She kept me on pace as I entered a busy time at work and kept me focused on the parts of the application that would have the biggest impact. We exchanged hundreds of emails at all times of the day and night, and I knew whenever I sent Karen something, she would review it in-depth and promptly. She pushed me to put forward my best and let me know when she thought that I could do better. She worked with me to personalize every single aspect of my application to highlight the traits that make me who I am. With other consultants, there’s no way we would have reached the depth needed to present my story as effectively.

Without Karen’s help, I can confidently say that I wouldn’t have come close to reaching the goal I set when I started down the path of applying to business school. If you’re on this page and considering working with her, I’d stop right now and get in contact with her before her class fills up.

I was on the fence about whether to work with a consultant for my MBA applications and finally made a decision to go for it just 3 weeks before my Round 1 deadlines. Working with Sharon was such a great experience and I am so glad I made the decision to do it. I was thrilled to hear that got into MIT Sloan which was one of my top choices!!

Sharon is incredibly perceptive and did a great job at getting up to speed on what I was thinking. I had already done quite a bit of the prep work at getting applications ready so really appreciated her honest take on how many hours would be helpful and what type of support might be the most useful to get me over the finish line. It was great to have her as a sounding board to get answers to my random questions and think through the final details.

I got interviews at both schools I applied to in Round 1 and went back to Sharon for a few more hours of interview prep. She gave really insightful feedback on how to position myself for a few questions I had been struggling with in my independent prep and notes on personal presentation that were great to keep in mind during the interviews.

Overall, I highly recommend working with Sharon – she is super organized, offers quick and thoughtful responses, and could not have been easier to coordinate with even though I was in Kenya. It was a really great experience and helped so much with making the stressful process of applying to schools much more manageable!

I signed up to work with Heidi several months ago after an initial video call. Coming from an over-represented background with a “traditional” career path as a South Asian male engineer, I knew that it was not going to be easy. Heidi helped me focus on my career vision/why MBA story and worked with me on bringing out and selling my strengths. This definitely allowed me to stand out in the admissions process.

The best part about working with Fortuna was that through Heidi I was connected to the resume review expert and my profile/application strategy was vetted by other veteran consultants. The access to the entire team and their opinions is extremely helpful.

Heidi also brainstormed essay topics with me and focused on my voice and what I believed in rather than what the admissions committee wanted to hear. She also prepared me for my admissions interview and I was super ready on interview day!

In the end I was admitted to a M7 program where I will be matriculating next fall. Thank you for your help!

I decided to work with Fortuna based on a friend’s recommendation. The first challenge there was choosing a coach. Fortuna has a long list of seasoned and experienced coaches. After talking to a couple of them, I knew that Brittany was the one. You can see from her bio that she has tons of experience, but it’s the way she talks about the application process and her work style that made me confident I will be in good hands. She breaks down what is usually an intimidating process for candidates into small exercises. You start doing a few tasks here and there, and before you know it, you have 80% of your essays done. Brittany is very responsive, between me and her, we were so efficient to the extent that we had 95% of the applications done a month before the deadlines. This allowed me to prep further and take the GRE again, where I got my best score.

I applied to two of the top three MBA programs, and was accepted into both! Brittany had a big role to play in that success. Before applying I knew I had a good profile, but she had a great way of connecting the different experiences I had and helping me craft the perfect story, which was key for a successful application.

After having unsuccessful admission in Round 2 in 2018, I reached out to Fortuna Admissions for help to apply in R1 to top 15 US B Schools. They connected me with Catherine as they thought that we would be a good fit and she can be a great guide considering my profile. Today I can say that they couldn’t be surer.

She was very systematic in her approach and knew what the applicants’ strengths were and how to leverage them. She was always ready to talk to on any aspect of the application and that is what I was looking for. I wanted to work with a consultant who believed in more personal interaction/attention and did not want communication just over mail. And Catherine was exactly like that.

We started working on Resume and she made sure that every bullet point highlighted my key strengths and impact I had at work and in community involvement. After we worked on my resume we started working on essays. What I really liked about her was that she ensured that every word in an essay was making sense and answered the question that was asked in the essay. Further, she was very punctual and quick in giving feedback. She always submitted the feedback on each aspect within 36-48 hrs at max. This allowed me to make as many changes as possible and do more and more research on my goals possible. This was game-changer as from my experience of two admission rounds I feel that having good research on ST/LT goals, Why MBA and Why particular B school allowed me to weave “watertight” stories and finally helped me to secure admission to a top B school.

Further, she helped me in structuring my essays and we were able to highlight the right aspects of my background and tell a meaningful and authentic story. After going through one unsuccessful and one successful application process I can say that it is because of her meticulous and committed efforts I could get admit from Duke Fuqua and Ross – my top choices and Interview Invite from CBS. While working with her I felt that I was working with a professional consultant but more than that it felt more like a friend and guide who really wanted me to secure admit to top schools. I would encourage prospective applicant who is looking for not just an MBA consultant but a guide, mentor and most importantly friend to work with Catherine. I am glad to have her on my side.

I also thank the entire team of Fortuna Admission for their back end support.

