Stratus Admissions Counseling | MBA Admissions Consultants

When starting my MBA application process, I met with various consultants to understand their services and to get a feel for different people’s personalities. I met with a few consultants who stressed me out and made me feel like I was not a strong enough candidate. Jennifer, on the other hand, was incredibly positive and encouraging from the start. The MBA application process can feel overwhelming but Jennifer’s structured approach and advice made it possible to apply to 6 top-tier programs. She helped me find my rhythm for essay writing, made me confident in my story, and provided school-specific tips that strengthened my candidacy. I ended up with acceptances and scholarships from 4/6 programs. I highly recommend working with Jennifer, I could not have done it without her!

I couldn’t have asked for a better mentor and support resource throughout the MBA application process than Melisa. As a first-generation graduate student and child of immigrants, I was quite intimidated to start the application process. Melisa really took the time to get to know me as a person, understand my story and how it tied to my goals and gave me the confidence and support that I needed to really excel at the process. I also did not have a traditional MBA background but Melisa really helped me convey my unique traits and skill sets to admissions teams.

I looked into other consulting options and did not find anyone as kind and approachable as Melisa. She went above and beyond and truly took the time to help me achieve my goals even though I felt a few programs were out of reach for me. She also has a very flexible working style that works quite well for the working professional and others juggling multiple responsibilities. She kept in touch via email throughout the process and also gladly took virtual meetings whenever I needed the extra time to talk things through.

Because of Melisa’s guidance and support, I will be attending a top 10 MBA program on a full scholarship, and I can’t think of a better outcome or fit. I strongly recommend Melisa to any prospective applicant and look forward to seeing all the great things she will continue to do!

Throughout the admissions process, Melisa and her team were nothing short of incredible! I just started my second quarter at UCLA Anderson, and I am still in disbelief at all the offers I was able to choose from when considering my MBA. My relationship with Melisa was amazing and it kept me motivated and confident throughout the entire journey. To be completely transparent, I had a few moments of “nervous breakdowns” (as many of us do when facing high-pressure challenges) but Melisa was always there to bring me back down to earth and provide reassurance. I came into the admissions process thinking I had it all figured out, not that Melisa changed my mind, but she did her due diligence to help me discover what it was I truly wanted, and more importantly where I would be the happiest. Melisa provided a road map every step of the way while setting realistic goals and timelines that I was comfortable with. Any possible worry I had in the admissions process whether it be choosing a program, writing essays, updating my resume, or preparing for interviews, Melisa provided support and helped me prepare mentally and emotionally. Any time the admissions process comes up in conversation, Melisa is the first person that comes to mind. I am proud to say that her guidance quite literally changed my life and allowed me to reach my full potential and attend the MBA program of my dreams.

When I started my process, I was unsure on if I even wanted to apply, let alone where I should apply or what my post-MBA goals were. Donna helped me tremendously by providing school insight, helping me focus on my professional goals, and curating a cohesive personal story. She was also incredibly flexible with my unpredictable work schedule and was able to tailor a structured deliverable timeline around what worked for me. The process can be incredibly daunting and stressful and having a cheerleader and guiding hand like Donna in your corner is so important! She and the entire Stratus community were incredibly instrumental in my admission to several programs, and I am so grateful. Thank you, Donna!

I received several M7 acceptances with Lisa’s help. Her biggest strength is that she will help you put your best foot forward on each application and every interview you will get.

Lisa understands admissions at b-schools. She has years of experience in admissions at a top business school. She understands what admissions offices look for in b-school candidates.

Lisa is excellent at identifying your strengths, weaknesses, and story. She spends a great deal of time learning about you, your background, what makes you tick, accomplishments you are proud of, and the strengths to highlight and the weaknesses to minimize on your application. This personal touch, tied in with her deep knowledge of b-school admissions, is an excellent combination to create a winning formula to present yourself exactly how b-schools want to see their applicants presented.

Lisa holds no punches and drills into your story, essays, and interview answers. She isn’t going to let you slide with anything that isn’t your best. She’s going to point it out, and work with you to make it your best. However, she communicates in a very effective way. She conveys her critiques less as criticisms and more as opportunities. You feel empowered and excited when she tells you that you can make something better.

Lisa is always available to you. She responds to emails quickly and always makes time for calls to explain the nuances of some of her ideas and the business school requirements.

Stratus has excellent resources, including experts on all of the major b-schools. Lisa routinely shared my essays and ideas with school experts who were able to provide valuable feedback to tweak a few things to capture the spirit of the individual programs.

The most difficult aspect of the interviews is the unknowns. What questions will they ask? What answers do they want to hear? How much of the school should I discuss? Lisa provided me with school-specific questions and completed a mock interview with me and offered to continue doing mock interviews for each school. I walked into each of my interviews having already heard each question they could ask, practiced answering them, and received feedback on what I did well and what I could improve. I knocked my interviews out of the park because of that.

The best investment is an investment in yourself. Get into the best b-school you can. Use Lisa to help you achieve that.

I was referred to Jennifer by a friend who had a great experience. I was at first skeptical about using a consultant since I had already largely drafted my essays and application, but I’m so glad I wound up working with Jennifer. She can be helpful with any amount of support (i.e. full application support or more focused refinement if you’ve already done some of the work). I came to her with questions regarding applications and essays for 3 schools and she had insightful advice for all three – tailored advice for that particular school and what they might be looking for. She also supported me in preparation for interviews. I wound up being admitted to 2/3 (including M7) with extensive scholarship awards. I would highly recommend working with her and investing in your business school future!

After my first attempt in 2020 to tackle the admission process alone and not securing a single admit, this time, I decided to work with an admissions consultant. Soon after my initial call with Donna, I knew that she would be the perfect fit!

