Gatehouse Admissions | MBA Admissions Consultants

Liza is terrific and I don’t think I would have been admitted into the programs I applied to without her help. I have relatively strong stats (3.9 GPA and 750 GMAT) but still I knew it was a crapshoot at some of the top programs like GSB and HBS. I worked extensively with Liza for over an entire year and was able to get admitted into both schools. She really was there for every type of question I could have ever needed help with in addition to the essays, which she really broke down and pushed me on. Her honesty and transparency was key and she didn’t sugarcoat things to make me feel better – she cared about the result and optimizing my chances of getting admitted and I couldn’t be more thankful for having the oppty to work with her. You can’t do any better than Liza when it comes to consultants. Thank you Liza!!

Background: Traditional (consulting) and nontraditional (public policy) professional experience, female, average test score; average GPA
Accepted: Harvard, Stanford, Tuck, and Fuqua
Applied: R1

Liza is the best. I strongly recommend her. She is thoughtful about her feedback and willing to go above and beyond. Liza has great advice and knows her stuff. I wish I had engaged her earlier in the application process; she could have saved me a lot of excess stress.

I was not planning on working with an MBA consultant. I wrote my essays on my own and hoped for the best. When I got the interviews, I went through Tuck and GSB on my own. The HBS interview is a different beast. I tried to prepare on my own (e.g., googled questions), but I didn’t feel ready. I looked at different MBA consulting firms to see if someone could help me practice. I thoroughly reviewed about 6 firms and realized that Gatehouse has the competitive advantage of having someone who had been on the HBS admissions committee. When I connected with Liza I was initially disappointed that she wasn’t the former HBS admissions counselor. Liza understood that and laid out the ways she could support me. I chose to go to Liza because she was genuine. She wasn’t pressuring me to accept her services because she wanted another client; she really cared about helping me get the right support for my application.

When I did my practice interview, I was only planning on chatting with Liza for an hour – our conversation turned into an hour and a half session and there were several follow-up emails afterwards. Liza had done a thorough review of my application and poked at the areas she thought needed more context. She pushed me to think about types of questions HBS could ask me in my interview and helped me refine the way I gave my answers. She also had actionable feedback on how to improve my delivery.

Background: Caucasian male with accounting degree from central US state school
Work Experience: IB / PE
GMAT: 730
Result: HBS admittance & acceptance. Also admitted to CBS, dinged at Wharton & Booth

Liza provided guidance throughout the process, but most importantly, she pushed me to reveal sensitive things in my essays (particularly HBS, which is much more open-ended) that I would have NEVER done without her encouragement. She was hyper engaged and frequently followed up to make sure I was on track to meet deadlines. Liza seemed like she was constantly thinking about my story/essays and would frequently come up with value-added ideas even after I would have considered the essay done – trust me this is a good thing.

These things undoubtedly made the difference in my application: she helped me stand out from a huge pool of applicants that have similar stats and backgrounds (likely many of you reading this). Highly recommend working with Liza. I’d also encourage you to start working with her early, as I did, so you can fully leverage her expertise.

Background: Mix of traditional (banking) and nontraditional (governmental) professional experience, male, average test score with lower than ideal GPA
Accepted: Harvard, Kellogg, McCombs
Liza was recommended to me by a friend and we started working together several months before R1 deadlines. I am extremely grateful to have been able to work with Liza and was thoroughly pleased with her expertise, advice, responsiveness, and professionalism. She is the perfect blend of coach, friend, and therapist and exactly who you want by your side if you are willing to put in the work. Liza pushed me early on in the process to dig deep into my personal history and experience so that she could have a holistic view of me as a person, and she pointed out the aspects of my experiences that were worth writing about. She absolutely fine-tuned the story of my candidacy, and was there every step of the way through multitudes of essay revisions, application question help, interview prep, and even video application questions. She even pushed me to take an extra online course to demonstrate my commitment to my grades. I cannot recommend her highly enough, and I don’t want to think about where I would have been in this process without her guidance.

Background: Male, financial services background, top 20 undergrad b-school, average test results, and GPA.

Results: Accepted to CBS.

I had been unsatisfied with a previous admissions consultant when I was introduced to Rachel near my application deadline. Initially, I was nervous to switch and reinvest time and money at this late stage, but it was the best decision I could have ever made.

I could not recommend Rachel more highly. She was extremely proactive, efficient, and effective throughout the application process. She helped identify the key elements of my personal narrative and was exceedingly honest in providing feedback on my essays and resume. She pushed me to perform at my best and I ended up with a finished product I could not have been happier with. I felt she truly cared about my outcome and went above and beyond for me.

Background: CPA-4 years at Deloitte Tax in Financial Services. Penn State Undergrad, MAcc. 700 GMAT/ 3.8 GPA

I couldn’t recommend Brett more highly! When I applied to business school, he helped me determine what were my most compelling themes, fun facts, and stories which I should highlight from my background and work experience. He then helped me weave all of it into a cohesive story to take the Admissions committee on a vision quest. This helped me write compelling and successful essays. I was admitted and look forward to attending UVA Darden. I am very grateful for Brett’s help. Brett also was great in prepping me for my interview, matter of fact Liza Weale (Gatehouse Founder) even joined the zoom session to provide her two cents completely voluntarily. Brett even did an additional interview prep for me at no additional cost, just so I could get my confidence up through dry runs. Brett’s review style is great, he makes you really think and paint a picture when writing essays.

Background: Female, International, bulge bracket banking, Megafund PE
Accepted: Wharton, Harvard (Admitted)

To say Liza was pivotal throughout my business school application process would be a disservice. No review, personal testimony or reference would do Liza or her work justice. I could not have asked for a better support system, friend and consultant.

A few highlights from my experience:

1) Selection Process:
Liza came to me recommended by an acquaintance and is very well known in the New York community. I was diligent and interviewed 8 different consultants but followed my gut and selected Liza as I felt she could not only be supportive but keep me accountable.

2) Working Style:
Liza is supportive, engaging and firm. She approaches the application process in an organized fashion and as stringent as the schedule sounds – it is TRULY going to produce the best work product and showcase the best you. At first, the turnaround times and general timelines felt challenging with my schedule (I typically did most work on the weekends) but I adjusted to a cadence in which I was consistently working on one document while Liza reviewed another. Trust me – it works with any schedule!

3) Timelines:
Liza is dependable and consistent. She never ONCE missed a deadline and the quality of the work product was consistent. Trust me when I say this is rare, I watched my partner go through the process with a consultant missing both of these qualities and it makes a stressful time, that much more challenging.

4) Essay Feedback:
Liza’s essay support is phenomenal; she pushes you to SHOW the reader what you did, as opposed to tell them. This sounds basic but incredibly hard to do by yourself. This alone is worth every investment.

5) Other:
Liza has perfected her craft. Her strategy, advice, and feedback can be helpful to ANY working style. I was disorganized, last minute and have limited experience writing essays, however, Liza’s ability to help you put your best foot forward, regardless of your background or experience is unbeatable.

After having worked hard for a few years, I knew that I wanted to put my best foot forward when applying to business school. Liza Weale at mbaMission helped me achieve this goal, and I wholeheartedly recommend her to other MBA applicants. You really won’t go wrong – with Liza’s top-notch feedback and unwavering support, you can be assured that you will have the confidence needed to produce a high-quality application.

During my mbaMission free consulting session with Liza, I was struck by her enthusiasm for my accomplishments, as well as by her thoughtful comments on how I could further strengthen my profile. In a session with another company, the consultant tried to highlight how I was not a ‘rockstar’ and how it would have been more preferable if some of my experiences had been slightly different. I was appreciative of how Liza focused on what I had already achieved, and feel that her previous experiences in consulting and marketing helped her think creatively about how to shape my profile without sacrificing its integrity.

As I delved deeper into the lengthy, daunting application process, I was even more grateful to have Liza as my ‘constant’ – whether selecting schools, editing my resume, brainstorming for essays, briefing recommenders, or even deciding between schools after I was accepted. Despite a busy application season, Liza was always prompt in providing feedback and available to meet outside of my work hours. During the brainstorming process, she pushed me to come up with more examples by asking probing questions. In the process, Liza got a thorough understanding of my background and motivations, and I uncovered stories that I had initially overlooked as minor points!

Liza’s patience shined through during the essay writing process. She encouraged me to screen multiple ideas and even look at the same story from multiple angles before producing my outline and essay draft. Although I struggled initially, Liza’s encouragement and guidance helped me get out of my comfort zone and powerfully show (rather than tell) my story. Draft after draft (believe me, there were many), she provided candid, detailed feedback such that I was able to craft essays that not only highlighted my strengths but that I was comfortable with.

Working with Liza was an extremely rewarding experience, beyond just the acceptances to top MBA programs. Liza enriched my overall self-reflection process and helped me build a strong sense of confidence before entering business school.

Background: Male, URM, Ivy undergrad (Finance Major), 6 years work experience (3 yrs banking, 3 yrs corporate development), 7XX GMAT and undergrad GPA in the ballpark of MBA medians for the schools I applied to
Applied and admitted to: Stanford GSB, HBS, and Wharton

Liza came highly recommended by various friends who had used her services, and by the end of our initial consultation, it was clear why: she listens, asks the tough questions, is incredibly thoughtful, and is patient and supportive. I did not feel rushed during the consultation and Liza even followed up afterward with a debrief email that provided additional feedback on my overall candidacy (incl. areas that I could strengthen) as well as various resources that I could reference. Given how much introspection the MBA process requires, Liza’s approach makes her incredibly effective at helping applicants find/craft their story and gain admission to the most selective business schools.

