Gatehouse Admissions | MBA Admissions Consultants

Background: Mid-20s, Asian male, STEM major from top engineering school, 3.7 GPA, 760 GMAT.
Work experience: 3 years MBB consulting, 1 year healthtech operations.
Results: HBS admit (attending), Wharton admit.

I highly HIGHLY recommend working with Liza. She is hands down the best. Without her, I would not have gotten into my dream MBA program (HBS). I always knew HBS would be a bit of a crap-shoot, but I am confident that working with Liza flipped the odds completely in my favor.

I was initially hesitant to work with an admissions consultant, after having met with several others. Thankfully, I booked time with Liza. She was direct, thoughtful, and clearly had a ton of experience under her belt. I immediately knew that I wanted to work with her. It turned out to be the best decision I could have made during the whole process.

From the get-go, Liza was a crucial thought partner. She really forced me to dig deep and reflect on the decisions I have made throughout my life and why I was applying to business school, and more importantly, how I could concisely and convincingly share my story in my application. Her feedback was always insightful, actionable, and necessary–even when receiving more critical feedback, I felt fully supported, as Liza would always explain her perspective thoughtfully and coherently. She understands deeply the entire business school application and I always felt that I was in very capable hands. On top of everything, Liza held me accountable to a realistic timeline, and I never felt like I was scrambling at any point in the process.

When it came time for interviews, Liza and the Gatehouse team were extremely crucial in my preparation for the HBS interview. I will sound like a broken record by the end of this review, but I seriously would not have gotten in without Liza’s guidance and support. The level of detail we went into during my mock interviews was nearly identical to the types of interview questions I was asked in the actual interview.

If it’s not obvious by now, I believe that working with Liza is a no-brainer. If you are at all on the fence, please read her other reviews and let the results/personal experiences of others speak for themselves! I have personally sent several friends to meet with Liza already. 5 stars is not nearly enough; Liza breaks the scale.

Late 20s, white, female, ivy undergrad, banking / private equity background. I was extremely apprehensive about hiring a consultant in the first place given how pricey the services are across the board, but Liza had come heavily recommended to me by peers from banking / PE backgrounds and I can’t thank them enough. I got into HBS (attending) and Wharton and simply could not have done it without Liza.

Not only is Liza an exceptional editor who can really focus your body of writing to communicate exactly what you’re trying to get across, but she is also extremely creative, which is valuable for the work you do through the admissions process. Liza is a balanced cheerleader – pushing you to keep going in what is a slog of an application cycle without BS’ing you. Her enthusiasm and candor are truly invaluable in the months that you work with her.

In addition to being a great editor, Liza helps manage your process to ensure you’re staying on track. Applying while balancing a full-time workload and extra curriculars is challenging enough, and having Liza chart the course is very helpful.

Lastly, once interviews came around, Liza and the broader Gatehouse team were super mock-interviewers, focusing on the things that matter most and offering real-deal questions. Doing mock interviews with the Gatehouse team was another added bonus of working with Liza.

I truly can’t recommend her enough. Run, don’t walk, to work with her!

Background: Ivy undergrad, Consulting > Buyside, 760 GMAT, re-applicant (previously applied for 2+2)

Result: Admitted to HBS and Wharton

As a quant-oriented person, I was nervous about essay writing. Rachel guided me through the entire writing process and rounds of revisions. She helped tell my story in a way that highlighted my accomplishments, created a coherent narrative across my personal / professional life, and didn’t feel forced. For both schools, she coached me on what the adcoms are looking for – I didn’t realize how different my essays needed to be!

When I was given a “Further Consideration” status at HBS, Rachel helped steer me through the process. She gave me the direct feedback that I needed to put together the best overall package possible. This ultimately resulted in being accepted to both schools that Rachel helped me with (my top 2 choices)!

I cannot recommend Rachel enough – I would tell anyone applying to business school to look no further!

I worked with Mariesa on 1 MBA application. I come from a traditional finance background (IB -> PE), and Mariesa took the time to fully understand my motivations, career journey, and professional goals. Her thoughtful and direct feedback were instrumental in crafting my story and clearly articulating my post-MBA goals. As we discussed the essay, she helped me pull together themes from my previous school, personal, and work experiences to tell a cohesive story – she is incredible at spotting the common threads between different aspects of my life. We also worked together on my resume and interview preparation. She has deep expertise in what admissions committees are looking for when they review resumes. Her mock interviews and guidance developed my confidence going into the real interview, and I felt that I was able to tell my story in an authentic manner.

I applied to HBS and was admitted there. Mariesa’s guidance was instrumental in successfully navigating the application process; overall, I would highly recommend working with her.

Background: 2 years of Banking, 2 years of PE, 710 GMAT, Claremont McKenna undergrad with 3.6 GPA.

When signing up for a consultant, I did not know what to expect exactly. Rachel made the process incredibly easy and smooth for me. First thing Rachel did was truly get to know me. She took the time and effort to figure out my story to understand how we can make the best application possible. Rachel did not tell me to just do xyz, she really worked with me so I understood why we were doing what we were doing. This allowed me to tell the story that worked for me and my application. When working with Rachel, you realize how much work your application really needs if you want to make it the best application possible. The MBA process is incredibly competitive, so it is important to put yourself in the best position possible to succeed. I truly think that Rachel did that, and she truly got me to a place where I felt like I had the best application possible and also felt prepared for my interviews.

You will only get what you put into it, and Rachel really made me feel that I got all that i put into the process. Truly would not have done it any other way.

Simply put, Liza was incredible to work with and I would 100% recommend anybody applying to business school to work with her. The results speak for themselves – I got into Stanford, Harvard, Wharton and MIT – and Liza played a critical role in all of these outcomes.

Coming from a traditional finance route of investment banking and private equity, I initially didn’t feel differentiated from my peer group. While I had a strong GPA from a good undergraduate school, my GMAT was average for the business schools I was applying to. Liza helped me stand out. She worked extensively with me to help craft my story. Liza truly cares and the depth of her passion for her applicants manifests itself throughout the process from the initial consultation (where I got actionable, super specific advice) to the extensive interview preparation (where she probed all the hard questions known to come up on interviews). She worked tirelessly and creatively to ensure I could put my best foot forward for my applications. I really appreciated her direct, tactical advice – she never relied on broad strokes, but helped me think through things step by step.

Looking back on the experience, what felt unique about her approach was the depth and intensity in which we delved into my life experiences and future ambitions. This experience crystalized what I hope to gain from business school and what impact I want to have afterwards – reflection that not only helped craft my application, but also will help me maximize my business school experience (which I believe is ultimately even more important than the application itself).

Background: Mid-20s female, based in Boston, worked in healthcare private equity and then operations at growth-stage healthcare company, went to Colby College for undergrad, Spanish and International Relations double major, Economics minor, 3.8 GPA, 161V/162Q GRE.

Result: Attending HBS Fall of 2024 and admitted to Wharton

Working with Laura was an absolute dream. Laura’s firm, Gatehouse, came recommended to me through a former coworker who also had great success working with Gatehouse and is currently at HBS. I was given the option to “interview” a few consultants before choosing who I would work with throughout the process but I only needed 30 minutes with Laura to know I wanted to work with her. Between her background of working in HBS MBA admissions and also having been in my shoes at one point in her life as an MBA applicant, I was confident she was going to ensure that my application was as strong as possible and that I was over prepared for interviews and navigating the process in general.

What struck me most about working with Laura was her organizational skills and holding me accountable to our timeline. Laura gets straight to the point which I really appreciated. There are so many different work streams that overlap during the lengthy application process that it would be easy to get lost without someone with excellent time management skills guiding you through it. Her expertise in interview prep made me feel confident and prepared walking into my interview, and all of her advice paid off. I never had to worry about not knowing what was going on or feeling confused about the process because Laura had either thought ahead and prepared me with detailed documentation and materials or I knew I could reach out to her at any time with any question.