We started around 3 months before the R1 deadline and from the get go, Donna would spend hours on call getting to know me and brainstorming ideas to come up with the key strengths we wanted to portray. It felt like Donna was always truly invested in my success. I ended up applying to 5 schools and Donna, unlike other consultants I initially spoke with, encouraged me to apply to my dream schools.

Once we started working on the essays, I was surprised by the detailed insights that Donna sent out — often with in a day and sometimes, even a few hours! There was a remarkable difference between my first draft and the final essays — Donna’s feedback, along with the school specific reviews really helped me put my best foot forward! The Stratus process truly worked wonders.

In the end, I secured admits from two M7 schools! Throughout this entire process, Donna has been more than a consultant — a mentor and a friend. Even after I secured these admits, Donna connected me with her previous clients at these schools to help inform my decision. Working with Donna on my applications was one of the best decisions I have ever made! If you want to put your best foot forward — I would highly recommend Donna.

I loved working with Kelly Lundy from Stratus! After looking into multiple admissions consultants, I decided to sign up for the hourly package with Kelly. Her expertise and deep knowledge of MBA admissions, especially as a Columbia Business School alum, was evident from our first consultation. With her experience in the tech industry, she offered personalized advice and targeted feedback on how to craft my essays. sharpen my resume, and prepare for my interviews! Initially, I found the essays to be very challenging. But with Kelly’s feedback, I was able to hone in on my career goals with school-specific details. Kelly also helped me improve my resume to quantify my impact and leadership experience. She was very quick with her feedback and edits, especially in the final days leading up to the deadline. During our mock interview, Kelly provided me with sample questions and advice that made me feel extremely prepared for the real interview. I also appreciated her checking in on me throughout the entire process! She was so encouraging and supportive. Applying to MBA programs can be a stressful time, but Kelly made the process so seamless!

I could not have gotten into my top-choice school this fall without Kelly’s help. I 100% recommend her for anyone considering an MBA admissions consultant!

I worked with Donna over the past year to prepare for MBA applications. Her advice was invaluable in crafting the right story blending my personal background and career interests.

I had a series of difficult life events occur during my application process and she was extremely empathetic and understanding, helping to coach me through this time as it related to even beyond my MBA applications. Donna is extremely caring and will take the time to help you in the process, she often provided career advice and interview help even beyond what was required. She was also able to connect me with some of her former students to help me prep for interviews once invited.

Due to working with Donna, I was admitted to two M7 programs despite having a GMAT score below their averages, this would not have been possible without her support and guidance.

I was first introduced to Donna, having worked with Charles at GMAT Ninja – and he had only positive things to say about her. I scheduled calls with several other consultants but was instantly drawn to Donna, not only because of our shared athletic backgrounds but also because she didn’t ask the traditional, cookie-cutter questions that every other consultant had asked me. It seemed personalized from the start, and it was her style all the way through. Donna informed me that her process would be very therapeutic, and she was right – I learned more things about myself in my few months working with her than I did for the previous 5 years.
Time was not on my side as I had less than 2 months to get all my MBA applications submitted, but she was fully on board. I apologized for making her work overtime as there were many weekends or late nights when I would be receiving her edits, but it spoke volumes about her level of commitment. If you had a look at my first essay drafts vs. my final submission, it’s hard to believe that it was the same person writing it – she really brought the best out of me.
Donna really knows the ins and outs of the admission process, from the essay themes that resonated with certain schools to the consistent interview questions that I would receive. She was also able to connect me with some of her former students at my target schools, who were able to share their interview experiences and helped me brainstorm essay ideas.
Finally – Stratus has no shortage of resources for all the renowned, global schools. So not only do you get to work with Donna, but also her incredible team of proofreaders, target school reviewers, and application strategists. Thank you, Donna, for helping me gain admission to Columbia Business School. You really have changed my life as you have done to countless other individuals.

It was an absolute pleasure working with Sophie. She always made herself available to answer any questions I had about the MBA process. She helped me brainstorm my personal statement that reflected on personal and professional strengths. She was always rooting for my success and helped me navigate which MBA programs I should consider. (I look forward to attending Pepperdine).

She has a very impressive background and is great to speak with if you are looking to work in consulting or strategy post-MBA. Thanks, Sophie!

Columbia was my dream school and I reached out to Kelly later in the application process to get her expert opinion on my essays and resume. I was confident in my application when I reached out, but Kelly was instrumental in helping me across the finish line! The details matter and she thoroughly reviewed the deliverables and provided succinct, actionable feedback that helped connect each point into a more compelling narrative.

The mock interview with Kelly really helped me refine my elevator pitch and focus my answers on the aspects that made me most competitive as a candidate. This process allowed me to enter my interview confidently and I was prepared for each question no matter the topic.

Kelly is clearly amazing at her job, but her kindness and positivity truly made the difference! She was always willing to answer questions and guide me in the right direction and I credit her support and rational perspective as a key reason I was accepted to my dream school!!!

I found out about Stratus after Susan Cera gave an introductory presentation at my current firm. I learned how the team-based structure at Stratus can help me get feedback on my application from various angles of the Stratus team. After briefly talking with Susan, she introduced me to Kelly Lundy, whose experience perfectly aligns with my MBA and post-MBA goals. Kelly helped me improve my application on all fronts and eventually helped me get into my dream school in a very quick timeline.

The most difficult part of starting an MBA application is to logically lay out a doable short-term and long-term goal, as well as how to achieve these goals with each school’s unique offerings, especially for someone who’s looking for a career/industry switch. Kelly, with her experience working in the technology industry, helped me brainstorm how to connect my personal and professional goals with each school’s abundant resources. She recalled back to her own MBA experience and leveraged her network of MBA grads to help me identify the most suitable paths and each business school’s offerings that I can take advantage of

When editing my essays, Kelly helped me identify the stories that best shaped my personality and came up with strategies to connect my previous experience with my areas of contribution at business school. As a non-native English speaker, I tend to write convoluted sentences with unnecessary details. Kelly used her experience and excellent writing skills to make my wording more concise and presentable.

