mbaMission | MBA Admissions Consultants

I partnered with Jessica during my reapplication process to prepare for the HBS interview and post-interview reflection. Her contributions were critical in my getting admitted to HBS.

I first spoke with Jessica when I was putting together my essay for HBS reapplication. While I came to the 30-minute free consultation with multiple, half-baked ideas, Jessica quickly grasped the essence of the story I wanted to convey and shared a couple of powerful narratives to shape my story better. She cut through the noise and helped me find the central theme for my essay. As a reapplicant, I had a bunch of questions that she answered extremely patiently and more importantly, candidly.

I reached out to Jessica again once I got invited to interview with HBS for interview preparation. During the mock interview, Jessica’s diligence and preparation were visible as her questions covered the depth and breadth of my application. She has a great pulse of the admission committees’ thought process and some of the mock interview questions came up in my final interview! Her feedback was well-rounded, focusing on the content of my answers as well as the softer aspects of communication. Thanks to her I felt confident walking into the interview.

However, the thing that stood out the most for me was Jessica’s “at-cause professionalism”. In a process that can be stressful due to tight timelines, she ensured timely discussions and delivery of deliverables. Even in the one instance where she was unavailable, she let me know months in advance and ensured that I was tagged to another consultant for support. Jessica always went out of her way to share material/suggestions, irrespective of whether I was working with her or not.

While we worked together for only a few months, I wish I had come to her in my first year of applications. She is a wonderful thought partner to have by your side as you navigate through B-school applications.

My overall experience with mbaMission and especially my consultant, Gavriella, was excellent!

I elected for the hourly service, for the flexibility, and because I knew which schools I wanted to apply to, but in no way did this detract from the highly personalized guidance I received.

My busy work schedule and different time zone were also no impediment; Gavriella was able to work around me and help with essay editing, deciding on which stories to discuss and eventually on interview preparation as well. I received first-class coaching for every step of the application, tailored specifically to me.

Gavriella was very knowledgeable about the idiosyncrasies of each school’s application process and took time to understand my background, my goals and exactly how I should present my narrative.

I found most useful the open and honest feedback. I felt Gavriella really wanted my application to be the best that it could be. I am very excited to start business school later this year and am sure I could not have been successful without the help of mbaMission.

Gavriella is a fantastic advisor and a lovely person – I could not recommend her services highly enough!

Working with Melissa was the best decision I made throughout the whole business school application process! I had less than stellar GMAT scores and Melissa encouraged me to take the GRE, which I’m confident helped my application immensely. She was always available to do as many revs on essays or anything related to my application as I was able to keep up with. Also, coming from consulting, it was initially difficult for me to translate the impact that I had on various projects for my essays and my resume – Melissa helped me speak in less “consultant-y” terms and in a way that would resonate with the admissions committee, which was invaluable. She’s also a pleasure to work with and talk to!

TLDR: Do yourself a favor, choose Jessica Shklar, and forget everything else.

First Impressions:
Meeting Jessica via the free consultation (4-school package for R2 apps) sold me on working with her. I had had preview sessions with two other top firms, but those felt cold and artificial compared to Jessica’s style. At the time, I was in the process of studying for my GMAT and one other firm was unwilling to start working with me until I completed the exam. I was running out of time for R2 apps, and Jessica understood that the application process more often than not is a messy and haphazard process. Coupled with experiencing her deep insight over the 30-minute call, Jessica accommodating the real-world circumstances of busy applicants was yet another mark of her competence in my opinion.

Consultation process:
She was extremely organized which was key in knocking down 4 B-school applications to M7 schools in the period of 4 months, while also providing morale support as I studied for the GMAT. There were established rules in place to maintain the organization and flow of essay reviews, brainstorming chat etc, but when it mattered, she was willing to go above and beyond, working day and night and even with at one point with a badly sprained wrist (on her dominant hand)! And she came through more than once.
Regarding essays, Jessica is not merely an editor – she is a storyteller and muse. Initially, when you do try your best to describe your own life, you realize how it pales in comparison to the final draft. This is not because it is embellished or anything like that; it’s because she helps you tease out your motivations and cogent reasons behind the key plots in your story and stitches it in a way that is amazing. I know she is a habitual reader (sometimes finishing books in a single day) and so storytelling isn’t just a job – it’s part and parcel of who she is, and this benefit is reflected in the essays she helps you with.

Conclusion:
One of the first things she helps you with is reviewing any pre-existing school choices you’ve made. She gets to know you and then accesses your compatibility with your POST-MBA goals, your dreams, and your personality. Clearly, she isn’t just trying to crank out essays or maximize admit rates for her firm. She genuinely wants to mold your application to represent the best version of yourself. She cannot guarantee outcomes (no consultant can), but you leave with a feeling of extreme satisfaction in the effort put towards application. I got into one of them, but it was not my dream school, unfortunately. But the fact that I still write this review is a testament to the positive force that is Jessica Shklar. I gained more than just an elite application package; I also gained a renewed understanding of myself.

I had started working with a different consultant when I had started my application process for the 2021 intake. However, a few weeks before the deadline, I was not very convinced with my application and decided to reach out to MBAMission based on a trusted friend’s recommendation. I had the opportunity to work with Devi over R1 and R2, and I must admit that I was super-impressed with what she did to my application. Apart from highlighting my key work achievements, she was able to identify aspects of me that added uniqueness to the overall application. She was always quick to respond to my emails, and our interactions were crisp and effective. Devi had great clarity on my strengths and weaknesses, and she used to keep responding with suggestions till she was convinced with the final output. I am extremely thankful to Devi for helping me make it to my dream school – Kellogg.