I am so thankful to have worked with Laura throughout the MBA application process. She was with me every step of the way. I would recommend Laura (and already have) to anyone applying to business school.

Background: Late 20s, female, Texas, technical role at oil and gas company, undergraduate business degree from state school (business management & finance double major), 3.7 GPA, GRE: 162Q/159V.

Accepted: Wharton, Chicago Booth, MIT, Yale
Attending: Wharton School (Class of 2025)

I had the privilege of working with Liza at Gatehouse Admissions for two years. Coming from a niche role at an oil and gas company, I knew that I needed exceptional guidance to navigate the competitive admissions process. Liza proved to be the perfect partner in my journey to business school.

Liza played a pivotal role in shaping my personal story. She helped me craft a narrative that described where I came from, the decisions I made along the way, and most importantly, my “why.” Liza’s guidance in this aspect was invaluable as it helped me present a clear and strong case for my candidacy. Further, Liza took a holistic approach to the application. She ensured that all components of the application (resume, essays, short answers, etc.) were consistent and connected to my “why”.

One of Liza’s specialties was her ability to help me articulate my accomplishments, projects, and performance in a way that was clear and compelling to admissions staff who may have been unfamiliar with the energy industry. Liza took the time to understand my nuanced role and pushed me to dig deeper in my reflections in both professional and personal experiences.

Additionally, Liza provided strategic advice on re-testing for the GMAT & GRE and helped guide me through my decision to delay my applications until the following admissions cycle, ensuring I could present the strongest possible application to the admissions committees. Her thoughtful guidance underscored her dedication to not just meeting but exceeding the expectations of top-tier business school admissions processes.

Further, my experience with Gatehouse Admissions offered access to a variety of resources. I participated in a mock interview with another specialized admissions consultant and engaged with other Gatehouse clients in a simulated Wharton “Team Based Discussion” interview. Throughout the entire process, Liza and the Gatehouse team consistently offered constructive feedback and support.

Liza at Gatehouse Admissions was a vital partner on my journey to business school. I am incredibly grateful for her expertise and guidance, which undoubtedly played a key role in my successful application to business school. If you want to gain admission to the top business schools, you must work with Liza and Gatehouse Admissions!

I am thrilled to be attending Wharton next year and attribute my success to Marcus and the Gatehouse team. I came to them with a condensed timeline, a non-traditional background (investor relations hoping to transition to entrepreneurship) and Marcus helped me create a compelling story across my varying experiences. My GPA (3.9) was strong but my GMAT was slightly below the average of my target schools. With Marcus’s hands-on support in editing and reviewing my essays and resume, I was admitted to a handful of programs with scholarships. Notably, given my condensed timeline, Marcus spent much time helping me on weekends and provided thorough and efficient feedback in each step of the process. I also want to highlight that Gatehouse has incredible resources for preparing applicants for interviews and truly helps you throughout the entire process of applying. I give my highest recommendation!

I will be heading to London Business School this summer, and Marcus was an invaluable partner in getting me there.

I came in with I had a fairly strong background (3 years WE in Corp Strategy & Operations at a FinTech, 3.9 GPA at T25 undergrad, 334 GRE (170V, 164Q)), but I needed help differentiating myself as a white male looking to make an industry change into clean energy. Marcus helped me build out a holistic and compelling story, helping me find through lines across my education and professional career that not only shaped my essays, but also my post-MBA career outlook. He also had an attention to detail that helped me perfect the parts of the app that are super important but easy to overlook (resume, short answers, etc.).

LBS was always my top choice school (though I have never spent extended time living or working internationally), and Marcus’s experience working and living in Europe provided guidance that was difficult to find at other US-based consultancies.

I worked with Mariesa on five business school applications for Round 1. With a career in Product Marketing in the health care tech space and aspirations of moving into Product Management and Entrepreneurship, Mariesa’s expertise in crafting a compelling story was immensely supportive. Mariesa was organized and mapped out timelines and work back plans to ensure I submitted all my applications ahead of time, decreasing stress as the deadlines approached. She took the time to get to know my background, my personality, and what I was interested in getting out of business school which helped me share my authentic self through my applications. She identified areas where my application was weaker (on the quant side) and ensured we worked together to showcase my quantitative skillset in multiple ways. Mariesa was there every step of the way and was available to help for every question or concern. After submitting my applications Mariesa helped me prep for my interviews which I found extremely valuable. Her in depth of knowledge of the business school process, the programs, and how to position one’s background / goals was critical in submitting strong applications. I am excited to say that I am attending Kellogg this fall! I believe Mariesa’s support was instrumental in this outcome. I highly recommend working with Mariesa on your business school applications!

Background: White male of Latin American descent. Worked for PE/HF/VC for two years and Investment Banking prior to that. Non-target undergraduate with above average GPA. Recently admitted to HBS!

It initially took me a while to appreciate the value of an MBA. I was skeptical and spent a long-time soliciting feedback and different points of view to ensure this was the right next step in my career. After coming to the realization, I was slightly behind in my application process and timeline for round 1.

Rachel was incredibly helpful from day-1 distilling each of the key components of a well-rounded application. As someone with a type-A personality, Rachel did a great job creating structure to each component of the application process and pushing timelines to hold me accountable throughout. While busy with work, this demystified the application process and allowed me to dual-track applications with GMAT test preparation in a short timeline.

Rachel was also a great thought partner as I evaluated the course of my applications. Rachel helped me prioritize applications and shared valuable perspective on how to structure my submissions (round 1 vs. 2) based on the strengths and weaknesses of my application relative to each school’s focal areas.

Most importantly – Rachel clearly wanted what was best for me and always gave honest feedback. I am happy to have had the opportunity to work with her, and don’t believe I would have achieved the same outcome without her support. Highly recommend you put your faith in her as well!

I cannot say enough positive things about Laura. She was instrumental in helping me put my best foot forward and tell my story in a way that stood out despite no obvious “hook” (HBS / GSB admit as a white / Asian male from large cap PE). Laura is intelligent, knowledgeable, organized, empathetic, and refreshingly direct. I was a huge fan of both her substance and style, and would recommend her if you’re looking for someone who will be upfront and candid with you while working tirelessly to help you put your best foot forward in an increasingly competitive applicant field.

Alex was incredibly helpful in keeping me calm and focused through a chaotic process. For reasons outside of my control, I applied in Round 3 and was under significant time pressure to complete my applications. Alex was instrumental in helping me create a plan that allowed time for me to still find my voice which proved more difficult than expected. Through countless drafts, Alex was there with sound advice and probing questions that helped me really dig deep and write essays that fully encapsulated who I am and what motivated me.
Background: I have a B.S. and M.S. in Mechanical Engineering from Stanford University (UG GPA: 3.7, Grad GPA: 3.9) and have worked for 6 years in the automotive industry on advanced technical projects. I was selected for MBA sponsorship by my company, took the GMAT and scored 760 (Q50, V42).
As somebody who had never considered applying to business school before this year, I found Alex’s help to be priceless when it came to understanding each step in the process. Obviously, the essay help was crucial, but there are so many other aspects to the process that I completely underestimated. With Alex’s help, I went through 7 drafts of my resume. His attention to detail helped me to maximize the use of space and adequately convey the impact that I have had in my career and activities. He also was incredibly helpful in thinking through who to ask and how to coordinate my letters of recommendation. After submitting my applications, Alex conducted multiple mock interviews with me that really honed my storytelling abilities. His focused feedback gave me the tools to standout in my interviews. And lastly, an often under-appreciated piece of the process is the emotional toll it can take. The arduous process can really wear you down, but Alex really encouraged me every step along the way and kept me motivated when I was tired. I am truly grateful for all the assistance that Alex provided and don’t know where I would be without him. I’d recommend him to anybody applying to business school.
Result: I applied to 4 full-time MBA programs in Round 3/4 (Stanford GSB, Wharton, Kellogg, Ross) and was accepted to all including full scholarships at Kellogg and Ross. I chose Stanford GSB because of my sponsorship.

