mbaMission | MBA Admissions Consultants

I was a military applicant with a low standardized test score and an unconventional story to share. Initially, I reached out to mbaMission only for strategic advice—I thought that I had a good understanding of what information I needed to present, but I wanted a second opinion to ensure I was hitting the mark. After speaking with Julie-Anne, I immediately realized how helpful it would be to have someone guide me throughout the process. Julie-Anne was a coach, supporter, and teacher throughout the most challenging points of the application cycle. She took time to get to know my ambitions, reasoning, and most importantly, “me” as a person. Her perspective helped me improve my essays by navigating blind spots, presenting my weaknesses in a positive light, and helping me better explain my path. In advising me on how to realize my “potential,” Julie-Anne helped me get into an M7 business school (Stanford/Harvard). Julie-Anne went far beyond my original expectations and I’m so thankful for all of her help!

I worked with Devi to prep for my HBS interview and she completely rewired my interview performance. If HBS is your dream school then I would not hesitate to work with Devi she is amazing and will be a great investment on your journey to Cambridge.

The MBA application process can be difficult to navigate. It requires thorough self-reflection, high-quality essay writing and a resume that helps highlight your accomplishments and show your career impact. This becomes even more important if you have an atypical career path like myself, where I have worked on both the investing and operating side of business across 5+ industries.

I’ve had a number of friends who have completed MBA programs, and most of them utilized an admissions consultant to help work through the application process. I took the admissions consultant decision very seriously, and conducted a number of 30-minute phone screenings that many services offer. After speaking with Julie-Anne Heafey at mbaMission, it became abundantly clear that she was the ideal consultant to work with throughout the MBA application journey.

In my opinion, Julie-Anne has a number of traits that make her a fantastic consultant:

* She is professional and direct. With hourly services or a full-scale package, you want an admissions consultant who gives you candid feedback and pushes you to improve every item of the application. Julie-Anne did just that. Whether we had phone calls or exchanged comments via email, she got to the point quickly and made sure we worked through comments in an efficient manner.

*She is very responsive. Whether I had one-off questions or needed additional clarification on her comments, Julie-Anne responded quickly to ensure we stayed on track with application deadlines.

*She is truly invested in your success. This is not just a transaction for Julie-Anne. She cares deeply for her clients and will check-in throughout the process (and after) to see what else she can do to support you.

I had two aspects of my application I was concerned with: (1) my lower than average GMAT score and (2) my above average age. Julie-Anne helped me overcome these issues to submit strong applications that resulted in me being admitted into 4 out of the 5 top 10 programs that I applied to, including my top choice of Wharton. I cannot recommend Julie-Anne enough.

Julie-Anne was an incredible consultant. She guided me every step of the way and gave me candid feedback that enhanced my application. I was accepted to all three programs I applied to, and do not believe I would have been able to achieve that without her help. Coming from a very traditional finance background (Ivy League undergraduate, investment banking, private equity) I thought there was a magic formula for entrance and Julie-Anne steered me clear of that assumption. She helped me bring out my unique attributes in my essays and brain storm what it was I really wanted to get out of business school. So very thankful for Julie-Anne!

From the start, Julie-Anne asked hard questions that challenged the way I thought as I wrote my application essays. As a person from big tech with a mid-tier university background (and very little extra-curricular involvement), I needed her help in ensuring I stood out. The best part about working with Julie-Anne was her ability to help me turn my background into meaningful stories. Julie-Anne spent hours brainstorming with me, and when it came to providing feedback on my essays, she was incredibly honest. She encouraged me to scrap essays and start over when needed, and also dig into the details more that I otherwise would have. Without her help, my stories would’ve been too broad to earn interviews at top schools.

Besides her stellar editing, Julie-Anne is personable and communicative. She met deadlines and kept me on track as well. Her frankness during interview prep was greatly appreciated and helped me get into three M7 schools that I interviewed at. It seemed like every question I had asked, we had discussed in my mock interviews.

Julie-Anne even helped where she didn’t need to. She checked in frequently and offered advice for negotiations. She’s super knowledgeable and definitely worth the investment (especially if you are struggling with essay brainstorming/editing).

Summary: I had a convoluted story and worked with multiple mock interviewers to prepare. Devi was by far the most prepared, gave the clearest and most actionable feedback, and seemed truly invested in my success. The HBS interview isn’t “hard” in the sense that the interviewers are warm and friendly, and generally don’t ask trick questions. During my preparation, I spoke with several people who had interviewed, both admitted and rejected; almost all of them said that they thought it had gone well. Also, most people who get an interview, especially from finance and consulting, already have experience with difficult, lengthy processes and have developed above average interview skills. That’s why it’s so important to prepare to a level far beyond what you think is necessary – the competition is not average.

HBS was my dream school, and I don’t think I would have got in without Devi. After receiving an invitation to interview, I thought that I could adequately prepare on my own. I’d made it through demanding, multi-round interview processes in investment banking before, and I figured that through extensive solo practice and preparation, I could get through the HBS interview successfully as well. After spending many hours watching videos, reading articles, writing out every example I could think of in the STAR method, and practicing out loud, I still didn’t feel confident enough and decided to work with Devi.

I approached my first session with Devi as if it were the actual HBS interview (suit and tie included). I was struck by how specific Devi’s questions were, and how intimately familiar she was with my application – there were no superficial or “fluff” questions. Some might have overlapped with things that I had seen in HBS interview guides, but Devi asked them in the context of my application in a way that I hadn’t thought of myself. When she asked me for my impression of the interview, I said that despite some wordy answers, I thought it had gone well. I’d certainly felt more confident about my performance than I had felt about successful banking interviews.

