mbaMission | MBA Admissions Consultants

Harold was the best admissions consultant for me and he played a huge part in my success in getting accepted into Columbia Business School. Our work together focused on breaking the application process into individual components and developing a well though-out plan before any writing began.

Harold and I were successful for the following reasons:

Harold began the process by getting to know everything about me and took the time in the beginning to understand my story. Business school applications can be a very time-consuming and difficult process that requires organization and a well-thought-out plan before the writing process begins. In this way, he is remarkably efficient at time management and we saved a lot of time by getting fully acquainted with my story in the beginning.

He showed me how to organize my thoughts and how to best showcase my characteristics and abilities for admissions committees. Harold was amazing at walking me through the thought process of writing essays. As someone who struggles to start an essay, Harold helped instill confidence in my writing ability and helped me get started. He also gave me clear and concise instructions on how to navigate each essay, especially focusing on the attributes and characteristics each school is looking for in a candidate. His insight was a major help.

Lastly, his turnaround time on essay comments was excellent. He communicated to me when he would have time to read through my essays almost immediately and he always returned comments well before his deadlines.

If I were to go through the application process again, there is no doubt in my mind I would choose Harold Simansky again!

I purchased the school package, and I was accepted to my number one choice, Columbia Business School (CBS). I highly recommend working with Susan, and quite frankly, I would not have been successful without her. She is motivating while also empathetic, and no doubt has a wealth of knowledge about MBA schools and the MBA application process.

Susan’s knowledge about CBS and its values and criteria shaped the way I approached my application and essays – and she has this knowledge for any school you apply to. I can’t understate how important this is. Every call, despite my hours of research online, she would bring up several points that would improve my application and essay for CBS specifically and that only someone with her experience could know.

Beyond her wealth of knowledge, my favorite thing about working with Susan was her ability to remain empathetic and motivating, at the same time as challenging me to dig deeper. By “dig deeper” I mean two things: (1) MBA applications (in particular, the essays) take a lot of self-reflection. She will push you and challenge you to truly understand what motivates you, and it comes out in the essays. And (2) while you write the entirety of and own the essays and applications, she ensures that everything you do and write has purpose and makes sense in layman terms, which is particularly useful if you have been in the industry for several years.

I would recommend Susan without hesitation.

Jeremy knows exactly how to transform a candidate’s character traits/experiences/life story and articulate them in a way that is easily (and attractively) digestible for admissions offices.

The MBA application process is a very expensive “black box” between tutors, consultants, applications, school visits, online programs, etc. The scariest part of which is that you never truly know that you are on the best possible path towards admissions at your target program.

Jeremy takes the “black box” and lights it up for you. He is the most experienced person I have come across during my MBA application process by FAR, he knows the ins and outs of every school, is one of the best communicators that I have ever encountered and is very easy to work with. These skills enabled Jeremy to help me in the most efficient and enjoyable way as I navigated the process, ultimately leading to admission to my top target school.

From the first phone call, I could tell that Jeremy knows this process cold. Furthermore, his ability to dictate prose and work with me to craft my story in an articulate and professional manner for admissions officers gave me comfort that I was putting myself in the best possible position to secure a position in the class of 2022.

Lastly, my final recommendation is to not be intimidated by Jeremy’s cost. What you spend with Jeremy will be returned back to you 10-fold during the process in terms of stress mitigation, time spent going in circles, and more (regardless of your MBA admissions outcome). You should plan to book Jeremy a year in advance and commit to putting in the effort with him throughout that timeframe to ensure a successful process for yourself. Jeremy’s reputation does precede him, deservedly so, and he does book up 6 – 12 months in advance of the first round application deadline. Hire Jeremy before his slate gets filled with other candidates.

After speaking with many consultants, I decided to work with Harshad due to his direct and candid approach when tackling the Admission process. His guidance proved priceless right from the start with his thorough brainstorming sessions, which were strengthened by the constant back and forth exchanges to deliver my core and concise story.

Harshad’s turnaround times were impressive, pushing me to work hard and efficiently in an attempt to keep up. Even when I thought I was almost done, Harshad found a way to effortlessly improve my essay’s structure to deliver a stronger message.

With his guidance, I got admitted at my top choice – a top 10 US Business school! Look no further and hire Harshad for your MBA quest!

Nisha was extremely beneficial with every step of the MBA application process – from school selection to application crafting, to essay brainstorming and writing, to final decision-making. I am extremely appreciative of all her help.

Katharine was instrumental in helping me with my goal of getting into Haas. Over the course of two years, we worked together to find not only the best time to apply but also the best way to apply. Katharine consulted me on all things about Haas, and the most important areas I would need to improve on in order to get in. The biggest factor for me though was the confidence that she instilled in me during the process. No hurdle was too big, no blemish on my application too damning. She always was there to be my biggest supporter and fan. Without her, I could not have gotten into school, that I am sure of.

Katy was incredibly helpful throughout the entire admissions process. I had no real idea how I should approach the MBA admissions process, but Katy was instrumental in helping me craft my story and put my best foot forward in each of the essays, short answers, my resume, recommendations, and interviews. I found the process much more manageable with Katy’s insights and expertise. I applied to two programs with much better results than even I expected going into it – Wharton (accepted) and HBS (waitlisted). I can’t thank Katy enough for her guidance.

My time with Jeremy unofficially began almost two years ago. I was considering applying to business school, and we connected for an initial conversation. Although I didn’t end up applying that year, I recall being struck by his generosity of both time and energy, as he expressed his willingness to work with me on brainstorming my own life goals to determine whether business school was the right next step for me.

Fast forward 18 months, and Jeremy and I began working on b-school applications. From the initial brainstorming session in September, up until this moment as I write this review on the first day of May, Jeremy has been an unwavering ally in the face of a challenging process and a particularly challenging application season. Our time together has more than paid for itself, as I’ve received almost half off the tuition of the school I’ll be attending in the fall through merit scholarships. Throughout the entire process, Jeremy consistently went way above and beyond the call of duty.

