Stratus Admissions Counseling | MBA Admissions Consultants

You know the feeling when you are about to submit a paper in college, and you know you just killed it? That’s how I felt submitting every application that I did with Susan. My essays were my own work with my own tone, but Susan (and I should say Stratus as a team since our essays are read by a school reviewer to make sure nothing is missed) helped me tighten, streamline, and edit to make sure it was my best work.

Going into the process, I knew that I didn’t have a fantastic GMAT score or a name-brand school with a high GPA. I talked to so many consultants about my MBA ambitions. Susan was the only one who made me feel like she was genuine in providing me advice (even though it was a free consult). She went above and beyond to make sure that my MBA story and career aspirations made sense. When I was in town for a weekend, she even went out of her way to meet up! She made me feel like she really cared about me as a person, and it was actually really fun to work with her.

Heading off to the perfect program for me this fall at a T15 with a nice scholarship – and couldn’t have done it without Susan’s help.

The mock interview I had with Kelly was extremely helpful in my admission process. She asked questions that were specifically catered to my target school and provided invaluable feedback. She made suggestions on how to add clarity, brevity, and specificity to my responses. As a result, I went into my actual interview a week later feeling very confident. Not to my surprise, the framework of the real interview was almost identical. I ended up getting admitted to the M7 target school I interviewed for, and I know that Kelly’s interview guidance played a huge role. Beyond that, she is very friendly and has a strong sense of what an interviewer will and won’t want to hear. Even beyond the interview, she’s answered my general questions about the MBA program and given me great advice on ways to interact with other admits prior to matriculation. I highly recommend working with her!!

I made the decision to pursue an MBA at an M7 school in the Summer of 2021. Prior to that, I had no friends, relatives, or even acquaintances in my circle that had gone to an M7 – suffice it to say that my knowledge and understanding of the application process was lacking.

As I researched online, I quickly realized that the process was INTENSE. I came to P&Q to get some guidance and stumbled upon this admissions consulting page. Sad to admit, but I didn’t even know admissions consulting was a thing haha. Susan was ranked No. 1 and had glowing reviews. Knowing an M7 was a long shot for me, I figured I might as well go with a top-ranked consultant to give me an edge.

From our first 30-minute consultation call, I immediately recognized the value that Susan brought to the table – She causally listed off programs, tips, and nuggets of information that I was completely unaware of. When we began working together, I was constantly amazed at how she could bring out the best in my personal experiences, and help me synthesize them into a strong, cohesive application. From my essays to my resume to my interview – everything was elevated as a result of Susan’s coaching. She knows what the admissions teams are looking for, and how to convey your story to show them you have what it takes. And our brainstorming sessions were essential in helping me solidify my goals.

Besides that, Susan has a TON of connections – whatever you’re pursuing she’ll have a previous client or associate that’s knowledgeable about a program and willing to talk to you. Through the course of working together, she introduced me to no less than 3 different amazing individuals that gave me invaluable insights. And even after working together she’s made it clear that she’ll always be willing to make a connection.

If you are considering working with a consultant, Susan is who you want. She truly cares. She is 100% in the trenches with you, helping and encouraging every step of the way. This is someone who has found her calling and is doing something she truly loves! I ended up getting into the M7 I really wanted, and I can honestly say it was a direct result of the guidance from Susan and the rest of the Stratus Admissions Team. Without it, my application would have been ok, but we all know that ok doesn’t cut it for b-school!

I was not confident in the essays for my MBA essays and approached Stratus for help crafting my story. Jennifer took the time to understand where I was in the MBA application process and was clear with the package that she thought would be the best investment. And the investment more than paid off! Jennifer took the time to learn all of the interesting things about me and helped highlight some of the areas that I could grow from an MBA program that I hadn’t thought of before. The process with Stratus includes several exploratory exercises that help you frame your past experiences and clearly point to your goals with an MBA. These took some time but were so critical to being able to articulate why I need an MBA and my strengths/weaknesses. I ended up getting accepted to my top choice programs with considerable scholarships. I am so thankful to have had the opportunity to work with Jennifer!

For those interested in business school admissions consulting services, look no further than Lisa Cummings of Stratus Admissions Counseling. It is hard to describe how immensely helpful Lisa was in helping me apply to MBA programs this fall.

When it came to the essays, Lisa continually pushed me to uncover my personal story for WHAT my career goals were and WHY I wanted to get my MBA. She was always frank yet constructive in her feedback, something I really appreciated. She also returned her feedback very quickly; there was never a time that I could not move forward on my essays because I was waiting for a response from her.

Moreover, before I started working with Lisa, my resume was outdated and in no shape to be submitted to MBA programs. Yet Lisa’s expert insight allowed me to expand my resume where needed while removing all of the content that was unnecessary. Likewise, when I found out that I was fortunate enough to receive interviews at several MBA programs, Lisa did everything in her power to ensure I was prepared. Not only did she send me detailed, school-specific interview guides, but she also set aside time to conduct multiple mock interviews with me.

In summary, from essay writing, to resume updating, to interview preparation, Lisa proved an indispensable resource during my MBA application process. However, what impressed me most about Lisa is that I can tell that she truly CARES about her clients. After my interviews were done, it would have been easy for Lisa to simply wish me the best of luck and move on. Instead, she took the time to talk me through the decision I was making between two business schools, offering very helpful advice. Overall, for those looking into MBA admissions consulting services, you should undoubtedly consider Lisa Cummings. I promise you will not regret this decision.

I was a re-applicant to several schools this cycle and was looking for targeted hourly help on a couple of schools. Stratus’s flexible packages were just what I needed and Lisa especially was instrumental in helping me put my best foot forward the second time around. Haas was one of the schools I received direct help on and ended up getting accepted with a scholarship. Lisa was a great counselor and supporter throughout the process – from helping me update my Resume, to developing coherent & concise essays, to Interview preparation. Moreover, I always felt that Lisa was very flexible in he approach and available to support me in any way possible. I would highly recommend Lisa and the Stratus Admissions team.