Since I was a bit price-conscious, I only worked with Liza on my GSB application. However, given how detailed the GSB application is, I was able to leverage the same content for my other 2 applications. Liza did a fantastic job of helping me connect the dots between elements of my past, who I am now, and what I aspire to do in the future. She was able to give me very honest, specific feedback, and pressure test statements that I made about my motivations. Quite candidly, it was initially a frustrating process — my first essay drafts were missing the mark, and Liza pushed me to dig deeper and really tease out how the various things I’ve done are linked to a set of specific motivations. Beyond just helping me submit a top-notch application, this process of introspection and self-discovery has given me greater clarity of who I am and what I want to do going forward. People spend their whole lives trying to answer this question and discover themselves, so I really appreciated partnering with Liza to work through this.

Working with Liza on mock interviews was also incredibly helpful. During the GSB mock, we covered a number of the questions that I was ultimately asked during my actual interview. She also did a great job of imitating the cadence and atmosphere of a GSB interview. My understanding is that her HBS mocks are more fast-paced to reflect the style of HBS interviewers. This all goes to show that she knows the process and schools quite well.

Lastly, Liza is incredibly professional and brings an amazing amount of energy to every call, email, or redline you receive from her! She’s well organized, very attentive to review deadlines, and is also quite responsive. If you stick to Liza’s prescribed deadlines, you won’t be scrambling the last minute to finish up your applications and you’ll feel great when you finally hit submit. Liza’s spots fill up fast so highly recommend booking her early in the process — you won’t regret it!

Liza was tremendously helpful in my admission to my top school choice. I procrastinated greatly in writing my essays for Round 2 applications, and in the final 12 days before applications were due (also the week of Christmas/New Years), I sent an S.O.S. to mbaMission requesting tutor help, not expecting that any tutor would have the capacity to help me.

When I was matched with Liza, I could not have asked for a better experience. Because I was paying extra for an expedited turnaround, Liza got right down to business and helped me devise an action plan leading up to the final deadlines. I spent the next 10 days emailing back and forth with her, bouncing ideas and drafts around. Liza was 100% responsive, helpful, creative, committed, and genuine, and she was monumental in helping me refine my essays to perfection. She also made the process fun. Most notably, Liza kept in touch with me after I submitted my applications; she helped me prep for the interview, sent me a “thinking of you” note on interview day, and on decision day, and when I was waitlisted, she stuck with me. Liza helped me strategize my efforts to tackle the waitlist process, which after three months, proved successful.

At the end of this process, not only have I gained admission to my top choice program, but I also feel like I have gained a true friend who is interested in my success. I highly recommend Liza to anyone looking for help, even in a pinch, because you will not get better treatment or a better experience, or find a better friend, anywhere. Thank you, Liza!

I’m an international applicant from a tech background who’s engaged Liza for my HBS interview. I am happy to share that I’ve been accepted to HBS! Liza’s not only very knowledgeable and experienced but has also been so incredibly helpful and empathetic throughout my interaction with her. The mock interview helped a lot – Liza’s honest and encouraging about my rooms for improvement. She addressed my areas of concern too, giving me tips on how to be more effective and confident in my communication.

Although technically Liza’s supposed to help me just for the interview, she’s generous enough to also entertain all my other questions in relation to my application. It really helps to have a one-to-one channel for moral support and to clarify my doubts, given my status as an international applicant who’s unfamiliar with the US system. I would highly recommend Liza to anyone who’s looking to go through the same process.

Background: Female, Associate at Large PE firm Admitted: HBS

Liza came highly recommended to me by multiple colleagues. Despite being “late” to hire a consultant given my desire to apply round 1, Liza was prompt to respond and we spoke a few days after I reached out. Liza’s incredibly thoughtful yet matter-of-fact approach to our conversation struck me and I hired her without speaking with any other consultants!

My biggest concern as an applicant coming from a large PE firm was that a consultant would strip away the personality in my application and my voice in what ended up being a very personal essay. Liza assuaged my fears immediately – I was in awe of her ability to listen to my stories, read my essay drafts, and then provide helpful revision advice that actually helped my personality come across more clearly. She wasn’t afraid to support me putting my truest, most authentic self out there in a way that was clear, authentic, and confident (but not arrogant).

Liza is not only an excellent writer and communicator who will help you polish your writing and interviewing skills, but what really sets her apart from others in this industry is that she is a good listener and has a keen ability to get to know you quickly. I have heard horror stories of friends who have spent thousands on consultants who fail to provide a personalized experience — mixing up their clients, taking a long time to provide feedback on materials, and when they do finally respond, giving advice that is at best generic. The business school application requires a level of introspection that many of us try to avoid as we navigate pressure-filled professional lives, and Liza is that sherpa who knows how to carefully guide you through a reflection of where you came from, why you are the way you are, and what you want out of life and out of business school. She is so thoughtful and insightful that at times I felt like I was her only client!

Finally, I really appreciated how organized and professional Liza is; she is very good about setting expectations and guidelines early on and sticking to them (as I mentioned before, I’ve heard horror stories from friends…) At the beginning of the process, she establishes a week-by-week plan of what needs to be done, and when, which is helpful as many of us juggle busy careers and personal lives.

I am thrilled to be attending Harvard Business School starting this fall and I know that I would not have this opportunity without Liza’s support and guidance. I cannot recommend her enough!

Background: International (work in USA), Female, Consultant
Admitted: HBS

Liza is the absolute best!

I started working with Liza to prepare for my interviews and she has been an amazing source of guidance and support. I was debating whether I need help with interviews and which consultant to pick but after one call with Liza, I knew that I had to work with her. She was positive and genuine and very thorough in her questions. In addition, the friend who referred me had nothing but amazing things to say about her. While I didn’t work with her as my primary consultant, I know that she would have been invaluable throughout the whole process.

She conducted a mock HBS interview and the actual interview ended up having very similar questions to what Liza asked me. She not only gave me very pointed strategic advice but perhaps more importantly gave me the confidence and reassurance I needed. She also helped me prep for behavioral/story-type questions for my other interviews. Liza showed me how to take the stories that I found uneventful and showcase them in a way that highlights my strong characteristics. She reassured me that I could show my vulnerabilities too.

Although I only worked with her on the interview part of the process, she was there for me every step of the way. She gave me encouragement before my interview and checked in with me right after. Liza clearly cares about the people she works with and is an expert in her craft. She remembers the smallest details you mention in the calls and gives advice from a very experienced point of view. I would recommend Liza in a heartbeat!

Background: Male (no diversity). Top business undergrad. Senior Associate at PE fund. Below average GMAT. Outcome: Deferred HBS, Admitted Wharton.

I began thinking about the business school application process at the start of my second year in private equity, or about 1 year prior to applications being due (for reference I had already signed on to stay at my company for the third year). I was unsure whether to use a consultant since I consider myself to be organized and relatively decent creative writer. I reached out to Liza directly via an introduction from a former coworker of mine who had used Liza 1 year prior (accepted to both HBS and GSB). I interviewed Liza and maybe 3-4 other consultants (all recommendations from current + former coworkers), and decided that signing up with Liza was an absolute no brainer. I’ll try to boil this down to the reasons that I think are most applicable to someone of my profile looking to sign on an MBA consultant:

1. Cost (General): I understand that for some of you reading this, signing up with a business school consultant may be financially prohibitive. But for those of you who are willing to fork up an additional few $k (on top of the c.$100-200k MBA cost), my view is that doing so is extremely worthwhile. I personally was contemplating whether the cost for a consultant was justified, but after working with Liza, I am certain that the outcome of my application was leaps and bounds better and more targeted towards a seasoned admissions committee than it would have been otherwise working on my own (again, coming from someone who got straight A’s in English / writing throughout school and who admittedly has a bit of a “writing ego” – a lot of this is not just “am I a good writer” or “do I have an interesting story”, but also “do I really know exactly what the admissions folks are looking for?” My sense is that the answer is more nuanced than you/I may think). So from a cost perspective, again, if able to afford, I view this as a no brainer drop in the bucket cost relative to the broader MBA program expense, to ensure your application is as stellar as possible. But this is a highly debated topic so I understand if there are others that may feel differently.

2. Her Track Record: before joining private equity, I previously worked for 3 years at a boutique investment bank. I probably need 3 (maybe 4) hands to count the number of my former co-workers from that bank that have used Liza for business school applications over the past several years. The reason why working with Liza has become such a rite of passage for those from my old firm is, at face value, the unarguable results she produces. I’m pretty sure that all of my former co-workers that have worked with Liza in the past ended up getting into at least one of their top choices (typically HBS, GSB or Wharton). I, of course, don’t want to mistake correlation vs causation here (i.e. many of these individuals were likely stellar candidates on their own accord). But given how competitive the application process has become over the past few years (I’ve witnessed many rejections of other top tier candidates), I’d be remiss not to attribute a non-immaterial portion of many of these successes to Liza’s “magic touch” during the application process.