Rachel was the first MBA consultant I spoke with, and immediately I felt she and I would be a good match. She had a strong ability to be supportive in areas where I didn’t feel as comfortable, as well as realistic about what my chances would be for the different schools I was applying to.

Her feedback throughout the process was really honest, and I always felt like she had my best interests at heart and really took the time to get to know me to help me present the best version of myself, which still felt true to who I was as a person. Additionally, her feedback was always timely and I felt she really “got” who I was as a person.

Applying to business school is a lot of work – you’re really only going to get as much value out of an admissions consultant as you put in. Having Rachel as a partner throughout the application process was truly an advantage in every way, as she put her all into the entire process from considering schools to interviewing.

Katy had a unique and powerful way of helping me discern what to highlight on my MBA applications. She took the time to understand my background and aspirations, helping me figure out which MBA programs were the best cultural fit for me. Her responsiveness was exemplary: I once wrote her in a panic asking for input when one of my MBA interviews was unexpectedly scheduled for three days out. Katy responded with a next-day time slot for us to conduct a mock interview. She played an instrumental role in giving me the confidence I needed to complete the application process and to present myself in an effective way.

Devi was incredible to work with – she took the time to understand my background, pushed me to think through what I really want for my career longer-term and how the MBA fits into that and helped me draw out key experiences that I had (which I had overlooked) to emphasize in my application. She truly cared about me as an applicant, which made the whole experience a lot easier for me!

As a first-timer, I felt that applying MBA was like losing my direction in a grand blue ocean, and then I got help from mbaMission.

Nisha did a great job in helping my self-exploration. With mbaMission’s systematic approach, Nisha helped me explore my stories of successes and failures, and identified the key elements that bring up a strong application. She also helped me spot mistakes that I made in the essays and CV, avoiding elements that would confuse the readers or lead to unnecessary criticism.

With Nisha’s support, my stories in the application become more compelling, and I was admitted to Judge and Said with a bursary from one of them. This totally exceeded my expectations and I am truly grateful for having Nisha’s support along the way!

As a non-traditional candidate, I needed a lot of help in clearly articulating my career goals and addressing weaknesses (namely low GPA). After a terrible experience with a consultant from a different firm, I was hesitant about the value of an MBA consultant.

I did a couple of free consultations and immediately knew that Debbie was the right choice for me. She is honest, kind, highly intelligent, and always responsive. We worked diligently to update my resume and improve my essays. I appreciated how straightforward she was without condescension, and felt that she never wasted time.

Overall, she helped me secure interviews at 4/7 of the T15 schools I applied to. After a rough R1 (WL’d to 2 schools), Debbie encouraged me to relax, reset, and consider applying to more schools in R2. I was initially unsure but mustered the energy to follow her advice. Lo and behold, I got into a top choice school (Tuck/Ross/Fuqua/Darden) with a scholarship and fellowship! When I told Debbie, she was over the moon. She was as excited for me as my family was.

I believe that my outcomes would’ve been worse, potentially non-existent, had it not been for Debbie. She is genuinely invested in your growth and success. Her feedback made a huge difference in the quality of my apps. I know that fit is an important part of selecting a consultant, but Debbie exceeded my expectations in every way. 11/10 would recommend.

As an international applicant from Latin America, I initially sought Katy’s help to navigate through the complexities of the application process. She mastered those, but the most helpful aspect of her consultancy came in a different way.

Katy and I discussed in great detail my entire journey leading to the MBA, and she provided me with great insights into my own personal story, helping me connect the reasons for many of my decisions. I realized that only when you really understand your story, you can put your best application forward, and Katy helped me do that. With her help, I was admitted to Yale and Dartmouth.

I first reached out to Jessica in early August and was aiming to apply for round 1 for just one school. I was juggling studying for the GMATs, while also trying to wrap my head around how to tell my story (not to mention all the other things like a resume, letters of recommendations, short answers, etc.). Once you start the admissions process, you realize how many parts there are to it and how you would be severely disadvantaged by not having someone like Jessica on your team.

I spoke to several consultants before speaking to Jessica and she got right to the point and provided valuable feedback and insight. I knew I only had a few weeks to prepare an application for the top school so I needed someone who I could trust and count on. Jessica is so prepared, organized, and never misses a deadline. That’s what she promised on the call, and she delivered 10x. I ended up applying to the top 3 schools by Round 1 and was accepted to one of them. There is absolutely no doubt in my mind that Jessica was the main reason I received the acceptance. Every step of the process she provided value (even to little details like how many group members I should indicate in the extracurricular group I was part of). Those little things add up and she looks at everything holistically. Jessica got to know me super well and brought up stories to use as examples for short answers that I had forgotten about. She really knows the schools that you’re applying to and has the track record to know what has been successful and not. I have already recommended her and mbaMission to multiple people because I TRULY believe that you are severely disadvantaged without someone like Jessica. It’s worth the investment over and over again. Even if I had not gotten into any school, I know that I would not have had any regrets because I really know that we put together the best package and story that we possibly could have – I think having no regrets is more valuable than anything else.

Thank you so so much again, Jessica!!!

My MBA admissions journey has been a roller coaster, and I imagine this could be the case for a lot of other people. After a disappointing 1-school Round 1, I decided I should invest in a consultant as a sounding board. I was not someone who had been planning to get an MBA since UG, and despite a lot of my own research, I still felt lost within the application process – what was the best way for me to communicate my story to admissions? I shopped around and interviewed 5 different consultants before going with Debbie — I could tell she was personally invested in my success, and I could also tell she would be encouraging and confidence-building while also being realistic about my strengths and weaknesses. She was all of this and more. Debbie helped me sort through all of my experiences and really pinpoint a compelling narrative, something I was missing from my original application. She also was wonderful in dealing with all of my uncertainties and was always prompt in her turnarounds and responses to emails. If I ever had a quick question, even in relation to a school outside of my package, I reached out to Debbie. With her guidance, I now have 3 of 4 admissions, all with merit scholarships (one M7 and two T10). If you’re waffling about whether or not to hire a consultant, end your search with Debbie!