I had a great experience working with Jessica Chung at Fortuna on consulting for my MBA applications. Jessica was always quick to respond as I asked her questions throughout the process and helped keep timelines on track so I never felt overwhelmed. She did a great job not only editing my essays and resume but in helping craft my overall admissions story and brainstorm ideas for essay topics that would differentiate me from other applicants. I applied to three schools, got interviews at all three, and have so far been accepted to two with major fellowship offers! I would definitely recommend working with her.

I first started my business school process without a consultant. I applied to 8 different schools and got denied by all 8 without 1 interview invitation. I realized that I needed to do something different and did some research online about MBA consultants. I chose the top 3 consultants based on reviews and had a preliminary call with all 3. Fortuna was far and beyond the most impressive, not just in terms of knowledge, but in terms of optimism and energy. I knew it was the right fit. I was given Judith Hodara for Wharton. I cannot say how grateful I am for the work she did on my application. I have probably spoken to her on the phone for 50 hours at this point! I would even joke that she was my therapist. Judith takes the time to really get to know her clients so she can shape each application in a unique way. The relentlessness Judith demonstrated in the pursuit to get me into a school was nothing short of astonishing. She went above and beyond what I asked of her and next fall I am headed to Wharton. If you are considering any top tier business school I implore you to give Fortuna a shot, you will not be disappointed.

I was fortunate to work with Heidi in preparation for my Stanford GSB interview preparation. Up until this point in the process, I had not used a consultant. But having secured an interview, I wanted to ensure that I maximized my chance to seal the deal. Heidi is clearly well versed in the MBA application process generally, but particularly so in the nuances of Stanford’s evaluation process. We did two video sessions. She first gave me a clear picture of what to expect, what particular questions Stanford often asks, etc. We then went through an interview and debrief where she candidly highlighted my best anecdotes and in what contexts they may apply, along with potential pitfalls or dead spots to avoid. I generally feel pretty good about interviewing, but nonetheless went into the GSB interview feeling more confident and prepared than I otherwise would’ve. This past week I received my admissions offer from GSB and am grateful — I am budget-conscious, but the investment I made with Heidi absolutely paid off.

Working with Fortuna was a great experience overall. My first Skype call with Matt went for 1.5 hours and we walked a lot about my background and the potential coaches he thought would be a good fit. I had my first discussion with one of the Fortuna coaches but didn’t really feel any connection with them. After I provided feedback to Matt, he organized another discussion with Melissa. (All of this before I had paid anything!)

I had an excellent experience working with Melissa. She helped me identify the strongest aspects of my personal story and craft a coherent, concise and strong application. She always responded promptly to my communications and worked within my own timelines.

I only applied for INSEAD and Melissa shared with me INSEAD specific insights and Fortuna material crafted specifically for INSEAD applicants as well. In the end, I was accepted to my dream school and am very thankful for Melissa’s support on my journey.

Taniel is really excellent. He’s a young guy, but very sharp and has a keen eye for detail. He is responsive, excellent at essay iteration, and I thought my mock interview with him was the best preparation for the HBS interview I could have asked for. I highly recommend working with Taniel.

I am extremely grateful for Fortuna Admission’s contribution to my recent acceptance to the INSEAD MBA program. As this was the only program I was interested in and applying to, I wanted to make sure every aspect of my application was as good as it could be. After an introductory call with Matt, I was paired with Cassandra as my coach.

Cassandra was extremely easy to talk to and helpful right from the start. Through an in-depth learning phase, she got to know my whole story. Afterward, she was in a great position to tell me what to highlight and what to focus on in the different components of the application. I think having an outside, experienced view was extremely helpful when structuring the flow and focus of the many essays.

After a few rounds of iterations, I was able to submit an application I was proud of. Additionally, she was able to give advice and help me practice for the video and in-person interview parts of the process.

I would definitely recommend Cassandra and Fortuna for those looking to go to INSEAD!

I had the pleasure of working with Karen for my Masters in Finance program application. Karen was very helpful throughout the entire process. She was extremely professional and always made herself available to answer any questions I had. I received my acceptance to the program and Karen’s guidance and knowledge definitely played a major role in this experience. I highly recommend her services to anyone seeking to dramatically increase their odds of success.

Melissa has done an excellent job helping me crafting perfect essays and CV, which led to admission to two top European BS. She was also very helpful in fast reviewing my works with tight deadlines.
I have really enjoyed working with her, and I would definitely recommend her!

A colleague who got admitted to INSEAD recommended Fortuna to me. Cassandra made me feel very comfortable during our first conversation and I thought I could work well with her. Cassandra and the entire Fortuna team have superb insight into the admissions process, particularly for LBS and INSEAD, and work very hard to bring out your story and differentiate it from other applicants. This was particularly relevant for me as I come from an overrepresented applicant pool. The process was very intense and comprehensive – Fortuna asks you to fill out a positioning doc before you start which is really helpful later on in the process. Despite tight deadlines and multiple iterations, Cassandra was always available on email and phone to provide inputs and guidance. Even during the interview phase, Cassandra took several mock interviews to make sure I was comfortable with all sorts of questions. No one can substitute the hard work that candidates themselves have to put into a successful application but Fortuna can definitely help you utilize your time efficiently and give your effort the right direction.