3. Her Insight: Liza has been working as an MBA consultant for over a decade, and as a result of that has deep insight into specifically what each admissions committee is seeking for a given background. I.e. for myself – what might help me stand out as a relatively generic non-diverse male private equity candidate? I found this particularly relevant for HBS, GSB, and Wharton. The two essays I’d say we spent the most time on were i) GSB’s “What matters most to you and why” and ii) “What more would you like us to know as we consider your candidacy for HBS?”. I started by compiling a 20-page brainstorming document that contained all my “stories” from growing up, high school, college, etc. The goal was to resurface some of my deepest most personal stories (“what makes me tick?”) that would be most helpful in presenting my candidacy to an admissions committee of a top MBA program. Liza read every page. Over the course of many months, Liza focused me on which stories were better to showcase vs others, and pulled out key motifs/themes that seemed present across each of them. (For me – the key theme we found was my underlying longing for experimenting / not being afraid to do things differently). Moving from brainstorming document (finalized call it mid-April) to the final draft of HBS/GSB essays took 4-5 months of relentless reflection and substantial re-working. I am confident that the finished product is what granted me acceptance into Wharton and Deferral from HBS despite a well-below-average GMAT score for my application cohort + non-diverse background.

4. Her Energy and Enthusiasm: throughout the application process, Liza became much more than just my consultant. She became a great friend and life coach. The spring and summer I spent writing applications was admittedly pretty rough. I had to sit inside during countless sunny Saturday’s and Sunday’s to brainstorm / write essays, on top of an already demanding job. During that time, Liza helped me stay positive through her energetic and buoyant tone during each and every one of our phone calls and embedded within each of her redlined essay comments. Liza isn’t afraid to “think out loud” on the page which I thought was immensely helpful and motivational (i.e. “I like this, but we can make it better! Something along the lines of ‘XYZ’”), and always gave credit when due (“wow, what an improvement! Love this!”). She also isn’t afraid to hold your hand when you get writer’s block, and take you down a path that might possibly lead somewhere great, just to keep the ball rolling. These anecdotes may seem small/generic, but really do add up during a long and grueling application process. It’s important to select a consultant with a contagious energy that will help you get through all the long hours, and that is as invested in your application success and general well-being during the process (and post-process as well) as Liza is. I have no doubt we’ll remain in touch for many years to come.

I can only speak to my background, my experiences, and the experiences of my peers. But if you are coming from an investment banking or PE background with the goal of gaining acceptance into a top MBA program, Liza is nothing short of an incredible option from a track record and personality perspective. And if you do find after your intro call with Liza that she is the right fit for you, I’d make sure to sign up with her early on in the process – her spots tend to fill up quickly.

Background: Male, Finance undergrad, associate at VC firm
Admitted: HBS

Go with Liza!

If you’re contemplating working with a consultant during your application process, it’s likely because you know that the applications are not to be underestimated. And given that, you cannot find a better choice than Liza. I was candidly on the fence of whether or not to work with a consultant, but after my initial consultation with Liza, I knew I only had one choice.

I worked with Liza over the course of 6 months, but it was after our initial brainstorming session that I felt like she knew me. Throughout our time together, Liza would consistently reference topics or conversations we covered in our first session together. And that was why she was so impactful for me. Ultimately, I was crafting my own story, but Liza knew the prodding questions to ask – she brought out the details in my story that truly showed who I am.

Liza’s support and cheery disposition always brightened my day. Whenever we hopped on the phone together, whether it was to brainstorm essay topics or to conduct a mock interview, I always left our conversation feeling confident. The on-campus interviews were a particularly daunting part of the process for me, but Liza’s feedback gave me a framework on which to concentrate, and her positive reassurance made me feel ready. The quick email on the morning of a big day with positive vibes was always helpful too…

If you’re applying to just one school or a handful, the application process is time-consuming. Liza, though, distills everything into digestible pieces. There will no doubt be a number of iterations until you get to the final product (for your resume, essays, and/or responses to application questions). But, speaking to my process, with each turn, Liza’s feedback was targeted and impactful. Liza guided me to the “a-ha” moment, the instant I knew I nailed my story.

I don’t know how many other applicants Liza worked with, but I always felt that I was given individual attention. Liza is always there, to answer a one-off question or to have a longer form conversation. Most important to me, though, was that I knew Liza was invested in seeing me succeed. Without Liza, I know I wouldn’t have felt as confident submitting an application as I did.

If you choose to work with Liza (you absolutely should), you’ll have someone in your corner that will challenge you and is wholly devoted to your success. Quite simply, if you’re looking to present the best version of yourself, go with Liza!

Background: Male, top undergrad, real estate development/construction industry

I owe a huge part of my three acceptances to top schools (with scholarships!!) to Liza. This review doesn’t begin to cover how much I appreciate her help throughout this long but rewarding process. However, I hope it gives future applicants some insight into the journey and encourages those serious about presenting their best business school applications to work with Liza.

I came to Liza knowing that getting into a top MBA program would be a stretch given certain components of my profile. I had worked for very small, entrepreneurial companies in an industry that is an atypical precursor to MBA. Additionally, I was not on the best terms with a previous employer. I told her in my initial call that I was going to be a challenge! However, Liza never let me think for a second that I wasn’t capable of getting to where I wanted to be. Instead, she encouraged me to see my unique background as an asset and focus my efforts on what I could control in the application.

Initially, we examined themes ranging from my childhood through college and professional life. I felt comfortable sharing so much with her because she was truly interested in getting to know me and created an open line of communication. Liza helped me create powerful essays from these themes by identifying specific examples that demonstrate my achievements to date and leadership potential. She was also a tremendous resource with application logistics and developing a strategy behind presenting components of my background, interests, and goals, locating wherein each application I could present my many facets.

Furthermore, Liza kept me in check – beyond just a schedule/flow of work kind of way. Yes, Liza was very direct with creating a game plan from day one, setting target dates, and being responsive to all of my essay drafts. What I mean is that Liza kept me focused on my message in every possible opportunity in the application. What connected me further to Liza was her commitment to showcasing my authentic self and core values. For one of my essays, Liza encouraged me to run with an idea that I was afraid was too “personal” for a business school application. Without her guidance, I would not have had the courage or ability to execute on what I now believe to be a valuable part of my journey to an MBA. After multiple drafts, the essay turned out to be the one I’m most proud of across all applications and got me accepted to my top choice school.

The MBA application process can be very exhausting and stressful but also reflective and constructive. Beyond these acceptances, I feel that I’ve achieved greater clarity towards what I want in the next steps in my career and life. It was not easy though and comes with answering tough questions and taking time for uncomfortable introspection. Liza is going to guide you to really do this work which I believe got me into these programs. I wouldn’t have been as disciplined or successful in this process without Liza’s positive attitude and direct counsel. You want her on your team!

Having Liza as my consultant was HUGE for me. By way of background, I am a male applicant with a less traditional career path, Liza helped me utilize my story in an effective way. She helped me identify my strengths as a candidate and provided amazing feedback that I would not have had without her as my consultant. The MBA application can be daunting but it helps tremendously to have someone like Liza who knows all the ins and out of the process and can provide great recommendations regardless of the question. I know without a doubt that Liza’s work helped me get into the school of my dreams. I simply could not have done it without her.

I looked at other consultants but couldn’t really find one that ‘clicked.’ After doing the introductory call, I knew immediately that Liza was the person I needed to make my candidacy the most competitive. This was the best decision I could have made!

Liza is always available; has tremendous knowledge of all the schools and the process in general; is a joy to work with; and most of all is dedicated completely to making sure your application is the best possible. I cannot recommend enough!

To say that Liza has been an integral resource and partner to me throughout this process is an understatement. She made the daunting process of applying to an MBA much easier and more fun, particularly her eagerness and passion to help bring out the best in me. I’ll highlight several that particularly stood out:

1. Liza’s uplifting energy has been very helpful throughout this stressful process. Applying to MBA is often daunting, but Liza’s passion and eagerness were a huge motivating factor.
2. Always readily available via email or call. Liza and I even met in person for our initial discussion on our initial ‘brainstorming’ doc, which was over 15 pages long!
3. Liza took the time to get to know me as a person and helped me connect the dots of recurring themes in my life to craft compelling stories.
4. Providing the type of essay feedback that would push for more details; the resulting stories would come out so much more ‘alive.’
5. Interview coaching was also extremely helpful. Liza completely upended the way I answered interview questions by crafting them in a much more refined yet concise way. This enabled me to go into my interviews feeling much more confident and prepared.
6. Liza also would check in with me from time to time just to make sure I am doing okay and she also sent me messages right before my interviews to wish me luck!
7. Also, never missing a deadline (48-hour turnaround — without exception)

All in all, Liza was such a great partner throughout the application process. I ended up getting into Tuck and was waitlisted at Kellogg (For context: I am a female applicant working in the financial services sector and I have below-average GMAT and GPA for both of these schools).

Background: female, Ivy League undergrad, banking + PE
Results: accepted to HBS and GSB

I was referred to Liza by multiple friends who had used her in prior years with great success. After our intro call it was immediately clear that Liza was my “must-have” consultant. I was just thankful that she still had spots available to work with me!

I can say definitively that working with Liza was the best investment I made during my MBA admissions journey. She served as a thought partner, sounding board, cheerleader, and mentor throughout my application process, and I could not recommend her more.