I worked with Mariesa after deciding in January to apply to MBA programs round 3, leaving only 2 months between starting the process and submitting my first application. I’ve spent the last few years working full-time as an engineer, and business school applications were a completely new world for me. I so appreciated receiving Mariesa’s feedback on my resume, essays, and mock interviews. Given the tight timeline, I was tempted to immediately rush into writing essays. However, Mariesa insisted that I take time for self-reflection, and asked probing questions to help establish my personal and professional accomplishments. By resisting the urge to jump right into writing, Mariesa helped me craft impactful stories that ultimately resulted in stronger essays and interviews. Mariesa is not one to mince words. When providing feedback on revisions, Mariesa was always clear and direct, and my essays were all the better for it.

I ended up applying to 3 programs: Wharton, Kellogg, and Sloan. I was admitted to all 3, and received a full-ride scholarship to Kellogg. I am grateful to have a company that is sponsoring my education, which gives me the flexibility to attend my first-choice school, Wharton. I am so grateful for Mariesa’s guidance in this process. I genuinely believe that she was the difference between 3 acceptances and no acceptances.

I thought Mariesa was instrumental in helping me successfully navigate the particularly burdensome MBA application process. As someone who has spent the last 5 years in finance, Mariesa did a great job in bringing to light some of my other strengths as an applicant and helped me craft a cohesive narrative that definitely improved my candidacy.

In terms of our working relationship, I found Mariesa to be very clear and direct, which I appreciated. She was explicit in timing expectations (which helped us abide by all of the relevant deadlines) and she was always timely in her responses back to me. I personally really enjoyed her working style and thought she was very helpful in helping me adapt to changing circumstances (whether it be personal or work) as we went through the application process.

I will be attending GSB in the fall and I can’t thank Mariesa enough for her help – I definitely wouldn’t be in this position without her!

Rachel was excellent! My situation was quite unique, I had a very limited timeframe to apply and it was for Round 3. Nevertheless Rachel was action focused and didn’t take her foot off of the accelerator. The entire way she was there to support me, I was impressed by her ability to help me tell my story so concisely. I was also quite impressed with Rachel after applications were done, she continued to check in to see how I was doing and offered her help.

Some background on me, I am in the Automotive industry, had a 3.95 GPA from my undergrad in engineering but am not the strongest standardized test taker. Even so, with Rachel’s help I was able to gain admittance into Ross and Sloan. I am beyond thrilled with the results!

Rachel was instrumental in getting me through a tough Round 3 Application Process. Due to late notice of receiving sponsorship (mid-January), I only had a few months to complete school research, GRE/GMAT prep and tests, essays, resume update, and recommender prep. Her method of understanding your unique background in order to help you shape your application and story is unbeatable. The MBA application process is hard, and it 100% helps to have an unbiased and unfiltered reader give you their feedback and help you iterate on your applications. I was ultimately admitted to Ross and Kellogg, and Rachel without a doubt helped me refine my first draft applications.

Background: Male, 4 years work experience (investment banking & private equity), 730 GMAT / 4.0 GPA, Economics major

Accepted: HBS, Wharton

I worked with Brooke in advance of my interviews, and I am extremely grateful for the opportunity to have worked with her! She was extremely engaging, polite, thoughtful, and overall, a pleasure to work with. She clearly took the time to put thought and effort into preparing for our mock interviews – she had read over my entire application in detail and asked very nuanced questions. Based on her directly relevant experience, she was able to provide very targeted, clear, and actionable feedback on how to best articulate my experiences and interests. It also felt like she was invested in my success, as she was always available to hop on the phone / answer questions over email as they came up. I truly do not think I would have been admitted to HBS had I not worked with Brooke beforehand. We did two mock interviews, and I was able to walk into my interview with a strong sense of confidence from the feedback and advice I had received from her. The two mock interviews with Brooke were by far the best preparation I could have done and were absolutely worth it. I would wholeheartedly recommend working with Brooke!

My time working with Hollis lasted a full year, and it was an overwhelmingly positive experience. Hollis is organized, thoughtful and patient. Some essays took me over 6 months to complete and with each iteration Hollis remained optimistic and encouraging. I’ve been admitted to one of my top programs (Northwestern Kellogg) and have Hollis to thank for her guidance through the process. I especially appreciate how she was willing and able to answer every question that came to mind (and there were a lot of them). In the rare event Hollis did not have an immediate answer, she would consult her colleagues, and the added perspective was always appreciated.

Additionally, as a more “alternative” applicant working in the music industry with no proper banking or finance experience, Hollis helped me craft a compelling story that emphasized my creative strengths while identifying more quantitative components in my story as well. She really helped me thread the needle as an MBA applicant with a creative background.

I’d highly recommend working with Hollis.

Undergrad: Vanderbilt
GPA: 3.73
Major: Music, Media & Enterprise
Post-school industry: Music Business
GMAT: 700
GRE: 323

Background: Caucasian male, 5 years experience (2 years IB, 3 years PE), 3.8 GPA at T50 undergrad, 760 GMAT
Results: Admitted to HBS, Wharton, and Columbia

April was an invaluable guide and a true partner during my business school application process. April pushed me to be introspective in ways I hadn’t thought possible, extracting a level of self-reflection I hadn’t practiced since I applied to college a decade earlier. One of the most valuable exercises we completed together was early in the process when we took everything from my formative relationships developed in my early childhood to workplace achievements in my current role and distilled them into meaningful life lessons. This was instrumental in helping me organize my thoughts so I could more effectively apply my personal experiences to each school’s application.

I got started on my applications later than I would have liked for R1 submissions, but April took what could have been a highly stressful situation and turned it into an expertly strategized game plan. What set her apart from other consultants was her ability to create a structured schedule to hold me accountable on meeting deadlines. On each Sunday, April would send me an email outlining my deadlines and goals for the week ahead. Of course, there were times when work got busy and required flexibility in the schedule, but it was nothing April hadn’t seen before having worked with other IB/PE clients and was always able to push me to make up for lost time. There was ultimately never any doubt of getting all my applications in before the R1 deadlines. For people who benefit from a structured schedule and to-do list, April is the perfect consultant.

Finally, as a firm of professionals with expertise across all the top business schools, I had a strong network at Gatehouse to tap into for each of my applications and April was always happy to leverage her colleagues for a second opinion on a nuanced question. I honestly couldn’t have asked for better partners in April and the Gatehouse team.

Background: ORM Male, 7 years of experience

GMAT: 710

Results: Accepted to Fuqua, Ross, UNC, and Stern

April is someone who I thoroughly enjoyed working with throughout the application cycle. I started working with April in July and wanted to submit my applications to most schools for Round 1 in September. Originally, I was anxious about the amount of time, but April reassured me that I would be able to submit a polished application. She kept me accountable throughout the process but made sure to reprioritize items when I had other important commitments. In addition to being organized, she was always timely with her deliverables and responsive to all my questions.

I come from an accounting background and thought my work experience / accomplishments to be mundane. April was instrumental in helping me see the true impacts of my accomplishments and what skills and traits I would bring to business school. I felt like April did two things that were the most helpful in me standing out from the pool of applicants. First, she challenged me to be very specific and thorough in my essays. In my beginning drafts, my responses to the essay prompts were broad and made it appear that I had not put much thought into my ideas. April helped me craft full-fleshed ideas on what I would bring to an MBA cohort and how I would make a difference during my time on campus. Second, she pushed me to write succinctly about my accomplishments and the impact that each one had by thinking about the “so what?” of each bullet point. The original drafts of my resume were sorely missing the impact of my accomplishments and were filled with industry jargon that made them hard to understand. By the end of the process, it unrecognizable from previous drafts.

In the end, I was accepted to almost all the schools that I applied to and received full scholarships from two. April’s knowledge of the application process and how to bring an applicant’s story to the forefront was extraordinary. Originally, I had hesitations about working with a consultant, but working with April made it very clear to me and others around me the value that an amazing consultant, such as April, can add to an application.