I come from a technical atypical background with a lower than average GPA for M7 schools without anyone in my friends/family circle having pursued an MBA. Naturally, the MBA admissions process was a big mystery to me so I decided to look into admissions consultants. I talked to a few but stopped the process the day I first chatted with Susan Cera from Stratus Admissions. We immediately clicked because of having similar backgrounds and more importantly because Susan seemed very down to earth and was also very honest with her assessment of my overall profile. Once I took care of the GMAT in May, off we went with our journey. Btw, Susan said she will be my biggest cheerleader throughout the day I signed up with Stratus and that could not be more true.

For the first half of the summer, Susan and I met every other week and would discuss in detail my background, my stories, the big defining moments of my life and Susan would provide constructive feedback throughout these take-home introspection assignments. I could tell the team at Stratus over the years have put in a lot of work by looking at the activities and questions Susan would ask me about my background. By July we essentially had crafted and narrowed down my personalized MBA strategy – essentially the why MBA, why now but tailored to me. This included an overview of some key stories, themes, and arcs that I would highlight in my essays.

At this point, Susan introduced Melissa from the Stratus team to take a look at my story and provide an unbiased and fresh perspective. Melissa pointed out a few areas for us to focus on moving forward.

Next came resume building and honestly, words cannot describe how pivotal Susan was in this. Due to my technical background I essentially had to do a complete makeover and Susan’s skill, or should I say, art, came to the rescue. I could tell Susan gives in her 100% because she was not satisfied until the finished results meets her high standards.

Finally, when it came to essay writing Susan worked tirelessly with me to provide ideas, tips, and overall strategies that I should employ when writing my drafts. Her feedbacks were spot on, and more importantly if at any time I’d get stuck during the essay writing process she would promptly hop on a quick call to help me get unstuck. Once the interviews started rolling in, she helped me prep up for those using a combination of mock interviews, themes/arcs to talk about and the do’s and don’t of interviews tailored to each specific school.

I applied to 6 T20 programs in Round 1, got into 2 T20s with $$, WL at 1 T10, and got into one of my top choice M7 with some $. Do not think any of this would be possible without Susan. I’m glad I went with Stratus and I’m glad I got to know Susan and what a kind, warming, wonderful and amazingly talented person she is. I would 100% recommend Stratus/Susan to anyone exploring admissions consultants.

Initially, I was pretty overwhelmed with the MBA application process. I don’t have many friends or family members who’ve gone through it and didn’t know what to expect, but from my first consultation with Jennifer, I knew I’d found someone who could guide me. Jennifer actually took the time to get to know me beyond my “stats”, and I appreciated that Jennifer talked me through all the Stratus packages without trying to upsell me. I ultimately went with the one-school comprehensive package, and Jennifer was super helpful in giving advice that I could apply across the other schools I was also applying to, too.

In terms of support, Jennifer and the Stratus team were fantastic. I struggled a lot to articulate my career goals until I started working with Jennifer – and within a few weeks of working together, I had a crisp, articulate career path mapped out for the next 3, 5 and 10 years! Jennifer kept the whole process organized and manageable with a calendar, modules, milestones, etc. Her approach really took all the stress out of applying to MBA programs, so I could focus on self-reflection, and because of her I actually enjoyed the process of applying to b-school!

The last thing I’ll add – Jennifer is really encouraging. I wasn’t even considering applying to Wharton until Jennifer encouraged me to, and I ended up being admitted with a scholarship. Ultimately, her guidance helped me land acceptances from 6 of the top 10 programs, with scholarships at all of them – something I couldn’t have imagined in my wildest dreams!

I would 1000% recommend Susan to anyone who is planning to apply to MBA school and looking for extra support. I worked with Susan over the summer prior to applying to schools to help define and articulate my “why” and my overall application story via the MBA Application Fundamentals. I was coming from a traditional background with solid, but not amazing ECs and scores and, her wisdom, advice, and encouragement played a huge role in helping me feel confident my application was the best it could be. From day one, she was an engaged listener that took the time to walk through my goals and background to help me craft the best story. She answered my panicked emails freaking out about various parts of the application process and was a trusted advisor throughout the whole process. Even after we were done working together, she sent emails checking in on my progress and congratulating successes. I earned 4 R1 admits including two M7 with scholarship, and I cannot say enough about how much I enjoyed working with Susan. I would wholeheartedly recommend her to anyone looking for a supportive, encouraging guide to the MBA application process!!

I decided to work with Susan after consulting with a few different firms/consultants. Susan really understood my background (engineering/tech industry) and goals, and she cared about helping me put my best foot forward in the MBA admissions process. I worked with Susan on the four school package and was admitted to one of my top choice programs!

I started working with Susan a couple of years ago, but I ultimately decided to defer applying until this past year. Picking things back up with Susan was extremely easy – she remembered me and what we had worked on before. Susan was super helpful and supportive throughout the entire process, from helping me uncover my story to practicing mock interviews until I felt comfortable. Her feedback on my MBA resume was especially helpful – I’ve even incorporated her feedback into my professional resume!

Susan always listened patiently, especially when I was feeling unsure or unmotivated and needed a pep talk, and she promptly gave feedback on deliverables and replied to all of my questions. I highly recommend her if you want to work with a consultant who cares about you as a person – she will help you achieve your goals!

Susan Cera is hands down the best MBA consultant out there. I interviewed about 5 different consultants and decided to go with Susan. With her help, I got into my dream school (one of M7) with a scholarship!!! She was super supportive during the whole process, but was also very candid when she thought I wasn’t giving 100% on my essays. I would recommend Susan to anyone who is looking for a consultant who truly cares and build a compelling story.