Melissa really takes time to get to know me and pushes me to think deeper throughout the process, starting from the brainstorming sessions to essay editing. Melissa is great at connecting dots of my stories in ways I have not thought of. She provides detailed comments on where to improve and always turns around revisions sooner than the required 48 hours policy.

She is extremely friendly, energetic and a real cheerleader – especially during the interview prep sessions. She is very encouraging and helped me a lot with building confidence in myself. Melissa made the application process much less stressful and I would not be able to get into my dream school (Kellogg) without her. Would 100% recommend her!

Devi was extremely helpful to me in my application process. I worked with her doing the start-to-finish package for two schools. I had applied two years ago without the help of a consultant. Devi was great at helping me craft my story for the admissions committee and helping me decide which experiences were the best to tell in which parts of the application. She strikes a great balance of having her own opinions and listening to you.

One of the main benefits that I found from working with Devi compared to the first time I applied was that when I applied on my own, I found myself constantly second-guessing what I had written and drafting several wildly different versions of outlines and essays. With Devi, I spent a lot of time upfront brainstorming on my own with a worksheet that she provided. Then, we spent a good amount of time together discussing my experiences and settling on the story to tell the admissions committee. From that point on, the process certainly still required a good amount of effort and iteration, but there was so much less second guessing, which resulted in a much more efficient process. I felt confident in the direction that I had chosen to go with Devi’s help. Devi’s is extremely efficient to work with.

Ultimately, I was admitted to Stanford GSB and could not be more thrilled. I would certainly work with Devi again and recommend any others to work with her.

Debbie was instrumental in my MBA application process. I am a reapplicant from the R4 (Summer of 2020 Covid) who successfully got into schools in R2 or 2021. When it came to reapplying this year, there was no doubt in my mind that I would continue working with Debbie. She took the additional steps to ensure my application was better than the first, ensuring that any blind spots or weaknesses would be covered.

What I enjoyed about her was the transparency and the hands-on help she gave with feedback and coaching. I remember one time after I did a mock interview and felt unsure of my performance, she gave me the reassurance verbally, even telling me to not purchase another hour since that is how confident she felt in me. That showed me that she genuinely cared, beyond the scope of a generic client, and that is why I would highly recommend working with her.

My journey with Rachel started in September. Coming from an extremely untraditional background and looking to pivot, I knew that choosing the right admissions consultant would be pivotal to my chances of acceptance. After our complimentary 30-minute consultation, I knew Rachel would be the right choice for my needs.

Throughout my journey, Rachel worked diligently with me to really hone in on a cohesive story that would position me in the best way possible for acceptance. I struggled with the GMAT and her suggestion to take the Executive Assessment was a real game-changer. Rachel swiftly answered any concern or question I had regarding the process, and she acted as a much-needed sanity check during this stressful time.

Rachel was prompt with her edits and I found her insights and suggestions to be extremely valuable to my final application. Additionally, I especially appreciated the multiple calls we had throughout the process. Rachel’s feedback was honest and logical, and her sincere advice was invaluable to me during the process. Our mock interview was very helpful and I felt well prepared going into the real thing.

Working with Rachel, I didn’t feel like just another client. We shared a genuine connection and I had the utmost support from her during the process. When I got the admissions call, Rachel was equally as ecstatic when I shared the news. Overall, I would recommend Rachel to anyone seeking an MBA consultant; her professional demeanor, deep knowledge of the MBA admissions process, and honesty are just a few of the attributes she possesses that make her an extraordinary consultant!

I signed up for the complete start-to-finish package with Susan Kaplan. I cannot thank her enough as her advice and help throughout the process got me into a top 7 school!

Susan and I had several hours of brainstorming sessions. These sessions were tough and intense, and Susan would often let me know that I was not digging deep enough. However, these lengthy and honest sessions helped Susan really get to know my profile, strengths, weaknesses, etc. During these sessions, we often discussed my goals and Susan’s analyses of my transferable skills really helped me identify my short- and long-term goals. After these sessions, we could easily shortlist schools and build a framework for my essays.

As an (over-represented) re-applicant for some schools, I needed to ensure that my essays highlighted a fresh profile. Susan was fantastic in mining through my experiences to find thoughtful and powerful stories for the essays. Susan’s feedback was always direct and her comments were very, very detailed. I had a habit of writing long pieces, and Susan was really patient and helped me convey impactful stories within the strict word counts, without diluting the narrative. Not to mention that Susan would ensure that ALL aspects of my application tied together to provide a detailed and engaging profile. Her keen eye for detail would also often help pick-up things that you would overlook.

Susan’s experience and suggestions on how to tackle the interviews were life-savers. She knew exactly what the interviewer was looking for and how to hold his/her attention.

If you are looking for someone who is easily available, honest, and practical with their advice, I would really suggest that you opt for Susan. Her several years of experience will not let you down.

Two of my friends have worked with Harold for b-school applications and got into top schools, and strongly recommended him to me. When I applied, I only had a few months to spare and was trying to retake the GMAT. On top of that, I have non-traditional work experiences that I was struggling to tie together in my essays. Harold knew exactly what I should/should not highlight and gave VERY clear comments. I was especially impressed by his turnaround time. Without Harold’s clear guidance, there is no way I would have been able to complete 3 applications in 2 months while working long hours AND also get into Booth with a scholarship.