After receiving an interview invite from my dream school, Kelly scheduled a mock interview with me immediately and sent me several articles to review, helping me understand the dos and don’ts during the interview. During the mock interview, Kelly leveraged her experience as an alumni interviewer and gave me some very valuable feedback on my performance. Going into my actual interview, I felt much more prepared and confident with the tips that Kelly gave me.

Overall, I had a very pleasant experience working with Kelly and the Stratus team. Without them, I wouldn’t have got an offer for my dream school this early in the cycle and have another year to prepare myself for my MBA adventure. I truly recommend Kelly and the whole Stratus team to everyone who’s considering applying.

Kelly was instrumental in helping me get my MBA application for CBS together in less than two weeks. Her advice helped me tremendously with pulling together a strong narrative in my application essays. She also took the initiative to link me to all sorts of information about clubs, courses, events, etc. at CBS that I’m not sure I would have found on my own.

What really set Kelly apart was how efficient and generous she was with her time. I was impressed with how much we were able to accomplish in the mere five hours we had together. Kelly was also happy to share advice regarding her experiences at CBS/post-MBA even after I had already gotten accepted and her services were ‘officially’ over.

All in all, Kelly went above and beyond to help (she once reverted comments within an hour of me circulating, since I needed to submit my application that day) and I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend her to anyone looking for some assistance with their MBA application.

If I could give more “stars” in this review I would… Melisa was the kindest, most diligent, and supportive partner to have throughout this process. I could not have asked for a better individual to work alongside me throughout the application and interview process!

Melisa took a genuine interest in me and my journey – frequently sharing articles based on my career interests, checking in on my GMAT studying progress, etc. We worked together through the brainstorming and application process. I applied to eight programs in total, four with Melisa’s help. Her superb ability to stay positive and organized kept me sane as deadlines approached and her ability to provide direct and pointed feedback helped keep me sharp throughout my interviews.

At Melisa’s urging, I applied to programs I thought were far beyond reach, and am happy to report that I was not only accepted but also received significant scholarships at a number of schools. Thank you Melisa for your support and encouragement throughout this process, I really could not have done it without you!

It isn’t every day that you come across people whose work and guidance will forever change your life. Susan Cera & the Stratus team helped change mine in the span of weeks. Susan successfully guided me in the application process to an M7 school which resulted in acceptance! Susan’s expertise assisted me with test selection/recalibration, brainstorming and writing essays, updating my resume, and preparing for interviews. If I could give Susan more than 5 stars and pay her true value, she is off the star charts and worth every penny. A true leader, strategic, inspirational, and bold – thank you Susan and Stratus team for changing my life.

I started off my MBA application with a lot of questions and self-doubt. I have to admit imposter syndrome did affect me in the beginning because of my average GPA and GMAT for the MBA application. But once I went through several ‘homework’ with Donna, she was able to help me in finding out my uniqueness and special stories from my personal life and career, which in turn supported all the essay writings. Without her prompt replies and personalized approach, I would not have been accepted to my top school with a scholarship, needless to say, I also received acceptance from all other schools I applied to. Thank you Donna it was really nice working with you. I would definitely recommend her as the MBA consultant for anyone seeking to apply for an MBA program.

After quite a bit of research on different consultants, and checking with references (both online and personal connections), I had the fortune to work with Susan. I’m glad I did because I was admitted to my top choice!

One of the most challenging aspects of the application for me was how to coherently bring together all the elements of my past experiences and translate that into an application. Throughout the introspection process, Susan asked insightful and pertinent questions that helped me dig further into the details of my experiences. Once that work was done, she was instrumental in helping me parse through all the details to come up with a detailed and very focused narrative. I was concerned in working with a consultant that my “voice” might be stripped away, but was impressed by how she helped me maintain my “voice” throughout while helping me sharpen it to focus on communicating my story more clearly.

She was helpful in all parts of the application process (from helping review essays to updating the resume to preparing for the interview). Susan, together with the Stratus team, helped guide me through the high frequency of questions I had regarding my application with thoughtful replies.

The MBA application process can be an extremely nerve-wracking one. Many times, I revisited my essay, my narrative, and other parts of my application over and over again. Susan truly cared about me not only as a client but as a person, helping me calm down during this intense process. Her words to “trust the process” are something I will never forget. I’m so glad I did listen because now I’ll be going to my dream school. I cannot recommend her enough if you really want to go to your dream school!

I had my initial consultation with Melisa in May 2021. Choosing a consultant wasn’t easy, but from our first conversation, I felt that Melisa was wholeheartedly invested in my success as an applicant.

Melisa was extremely generous with her time. There was never a limit on the number of emails I could send or questions I could ask, on top of our weekly update calls. She was instrumental in shaping my essays, and she guided me by drawing on her success with previous applicants. When it came time to interview, Melisa ensured that I was prepared beyond just the schools we were working together on and provided valuable feedback that I took across various interviews.

When R1 decisions were released, I was unfortunately waitlisted at my dream school. I was ready to throw in the towel, but Melisa encouraged me to keep my options open for R2 and remain actively engaged as a waitlist candidate. Melisa helped me write strong waitlist updates as I juggled applying to additional schools. Even when I wasn’t sure if the extra work was being noticed by the school, Melisa remained thorough in her advice and feedback.

In May 2022, I received acceptance from my dream school. With Melisa’s help, I was among the first batch of applicants to convert from the waitlist. It took a year to reach the goal that I had set out to achieve, and there were many unexpected ups and downs along the way, but Melisa was there for me at every step of the journey.

I have no doubt that I made the right choice in hiring Melisa as my admissions consultant, and I would strongly recommend her to anyone considering her services!