More than anything, Jeremy helped me to identify key elements of my goals and passions. The level of introspection he expected of me brought me to reflect so deeply upon what I want out of my business school experience and my life beyond graduation that our working relationship felt more akin to mentor/mentee than consultant/applicant. I was lucky to choose someone who turned out to be a true life coach, and I am grateful to have made such an enduring friend.

Work with Jeremy. It may be the best decision you’ll ever make.

I initially had thought I wouldn’t use an admissions consultant but looking back, going with Katy was the decision that really helped me unlock the full potential of my app — I ended up being admitted to both HBS and GSB this year!

Katy is incredibly empathetic and truly “got” my story from day 1, helping me refine it and guide me toward the most impactful way of articulating what made me special. This real feel for me and for what the schools wanted, allowed me to put my best foot forward in the admissions process. That, plus the resources at mbaMission to help me understand the process and work on each piece of my application at the right time (since I was very busy with work at the same time) made all the difference.

In brief — Katy is fantastic, and I would (and have!) recommend her to my best friend.

Katharine was a lifeline. I first applied to Stanford GSB in round 3 and was waitlisted (even with truly dismal GRE scores). With Katharine’s help, I reapplied this year with more quant certifications under my belt, and I’m happy to say that I was admitted! From day one, Katharine’s approach was thorough, tailored and effective – she kept me focused, pushed me to go beyond my comfort zones and provided insights and tactics that made my application not only successful but actually enjoyable. I most appreciated her approach to the essays, managing requests to recommenders, and preparing for my interview. I couldn’t have asked for a better coach and my only disappointment is that I can’t take her with me through life.

I first heard of Katy when a friend who had worked with her mentioned how generous she was with her time during the initial consultation, going beyond what he expected from a free consultation. I had the opportunity to see her work in action as we teamed up for an application to my dream school. From basic questions that I’d email off to her at a moment’s notice, to long and thorough interview prep sessions, Katy wowed me. She always went above and beyond, never failing to provide timely and discerning feedback and even going so far as to connect me with some of those in her personal network to help me attend a particular class on campus. Her Stanford/Yale/Harvard/McKinsey credentials don’t even do her justice. She’s a true expert in every sense of the word.

I had a great experience working with Katy and would definitely recommend her to anyone going through the process.

She was honest and forthright throughout the process without being insensitive. I initially did a consultation with her thinking I would apply Round 1 with the GMAT score that I had. I appreciated that from the get-go (even before I had signed on to work with me) she was honest and counseled me that my Quant score might be a yellow flag to the schools I was applying to. She advised me to try the GRE instead. I ended up doing much better on the GRE and was ready to work with Katy for Round 2.

Additionally, she was helpful in crafting my story, and through the essay writing process. I really enjoyed the brainstorming session where we talked through my story and my interests. She then reviewed my drafts in detail many times until we were satisfied with it. I then used that base essay to craft my essays for all of the schools I applied to.

With Katy’s help, I was accepted to 3 top MBA programs. I really enjoyed working with Katy and our partnership definitely made the whole process feel much smoother than it otherwise would have!

I wasn’t an easy candidate. I’m too old and I have a bad GPA from a non-feeder school. Melissa still helped me get into a top 10 school as well as an interview at one H/S/W? school and another M7 school. I definitely outperformed the fundamentals here. She was very good in helping shape my essays conceptually. My early drafts were off base and were not effective from the standpoint of an admissions officer. She helped me develop better conceptual approaches to essays so I could write in a way that would be effective.

Katy was an incredible resource throughout the entire MBA application process. I applied to three top business schools (accepted at 2, waitlisted at 1) and accepted my offer of admission at the GSB. As a traditional candidate (US, male, financial services), I was very focused on making sure my application stood out among all of the other qualified candidates with similar backgrounds. Katy understood this from the start and was an amazing coach and mentor. Aspects of working with Katy that I found particularly helpful: i) responsive and reliable – Katy always returned documents on time and was very easy to hop on the phone with, ii) brainstorming process – Katy did a phenomenal job helping me think through what aspects of my personal and professional experiences would make for the most compelling essays, iii) application strategy – Katy knows the ins and outs of the application process and has a great sense as to what AdComs are looking for. Overall, Katy was a pleasure to work with and would highly recommend her to anyone looking for a consultant.

As a member of an over-represented group (white male in financial services), I found Katy’s keen insight and expertise to be particularly helpful. With only a 720 GMAT (weak on quant) and a 3.7, I would not have been admitted to Kellogg (and potentially Booth!) without Katy’s brilliance. Here’s what I found helpful in list form:
– Right off the bat, Katy helped me figure out what I want from my MBA with our brainstorming sessions
– She helped me create a plan for which schools to apply to and when I would need to execute each step
– Her expertise really shined on the resume and letters of recommendation. These are without a doubt the most overlooked part of every application, and I think she’s the best in the industry at it. None of my friends applying to M7 programs got anywhere near as acute of advice as Katy gave me.
– She knew how every program interviewed and helped me prepare for each interview based on the school’s specific style
– She has an insanely high hit rate on getting clients admitted from waitlists and navigated me through the waitlist process at Kellogg and Booth.
– Her coaching has been paramount as I’ve negotiated for financial aid

Katy was an excellent resource and help throughout the process. From the brainstorm doc, which was vital in crafting my story, to help in understanding how to navigate a waitlist scenario, she was a huge help and I could not have made it through the process without her.

Nisha was great to work with on my apps. I was pretty overwhelmed and didn’t know where to start and she helped me get my story together for essays and crush the interviews. As a very generic candidate, she helped me craft my unique story that would stick out to the adcom.

Attending an MBA program was a dream of mine for a couple of years before I started working with Kate, and now it’s a reality! I’ve been admitted to multiple T20 US MBA programs, all with merit scholarships.