Devi disagreed, and provided me with very candid feedback on my approach to answering, and the depth of my answers. I had some uncommon professional experience and it was difficult to convey everything I’d done in my current position, so my natural inclination was to talk at a high level and not offer specific anecdotes. Devi taught me how to adapt my style to give a brief, high level answer, support it with multiple brief anecdotes, while making sure that I didn’t lose sight of the original question in my conclusion. It took multiple sessions to get to a point where I had truly internalized this approach, but there were substantial improvements in my performance between each successive session. It’s important to start as early as possible after receiving your interview invite so that you can properly space out the sessions and actually incorporate Devi’s feedback – it’s usually not minor advice that you can tweak at a moment’s notice!

Even if you can only do two sessions with Devi, it’s an incredibly accurate reflection of the actual HBS interview, and the feedback is invaluable in preparing. Devi is very invested in her clients’ success, and I can’t recommend working with her strongly enough, especially if your dream is HBS.

I HIGHLY recommend Kate Richardson. I was extremely hesitant to use a consultant for several reasons, but I am 100% satisfied with my choice. I honestly don’t know if I could have gone through this process and stayed sane without her.

I was so happy to get into a top-choice school, but a bit sad to not work with Kate regularly, which was an unexpected feeling! I felt extremely comfortable with Kate, especially as I had considered myself an “underdog” candidate before working with her. She instilled confidence in my abilities that I lacked before our partnership. I spoke with other consultants, and I felt a bit judged or that they wanted me to be inauthentic to myself and my story, but I never felt that way with Kate. I really looked forward to our chats throughout the pandemic – even if it meant a lot of “homework” on my end afterward. I really appreciate her kindness during a trying time.

Aside from her welcoming and approachable personality, she is EXTREMELY competent, especially with her editing skills, and her turnaround times were truly remarkable. I do not know how Kate sleeps because I would get essays and random questions answered in record-breaking time. I felt like Kate was on speed dial as a resource, and she always had a confident answer to my questions – and anxieties. 

She really helped me tell my story, and I felt authentic and supported throughout this process. Seriously don’t hesitate to use Kate! 

Debbie was invaluable in helping me with the weak points in my application: making my essays shine and polishing my interview. With her help, I applied to four schools early, got into two (including my top choice, HBS), and got waitlisted at two.

I’ll admit I was not a believer in spending money on an application consultant at first but Debbie tangibly improved my essay and helped guide me through my crazy ideas for re-writes to ultimately craft a really strong and compelling essay that got me interviews at all four schools. I really appreciated her process: saving time on my five hour package by providing quick gut feedback over email and letting me rewrite, and knowing when to give broad structural feedback versus detailed edits.

The interview prep I did with Debbie was also so well-structured and helpful, and probably the best hour I spent. Practicing with my friends alone would never have gotten me the level of polish and preparation that I realized I needed. I’ll never forget her advice – no one ever sounds too prepared for a question!

I am absolutely thrilled of the impact that my consultant Michael Guttman had on my three MBA applications. I knew I needed help in getting into a top school because I do not have the most impressive work experience and my college grades are a little below average. Michael Guttman was super knowledgeable about the whole process and was able to help me with framing my story to be much more compelling. We also discussed my goals and tweaked them to be more realistic based on my background. Because of Michael Guttman, I was able to write better and more powerful essays.
He treated me like his only client from the very beginning. He was always available to have phone calls and very responsive with emails. He gave me advice every step of the way. We started with an initial brainstorming session and then worked on as many drafts of my essays and resume as necessary to make them perfect.
I received interviews at 2 of the 3 (the other school didn’t require an interview) schools I applied to, and he was a huge help in preparing me for each of my interviews. I really don’t think I would have been accepted without his help. Because of him, I was accepted into my top choice. I seriously recommend Michael Guttman to give yourself the best chance of admission.

Devi played an instrumental role in my acceptance to HBS. She is the DIFFERENCE MAKER! We did 2 sessions together preparing for my HBS interview and Devi approached these meetings having done her homework, and perfectly customizing her feedback to ensure my success in the interview. Her feedback was candid, clever, and informed by her many years of experience helping successful applicants. I came from a non-traditional employer for HBS, and Devi was critical in helping me to best explain my story, break down what I do at work, the successes, and challenges I’ve faced, and packaging all that into a great story for the interview. I highly recommend Devi for any applicant and believe she is a true difference-maker in my success and the success for so many candidates.

I decided to work with an MBA consultant after been waitlisted from Fuqua in Round 3.
It wasn’t an easy decision as it represented an important investissement without any warranty of success. I knew getting into a top bschool was necessary to give me the career change I was seeking (PMM in tech) and I didn’t want to have any regrets about not putting all the chances on my side.

I shopped around the different consultants and enjoyed my first interaction with Nisha. She quickly understood my background and profile and gave me some convincing suggestions on how I should market myself. In addition, mbaMission seemed like an excellent firm with handy resources.

During my time with Nisha, she helped me understand my previous application’s deficiencies that got me waitlisted. She helped me select the experiences and achievements relevant to build a clear and coherent profile true to me. She was always very responsive, organized and available when needed. She gave me great feedback and guidance on my essay and interview practices.

As a result, I got accepted at Fuqua – my top choice, where I got waitlisted the year prior.

Nisha was extremely helpful from minute one. She responded faster than expected to essay drafts, and knew exactly what it took to get accepted into my dream school and I did! 10/10 would recommend.