Donna was truly instrumental throughout my MBA application process and connecting with her was a fantastic investment for me. I interviewed 7 consultants and was ultimately drawn to Donna – she asked thoughtful questions, listened and was very transparent and honest about what she thought I needed out of a consultant. Once engaged, Donna assisted with every aspect of the application process. Most importantly, she challenged me to take the necessary time to think through my experiences and to hone in on specific examples that best fit the overall narrative of my application. After the initial introspection work, she helped me craft a cohesive story that highlighted my career aspirations in a way that also allowed my personality and voice to come through on paper. We went through countless iterations of my resume and essays, ultimately leading to a final product that I was proud of. She was always accessible, responsive, insightful, quick to make time to talk and even helped ease the anxiety of the application process. Without Donna’s help, I wouldn’t have been accepted to my top choice program!

Honestly, thank you, Donna! I was admitted to HBS /1 M7, and waitlisted at a T10 with Donna’s guidance. I was rejected at 2 other M7s.

Here is the thing: I am an international student so I didn’t have experience going through such a rigorous admissions process when I was in my undergrad. At the same time, I am also extremely Type A so I wanted someone who would answer the most inane questions. Donna and the Stratus team did exactly that. The package helped me self-reflect on my life goals, and how the MBA would contribute to that trajectory. I think this is the basis for good essays. Then, throughout the writing process, Donna offered me feedback (what kind of tone should I take for different schools, what type of essays have been successful in the past, etc.), along with “school experts”. Beyond the essays, we also worked on how to write an MBA resume, how to best direct my recommenders on LOR, how to cater my interviews for each school – basically, every step, I wasn’t alone.

Now, let’s talk about the emotional aspect of this process. I was up and down like crazy – one month, I got 2 interviews; the next, I got rejected by 2 schools. Donna was there to help with my self-doubt, and I think that was an important part of making it through this process is somewhat of a good mental mindset.

Finally, I spoke to multiple consultants when I first looked into admissions consultants. Many consultants were very hard focused on my stats (which are comparable given the schools but not anything spectacular). One consultant even told me I probably had a rough chance at the schools on my list. Other consultants were too busy and took on a lot more clients than they should. One of Donna’s first questions for me was: “what is something you spend too much time on but have no regrets?”. In reflection, I think it’s because Donna cares to get to know her clients’ stories, and ultimately, the stories are what will differentiate you from everyone else with a high GPA/ GMAT/ MBB, etc.

Good luck!

Donna was beyond instrumental in helping me gain admittance into a top 10 MBA program! While I was definitely a qualified candidate, my “statistics” (GPA, GMAT) did not necessarily jump off the page. Donna helped me craft my narrative through some intense introspection and goal-setting exercises, and we were able to maximize the “intangibles” from my background to put forward strong, competitive applications. Throughout the process, I began to feel increasingly confident in what I can bring to the table for MBA programs and future employers. I would not have rediscovered my corporate “swagger” had it not been for Donna, and our time together was a great investment. Donna was responsive, punctual, insightful, and a powerful advisor to have in my corner.

The MBA application process can be overwhelming, and in hindsight, it’s hard to imagine going through it without Donna’s support. Donna is an expert storyteller, and whenever I felt stumped by an essay prompt, it made a huge difference to be able to consult with Donna to go over the options we had to tell the strongest story to each school. Donna truly made the effort to get to know me through the introspection work we had done together early in the process, and she had advice on areas of my experience to focus on in essays and interviews that I probably wouldn’t have come up with on my own. Donna’s feedback on my work was always honest, constructive, and fast, and motivated me to stay on schedule despite other personal and professional distractions. Donna is extremely reliable and trustworthy, and I can’t recommend her highly enough!

Last year (2021), I took the GMAT and scored a 730. I did not want to take any chances with my MBA applications and wanted to work with the absolute best. I must have talked to at least 35 consultants across the globe. In our first conversation from the get-go, Donna blew me away. She was the first consultant who had gone over my resume and other details that I had shared with her before the call. She told me the strengths of my application and how she can help guide me in telling my story. Our call was scheduled for 30 mins. But it lasted almost 60mins. At the end of it, I knew she was the best consultant I had talked to. So when I asked her for the charges, I was slightly hesitant because I had not budgeted that much money for the applications. I asked Donna if I should buy her hourly services. She left the decision to me, but told me that if she puts in the hours, hourly services will cost me more than the comprehensive package. I slept over this for a couple of days but then decided that I needed to be in the right hands. And so I signed up for her comprehensive package.

I cannot thank Donna enough to have helped me find my voice to write the most personalized story that I could ever tell. She and I spent the first month only on me sharing my story with her and brainstorming the exact reason why I even wanted to do an MBA. Then once we had my story and reasons for MBA ready, she got it all reviewed by Susan Cera. They both guided me to the main highlights of my achievements and my goals post MBA and helped me articulate it as well as I could. When it was time to work on my resume and my essays, Donna did not cut ANY corners at all. She believes in “tough love” because she wants the best for her clients. During the entire essay drafting phase, we had numerous calls and she must have put countless hours in reviewing each draft that I was writing. And she was giving me detailed feedback about each draft. Only when she was satisfied, she would send the essays to the school reviewers of that specific school in their team at Stratus. And then they would give more detailed feedback on how to improve the application further. Never ever did she look at the clock and tell me that she has spent way many hours on my application that she would have liked. There were so many times when I needed to get on call with her on very short notice and before I would ask her, she would set up a mutually convenient time. Sometimes within 15 mins of our email conversation. She even helped proof-read the entire application with me. She will never write the essays or the application for you. Trust me, she will teach you how to craft your story. After all my applications were submitted (6 of them), she took my mock interviews and provided me with live feedback and also a recording of the entire interview for me to watch later and make specific notes in areas of improvement. Then there were days when I used to feel low and not confident if I will make it into any of my dream programs. And she would drop me a note or sometimes get on video call to cheer me up and motivate me and ask me to stay positive. She does not believe in forecasting how many and what all admits one will get. She only believes in crafting the best application and putting the best foot forward. I can confidently say that she must have put 100+ hours on my 6 applications.