After a brutal year of studying for the GMAT and consistently scoring poorly, I felt it was even more important to work with a professional when applying to top business schools. I could not make the Round 1 deadline because I did not have a competitive score and didn’t want to risk having to re-apply the following year. For me, it was Round 2 or bust. After my fit call with Kate, I was eager to sign up for the Complete Start-to-Finish package for four schools.

Kate was instrumental in helping me formulate my story, building a strong resume, helping me guide my recommenders, and partnering with me throughout the entire process. As someone who has a very small MBA network and in a field that traditionally does not hire MBAs, I knew I would have tons of questions, and Kate is a great sounding board for every and any question I had. As someone applying for the first time, I knew I wanted to do this right, and Kate was a great partner and helped me feel confident that the applications I sent out were the best possible.

Having Kate was so important for me because I was still studying for the GMAT when we started working together. I can’t imagine the hours I would have spent mulling over my essays without guidance. Having Kate allowed me to send her drafts and receive fantastic feedback – freeing up time to study. Kate also helped me realize the GMAT was not working for me and pursue the GRE. This was a difficult decision because I had invested SO much time in the GMAT and I desperately wanted to earn a 700+ score, but I took the leap and didn’t look back. The GRE turned out so much better than I expected and I even admitted that the GRE was fun…I guess it’s fun when you do better than you expect!

Another weak aspect of my profile is my work experience. Kate helped me to formulate a story and make sense of my work experience within each organization I worked for and why I jumped from company to company (I had three jobs in the span of 5.5 years). This was helpful in my interview process and I was able to leverage my experience in a meaningful way to avoid being labeled a “job hopper”.

I really appreciate Kate’s dedication to my MBA journey. She often returned my documents well before the required 2-day turnaround time. Since she is on the East Coast and I am on the West Coast, I would always wake up to multiple documents returned and could tackle them first thing in the morning! Kate was strategic in mapping out my application timeline, based on the amount of work needed to complete the application. For example, we started with Duke Fuqua’s application due to the amount of work required. Completing this application took many iterations, but this helped establish a strong foundation to tackle other schools’ applications.

Kate is personable and someone who genuinely wants to help you succeed. I enjoyed chatting with her about current events and even life outside of work/business school! She shared her experiences at Booth, in consulting, and even helped connect me with MBA students in her network at schools I was interested in. All in all, I would highly recommend Kate as an admissions consultant. The application process was so much smoother than I could have imagined and I’m thrilled to be an MBA candidate this Fall!

I had a great experience working with Melissa!

I spent most of my time with her working on essays, where she was a huge help with selecting which topics to cover and how to frame them. She also provided some great guidance on selecting recommenders and how to prep them. Lastly, she was also very responsive to all of my miscellaneous ad-hoc questions.

I had a very positive experience working with Melissa and I’m convinced she played a huge part in me getting into Wharton (with scholarship).

Katy was an incredible partner in the admissions process. I was a re-applicant, and after our initial consultation, I knew that she would be the one to help me get into business school. Over that first 30 minutes, we discussed an initial strategy, and then we had subsequent discussions about how I could show improvement in my application. She was always available to talk and brainstorm ideas. When it came time to write the essays, her guidance proved invaluable. Her insights and her way of tying my story together with the school were really helpful. Going through this whole process with Katy made it all less stressful and intimidating. Thanks to her guidance, I’ve been accepted to two M7 schools that I was targeting, and I’m extremely grateful! Katy is great!

I had an excellent experience working with Melissa. From the very beginning, I felt much more comfortable working with Melissa than other consulting firms. I told myself I’d contact two of the major consulting firms for the free half-hour phone call, and Melissa came across as someone who really understood my story and believed that I could be successful, whereas the other firm felt very sales-y and lacked warmness.

I had some uniqueness in my profile, and Melissa was great in helping me to shape my story and really focus my essays. One of the most important and helpful things that she did was help me to shape the optional essay. Her insight took the original draft from about a 6 to a 10. I couldn’t be more pleased with how that turned out and am positive that without her help on the essays I would not have been accepted to the school I’ll be attending (Booth).

Jeremy’s expertise as a consultant, diligence as a writer/editor, and empathy as a friend/colleague are unmatched. Jeremy and I started working together over a year ago. Not only did his coaching and mentoring help result in my acceptance to my top choices, but it also helped me to understand my own motivations and perspective. Honestly, I underestimated the impact of the latter on my ability to derive purpose from my own experiences. I would strongly recommend Jeremy and his team to anyone looking to maximize the value of their degree before and after the admissions process.

As someone who had a traditional business background (strategy/management consultant) with a mediocre GRE score, I was worried about creating an application that would help me stand out from the competition. I was hesitant about using consulting services at first, but once I had my initial consult and was paired with Kate, I couldn’t have been more satisfied. Kate was extremely supportive throughout my entire application process and was always great about answering my questions in a timely manner. Not only is she knowledgeable about each of the top schools’ criteria and what their admissions teams look for, but she was very encouraging and did a phenomenal job keeping me calm as I approached each deadline. She was especially helpful in crafting my story with me by asking me questions that allowed me to dig deep and uncover my personal/career aspirations and goals. As a Round 1 applicant, there’s absolutely no way I would have been able to receive admittance to both Kellogg and Columbia without Kate’s guidance!

Katy was a fantastic consultant and mentor to me throughout my MBA admissions process. I am a non-traditional candidate and was a bit stumped about how to present a narrative that would be compelling to my top choice programs. Not only did Katy help me craft a great story, but she also provided an insider’s perspective that helped me tailor my applications to each school that I applied to. Katy went above and beyond — throughout our time together, she made herself immediately available to help answer any last-minute questions or concerns. As other reviews have mentioned, I would definitely say that working with Katy is worth the investment — she prepped me for a fellowship interview that landed me a full ride and a very generous stipend at a top ten school. She is also a lovely person. 10/10 would recommend working with Katy!