Melissa is an A++++ MBA Consultant! I had about 6 introductory calls with other consultants who I was unsure about but 10 minutes into my call with Melissa I knew I wanted to work with her! She was extremely helpful even in our 30-minute intro call about how I can most effectively bring my story to life.

I was an hourly client with Melissa and the brainstorming sessions were instrumental to my business school success. Melissa provided me with guidance on what stories I should share and when. Without her help, I 100% believe I would not have been able to produce essays that got me into four of the five programs I was admitted to Stanford GSB, MIT Sloan, Kellogg, and Wharton.

Melissa is extremely personable, friendly, and energetic!! She is professional and communicative while remaining supportive during an incredibly stressful process. I’ll be attending Stanford GSB this Fall and I can’t thank Melissa enough for her support! I 100% know I would not have been so successful without her support. Anyone would be lucky to work with her.

I had just finished my fourth attempt at the GMAT and was finally happy with my score, but I had a new problem. I was 6 weeks out from my first deadline. I spent a week conducting consultations and reading review after review after review – I get it, reviews seem fabricated and even one bad review must be a red flag, but TRUST Heidi.

I knew at this point I had to decide, against four other consultants and companies, I chose Heidi. In our consultation, Heidi gave me an objective perspective and didn’t feed me what I wanted to hear nor disparaged me into thinking I would get into no school without her. She was direct but honest.

We hit the ground running and had several phone calls in the first two weeks, building out my story, my career vision, and everything in between. There was a lot of work and self-reflection on my end, while Heidi served as a guide to bounce off questions and brainstorm the direction of my application. Heidi built me a five-week calendar including, at least, three rounds of reviews per essay, though we often went closer to five. For a five-week span and against four different schools, this was a lot.

Throughout the process, Heidi returned essay reviews quicker than the committed mbaMission turnaround time and was always very responsive in emails. Even 24 hours before the deadline, I was sending her simple questions on the application itself and she responded promptly. Ultimately, Heidi was instrumental in helping me secure 2 admits and 1 WL among 4 M7s. As an ORM with average stats, I have been very pleased with the results.

No MBA Admissions consultant will spoon-feed you what to write or what your story should be. If that’s your expectation, you will be sorely disappointed with any consultant. But, as a guide and trusted advisor through the process, Heidi excelled, and I would have no doubt repeating the process with her again.

I know choosing a consultant is scary and the cost is nothing to scoff at, but believe me when I say you can TRUST Heidi.

Working with Melissa and mbaMission was great – I would recommend the firm and Melissa in particular to anyone who looking to add a level of polish and nuance to their applications. Melissa pushed me in all the right ways but it was not hand-holding either – you have to put in the work. She helped me refine my story, my essays, and my resume to a great degree. Melissa was friendly, professional, and fun to work with. If I had to do it again – I would choose her!

Unsure and overwhelmed over the application process, as well as not feeling confident in my story or candidacy strength – Melissa provided the ideal balance of support, advice, and push that I needed to be successful. I was admitted to all 3 of my R1 schools – Darden, Tuck, and Fuqua – in what was a competitive application year.
She assessed my candidacy and encouraged me to try out the GRE (after getting a semi-below-average GMAT score), which I am convinced was the push I needed that put me over the edge at my target schools (getting just above an average GRE score).

She is a natural storyteller, taking the time to understand aspects of my background outside of just work and academics to help craft my story as a compelling candidate. With her experience as an MBA Admissions officer, she helped to identify strengths and personal anecdotes that I would not have recognized to be useful in my application. Her editing tips were invaluable, helping to cut essays down to meet nearly-impossible word limits, without changing my writing. She provides advice on tricky topics too – like the appropriate amount of detail to provide re. a job gap, etc. She always turned around edits very quickly! Which helped me to plan ahead and stick to a schedule. And lastly, she was very helpful for interview prep as well!

Overall she is great to work with – personable, friendly, casual – as well as quick and efficient in her delivery of advice in our working sessions. She also genuinely cares about her clients. She was able to handle my wavering emotions with a comforting strength and grace – providing encouragement and advice on how to handle bumps in the road. I thoroughly enjoyed my time working with Melissa and highly recommend her as a consultant. WELL worth the investment!

Melissa was a great coach throughout the entire MBA application process! I did introductory calls with 4 different admissions consulting companies but thought Melissa was by far the best consultant I talked to. I’m so glad I chose to work with her. She is very friendly and has a really positive attitude, but will still help identify areas of weakness in the application and help you craft a great story that emphasizes your strengths in order to receive admission into your dream school. Her feedback was provided in a timely manner and she was always available to answer a quick email question as well.

I was an hourly client and in 5 hours she helped with a brainstorming session, a resume review, at least one or two revisions on the different essays and short answers for Haas and Anderson, and a mock interview where we covered both schools. While I had competitive statistics (GPA and GMAT), I had little to no extra-curriculars since starting my professional career 4 years ago and come from an over-represented applicant pool so Melissa’s help with the applications was instrumental in my success. I was even able to leverage what Melissa and I had discussed to apply to Marshall on my own, although I do think the applications I submitted with her direct help were stronger. When it was all said and done, I was accepted to Anderson and Marshall and waitlisted at Hass, receiving roughly two-thirds and one-half merit-based scholarships with my acceptances. This outcome greatly surpassed my expectations and I could not have done it without Melissa.

I highly recommend working with Melissa if you are at all uncertain in the MBA application process, as I know my applications were many times better than they would have been had I gone at it alone.