I am grateful for Jennifer’s help with my application process. Not knowing anyone who had been through this and could guide me, I was in need of a great consultant. Jennifer gave very good feedback and knows how to push you to put in the work (gently but effectively!) while making sure you stay on track. I applied to a lot of schools — the majority are M7 with some T15 — and decided I would not go unless I get into one of these schools. Without Jennifer’s help and Stratus’ system where your applications are reviewed by several sets of eyes, I would not have landed the schools I did.

Jennifer supported and pushed me to extract everything I could out of my stories, and make every word count on my applications. I had some glaring holes in my profile and she helped me create a strategy that ameliorated these issues. I got into some great schools with scholarships, thanks in large part to the guidance and support Jennifer provided.

I cannot thank Joe enough for being my consultant. I had my doubts about applying for any MBA Programs because I had a mediocre GRE score and very little work experience. Joe was very straightforward and gave me detailed constructive feedback for my resume, application, and interview. I only applied to one program during Round 3 and by some miracle, I got accepted into Haas. I know I couldn’t have done it without Joe. I would highly recommend him to anyone looking into competitive programs with a low GPA/Test score or little work experience.

Donna was an amazing admissions consultant and helped me change my life during this process by my acceptance to Columbia Business School. I was one of those students that was right on the “borderline” and doubted if I had what it took to be successful at an M7 program. Like Donna, I played sports in college and we bonded over our shared competitive interests with tennis. Donna took the time to understand me and pushed me to apply and believe in myself. She also, through her deep knowledge of this process, took the time to help me taylor my application towards Columbia and helped me connect the dots with what what I wanted to pursue post-MBA and how Columbia could help me get there. She was a very hard worker during this process (incredibly quick turnaround times), took the time to put me in touch with several other CBS students/grads, and she also made sure that I utilized all of my strengths as I applied. I would highly recommend Donna to anyone in this process and she was amazing to work with!

As a deferred programs applicant, I was unsure of whether it would be worth the effort/money to engage with a consultant. After chatting with a lot of other consultants, I find myself immediately gravitating toward Susan’s radiating passion for her work and her students. I was also affirmed by her candid feedback on my profile and her realistic assessment of my chances. These characteristics – passion, candidness, and optimism – remain constant throughout my interactions with her after I purchased an hourly service.

I am so grateful that I did decide to hire a consultant. We first worked together to come up with my key themes and a strategic plan, which Susan played a significant in helping me articulate. During the essay editing process, Susan was responsive and provided thoughtful feedback for every draft. There were moments when I grew frustrated with my writing, but Susan was persistent and encouraging in helping me craft a compelling narrative that accurately portrays myself. When it came time for interviews, Susan was my biggest cheerleader. Beyond helping me with mock interviews, she would send me a note before every interview. To note, throughout my engagement with Susan, she has always been efficient with the hours I purchased.

Eventually, I got into 3/5 schools I applied to and I could not have asked for a more professional, helpful, and compassionate advocate by my side than Susan.

I initially was not going to use an admissions consultant given the high cost but decided that it’d be worth the investment if I was going to go all in on the MBA admissions process. I met with many consultants from different firms but went with Melissa because she instantly put me at ease and was really warm and easy to talk to, and never made me feel like I wasn’t good enough for the schools I was targeting. We worked together starting June 2021 and she did so much more than just help me with my applications. I was also navigating a major organizational change at work, applied for a new job at a different company, and received an offer. She provided a ton of support and advice on how I should talk to my new employer about my b-school apps and they ended up being so supportive about it! Beyond that, we spent a solid few months just getting to know everything about my background and what my story would be, while staying truly authentic and never trying to be someone I wasn’t. She helped me with every stage of the application and was always so responsive, patient, and kind, especially through the several breakdowns I had along the way! She made sure I was super prepped for all the interviews, and after receiving the decisions, helped me navigate waitlists and negotiating scholarships.

I ultimately was admitted into my dream school, and 4 out of the 6 schools I applied to. Melissa was incredibly supportive throughout the entire process and really encouraged me to bring my true self to the applications. I’m happy with the results and I would recommend her to anyone!

I still keep pinching myself, y’know. To ensure I am not stuck in an ‘inception-esque’ trance.

But I know it’s real. My destiny was sealed the day the admission letter read ‘Congratulations’ with a celebratory confetti background wallpaper.

Mins later, I sent an email to Susan telling her that we had done it. We had converted to our first US business school. The journey hadn’t been easy, especially for an ORM (over-represented minority). So, let’s dive right in.

In September 2021, I decided to finally shake off the dust of procrastination regarding my MBA plans. But, still reeling under the ‘let-me down’ eyes of self-doubt, I knew I needed guidance on the admissions process. After some secondary research online, I came across the website of Stratus Consulting and its senior director – Susan Cera.

Susan and I spoke for the first time end of September. It was a 30 mins consultation call wherein we discussed my profile. The discussion was highly directive. It was humbling to hear about my strengths and my blind spots. Susan did not mince her words, which helped me steer clear of any delusions I was carrying.

We decided to work together for the next 1-2 months, building my personalized MBA blueprint. This had three critical parts, each feeding into the other:-
a) Part 1: Gather data points by reflecting on past experiences across professional and personal settings
b) Part 2: Identify Attributes by leveraging the data points gathered
c) Part 3: Build Story by identifying stories that allude to those specific attributes

Post this exercise. We built out the second part of the strategy:-
a) Why MBA? And Why Now?
b) Post MBA goals? Short-term and Long-term

Further to this exercise, we refined my resume, driving specificity through the STAR (Situation, Task, Action, Result) framework.

Finally, we bucketed my target schools across three areas, i.e., Likely/Reach/Stretch. At this point, it is essential to mention that given my debilitating test anxiety, we decided to only look at schools with a GMAT waiver.