I don’t know what I would have done without Harold during my MBA application process. I came from a highly non-traditional professional background and wasn’t sure how my story would be received. Indeed, I spoke to consultants from other agencies and was flat-out told that my story “was really weird”, along with a list of schools that I shouldn’t bother applying to. In stark contrast, Harold was extremely encouraging and positive, and from the get-go, showing genuine interest and belief in my story and MBA goals. This made a huge difference in bolstering my confidence in the process.

Beyond that, Harold was extremely responsive and communicative through both Round 1 and Round 2, as I shifted strategies and adjusted my list of schools. He was truly an invaluable resource that I could ask a wide-ranging scope of MBA-related questions. For those considering hiring a consultant for their MBA applications, I look back and think that it was 100% worth it, especially with someone like Harold.

In brief:

Last year, I applied to business school without the help of a consultant and didn’t get in anywhere. This year, with the help of Katharine Lewis from mbaMission, I got into Berkeley Haas with an $80K scholarship, I got into Kellogg’s MMM program, I got waitlisted at Stanford GSB and I accepted my offer of admission at LBS with a £50K scholarship. Below, I will describe why our relationship was so effective, and why I think you should definitely retain her start-to-finish services.

More details about her exceptional service:

Katharine was incredibly supportive throughout the entire process, always going the extra mile because she truly cares about the people she helps. She has well-structured material and she is extremely talented at guiding you, helping you to self-reflect, think about your strengths, and what to showcase in an MBA application. She helped me with selecting between stories to make my story engaging, emotional, but also well-rounded. She then reviewed thoroughly every document I sent her (essays, short answers, and even emails I wanted to send to some alumni to network!). Not only did her help get me into all these schools, but she also taught me a lot of re-applicable skills along the way.

Applying to an MBA is stressful, and having Katharine around gave me confidence in my skills, myself, but also in pushing through hardships. On top of giving me advice, guidance, and reviewing diligently all my material, she also was there to support me emotionally and encourage me. She does not count her hours!

She also was flexible on timelines, always making me feel she prioritized me, answering emails so fast and answering any question I had. Katharine was also very patient and always happy to start-over if I was not 100% happy with an essay. She also is extremely honest and will tell you if she feels an essay needs improvement. This makes her one of the most trustworthy advisors/mentors I’ve ever encountered.

Once I was invited to interview, she helped me prepare for those and made me feel very confident going into interviews. Finally, once I was accepted into many schools, she helped me make my choice and made sure I was entirely certain of my decision. That is true start-to-finish service!

I truly recommend the mbaMission’s complete start-to-finish package with Katharine, as it includes unlimited reviews (believe me this is really important), real knowledge and experience in admission committees (Katharine was on Stanford GSB admissions committee and she also knows a ton about Kellogg, HBS, and other schools) to help you “stand out”. Katharine goes above and beyond, and the package is worth the price considering how many hours she spent helping me!

More details about me:

For context, I am a French woman who studied business undergrad in Canada and did not speak English before moving to the USA 3 years ago. I worked as a Deloitte consultant in Montreal, and then at Wayfair (e-commerce company) as a category manager for 2 years in the USA. I also created a non-profit aimed at helping entrepreneurs network in the USA. GMAT: 720 (better verbal, lower quant). I have done several things to help me get into a tier 1 MBA, but there are so many people applying with strong profiles! It is Katharine who truly helped me get into those top tier MBAs. Post-MBA, I want to pivot to

a new industry, but also change my career from working in big companies to early-stage startups and even launching my own startup one day.

My story was not easy to layout in an MBA application as I changed jobs every 2 years, only had ~4 years of experience and wanted a different job and industry post-MBA, but Katharine helped me see the storyline and made my application so much better! I applied to 6 schools (all in round 2): Stanford GSB, London Business School, Harvard Business School, Columbia Business School, Kellogg MMM Program, and Berkeley Haas. I got 4 interviews: Stanford GSB, London Business School, Kellogg MMM Program, and Berkeley Haas. I finally got the results I mentioned before.

I hope this helps highlight how much Katharine helped me. Believe me, she is the edge to securing several offers from the best B-school worldwide! Don’t forget that this investment can lead you to your dream MBA, so 200% worth it!

Cap
London Business School, Kellogg MMM, Berkeley Haas admit, $140K in total merit scholarship awarded and waitlisted at Stanford GSB

I can honestly say I wouldn’t have made it through the MBA application process without Harshad’s help; he helped me to believe in myself when things were difficult, to craft the best stories for my essays and interviews, to come up with the best strategies to deliver results, and so much more. In the end, I ended up getting accepted to two of my top schools, and I was offered a full ride to one of them.

I contacted mbaMission sometime in the spring (R2 applicant) as I knew I had to put my best forward during the application cycle as an older applicant (31-year-old); my initial call with a different consultant was eye-opening, I could not believe all the feedback I received in such short amount of time. She suggested having a second “fit” call with Harshad as we both had engineering backgrounds. After our conversation, I knew Harshad was the one I wanted to work with as he knew exactly where I was at professionally and knew where I wanted to go.

During the next few months, I worked on improving my GMAT/GRE and though my test results were not ideal, Harshad helped me to stay positive and diligent to work on the other aspects of my application and networking with my target schools, which ultimately made a huge difference.

Harshad’s feedback is very direct and honest, which I enormously appreciated as we worked on my applications; he replied to my messages as promised or even earlier, even late at night, during the weekends, and during the holiday breaks. The first reviews can be tough, but that is the nature of his work as this will help you submit the best version of yourself. I remember looking forward to my calls with Harshad as they filled me up with energy and encouragement to keep moving, to a point where writing essays, even during stressful times, became fun.

In short, Harshad is a kind, fun, smart, and hard-working consultant who has the best interest in your success and the results speak for themselves. I will ALWAYS be thankful to him.