I have been admitted to Chicago Booth!
Harshad was instrumental in coaching me to think through the entire application process. He helped me think through my approach to the essays that I submitted at the M7 programs I applied to. He also helped me prepare my CV and guided me in getting ready for interviews and work with my recommenders.
Harshad helped me write my essays until I got to high quality while meeting word limits and time deadlines.
Words, quite literally fail me, in sharing my gratitude for finding Harshad as a partner and mentor in my application process. He was always encouraging, always positive but at the same time very focused. He never failed to tell me when my writing was off the course. He was always candid and straight about me not responding to the essay question-stem.
And yet, he was generous, when it came to him playing his part.
I just couldn’t have made it without Harshad. His professionalism and support meant a lot and I will whole-heartedly recommend Harshad at mbaMission to anyone who is looking for help in B-school essays and CV crafting to work with him.
Best of luck!

I was overwhelmed coming into the business school admission process and I didn’t think I’d have a chance based on my nontraditional professional background — even after studying for the GMAT for over a year. Melissa eased my anxiety and was positive throughout the entire process. Her coaching, editing, and advice helped me go 6/6 in a very competitive R1 with T25 schools. Melissa takes the time to really get to know you and your story and then helps craft everything in a way that’s easily understood by admissions committees. I think this skill, along with her experience as a Director of Admissions at a T25 school, is what sets her apart from the other many admission consultants out there. She’s amazing!

I was skeptical about hiring an admissions consultant when I was considering applying to business schools in 2019. I got on the phone with Melissa and she gave me truthful, candid advice that I should hold off for a year and focus on improving my profile. I was shocked that an admissions consultant, who relies on paying students, would be so honest and candid, and I ultimately held off on applying. When I came back 18 months later to revisit my application with her, Melissa was kind and truthful again, and I decided to go ahead with her. Now, I’m heading to Wharton with 85% scholarship, and I could not have done it (both the acceptance or the scholarship) without Melissa’s help. She is so genuine, kind, and responsive – it was a phenomenal experience.

Jessica is simply amazing. I first contacted her 5 years ago but for one or another reason I could not continue with the application process.
I contacted her 4 months ago to restart the application process to YALE SOM and she was just as amazing, or even better, than 5 years ago. I decided to work with her because you instantly know when someone is going to really help you achieve your lifetime goals.
Applying to YALE SOM for the Master in Advanced Management, a dual program that you are only eligible for if you are a current MBA student of the global network was a difficult target to achieve but working with Jessica side by side gives you that confidence that you do not always have by doing things on your own.
She guided me through the essays, resume, video questions, and the interview. Through all the process she was outstanding and always adapting to get the most out of you in the most efficient way possible.

Deciding whether to hire a consultant or not is of course a tough decision at some point in your planning process, but if you ask me I would definitely work with Jessica again and again and even more knowing that I have been accepted to YALE SOM!

Thanks again Jessica for guiding me through this next chapter of my life,

Jorge

I worked with Melissa for Round 1 of the 2021 intake cycle. Coming from an over-represented pool, with a median GMAT and big four Technology Consulting background, I knew I needed to stand out. But more so, I needed to remain confident in the strengths of my application.

Melissa was the pillar I relied on to stay positive and confident. Most importantly, she was “chill” and kept conversations easy and informal. This personality trait/demeanor was different from experiences some of my friends had with their consultants who were more focused on their personal admit results and coaxed my friends to shoot lower. On the other hand, Melissa encouraged me to take my shots at the reach schools while balancing with a couple of safeties. She was also open to re-working and re-editing essays that we had long seen as final (probably pretty frustrating!) until I was perfectly happy with the submitted product – as v12 and v9 of my two Kellogg essays can attest!

She often had to play the role of a coach and a cheerleader and helped quell the feelings of self-doubt that inevitably arise from reading opinions on online forums.

It also goes without saying that she was always punctual sending back edits and operated well within mbaMission’s 48 business hours turnaround policy (usually much sooner).

At the end of the day, it’s the results that matter, and I was admitted to all 3 schools I worked on with Melissa – Ross, Kellogg, and Sloan (dream school) – with a sizable scholarship at Ross and a modest scholarship at Kellogg. Moreover, I used similar stories/language on other applications as well and was admitted to 2 out of 3 of those as well.

The best of the best. Accepted to both HBS and Stanford.

I firmly believe that I would not have gotten into HBS without Devi. I had one mock-interview included in a package I had purchased with another consultant from another firm (who helped with my written application); the difference in quality of coaching, feedback, preparation, and questions asked was night and day.

Simply put, Devi is the best of the best. If you are serious about HBS, you must work with her. Unlike other schools, HBS heavily weights the interviews, which are conducted by its Admissions Board. If you get to the interview stage at HBS, you have a 50/50 shot of getting in: how you perform will undoubtedly determine whether you get in or are rejected. As such, working with Devi means working with someone who not only knows the ins and outs of the HBS admissions process and understands the mindsets of the interviewers, but who has also lived through the experience herself. The interview is as tough as they say it is (anything in your application, essays, recommendations, industry is fair game), and there is no “winging it”—I knew, especially in this year’s virtual, extremely competitive round, that I had to take myself to the next level, and I knew Devi could help get me there.

Even after our first mock interview, I immediately noticed a difference. Devi’s coaching style is specific and targeted: she articulates very clearly what it is that I need to work on for our next session. Each time, she prepares a comprehensive set of questions uniquely tailored to my written application. Her pacing (~25 questions in 30 minutes) and the types of follow-up questions asked will prepare you above and beyond for the real deal.