Harold was the first admissions consultant I spoke to that made me feel confident and excited about the application process. He helped me to distil a complicated career path into a coherent story, and re-fashion what I had initially seen as application weaknesses into that narrative. He was calm and assured throughout the entire process, but also great about reaching out to me if I ever dropped the ball and hadn’t been in touch for a little while. When it came to turnaround times, he never over-promised but regularly over-delivered. I was ultimately offered a place at my first-choice school, one which another consultant had told me I was ‘not the right candidate for’. Harold’s encouragement and support were integral to that achievement.

I highly recommend Nisha Trivedi from mbaMission. From the very first conversation, Nisha set me at ease with her commitment to getting to know my story and made an overwhelming process much less stressful with her experience and expertise of the MBA programs I was applying to. In addition to her incredibly quick turnaround (almost always getting back to my questions/essay edits within 24hrs), she would often reach out and provide opportunities (such as good alternative transcript courses to consider) that would help improve my application further. I recently received admission to my target school with a significant scholarship.

Nisha convinced me that I had a story worth telling and helped me craft an application that was uniquely me. Again, I would highly recommend Nisha for anyone looking for a dedicated, supportive and insightful MBA consultant. Thank you, Nisha!

Spark notes:

Gavi is articulate, approachable, pragmatic, and incredibly smart. She removed any intimidation I had about the application process, and helped me cement my story and goals in a way that was strategic, calculated, but also nurturing.

Working with Gavi was like working with a good friend who wants you to succeed, but is not afraid to step back and be real with an honest, third party perspective. Her knowledge of the application nuances between each school was extensive, and she was extremely accommodating and flexible throughout my somewhat accelerated (my own fault) process.

You *will not* regret working with Gavi. I could not have made it through applications and interviews – and into programs! – without her insight, encouragement, and guidance.

Full picture:

Like many others, I decided to apply to MBA programs during a period of uncertainty. I’d already taken the GRE and researched schools, but needed clarity on my story, and direction on how to holistically incorporate my experiences and ambitions. On top of that, I was starting the application process only a month out from R1 deadlines, so everything was accelerated and I was overwhelmed. 

Working with Gavi brought clarity and more – she was truly the calm within the storm in what would have been an otherwise unbearably frenzied process. My biggest obstacle was the overwhelming number of themes I was trying to incorporate, and Gavi’s ability to distill them into compelling narrative was invaluable. Her clarity was particularly helpful throughout essay outlining / writing / editing, where she broke down the process into measured, achievable segments that kept me on track and on topic. Gavi has also been incredibly supportive throughout the interview process, sharing previous questions unprompted, helping me strategize, talk through themes, and brainstorm examples of past work and projects.

On top of her extensive insight and skill set, Gavi is extremely invested, caring, and supportive. She offered guidance and reassurance when I was struggling to balance a demanding full-time job with the application process, and – not only put up with, but also helped me work through – the anxiety and stress of the past 6 months. She is a fabulous MBA coach and career coach who genuinely cares about her clients’ success and happiness. Thank you, thank you, thank you!

As stated above, work with Gavi – I cannot recommend her enough.

My consultant, Debbie, was very helpful at every part of the application process. She took time to understand my background, strengths, and goals, and we worked together to tell a compelling story through my application. She responded to my emails promptly, and she did a very thorough review of all parts of my application. Debbie also guided me in brainstorming themes for my essay, and she edited my essay extremely thoroughly. She preserved my voice in the essay, while also ensuring that the essay was concise and hit all of the points that business schools are looking for. The mock interview with Debbie allowed me to practice my answers to common questions and feel confident as I went into the actual interview.

I definitely recommend Debbie to anyone looking for an ally in the application process. From our first conversation to getting admission decisions, Debbie believed in my candidacy and calmed my anxieties. She was instrumental in helping me craft a story that was unique to me. I started with a basic goal statement that she poked and prodded until it was a compelling and achievable. She took all the ambiguity out of writing my essays. She provided structure to follow and key points to hit while always insisting on quality – no matter the number of revisions. Having an expert’s opinion and guidance throughout essay writing process was essential for me to feel confident about my essay topics and how they were conveyed. I’m very proud of the essays I wrote and I know they were instrumental to my entire application package. Thanks to Debbie, I was admitted to a top business school with a FULL scholarship!

I had a wonderful experience with Krista Nannery – who helped me navigate every step of the MBA admissions process – and get me into my #1 choice. The experience Krista brought the table was clear: she has a successful corporate background and years of MBA admissions consulting. She was a value add at every step of the process.

My undergrad was from a non-target school and I currently working in a ‘niche’ industry – so I wanted to partner with an experienced consultant who could help me put my best foot forward. I spoke with several other firms – but felt like I was solely in a sales pitch. In contrast, in my first meeting with Krista Nannery we were down to business! We did a resume review, goal discussion, and began our game plan. After our intro, I partnered with Krista on a 3-school start to finish package.

In our first few meetings, Krista spent time to really get to know me and my goals. Through our brainstorming exercise, she worked closely with me to review prior experience, undergrad background, and involvement to help form a cohesive story and find areas worth highlighting in MBA applications. Krista also gave tangible, near-term recommendations for ways to bolster my ‘outside of work’ involvement. As part of the package, Krista shared the full library of mbaMission materials (i.e., detailed school overviews, interview guides, etc.).

A less glamorous, but important part of the MBA process was the GMAT. Krista worked with me by reviewing my practice scores for each section, and ultimately recommending a switch to the GRE (the right choice for me!). She gave specific advice on a study plan / where to spend my prep time to get the scores into the ‘sweet spot’ for my target schools (hint – worth taking the real test more than once).