Jessica is hands down the best in the business! When beginning my search for the right admissions consultant to work with, my biggest concern was whether the investment would be worth it. After initial consultations with numerous admissions consultants, I still had my doubts. That was until I spoke with Jessica. I knew right away from that initial consultation with Jessica that she was who I wanted to work with. What immediately stood out for me was her genuine passion and excitement to work with me, and that enthusiasm never wavered throughout the application process, from that initial consultation to my acceptance to my dream school!

Jessica’s approach is direct and honest, so you’ll get the best advice and feedback without any sugarcoating. This is the approach you need if you’re aiming for a top school, and it’s amazing how her feedback helped transform my weak first draft essays to powerful and impactful essays that told my story in the best way. Along with this fantastic approach, Jessica has a great background and extensive experience; she’s seen pretty much everything there is to see, so she can give guidance in any scenario. This was especially helpful for me since I was a non-traditional applicant that didn’t have friends or colleagues in my industry I could go to for advice. She always had time for even the silliest of my questions. Most importantly, Jessica was dedicated and committed to my success throughout the entire application journey. It was a big confidence booster for me knowing that she was in my corner to help me navigate through all the stressful and tough challenges that the application process can pose.

I can’t say enough just how incredibly valuable it was working with Jessica. If you’re on the fence about an admissions consultant like I was when I started my application process, do what I did, and schedule an initial consultation with Jessica. You’ll quickly see that Jessica is a cut above the rest – she’s truly the best in the business and you won’t find someone better that can help you achieve your dreams!

I had a wonderful experience working with Katy on my R2 business school applications for HBS and GSB. Katy truly went above and beyond, providing insightful guidance, encouragement, and a wealth of resources that helped me navigate each part of the application process with confidence. I couldn’t have asked for a better partner on the MBA application journey.

There were a few areas where her insights were particularly invaluable:

1) Brainstorming process – As part of the brainstorming process, I ended up writing 30+ pages covering my work and life experiences (the brainstorming guide doc that Katy provided at the beginning of the process paid dividends throughout the rest of the application process!). With all that information, however, it was hard to determine where to focus and how to tell my story in a compelling way. In our initial brainstorming call, I was amazed at how Katy was able to tie seemingly disparate stories together, help me reflect more deeply on my underlying motivations, and articulate the overarching themes in my life in a way that reflected me so accurately. Ultimately Katy went far beyond helping me put together an application; she helped me develop a better understanding of what I want out of my career and the kind of impact I want to have. Based on my interests and background, she provided insightful guidance that helped me clarify what I want to do long term post-MBA.

2) Interview preparation – With Katy’s help, I received interview invites from both HBS and GSB. I can’t stress enough how helpful it was to do a mock interview with Katy before the actual interview; she does a fantastic job simulating what real interviews for each school are like. She drafted up in-depth interview questions for our practice sessions, many of which ended up being the actual questions I was asked during my interviews. The detailed write-ups she sent me after each mock interview were also an incredibly helpful resource for practice in the days leading up to the interview.

3) Essay editing – Katy provided feedback on countless drafts of my essays, short answers, resume, etc., and her comments were always spot on. With the tight word count/character constraints of MBA applications, every word counts. Katy did an amazing job of ensuring that I always maintained my voice while providing guidance on how to get my points across more clearly and concisely. Katy’s sharp editing skills and insightful feedback gave me confidence that I was putting my best foot forward when I finally submitted my applications.

Lastly, Katy is a genuinely wonderful and caring person. Throughout the process, I could feel that she was deeply invested in me as an individual and willing to go the extra mile to help me succeed. The MBA application process can be a long and stressful one at times, and having someone as brilliant, thorough, and supportive as Katy as my mentor and sounding board made a world of difference. Choosing to work with Katy was hands down one of the best decisions I made in my MBA application process. I can’t recommend Katy enough – you want to have her on your team!

Katy was an absolutely fantastic admissions consultant, or I should say, mentor and friend throughout the entire process, from the very start before I even finished tests to the very end as I worked through the financial aid process. I was accepted to my top choices – HBS/HKS – thanks to Katy.

First, Katy played a very strong mentor, coaching role, which is incredibly important in the entire application process. She was able to help tease out and make my story stronger based on what I’ve shared (she really spent time to deeply understand me, and later on reminded me of things I even forgot myself!), making me reflect in a way that I would not have done so myself. Throughout the long process, she was always positive and encouraging, which was an extremely helpful support to have. Importantly, she was always accessible – answering any questions (even during holidays!) as soon as she had access, making me feel that she really valued her clients’ needs at all times. While being a coach, Katy is also able to jump into the weeds and provide very detailed, helpful comments throughout the drafting process to ensure my story and overall application was as compelling and coherent as possible.

Second, Katy was incredible during the HBS mock interview process. She knew the process very well, really thought through the questions diligently and thoughtfully beforehand and gave me mocks that were very similar to the real one. During that stressful time, Katy was highly encouraging, spending extra time to prep me and make me feel more confident.

Finally, aside from the great technicals I’ve pointed out, I just want to emphasize that Katy truly puts her clients’ success ahead – she really wanted to see me do well. This could be seen from her answering my many questions (even if there was lots of back-and-forth) at all times, to spending extra time on tasks when needed, to helping me for free with financial aid applications just because she wanted to see me succeed (and thanks to her, I did!).

She is a fantastic consultant and an incredibly kind-hearted coach, mentor and friend whom I hope everyone else would have the privilege to work with 🙂

Harold was instrumental throughout my MBA application journey. Harold truly takes the success of his students as his own. I was shocked by the amount of dedication and energy he brought to presenting my application in the best light and his belief (and support) in me to finish all my application in round 1. From start to finish, Harold provided timely, constructive, and supportive opinions when reviewing my essays. I ultimately received admission to 3 of 3 MBA programs I applied to HBS, Wharton, and Booth (with a fellowship of over $100k). I could not have done this without Harold!