Most importantly, Devi listened intently and strategized how best to shape my story in a way that would resonate most with HBS Admissions. She also taught me how to drop in “teasers” for my interviewer to “bite” on so that I could drive/steer the conversation towards the stories I wanted to tell.

Devi was not just a coach or an advisor, but someone whom I could lean on during what was an incredibly stressful, anxiety-ridden time. At one point, I had lost confidence after a combination of being (unexpectedly) grilled by my Stanford interviewer and stumbling through a one-time mock-interview with another consultant. Devi helped me brush it off and focus on my HBS interview ahead of the following week.

I had initially signed up for 3 sessions, but after seeing how much incremental value I was gaining every minute spent with Devi, I decided to upgrade my package to 5 sessions.

In the end, Devi and I had practiced 95% of what was asked in my actual HBS interview, and my conversation that day flowed naturally. Coming out, I was confident that I had nailed it. I almost never EVER say that I “nailed” anything because I am always hyper-critical of my own performance, but I can genuinely say that I have never been more prepared in my life for an interview, all thanks to Devi.

I was ultimately accepted at not only HBS, but also Stanford GSB. Devi called me the day acceptances came out, overjoyed. She is genuinely invested in you throughout the entire process and will push you to be the best version of yourself. She is someone I will continue to stay in contact with for years to come. I could not recommend Devi highly enough.

Kate was instrumental to my application – I came to her with specific needs (I had the GMAT done and some schools picked out, but really needed help crafting my story to put into essays). She adapted perfectly to my needs and was always incredibly supportive as well as responsive. She added value by pulling out parts of my story that resonated with AdComs that I wouldn’t have even thought to mention. I’m convinced the essays made the difference in one of the most competitive admit years ever. Thank you, Kate!!

Jessica is outstanding, she helped me understand that Stanford’s MSX was a great fit for me.

Applying to a top program can be overly stressful but with the support from Jessica, it didn’t seem all that hard. Mainly because she breaks it down is multiple milestones. Her process of doing exhaustive guided brainstorm, combined with 1:1 sessions to reflect before drafting anything is a key differentiator that sets her and mbaMission apart. Jessica is also a top storyteller and will help you tell the story in a way that is engaging and authentic. Also expect no delays in her turnaround, at times it’s hard to keep up, but that’s what you want when applying to a top program: a pace keeper that guarantees that the process keeps on moving.

I would strongly recommend the end-to-end school packages, it certainly worked for me.

The level of deep connection that one develops in this process with her is unique, Jessica has become a mentor, a friend, and someone I will continue to go back on advice as life goes on.

Even from the initial consultation with Katy, she was the most resourceful and friendly consultant. From the start, she was incredibly knowledgeable and understand my profile completely. As an international student, I was looking for someone who can understand my resume and give me candid advice. She not only helped me through my application process but also with my decision process. Because of her, my mba application process was very enjoyable. I would highly recommend her!

When I started looking for an MBA admissions consultant, I did the free 30 minute sessions with a few different companies. Most of them were good, but I felt like they were just saying what I wanted to hear. They were very much like cheerleaders. When I got to the free 30 minute session with Jessica (after one of my best friends from college recommend her to me), it was a completely different experience. The 30 minutes were super productive and she was very objective with my candidacy – she highlighted what I had going for me, but most importantly, she identified my areas of weakness and proposed how she would work with me to address them. It was definitely a tough session, but that’s when I realized that’s exactly what I needed for the process – Someone that would be critical of my application as that would allow me to put my best foot forward. After signing up with her for the 4-school package, I was very satisfied with the service I received. She was very responsive (48 hour turnaround system) and always answered my questions thoroughly (I had lots of questions throughout the process so I really appreciated this). When I submitted my applications, I felt satisfied that regardless of the outcome I had put my best foot forward. If you want a real coach (vs. just a cheerleader), I highly recommend Jessica. Worth every dollar.

Jessica and I hit it off instantaneously in my consultation. I could tell within five minutes of speaking with her that she is deeply invested in not only her clients’ success but getting to know them personally.

Working with Jessica on all of my applications only further solidified my expectations. She went above and beyond to get to know me and what matters to me so that we could craft a unique and personal story for my applications. As someone who had no experience or idea how much work the application process was going to be, she was the best partner ensuring everything was done in a timely and organized manner. During such a nerve-wracking time, it was so great to know I had such an experienced and thoughtful person in my corner. It also doesn’t hurt that she got me into one of my dream schools!!

I had friends that applied to business school at the same time as myself that used different consulting companies, and the amount of time and effort Jessica put into helping me was above and beyond what my friends experienced. This along with all of the amazing reasons I stated above confirmed that Jessica is the best person for the job. If I had to go through this process again I would 100% utilize Jessica’s help, and thus I would recommend her to anyone and everyone!

Kate is an INCREDIBLE consultant and did a tremendous job throughout my application cycle. I first contacted her back in May and she had very few Round 1 spots left. I was lucky to have her!

I come from a Big 4 consulting background and technical undergrad. I applied to 5 M7 schools, received interviews at 3 of them, and was ultimately admitted to 1 school and waitlisted at 2.

Kate was there every step of the way. She was kind, thoughtful, and thorough. She brought out the best in my story, helped me find a logical structure to the (sometimes scattered) experiences that make up my life, and pushed me through to the end.

Kate is an incredible editor and is suuuuper patient throughout the process, even when we would go through 5-6 iterations on a single essay. She’s outstanding at both the high-level storyboarding and the granular edits that are required to get an essay to the finish line. She also is great with interview prep, helping me to hone in on the storylines that would speak best to each school.

Kate was AWESOME and I couldn’t recommend her more!