While I am still waiting on one decision, I have been accepted at an M7 program! None of this would ever have been possible without the help from Donna, Susan, and the rest of the staff at Stratus. I cannot be more thankful to each one of them. At this point, I am confident in saying that I was truly blessed to have been referred to by GMATNinja and that the money that they charge is way less than what Donna (and the team) truly deserve. The fact that she helped me get into a dream school and has been there for me every time I needed it, is something that I cannot be thankful enough for. She is my guiding light. My angel. I am writing this review so that it could help motivate others to join her and get the best in their applications for themselves. She is the best in the business and I wish her all the luck and love and more than she expects. I wish I could give her 10 stars. 🙂

Donna was instrumental in helping me prepare for my interviews and essays. I felt ready for each of my interviews thanks to her tailored interview preparation techniques. Stratus’ essay review process provided excellent feedback and helped me emphasize the elements of my application that would resonate the most with each of the respective MBA programs. Donna’s professionalism comes across immediately. She is very timely with her email responses and is always willing to set up a quick call to discuss your application. If you are looking for an MBA tutor I highly recommend you look at Donna and Stratus. They helped me get into the top 3 European MBA programs and a top 10 American MBA program.

In such a high-pressure process, it’s important to work with a coach who can not only identify your strengths as a candidate but can also keep you level-headed and grounded. As a “nontraditional” applicant coming from PR, Melisa made the process as enjoyable as possible and played an instrumental role in my Columbia acceptance.

Even before we started officially working together, Melisa sent me a number of test and quant prep resources to show me that there were multiple ways to demonstrate my quantitative reasoning capabilities to admissions. Throughout the onboarding and essay writing process, she was thorough, empathetic, and constantly suggested fresh ways to frame my MBA story. She took the time to fully understand my personal story and long-term goals which made my application more authentic and convincing.

What really stood out about Melisa’s approach was her ability to guide her clients to what’s actually best for them. When I was interviewing other potential MBA consultants, I often felt like they were either trying to upsell me by convincing me to apply to as many schools as possible or were so focused on my application stats that I felt discouraged from the get-go. By contrast, Melisa was warm, never dismissive of my goals, and worked with me to find schools that were actually the right cultural and professional fit, regardless of the program’s ranking.

I feel fortunate to have worked with Melisa who made this daunting task extremely approachable. She went above and beyond to make sure I felt supported and prepared for each step by either doing additional research in her own time or connecting me with former clients in her network who could provide better insight on a specific topic. This is a worthwhile investment for anyone who is passionate about their academic and professional goals and wants to make sure all their bases are covered during the application process.

After what I might’ve called a traumatic undergraduate college admissions experience, I feel confident saying I’ve finally moved past it after the tremendous success I’ve now had with getting into business school. I owe most of this success to Donna. Out of the 6 schools where she helped me, I got into 4 (Northwestern Kellogg, UVA Darden, USC Marshall and UNC Kenan-Flagler) and all with significant scholarships. I started working with her in February and feel I was really rewarded with almost a year of advice and mentorship throughout this often very stressful process. My initial drafts for my essays were very rough and Donna helped me refine them through more than 8 drafts sometimes, until we both, plus the additional objective third party reviewer at Stratus, felt they were strong – and they were! I got in! I feel very lucky to have worked with Donna and couldn’t recommend her enough to anyone who is embarking on this process. Start early! It pays off in spades.

I came across Ms. Jackson’s profile while looking for another consultant at Stratus. I spoke to Ms. Jackson and immediately felt I was in the right hands. She’s admirable in her mannerism, her Harvard pedigree shows.

Ms. Jackson created milestones for me, her technique and format truly hit the target. She made me really get to know my school and each step of the way she lead me to step up my representation through my essays.

She carefully assessed each art of my application, from resume to interview preparation.

She was truly dedicated to my success as if it was hers. Even when I ran short of hours she didn’t care but led me to the finish line. I felt like working with a parent/a friend. Her interest was never what package I bought, but if I was doing a good job in my application.

I only wrote one application with her and it landed me where I wanted. Working with Ms. Jackson was a rewarding experience.

Jennifer Jackson has been a fantastic guide and sounding board to me for the 2 months during which I was putting together my application at Kellogg, including the video essays and the interview. I was initially not confident to apply in Round 1, since I thought I needed more time to prepare my essays and ask for recommendations at my company, but Jennifer’s confidence in my candidacy and her meticulous planning convinced me that I could indeed submit a strong application in Round 1. Kellogg is a big application, and we worked together every second day from August onwards (her professionalism is impeccable; I always got a response within 2 business days!) to refine my resume and career goals, write strong essays that brought out my professional and personal journeys to the fullest, and to speak with my recommenders about my professional achievements and awards. Not only this, but Jennifer also helped me prepare for the video essays, scholarship essays, alternate program essay, and my interview by conducting mock interviews where she gave me extremely detailed feedback on my answers considering their format, tone, and content, which I found extremely helpful during the D-day! In general, Jennifer is kind, generous and has the ability to put anyone at ease and open up to her, a commendable quality in a consultant who needs to help you select your best stories for the application.
I had chosen Stratus as during my very first 30-minute free consultation call, Stratus had taken the time to review my resume in detail and had come prepared to speak to me, something I did not see other consultants do during free chats. I am so happy with my decision, and I’m headed to Kellogg next year!! It’ll still be some time before I believe this!

I come from a nontraditional background and underestimated my strengths when comparing myself to other candidates with traditional MBA backgrounds. Lisa understood who I was and what I would bring to an MBA class immediately. She helped me formulate a pitch that was true, cohesive, and compelling. She gave me the (often tough) feedback I needed to hear and always got back to me quickly and with concise notes. With Lisa, I was able to create essays that I was extremely proud of and certainly wouldn’t have iterated to on my own. I truly feel like I submitted my absolute best application possible school thanks to Lisa’s help. I would highly recommend Lisa to anyone who is serious about putting the work in to craft their best possible application.