I could not be happier that I worked with Katy and mbaMission. Katy was an amazing partner: she was knowledgeable, motivating, insightful, kind, and everything ran like clockwork. Honestly, she made the process fun.

I am a strong writer and was initially skeptical of using an admissions consultant. I did a few calls to sense it out, and when I spoke to Katy I immediately knew I wanted to work with her because she (magically) intuitively understood my career experience, interests, and how I was thinking about business school. She had such a deep understanding of the schools I was interested in, I knew she could guide me as I crafted applications.

Katy’s help was more profound than essay writing: she helped me see themes in my life and career that I hadn’t been able to articulate but are absolutely true. I felt totally authentic through the entire essay-writing process, but I’m sure I wouldn’t have been able to write the essays that got me admitted to my top choice schools without her.

Katy was always there when I needed help or advice in the application process, and she reminded me of important timelines while also giving me time and space when I was busy with work. It was as stress-free as possible.

After I got interview invitations Katy was extremely helpful at preparing me — she went above and beyond and gave me extra help when I was nervous about one interview. I did interview practice with other people, but working with a professional (and more neutral party than a friend!) was very useful.

Beyond all the tactical admissions help, Katy helped me understand the schools themselves. She knows these places thoroughly and gave me useful insight into which would be the right fit for me.

Katy is wonderful, and I hope you’re lucky enough to work with her!

My only advice on MBA applications: work with Katharine!

Before signing up with Katharine, I did trials with a couple of other firms and consultants. Katharine stood out immediately. During the 30-min call, she not only understood my strengths and weakness right away but also gave me genuine advice on what I should be working on. I’ve had consultants told me that there was no way I could get into a top 10 program. But guess what, Katharine helped me get into 3 of the top 10, including my dream school! The conversation and experience with her are just totally different from what I had with other consultants and I could tell immediately that she was the consultant I wanted to work with.

After signing up, I was even more sure that I made the right decision. She believed in me even when I didn’t believe in myself. From her years after years of experience, she could accurately sum up my strengths and build a stellar narrative of my story that’s both accurate and honest. She saw the strengths in me that I failed to see. And she advised on how to improve the weak areas of my application that eventually became strengths in my candidacy. Instead of being just an MBA consultant, she’s also more like my life mentor. After each and every phone call, I felt like I gained a deeper understanding of myself and just went through a therapy session. To me, that’s the most important part of an MBA application: to reveal my true self and let all my strengths shine through. Her advice is gold and her ability to assess my applications in a holistic view really helped me.

Having Katharine by my side through this MBA journey has been the best decision I’ve made.

I had such a wonderful experience working with Melissa and mbaMission. When we started the process, I thought I knew what I wanted to write in my essays. Melissa asked questions that totally transformed my essay into a compelling narrative. When I had questions, Melissa answered them candidly and quickly. She always provided me with direct and helpful feedback on my essay, resume, and even testing strategy. Ultimately, I applied to the school as the absolute best version of myself, which resulted in my acceptance into 5 top programs. If you’re still searching for a consultant, snag Melissa now before she reaches capacity for the cycle!

Katy was fantastic to work with and ultimately helped me get into four of the five schools I applied to. A few areas where she specifically stood out:

1) Guidance through the process – I was placed on a waitlist at my top school and Katy helped me stay positive. Together we devised a plan that demonstrated my interest and found opportunities to build my application for the couple of months in between my admissions decision and my final acceptance to the program.

2) Understands each school – Katy has experience in admissions and was able to articulate what different schools were looking for. This allowed me to highlight parts of my application for particular programs I was really excited about.

3) Crafting my story – Katy and I spent a lot of time talking through different experiences I have had and she ultimately really helped me find ways in which they all tie together and truly influence what I hope to do post-MBA.

Overall – I cannot recommend her highly enough!

Katy was a true guiding voice throughout my application process, going above and beyond expectations and investing in me as an applicant. I was referred by a friend of a friend and worked with Katy for interview preparation. Katy made the process non-stressful and always seemed to make availability happen when I needed her most.

My plan to apply to a top Biz school started in 2016. It wasn’t until last year that I decided to really figure what it was going to take to get there. A friend recommended I speak to Katy. In our first 30-min conversation I instantly felt Katy’s enthusiasm to help others achieve their MBA goals and also her objective and honest feedback to make sure you understood what it would take. I spoke to many other consultants and none gave me confidence like Katy. For the next four months (albeit a short time frame for apps) we worked diligently on polishing my application. Katy took interest in my personal story, guided me when I felt nervous and motivated to approach applying to business school with determination and optimism. I will be attending my dream school now, and this achievement is in part due to the amazing work and dedication of Katy. Gracias!

When considering B school, I was worried about my chances given my GMAT and background. I had only taken the GMAT once and my score did not make me stand out. I spent 4 years with one company in accounting/consulting, didn’t have a brand name undergrad, and was part of a overrepresented demographic. I was also skeptical of the cost of admissions consulting services.

When considering a consultant, I was looking for someone who would be able to candidly evaluate my application. I did several free consultations with firms to get a feel for different consultants, and Julie-Anne stood out among others for her sincerity and willingness to go above and beyond in providing advice.

If you are on the fence about using a consultant, Julie-Anne was worth the cost and incredibly beneficial throughout the process. She was particularly helpful in the school selection process and giving realistic feedback. Julie-Anne provided unique perspectives when evaluating my drafts and her advice was critical to refining my story through my essays. The essays are the most opaque portion of the application process and Julie-Anne’s experience made her an awesome sounding board. The entire mbaMission experience was positive and helped take my application from good to great.

Julie-Anne was genuine, responsive and encouraging during the crazy application season. She was a great resource from idea generation to making a final decision. I can’t thank her enough for helping me get into my dream school!

When I set out to apply to Columbia Business School, everyone told me it was going to be a reach – and they were right. I knew that I had an interesting, unique story but I am not a great test taker and have had a non-traditional career path.