As part of the following steps, we worked selectively on a few essays, wherein Susan reviewed my story, constantly pushing me to direct my thoughts using the STAR format. Her #1 guidance to me was that ‘specificity drives credibility,’ and those golden words have been etched into my brain since then.

Our journey led us to convert to a top 20 B-School and get waitlisted at a top 15. I honestly did not expect to cut, but Susan – as my guardian angel – was there to reassure me in every way. She was more than a consultant, a sounding board that allowed me to vent my frustrations and insecurities without turning a page of judgment. I am forever indebted to her contribution, allowing this ORM a fighting chance at the top 20 MBA programs in the US.

Donna’s approach to storytelling, beginning with a systematic review of my personal experiences and followed with introspection on these experiences’ impacts on my life trajectory and goals, struck me immediately after I began working with her. I revisited many memories I hadn’t paid attention to for a while, and with her advice, I tailored my essays to the unique characteristics of each school. Her in-depth feedback and strategies to help me convey as many important aspects of my stories as I could were instrumental to my success.

I was also impressed by Donna’s empathy and personal touch – her unbiased evaluation of my strengths and weaknesses and how each school aligned with my long-term goals made me confident that I would thrive anywhere I ended up applying. She also gently reminded me of deadlines and helped me stay on top of the application process, from test-taking to school research to essay-writing, which was plenty to juggle along with a full-time job. As a whole, I found her very enthusiastic, encouraging, and responsive, and I highly recommend her. Thanks again for your help, Donna!

I worked with Dom on my JD/MBA applications. Despite not really having any great full-time work experience, we strategized my start-up experience and highlighted things that I had learned as well as my personal growth. He held me to high standards and worked even during weekends to fix my grammar and details of the application so that I could submit them in time. It was really great working with him and in the end, I have some great business school options.

As a mechanical engineer working at a refinery in Singapore, when I decided to pursue an MBA in the US, I was dreading the process of writing application essays to portray my skills and leadership qualities. Working in a single company all my life, I had very little (recent) experience with behavioral interviews as well.

I am extremely grateful to Donna for guiding and coaching me through the application process. She was extremely patient with me as we dived deeper into my personal motivations and post-MBA goals. Based on my aspirations, she worked with me to narrow down the schools which were a fit for me based on my preferences. Eventually, I opted to work at 4 schools – out of which I got accepted into 2, one of which provided a significant scholarship.

What truly sets Donna apart is the quality of her feedback. From conducting mock interviews, and reviewing my resumes, to critiquing my essays through multiple revisions (sometimes up to 6 times), she was always eager to help me ensure that my application was holistic and represented my best self. I’d also like to recognize her team at Stratus which included a proofreader and an independent school reviewer, whose insights were invaluable to my application.

After working with her for more than 8 months, I’m extremely delighted to be going to one of the top business schools in the US next fall. I owe this success to Donna. I’ve been extremely fortunate to have been mentored by her and couldn’t recommend her enough to anyone who is looking to begin a similar journey.

If I could offer a single piece of advice to someone interested in business school, it would be: work with Susan Cera. Susan helped me secure multiple acceptances, including 3 full-ride scholarships (including one to an M7) and a substantial scholarship to Wharton. Honestly, that success alone is enough for me to offer Susan my highest recommendation (11/10 !) and to tell everyone I know to hire her ASAP. However, Susan brought so much more to our relationship than the feedback one would expect from a consultant. She brought unyielding support (at times, she felt more like a therapist than coach), so much positivity (even while chatting as her daughter was in the hospital), and, truthfully, heart. Susan really, really will be in your corner throughout this process. She wants the best for her clients and consistently (underscore consistently!) goes above and beyond to ensure they submit high-caliber applications that reflect who they are.

When I first connected with Susan, I had a “feeling” as to why business school was the right next step for me, but as a nontraditional candidate, I was super naive about the process and business school, in general. I had an ambiguous dream career and a surface-level rationale as to why an MBA would help me get there. Susan always knew what questions to ask and what sort of guidance to offer to help me tease out my short- and long-term goals. She also has extensive knowledge of business school and the different programs, so she helped me connect the dots between the skills I wanted to develop and what I would learn from an MBA. This helped me answer the “why an MBA now?” interview question confidently and with ease. Perhaps more importantly, Susan made me believe that I was a strong fit for business school. Susan made such an effort to get to know me and helped me realize my place at top MBA programs. She also ensured my applications were an authentic reflection of me, my experiences, and my dreams, and it was this authenticity that I think caught the eyes of admissions committees. On that note, I feel more confident entering business school after having worked with Susan. Knowing that I presented my full self to admissions and was accepted has lessened my imposter syndrome. I was accepted based on who I am and what I can bring to the table – I cannot thank Susan enough for this confidence boost and peace of mind!!

Overall, I am, of course, thrilled to be attending school in the fall and to be done with this arduous process, but at the same time, I will miss my sessions with Susan. She is THAT wonderful, THAT motivating, THAT inspiring. I feel immensely lucky to have worked with her!

Lastly, a big shoutout to Melisa – she was another huge help in my strategy session and congratulated me with every interview invite and acceptance I received. Thanks, Melisa, for your support and warmth! I am glad Susan brought you into our sessions.

As a candidate from an overrepresented category – teaming up with Susan was the best decision I made. Susan really puts in the additional effort to understand the applicant’s story. Her attention to detail is impeccable and her dedication was a constant source of support throughout the application process. She is kind and candid – the best of both! With her help, I will be attending MIT Sloan!

I highly recommend working with Jennifer and Stratus! She is absolutely incredible and made the biggest difference in my application journey. I was terrified of this process and felt that I had a lot working against me as I considered business school, with an undergraduate GPA much lower than the average at my top choice programs. Jennifer participated in a webinar with my Forte MBALaunch cohort, and I immediately knew I wanted to work with her.