As I was planning to apply in the last round of INSEAD, I looked for a consultant that would help me make my application and profile stood out from the candidate’s pool. As I searched for the perfect match, I found Fortuna Admissions. Their experience with my target school and the good reviews of each consultant convinced me to go sign up with them.
I was matched with Cassandra. During our sessions, she worked with me to find the right words to show the admission committee that I was a great fit for the program. Cassandra nailed it when it came to present my essays. Even though I spent time working on them, they still lacked the “Wow” effect I needed. Cassandra asked me insightful questions and did her best to understand my professional history.
During the interview mockups, she asked me thoughtful questions that were like the ones I had during the real interviews.
Thank you Cassandra, for your help and advice which made me gain admission to my dream school.

Right from the start, she truly made an effort to understand my backstory, my work experience, extracurriculars as well as my intention to attend business school and my future goals. Afterward, she would constantly provide me with specific suggestions, given my profile, on how to best prepare for my applications, particularly on my essays.
I worked with Michel for about a year because the first time I applied to business schools I didn’t get into the schools I was aiming, but after a very successful reapplication, I was able to get into my dream school (an M7 school).
There are three things I really appreciate about working with Michel: 1) she’s quick, 2) she always knows what to do and 3) she’s genuinely on your corner. I highly appreciate that Michel she was always quick on getting back to me with concrete answers and great suggestions on how to further improve my applications.

I started working with Jessica about a month before my application deadlines and was looking at 6 different top tier schools. Given I had a sub 3.0 GPA and 6 school applications to complete in one month, I knew the odds were stacked against me, especially since I needed to have every part of my application perfect to make up for the lackluster GPA. I looked around at reviews for admissions consultants and immediately came across Jessica’s profile and decided to work with her.

During that month, Jessica worked tirelessly with me to make sure every aspect of my application was top notch. Her experience and guidance were both invaluable and knowing my tight deadline, she would always get back to me on questions or comments within 24 hours. She is also very easy to talk to and will be honest with your strengths and weaknesses. I can’t thank her enough for working so hard to make sure my applications were perfect.

On a more personal note, one thing I would like to point out that makes Jessica stand out is that she genuinely cares about wanting to help you out. Trust me when I say this makes all the difference in the world. Not only does it make it so much more enjoyable to work with her, but it also strengthens the end result of the overall application.

Despite my low GPA, I ended up getting into my top choice of school. No matter which school you are planning to apply to, I wholeheartedly recommend Jessica.

The first thing I’ll say is that I only worked with Sharon for 2 hours, so the fact that I’m writing a review is a testament to how amazing I found Sharon to be and how valuable I found her services.

I purchased the 2-hour hourly service package through Fortuna 3 days before the deadline for one of my schools (top 10). Given the tight timeline, Matt (the founder) immediately connected me with Sharon, and we got the ball rolling right away.

I originally only wanted an admissions consultant to review one of my three essays that I felt the most uncertain about – expecting maybe a couple of recommendations on content and a few word choice edits. However, Sharon went above and beyond. She reviewed all of my essays and helped me improve each one. She really understood the essence of each question and what the school was trying to get at. She not only highlighted aspects of my essays that she liked, which was very reassuring & a great confidence boost, but also gave me incisive feedback on places where I wasn’t hitting the mark. We went through a few iterations until both of us felt like my essays were submission-ready.

Overall, Sharon was so pleasant to work with. She’s funny, positive, and laid-back. She’s quick to turn around comments and really flexible with her timing. I would 100% recommend Sharon to anyone looking to bolster their application.

Whether you’re just starting to work on your applications for your dream school, or you’re well down the line of writing applications, the thought of working with an admissions consultant has probably crossed your mind. It certainly crossed mine. After speaking meeting Matt Symonds about my MBA goals at Centre Court MBA Festival in London (an excellent event!), he recommended I work With Cassandra Pittman.

I started off with an 8-hour package to work on my application in Round 4 at my top schools. After securing interviews at both my top schools, I then decided to keep working with Cassandra for my interviews. Aside from helping me with the ‘basics’ like my revamp my CV and giving me valuable insights into the admissions process at my top schools, Cassandra helped me shape and build my application story. This last part was invaluable, not only in my applications but also once I started my MBA. I am happy to say I was offered a place at both my top schools!

Cassandra goes above and beyond to help you bring the best possible application. From day one we worked on highlighting and identifying my unique skills and profile and translating them into a stellar application. I highly recommend Cassandra and the Fortuna team!

I really enjoyed working with Fortuna in general, and with Melissa as my coach. My first phone conversation with Matt was extremely insightful and he gave me a very realistic view of how my profile would fit with each of my target schools and which areas of my profile were great fits and which areas I would need to make sure to polish. My top school was INSEAD and working with Melissa, who had previously worked with the school in Admissions, was really great. She knew so much about what the school was looking for and helped me shape my personal story and organize and portray my accomplishments in the way that would make my profile most appealing to the school. Melissa and the Fortuna team were extremely detail oriented, helping me make sure my C.V. and essays were perfect after multiple rounds of revisions and really knew how to help me present my story in the best way possible. The work I did also made all of my other applications and later the video and in-person interviews that much easier because I had already done the hard work and soul searching and was very clear about my reasons, my future path, and my message for business school. Anyone considering if a consultant or spending the money is worth it to help them get into business school, I would highly recommend Fortuna, and especially Melissa if you’re targeting INSEAD. Without the professionalism and clear guidance I received, I wouldn’t have gotten accepted into my European MBA program!