Coming into the process, I was most nervous about the essays. Fortunately, this was one of Krista’s strongest areas. For each school, we had a full hour discussion to talk through the prompt and form initial views on the essay / stories to highlight (each school looks for different elements and need to be tailored). Krista approached this exercise in a highly structured manner – which helped me think about what was most important and how could I convey my strongest areas (without missing any critical elements). In every draft / iteration, it was clear Krista puts significant thought into her feedback – and she consistently challenged me in areas where I could add more detail or enhance elements of my essays. There is limited ‘real estate’ in the MBA applications (essays & short answers) so every word matters – Krista truly challenged me to use the space wisely and her input was critical in forming the final product.

After receiving interview invitations, Krista was hands on in the preparation and we had mock interviews for each school. She prepped me with details from her prior applicants, predicted specific questions I might get based on my application (correctly!), and gave personalized feedback on interview style. She focused on how I could communicate my story in a concise and effective manner.

The MBA admissions process can be long and complicated (and can be stressful while working a busy job). Having Krista as a partner through the process helped keep me on track and reduce a lot of stress. At every step of the chain, Krista was highly responsive and always adding value. Krista was kind and genuinely wanted to see me succeed – and I have been thrilled to directly recommend Krista to my close friends who are applying for MBA programs this year.

In spring 2020, I declined five acceptances to MBA programs due to COVID-19. Although I was accepted to my dream school, Wharton, I hoped to reapply and earn a scholarship. With Round 1 deadlines quickly approaching, I questioned whether I should also throw my hat in at Harvard. During my first call with Heidi, she helped me unpack my story, dig deeper, and uncover a side to myself that I had been afraid to share. She assured me that we could create two compelling packages for HBS and Wharton within a few weeks. Her support gave me the confidence to apply to both schools.

When I submitted my essays to Heidi for review, she responded quickly and provided feedback that was tangible and in-line with my personal message. Her comments never took away from my authentic voice and enabled me to create two applications that I was incredibly proud to stand behind. I was accepted to HBS and received a full-tuition scholarship to Wharton!

I could not have accomplished this feat without Heidi’s support! In addition to being an excellent admissions consultant, Heidi is a wonderful human being. Her positivity and thoughtfulness are unmatched. I am so grateful for her help and HIGHLY recommend her!

A friend of mine strongly recommended me to hire mbaMission to help me with my MBA application journey. I was having seconds doubts because I’ve had terrible experiences in the past with several informal coaches. I gave myself a chance and hired mbaMission, and they assigned me Gavriella as my coach after a profile review.
I want to congratulate mbaMission’s methodology and service. It has been amazing.
I was accepted to my #1 and #2 MBA options. I am sure a great part of it was thanks to Gavriella, she rocks, and she has been the best advisor I have ever had. She got to know me perfectly since the first session I had with her. She taught me how to get the best out of me in every step of the application process; my resume, essays, short answer questions, interviews, and even the post-acceptance process. She lifted me up many times, and she never let me give up… She is THE best!!!!

If someone is looking to apply to an MBA program, the FIRST thing they should do is contact MBAmission and specifically Krista Nannery. In the beginning, I felt overwhelmed by The MBA application process, but from my first meeting, I was given a roadmap to my end goal. Krista helped me be confident throughout the process, from opening my applications to interview and acceptance. She is prompt, clear, committed to each client, and above all extremely knowledgeable about the admissions process. Working with Krista, I felt genuinely supported, valued, and also pushed to achieve my full potential as a candidate.

I cannot say enough positive things about working with Nisha and mbaMission – highly recommend to anyone seeking to gain admission to a top MBA program!

I wasn’t initially planning to use an admissions consulting service, but I decided to give mbaMission’s free consultation a try (who doesn’t like free things?). After reading through all of the consultant bios, I chose to work with Nisha since her professional experience most closely aligned with my intended post-MBA career plans. After exchanging a couple of emails, I sent Nisha a copy of my resume for review — while I was impressed with her responsiveness, I was still skeptical that I would get much out of our session. BOY WAS I WRONG! As it turns out, Nisha not only provided me with valuable tips and tricks, but she also asked the right questions to help me better articulate my accomplishments. I knew within the first 15 minutes of my consultation that I wanted to continue working with Nisha throughout my application process.

I ended up purchasing an hourly package so that I could work with Nisha as I drafted my essays. For context, my essay drafts were in decent shape at the time we began working together, but Nisha really helped me get to the point where I was telling my own story in a unique and engaging way in each essay. I appreciated that Nisha did not try to “change” my story or put words in my mouth that would make my application inauthentic, albeit stronger; she provided insightful suggestions on how I could best articulate both my story and my goals.

Nisha also provided invaluable guidance on what each school was looking for in the essays in terms of the topics/themes to address. I probably would have ended up with very different (read: weaker) essays had we not had those conversations. I really appreciated Nisha’s ability to provide strategic direction when it came to the content of the essays, as well as her attention to detail (e.g, grammar, word choice) when it came to proofreading my final drafts.

Additionally, I was very impressed with Nisha’s quick turnaround time and the depth of her reviews — she usually sent comments and suggestions within 24 hours of receiving a draft. We exchanged several drafts of each essay (average of 3 essays per school, I applied to 5 schools) in a relatively short time frame so that I could meet all of the RD1 deadlines. I was also very impressed (and pleased and thankful) that Nisha was able to clear her schedule, with very little notice, to help me prep for my first interview (which came weeks before I was expecting to hear back). She walked me through a mock behavioral interview and then spent a significant amount of time debriefing my performance and giving me frameworks to make my responses stronger. I was able to apply those frameworks to confidently answer every question thrown at me during my interview!

Ultimately, I gained admission to each of the MBA programs I applied to w/ significant scholarships. I have no doubt that Nisha played an integral role in strengthing my application and making it stand out.

Thank you, Nisha!!