Jennifer helped me explain the challenges I faced during my undergraduate years and provided constructive feedback every step of the way. She also helped me stick to my timeline and followed up with me when I was working long hours and needed additional reminders to stay on track with my applications. Her guidance helped me take my confusing career goals and articulate them in a simple way that tied in with my professional background and personal experiences.

When I started receiving invitations to interview, Jennifer set aside time to complete a mock interview for every school. I felt fully prepared for each one, to the point that I wasn’t even nervous for the actual interview! I felt more confident in myself and my candidacy by working with Jennifer.

She went above and beyond the entire time I worked with her, and I could tell she was just as invested in my MBA journey as I was. In the end, I received multiple acceptances with scholarships at every school, and Jennifer helped me navigate negotiating financial aid. I will be attending my top choice, Chicago Booth, this fall, and I wouldn’t be here without Jennifer. Beyond my applications, her guidance has helped me refine my career goals and identify what I really want to accomplish during my MBA program. I can’t thank her enough and I am so grateful to have had the opportunity to work with her!

Going into the business school process, I had a lot of imposter syndrome as a “non traditional” applicant. There were parts of my application that I was particularly insecure about and I felt that investing in a consultant was the right choice for me. I spoke with multiple consultants but immediately upon speaking with Melisa, knew she was the best fit and would help make my application representative of who I really was. She provided specific, prompt, and tangible guidance on how to strengthen all parts of my application. She also encouraged me to have faith in myself and recognize all that I brought to the table. More than anything though, Melisa acted as a kind friend and confidant — one who this process would have been a lot more confusing and intimidating without. She motivated me to apply to all the schools I was interested in, even the ones that felt out of reach, and I ended up getting into 3 of my top choices. I highly recommend working with her and I’m so happy I made this decision. THANK YOU MELISA!

As a non-traditional candidate who was still figuring out what type of program to apply to (full-time, executive, part-time), I very much appreciated having Susan’s support during the process. She made sure to adapt to my changing plans and offer information and advice on some alternative program structures. I also appreciated her feedback on my written materials and found her to be very responsive (frequently ahead of stated turnaround times). Susan was supportive, but also did not sugarcoat things, and she provided helpful and effective feedback. I ended up getting into the one program I applied to with a small scholarship. I enjoyed my time working with Susan and would definitely recommend her to others (and also a shoutout to Jennifer for her assistance in the process, as well!).

I chose to work with Melisa after speaking with dozen of consultants from numerous companies. Melisa sealed the deal for me after our first interaction with her cadid passion and rich experiences in helping candidates getting into their target MBA programs. My results showed that I made the right decision. With Melisa, I was invited to interview with all five M7 schools I applied to and received offers from three.

When choosing someone to work with in the application process, it’s really like choosing a partner to survive through a long and daunting journey. Melisa is the most reliable partner one could ever ask for. She guided me through the self-discovery process, and let me to “feel” what’s authentic to me and make the “real me” shine throughout the process. She encouraged me whenever I felt down or hopeless and had been my biggest cheerleader. She truly cared about clients who work with her and tried to be as helpful as possible under all circumstances. In short, Melisa is the best!!

I could not recommend Jennifer more! From the beginning, Jennifer made me feel comfortable. I was not very confident in the application process prior to working with Jennifer because I come from a non-traditional major/career for business school. Jennifer was able to help me see this as a strength and to use my work experience to my advantage when applying. Additionally, I was very nervous when I started the application process because I was working long hours and was not sure when I could make the time for applications. Thanks to Jennifer, I had a structured approach to my MBA applications. This allowed me to stay on track timing-wise and to have a more stress-free approach to essay writing. I most definitely recommend Stratus, the attention to detail and care the team puts into their work makes a tremendous difference. I will be attending Columbia Business School in the fall and can say with confidence that I would not be here without Jennifer and Stratus.

As a non-traditional candidate, I needed someone to help me translate my real-life experience into something business schools could understand. After just a few hours as part of an hourly package, I felt very confident with my applications and received $120k merit to CBS and over $300k from NYU, Haas, and Georgetown combined. If you’re looking to pay for school with merit money, there’s no smarter investment than working with Susan!!

Choosing a consultant is a daunting task, given the number of options. However, if you care about having someone with plenty of experience, many success stories, and a personality that fills you with optimism and energy, then look no further than Melisa. I chose Melisa because of how enthusiastic she was in our first meeting and how well she made me feel about my prospects. MBA applications are daunting, and there are many things that you need to navigate, so having a structured process and someone experienced to lean on is remarkably uplifting and comforting. If you are looking for a consultant, you must be in the same boat as I was – confident that you qualify but not sure whether you can tell a cohesive and convincing story. Melisa is so skillful at recognizing the different pieces of your story and helping you put them into a captivating application that you will gain a new appreciation for your accomplishments. Thanks to Melisa, I ended up with a few options to choose from and a merit scholarship that sweetened the deal. I did not expect to receive a significant amount in scholarship, but Darden offered 1/3 and Cornell Johnson over 1/2 of the tuition, which made me choose Johnson. Whatever your dream school is, Melisa will ensure that you put your best foot forward. No one can guarantee admission to Harvard or MIT, but if you want to stand a chance and feel confident that you will have options to choose from, I encourage you to let Melisa guide you. You will not be disappointed!

Overall, Stratus was a great investment toward my MBA admissions and Lisa Cummings is awesome to work with. I applied to six schools total R1, two using Stratus. I interviewed with 5/6, was accepted by 3/6 with $$-$$$, and was waitlisted at 1/6. I will be attending an M7 with an $80k scholarship next year (one of the schools I worked on with Lisa).