Like many of you reading this review, I went through the process of deciding whether or not I should engage a consultant and if so, which one I should choose out of a plethora of well-rated firms. Karen Hamou and the Fortuna team stood out to me through their willingness to strategize my MBA approach from the get-go and help position my candidacy as a non-traditional applicant.
Over the course of the past few months that I have worked with Karen, she has helped me set GMAT targets, curate recommender briefs, revamp my resume, and refine my essays into stories that effectively communicated my experiences and accomplishments to the adcoms. Because I had little exposure to the business world, it was difficult for me to translate my professional and extracurricular experiences into a b-school application format. Karen was an incredible coach throughout the whole process and helped me transform my rhetoric into powerful leadership stories. Like others have shared, Karen was always punctual for our meetings and replied to inquiries or draft reviews in a timely manner, often within the span of a few hours.
I was further impressed not only by the hands-on support from Karen but also from the rest of the Fortuna team. During my initial consultation, Matt helped gauge my profile and connected me with a consultant that would best match my needs. Judith stepped in throughout the app process to lend her valuable admissions expertise and also provided critical feedback during final reviews of my app materials.
I am happy to say that I have already received successful outcomes as a result of our work together and feel that the process would have been much more difficult without Karen and the team’s support. As a final note, If you, as an applicant, can bring competitive test scores and experiences that are aligned with your target schools, I confidently recommend Karen’s and the Fortuna team’s services to greatly increase your chances of admission to top schools.

Obtaining the Comprehensive School Package from Fortuna was one of the best decisions I made when I was applying for my MBA. Their approach to the application was organized and communication with my coach, Nonie, was highly efficient.

Nonie went above and beyond my expectations of her role as my coach. She was very thorough and diligent in giving feedback on all aspects of my application. What I appreciate most about Nonie was that she was very patient and sincere. She regularly checked up on me as to how I was doing with my application (essays, recommendation letters) and even my GMAT.

I highly recommend Nonie and Fortuna for their MBA application services.

Cassandra was pivotal in developing my story for my MBA applications. Coming from an over-represented background with below average GMAT score at my target schools, I needed significant help to make up the gap for admissions. Cassandra helped me create stand-out applications that got me an acceptance at my target school.

Developing a coherent and persuasive story for the traditional 2-year MBA programs in the U.S. was critical for my application process. Cassandra, with the occasional inputs from Emma Bond, spent a lot of time and effort in creating an effective narrative based on my diverse work history, skills and multi-cultural background.

Attending CBS has always been a dream of mine. Once I finished the GMAT, I knew what my MBA goals were, but found myself struggling to create a cohesive ‘story’. I reached out to a few admissions consultants to see if I could get help.
I decided to work with Karen Hamou at Fortuna. From our first call knew I had made the right decision. Not only was she extremely knowledgeable about the schools I was applying to but had the unique ability to take my muddled experiences, interests, goals, and dreams and help me create a coherent and captivating story. She truly has a gift for connecting the dots and seeing things from a holistic point of view.
I chose the comprehensive school package and it was well worth the price. Karen helped me transform my resume, craft my story, strategize my recommenders, edit my essays, and prepare for my interview. Other members of the Fortuna team also took a look at my resume, essays, and application, which was really helpful in getting another perspective.
Karen was also extremely thorough and responsive. I would oftentimes send things late at night and would wake up to find her edits and responses. I was truly blown away by her work ethic.
Karen pushed me to apply in July so that I would receive a decision in August. That way I would know my answer before having to start any other applications. Well, she was absolutely right! Her guidance saved me countless hours and a whole lot of stress.
I cannot recommend Karen and the Fortuna team enough. They really pushed me to be the best version of myself, and I don’t think I would have attained the same success without them!

This was my second time applying to business school. Judith and her team helped me reflect on what went wrong the first time, hone my story, and think deeply about my goals for business school and post-graduation. Her feedback was exact and encouraging throughout the entire process. Thank you, Judith!

After having completed the GMAT, TOEFL, getting recommenders on board, etc. I found myself at a huge roadblock at writing essays and completing the remaining content for my applications. Especially as someone foreign to US-style application, it was difficult for me to hit the right tone and narrow down my key selling points for the respective schools.
After talking to some companies, I decided to get support from Fortuna Admissions as I felt they saw the person behind the application rather than just the numbers. I was lucky to have been put in touch with Karen as she cared for my success and always went the extra mile for me.
Getting her on board immediately increase the pace that I was moving forward with and elevated the overall quality by helping me to find the right personal focus points. Karen was highly efficient and I would usually get her feedback within a few hours. Sending in the applications, knowing that this was my best effort, was a great feeling. Karen was also there for me once interview invitations came in to prepare me accordingly. I am not sure I could have made it into Haas without her experience. If you have ambitious goals, I can highly recommend Karen as a coach, as she will get the best out of you!