I’ve planned to get an MBA since I graduated from undergrad in 2015. With good grades/extracurriculars at an Ivy, 740 GMAT score, and 5 years of total WE across banking & VC (some spent internationally), I felt confident in my candidacy and the applications I prepared for the 2020 admissions cycle. PS – additional background: straight white male, 29 years old.

What I didn’t realize until I was outright rejected from H/S/W in 2020 [no consultation help] and then again by Wharton/CBS in 2022 [used a 3rd party essay revision service], was that a “good” application is not enough. The application has to be exceptional, meaning all aspects of who you are and what you have done shine through in the clearest, most compelling light.

In 2023, I decided to go all out, in what I decided would be my last attempt at applying to FT MBA programs. With Rachel [end-to-end application consultant], not only did I get interviews at every school I applied (Wharton included), I was accepted with scholarship to CBS, Yale, NYU, Tuck, and Darden!!

I echo all comments in other reviews that touch on Rachel’s work style, particularly her earnestness, patience, and reliability. And of course, her expert knowledge of what makes for a good app. Rachel draws the most out of you at both a high-level (key stories and concepts to draw from) and low-level (editing for concision and clarity).

If you want to give yourself the best shot of getting into your dream school, do not wait for your 3rd try to work with Rachel like I did, do it on your 1st. And start working with her soon, because MBA applications are a hefty burden that requires brain, time, and emotional expenditure that’s best spread out over a 3+ month time horizon. The peace of mind, results, and stakes make working with Rachel one of the best investments you’ll ever make.

Results: Waitlisted Round 1 and accepted Round 2 to HBS

I partnered with a different consultant and advisory firm for my HBS written application, but I worked with Brooke from Gatehouse for HBS interview and waitlist support. My background is fairly generic (strong GPA and standard GMAT, Asian female, business major at non-target school, 4 years in finance), but Brooke helped me bring my story to life as I was prepping for my interview. She was very adept at pulling out the unique factors and drawing connections to past experiences to build a full, cohesive narrative. Tactically, I also appreciated that Brooke was extremely responsive and flexible with her schedule – I was very busy with live deal work leading up to my Round I interview, and she carved out time last minute to conduct two mock interviews.

I also solicited Brooke’s help on my waitlist strategy. I had progressed a variety of projects since my Round I application, and Brooke was very helpful in “storyboarding” these initiatives into key themes to structure a cohesive, organized, and succinct update letter. Brooke pushed me to truly refine my update letter by moving beyond a resume style list of accomplishments and instead towards a more thoughtful reflection that demonstrated my passions and underlying motivations. I would highly recommend Brooke – She is creative, honest, demanding, and very much invested in your success. She is a great partner in the MBA application process and goes above and beyond to support you.

Background: late 20s female, ~5 YOE in STEM field, sub-700 GMAT & below average GPA for schools I was applying to.

Results: Admitted to HBS (attending) and Wharton

I worked with Laura primarily for interview prep for my top two schools and preparing an additional application for a later round in the event that I was not admitted. The preparation Laura gave me going into my interviews made all the difference! The mock interview we conducted for HBS in particular was a highlight — she took the time to review my application in detail and asked a lot of questions in a short time period, just like the real HBS interview. I was also able to participate in a mock Wharton group interview that her colleagues were hosting. These experiences in particular made me feel incredibly prepared and I was able to go into each interview with confidence. Despite my lower stats, I was able to receive an offer of admission from both of my dream programs!

Laura was great to work with! Thanks to her advice, encouragement, and quick feedback throughout the busy process, I was able to go into each next step (including juggling interviews with additional application prep) with ease and confidence. I highly recommend working with Laura; I had a great experience!

Background: Caucasian Male, 7 years general finance experience, liberal arts undergrad, GRE: 324. Results: Accepted to 2/2 schools (Columbia and Stern). April was an excellent partner throughout the business school application process and she was truly invested in my success. I felt like April put the same effort into advising me through my application process as she would for her own MBA applications, making me genuinely trust her as a partner. I came to April with a narrow list of schools I wanted to attend. She was completely supportive, and based on my list helped identify other schools I might want to consider. At times when I was exhausted from work, studying for the GRE, and writing essays, April helped me prioritize which tasks to focus on and was there to continue to push me forward.

I’m confident that April’s knowledge and high standards helped get my application materials to the next level. From our very first meeting, April helped me recognize the strengths in my experiences and develop a cohesive and interesting story. April provided unparalleled guidance and the tools for success, ranging from essay idea formation to interview preparation. We had multiple brainstorming sessions, and we went through multiple versions of certain essays before agreeing on the strongest topic for that essay. Admittedly, I can be stubborn about criticism of my writing; but April was not afraid to provide direct feedback (in the best way). April knew when to challenge my ideas and ask me to dig deeper or take something to the next level. She was not willing to settle for anything less than what she knew to be my full potential. She was honest with me when she felt something wasn’t right and made helpful suggestions to guide me in the right direction. Ultimately, her counsel was crucial in my successful outcome.

I was comfortable knowing that April and the Gatehouse team were always giving me sound advice. April is an absolute professional and an expert in this field, and I wholeheartedly trusted her guidance. She had all the answers to my questions as I worked through the application process, and occasionally she would bring in another Gatehouse expert for a second opinion, making me feel like she truly had my best interests at heart. Gatehouse is a great company, and I cannot recommend April enough as the right consultant there. She will absolutely ensure your full potential is reached.

Background: Asian/white male, worked for new HF/PE/VC fund for four years (straight out of college), 3.9 GPA at Harvard/Yale/Princeton undergrad, 770 GMAT. Result: Admitted to HBS.

While I was initially skeptical of the value of working with a consultant, I am so glad I ended up working with Gatehouse and Rachel specifically. Rachel got to know my story, work experience, and extracurricular involvement in detail and we worked together to create a cohesive application that resulted in receiving interviews at both HBS and GSB (and an acceptance to HBS). Throughout the process, there were numerous times when I sent essay drafts I thought were pretty decent but once I got Rachel’s feedback, I realized that they actually needed a bunch of work. Rachel’s suggestions were immensely helpful and pointed out things that I never would have even thought to consider. While some of these changes were tactical (e.g., fitting into word counts), many of them were also in the spirit of conveying a better overall story/narrative, which she was able to do because she put in a lot of work in getting to know me upfront. While the bulk of our work together was on the core essays, Rachel was helpful every step of the way of the application process, including incremental written materials (e.g., HBS Further Consideration Update) and the interview process.

If you’re considering working with a consultant, I would wholeheartedly recommend Rachel and the Gatehouse team!

I can confidently recommend Alex as a consultant! He is an extremely kind, creative, and humble individual who has a wealth of knowledge to share!

Background: I graduated from the University of Notre Dame with a degree in finance and a 3.63 GPA. I have worked for four years in Corporate Development/M&A for a Fortune 25 company. I took the GRE and scored 164 Quant/163 in Verbal.

Result: I was accepted into Duke’s Fuqua School of Business, the only school to which I applied.

My current employer is sponsoring my MBA as part of a fellowship program, and they contracted Gatehouse Admissions to help all fellows with the application process. I only wanted to apply to Fuqua’s earlier round and wait to hear back before considering applying to other schools. Alex was my consultant, and he was absolutely fantastic! From the time that we were introduced to Fuqua’s R3 deadline, we only had 2 weeks, and Alex worked with me to get the application ready to go in that very short amount of time!

Alex is absolutely fantastic for many reasons. He is extremely responsive and timely, and he makes a great effort to give you quick and accurate turnaround times. He is also very organized, keeping track of outstanding tasks and deadlines for each. In addition, he has a thorough understanding of what schools are looking for in candidates, which is helpful because candidates can be very specific and intentional in their applications to different schools.

I think one of Alex’s greatest contributions came in the form of application essays. When we first met, he did a great job of getting to know my background, goals, and values so that he could effectively advise me on my essay topics. After I provided my initial essay drafts, Alex provided insightful feedback on how to make them stronger in content and more creative in style. He did an incredible job at making constructive suggestions while keeping my voice and style in mind.