Liza stands out among a number of dimensions:
1. SHE FINDS YOUR STORY: Liza was relentless in helping me find and showcase my story. She knew exactly the questions to ask and threads to pull on to tease out my unique personal and professional experiences. Going into the process, I was not used to writing about myself. Liza fostered an environment for safe, but deep personal exploration. She helped uncover stories I had forgotten about and helped me translate those experiences into compelling essays. By the time I submitted my apps, I felt that they were truly “me” on paper, thanks to Liza

2. SHE JUST GETS IT: From the very beginning, I felt that Liza had a deep understanding of my background. She had worked with many folks from banking/PE previously, and I felt that she “got” me and knew how to help me stand out among this pool of applicants

3. UNPARALLELED HONESTY AND THOUGHTFULNESS: Liza takes great pride in her work and holds both herself and her applicants to high standards. She put real time, thought, and energy into reviewing every piece of work that I put forth – from the brainstorming doc to essays to short answers. Her comments always explained both WHAT she was thinking and WHY. And she was very honest and direct. In the final days before one of my applications was due, Liza kindly but directly told me that she thought a section of my essay still wasn’t working – and then spent a few hours and multiple more drafts helping me MEANINGFULLY improve it. When Liza told me that my essays were “good to go,” I know that she meant it

4. NAILS THE PROCESS: Liza just nails everything related to organization, deadlines, timing, etc. She is very responsive to emails, never missed a single essay revision deadline, and did an amazing job keeping ME on track

Thank you Liza for helping me realize my MBA goals. I couldn’t have done it without you and couldn’t recommend you more!

Background: Male, Engineering Undergrad/Grad, Software Engineer at a FAANG company
Admitted: MIT Sloan, Stanford GSB.

I struggle to express just how incredible Liza was during this entire process. I’ll start by saying she is a wonderful person. I started quite late and was honestly very hesitant as a result, but from the first introductory phone call with Liza she was incredibly reassuring, understanding, and ready to formulate a game plan that worked well with my tight timeline. I especially enjoyed Liza’s positive vibe and her uncanny ability to guide while ensuring that my own narrative was represented throughout my entire application, telling my authentic story was important to me, so I appreciated her holistic approach very much.

By virtue of Liza’s genuine interest in my story and her follow up “why” questions whenever we met, I became much better at telling my story (by the time I got to the 1-minute video for MIT’s app, I was an expert at articulating who I was). Updates were frequent and feedback was fast! I honestly couldn’t ask for better help.

Most importantly, all throughout the application process, I got the sense that Liza really, truly enjoys what she does, and brings every bit of her energy to helping her clients achieve their goals of admission to a top MBA program. She made what seemed a daunting process one of the most memorable experiences I’ve ever had. I highly recommend Liza as an admissions consultant, she helped me realize I could tackle the infamous “what matters most” essay and get admitted to Stanford GSB, for that I am eternally grateful. Thank you.

*SHE WILL HELP YOU CRAFT YOUR BEST PACKAGE POSSIBLE!*

I’m a 10 year veteran with a below 700 GMAT. I knew I would need to craft my best package possible in order to be competitive for R2 submissions. I applied to Kellogg (D), Wharton (A), and HBS (A – attended). I began working on my applications around July and had already written my essays and resume by the time I approached Liza in October.

Even though I had engaged peers and alumni from all three schools to provide feedback on my essays and resume, I still felt uneasy with the feedback I received. My peers knew me well and had a military background – I felt I needed to engage someone with a keen eye and a different background. That’s when I reached out to MBAmission.

I got lucky by picking Liza Weale – after reading her background, she seemed like someone I would want to work with, a decision I don’t regret. She was able to relate to me, teach me new skills, keep me positive, and above all – provide an honest estimate of her services.

Liza Weale is a military brat (an endearing word to those that grew up traveling the country and world, base to base), so she had the perfect mix between knowing enough about the military to understand some context – but not enough to read past jargon. It was this balance that allowed her to provide hard-hitting insight into my stories. If something made no sense – she’d give it to me straight. It really forced me to reflect on my stories in a way I could not have done on my own. This paid dividends when I interviewed at HBS. She is also extremely sharp and succinct. I had fears working over the phone – having done many teleconferences, I know what a waste of time they can turn out to be, but she was able to make every minute count. One phone call in my mind equated to 50 emails (be prepared to take copious notes when you call her!) Working with her opened my eyes to the caliber of professionals that I would potentially work with after earning an MBA. She was EXACTLY the kind of person I was seeking.

Liza Weale played the role of teacher. Regardless of the outcome of my application – I knew I was walking away from this experience a better writer. She opened my eyes to the “Show don’t Tell” technique of writing. This skill set has translated into my profession and has helped me teach others to write better too.

Liza Weale played the role of a support network. Few of my friends could understand the stress I felt or the odds I was up against. There were times when I doubted my own package – knowing that I was outside the median in almost every category tracked. She was always positive, over email and the phone – even when providing tough feedback. Her positive attitude never wavered and it helped crush any doubt that began to creep into my head.

Above all – Liza Weale is honest. I was willing to pay for the much more expensive deluxe service package. But after she had a chance to review my brainstorming document, essays, and resume, she recommended the hourly rate – recognizing I would not need hours and hours of her assistance. I do give myself credit – I had to play my part too – I was receptive to her insights and did the hard work of crafting and re-crafting my essays. She was acted as a rudder – providing steering direction toward my goals.

***COUNT YOURSELF LUCKY IF LIZA WEALE HAS AVAILABILITY TO HELP YOU!***
I am giving her name to all my friends who decide to pursue an MBA as well.

When I had my free consultation with the admissions company Liza previously worked with, I was on the fence about working with the company in the future. To be candid, my initial (free trial) consultant and I didn’t click. She was tough and to the point, and I knew I needed a cheerleader. A quick chat with the founder informed me that I was able to be matched with the consultant best suited to my style for powering through seven (yes, seven) MBA applications to top 20 programs. When I told him I wanted a cheerleader; someone who would constantly encourage me with the power of positive energy, he immediately said: “You need Liza!”

He could not have been more right. Liza is upbeat, peppy, realistic, and encouraging. Her tone is always cheerful and bright, powering through long calls discussing every accomplishment and story I have from my undergrad, career and personal life. I work long hours, and she was always able to accommodate my schedule by meeting at 7:30 or 8:00 am, in the evenings, or on weekends. She helped me pick my stories and truly unearth the key points from each, all the while providing both positive and constructive feedback. When Liza sends comments back on essays, she’ll also include little notes like “love this part” or “great point!” That’s just the kind of person she is. Her 48-hour-or-less turnaround time was impeccable, powering me through three round one applications and almost four round two applications.

When I received interview invites, her mock interviews truly prepared me for the real thing. She wasn’t afraid to tell me where I needed to improve and study up, highlighting how to ace a “why xyz school” question after I completely bombed the question in our mock interview.

When I was dinged from my first school, I emailed Liza in a panic: “Do I need to apply to some lower ranked schools for safety? Am I going to get in anywhere?” Liza talked me down, reassuring me that I would get in somewhere, while still researching some additional safety school options, should I choose to go that route. Her overall knowledge of the MBA programs helped solidify my school list, despite my constantly changing thoughts, and made me feel confident in my ability to be admitted to a top school .

With Liza’s help, I was able to gain admittance to a top five program and a top fifteen program (with a full ride!) during round one, halting the additional applications I was working on.

Liza even helped me when I was on the fence between the two options, gathering information from her coworkers about how to approach gently negotiating for scholarship money and having calls with me to weigh my options. She advised me to look at recruiting data at both schools and to think of the bigger financial picture post-MBA than just the cost of the MBA itself.

Almost a year after I started studying for the GMAT, I submitted my deposit for a top 5 MBA program. I could not have done it without Liza’s help; hiring her is so much more than hiring a consultant. It’s a true investment in your future.

When I first began looking at the application process I was overwhelmed by the amount of work in front of me. I planned to work on my business school applications without the aid of an admissions consultant, but I decided to sign up for a free 30-minute consultation with Liza Weale and mbaMission. I came into the meeting hoping for guidance on some tricky questions I was facing and I was blown away by how prepared, informative and fun to talk to Liza was. I decided then and there that I had to work with Liza and I couldn’t be happier with that decision!!

I worked with Liza on three start-to-finish applications and I’m thrilled to be heading to my first choice (Columbia) in the fall! Throughout the entire process, Liza was invaluable and in my corner, whether we were completely overhauling my resume, tweaking the 10th draft of an essay or thinking about the best way to answer short answer questions. Liza would regularly send me thoughts or suggestions even when I didn’t ask her and having an expert to bounce difficult questions off was an amazing resource. After only a few weeks I really felt like we were a team.

Liza also wasn’t afraid to challenge my thinking and really push me to improve my applications. I wrote what I believed to be a very strong essay and Liza showed me that I could much more effectively represent myself if I went in a different direction. When it came time to approach my recommenders Liza was so helpful in organizing my communication with them and making sure I got their full support, which turned out to be essential in my applications. And then when interviews came around, I was so prepared based on my work with Liza that I was completely comfortable and confident in what turned out to be an hour and a half interview that sealed my admission. I never could have been so effective if Liza hadn’t known exactly what questions to be ready for and helped me thoughtfully answer them in a way that was true to who I am.

If I had it to do all over again I would work with Liza in a heartbeat. I have already recommended her to my close friends and couldn’t imagine going through this process without her. She delivered in a big way for me both in terms of getting me through the grueling application process and also the great results!