Karen at Fortuna is an amazing consultant, and I could not have asked for a better person to help me with the overwhelming process of applying to business school. My situation was unique because my decision to work with a consultant came very late in the application process. Some consultants probably would have been turned off by me as a client in this respect, but Karen did not hesitate in taking me on. As we began working together, Karen was always very responsive to my emails; if I sent her a draft of an essay at night after work, she always provided comments by the next day. And when I received interview invitations from schools, she was proactive and available to help me prep at any time that was most convenient for me and for however long I needed. But her speed was not at the expense of the quality of her comments. Karen is extremely knowledgeable about the application processes for all the schools that I applied to, and she provided very thoughtful, school-specific advice on my essays, short answer responses, and interview responses. In our mock interviews, she helped make my responses more crisp and suggested ways that I could weave in important elements of my story. Her comments on every major aspect of my application were crucial in helping me develop and craft my story so that I conveyed it eloquently to the admissions committees. Karen is a pleasure to work with, both professionally and personally, and I highly recommend her and Fortuna to anyone applying to business school.

When I decided to apply to INSEAD, I knew that I would need expert guidance for the application journey. I reached out to a handful of admissions consultants, but Fortuna Admissions stood out for me because of its ‘dream team’ of former admissions directors from top business schools, especially from those outside the US. Who would be better placed to offer MBA admissions advice than the MBA admissions gatekeepers themselves?
After reaching out to Fortuna, I was subsequently paired with Melissa and during our first call, she thoroughly reviewed and analyzed my profile, providing a fair assessment of my strengths and weaknesses from an admissions director perspective. She then helped to develop an overall application strategy that would not only highlight my strengths but also compensate for my weaknesses.
Melissa’s insight helped me to navigate the essay writing and video interview parts of the application. INSEAD requires a relatively large number of essays – about 7 essays – some of which have no word limits. As a result, it was a challenge for me to select the best stories for these essays and communicate them in the best way possible. It was Melissa’s feedback on my draft essays that helped me to select, refine and communicate my story in a concise but impactful way. Melissa also prepped me for the video interview component of the application through a mock session. Her practical feedback, advise and suggestions helped me to improve my performance, boost my confidence and eventually succeed at the video interview stage.
I subsequently progressed to the face-to-face interview stage and although I did not purchase a detailed face-to-face interview prep package, Melissa shared INSEAD-specific interview prep materials which helped me to understand not only how to prepare for the interview but also how the interviews would be evaluated.
After the interview stage, I was placed on the waitlist and this was difficult news for me. Understanding the difficulty of the situation, Melissa offered lots of encouragement and this enabled me to maintain an optimistic outlook despite the uncertainty of the situation. Melissa then worked with me to craft and execute an effective waitlist strategy, and periodically checked in with me to monitor how things had progressed. Eventually, I was excited to receive an offer from the school with a scholarship!
Overall, I consider Melissa’s advice, insight and perspective to be critical to my successful application to INSEAD. She is a good listener, an encourager and great to work with. She showed that she was genuinely interested in my success as a candidate and I would highly recommend her services to anyone considering the INSEAD MBA.

I worked with Heidi over two application cycles (i.e., I am a re-applicant). A few things that really stood out from my engagements with Heidi: her responsiveness, her attention to detail, her genuine interest in my story. I started my 2019 application a bit late. But thanks to Heidi’s responsiveness and her relentless support in my somewhat last-minute plans, we were able to put our best foot forward. Throughout the process, I could always rely on her to be a thoughtful and productive thought partner, who could help me disentangle any roadblocks I encountered. Whenever we hopped on a call, she would ask thoughtful questions and pushed my thinking to the next level. She also pushed me to NOT think about what the adcom would want to hear but instead focus on putting the best version of myself in every element of my application.

I would highly recommend Heidi for those who are interested in putting together a reflective and thoughtful application. No, she will not write your application for you, but she will push you to think deeper and reflect on your professional and personal experiences — and how they can potentially inform the type of work, leader, and impact you would want to make to people around you. By understanding this, you would not only be able to put together a compelling application but also discover your passion and better understand yourself.

Thank you, Heidi, for all your help! I couldn’t have made it without your help.

I had been waitlisted by IMD and INSEAD and eventually admitted by both.
Caroline went through my application and gave me a great suggestion on the strategy to take. I do not believe that a consultant can do the magic and get you in your favorite program if your application is not good enough, but they can certainly help you improve a few things, and Caroline had been great at doing so!!!
Thanks a lot =)

If you’re looking to get into LBS there’s really only Emma Bond who you need to work with! I came across Emma after reviewing a couple of consultancy websites. As Emma worked as a senior member of the admissions committee at London Business School working with her was sort of a no-brainer.
I already had written all my essays and filled out most of my application, but I felt like I wanted a second pair of eyes to perfect my application and also guide me to frame my somewhat lower GMAT score, compared to the schools average. The process of working with Emma was easy and rewarding. She would send across her mark-ups and provide guidance at all times throughout the process. Emma is a perfectionist and went well out of her way to ensure that I had an application that stood out – she will ensure that by the time the application goes out that it is nothing short of perfect. I found it particularly helpful that I was able to contact her via Whatsapp throughout the day and her quick response time. Additionally, Emma is still very well connected within LBS and is well aware of what the admissions team is looking for, which is absolutely crucial in crafting a flawless application!
Joining LBS MBA program is a dream come true and I truly believe that Emma was a major contributing factor that made that dream happen!! Needless to say, I would choose Emma and Fortuna again!