Katy went above and beyond in supporting me through the application process. She spent so much time brainstorming with me and then went through many rounds of review with me on my essays. I couldn’t have gotten into HBS without her!

I booked a mock interview session with Jen to prepare for my interview in Dec and the experience was far beyond my expectation.

Jen is knowledgeable and dedicated. I turned to Jen almost at the last minute before my interview, but Jen still kindly booked a weekend session with me to fit my tight schedule. The Q&A part at the beginning of the session was full of insights, and in the following mock interview part I could clearly tell that Jen reviewed my application in detail and prepared for the mock interview carefully beforehand. We covered all the common questions and the tricky ones specific to my school, and Jen provided very meaningful feedback to each of my answers. The mock interview last longer and was more thorough than I had expected. I was impressed by the session not only because I was technically prepared for the interview, but also because I was emotionally ready. Jen effectively reduced my anxiety and cheered me up.

I would like to give my special thank you to Jen because even though I only booked one mock interview session, Jen gave me so much support during the two stressful weeks between my interview and my offer email. Thank you Jen for being a tremendous consultant and a trustworthy partner!

John is absolutely fantastic — I couldn’t have gotten into my top school (HBS) if it weren’t for his guidance. Working with him is the best decision that I made when applying for business school. He helped me best position my written application by first getting to know me, my goals, and my background. He took a genuine interest in this part of the process and reassured me when I was feeling discouraged. His communication and edits were always thoughtful and prompt. I especially appreciated how honest and straightforward he was with me and the structured nature of his edits, bringing out my story and purpose. I walked away from the process thrilled with the state of my application and essay thanks to John.

From the first conversation I had with Debbie, I knew I was in the right place. I am happy I chose to work on my application process with her. She helped me do a lot of introspection, understand my aspirations and find the best way to communicate them. I can actually say that this process helped me to get to know myself better.
I worked with Debbie on a three school package. I ended up applying to five different schools and got an offer from three of them. Debbie’s feedback was very honest and to the point, and she really helped me to put my best foot forward on my essays. You could really see that she invested time in reviewing them. When it came down to interview preparation, she helped me structure my thoughts and boosted my confidence. Even for the schools we did not work on together, her advice equipped me with a structured process to outline my essays and prepare my application.
Now, I am glad to say that will be attending my dream program at a M7 in 2021!

TL;DR: Debbie helped me get into HBS (my top choice) and MIT Sloan, and got waitlisted for Stanford GSB. I applied to only these three schools, and I have no doubt these results wouldn’t have been possible without Debbie’s insight and feedback on my essays and applications.

I first talked to Debbie over the phone to see which service was the better option for me. Debbie walked me through the details for hourly and package options and in the end, I decided to proceed with hourly service bc of my limited budget.

I started working on the applications around mid-August and was very concerned about the limited time I had until R1 deadlines. Debbie ensured me that I still had time to bring up solid applications if I focused on them. I started working on my essays and had no idea what to write, and even if I wrote something, I was totally insecure and in doubt about the contents and the fact that they might be unsuitable for an MBA application. I went through many rounds of reviews with Debbie—removed many contents from my first drafts, added new contents, and improved whatever I had first—significantly improving my essays at the end. Debbie’s comments and feedback gave me huge peace of mind about both my essays’ contents and their format style. I can safely say that without Debbie’s comments and insight, there’s absolutely no way I could have achieved the results I got from these three schools.

Debbie was very easy to work with, patient, positive, and flexible in the process. As mentioned before, I started working on my applications too late and there were many instances when I needed high-level feedback on the same day. Debbie was ALWAYS open to quick, high-level questions on certain applications questions I had or something specific in the essays I had doubt on. I remember I had MANY high-level questions just 1 or 2 days before HBS, GSB, and MIT deadlines. I sent my questions to Debbie through email and she always got back to me by the end of the same day. This alone was a HUGE help. Also, mbaMission has a policy that they would review the essay drafts within 2 days after sending them to the consultant. There were a few occasions that I needed my draft gotten back to me the same day or in just one day. Debbie showed flexibility on this when it was close to the deadline and gave the drafts back to me earlier than she had to. Again, a great help and peace of mind before final submissions.

In summary, Debbie was a huge help and source of direction both on my essays and my application questions. My experience with an MBA consultant and the results I got couldn’t have been better.

As a reapplicant, I believe that Devi was key to my admission to HBS. Each one of our interview prep sessions were tailored for me, and she truly forced me to think on my feet with questions from different angles. She always gave candid feedback, and showed me ways I could improve my interview skills. What I learnt from Devi will for sure help me beyond my HBS interview: She taught me how better to tell my story to other people. In the end, the interview did not feel so scary anymore, and I truly had fun during my interview. I highly recommend Devi to anyone who is serious about HBS.

I can not recommend Kate Richardson highly enough to anyone looking for an admissions consultant. Coming from a non-traditional field, I was quite nervous about applying to schools, especially during such a competitive year. Kate was perfect to work with as her feedback was very constructive without being too rough. Not knowing anything about applying for an MBA, she was an integral part of any questions I may have had.

I was initially recommended to MBAmission by a colleague, but I was unsure as to who I should work with and a couple of people recommended Michael because of his expertise in translating experience and career aspirations into a compelling application. In the initial 30-minute free consultation, Michael helped me set clear goals, create a work plan, and answered my most pressing doubts. This convinced me he was the person I wanted to work with during the application process. Michael helped me tell my story in the best manner possible and then pushed me to go beyond what I had originally planned, making my application much stronger. In the end, I got into UC Berkeley which was my number one choice for a school and with a scholarship to boot! This would not have been possible without Michael’s dedicated guidance and help. With the scholarship, Michael’s fees more than paid for themselves. I strongly recommend him to anyone looking to get into a competitive program.