After working with Donna, I compared the application material I first wrote on my own to the final product with Donna’s coaching and it’s like it came from a completely different person. At every step of the process of working with Donna, I knew that I was in capable hands. She showed both professionalism and profound empathy when guiding me through the application process. Her experience proved invaluable as many of the assumptions I had about the process were entirely incorrect. My successful application, and the financial aid I received with it, are a testament to her ability as an admission consultant.

I’m really grateful to have met Susan Cera and for her support during my application to the Fuqua School of Business. I specifically selected Susan for her background working with Fuqua’s admissions committee and her knowledge of the application process, essay questions, and interview prep. In less than 2 hours Susan helped me to craft compelling essays, answer difficult interview questions, helped build my self-confidence and also, encouraged me to have fun in the process! I not only got into Fuqua, but I also received a substantial merit scholarship – which I do not believe I would have received without Susan’s help to make my application as strong as possible. I highly recommend her, especially if you are considering Fuqua.

I had been thinking about pursuing an MBA for some time, but I was nervous to apply because my quant skills weren’t strong, and I didn’t feel like I was the type of candidate MBA schools wanted. My main work experience has been for my family’s small business that isn’t well known, and I thought that put me at a disadvantage. Susan helped me see how wrong I was about that and pointed out the unique experiences and opportunities I had, that would actually benefit me as an applicant. If you want to work with someone that makes you feel like you have a personal cheerleader in your corner, then Susan is your best bet. From encouraging me while I took and re-took the GMAT, to helping me find a supplementary math course to prove my quant skills, and to helping me build my experiences into a story, Susan was there every step of the way! I can’t thank her enough and I am so excited to start my MBA this fall in the Foster Hybrid MBA program (my top choice!).

My experience with Susan Cera has been amazing and was a game-changer in my applications.

I do not have the best raw stats, but I felt I had a good background and story for wanting to do an MBA. Susan helped me visualize and translate that story into something tangible that admission officers could understand. She worked closely with me to understand my goals post-MBA and long-term while working with my previous experience to understand how to best convey my unique message to admission committees. Working with Susan and Stratus helped my story come to life and enhance my application to get me to several interviews and acceptances.

The MBA process is complicated and there are many little details that go unnoticed by the typical person that may be going through the process alone. It makes a significant difference having a trusted advisor guiding you along the way. Working with Susan for several months, I felt much more confident and prepared in my applications, interviews, and communications with admission officers. One unique differentiator about Stratus is that you are able to work with several different people across their entire team (e.g. certain interviews with schools – you can prep with another admissions consultant that has specific expertise with that particular program).

I highly recommend Susan for anyone throughout the MBA application cycle!

Before Jennifer was recommended to me through a friend, I was hesitant about MBA consultants. Not after I met Jennifer! We connected instantly and I loved her authentic self. I valued her experiences and opinions and most importantly, I trusted that she had my best interest at heart. She helped me stay on track with my essays and applications. Most importantly, this process is wonderfully designed to discover yourself and Stratus has just the right team to make that happen. I was happy that through my stories and experiences, Jennifer helped me see a version of myself that I didn’t see before. This eventually helped me got into my dream school, Wharton! I would highly recommend Jennifer and her team at Stratus! Interview prep and offer negotiation guidance were also extremely helpful!

Deciding to work with Donna and Stratus admissions was the best decision I could’ve made in applying to business school. I could not have done it without her and her team.

I came into this working relationship with a baseline expectation of what I would receive: guidance on application strategy, essay editing, and a counselor for this process. However, in the best way possible, I could not have been more wrong. I came out with something even greater: someone who made me believe in myself in the toughest moments, someone who took the time to understand and learn my story, and a mentor who cared and was in my corner every single step of the way.

It was not always easy, but I’d do it over and over and over again because the feeling of getting into your target MBA program is so so worth it. Donna helped me achieved my goal and believed in me and was always there for me throughout this process. It was not easy, but Donna and Stratus made it easier and I will always be forever grateful for that.

If you are interested in working with an MBA consultant, there are no other options you should consider. Donna and Stratus have the entire package, offerings, and dedicate the time to you to help you achieve your goals.

I thank my lucky stars every day that I met Susan, while I was reaching out to multiple admissions consultants reviewed in forums. Susan was the only one who saw potential in my profile, connected with me at a human level and gave me hope, whilst everyone else just gave me their opinions and were marketing to me.

Susan and Stratus have a proven and time-tested process to bring out the best in you. Every question asked by Susan is very deliberate during the brainstorming process to bring out your true personality, vision, successes and growth areas. It’s quite incredible how well put together and elaborate their pre-work is which leads into the applications.

Susan was there for me every step of the way, pushed me to get the best out of me, gave me tough love when needed, motivated me and cheered for my success at every turn! Susan did not accept anything less than extraordinary from me on any essay, resume or application requirement. Let me repeat this again, “Susan did not accept anything less than extraordinary from me!” She guided me with her deep experience to get me there. Her attention to detail is mind-blowing.

The interview prep process was very thoughtful and tailored. Susan gave me feedback and pointers to improve before every interview. We even had multiple sessions as needed. I truly feel we travelled a fantastic journey together.

If you’re reading this review, let me tell you this, it might be hard for you to truly hear a person you’ve never met. Stop your search and place your faith with Susan ! This will be one of the best decisions you make, which will transform your life. I am in awe of Susan and her team. Today Susan is more than a consultant who worked with me, she is my close friend. I never imagined I would be accepted to not one, but two ivy league EMBA programs, Columbia and Yale.

I will never forget the moment I called Susan to tell her I was accepted at Columbia Business School. Susan and Stratus are not just admissions consultants, they are changing the business landscape by helping candidates realize their dreams to change the world !