After months of debating whether I should hire an admissions consultant and setting up informational interviews with multiple companies (including Stacy Blackman, Fortuna, MBAMission, Career Protocol, and MBA Prep School), I ultimately chose Stratus for their team-based approach to reviewing candidates’ materials and the fact that their consultants were realistic but optimistic. What turned me off about some of the other consulting firms during the initial calls was that they took one look at my profile (F/Asian/Consulting) and my GMAT score (720) and discouraged me from applying to certain schools. This wasn’t the case at Stratus. Although Lisa was my primary consultant, everyone I interacted with, including Jennifer Jackson and Melisa Prevost, was extremely helpful and encouraging.

I chose to work with Lisa because she is straightforward and efficient yet thorough (and yes, I could get this from our introduction call). We spent the spring brainstorming and developing my story and resume. She made sure to capture my entire story in a thoughtful manner. She also ensured that I did enough of my own research on the schools so I knew what I was getting into when applying to each. Then, over the summer we worked on multiple iterations of my admissions essays. This phase was the most valuable part of the experience. Lisa quickly turned around drafts of my essays (1-2 business days) and provided incisive feedback. After we finished my essays, she sent them to an unbiased school expert for a final review. In the fall, Lisa conducted mock interviews which prepared me for all of the schools I applied to. When it came to making my decision between schools, all of the introspection and reflection I had done in the spring made my decision easy.

Lisa is super responsive and flexible. She caters to your style (I preferred occasional check-in calls with frequent emails). She was always available to answer any of my questions, particularly as I was filling out my applications. She also went above and beyond – even though I only worked with her in two schools, she provided tips and advice for the other schools I applied to as well.

While hiring an admissions consultant can certainly be pricey, I think it is well worth the investment to have a team of professionals supporting you along the way. It is also a small cost in exchange for peace of mind throughout the process (i.e, essentially a project manager to keep you on track and an editor to help you review), and in my case, help to get into my dream school with a significant scholarship.

Do yourself a favor and work with Melisa! As a nontraditional applicant, I had many fears about the admission process. I chatted with a few other consultants but within the first 10 minutes of my intro call with Melisa, it was clear that she could help me achieve my goals. With Melisa’s support, I was able to receive full rides at 4 of my top programs!

From the very first day, Melisa took the time to truly understand my story, help craft my narrative, identify my strengths, and put together the best possible applications, all while encouraging me to be my most authentic self throughout the process – she even provided guidance on identifying the best target schools when I was indecisive. Not only did she provide guidance but she was always one email away. I knew I could reach out to her with anything and she’d provide me with a thoughtful response in a timely manner.

Melisa went above and beyond in helping me edit my essays and preparing me for my interviews. When everything seemed to pile on in the last few days leading up to submitting apps Melisa was so incredibly supportive and flexible with her schedule. I was lucky enough to have received interviews at all of the programs I applied to and even though I had not purchased packages for all of the schools Melisa went out of her way to ensure I was prepared for each of them. She was extremely generous with her time and proved to be genuinely invested in my success.

I know for a fact that I would not be in the position that I am in right now without Melisa’s support. I am beyond thankful to have worked with someone as genuine, dedicated, and knowledgeable as her! If you are looking for a consultant who will not only provide results, but also encourage and motivate you throughout the process, you have to work with Melisa!!

I cannot recommend Susan highly enough – if there was an 11/10 option she would be worthy of that score and more. I knew that I was going to be working with a top-notch admissions expert of her reputation, but the experience I had greatly exceeded my expectations. She took the time to really get to know me so that I could identify what is unique about me and present my most authentic self through my essays and interviews, and through her introspective inquiry process helped me come to realize my personal and career ambitions. She provides super timely feedback and communication and was even willing to give me helpful pep talks and prep sessions before interviews to keep me on point. She was able to flawlessly apply the lens of a tenured admissions officer with her feedback on all areas of my application, including making my resume more poignant and impact-oriented. While I was waitlisted and was losing faith in myself, she encouraged me to not give up and helped me secure interviews/acceptances from that seemingly unfavorable position. What meant the most to me was seeing how invested she was in my success at every node of this long journey. I ended up getting into Harvard as well as multiple other top business schools with scholarships/fellowships – something unfathomable to me as I was worried about having a low GPA, being a re-applicant with no success my first go-around, and providing a GRE score instead of GMAT. I do not believe I would have achieved my dream of going to Harvard if I had anyone else in my corner coaching and supporting me. I am beyond grateful to have had the absolute best in the business on my team and I could not recommend her highly enough if you want the same.

Lisa was an incredible pleasure to work with. I had a low GPA due to several health issues through college, and Lisa knew exactly how to structure my applications to speak to them in a constructive light, which paid incredible dividends. She was also a great resource for gut-checking my assumptions and feelings; she didn’t shy away from letting me know if a given school was going to be a stretch or if another would be more in my ballpark, which I really appreciated. If you’re looking for a consultant who will give it to you straight while also being one of the greatest supporters in your journey, I couldn’t recommend Lisa enough!!

Lisa shared insights and actionable feedback throughout the application process to help me put my best foot forward from early conversations on ways to strengthen my overall profile to essay outlining and interview prep. There were a few earlier essays where Lisa was particularly helpful in identifying critical background that I needed to share with the reader in a non-industry-jargony way to best tell my story. While there are maybe three types of MBA interviews, I really appreciated the practice interview with different questions available for every school where I received an invite. Although I only planned to apply in R1, Lisa was flexible in letting me submit applications for some schools in R1 and working with me on R2.
I learned about Stratus through different organizations and from friends’ experiences but only decided on Lisa from Stratus after meeting with eight different consultants/companies. Lisa from Stratus was a great match for a multi-school full package.

Melisa was beyond amazing to work with, and I’m confident that my application was the best it could be after working together! I went back and forth on deciding to hire an admissions consultant but ultimately decided it was worth the upfront investment, and it more than paid off since I’ll be going to Booth with a $100K scholarship!