Katy is one of the most thoughtful and helpful consultants out there. I was blown away by our initial consultation call (Katy came ready and prepared to discuss my strengths, weaknesses, and how best to position myself for HBS and Stanford—the only 2 schools to which I applied). Though she was already booked for Round 1, she still took the time to speak with me and provide her thoughts on my candidacy. (Tip: do start your search for a consultant early, especially if you want to work with a pro like Katy! She typically fills up by May for Round 1 applicants).

Even though I wasn’t able to work with Katy on my written materials, the advice she gave in both our consultation call and follow-up email exchanges continued to guide how I drafted and positioned my application. When I found out I was invited to interview at both HBS and Stanford, I immediately reached out to Katy to work with her on my Stanford interview prep; she also put me in touch with her firm’s “HBS Interviewer in Residence,” whom she had recommended previously.

The results from working with Katy were the best that I could have asked for – I was accepted to both schools! Katy even offered to be a free sounding board in helping me make the right decision, given her intimacy with both HBS and GSB; she spent over an hour on the phone with me just to take me through her thoughts and her own personal experiences with the institutions.

I could not recommend Katy more highly! She is warm, kind, thoughtful, and truly an expert in this field. She is someone that I will certainly stay in touch with years after business school.

Nisha was a fantastic partner in the application process from start to finish. In our second virtual meeting, we talked through a questionnaire aimed at translating my best experiences into an attractive admissions story. Nisha was great at bringing the storyteller out of me. As I work in investment management, I needed a sounding board to determine which finance jargon to leave in and which to omit in my essays, resume, and interview prep. Nisha helped me strike this balance. I initially chose to work with Nisha because she herself had gained admission to my target school and she is intimately familiar with the program. I did not know what to expect working with an MBA consultant – this was an incredible experience from start to finish!

Jessica really helped my application shine. From my initial consultation, she gave me advice and really took the time to understand my background. I have a 2.9 GPA and never thought I could get into 1 of my target schools.

Jessica’s core skill, besides knowing the ins and outs of the admission process, is storytelling. We spent hours carefully refining the story until it was perfect. Not only is Jessica a great storyteller, but also she goes the extra mile. If it were late responses or fast turnarounds, she was extremely reliable and helpful throughout by 3-school package journey.

I would recommend Jessica to any underdog applicant – a great story with Jessica’s help will go a long way.

Nisha was extremely helpful during my application process. She helped me reshape my resume and fine-tune my essays to present myself in the best light possible. Nisha is incredibly responsive and provides honest, constructive feedback.

Stop wasting your time on forums and Youtube videos that claim to reveal the secret of the HBS interview. Work with Devi!

After receiving the HBS interview invite, I spent hours reviewing countless articles and videos to prepare and decided to buy coaching sessions with Devi. I came to the 1st mock with Devi as if it was the real interview and was really confident. I was ready as I asked several friends to review my material and did multiple mock interviews. I thought I did well, but the reality was cruel… the performance was terrible.

Devi went straight to the point and gave me feedback and tips to improve, and most importantly what kind of structured answers I should give. I was using the STAR method but my answers were either lacking details or too long.

Because of her help, I improved over time (she always gave me homework after each session) and really knew how to approach the interview. She imparted practical knowledge to me, and eventually, I became more confident and ready to answer any questions I would be asked.

Thank you Devi for being a tremendous coach!

I worked with mbaMission and Devi Vallabhaneni for the 2020 MBA application cycle (2021 start). I recommend going with a start-to-finish package as Devi was an amazing resource throughout the entire application process.
To begin, Devi and I walked through just about every detail of my personal and professional life and educational background. Devi then helped me to extract stories that would make the most impact in an application, even though I may have overlooked these myself. Devi and I spent the most time on my essays and resume. She helped me to trim parts of essays that would not be seen as important to admissions committees and make my resume more quantifiable and impact-oriented.

I found that Devi’s background and familiarity with the schools to which I wanted to apply and my desired post-MBA career were particularly helpful. It goes without saying that Devi was always punctual and thoughtful. She was straight forward and did not tell me what I wanted to hear but what I needed to hear. Her guidance and help led to being accepted into on of my top program choices, and for that, I am super thankful to her and the mbaMission process. I certainly found the cost of the start-to-finish package to worth it.

I can highly recommend Heidi Granner and mbaMission to any applicant looking for guidance throughout the MBA application process and having doubts about the overall strength of their profile.

For the context, I’m an international student with a number of strengths, but quite a few issues to overcome or mitigate. To name a few, age (I’ll be in my mid-30s upon graduation), non-posh and trendy finance background, number of pre-MBA employers, ok but not stellar GMAT, and non-MBA recommenders were on top of my lengthy list of concerns. Without a doubt, working with Heidi was one of the best, if not the best decision I have made during my pre-MBA journey. She provided invaluable guidance throughout the process, from narrowing down the list of target schools to brainstorming on essay topics, packaging the career story and specific achievements into a comprehensive but easily digestible narrative, and preparing to various interviews. I deeply enjoyed our sessions with Heidi during which she steered my thinking in the right direction without being pushy or making essays and answers to application and interview questions look over-crafted. Last but not least, Heidi’s comments were always spot on, her document turnaround time was highly impressive, and she was always available for calls and extremely responsive via email, regardless of how banal or extravagant my questions were.

By the end of the application process, I had a feeling that I put my best foot forward and managed to develop a personal brand without distorting or embellishing the past. Despite the frenzy of the pandemic, deferrals offered to quite a few international students last year, and my own skepticism about my chances of admission, I managed to achieve an 80% success rate on my applications to T15 schools on the first try.