Jennifer was an incredible resource – both professionally and personally. Her insight into what top schools are looking for and helping to shape my narrative made a world of difference for my application. Outside of the actual application, Jennifer kept me upbeat and positive despite a very tough application cycle – ultimately ending in success thanks to her! I would absolutely recommend Jennifer to anyone who is applying to any MBA program.

Working with Donna and Stratus was one of the best decisions I made while applying to business school. Donna came highly recommended by a friend, and I could tell that she was fully committed to my candidacy from the get-go. The Stratus model is vastly different from those of other admissions consultants. I really appreciated the time spent on introspection early on — it helped me delve deep into who I am and what motivates me. Donna provided plenty of additional resources to help me along the introspection process. Stratus also has an external school-specific reviewer for each application, and that allows your application to be judged by an independent reviewer who knows the school well.
Over the course of my 4 applications, Donna went above and beyond. She organized a storytelling workshop for a few of her clients, and sometimes even used her personal network to help connect me to MBA students with similar backgrounds. Most importantly though, she was organized, patient, and always available. The application journey is stressful (with many many moments of doubt and uncertainty), and Donna is unequivocally the right person to have in your corner to navigate the process.
All in all, as an overrepresented candidate with a middling GRE score, working with Donna helped me gain an admit to a top-10 MBA (also my top choice!).

Susan and the rest of the Stratus Admissions team were instrumental in helping me identify my strengths and shape my narrative for business school. When you begin working with Susan, she takes you through several introspection exercises, which alone are worth the interaction and are tremendously helpful in creating your unique story. Susan and Co. also bring in-depth knowledge of the individual characteristics of each school to ensure you find the right program for you. Additionally, Stratus deploys a team effort. While Susan was my main counselor, she brought in many of her colleagues at various stages of the application to get a fresh set of eyes. Susan also connected me with some of her old clients at the schools I was interested in, providing me an opportunity to learn even more about the various schools. I fully recommend working with Susan as she helped me better understand myself and, just as importantly, get into my top choice program.

Working with Donna has been an amazing experience from beginning to end. Right from the start, she helped me identify my story and my goals and we worked closely together along the entire process. Donna is super responsive and always ready to help. Her insights are extremely valuable and she has a very personalized approach. Applying for Round 2, Donna made herself available during the holiday break to support me in my application. The results speak of themselves: 2 acceptances (Anderson with Scholarship! & Tuck) and 4 waitlisted (LBS, Haas, Stern, Fuqua). I highly recommend Donna as a consultant and it was a pleasure working with her!

I was introduced to Susan by a friend who got into an M7 program two years ago. After talking with three other consultants, I decided to work with Susan because I felt that she had my best interests at heart. SPOILER ALERT: I was right!

We started working on my stories and reasons for applying for MBA. I had a few directions I wanted to go with my career, and with Susan’s guidance I found one that best suits my strengths & experience and can get the most boost from an MBA.

After deciding on recommenders and programs, I started writing school-specific essays. This step felt not as daunting thanks to all the prep works. Susan and the team were very helpful and prompt in providing feedback on pretty much everything related to the application package (essays, resume, data forms, etc).

Susan also helped me prepare for interviews and gave me some much-needed encouragement when I got rejected by programs. In the end, I got into two programs I really liked and ultimately picked one that I clicked with more.

Throughout the process, I felt very blessed to have worked with Susan who’s willing to learn about me and help craft a story that best suits my personality and career interests. I would highly recommend Susan and Stratus to anyone interested in getting into a top MBA program!

I got into my two top schools and could not have done it without Melisa’s guidance. I was very confused at the start of the process but she was super organized and guided me meticulously through every step of the process right from choosing your recommenders to interview prep. She was also very efficient with time and got back to me the next day in most cases. Highly recommend!

Jennifer came highly recommended and exceeded expectations. The MBA admissions process can be intimidating, but Jennifer made me completely comfortable with the process. She took the time to understand my past and what I was hoping to accomplish with an MBA. The positive feedback she provided made me comfortable expressing myself in my essays and highlight my passions. I highly recommend her and the entire Stratus team.

Working with Melisa was the best decision I made. I had chatted with a few other consultants but felt the most at ease with Melisa after our intro call. She seemed genuinely excited about working with me, and I really appreciated her energy and encouragement. Since I was only planning to apply to two programs, Melisa was very flexible with pricing and we worked on an hourly basis for my top school’s application. I was able to leverage the same essays and resume for my backup program. Her detailed feedback and thoughtful suggestions helped me to highlight the most important parts of my story in the essays. Melisa is extremely knowledgeable about the process and working with her made me feel very confident about my applications when the time came to hit submit. I was admitted to both programs I applied to with significant scholarship money. After our allotted hours were used, Melisa was more than willing to respond to my calls and emails as I worked to make my final decision. She is an absolute rockstar, and it was a pleasure working with her.

I had a somewhat unconventional application being an international student with an average-ish undergraduate GPA, a decent GRE score, and 4 jobs in 5 years due to traveling around the world.

Donna motivated me to get a higher GRE score and guided me from the ground up in terms of my career direction and school alignment. The discovery exercises were very beneficial to help you explore what you want to do and how that matches up to each school.

In a competitive COVID year I managed to get three round 2 responses; including a scholarship. I am very excited and thankful for Donna’s help which definitely lifted my applications.

The essay team was amazing!!

As a first-generation college graduate, the MBA admissions process was daunting, and I was skeptical about working with a consultant. I talked to several consultants who tried to push me to apply to “safety” schools that I wasn’t interested in or tried to push me to pay for their all-inclusive packages. Melisa was the only person who not only gave me critical feedback and opinions but also, trusted my vision.

I worked with Melisa on an hourly basis on essay reviews and interview prep. She was efficient and always provided clear and thoughtful feedback. My application included many personal experiences, and I always felt that she cared for the story I was trying to tell. The MBA admissions process requires deep reflection, and it was important to me that the people reading my stories honored them.

Now, I’m so excited to attend a top, full-time MBA program with a scholarship (especially after a highly competitive application cycle) and can’t thank Melisa enough for her support. I highly recommend her, especially if you come from a similar background.