I would not have been accepted without Karen’s help. When we first started working together on my applications, Karen really helped me clarify my career goals and craft a compelling, authentic personal story, and I landed multiple interviews. During interview preparation, Karen gave honest feedback and was exceptionally encouraging, and I went into every interview with a real shot. When I ended up getting amazing offers from top schools, Karen shared her perspective and allowed me to make the right decision. At every step of this journey, Karen offered me valuable insight and unwavering support. Overall, it was such a pleasure working with her. I would 100% recommend Karen to anyone who aims to join a top-tier MBA program.

I chose Fortuna because I felt like it has an unparalleled knowledge of European Business schools and I wasn’t disappointed!

Working with Melissa has been a pleasure: she was very available, responded fast and with customized suggestions. The thing I liked the best about her counsel is that the work that came out was very genuine and represented me 100%: pushing me gently, she brought out the best in me while keeping my authenticity.

Without her assistance, I would have not been as strong a candidate (admitted to all the schools I applied to) so I would definitely recommend her to any applicant.

I think the title sums it up. Sure there’s a monetary cost to hiring a consultant, but I can definitely say that for me, working with Michel was worth it. Your experience and circumstances will be different from mine, but Michel will know how to help you to bring out a more compelling story to tell the AdCom.
I did not get a comprehensive school package, but rather the hourly services for help on my essay. Her advice was valuable in making my essays more coherent and logical. She didn’t do the thinking for me since my story is really my own, but she asked me about why I chose to share certain experiences or how I could connect experiences to the overall story I was trying to tell.
She helped me take my essay from “good” quality to “admit” quality.

Oh, and she was very pleasant to work with and usually responded quickly. =)

Michel and the whole Fortuna team were thorough, thoughtful and very helpful. Michel provided valuable guidance and insight throughout the process from data forms to essays to waitlist strategy. Her deep experience helped me create a holistic application and “story” that would resonate with each of the schools I applied to. In the end, I decided on Columbia Business School, and couldn’t be more excited! I would definitely recommend working with Michel and the Fortuna team, to have a team of experienced advisors on your side throughout a competitive and often stressful process.

It has been great to work with Melissa. Without her help, I would not get through all these troubles and get admitted by several great schools. She has provided insight and vision throughout the whole process–school list, essay, interview prep–with great patience and responsiveness. Her feedbacks are candid and direct, and she would guide you through the hard times. Beyond that, she would bring the Fortuna expert team to help you in every part of the process–it really feels like you have the whole team rooting for you. At the end of the day, I know that I gave everything I can during the application–thanks to Melissa. I would highly suggest working with Melissa: she would guild you through all–things expected and unexpected.

I contacted Karen 36 hours before the merit-based deadline for Columbia Business School. I initially thought my application was strong but after getting it reviewed by one more person, they insisted that I contact Fortuna. Now typically, 36 hours is not enough time to edit 4 essays and a resume. However, Karen worked expeditiously to give me consistent feedback until we were comfortable with my admissions package. We made the deadline with much time to spare. The most impressive thing about the entire process is that Karen helped me enhance my content without changing the core of what I was trying to relay to the admissions committee. I don’t know if this can ever be proven, but I can honestly say that the input Karen provided me in those 36 hours played a significant role in my admission to Columbia. I cannot thank Karen enough for the quick and efficient turnaround! When the rest of my friends start this MBA admissions process, I will 100% send them to Karen and Fortuna.

I was always very clear that I wanted to get into Wharton. I did my preliminary research on consulting firms and consultants who had strong connections to Wharton. After I read about Judith, I was very keen on working with Fortuna. I reached out to them and finally spoke to Matt. After that, I had no doubt in my mind that they were the team I wanted to work with. Judith oversaw my essays, recommendations, and even the interview prep. She is extremely supportive and encouraging, which is something you need over and above the application work. It was a delight to work with her and I do credit the team for my success. The team at Fortuna is exceptional and highly recommended. I wish them all the luck.

Fortuna – easily one of the best admissions consultant teams, by far, if not the best.
Emma – one of the most experienced, honest, and incisive consultants.
My Fortuna team was Emma and Amy (Amy’s review written separately).

My first contact with Fortuna was an honest, in-depth, and heartfelt conversation with Emma. I knew then and there she was whom I wanted to work with. She took the time to get to know me and my story and I could see her mind working straight away.
Emma’s years of experience, solid expertise as a coach and intimate understanding of the applicant selection process (especially at LBS) shone through and through at every step of the process. As the director of my application – she guided the overall strategy and read through each and every aspect of my application as the “LBS Gatekeeper” ie with the finest tooth comb and highlighted small, subtle aspects that I would have never identified by myself. She always added that back to the bigger picture and ensured my personality was well elucidated in the application.