A friend of mine urged me to contact mbaMission and I am so glad I did. None of my family members or close friends have gone to business school and I had no idea where to start. I decided to apply at the end of September and wanted to submit my applications around Thanksgiving. Despite this accelerated timeline, Melissa Merchant kept me on track, giving me strict deadlines and goals to achieve along the way. She helped me to stay organized and on top of my recommendations, numerous essays, and even my GRE study plans.

Melissa was most helpful, however, in helping me to dig deep and strive for perfection in my essays. When I set out to write, she told me that we’d probably need around ten drafts and I laughed, thinking I’d only need two or three drafts. But I am so glad Melissa encouraged me to keep challenging myself and poking holes in my story.

Our initial exploration call was one of the most cathartic experiences of my life. Melissa listened intently to my story and my reasons for believing I was a strong applicant. She never doubted me but she also never gave me false hope.

Applying to business school is a stressful and nerve-wracking period and even in the hardest hours, Melissa helped me keep my eye on the prize and stay focused and engaged.

I truly could not have gotten into CBS without her guidance and expertise. I miss talking to her on a weekly basis!

Jen has been the best cheerleader to guide me throughout my MBA journey. From our very first call, Jen was super resourceful. She was able to help piece together fragmented life experiences into cohesive stories that exhibited an abundant amount of color and authenticity. She helped uncover both professional and personal stories that had been completely overlooked, helping create the best possible version of myself on paper! I am not sure if I would have been able to highlight my entire life’s story and post MBA trajectories in merely 500 words without her help! She helped me concisely and thematically express my ideas without me ever losing my personal voice. If I ever make something of myself and have stories worthy of telling the world, Jen would definitely have to be my editor (if she’d have me!!!)

Jen has this smiling voice that always instantaneously put me into a jovial mood as soon as I would hop onto a phone call with her. I remember there had been several instances in which I had become increasingly frustrated with the writing process. As soon as I expressed my concerns, she not only knew exactly what to say to placate those negative thoughts, but she also laid out action items to specifically help tackle those roadblocks. I was fickle about picking the right schools, changing my mind several times. Each change was met with undying patience and supportive advice, ultimately helping me realize that selecting the right schools should be influenced by internal factors of what schools are truly the right fit for you, over external factors. I never had to worry about sounding silly with Jen. No question or idea was ever deemed foolish. She was able to create a supportive environment for me to grow and learn more about myself than I ever had. This was the first time in my life in which I truly enjoyed the journey of a process, and I have Jen to thank for that. Thank you, Jen, for all that you have done! Jen and I joke that I am a cheerleader for my clients at work, hence the reference in the beginning. Well, Jen has played that role amazingly for me throughout this process. Anyone would be so lucky to have Jen in his/her corner cheering him/her on through to that MBA finish line!

Two years after working with Jessica, as I’m about to graduate from my MBA, I am still seeing what value she has been to me, not only in the MBA application process but in job recruiting and post-MBA as well. In my job search, the HR director for a multi-national company repeated over the phone how powerful and impactful my resume is. 85% of the resume is directly from what Jessica and I worked on, and for the other 15%, I have updated since then using the skills and messaging she taught me. Additionally, I have used a lot of points and messaging from the essays we crafted together for cover letters to companies and top consulting companies (MBB) that I got interviews for.

Julie-Anne was truly awesome to work with throughout my application process. I am an engineer and not a natural storyteller so her guidance was tremendously useful for making my application stand out. She was extremely helpful at giving advice and feedback on the tricky smaller sections of applications (Stanford has what feels like 15 mini-essays) and I was able to get interviews at GSB, Kellogg, and MIT with admittance at the latter two schools. Julie-Anne really helped me stay on track while applying to 5 schools in round 1. While it can be tempting to put off application work until later in the summer, having a consultant like Julie Anne and starting earlier will help you not stress deadlines at the end, knowing you have put your best foot forward.

Kate is everything you would want in a consultant. She is conscientious, punctual, and an incredible resource. I primarily used her services for essay review and she exceeded my expectations with her level of insight and technical proficiency. We worked as a team to develop highly targeted and relevant essays that I was proud to submit as part of my MBA applications. Without her guidance, I would not be where I am today. I am so grateful for her help and highly recommend her.

To start – Jeremey is incredibly knowledgeable about the entire MBA landscape and is the main reason I was accepted to my top school early action.

For anyone that is serious about getting their MBA, they should engage Jeremey ASAP. Our engagement felt more like a peer/mentor helping me navigate a complex process. This is incredibly valuable when times are stressful, and you need suggestions on how best to proceed. I know we will remain in touch for many years. Jeremy is super easy to work with and was always available to answer any questions – big or small. From the very beginning, he spent significant time understanding what makes me who I am today. He has the gifted ability to ask the right questions in order to pull out critical stories from your past that will help improve your essays and applications. I have what some might call a “common” resume for MBA applicants (background, test scores, etc.), but Jeremy helped me identify the hobbies and past experiences that differentiate me from other candidates.

His suggestions really help you craft a powerful story about why you are a great fit for a given school. By the time I had an on-campus interview at my top school, I felt incredibly prepared because of my practice session which Jeremy.

Whether you have been considering an MBA for years or are just starting the process, Jeremey can bring a wealth of experience that will undoubtedly smooth out the application process and produce the desired results. I entered the process with a lot of unknowns, and I could not have gotten accepted where I did without Jeremy’s help. I cannot recommend him more!

Jessica was an invaluable ally and friend throughout the MBA admissions process. She always provided thoughtful and candid feedback, critical insight about the application process, and friendly reminders about the myriad of deadlines when balancing multiple applications. It was evident even from my first free consultation that Jessica cared deeply about each client and really focused on getting to know each of them. If you are considering an MBA consultant, schedule a free consultation now before she books up, you won’t regret it!