TLDR version: Donna and Stratus are just incredible to work with and I could not be happier with my outcome of being admitted to Yale SOM.

Now the longer version: I have to admit, mostly due to the high price of a typical multi-school package, I was seriously considering not using a consultant at all (in hindsight, that would have been devastating!!). Once I talked myself into hiring a consultant, I spent more time than I would like to admit reading these very reviews and obsessing over ’top consultant lists.’ I finally came up with a shortlist of ~5 consultants to have intro meetings with and quite frankly was underwhelmed with most as they were much less personal and much more transactional than I had anticipated. It took no more than 5 minutes of speaking with Donna for me to decide that she is the one I would enjoy/benefit working with the most. Not only is she extremely well-versed in the admissions world, but also it is extremely clear that she genuinely cares about each of her clients – and that is what mattered most to me. Donna made what is a very daunting process a breeze. Add on top of that me having to take the GMAT THREE times and finally hitting a score beyond what I thought was possible for me only a week or so before R1 applications were due. She was able to connect me with the right folks in order to get my GMAT score up and, most importantly, stay sane throughout the process! I could not imagine having to go through the application process with anyone but Donna and would 1,000% recommend her to anyone that is deciding on who to work with!

I was a little overwhelmed by the MBA application process, so I was looking for someone who would help make the process less stressful and more manageable.

Jennifer helped keep me on track and maintain a clear head throughout the process while encouraging me to present myself in the best light. I felt comfortable sharing personal anecdotes when brainstorming essay topics and loved her ability to cut down on words to keep my writing concise (and within the word count).

I spoke to some other consultants at other firms who were more aggressive in their approach, wanting me to re-take the GMAT again or start a non-profit. I really did not want that and instead wanted someone who would be more encouraging and help me feel confident in telling my story.

I started out with their fundamentals and strategy package and then upgraded to the comprehensive package. I really appreciated that Jennifer talked through the options with me and wasn’t trying to upsell me. 

I was so overwhelmed from the onset of the journey and began to look for an admissions consultant to see if I could find someone to help. I found Stratus and was introduced to Jennifer. We had a similar career background and I immediately felt that she understood my goals for the future.

From the brainstorming sessions to the essay reviews I was always blown away by Jennifer’s commitment to my journey. She truly cared and was always a phone call away to talk through things (there were multiple calls after particularly tough GMAT results).

I could say 100 great things about Jennifer, but I will just say this: If you are considering Stratus/Jennifer I say DO IT. I got into all 4 of my schools with scholarships and I know that I could not have done that without her. The process was a positive, self-reflective, and growth-oriented journey thanks to her and their process.

I would highly recommend working with Melisa and Stratus. Melisa helped me get into four of my top-choice schools, with substantial fellowships at three of them. She supported me from the beginning of my application process to the end. Melisa was always very responsive and was available to answer any questions I had about schools and applications, no matter how trivial they seemed. She helped me shape my story and goals so well that I had a clear idea of how to approach each essay question. Her detailed advice and feedback on my resume and essays were instrumental in my admissions.

Melisa also helped me prep for interviews. I really benefited from Melisa’s experience in this area, and she helped me present my story in a way that was well-defined, but still genuine. I was admitted to every school I interviewed with, which I could not have done without Melisa’s help.

Something I really liked about Melisa was her positivity throughout the process, as it can be daunting at times. I had a non-traditional professional background, and Melisa helped me present it in the best possible way. Her encouragement, positivity, and support are what set her apart from other MBA admissions consultants I’d considered, and I’m so glad I was able to work with her. Highly recommend!

When applying for business school, I was most anxious about writing essays that had the power to tell admissions exactly who I was in the matter of a few hundred words. Working with Stratus, and Lisa in particular, gave me confidence knowing I put my absolute best forward in a clear and coherent way for admissions. Lisa was an easy choice given her extensive experience working in admissions herself. Her feedback not only gave me a second set of eyes on my essays but more importantly, comments and questions an admissions rep at my target school would also have. Lisa was instrumental in keeping me on track in terms of deadlines and really lessened my anxiety around the process, knowing I had someone to provide unbiased, holistic feedback on my application. Lisa took me through every step of uncovering my whole story for “why business school” so by the time I interviewed I could recite my true “why” like the back of my hand with confidence. Outside of essay and story strategy, Lisa also helped me finetune my resume and interview skills – both things I already felt really strong in. She added value where I did not think I needed any help and was there as my support cheering me on through the daunting process. I worked with Lisa on 3 schools and was accepted at all 3 (Tuck, Booth, Kellogg). Finally, I would say Lisa is flexible in her working style and will tailor her approach to your needs (i.e. working independently, following strict deadlines etc.) which really helped to be able to personalize the process. I would highly recommend Lisa and the full Stratus team.

I spent a significant amount of time researching MBA consultants. I was overwhelmed by my options and wanted to ensure that I picked the right partner given the time and financial investment required. I read hundreds of reviews and set up at least 15 phone calls with different people before finding Lisa Cummings. Initially, I was skeptical but after reading her reviews, it became apparent that Lisa is a critical thinker and excellent communicator with a proven record of helping candidates get into top MBA programs. Her relevant experience working in admissions for more than 15 years at MIT and graduating from my dream school (Cornell Johnson) was enough to catch my attention – I had to contact her. Her and I spoke on the phone. She was kind, a great listener, non-judgmental (I was embarrassed to let her know what schools I wanted to attend thinking that I’ll never get in, but she instilled a level of confidence that I hadn’t received), and extremely effective in her communication. Immediately after our phone call, I knew she was the right partner for me.