Of course, using a consultant requires a lot of time and effort invested into the process, but professional support definitely pays off, and I am very happy with the achieved results. I would refer my friends and colleagues thinking about an MBA in the US to Heidi without any hesitation.

I worked with Heidi ahead of my round 1 applications to four schools. I wanted someone to help me thoughtfully structure the process, plan goals and deadlines, serve as a sounding board and just, in general, help me take a very programmatic approach to the daunting task of applying to business school. I also wanted someone who could help me maximize my strengths while minimizing my weaknesses. I can say with certainty that I got exactly what I was hoping for in working with Heidi. She was organized, detailed, thoughtful, responsive, and helpful in both brainstorming/big ideas, interview prep, and the nitty-gritty of essay writing. She was also considerate and just a generally compassionate person, which was really important for me as I had some difficult backstory to explain in my applications. The hard work and effort were validated as I was accepted at 3/4 schools, including 2 obvious reaches in the M7. I would highly recommend Heidi to any prospective student looking to add more intellectual and procedural horsepower to their application process. It made a huge difference.

Michael is literally the best, very professional, never missed a deadline, and overall, just a good mensch. I’m fortunate I got a hold of this guy; he’s helped tremendously and did not shy away from giving me his honest opinion on how I may best present myself, which I very much appreciated — good guy, even better Consultant.

I went through a thorough vetting process with consultants (incl. SB, F) to make sure I found the right person to work with. Other companies told me not to even bother applying to HBS–my profile was uninteresting and average (2 years MBB, 720 GMAT), and there was no way I’d get in. My consultation with Kate was the complete opposite. She believed in me and my story and said I had as good of a shot as anyone else. Kate helped me communicate my story, and brought out aspects of myself that I thought were insignificant that ended up playing a huge role in my interviews. With Kate’s help on 3 Complete Start to Finish packages and some hourly help on a fourth, I went 4/4 with acceptances to HBS, Wharton, Kellogg (with $120K scholarship), and Tuck. Every interaction I had with Kate was positive–always on time, met deadlines, and provided incredibly insightful feedback. The nuance and introspection we were able to pepper throughout my essays was nothing short of spectacular and I went into each interview feeling prepared and confident after all of my practice with Kate. Kate was a joy to work with. I trust her immensely and can’t say enough how much her guidance has meant to me throughout this process. I truly do not think I would have had the success that I did without Kate!

I had the pleasure of working with Heidi Granner in the summer and fall of 2020. The process of applying was daunting, but Heidi made the process seamless and enjoyable! I was matched with Heidi early on and was immediately impressed by her credentials and knowledge. After the initial consultation, I did not initiate the application process for several months after our initial consultation however, Heidi was immediately responsive and eager to work with me during a seemingly busy time.

Heidi was an insightful, proactive, and professional consultant. Her admissions knowledge led me to discover the right target schools given my professional background, test scores (lower), and career goals. Originally, I thought my “dream” schools were X, Y & Z, but Heidi steered me in a direction that perfectly aligned with my career goals. I had a lower GMAT/GRE score than I had hoped for, but Heidi helped me navigate these waters well. In the essay portions of the application, she provided honest and thorough feedback and certainly helped me to learn more about myself in the process.

Heidi provided the tools to maximize my chances of acceptance each step of the way. This expertise was invaluable and am forever thankful! With her guidance, I was accepted into a M7 MBA program and my dream school. I would 100% recommend Heidi as an MBA consultant and fortunate we had the opportunity to work with her. She is an amazing mentor and person.

Jessica was instrumental in forming my application. As an applicant with ZERO background in typical business industries and no one in my social or professional circles to turn to for advice I was in need of help.

Jessica started by helping me determine my competitiveness at my target school and helped me form a strategy that would maximize my chances of getting in. I ended up determined to go to this one school and put all my eggs in one basket.

Unsure of how to craft my essays to present myself in the best way, Jessica aided me in doing important introspection, thoroughly discussing how to use my professional path and experiences to present a cohesive and compelling story about myself and future goals. Even if I had not been admitted to my target school this step would have undoubtedly helped me progress in my career. Once I was fortunate enough to be selected for an interview, Jessica helped me prepare for some of the tough questions candidates usually receive but really knowing my story, because of her help, is really what prepares you for anything.

Going through this process with her was undoubtedly helped me gain admission to the ONE school I chose to apply to and I have no doubt will help me in the future when applying for jobs or interviewing.

Nisha was extremely professional and helpful throughout the MBA application – she gets my highest marks. I primarily used Nisha’s services in drafting my essays, revising my resume, and preparing for interviews. Without Nisha, I would not have been able to translate my engineering experience into terms and skills that the admissions committee could easily understand. With her help, I was admitted to my number one school destination! Thank you!

At first, I was hesitant to use an admissions consulting service, but after my first chat with Harold, I knew it was going to be worth it. Harold was genuinely invested in me, and wanted to give me the tools to succeed. He gave incredibly helpful insights into what admissions committees might be looking for – for instance, he provided me with lists of clubs and offerings that set certain programs apart so that I could incorporate them into my essays. Harold’s guidance on my essays made me feel all the more comfortable before I pressed “Submit” on my applications.

I would highly recommend Harold to anyone who is looking to bring their application from “good” to “great”. I was admitted to both HBS & Stanford GSB, and Harold was instrumental in helping me both prepare my application materials and rehearse for my interviews for these programs. I know that I could not have gotten to this point without Harold’s expertise.