Once I reached the interview stage, Alex provided helpful interview tips and topics of focus. We walked through questions that could potentially be asked and thought through how to best present my experience and goals. He was open in sharing his own interview and career experiences, which helped me understand what interviewers were looking for, as these key factors are not always what you expect.

If you are wondering whether a consultant helps, I can tell you with certainty that it does! My overall application and interview strategy were both stronger thanks to Alex’s guidance and support!

Background: Late 20s female, east coast, worked in e-commerce and then growth marketing/strategy at a late-stage tech startup, went to Brown for undergrad, 165V/163Q GRE.

Result: Attending Wharton in Fall of 2023

I could not recommend Liza more highly. Liza came recommended to me through a friend who had worked with her and ended up at Stanford GSB. From the moment I met Liza I knew she had my best interest at heart – honestly, thoughtfully, and strategically pointing out the strengths and weaknesses in my application, and how we would work together to put my best foot forward.

The MBA application process is long, and Liza is incredibly adept at leading you through that process. She is patient and thoughtful through every essay draft (of which there are many) and really takes an interest in you as the applicant and how to make you shine through the page. Liza was my biggest support system throughout this process. Liza is also extremely helpful in helping you prep your recommenders, preparing you for interviews, and even filling out the minutiae of the online applications themselves.

Working with Liza was the best decision I made in preparing for the MBA process – I recommend her and the Gatehouse team wholeheartedly.

Background: Mid-20s Asian male with 2 years IB and 3 years PE with lower GPA and GMAT (relative to peers)

Before launching into this process, I thought attending a top business school was out of reach — I knew so many others with similar work experiences and stellar GPA / GMAT scores, and incredible stories that made me feel I was out of my league.

I decided to hire an admissions counselor with hopes of having a second set of eyes on my essays and maybe providing some guidance on recommenders, especially with balancing a demanding job, and Liza came well recommended by friends of friends who had used her services before.

Liza delivered so much more — not only did she guide me through the entire experience with clear communication, meticulous planning at each and every step, and continuous support, but she also helped me ‘dig deep’ with introspection and identify common threads in my life and personal experiences and encouraged me to write about topics and adversity I’d overcome that I’d never thought about. I’m highly confident that telling these stories in a way that was genuine to me (huge credit to Liza for helping me think through all of this) made all the difference in my ultimate admission to both Wharton and Booth.

So incredibly thankful for her continuous support and her thoughtfulness at every step of the process, and cannot recommend her highly enough.

I worked with Brooke on my resume, essays, and mock interviews ahead of applying to GSB and HBS — and got into both! I truly think Brooke was critical to helping my application shine through. I have a background in PE and IB, 780 GMAT, and Ivy League college. We focused on getting deeper into the “why” of my choices and bringing admissions into my decision-making/leadership style. Brooke is incredibly attuned to how to bring the “best” out of you – and really make you dig deeper into your story, motivation, and presentation. I especially loved how invested she was in my success during the entire process. She is a great coach (extremely sharp and professional) – and goes above and beyond to support you (offering extra tips, checking in, etc.). It really makes a difference! 11/10 would recommend her services!

When I began the MBA application process, I was a bit overwhelmed and unsure of my target schools. Since I had not taken the GMAT and had untraditional work experience, I also did not know what was realistic. After connecting with Gatehouse through a friend, I had fit chats with different consultants and began working with Rachel in early spring for R1 applications the coming fall.

From Day 1, Rachel was highly attentive, inquisitive, and authentic. I quickly knew I liked her forthright and thoughtful approach. She had an answer for all my questions and provided a plan of attack right away with clear guidance on how best to allocate my hours throughout the process.

I graduated from a top state school where I majored in finance (3.53 GPA), and I worked in roles at tech start-ups thereafter. Rachel had a transparent perspective on school selection and patiently pushed me to find the best school fit for me while keeping the process grounded in reality. After scoring a 730, I clearly knew what school I wanted to attend, a decision that was made easily by Rachel’s research suggestions and insightful questions early in the process.

When we began essay work, it became evident to me that Rachel had been making a strong, genuine effort to understand me as a person across all facets throughout the prior months. Rather than simply providing instructions, she (patiently) used an arsenal of thought-provoking questions that extracted information and guided me to craft my best essays. Similarly, Rachel was a wonderful interview prep partner. She had a firm understanding of what schools were looking for and a special ability to convey the finer details of the process. To hit on a few other things: Rachel always kept me on track and on schedule, she’s a fantastic communicator, and possesses a great sense of humor which is much needed at times.

Most importantly, I just enjoyed working with Rachel because she’s a great person. In the end, I was accepted at every school I applied to, including my dream school, Tuck. I cannot say enough good things!

Background: Mid-20s Asian male, HYP undergrad, 2 years boutique investment banking, 2 years mid-market private equity.
Result: Admitted Round 1 to HBS and Wharton HCM.
Liza was recommended to me by a friend in PE who had worked with her in the prior application cycle. Liza played a critical role in my application and interview processes at HBS, GSB, and Wharton. Not only was she incredibly knowledgeable about all things business school (and frankly finance & PE), but she was also thoughtful, motivating, and compassionate during a very challenging 4-5 month stretch where I balanced a demanding job and put together my entire application.
In my opinion, Liza’s biggest value add and what differentiates her vs. other consultants is her ability to guide you through the introspective part of the application. She invested significant time at the beginning of the process to get to know me personally and professionally. With her support, I was able to weave together the most exciting parts of my story into succinct essays that helped me stand out in the growing applicant pool of PE associates. We iterated back and forth on many versions of my essays until I felt proud of them.
I would absolutely recommend Liza. It’s an investment in yourself if you are serious about applying to business school. Her expertise and thoughtfulness really made the difference for me.

It has been a great pleasure to work with Rachel Nelson from Gatehouse Admissions. She played a massive part in my acceptance to Columbia Business School, my dream school.

I was first introduced to the Gatehouse team through a mutual friend where Liza, the founder, set up a call to align my goals with what her team could offer. After a chat and the fact that I really wanted to go to CBS and continue my career in finance but in a different department, she recommended that I work with Rachel, who had extensive experience in the finance sector.

Looking back at my initial essays, it is, to say the least, embarrassing with so much “BS” that needed to go away. Rachel was super responsive and always forwarded my essays at every interaction. I can firmly say that her help was ESSENTIAL in getting into CBS with my stats. I had a 700 GMAT working for the Middle Office at a bulge bracket firm. Not the best in terms of resume, but Rachel made everything seamless and logical. Also for the interview prep, every question was from the batch we practiced just a few days prior, which I thought was something to highlight.

To all of you applying to MBA now, I strongly suggest you work with Rachel or at least have a consultation call with Liza. It is a 100% game-changer.

Throughout the grueling application process, Mariesa was incredibly efficient, honest, and straight to the point; I was impressed by how much we would be able to accomplish within a 30-minute meeting together. Early on in the application process, Mariesa identified gaps in my application and worked with me to craft a clear course of action to address any weaknesses. Additionally, she created a personalized timeline to give me goalposts to work towards, with regular check-ins to keep me on track. For instance, although I had a solid undergrad GPA (3.8 from an Ivy), Mariesa encouraged me to improve my GRE score, baking in time for retakes (which I ended up needing), and with her careful planning and support, helped me land a 332 which certainly helped bolster my application.

Mariesa is also a clear communicator and quick to identify opportunities to stand out in a competitive applicant pool. I was originally matched with Mariesa because of her marketing background; with my own experience in Consumer/Retail, Mariesa was able to quickly understand my backstory and help me weave a cohesive story while identifying key moments that still felt true to who I am.

With her support, I was fortunate to receive admission to both Harvard and Wharton for the Class of 2025. Mariesa’s support was invaluable and I would highly recommend her (+ the whole Gatehouse team) to anyone undergoing the MBA admissions process!