If you are looking for the best, look no further. If not for Liza, I am convinced I would not have been admitted to (and received scholarship money from) the MBA programs of my dreams. She gave me the confidence to crush my interviews, and refine my story. Because I did not have your traditional business school background, her support was critical in helping me navigate my “pitch.” She really is the best and is completely determined to see you succeed.

Background: Male, Canadian undergrad, engineering background, 6 years in specialized consulting in financial risk management
Schools applied: CBS, Tuck, Booth, NYU Stern
Admitted: Tuck, NYU Stern
Waitlist: Booth
Rejected: CBS

I came across Liza during one of her online seminars. Finding the seminar itself informative, I booked her for a consultation and decided to work with her for my application. I quickly realized after working with her how helpful and supportive she is throughout the entire process. My experience was quite positive for several reasons:

1. Despite the initial consultation being pro bono, Liza took the time to review my profile in detail and provided me with multiple actionable steps I can take to strengthen my profile.
2. Liza helped me understand the nuances, and strengths/weaknesses between different schools. This helped me understand and clarify the list of schools I wish to go for and helped me focus on a handful of schools that will help my career.
3. Liza not only understands the MBA admission process but also takes the time to understand me as a candidate. Furthermore, while Liza is always empathetic and supportive, she does not hesitate to point out weaknesses that my profile currently displays – points that I believe ultimately allowed me to craft a stronger application.
4. Finally, Liza is someone who’s always in your corner. I bombed my mock interview right before the real interview, and Liza offered to do another one the morning (7:00 AM) of the actual interview. I was grateful and took up on the offer and this ultimately calmed my nerves for the actual thing.

In summary, I had a great time working with Liza, appreciate the dedication she displayed throughout the experience and would recommend her to anyone who plans on going through the same process.

I began working with Liza after unsuccessfully applying to Stanford in 2006. As a re-applicant (who typically face a higher bar than first-time applicants), I knew that I would have to improve my essays the following year. She helped me to identify the most compelling parts of my personal narrative, and her guidance made my essays vivid and readable. Once they were done, I felt that my essays captured the essence of who I was and what I cared about. In re-reading them now, perhaps the most amazing thing is that I am largely living the life I had described over 10 years ago; I have become the COO of a leading specialty insurance distribution firm and am happily married with a wonderful 7-year-old son.

Liza has been a fantastic resource throughout the entire MBA admissions process, and I could not be happier with the support she has provided. My background is a bit nontraditional, as I’m an engineer from a large state school with 6+ years of work experience at large tech firms. I was initially reluctant to use an admissions consultant, but given how challenging and competitive the process is, I reached out to a few consultants to see if a top 10 school was even achievable. Most consultants I talked to were either too cookie-cutter or apprehensive with me applying to only “reach” schools. However, Liza took my personal story and background into account and provided honest, specific, and pointed feedback that started me on the path to be successfully admitted to a top 5 program.

There are three areas where Liza helped the most: 1. Coaching, 2. Real-Life Experience, and 3. Specific Feedback. From a coaching perspective, I didn’t have many resources or mentors to talk with about applying to an MBA program, let alone a top school, but Liza was able to give me a great overview and roadmap for how the MBA admissions process worked. I realize a lot of this information is online, but being able to talk through it and strategize together really helped me to plan out my application and what schools to focus on. The “story” is so important, and this process was more internal and reflective than anything, which helped me put into words why I wanted to go to school and what I wanted to do after graduation. Also, Liza is a graduate of Sloan, so she has gone through the process and is able to tailor her information and feedback to what top MBA programs are looking for. When going through the application and more importantly the interview, I felt very prepared. I would recommend anyone do at least one mock interview per school, as Liza was incredibly helpful to calm my nerves on interview day. She treated the interview like the real thing, and I felt as if I was talking to the admissions committee. On top of that, Liza provided very specific and actionable feedback, whether that was how I answered a mock question, what I wrote for an essay, or what I wanted to do after graduation. This was the most helpful part of the process, as it is a journey with constant refinement, which I think truly made the difference for me.

Liza was just an incredible partner for me to tackle the b-school applications with. My prior experience was in a technical engineering/product role and I leaned heavily on Liza to help to make my experience/background relevant to b-school apps. With her help, I was admitted to Haas & Sloan (and now work at an MBB firm).

You want Liza in your corner, not just because of her grasp of the MBA application process, and ability to polish your personal stories into compelling narratives, but more importantly, for her passion for helping applicants discover and express themselves. This was obvious from our interactions – she would remember details from our initial brainstorming, that even I would forget! She just gets to know you incredibly well. In strategizing on how to tackle essays and interview questions, Liza combines a management consultant’s emphasis on depth and substance, with a marketer’s flair for personal branding. Her feedback helped me think through my experiences at a deeper level, back them up with specifics and articulate them with clarity.

Liza was an absolute pleasure to work with. I applied R1 to three schools: Stanford GSB, HBS and Wharton. While I didn’t use Liza as my primary consultant (I worked with her only for my HBS interview), I realized quickly after engaging her for interview prep how helpful she would have been throughout the entire process. I used a different consulting firm as the primary resource for my application essays but would recommend working with Liza if I could do everything over again — even though I was admitted to my top choice school.

Background: Caucasian male, top 5 undergrad, liberal arts background (English major), 4 years at a top-tier investment bank in IBD, 1 year as a product manager in CPG
Admitted: GSB
Waitlist: HBS
Rejected: Wharton

Liza was recommended to me by a close friend who had applied the prior year and was admitted to HBS. They had worked with her for interview prep and had a fantastic experience. My experience was also quite positive for several reasons:

1. Liza cares about who you are and takes time to really understand your goals. I was shocked at the level of detail and commitment that she provided me even though I only worked with her on interview prep. Because she took time to understand me, the pointers she gave me during our mock interview were incredibly helpful, and I was able to apply them during the interview itself

2. Liza really understands MBA admissions and helps clarify uncertainties. She helped me to demystify the admissions process, and more specifically, the interview’s importance with respect to an overall application. This made me more confident going into my interview because I had a clearer sense for what I was getting myself into and how important it was

3. Liza understands the nuances between schools and helps you tailor your story to each one. This is very important for the HBS interview, as much of what they are looking for is driven by fit for the school

In summary, I cannot recommend Liza highly enough. She was empathetic and supportive, and while I did not work with her on the application for the school that I am ultimately attending, I know she would have shown the same level of dedication and support throughout the process overall.

I couldn’t recommend Liza more highly! When I applied to business school, she helped me determine what were my most compelling themes and stories which I should highlight from my background. She then helped me weave all of it into a cohesive whole. This helped me write compelling and successful essays. I was admitted into and then attended HBS, and since then, was a principal at a leading private equity firm and now lead strategy at a great tech firm. I am very grateful for Liza’s help.

When I first began my search for a consultant, I was surprised at how many 5-star reviews Liza had. Now that my journey’s complete, I can confirm that she really is an incredible consultant and partner in the admissions process. Comparing my own experience to those of my friends who worked with other people, I can definitively say Liza provided the best guidance. Searching for a good consultant is a huge shot in the dark, but finding a good one can really make a difference and for that reason, I cant recommend Liza enough.

A couple of things I really enjoyed about my experience:
1) Liza is extremely organized: she makes sure to set timelines, is very reliable on turnarounds, and kept me organized through the process
2) She knows A LOT: I could really see how experienced she was during brainstorming / knew the answers to every question I had
3) She is positive: this means A LOT when you are feeling super stressed or the first couple turns of your essay feel like they suck – Liza provides the encouragement and confidence you need to succeed

My background is in finance and media corp strategy. Thanks to Liza, I got into a top 3 school. I really couldn’t have don’t it without her!

When I was getting ready to start my b-school applications, I wanted to give myself every advantage possible and looked to enlist the help of an MBA consultant.

I met Liza during my 30-minute free consultation and immediately knew that she would be a great fit for my application process. From the get go, Liza had an array of thoughtful comments tailored to my specific background and target schools. She immediately spotted “themes” in my work experience, such as an ability to create systems/infrastructure, which I had not identified on my own. On top of that, her supportive and enthusiastic attitude made it clear that she was 100% invested in my success. I immediately signed up for two start-to-finish packages (GSB and Sloan) and later added two more (HBS and Haas).

As soon as we began the application process, I knew that working with Liza had been a wise choice. My first brainstorming session started as a general get-to-know-you session, but it was immediately clear that Liza genuinely wanted to understand my personality and behavior. With each experience, we discussed she would ask probing questions such as, “How did you respond? Why did you do that?” Through this session, I felt that Liza gained valuable insight into my personality, motivations, and behaviors. With this insight, Liza helped me identify trends in my work history and hone in on my most compelling stories based on each school’s profile. In later sessions, Liza acted as a sounding board for my ideas, ensuring that I did not waste time writing essays about less-than-stellar subjects.

This up-front work truly paid off as we entered the essay writing stage. With general themes already identified for each application, I was able to jump into essay outlining without any problem. Throughout the MANY iterations of my essays, Liza’s feedback was impeccably on-point complete with thoughtful questions, insightful suggestions, and a laser focus on the big picture. She asked pointed questions that helped me focus on salient information and she also has an amazing ability to identify and eliminate non-essential details. Once my essays were boiled down to the core story, Liza demonstrated her very impressive ability to cut words through creative editing. Throughout the process, I felt that Liza really went above and beyond as I often received comments back well before the 48-hour response time had lapsed and, on top of that, I would get random emails saying things like, “While I was out for a run, I had an epiphany regarding your essay….” This extra effort really made me feel as if she had my best interest in mind and was truly invested in my success. At the end of the process, I felt that my essays retained my individuality and read as my voice, but were more focused and polished than they would have been otherwise…thanks to Liza.