She took the time to get to know my personality, my story, my motivations (both personal and professional) and pushed me to always put my best foot forward in every aspect of the application and interview process. What I really loved about Emma were her helpful pep talks before the interview and her calming debriefs post interview. Further, I was a re-applicant to LBS and Emma really drilled down into each and every aspect of how I had strengthened my profile – including areas I would not have thought about. What I truly admire about Emma is her no-nonsense honesty – it helps so much and saves so much time when writing an MBA essay, which is already a very involved, reflective journey.

If LBS is your dream school, I cannot recommend Emma highly enough.
If top b-schools are among your choices, I cannot recommend Fortuna enough.
And a final word about Matt Symonds – he is as astute as he is kind, and his team at Fortuna is the same.
Whichever school, you can’t go wrong with Fortuna.

Working with Karen was a fantastic experience overall! I had worked with other consultants prior to switching to Karen and her work was more thorough and customized. Not surprisingly, the results were better as well. Karen always responded to messages in a timely fashion and was happy to dig in to the details. In addition, I had several strategy questions regarding scholarships, waitlists, and small tweaks to important emails, all of which she answered right away without pinching pennies on a few minutes here and there. Perhaps most importantly, I felt like she sincerely cared about my goals and helping me tell an authentic story.

When I started looking for a admissions consultant for the purpose of my application to Schools of Business in the US offering specialized Master of Sciences programs in Innovation and Entrepreneurship, I stumbled upon a series of articles in Forbes magazine, which specifically mentioned Fortuna Admissions. From that point, I understood that it is a serious company worth working with.

When Fortuna offered me a list of their consultants I noted that Jessica had an extensive experience with universities in the SoCal area where I wanted to apply.

After an introductory call, I realized that Jessica would be the perfect consultant to work with during my application process.

Jessica proved to be a very knowledgeable, professional and easy to communicate with a person. She correctly understood my background, career goals and motivations. This broad picture of my profile helped her give valuable advice on additions and corrections made to my CV, essays and other application documents.

Jessica’s reaction to my questions was carried out in a very prompt and timely manner.

Besides Jessica’s exceptional professional qualities I would like to highlight her polite manners and wonderful communication skills which made working with her a pleasure.

Finally, I would like to thank Jessica for her important contribution to my successful admission to the top-pick university in my list of options.

Thank you for helping my dream come true!

This was my second go-at-it. And I came to Fortuna needing help to figure out where I went wrong the first time around. Speaking with Judith and Matt, I was able to drill down to what parts of my story were lacking and how to communicate the salient parts of my personal and professional trajectory in a way that would resonate with an audience. Judith was very helpful in helping me find my story and tell it. She helped in editing my drafts and made recommendations that I would not have been capable of conjuring on my own. Thanks to her and Fortuna’s help, I got accepted at an M7 school with > 50% tuition scholarship and waitlisted at another M7 school.

Judith is easily the best consultant I have worked with so far. I applied to Wharton in 2017 and Judith guided me throughout the process. She helped me tremendously in preparing for the Team-Based Discussion and the Healthcare Management Interview. She did these practice interviews numerous times to ensure that I was very well prepared and I was. I was very impressed with her level of insight into the application process and her patience with me on getting grips on the interview and application process.

Not only did she help me during the interview process, but she also helped me in drafting a “Killer” essay to impress the admissions team ultimately getting me an interview at Wharton, which I initially thought was impossible, but Judith made it very much possible.

Besides the skill and expertise that Judith brings to the table, she was also a Head of MBA Admissions at Wharton, setting her apart from her peers. That is a position that most consultants do not have and this was one of the reasons I decided to work with her.

For me, Judith and the Fortuna Admissions Team are simply the most qualified for MBA applications. They provide an excellent service that is nonpareil compared to their peers.

I worked with Judith on the Wharton group interview and off the bat, I knew she was invested in my success and extremely knowledgeable about the process, what they were looking for, and how to prepare. I especially appreciated her patience and honesty in helping me hone my pitch. I was getting frustrated at what needed to be changed and she rallied through with follow-up calls to made sure I understood and got there. Couldn’t have gotten in without her!