Background: Late 20s male, east coast, bulge bracket investment banking followed by private equity, non-ivy, 3.9 GPA, 164V/162Q GRE

Result: Admitted to Harvard Business School R1

Liza came highly recommended to me by a friend who was a former client of Liza’s. Liza was extremely instrumental in my MBA application process. She is incredibly skilled at leading you through the introspective process of essay and application writing (both the professional and personal aspects). Liza goes above and beyond to make sure that you are putting your best foot forward.

Liza is incredibly patient, as getting to the best essay requires several rounds of iteration. She takes a comprehensive approach to your application and takes a genuine interest in her clients. She is truly a partner in the application process and she is there with you every step of the way. Beyond the essays, Liza is also instrumental in helping you prep your recommenders, preparing you for interviews, and even filling out the very lengthy online application portals.

Working with Liza was the best decision I made in preparing for the MBA process – I recommend her and Gatehouse without hesitation.

Working with Mariesa was an awesome experience! I concentrated on a small set of schools and will be attending Harvard Business School next fall thanks to her help.

I met with several consultants, and she clearly stood apart in my mind. She leverages her own professional marketing expertise and knows exactly how to help craft a story. Even in our intro conversation, she found and tied together key threads from my work and life experiences. After spending more time with her, she helped me discover my key differentiators, particularly given that I come from from a traditional IB/PE background. In addition to the overall story, she really focused on the details. There were a number of times that she would remind me of something in my own life that I referenced in the intake form and would suggest adding it to the end of a sentence to tie everything together. It was those small details that allowed me to share so much more than I ever could’ve imagined with the admissions committee in the short application essays.

Another aspect I really value is her honesty. When something wasn’t the best it could be, she took the time to explain it and let me know. Especially as a Harvard Business School grad herself, she took her insights to the next level at every step of the process, pulling from her own experiences. I found this super helpful during the interview process. She conducted general and school-specific mock-conversations to help prepare me.

Overall, would definitely use Mariesa!

I highly recommend Rachel Nelson at Gatehouse Admission to anyone looking for expert guidance on their MBA application process. I had the pleasure of working with Rachel and was impressed by her professionalism, expertise, and support throughout the process.

When I first reached out to Rachel, I was feeling overwhelmed and unsure of where to start with my MBA application. I was looking at top-tier schools, and felt a bit discouraged by my chances of getting in. I studied entrepreneurship at a small business school, and my GPA of 3.1 was below the median for most of my target schools. In addition to my stats, I had a tight deadline of just 2 months to get everything in order, and I wasn’t sure if it was even possible. In our first discussion, Rachel immediately put me at ease and assured me that we could make it happen.

Over the next few weeks, Rachel worked closely with me to get my application in the best shape possible. Furthermore, she helped me craft a great narrative for my personal statement, provided valuable feedback on my resume and essays, and even prepared me for my interviews with mock questions and a full mock interview. Rachel always made herself available to answer all questions and offer support, no matter how small they may have seemed.

In the end, thanks to Rachel’s help, I was accepted into CBS, my top choice MBA program and couldn’t be happier. I can’t thank Rachel enough for all that she did for me, and I highly recommend her services to anyone looking for the best guidance throughout their MBA journey.

Background: Caucasian female, 5 years of experience (2 years investment banking, 3 years private equity), GMAT: 690
Results: Accepted to Booth, Kellogg, and Tuck

April was the guiding force for me throughout my MBA application process and was a true advisor and friend along the way. From the onset, April provided the perfect balance of “tough love” that I needed to be held accountable yet feel supported in the process. When there were weeks I needed to study for the GMAT or prioritize work, she gave me the space to do so and updated our calendar accordingly. When time was getting tight, she was honest and held me to our deadlines. This balance and her approach gave me the structure to make progress on my applications without feeling overwhelmed or behind during busy weeks.

This balance of serving as a sound advisor and supportive friend extended throughout the process, from essay writing to interview preparation. As I worked through brainstorming my essay topics, April helped pull out pieces of my “story” she thought would be interesting to focus on. As I iterated drafts with her, she was never afraid to be honest when things weren’t clicking and to ask thoughtful questions to help move me along and solidify my points. She helped me effectively communicate my values, what in my life shaped these values, how I have leveraged them in my career, and how I plan to in the future by asking tough questions and talking through my responses. The process not only helped me write an essay I was very proud of, but also allowed me to better understand myself and my motivators. This guidance extended throughout my application – from ensuring my resume was data-dense and focused on quantifying my accomplishments, to running through several mock interviews and pushing me regardless of how prepared I felt, her guidance was instrumental to my success.

April was also extremely professional throughout our time working together. She was responsive and organized and always made the deadlines she set. She was always open to schedule a call to chat through things and always provided comprehensive feedback, regardless of the number of iterations she had already reviewed of an essay, resume, or short answer. Her patience and commitment to working with me until my applications were great was steadfast and deeply appreciated. In summary, I cannot recommend April enough. If you are looking for someone to push and support you to drive the best MBA outcome, April is your girl!

Background: Early 30s, white male, Ivy League undergrad, professional sports with a family business background.

Attending Harvard Business School in 2022.

Liza came highly recommended to me and her knowledge and ability to understand my story was almost immediate. I was coming from a “non-traditional” background after 9 years of professional sports and I was not equipped to go through the application process alone.

Liza guided me every step of the way and was honest, motivating, and collaborative. Her deadlines kept me on schedule and she truly life-coached me throughout the entire process. She challenged me to be more descriptive and show who I really was while also being concise and to the point. Liza’s honest feedback and great edits improved all my essays tremendously.

I was starting a new job, taking multiple GRE tests, and applying to business school amid a pandemic. Life was beyond stressful, but Liza’s optimism, preparation, and communication left such a clear road map for me during some of the most uncertain times. I could not be more thankful to have met such a genuine, kind, and smart leader in my life when I needed it most.

You will not meet a more passionate, detailed, and charismatic individual. It was an absolute pleasure getting to work with Liza from start to finish. It was a daunting process, but Liza’s guidance and consummate professionalism were exemplary in every sense of the word.

If you have the privilege to work with Liza…DO IT!

I worked with Laura on mock interview/general interview prep prior to my HBS interview. She was extremely helpful and thoughtful. My mock interview with her was nearly identical to the actual interview, and her feedback was constructive and insightful. Furthermore, it was clear that she had done significant work to prepare for the interview and was well up to speed on my entire application. With her help, I was accepted!

I worked with the MBA consultant April Stewart from Gatehouse Admissions. Though it was a large investment of time and money, I truly believe April was a key factor in being admitted to business school. A bit about my background, I graduated from the University of Virginia with a 3.5 GPA and a degree in Political Science. I’ve worked in management consulting at a large firm (but not Big 4) for about 3.5 years when I applied to business school in Round 2 of 2022. I also had worked in a sales role for 1.5 years as my first job, totaling 5-years’ work experience upon application. I had some volunteering/additional leadership outside of work that I discussed. I did not have a strong quantitative background through undergraduate courses, (just micro/macroeconomics/stats with B’s). I did not apply with a GMAT/GRE score as I applied to receive a COVID Test Waiver. I applied to 7 schools to get a COVID Test Waiver and ultimately received 6, which were the 6 schools I ended up applying to in Round 2. I applied to Cornell, UNC, UT, USC, Boston College, and Michigan in Round 2. I went through a process of self-reflection and several in-depth calls with April to select which schools were right for me over about a month period. Going into working with April in early October of 2021, I had not selected any schools that I was planning to apply to ahead of time so that was part of our process of working together.

April and I had weekly calls to discuss choices for schools, strategies for applications, my career goals, talking with current students/alumni, and then further into the process reviewing specific edits on each essay, and then practicing for interviews. April was very thorough and knowledgeable about what each school was looking for regarding my essays. We easily did 15 rounds of each essay (2 per school) for the 3 schools I selected to work with her on through Gatehouse Admissions. April also helped me draft my COVID Test Waivers, additional information the school requested on extracurriculars, as well as another 15 rounds of my Resume. The process was very detailed and tedious, which is what you want in order to get your material to be the greatest it can possibly be. I then used the extensive work I did for those 3 schools and utilized that insight (and often the same wording of my story) for my other 3 school’s applications. April helped me frame my story for all of my application materials, but also for my interviews. Once I was into the interview round, April sent me 20+ interview questions for each school that past applicants had been asked, which ended up being very accurate to what I was asked in my interviews. We also did several mock interviews for each school.