Liza was also hugely helpful with the remainder of my applications helping me concentrate on achievements in my resume, choose words thoughtfully in my short answers, and present myself succinctly in my interview. Finally, after six long months of the grueling application process, I was accepted to three programs (HBS, Sloan, and Haas) and could not be happier about choosing to work with Liza during the process. In fact, Liza continued to go above and beyond after I received my acceptance letters helping me through the school selection process, even going as far as to write an email with some questions/self-exploration questions to ask myself while I made my decision.

If you are considering using a Gatehouse Admissions consultant, I would highly recommend Liza. She helped me demonstrate the best version of me through my applications and not a pre-packaged idea of what business schools want. I am super pleased with my experience with Liza and, I think, the results speak for themselves.

Despite my waiting until the last moment to get started on my applications, Liza was able to jump in and help me pull together my thinking and write lucid, interesting and ultimately very successful essays. While the stories were all mine, her ability to make them come to life and pull the most impactful parts out of my head – and cut out the rest – is what got me over the line and accepted at both HBS and Kellogg. I’m convinced of that and am forever grateful

One of the hardest parts of working in the Information Technology arena is having a resume that is understandable and highlights your skills for recruiters and human resources to comprehend while also attracting highly technical hiring managers. I found that most of the times even though I was qualified for the job, that it wouldn’t even be considered due to the technical jargon that was beyond people reviewing my resume. I expressed my frustrations with Liza and she took up the challenge. She took my complex resume and made it extremely readable while keeping some technical components. I received rave reviews from hiring managers, recruiters, and human resources on how well my resume was written. I have never heard these types of compliments before. Within one month, I landed the job I have been angling for the past 5 years. I can’t recommend Liza enough to help you with your career, being a graduate school or job hunting.

I want to start by saying that Liza was amazing to work with and I couldn’t recommend her more! I worked with Liza on Round 1 applications for HBS, Kellogg & Stanford GSB and I’m excited to be attending HBS this fall.

Background: Male, engineering at top-20 undergrad, MBB consulting / PE, 730 GMAT
Admitted: HBS, Kellogg
Rejected: Stanford GSB

Liza was recommended to me by multiple colleagues and everyone I spoke with had an extremely positive experience working with her. Nonetheless, I still evaluated multiple admission consultants; however, none compared to Liza. From our fist conversation, it was noticeable how much Liza cared about making my candidacy a success. I also remember how she took the time to really understand my goals for the process.

While many others have noted many of Liza’s amazing characteristics, I’ll highlight three that I found most beneficial.

(1) Liza takes the time to get to know you as a person. Business school applications can be very personal, so while this may feel insignificant I think the time Liza took to get to know my personal story paid many dividends through the process.

(2) Liza is deeply knowledgeable about the admissions process. Because Liza has so much experience coaching candidates, she understands where you should be in the process at all times and is very familiar with what admissions teams are looking for in candidates. And even though Liza does have a lot of experience to draw from, Liza still did a great job ensuring the process was specifically tailored to what I was looking to get out of it.

(3) Liza gives great feedback and while she will push you to tell a story admissions teams will find compelling, she also ensures your story remains authentically you. I have a more traditional background on paper, but there were specific points about my personal background I felt were important to highlight. With Liza’s guidance, I was able to tell a story that combined the softer components about my background & ambitions that made me unique with firmer accomplishments that highlighted my capabilities.

My background: Female, 5 years in finance/investment banking at a BB firm, ivy league liberal arts background (poli sci/econ major), 730 GMAT, 3.7 GPA

Admitted to HBS, Wharton and MIT Sloan, received a merit-based scholarship at Wharton and Sloan. Rejected from GSB. Worked with Liza on HBS and Wharton.

Less than a year ago I hadn’t opened a GMAT textbook and right now I’m on my way back from an admitted students’ weekend at a school I could only dream of getting into. It’s surreal and 100% would not have been possible without Liza.

I was referred to Liza through a friend and decided to set up a 30-min free consultation to see what kind of advice I could expect from an admissions consultant and what she thought about my candidacy. I knew I had certain “on paper” strengths (good GPA, ivy league school, solid firm/professional experience), but was concerned about my lack of leadership/involvement in activities outside of work and that my profile was otherwise overrepresented. In the 30 minutes, Liza gave me honest and actionable feedback, including ways to address weaker spots in my application and a plan for tackling the next steps. The overwhelming process seemed much more manageable by the end of our call, and I felt more confident in myself as a competitive applicant. She was clearly a pro and I didn’t hesitate to sign up.

Liza is a dream to work with in so many ways, but she was especially helpful in two key areas. First was helping me craft my “story” – by the end of our brainstorming session she was able to tease out the key theme weaving together all the seemingly random life anecdotes I had written down. I never would have thought of that seed idea on my own but it was perfect, which is a testament to how well she understands her clients. Her feedback was invaluable throughout the essay writing process and I almost always took her suggestions, from high-level structural changes to word choice. And when she indicated she was comfortable with where drafts stood, I trusted her and didn’t sweat any more iterations.

The second area where Liza was critical was interview prep. I didn’t realize how underprepared I was for the HBS interview until we had our mock. After that, I had a much better understanding of what the real interview would be like and the types of questions I could expect. I was very well prepared for the interview day of and most of the questions I got we had workshopped or raised during prep.

I’m honestly not sure I would have completed a single R1 application, let alone four, if I hadn’t had Liza in my corner. She’s your constant champion throughout a long and draining experience.  There were some really stressful times when I was running up on deadlines, crushed at work and taking the GMAT for a third (!!) time less than a month before R1 apps were due. Liza was always there urging me on and helping me believe in myself, whether with an email or reassuring phone call. She is compassionate and truly cares about her clients, but she will definitely push you to be disciplined and invest the time and work required to get the most out of this process.  She is unfailingly positive but what I appreciated most was her honesty. She approached every issue or conversation in a measured way but did not hesitate to call out where things need improvement and never inflated my expectations one way or another. This is exactly the type of person you want as an advisor when going through a process as important as this one.

There is no way I would be considering the options I have now without Liza and I can’t recommend her enough. THANK YOU, LIZA!!!!

Background: Caucasian Male, Non-Ivy Undergrad, Sub 3.0 GPA, Chemical Engineer

Results: Attending Top 5 Program, Accepted to 3 Top 10 B-Schools

To anyone looking to maximize the strength of their candidacy, I would highly recommend using Liza as a consultant! After having interviewed multiple consultants, I was referred to Liza by a friend attending HBS. From our initial phone call until now, Liza has taken complete ownership of my story and my application process. As a candidate from an unremarkable undergrad program and sub-3.0 GPA, I went from an applicant hoping to breach the top 20, to a future student at a top 5 business school; working with Liza allowed me to achieve these results. Liza’s book of clients fills up very early in the process, so I would recommend signing on with her as soon as you establish that you would like to attend a top business school.

Liza’s tenacity, reliability, and support throughout my process was astounding and unwavering. She took immediate ownership of my story, and ensured that I did the same by having me fill out an exhaustive brainstorming doc; while the document was arduous, the content was directly applicable to every facet of the application process. Liza then helped me to develop and articulate my story in the most convincing manner, working as a teammate to generate ideas, put them into action, and refine them into their most effective form, all while keeping me on track to meet the schools’ deadlines.

Throughout an uncertain process, Liza was honest, supportive, and incredibly empathetic. It was clear that my success was her success, and throughout every step of the process, we worked tirelessly to evolve my candidacy into one worthy of acceptance at multiple top 10 programs. Liza enabled me to change my own life, and I could not be happier with my decision to take her on as a consultant/partner.

Some background: an international applicant who has been working for the past few years in my country’s public sector (defense). Did my undergrad and masters’ in engineering at Top 10 US schools. Thanks to Liza’s help, I managed to secure admissions to MIT Sloan (with fellowship).

My background was extremely non-traditional. I knew that I had to get an admissions consultant who understood my story and was able to translate that into something that the admissions committees of top MBA programs would find attractive. Among the 5 consultants that I spoke to during my search, Liza was the one I was most impressed with. I felt that she was someone who was really excited about my candidacy, knew what exactly I needed help with, and what I could highlight to my advantage (even in the initial consult!).

There were several things that Liza did for me that stood out:
1. She was relentless in probing me for my story. I found it difficult to put together the initial brainstorming document because I was not used to talking/writing about myself. But Liza posed the right questions that helped me tease out the key traits/themes of my story.
2. Detailed, highly valuable interview prep. I was really nervous about interviewing. But Liza’s mock sessions made all the difference – She taught me how to structure my responses so that I could convey a clear story that the interviewer could follow and take away from. She reminded me to explain jargon that I was used to but my interviewer wasn’t. She helped me to refine the questions that I wanted to pose to the interviewer.
3. She is the best cheerleader! There were times when I felt demotivated and defeated because I was overwhelmed with work or got a rejection, but she was always there with kind words and cheers!

Overall, I would definitely recommend Liza! She really puts in 110% for her clients. I would not have been able to get into my top choice (and get a fellowship) without her.

Background: Female, nontraditional professional background, GRE Q160, V167, GPA 3.89.