Simply put, Sharon is awesome and she really knows how to navigate the MBA application process successfully and with the least amount of stress (trust me, this part is so important)! Her continuous guidance and support played a decisive role in my acceptance to Haas, Kellogg and Fuqua FT MBA programs and I am so grateful to Sharon for helping me realize my dream.
I approached Fortuna admissions about 6 weeks before my first deadline and I was immediately paired with Sharon. I was worried that we may not have enough time to complete all of my applications, but Sharon instantly put me at ease by clearly outlining our timeline and strategy for each individual application. At this point, it is worth mentioning that I worked with other consultants before and their “tick-the-box” approach really damaged my previous applications. But from my very first call with Sharon, I knew that this experience will be nothing like before and can only yield success.
In the beginning, Sharon spent time to really learn as much as possible about myself. I’m a bit of an introvert, but Sharon’s genuine goodness and desire to help put my best foot forward really helped me open up, making the process of pinning down my narrative effortless and enjoyable. This task was also helped by CliftonStrengths assessment; I never actually thought what my strengths were before taking this test and it was great having Sharon walk me through my results. Learning my strengths and weaknesses really helped me stay on track and keep a single theme throughout my application process. It also proved to be beneficial during my interview as I effortlessly answered strengths/weakness questions.
Sharon’s ability to deliver the message fully yet concisely is second to none and I have absolutely no doubt that without her guidance on my essays, I wouldn’t be moving to California this coming August! She was always honest and constructive with her feedback and I really appreciated her flexibility with scheduling our calls (we had 7-hour difference between us). Sharon had no problem with scheduling multiple calls during the week, which made an entire process very efficient and allowed us to create multiple essay drafts throughout the week. This really boosted my applications and I was able to finish all of my essays a few days before their respective deadlines, which definitely reduced my level of stress.
Sharon has an in-depth knowledge of the b-school application process, which made interview preparations very efficient. She knew specifics of each individual school, questions they may ask and theme I should focus on to really stand out during my assessment.
Every single aspect of Sharon’s service was amazing, whether it was helping me with my essays, or preparing me for the interviews, or even helping me successfully navigate a gruesome waitlist process, she was always outstanding. But one thing that really made my experience of working with Sharon stand out is the fact that she truly cared about me and, more than anything, wanted to see me succeed. Trust me, very, very few people would pause their vacation in Europe just to check how your Fuqua interview went. Sharon also gave me personal recommendations about things to do in pretty much every city I interviewed in, so I could really explore the place where I may spend my next few years of life. This genuine care about her clients, as well as her willingness to go above and beyond, are the qualities that make Sharon stand out among all other talented MBA consultants. I can wholeheartedly recommend Sharon and I will be referring Sharon to my friends who are seeking to do an MBA in the future.
Thank you, Sharon!!

I had the pleasure of working with Melissa Jones at Fortuna regarding one of my applications for a top European business school (think INSEAD/ LBS). From the get-go, I knew that working with Melissa was the right choice, given the extremely fast turnaround, time took to respond to my general inquiry and application-specific emails. In terms of content, her feedback was always spot on, detailed, and personal. I could tell that her approach was very customized to my story and that she really took time to understand my background, my motive, and personal strengths & weaknesses. Melissa and Fortuna definitely met my expectations and I recommend her wholeheartedly.

Malvina and the Fortuna Admissions team made all the difference in my business school application process. She played a significant role in my acceptance to Wharton. She spent countless hours reviewing my resume and essays. Her feedback was honest, and she was always kind in her delivery. We spoke on the phone at least once a week for two months to review my progress. She also coached me through the team based discussion interview (TBD) process. The practice TBD interview was invaluable. It greatly increased my confidence when going into the real interview. I would not be where I am today without Malvina! Highly, highly recommend.

I chose to work with Sharon Joyce at Fortuna Admissions because after our initial informational conversation, I could tell right away that Sharon was the perfect combination of kind, sharp, supportive and realistic that I was looking for. She ended up being all of these things and more, and even sprinkled in a great amount of humor and needed sarcasm that brought some joy to the process.
We spoke on the phone at least once a week for several months during the process, and outside of these phone calls, Sharon was incredibly responsive over text and email, dedicating a lot of her time to help me prep or edit my work.
I came into the application process with a good idea of “Why an MBA” and “Why Now”, but Sharon really helped me craft and refine my story to help me stand out as a unique candidate. Her CliftonStrengths certification particularly helped with this, as it enhanced my ability to communicate my strengths and weaknesses effectively to admissions committees and interviewers.
I always trusted Sharon’s advice and appreciated her thoughtful questions based on her experience and knowledge. I valued her insights about being a female candidate in the MBA world, and her general excitement about getting more women through the admissions process. One of the biggest impacts Sharon had on my admissions journey was the guidance she provided when I was finalizing which schools to apply too and focus on. She knew that I really wanted to go this year and not wait another year to be admitted to the “perfect school”, and because of her honesty, expertise, and knowledge of the schools we put together a perfect list of targets for me and I am ultimately super thrilled with my acceptances.
When working on my interview prep and essays, she never hesitated to connect me to the larger Fortuna network, allowing me to get expert advice and editing from other coaches with knowledge of specific schools very quickly. I particularly appreciated the opportunity to practice for the Wharton Team-Based Interview with a group of other Fortuna “coachees” ahead of time led by Judith Silverman Hodara.
By the time I was applying and interviewing I felt confident that I was being guided in the right direction, was well-edited and buttoned up. Sharon helped me be “admissions committee ready” in a way that I could not have done by myself. I could not recommend Sharon more for others looking for help through the MBA process!

Jessica was responsive and efficient. Her background and experience helped me stay focused on my goal and understand situations from the admission’s office point of view.

Emma is such a fantastic consultant. She was always prompt when reviewing my essay drafts which, given I had left things rather late, was the difference between b-school this year or waiting a whole other year. She knew exactly which parts of my (rather unconventional) story to highlight and helped me to join the dots into a coherent narrative. I also appreciated her honesty with regards to my chances at the various schools that I wanted to apply to. Emma is very down-to-earth and will tell it like it is but will do so with a touch of humor that is really welcome during the crazy rollercoaster that is b-school applications!

Emma has a breadth of experience; she helped me with school selection, overall application strategy, essay editing, mock interviews, and scholarship negotiation. She is super knowledgeable about LBS but I also got into two M7 schools with scholarships with Emma’s help so she has many strings to her bow. I really cannot recommend Emma, and Fortuna, highly enough!