I worked with Debbie on a two-school package and it was a great choice – I would highly recommend her to anyone! I ended up being accepted to HBS and could not have done it without her help. Debbie provided extremely helpful direction and careful revision for the essays that we worked on, and her ideas and structures translated to other schools’ essays as well, making the entire application process much more manageable. HBS was actually not one of the schools we worked on together, but Debbie was still happy to provide high-level guidance on how to structure my essay, which I deeply appreciated.

Debbie was always very responsive and happy to address specific questions on my essays as nitpicky as fine-tuning phrasing or grammatical issues. I came to Debbie with countless iterations of my essays and she worked with me to refine them until we were both satisfied. I also cannot stress enough how helpful Debbie was with the recommendation process, from selecting recommenders to helping them understand what skills and areas AdComs are typically looking for. Finally, when it came to interviews, Debbie’s advice was spot on. My interviewer actually called me after my acceptance to say that the AdCom was impressed with my answers, specifically in the areas that Debbie told me to focus on. Without her guidance, I would not have been nearly as well-prepared and confident going into my interviews!

More broadly, the MBAMission approach is extremely thorough and sets you up for success throughout the application process. The brainstorming document encourages you to deeply reflect on your experiences across all dimensions and consider how best to present yourself in your application. I ended up working with Debbie because we come from similar professional backgrounds, having both worked in finance and consulting, and also because of her considerate and thoughtful working style. I cannot recommend Debbie enough – she is awesome and will bring out the best in you!

To sum it up:
Rachel is very kind, peaceful, and patient. Yet, she is very honest, straightforward, and blunt. Basically, she is the perfect person to advise you.

The longer version:
Meeting Rachel made my application experience much smoother and thanks to her I got into my dream Ivy League school. The highlights of my admission process with Rachel:
1. Already over our first phone call, Rachel provided me with a lot of valuable information and a strategic plan.
2. Rachel assisted me with some unique insights based on her legendary experience – not only as a consultant but also as a journalist
3. The most amazing part – Rachel did give me the space for being myself and I feel like she assisted me with delivering who I am to the admission committee in the best way possible.
4. Very importantly – the communication with Rachel was FANTASTIC. For me, this was key for succeeding in the admission process.
5. Rachel is not a salesperson or money-oriented. It is very easy to feel that her intentions are pure and that the applicant’s best interest is in front of her eyes the whole time.

Highly highly recommended. If you want to maximize your chances to get into your dream school – do yourself a favor and work with Rachel.

Heidi is a fantastic consultant who helped me turned around my MBA application. I would recommend her to anyone who’s considering working with an application consultant. I am impressed with her level of professionalism, thoughtfulness, and dedication.

For background, I was a reapplicant at the time, after failing to be admitted into the top programs a year earlier. Although I had great GPAs and GMAT scores, I came from a nontraditional background and had difficulty branding myself. So, I was nervous going into the reapplication cycle.

Heidi first carefully reviewed my applications from the previous year and assured me that I had enough qualifications to be accepted into the programs that I applied to. Then she pointed out mistakes that I made and suggested changes to my application strategy to help rebrand myself. As we worked on my application, Heidi was extremely helpful in our brainstorming sessions and made many suggestions on things to highlight and avoid as a reapplicant. She also suggested a creative essay format for one school where the essay prompt is more open-ended. Lastly, Heidi always provided timely, detailed, and accurate feedback on my application essays.

I got into my dream school eventually with Heidi’s help and I couldn’t thank her enough for that!

To be brief and clear, if you receive an HBS interview, work with Devi. I am inclined to say that it is worth every penny, but it is definitely worth far more. With Devi’s masterful help, I entered my HBS interview prepared and confident, and ultimately was accepted. Prior to our first meeting, Devi read my application materials with care and asked probing questions that were remarkably similar and, in many cases, identical to ones that I received during the actual interview. Most important, she pushed me to “tell my story” in a way that was decipherable by those outside of my particular industry. Her feedback was clear and focused and at the end of each session, I had my homework marching orders to prepare for the next one. During the actual interview, I was comfortable and was able to strike a rapport with my interviewees with plenty of laughter, no “umms” (Devi is good at expelling those from your vocabulary), or awkward pauses. Walking out of the room, I was sure that I could have not performed any better. She does not sugar coat her feedback and is exactly the kind of person you want for this purpose. She attempts to be flexible with her time and knows how important this event is for you. I cannot recommend her more.

Let me start by saying that if I had not used a consultant, and specifically John Sisk, I would not be sitting in the fortunate position I am today with admittance to an M7 school. I worked with John throughout 2020 on a start to finish package for three M7 schools. I am confident that his support, knowledge, and experience are what put my profile over the top.

From the very first brainstorming session, I could immediately see the value John brought to the table. In our first 60 minute conversation, he was able to take my jumbled work/volunteer/leadership experience and my future goals and mold it into a cohesive story that we would ultimately grow into my story for all three applications. I gained the most value out of the multiple rounds of essay review. It was truly amazing to watch my stories in my essays become extremely polished and convey the real explanation of what I am trying to achieve through an MBA.

Lastly, John’s interview prep was also immensely useful, but maybe in a less traditional sense. I am coming from a sales/BusDev work background where I frequently interact with individuals outside my organization. Being able to have someone like John, who knows this process inside and out, tell me to not stress too much because he could recognize that I was prepared and conversationally ready, helped me stay calm and articulate in the real interview.

Every step of the way, John helped take my profile up a notch and I know that without his support, I would not be in the fortunate position I am today. Thanks again, John!

I worked closely with Julie to draft and edits my resume, essays, and other application materials for 3 part-time MBA programs. Julie was a terrific partner who delivered feedback quickly and helped me brainstorm new ideas when I was feeling stuck. I was accepted by all 3 of my target programs, and owe much of my success to Julie’s help. Thanks, Julie!