Accepted early decision to CBS.

I had a few introductory phone calls with other consultants, and after speaking with Liza, I knew I wanted to partner with her throughout this process. Liza was positive, but realistic, and it was clear – just during those 30 minutes – that she really wanted me to succeed.

Liza’s guidance at the beginning of the process was key to my success. She helped me define and communicate my short- and long-term goals, which are major components of the application. Liza also helped me identify my strongest and most compelling experiences/stories to focus on in my resume and essays. It was very important to have Liza’s expertise as I jumped into the applications.

Liza adheres to the MBA Mission’s essay/application review turnaround deadlines, which she holds both her clients and herself to. This policy helped me stay on track. I needed to send my materials to Liza by a certain date in order to receive her feedback by a certain date. As someone who would typically tinker with my essays for hours on end, these deadlines were a huge help and kept me moving forward! Additionally, Liza never missed a turnaround deadline – I knew exactly when I would receive her very thorough comments and responses to my questions!

Lastly, rather late in the game, I was thinking about adding a more competitive school to my Round 1 applications. I was hesitant about adding another school, but when I reached out to Liza about applying, her response was something along the lines of, “Excited for you! Here’s what needs to happen.” With Liza’s support, I ended up applying and being accepted to this school. I’m thankful to Liza for advising and cheering me on throughout the process!

First a little background on me: White, male, engineer from a large state school (GPA 3.7 / GMAT: 690 / 4 years of experience upon matriculation). Pre-MBA I have been working at a large management consulting company (Deloitte / Accenture / EY). So all in all, I felt like I had what was a very generic profile.

I knew early on that I would use an admissions consultant. I saw how competitive my pool was and realized that I needed a way to differentiate myself from the rest of the pack. I had a few calls with consultants and told them my list of schools. Some either immediately said that I was reaching too far and others seemed overly optimistic. I decided to go with Liza when she gave me honest feedback and said that while my schools would be challenging, they were doable. Ultimately I signed up for 3 schools (Darden, Fuqua, Johnson) and had these 3 schools as reaches and dream schools. For me, it was all or nothing.

Working with Liza was what kept me sane during this challenging process. She did this through 3 key things:

1) Finding and developing my story – Liza did an amazing job of finding a thread in my story that was able to differentiate me from my peers and then pull on that thread. She helped uncovered both personal and professional stories that I had forgotten about and helped me make them come to life. By the time my applications were submitted, I had a clear cohesive story that helped me stand out as a unique candidate.

2) Optimism – In an anxiety-inducing process where self-doubt can often creep in, Liza was upbeat and provided constructive feedback in a manner that was motivating and made me want to improve. Her energy was contagious and necessary during this application process.

3) Invested – Liza was the first to say good luck and to ask how things went after an interview or admissions decision. I felt that she was just as invested in my applications as I was.

Ultimately I was admitted to my dream schools of Fuqua and Darden and still waiting to hear back from Johnson. As I write this review it comes as no surprise that this is the 99th (or 100th) positive five-star review she has gotten. While certainly not a cheap investment, it has paid itself back tenfold.

A bit of background about myself, I’m a Middle Eastern female working in the banking industry with around 7 years of work experience.

In the beginning, I was very reluctant to apply for any of the top school’s MBA, as I assumed that my profile would be considered as average and my application would be easily overlooked. However, upon talking with Liza, she was able to significantly change my views and our conversation encouraged me to apply to my dream school.

Working with Liza has helped me identify my goals not only in the essays but also in real life. Her questions to my essay drafts made me highlight lots of unique points and qualities that did not cross my mind initially, and made my overall story in the essays logical and convincing.
She was able to let me extract the core story behind my essays and helped me cut all the unnecessary details to represent my story in the most compelling way.

She has as well guided me through the interview process, which is a really stressful period for all applicants. She provided me with interview guidelines and we scheduled one mock interview (through Skype). The mock interview was great and really imitated the real interview! her feedback was very beneficial and helped me show up to the interview very well prepared and confident.

Overall, I would HIGHLY recommend Liza as a partner in the application process. With her guidance, I was gladly accepted to my target school (an ivy league)!

First up, here’s a bit of background about me and my candidacy: I’m an American female, from a non-ivy undergrad (3.8 GPA) with slightly below average GMAT (690). Pre MBA, I worked at a global Financial Services company with the goal of landing a spot at a top consulting firm post MBA.

I decided to work with a consultant on my business school apps early on, knowing that I could easily be overlooked if I didn’t highlight the right details about my experience when I applied to top programs. I met with representatives from a few companies, however, decided to work with MBA Mission as soon as I met with Liza Weale.

I can’t begin to describe how helpful Liza was throughout the entire application process – she helped narrow down my list of target schools, advised which areas of my background were most compelling and worked with me through countless revisions until my application truly reflected that I was a competitive candidate. Ultimately I ended up working on two applications with Liza – Harvard, and Columbia, and I was accepted to CBS! And when I was deciding between a new role and business school, she was a solid sounding board.

Overall, while I valued Liza’s input on my application, I also truly enjoyed working with her, which made the process much more painless (dare I say, even enjoyable at times?) Needless to say, if you’re planning to spend the money on a consultant, I highly recommend meeting with Liza.

Background: Male, re-applicant, non-business undergrad, 5+ years consulting

After going through rejections the prior year (worked with a different admission consulting company), I knew I needed a different strategy to have a positive outcome this time around. I spoke with a few other companies and most of them were hesitant in taking me on as a client due to low GPA/GMAT stats. Feedback provided in initial consultation was that I should delay re-applying until improving my stats. Despite the feedback, I still felt there was a way for me to be competitive or even be considered for a top MBA program. I first heard about Liza from a friend who worked with her before and spoke nothing but great things. I decided to do an initial consultation with Liza and explained to her of my situation/background/low stats. She was very honest in her feedback saying that it would be difficult to be competitive and I should be prepared for backup options if not accepted again. Liza still felt there was a unique story that I could tell and schools would look at that positively if the story was told in an effective way. Knowing that I was taking a gamble given my low stats, I felt really comfortable after my initial discussion with Liza and knew I wanted to work with her on my applications.
I decided to re-apply to two top-20 programs. Initial activity with Liza was spent on the brainstorming document. I highly encourage you to spend ample time on this document so that Liza has all the personal stories/experiences which she will be reviewing prior to essay drafting. The more information you share in brainstorming, the more material Liza will be able to help you filter to determine what is powerful to include in essays or not. There were personal stories which I included from my childhood which I never thought b-school admissions would want to hear, but Liza was a true advocate in highlighting those experiences which I know helped distinguish myself from the stack of applicants.

Once essay drafting began, I always felt like I was telling the story I wanted to tell. Liza was a great supporter along the way who was not afraid to provide honest feedback if I was heading in the wrong direction or not making sense. Her feedback is extremely valuable and allows you to take a step back and self-reflect. Over the course of drafting versions of essays, I became more and more confident in the story I was telling. Liza would always ask me how I’m feeling about everything before any major deadline we set for ourselves. When it came time for interviews, she would personally send me a note hours before wishing me good luck which was really great. Those moments were very nerve-wracking, but it was just nice knowing Liza was rooting for me.

My recommenders commended on Liza’s assistance during the recommendation letter drafts. Even though I did not see what my recommenders wrote, I knew that Liza knew my story better than anyone else and made sure the recommenders brought out my strengths. She worked closely with my recommenders and helped them frame their stories which resonated well with my overall goals. Knowing that Liza was on my side every step of the way, I know that my recommenders had all the tools and information needed to write an effective letter.

The overall end result was that I was invited to interview to both my programs and accepted and a waitlist to the programs which I was rejected from nearly a year ago. I know this would not have been possible without Liza’s support throughout this entire process. Liza is definitely a gamechanger and helped me represent myself in the best way to the admissions committee. If you are in the process of applying for business school, Liza is without a doubt the only way to go. Even though she was my admissions consultant, along the way she became a friend who truly wanted me to succeed. Best decision ever.

Background: Male, Ivy Undergrad, banking+PE+ops role
Results: accepted at Harvard and Stanford

I could not speak more highly about working with Liza. I was referred to her by a friend who had used her Round 1 in the same year (I worked with her for Round 2). After doing intro calls with 3-4 consultants it was immediately clear to me that the two of us clicked and she would be the ideal consultant for me to work with. Her spots fill up fast, so if you are interested I would definitely recommend getting a spot with her as soon as possible.

Liza made the very daunting task of answering abstract questions like “What else should we know about you?” and “What matters most?” very personal and attack-able. Her approach makes you actually look within yourself to really think about the right answer. She’s incredibly good at asking you questions about how you feel, and then helping dissect that into a key theme or two that make for a great essay and hold true to the person that you actually are.

You’ll begin by assembling a detailed brainstorming document. While this does take time, it is well worth the investment. From this, you’ll be able to work with Liza to figure out a whole range of potential essay topics, and what’s more, you’ll also be able to recycle this work for your short answers on the application and also for stories on the interview. It is well worth the time.

In terms of essays, Liza provided appropriate guidance and feedback at all levels. Before I got going writing, we’d make sure there was at least an underlying theme that could be a good essay, so we’d avoid wasting time on a bad topic. Then, she was very open and honest with feedback. Sometimes, she would think the initial draft was nearly complete. Other times, she would provide very specific and helpful feedback and it was back to the drawing board. It was clear that she spent significant time reviewing my essays, and combined that effort with her massive knowledge of MBA applications to help me write the best essays. Each time I would revise, I could tell that the essay was getting stronger, and I thought the end product was not only a great business school essay but also one that was uniquely me and did convey my personality and answer the question appropriately.