Lisa immediately understood my background, my story, and my future goals to help me craft a compelling application that presented me authentically. She was exceptional in helping me brainstorm and come up with ideas that would showcase me through each part of my application. She answered all my questions and provided quick turnarounds on all my materials. I remember handing my essays to Lisa thinking “I don’t see how she can fix them. They are pretty good!” but her critical thinking skills and honest feedback were instrumental in crafting and fine tuning my best responses. She provided me with on-going edits, feedback, and ideas until each part of my application was exceptional (essays, short answer questions, Statement of Purpose, Resume, and interview prep) and she was fantastic at keeping my writing, concise, clear, but still genuinely authentic.

I was impressed with Lisa’s ability to dig deep to help uncover my unique story and develop my strategy to stand out amongst the thousands of MBA applicants. I was confident with my applications and felt even better after working with her on interview prep. I was provided with on-going support from the start to the end by both her and her firm (Stratus Admissions) and felt I presented myself in a unique, humble, and genuine manner to the adcoms.

Lisa and her entire team’s efforts throughout the entire process were superb. I felt supported by a collective village that rooted for me and looked out for my best interest. My essays were looked at by multiple consultants at Stratus and an editor, so I was confident that I submitted my best application. This was a huge advantage of working with her and the firm.

I received interviews at both schools that I applied to. Lisa’s interview prep resources helped me tremendously by feeling confident going into the final day. I ultimately got accepted to my dream school (Cornell) and I could not imagine having gone through this process without her and the team.

My advice to those searching for the top MBA consultants – you will not regret working with Lisa and if I could do it again, I would. She is extremely competent with a magnificent eye for detail and story development. This is what separates a great candidate from an exceptional one (remember the adcoms reads thousands of applications). Selecting a consultant is overwhelming but I assure you that if you work with her, you will feel as confident as I did walking into your interview at your dream school!

Donna and the rest of the Stratus team were a joy to work with. Donna’s assistance was crucial in making sure that I submitted the best possible application and helped me find tutors to increase my quantitative GMAT score. Her honesty, organizational prowess, and experience within the field were what helped me get into my target schools and set clear goals for myself. I will not hesitate to recommend their services to anybody that is going through the MBA application process as I know she is the best available consultant on the market.

First, I worked with Donna for two schools and got 1 admitted (Darden) and 1 invited to the interview (Wharton) all thanks to her help (given my low test score, you could tell how she was great to make my application shine)

When it comes to my decision making, I wasn’t sure whether I really needed to get some help from a consultant (specifically when it has a high price tag per hour). But now I can 100% assure that working with Donna is absolutely worth the investment. She’s super responsive all the time during the process and you will see how this is important given a tight timeline with the MBA application process. Also, she made herself available whenever I need her help so having no pressure on how many hours I could take with her was a big plus. Speaking of this availability, please don’t simply look at the hourly price tag because she puts in the extra effort and hours with you. This was the most critical part for me. I needed a real partner who could be with me when I needed it.

Also, I got a huge help to develop my story from her. Please take a look at her experience as she was leading the admissions process, which was a huge plus as I was able to gain the perspectives of adcom and decide what topic I need to put or approach on any questions. Donna was really helpful for me to connect the dots among many topics and themes in my life so that I could develop my story to best fit the school I applied to.

One more great thing with Donna was that I heard from multiple consultants not only her. She has great team members who can share their thoughts and reviews on your application. I really enjoyed this team-based approach because I felt I got many more services than I actually paid for, and was able to take multiple perspectives on my essays. In fact, the admission process and review were done by a committee not by an individual. I think this team approach makes much more sense to me.

Optional comment for international applicants. As I am an international applicant, it was important for me to work with someone who had experience with international candidates so that my characteristics and stories with cultural context could be fully discovered. Donna has ample experience with candidates from multiple countries – both on reading their applications as a committee and consultant – which allowed me to evaluate how strong my stance was in applications.

Melisa was a breath of fresh air. I interviewed a few different consultants and consulting agencies before deciding on Stratus. Melisa was the deciding factor. Other consultants at other firms told me to change who I was inherently as an applicant in order to better my odds of getting in. Melisa on the other hand, saw who I was not only as an applicant but as a person. She highlighted the strengths of my application rather than the weaknesses. By doing so, I was able to craft an application that was perfectly authentic and true to myself. Every conversation we had left me feeling motivated, confident, and excited for the next steps. I really appreciated her guidance especially because I had some difficult aspects in my application (lower quant score and I am an owner of a family business). I never felt overwhelmed during the MBA process with Melisa as my guide. We had weekly phone calls throughout the entire process, start to finish. She assisted me with overcoming my test anxiety, writing out my MBA goals, thinking about my long term plans, crafting/editing my essays, supplementing my resume, and preparing for my interviews. The entire team at Stratus was friendly, incredibly responsive, and showed they cared for me. I was not just a number to add to their school “ding” data, I was a person they were rooting for to succeed as a woman in business. With the help of Melisa, I received an interview at all 5 schools that I applied to, was accepted to 4 schools and waitlisted at 1. I received scholarship money from all 4 business school programs. I am happy to report that this fall, I will be enrolling in a top ten business school with a $100,000 scholarship. Many thanks to Melisa and the Stratus Team. I already miss our weekly calls! Melisa is the best!

Donna is an excellent consultant and I would highly recommend her to anyone thinking about getting their MBA! She was an incredible resource and added significant value to my applications. I bought the comprehensive package and would absolutely say it was the right move. Donna helped guide me through the full process, from my introspection exercises to thoughtfully creating a story around my MBA journey and finally helping me prepare for interviews. She was extremely responsive and went above and beyond to make sure she got back to me quickly when we were bumping up against application deadlines. Most importantly, I could tell that she was genuinely excited for me when I finally got the call that I had been accepted at Columbia!

I worked with Melisa on an hourly basis and she was worth every dollar. I chose her because she was so genuine and encouraging during our initial consultation. Since I was on a budget, she worked with me efficiently and was quick to respond to any questions I sent her way. I was a bit lost in the application process but she worked with me every step of the way and helped guide me to ensure I submit quality essays. No need to interview other consultants…she’s all you need and more.