From the beginning, I felt Melisa genuinely cared and had my best interests in mind. We worked together for over eight months and had weekly video calls in the thick of applications! She took the time to get to know me and really learn my story, which is necessary to create strong and authentic applications. She went above and beyond in giving me her time and expert advice. Most importantly, I really enjoyed working with her and she made the daunting application process feel manageable. Melisa is the best guide, confidant, and cheerleader!

I worked with Jennifer on my MBA application essays and interview preparation. I entered the process already having done a lot of introspection and goal setting, but knew that I needed another perspective (outside of family and friends) to advise me on what stories to highlight in my essays. I appreciated Jennifer’s succinct communication, thorough comments on my essays, and clear advice. Her advice made me confident that I was putting forward a strong application. After I was admitted to several programs, I reached out to her for additional advice on negotiating financial aid and communicating with Admissions officers.

Donna Bauman came highly recommended by my wife who had worked with Donna on her MBA application process a few years back. My wife was able to get into her #1 choice (Duke)! Although I was considering not using a consultant, my wife convinced me otherwise and so I scheduled a call with Donna and within the first few minutes, I knew I wanted to work with her on my application process.
Donna helped me structure my thoughts and story so as to make my application as strong as I possibly could. Although the packages that Stratus offers are expensive it is the best decision I could have made. I was able to get into my #1 choice school (Babson) with a full-tuition scholarship. I strongly recommend working with Donna.

I started working with Donna just a few weeks before my applications were due and my only regret is not working with her earlier on! I had drafts of my applications ready but wanted guidance to polish them up and prep for interviews. Donna pushed me to improve my essays to make them shine and stand out from the crowd and was absolutely critical in preparing me for interviews. She knew the culture of every school, what would work well vs not, and helped me craft tailored answers that reflected who I am while also being tailored to the schools. She also gave me tips and feedback on each and every answer of mine for the interview which was really helpful..all this in a very short period of time! I am so grateful and think this was an excellent investment to help me put my best foot forward for the schools. I’ve now gotten into 2 of the top 10 schools and couldn’t have done this without Donna. Thank you so much again!

Susan helped me apply to 6 MBA programs, of which I was admitted to 4, and am now a first-year MBA at Wharton. Susan did such a great job of helping me not only write/edit my essays but also clarify my overall career goals and vision for my future. She was so kind, supportive, and overall an incredible resource to guide me through the application process. I’ve since recommended her to other friends of mine who’ve also had great experiences! Susan also helped me with my dual degree application to the Harvard Kennedy School while I was in the fall of my first year at Wharton, where I was also just admitted!

First things first – Yes, my stats (GMAT, GPA, etc.) were in line with medians for the programs to which I applied (all M7 tier). They were not a tremendous help but definitely did not put me at a disadvantage. However, my profile is non-traditional by non-traditional standards, with a couple of outlandishly big red flags that desperately needed to be put into context. Every time I would broach them in my initial essay attempts, my mind and pen would fail me, and the story would devolve into what I felt was a mess of excuses. This is why I reached out to Susan for guidance.

Saying that my expectations were exceeded beyond anything I could have imagined is an understatement. Susan cannot work miracles, but she can help you put on full display the person that you know yourself to be, provided you are willing to be honest and bare your heart to her. Prior to working with Susan, my story was merely a stream of lived experiences and memories, but I had never actually taken a concerted walk down this path. For the first time in my life, there are now concrete words to explain exactly who I am, rather than this amorphous feeling that floats in my head. I’ve read through my essays several times since receiving admittances, because they genuinely make me happy and proud. I will forever cherish the self-exploration, the probing questions, and the committing of my life’s story to paper, all of which was made possible by Susan.

In exact terms, things you will gain by working with Susan: first, a better understanding of how to succinctly, yet powerfully, address every facet of every essay and interview potentiality. This is a big one. By all means, you could read countless MBA forums to gain some insight or use a “do it yourself” platform geared toward the application process. I did both of these before contacting Susan, but I did not feel genuine when writing or “rehearsing” for potential interviews. This self-doubt was valid; I was mimicking what had worked for some (and failed for others), trying to force my experiences into someone else’s application template. Conversely, Susan’s approach was bespoke. Before even beginning essays, we had deep conversations about my life – some things that I had not even considered to be material for the applications. She asked sincere, follow-on questions to every sentence, phrase, and sometimes word that came out of my mouth, wanting to learn exactly what I meant and how I felt. You cannot get this from an impersonal forum.

Next, Susan’s compassion toward her clients and enthusiasm for her advisory role is unparalleled. Setting appointments with her was seamless, and she always made time when key dates were approaching. There were even a couple of times when an issue needed immediate attention, and she made herself available for a lightning round of questions and advice. It just shows how committed she is to her clients and speaks volumes about the kind of person she is.

Lastly, peace of mind. If you are worried about the strength of your application, then you have a very compelling reason to give Susan a call. You will sleep better knowing that you did absolutely everything within your power to achieve your dreams. She’s not going to steer you in the wrong direction. Now if you’re already confident in your ability to go it alone, I’d argue that is an even stronger reason to work with her. Your post-MBA opportunities make the small-ish consultant fee inconsequential. Similarly, things like apartment referral bonus sharing from the MBA class ahead of you, Uber/Lyft passes from school, free meals on admit weekends, all the cool merch schools send you, etc. will easily negate Susan’s hourly over the next couple of years. (I bet you hadn’t considered all the fringe benefits!) So just do it.

My results: admitted to 5 of 7 programs to which I applied and over $650k in total scholarships ($$$$ at all but one). Could I have done this without her? Well sure, my application was 100% me. Would it have been likely? Absolutely. No. Way.

I was so grateful to have Susan’s support throughout the MBA application process! She provided invaluable insight and direction as I brainstormed my application strategy and essays. It was super helpful to have her support and accountability and made the app process more enjoyable. So worth it!