Ultimately, I got into all 6 schools that I applied to, and I also received scholarship money (anywhere from 10k-70k) from all 6 of the schools. I chose to go to UNC Kenan-Flagler based on the great environment for women, consulting track, Forté scholarship money, and school atmosphere! At the beginning of the process, I wasn’t sure if I wanted to work with an MBA consultant, I had friends who had gotten into business school with and without one. I decided I would rather pay for assistance for the best possible chance to get in. I was so happy I chose to work with Gatehouse Admissions and ended up having 6 options for school selection, which I never thought would happen.

Background: 26, Female. 2 years investment banking. 2 years at a PE firm. Liberal arts major from Ivy League.

Results: Admitted to HBS (attending), Wharton, Booth (with $), and Kellogg

It’s no secret that preparing five business school applications is a daunting process, especially while juggling a demanding job and other extracurriculars. I had heard about Liza from several colleagues who had successful application processes the year prior. My decision to work with Liza was one of the best I have ever made. Liza was an amazing cheerleader, sounding board, motivator, and friend to me throughout my process.

From the very start of my work with her, Liza took the time to dive in and get to know me. Through her review of my personal reflection (a lengthy document she has you prepare to kick off your work together), Liza helped me to extract the elements of my story that would lend themselves to compelling business school essays. Over the course of several months, through draft after draft, Liza consistently challenged me to push my writing further until I had final drafts of which I am extremely proud.

Equally important, Liza kept me organized. Between standardized test preparations, gathering materials for recommenders, drafting around a dozen essay responses, and preparing for interviews, I certainly had my work cut out for me and not much time to complete it. Through weekly priority lists, timely essay draft reviews, and frequent check-ins by phone, Liza ensured that my five sets of applications were completed seamlessly and far before my application deadlines.

Because of Liza, I have the opportunity to attend the business school of my dreams. I cannot recommend Liza enough!

Background: 4 YoE in Big Tech; Undergrad from T10 engineering school; 332 GRE
Outcome: Interviewed at 4/4 schools (HBS, GSB, Wharton and 1 M7). Admitted to 3/4 schools (HBS, Wharton, and 1 M7 (with $)).

April was a tremendous partner and huge support system throughout this very intense process. For context, I had very limited insight into MBA admissions and initially set up intro meetings with 5-6 consulting firms. My biggest fear going in was that the relationship with my consultant would feel transactional but right from my first call with April, she proved that would not be the case. She stood out in how she listened to my stories with empathy, patiently provided tailored feedback to my long list of questions, and showed genuine interest in my candidacy.

April and I officially started the MBA application journey in mid-June, with an ambitious goal of applying to very selective schools (including HBS and GSB) on a short timeline. During our initial discussions, April was incredibly perceptive and helped me distill all my various personal and professional stories down into a single narrative. As we began the essay writing process, April went above and beyond to address any questions I had. I felt very comfortable shooting April a quick message with even my most minor concerns – to which she provided constant reassurance and a thoughtful action plan. She would often even get additional feedback from other experts on the Gatehouse team.

I also really appreciated that April was not afraid to go back to the drawing board when we felt the need to change direction. About 4-5 drafts through one of my HSW essays, we discussed pivoting and April diligently worked with me to peel back the layers of my experiences and develop the new narrative. She asked thoughtful questions and really helped me uncover the true “so-what” in my experiences. In hindsight, this was the most critical juncture during the application process which I believe ultimately led to my admits. I am so grateful that during this time April prioritized developing the best essay possible, provided honest feedback, and guided me to go in a bold direction – rather than simply saying there was not enough time or that we had exhausted too many drafts already.

April was also absolutely vital for the success of my b-school interviews. She is very knowledgeable about each school’s unique interviewing style and helped me navigate each of these situations. She was also incredibly generous with her time, setting up additional mock interviews well beyond the contractual amount so that I could feel most prepared. She was an exceptional advocate during this time and helped me project confidence in ways that felt authentic to me. She also provided valuable feedback on subtleties that we worked together to fine-tune. This coaching has actually made me a better interviewee in general, and I will take these learnings forward with me.

April was a partner in the truest sense from brainstorming to interview coaching to negotiating offers. She always ensured I was prepared to put my best foot forward and that there was no stone left unturned. This journey would not have been possible without April’s support and guidance!

After four years in big four strategy consulting, I decided to pursue an MBA. I was fortunate to achieve a 760 GMAT, but my profile didn’t really have a wow factor or anything to separate me from other candidates. I’d attended a second-tier Canadian undergrad, where my GPA was good but not great and I hadn’t achieved anything spectacular in terms of extracurriculars. Luckily I decided to work with Liza Weale!

We started our journey together almost a year ahead of deadlines, and so she was able to offer me great advice to strengthen my profile while I had time to spare. She did an absolutely incredible job helping me craft my brand and essay stories. She really dove into my history and expertly drew out the most impactful elements from my life. Liza knew just how to put the pieces together in a compelling way for the school and I really felt that she was invested in my success.

She went beyond simple advice and feedback, and her encouragement did wonders for my confidence. Finally, when I was able to interview at my dream school Columbia, Liza’s interview feedback was absolutely vital to my preparation. I was able to receive an offer of admission with a significant scholarship.

I’m so grateful to Liza for being instrumental in achieving my dream outcome, and I would wholeheartedly recommend her to those starting their own MBA journey.

Background: Caucasian female, 26, 5 years of experience in finance & big tech, GMAT: 750, Economics degree from Duke University (3.93 GPA)
Results: Accepted to Wharton, Kellogg (with a scholarship)

April was a phenomenal partner to work with throughout what was a particularly grueling process. After making the decision to apply for R1, I surveyed four different consulting companies, all esteemed in their own right. What struck me about April, in particular, was her ability to be candid about my prospects without being discouraging; she perfectly balanced honesty with empathy in a way that was reassuring about what we could achieve together.

Over a three-month period, April and I embarked on a joint venture to apply to 4 of the top business schools in the country. While business school had been something top of mind for me since graduating from a liberal arts university, I hadn’t quite ironed out a cohesive narrative as to why I wanted to go and what I planned to do afterward. To gain clarity, April had me complete a comprehensive Experience Inventory, which she used to identify commonalities in my experiences and goals; she was able to synthesize a disjointed life story into a succinct explanation as to why business school was right for me and how I stood out as a candidate.

April also helped me identify potential gaps in my resume and creatively leverage experiences that could augment my candidacy; she encouraged me to dig deep to uncover what I might think were small contributions but were actually demonstrations of leadership. Throughout iterations of my essays and resume, April asked me to constantly think of the “so what” of each bullet or paragraph, making sure each was meaningful. She was extremely thoughtful (& timely!) with her feedback, focusing on both the big picture as well as the small nits. Together, we crafted applications that I felt excited to submit and confident in my prospects.

April’s commitment didn’t stop after I clicked submit; she set me up for success in my interviews by performing multiple mocks and giving me a sense of what to expect, particularly with Wharton’s Team-Based Discussion. When I was admitted to two schools, she helped me navigate the difficult decision and also gave me advice for pursuing scholarship money. April coached me end-to-end, playing a critical role in my application process and acting as a sounding board. She exhibited everything I could have asked for in a consultant and more: I wouldn’t be in the position to attend Wharton in the fall without her!

Background: 25 year old Asian male in NYC. 2 years investment banking, 3 years private equity. Engineering major from Ivy League
GMAT: 760. GPA: 3.95
Results: Accepted to HBS and GSB. Attending HBS

Liza is an amazing consultant and an even more amazing human being. She came with raving reviews from co-workers who were successful with the application process in the past, and I have been recommending her to every friend who is thinking about applying.