Jessica was an amazing coach helping me get accepted to Wharton. She had amazing insights into how to tell my story and position myself despite my weaknesses. Jessica is not only extremely caring and understanding but also effective and efficient. Her insights were golden and her turn-around was extremely fast without compromising on quality. She has her own system which I’ve never seen before that helps you really craft the best application possible through a guided and iterative process. She asks the right questions and her incisive mind always has you thinking long after a conversation. Jessica is able to swiftly extract your strengths and weaknesses and help craft your story in a way that will make you stand out. As an unusual candidate with a non-linear background, the approach I was going to take before consulting Jessica was completely different and probably the wrong approach. With her wisdom and advice, I was able to use my different background as strengths and craft a much more compelling narrative that I am sure made a big difference in me getting into the school I dreamed of.

Jessica is one of the most impressive people I’ve ever worked with. She is genuinely invested in her clients – the care she puts into her work is almost maternal. Her guidance was invaluable, and I always came away from our conversations feeling better equipped to handle the next step. She provided concrete, actionable steps at every stage and with her help, I truly believe I put my best foot forward. MBA applications can feel isolating at the best of times, and during lockdown especially so. Jessica ensured this was not the case, and was along for the journey every step of the way.

This was my first time applying to business schools and I was feeling a bit lost. I gave Micheal a call for a free consultation and he instantly removed any and all stress that comes with the process. He walked me through what schools look for and how to write a compelling and genuine essay. I could not have done it without him, he was the most helpful person one could ask for!

He was flexible on revisions and always had amazing feedback. He has a way of pulling out the best qualities in a candidate and is the most brilliant at conveying that. He has great experience in consulting and finance and knew exactly how to make me stand out!

He prepared me for interviews, mitigated a tough gpa and helped with my optional essay.

Hire this guy, he will not disappoint. He is the best consultant you will ever work with!

As a transitioning veteran, he was my compass on this journey. I was granted an interview and received a full scholarship to my top school!

If you are fortunate enough to get to work with Jessica, you would be making a huge mistake to do anything else. She is highly sought after by the world’s top candidates and is absolutely best in class. I applied to six of the M7 and was accepted to all six schools including one with a full tuition scholarship. From the start of working together, Jessica took the time to really get to know me. She studied my intake materials and my story in detail, spending hours on the phone to learn more, ask questions, and genuinely understand who I am as a person. This is a critical and distinctive part of the process as she sees all her clients as unique and will never encourage you to put your story into a preexisting mold. She went further to help prompt my own reflective process so that I could personally explore better what it was I want to do with my life and career, something that was critical to communicating who I was effectively in my applications. (Many consultants I spoke to seemed ready to gloss over these more intangible components of the self-discovery process and leave you telling an uncompelling, half-baked story of who you are. Jessica, on the other hand, always had time for me.) She was a great encouragement in the process, but most importantly she would provide tough love when my stories didn’t communicate who I really was and left a part of me out of what I was communicating. The last thing you want is a consultant who is not encouraging you to find and communicate the truest, most compelling version of who you are.

It is an incredibly big decision to trust someone to serve as a guide in applying to business school, a process that can have life changing outcomes. You can trust 100% trust Jessica in this role, and you will find yourself with someone who is a true partner in the process and who is genuinely invested in your success – something you won’t find from many other consultants focused on churning through a higher volume of clients. I spoke to nine consultants before deciding who to work with, including some of Jessica’s highly rated peers, and Jessica stood out meaningfully relative to the others. As someone who was in your shoes very recently, I can’t recommend enough that you work with Jessica!

I am the only one of my friends who applied to business school, so working and talking with a consultant was very comforting during an extremely stressful year. From the beginning, Krista helped me break down every piece of the admissions cycle into digestible pieces, so I did not feel overwhelmed at the daunting application year that I had in front of me. I was in a less-than-ideal situation, still taking the GMAT during the applications process. But throughout the year, Krista helped me understand every single option to consider, including school selection and testing options. Lastly, Krista helped immensely with learning how to tell my story concisely. There is extra work at the beginning to lay out every detail of education of professional background. But the extra work was 100% worth it when I realized how little 200 words really is.
It felt great to work with Krista because I could not have expected to replicate her experience and knowledge through google researching. At the end of the interviews and before decisions were released, I had a weird sense of content because I felt like I gave everything I had to the applications. Thankfully, that was not the case, and I could not be happier with Krista’s help.

There are many consultants who provide the same kind of cookie-cutter service to all their clients and give you the “standard” counsel and help. That is absolutely not Devi; she takes the time to truly comprehend your profile and your story, which allows her to tailor her advice especially to you. This sets her apart, making her the most valuable and professional counsel on the market, and is why I wholeheartedly recommend you invest in her services and take the time to truly heed her recommendations.

I got in touch with Devi after my HBS interview invite, and instantly her expertise shined through. After a thorough read through my file and our first mock session, she understood my profile, my strengths, and my weaknesses, and adapted the practice questions and areas of focus accordingly. Going over questions and my answers with her gave me the tools to better myself. Over the course of three sessions, we made sense of the coherence of my profile, identified which areas of my story I had locked down, which areas needed more practice and what aspects of my presentation and delivery needed what work.

It is obvious from Devi’s background and profile that she knows HBS, their admissions system and their interview style like no other, but that is not what makes her the best. What makes Devi the best is how she preps you, in your own individuality, to succeed for yourself at the HBS interview. You will truly see yourself progress and directly perceive the value of having her on your side, guiding you to being the best “you” you can be for the interview, whatever the questions that come up.