I know for a fact I could not have done this stressful process without Liza. She was there to hold my hand as much as I needed each step of the way, and more importantly, gave me confidence in myself — both as an applicant in general and specifically when it came to the application items we were creating together. I could not recommend her more highly. It is clear she pours her heart and soul into her clients and is a huge advocate for them. I greatly looked forward to each of our interactions. TWO THUMBS UP!

I’m a woman working at an investment firm. It was fairly late in the cycle when I decided to apply to business school. I was introduced to Liza through a friend who worked with her and got into HBS. From our very first call, Liza had my absolute trust! It couldn’t be any clearer to me that she was someone who was truly dedicated to her job, and she was extremely experienced and knowledgeable. I actually interviewed five other admission consultants from top firms, and she was by far the best – there was no comparison. Unfortunately, I was too late in the process and Liza was booked up for the start-to-finish package and wasn’t able to take me on. So I somberly settled for my second pick at a competing firm. Unfortunately, my second pick full-time consultant regularly missed deadlines which weakened my trust in him along the process. Although Liza was booked up, she graciously agreed to work with me on an hourly basis – even though we were so close to the deadlines. We worked together for about 6 hours, including essay reviews and interview prep. Through the process, Liza encouraged me to dig deeper and reflect more on each of my experiences. She really helped me transform my essays: we removed all the cliche statements and the final product was much more unique and reflective of me as a person. Even once my purchased hours were up, Liza was still available as a resource and answered my emails generously in her own time.

Another thing I would highlight is that MBAmission has a two-day turnaround policy, and they do not miss deadlines. I initially didn’t realize how important this would be. But remember that applying to school is a very stressful period, and you should work with someone who is reliable and who will be there for you when needed.

In the end, I ended up getting into both my top choices – and I’m very grateful to Liza for her help. Not only she helped me with my application, but also she was absolutely there for me along the process.

Hollis was incredibly helpful throughout my application process and I would highly recommend her services. She is a tremendous writer and is very user-friendly/creative when it comes to crafting the best story of yourself.

Profile:
Male, Caucasian, 730 GMAT, Top-40 Undergrad College, Large Corporation

Results:
Accepted: Stanford, Kellogg
Waitlisted: Harvard

If you are looking to get into a top b-school, my advice to you is to partner with Liza Weale (and do it early before she reaches her capacity for the year…which she will). She will make you work your butt off because she cares so deeply about seeing you succeed. Be ready to self-reflect. Be ready to take feedback in stride. Be ready to give your all to this process. If you do, you will not be disappointed. You will walk away more self-aware, more self-confident, and with a better idea of how you want to leave your mark on the world. And if you do these things well, there is a good chance you’ll find success in the application process.

In my opinion, the hardest (and most important) part of the application process is getting to know yourself inside and out– what makes you tick, why you do the things you do, what you want to do with your life—and then communicating this clearly and effectively through essays and interviews. This is no small task; in fact, it’s really really hard and I think it is impossible to do well without someone else pushing and challenging you throughout. Whether it’s a close friend, parent, or a consultant like Liza, find someone to fill this role. I would be hard pressed though to find many friends, parents, or other consultants that care as much as Liza does and that put in the kind of effort to help you put your best foot forward as Liza does (it’s crazy because she starts as a stranger and quickly becomes your biggest fan).

Liza first had me fill out a brainstorming document to help her get to know me (essentially 20+ pages of my life story) and then spent hours on the phone asking me question after question about it. From our very first conversation, I was struck by 1) how good of a listener she was, 2) how much she wanted to authentically get to know me, and 3) how fast she picked up on what was most important to me and how well she was able to think of essay ideas around these things. I had been spinning my wheels for months leading up to our initial conversation and after talking with her it was amazing how I left finally feeling a sense of direction. I then remember sending my first draft of HBS’s essay to Liza for feedback the week after this, thinking that it was pretty great. She turned it around a couple of days later basically ripping it to shreds (in the most constructive and polite way possible!). 8 drafts later, I could not have been prouder of how far it had come and how it spoke to who I am and how I want to make my mark on the world.

Liza helped me in a similar way for Kellogg and Stanford—it took MANY hours of me writing, getting feedback, revising, and re-writing, but I felt incredibly pleased and proud of the essays I submitted when all was said and done. Liza also helped me transform my resume from corporate jargon into something that really packed a punch and helped me think of ways to write short answers in a way that was clear and powerful. She never missed a deadline and always came back with meaningful and thoughtful input. She was the best person to help me prep for interviews because of how well she got to know me. She was the first person after my parents I contacted after finding out from Stanford and Kellogg. Liza is incredible, and she will remain a friend for years to come. In my opinion, it is well worth the money to partner with a consultant, and if you do, you would be a fool not to choose Liza.

My Profile: Southeast Asian; Male; 3.60 GPA (Law LLB); 730 GMAT (Q48 V42); 5 years as a construction lawyer; currently, counsel at a hyper-growth real estate/hospitality company.

Admitted to Class of 2021 at MIT Sloan (with Fellowship)

Having dreamed of pursuing an MBA for a number of years, I reached out to a close friend of mine that was admitted to CBS to learn more about his experience with the application process. He gave me a resounding recommendation of Liza’s services and was so sure that Liza made THE difference in getting into his dream school! His words were difficult to ignore – I started working with Liza over 1 year ago and have never looked back!

While the past year was absolutely brutal as I had to juggle a new job together with applying to 6 schools, having Liza by my “side” to encourage and urge me on at every step of the way kept me on track! She has been a friend, confidante, career coach, consultant, cheerleader, taskmaster and support system all rolled into one. I had the benefit of connecting with Liza a few months in advance of actually starting work on the applications, and she gave me invaluable advice to make career decisions that ultimately shaped my profile for the MBA applications.

As I worked with Liza, it quickly became apparent that she always put her sincere best in getting to know me inside and out, and was fully invested in helping me to reach my goals. She manages to tease out the best ideas and best version of yourself, and she is extremely effective in helping you to bring YOUR stories to life through the essays. She is an expert communicator and leaves no stone unturned with her practical/honest advice – you will definitely feel assured that you have done your best with her guidance. With interview prep, she made sure that I was so prepared for every eventuality and provided nuanced tips for each school/interviewer. The actual interview was a breeze!

It is all thanks to Liza that I will be traveling halfway across the world to attend MIT Sloan this fall. I can’t wait, and I can’t speak highly enough of Liza’s help in getting me there. Highly recommended!

After conducting a few free consultations with other MBA consultancies, I ultimately chose to work with Hollis from mbaMission due to her supportive, thoughtful, and holistic approach to advising and providing feedback. Having made good headway on my applications in early summer, I ultimately decided to pursue the hourly service with Hollis to really focus on developing the structure and content of my essays and spend time fine-tuning my resume.

From our initial call together, I was extremely impressed by Hollis’s genuine investment in my success. There were a few things that really stood out to me. First, Hollis never shoehorned drastic changes to the content or story that I was trying to tell through my writing, allowing me to stay true to the work that I had done and the experiences that I was trying to share. Instead, Hollis focused on ensuring that my story made sense to the reader and came through in the most impactful, thoughtful, and genuine way possible. At points throughout my essays, Hollis would ask me to answer probing questions, which not only challenged me to provide unique detail around my experiences, but also made for fresher, more interesting, and much more compelling pieces of work. Second, Hollis is a master editor – she continuously spent time meticulously examining every word, comma, and period to ensure that it not only added meaning but also enhanced the quality of my work. Finally, I was enormously grateful for Hollis’s reliability, promptness, and efficiency throughout the process. Whether it was providing feedback well before the expected turnaround time, answering a silly question from a late-night email, or brainstorming an effective essay approach, Hollis was impressively efficient, supportive, and motivating, the combination of which contributed to my success.

If you are considering applying for a top business school program, I highly recommend that you work with Hollis!

My profile:
Asian, Female
~4 years in Consulting
710 GMAT
Chatted with 5+ companies and ~7 consultants and ultimately chose Liza!

The application process is arduous and there’s a lot of consultants to choose from. I chose Liza because she is someone who will be there in the trenches with you and help you become a storytelling master. Here are the 2 key reasons you should choose her-

1) Best Storyteller I’ve Met:
A lot of applicants are stellar but can’t showcase it on paper. Liza helped me bring my story to life by helping me cut out the fluff to draw on different aspects of my stories that’d pull at the heartstrings more. She helped me see my own stories in a new light and told me how AdComm is likely to view it. You’ll definitely need a consultant to help you do this because your everyday friends/colleagues just aren’t going to be as invested in you as a consultant would.

2) Unparalleled Thoroughness: Liza always prepped for our calls. In our brainstorming session, she already had ideas on how my story should be structured and explained to me why she suggested each edit. Some consultants could just make changes without explaining…but then you wouldn’t learn how to improve for your other apps. Another aspect is that she helped catch errors in my app. She helped catch small nuances and numbers that didn’t tick and tie. You’ll be so trenched in the app that sometimes it’s easy to lose track on what you’ve updated!

Liza is truly the ONLY person who will dedicate that much effort into helping you achieve your dreams (aside from yourself).