(1) Liza worked tirelessly to make sure I put my best foot forward and told a consistent story across essays, short answers, and recommendation letters. (2) She kept me organized and in control of the application process. (3) She was and still is truly invested in me. I cannot recommend Liza enough, she is simply the best.

Liza spends a lot of time up front to make sure she truly knows who you are – personally, professionally, academically, etc. The first document you write is a lengthy “inventory” to reflect on your experiences. This not only helps Liza get to know you, but also helps both of you pick out themes/stories to go into your essays. After aligning on these themes/stories, you start writing.

Writing is not my forte – I studied engineering for a reason! Liza gave thoughtful comments on my essay drafts and pushed me on areas to expand/pare back on. I think we did 3 overhauls of my GSB essay. She made sure everything was in tip-top shape.

Even my recommenders loved Liza. She has a memo template that helps your recommenders surface qualities and stories to write about. They can also run recommendation letters through Liza. This all ensures a quality end product.

I work a demanding job and knew balancing the application process with work would be challenging. Liza kept me honest – she warned me when I was straying “off-plan” on my GMAT, essay, etc. which made the final week’s pre-submission feel controlled. Without Liza, I may have missed the deadline!

Liza is truly invested in her applicants. She constantly checks in on how you’re doing and helps connect you with her network to learn more about the schools / help you make an informed decision.

If you want to work with the best of the best, go with Liza!

Taking the plunge and deciding to finally apply to MBA programs, I was aware of the compressed timeline I had put myself under when I started working with Rachel in late May 2021 for R1 applications. I had not yet taken the GRE, had a rough, but not solid, the idea of my career goals and lacked insight into the process coming from a non-traditional background. Trying to play “catch-up,” I found Rachel’s balance of pragmatism and encouragement provided indispensable support when anxiety or doubt crept in. Knowing the process very well, she was able to help me set priorities and remain focused on the tasks before me—all to stunning results, acceptance at all three of my schools!

By way of background, I graduated from a top state school in 2015 with a 3.86 GPA majoring in Art History. Following undergrad, I obtained a Masters’s degree in Art History, and for the past five years, I have been working in the art industry at a major auction house. I opted to take the GRE and scored 168 in Verbal and 165 in Quant.

Rachel helped me take my application to the next level by pushing me to dig deeper and strive for more specificity in my essays. I always felt that I had ownership of my essays, but it was her astute questions and comments on drafts that drew out new ideas and connections (which I never would have thought to make on my own) and helped bring my story to life. She asked tough questions that gave me pause to think why something matters and if it does matter, how to show (and not tell!) that it does. If I got stuck, she was always willing to hop on Zoom and brainstorm or chat through my ideas. Rachel was the ultimate sounding board! This was especially helpful in crystalizing my career goals. In our conversations, Rachel would always say something that I could latch onto and research more in order to decide whether it made sense for me or not.

Beyond essays and career goals, Rachel answered every one of my minute questions about the applications, calmed my nerves when I convinced myself that I bombed a video essay and reminded me to embrace the uniqueness of my non-traditional background and be myself in interviews.

With her guidance, I applied to and was accepted at Kellogg, Columbia and Tuck (with scholarships at each). Even after acceptance, Rachel helped me weigh pros and cons of each school and provided guidance on negotiating competing scholarship offers.

From beginning to end, Rachel was honest, straightforward, patient and supportive. I honestly believe that my applications would not have been as successful as they were without Rachel’s unique ability to ask the questions that made me dig deeper, reflect further and piece my story together.

Background: 26-year-old white/Asian male, marketing and strategic comms at homebuilding company, English major at liberal arts college, 3.67 GPA, 750 GMAT

Results: Accepted to Booth, Kellogg ($), Tuck ($), Darden

In many ways, I’m what you would call an unconventional candidate. I did not study business or economics in college, I do not work at a well-known company, and I was not coming from a common pre-MBA industry. With this kind of profile, it’s easy to feel like you don’t belong at a top business school. And in fact, the first consultant I spoke with urged me to reconsider my initial list of schools.

But not Liza. From our very first call together, Liza made me feel confident that my story could be uniquely compelling — provided that I put forth my best possible application. Luckily, that’s exactly what Liza will make sure that you do.

It’s really no exaggeration to say that I could sing Liza’s praises for days. Here are just a few things to highlight about my experience working with her:

• Before you get started with any part of your actual application, Liza will really take the time to learn who you are and tirelessly work with you to construct your overall narrative.

• Liza is a true pleasure to speak to and work with. Talking with her over the phone about my essays and over Zoom when prepping for interviews was always the highlight of my week.

• As others have said, Liza is incredibly supportive, positive, and empathetic. However, this doesn’t stop her from being able to provide sharp and constructive criticism when necessary. She will always be real with you.

• Liza is a masterful editor and will not let a single sentence that isn’t up to par go untouched. I was consistently impressed by her comments and feedback each time I got one of my drafts back.

• Liza does an excellent job of breaking down each component of the application process — resume, essays, recommendation letters, interviews, etc. — and putting you on a schedule to complete each piece of the puzzle with as little stress as possible.

• Liza is very, very reliable. She sets clear guidelines on when she’ll be able to turn around any items of your application and ruthlessly sticks to them. She’ll also gladly answer any smaller questions you have along the way.

• She will go out of her way to put you in touch with her contacts at various programs. Thanks to Liza, I was able to speak to five current students at my target schools, which helped greatly with my essays and interviews.

• Liza is truly invested in your success. Even now, as I decide which school to attend, Liza has been as helpful as ever, acting as a sounding board and assisting me with scholarship negotiations.

The MBA application process is complex and daunting. But thanks to Liza, I always felt I was on track and was ultimately admitted to schools I’m thrilled about. I can say with total confidence that the best choice I made during this long journey was choosing Liza Weale as my consultant.

Background: 28-year old; URM male in NYC; Economics and Psychology double major from Ivy
Professional: IB + Corp Dev
Stats: GPA: 3.70; GMAT: 750

Working with Liza was absolutely a game-changer for my interview. I was a re-applicant for HBS and was interviewed in round 1 and waitlisted a few years ago. When I received a round 1 interview invite this time around, I knew I needed to prep differently so I would excel. I had not previously worked with Gatehouse but was drawn to their bespoke HBS interview package. Although I was originally looking for someone who had experience in HBS admissions, after directly hearing from Liza about her extensive experience doing HBS mock interviews and quite frankly, feeling her genuine enthusiasm to help me, I was excited to move forward with her.
 
Our prep started with her providing HBS specific interview materials as well as three tutorial interview videos which were all very helpful. The following week, we had our mock interview that tracked the cadence of the real thing followed by a post-interview analysis and a deeper dive on my profile to explore areas, such as my desired career transition to VC – Liza thought I would likely get questioned on this (and she was right). Liza was gracious enough to not only go through all of my latest application materials before our session but also take a look at my materials from the first time I applied and was waitlisted. As a reapplicant, Liza helped me to think through communicating how my story and goals had evolved since last time. Prepping with Liza helped to give me the confidence in my interview to walk through my story and become comfortable with the deeper probing of responses that is typical of an HBS interview. Although the questions from my mock and the real thing were not exactly the same, the topic areas we focused on were! Furthermore, Liza’s transferable and versatile approach helped me answer the unexpected questions typical of an HBS interview.
 
I was fortunate enough to be admitted to and will be attending HBS in the fall. I truly believe the difference-maker this second time around was Liza. Although I only worked with her on the HBS mock-interview package, she had an understanding of my story as if we had worked together on the whole application process, which is a testament to how heavily she invests herself into her clients. If I had to summarize Liza’s approach in a few words, they would be thorough, thoughtful, and encouraging. For those who want to maximize their chances of “crushing” the HBS interview (which can be quite tricky), even if you think you are familiar with the format, I would highly recommend Liza for her expertise and support!