The thing I want to highlight is how Jessica’s diverse set of experiences makes her the perfect sounding board as you assemble your application. First, she earned her undergrad in anthropology, which opens up a whole new dimension of perspectives as you discuss your experiences and goals. Second, she is an HBS graduate, who clearly understands what it takes to be admitted and succeed at a top tier MBA program. Finally, after HBS she volunteered to help public school students with their college applications, which shows you this is truly her passion.

Jessica took a real interest in my success and went through my materials with a fine-tooth comb. I really appreciated her feedback and perspective throughout the application process. I was able to use select materials from our sessions and MBAMission’s broader resources for other schools I applied to that I did not work directly with Jessica on which was an added benefit.

I could tell from the very first time I spoke with Jessica, during my initial mbaMission phone consultation, that she’s extremely knowledgeable and experienced. Right after that initial phone call, I knew that if I were to hire a consultant that it would have to be her, so I immediately put myself on her list of upcoming clients (she fills up fast).

Even though the school packages are pretty expensive, once I started working with Jessica I knew I had made the right decision. None of the advice she gave me was ever cookie cutter, and she has the experience of having worked with countless clients over many years. This wealth of experience proved valuable on multiple occasions, as I had to navigate a few confusing situations and bumps on the road during my MBA application journey. If I hadn’t had Jessica to lean on, I’m not sure if I would have figured everything out.

Not only is Jessica extremely knowledgeable about the schools and the admissions process, but she’s also a master storyteller. You have to put in all the work, obviously, but Jessica provides endless feedback, suggestions, and input along the way. She was always there when I needed to ask how a certain section of my essay sounded or whether there was a better way to convey a certain point. And she doesn’t beat around the bush—if she thinks an essay needs work, she’ll tell you. I really appreciated that she was direct and straightforward because I think a lot of other consultants (or friends, family members, etc) just tell you what they think you want to hear. In addition, even though I was living overseas in a totally different time zone, Jessica was always quick to respond and on time with everything, which is really important when the deadlines are so tight.

Throughout the process, I grew to see Jessica as a trusted friend. After all, the MBA application process involves deep introspection and takes place over a fairly long period of time, so I felt like we really got to know each other. I can’t recommend her highly enough, and anyone would be lucky to work with her. In the end, I got accepted to several top programs (and Jessica was once again helpful with bouncing ideas back and forth when deciding which school to attend). I’m excited to attend one of the top MBA programs this fall, and if I could go back in time I would absolutely hire Jessica again.

If you are looking for a consultant who is an excellent communicator and has deep experience bringing together successful applications, look no further than Jessica Shklar at mbaMission. She knows how to get applicants admitted into the nation’s top programs.

Her expertise resonated in every interaction with me, as she helped me focus my attention on the most important tasks and helped me polish my application. Her experience and ability to communicate her thoughts clearly are worth every penny and cannot be emphasized enough. I am a busy person and cannot afford to waste time on numerous iterations of my resume, essays, or general profile. Building on Jessica’s feedback, I was able to expeditiously polish all the above— which in some cases involved cosmetic fixes and in others, broad rewrites. Jessica’s ability to quickly hone in on the important elements of the application and succinctly communicate how “ready” any particular deliverable was made working with her a pleasure.

I was extremely busy throughout the process and had to rely heavily on Jessica’s organization. Having done this numerous times, she has a birds-eye view of the process that helped me meet my deadlines and refine my approach to items such as recommender selection and interview questions in a timely manner.

I ended up getting accepted to Wharton and did not have to spend time applying elsewhere. Thanks to Jessica, I knew what to expect, got prescient feedback on my application and expectations, and was accepted into my first-choice school. If you are on the fence, don’t be. Call her and let her help you make your wishes a reality.

Katharine (Katy) Lewis from mbaMission was integral to my MBA application success. Her advice and guidance helped me to secure offers from three top business schools.

I was recommended to Katy by a friend; however, I didn’t want to commit to the financial outlay until I was sure of the value. Therefore, I arranged a free initial consultation with Katy. Immediately I could see that her vast experience would be incredibly valuable to my application.

Katy goes the extra mile to truly understand who you are as an individual and what is driving your desire to attend business school. She helps to craft an engaging and personable story, ensuring that every aspect of your application is meticulously reviewed and enhanced. Importantly, during our very first session, we pinpointed areas to improve. This allowed me to take action that significantly strengthened my application.

I secured three interviews and the mock interview with Katy was, by far, the most useful preparation. It was instrumental in ensuring that I entered each interview feeling confident, relaxed and prepared.

If you want to get into a top business school, there are three main reasons why I’d highly recommend mbaMission’s complete start-to-finish package with Katy:

1) Unlimited reviews… take Katy up on this and iterate every aspect of your application as many times as you feasibly can… and then some more (other applicants will).
2) Actual adcom experience… Katy was on the admissions team at Stanford GSB!! This is an unbelievable insight into how applications are reviewed and how you can “stand out from the crowd”.
3) Improve yourself… Katy’s advice helped me to improve myself and this provided an extra edge to my application.

The above is underpinned by Katy’s incredible personality. She is an awesome person who genuinely cares about your success. I cannot thank her enough for her support during my MBA application journey.

Best of luck with your application.

David,

Berkeley Haas, NYU Stern & Chicago Booth Admit

I have worked with Michael to apply for 6 MBA programs in round 2. All the business schools I have applied to were extremely competitive as they were among the top 10 of the financial times.

My application was strong but I had an average GMAT/GRE score, therefore I worked with Michael to craft a very good essay based on my background and personal passions.

I believe Michael was incredibly supportive, he truly helped me in the whole process of editing my story in a very concise and coherent way. He was very punctual in his deliverable and he was always able to set and reach my expectations.

In the end, I got accepted in 3 out of 6 applications, of which 2 were my top choices!

I am extremely grateful for his help and I would definitely recommend Michael!