This is why I recommend a bare minimum of two sessions with her: one to set a baseline, and one to compare the progress. You will see for yourself just how much progress you will have made from doing the practice and exercises she recommends for you. She is always available for more sessions, and can even help you with the Post-Interview Reflection.

There is no better tailored service for HBS prep out there than Devi! Don’t wait up, go call her onto your team, especially if you have just received your HBS interview invitation, and earn your own spot yourself into the HBS classroom!

From the beginning of my application process, I had been hesitant about hiring a consultant for a variety of reasons, but now as I prepare to attend Columbia Business School next year, I can very confidently say that working with Gavriella was the best decision I made during the process. I interviewed five consultants and from the get-go I was confident that Gavriella was the right choice. She showed up to our meeting prepped on my background, was very candid about my strengths and weaknesses and proposed a concrete plan to move forward. The minute I knew for absolute sure that I had made the right decision occurred several weeks after we started working together. We were several turns into the all-important goals essay when Gavriella made the (at the time) very unpopular suggestion that we weren’t hitting the mark and that we should go back to the drawing board to make sure that we craft not just a good story but a great one. Most people would have said it’s good enough and forgone the extra work, but Gavriella was committed to our process and committed to my goal of getting into Columbia. She was always there for me to bounce ideas off, provided truly honest feedback, and at times just to listen to me complain about the whole process. No stone was left unturned from beginning to end and Gavriella pushed me day after day to make sure that I wasn’t just submitting a good application but a truly exemplary one. Gavriella guided me and helped create a narrative that showcased to the admissions board a full picture of who I am and what I am capable of.

Jen is a mover, motivator, and magical. There are not enough words I can use to describe how Jen was able to change my outlook and perspective on the MBA admissions process and I owe any and all success to her. When I first was introduced to Jen, my life was practically all over the place, Jen helped me put all the pieces together, craft a genuine story, made sure I was true to my person, and this game plan was what got me the results I wanted. Jen was able to make my vision of getting into my dream school come to life. Jen – if you’re reading this (which I hope you do) then I just want to let you know that you’ve been such a huge help and big part of my journey that I can say with full confidence I definitely wouldn’t have even gotten remotely close of getting into my dream school if it’s wasn’t for your guidance along the way. Can’t recommend Jen enough!

Katy provided down-to-earth guidance and a clear process to help me convey the best version of myself across my essays and throughout the application. She worked multiple weekends with me across time zones to ensure we got enough iterations to get the content tailored for GSB. Equally, Katy is street-smart and cuts to the chase spending time on the areas that I needed as opposed to a cookie-cutter approach, which I thoroughly appreciated. Thanks Katy!

Julie-Anne played a huge role in my being accepted to my top three choice schools, Harvard Business School, Wharton/Lauder and UVA Darden in Round 1 of the 2020-2021 Admissions Cycle. While I had all the right pieces (720 GMAT, high GPA and strong recommendations), I struggled to develop my MBA story through my essays and short-answer responses. More specifically, coming from international development, I was completely lost about how to contextualize my background and skills through a business lens and articulate how I could contribute uniquely to the classroom.

Julie-Anne exceeded my expectations on every front. She was accessible, diligent, kind and strategic. She listened closely early on to understand who I was, why I wanted an MBA and what I hoped to do, and then used that knowledge to help me strengthen my voice in my essays. She read countless drafts, jumped on dozens of brainstorm calls when I hit a roadblock (even on Sunday mornings!), and calmed my anxieties the night before my interviews. She was highly professional and knowledgeable; I always felt that she knew exactly what she was doing, whether helping to tweak my resume or determine how to conclude my essays (and the results showed!). Her expertise on what the Admissions Committee values at each particular school heightened my applications and helped me to really shine. Also, the fact that Julie-Anne attended HBS, one of my top choices, and worked in consulting, my intended post MBA career, made her a real role model for me throughout the process. I highly recommend Julie-Anne !

I worked with Nisha mostly on writing my essays for 3 top B-schools (HBS, GSB, and Booth), I found her guidance and help very valuable, as we started with a structured approach on how how to determine the theme of my essays, molded each essay into each school’s format, and kept me on track on important details one should include on these essays, I would’ve otherwise not included.
Nisha was very knowledgeable about the project I needed to create, and also very flexible about making sure I could guide the project to keep it my own.
In the end, I secured acceptances to 2 B-schools and I was placed on the waitlist for my 3rd application. I am sure Nisha’s support greatly helped me submit a much stronger application.

I used 5 hours of Gavriella’s services to help support reviewing/editing my applications. She really took the time to get to know me and my motivations. She was then able to provide concrete feedback on how I could increase the clarity of messaging across my application. Furthermore, Gavriella was able to offer valuable input on what admissions committees would be looking for.

I had a highly personalized experience where I felt she was truly invested in my success. Not to mention the quick turnaround times to review materials. I ended up getting into my two top choices (GSB & HBS). Gavriella was a key contributor.

Julie-Anne was a huge help throughout my application process. She constantly provided guidance on what admission officers value and in turn aspects of my candidacy to highlight. Julie-Anne was helpful in brainstorming ideas and crafting my essays. She also helped me write strong short answer responses and ensure all aspects of my application were additive. The interview prep was also incredibly helpful. One point worth noting is MBA Mission’s SLA and 2 business day turn around time for essay editing, which JA stuck to fairly strictly.

Throughout the application process, Jen was a fantastic resource and supporter that was key to my acceptance into several programs. She is thorough and detailed in her responses and helped me to craft my personal story that reflected in my essays and interviews. She spent the time to understand my ambitions and goals and tailored her guidance and corrections to meet my requirements. I have no doubt that she was a major factor in my application successes. I would absolutely recommend her to an MBA applicant targeting top programs.