Bill Kooser

Director

Fortuna Admissions

United States

Net Promoter Score: 9

Consultant Bio

With over 30 years of experience, Bill has been responsible for nearly every business school function. He has developed and managed MBA programs, created new campuses, helped develop overall school strategy, and led the admission teams for full-time MBA, part-time MBA, and EMBA programs. He has worked extensively with students from across the globe to help them make sense of the MBA landscape and make the right choices for their MBA education.

A former Associate Dean at Chicago Booth, Bill’s career has included leadership roles in Admissions, Career Services, International Programs, Executive Education and EMBA. Bill has written frequently on business schools, admissions strategies, career development, and management trends and has been a featured speaker at GMAC and AACSB annual meetings.

Bill holds a BA from Yale University, an MBA from Chicago Booth and an MBA from the Katholieke Universiteit te Leuven in Belgium.

Company Information

Fortuna Admissions possesses unique insider knowledge of how admissions committees work, because we have been the gatekeepers in the admissions offices of top business schools. Our entire team comprises of former business school professionals from top-tier institutions including Wharton, INSEAD, Harvard Business School, Stanford GSB, London Business School, Chicago Booth, NYU Stern, Duke Fuqua, IE Business School, and UC Berkeley Haas.

We have personally reviewed tens of thousands of applications from candidates all over the world. We have also shaped admissions policy, devised the application processes, and had the final say on who got in. We know the inside track – what goes on behind the closed doors of admissions committees, how your candidacy will stand up versus the competition, and how you can best maximize your chances of gaining a coveted place in a top MBA program.

Our experience and passion for coaching gives you a level of MBA admissions insight that you won’t find anywhere else. And with our passion for coaching, we can help you bring out the best in yourself so you truly shine in your application and interviews.

Menu of Services and Associated Costs

Goal development. Candidacy positioning. Interview coaching. Designed to guide you carefully through the entire application process, our MBA packages draw on our team’s industry expertise as former Directors and Associate Directors of Admissions at the world’s best business schools. For the highest impact, we recommend our Comprehensive Package or Premium Package Upgrade services.

One-School Package: $5,900 (Expert coach) $6,900 (director / senior expert coach)
Two-School Package: $7,900 (Expert coach) $9,200 (director / senior expert coach)
Three-School Package: $9,750 (Expert coach) $11,350 (director / senior expert coach)
Four-School Package: $11,450 (Expert coach) $13,350 (director / senior expert coach)
Five-School Package: $13,000 (Expert coach) $15,200 (director / senior expert coach)

You will work with a dedicated Expert Coach throughout the entire process, with input from our resume specialist and a mid-point review of your entire application by another of our Expert Coaches. Our Fortuna Coaches have held senior positions at the world’s best MBA programs and are uniquely qualified to help you maximize your chances of gaining a coveted place in a top business school.

Location: United States

Email: info@fortunaadmissions.com

Website: https://www.fortunaadmissions.com/

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P&Q Consultant Reviews

  • Bill Took The Time To Understand Me
    1 month ago
    I enjoyed working with Bill, and he was nothing short of fantastic. He showed genuine interest from the beginning and took the time to get to know me. He was able to help me craft my story and succinctly tell it because he understood who I was and how I worked. I've met with other consultants, and I won't say they were terrible, but I will say they didn't take the time to understand who I was, which made me feel like they were guessing when they made suggestions for my essays and interview practice. I never felt like that with Bill, and he helped me pinpoint areas I could improve on and areas that I should focus on. I highly recommend Bill to anyone, ...
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    Jonathan Buckingham
    MBA Class of 2026 Admit
    All reviews are independently verified by Poets&Quants staff.
  • Pick Him!
    2 months ago
    I had the privilege of working with Bill for my MBA applications, and I couldn't be more pleased. Bill not only assisted me in crafting the three applications included in my package, but also went above and beyond by providing extensive support for additional schools I tackled independently. He scheduled as many calls as I needed and organized numerous mock interviews, even for the schools I worked on myself. The feedback I got throughout the process, from the initial calls to the interview notes, was also invaluable. He also helped navigate the scholarship negotiation process after I was admitted. Thanks to Bill's dedication and expertise, I received offers from two schools, and received scholarship offers from both! As for Fortuna as a whole, I could ...
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    Hamza Haider
    MBA Class of 2026 Admit
    All reviews are independently verified by Poets&Quants staff.
  • Very Helpful!
    2 months ago
    Bill was very helpful throughout the application process and always available to answer any questions. His insights were valuable and his edits really improved my application in my opinion. Most importantly, he always gave me the freedom to express my own thoughts in the essays, thus ensuring that the application reflected my own thoughts and ideas.
    Class of 2026 Admit
    All reviews are independently verified by Poets&Quants staff.
  • He Works Absolute Magic
    12 months ago
    I had a phenomenal time working with Bill Kooser and Fortuna Admissions. I’m a transitioning military officer who started the application process with very little idea of where I wanted to go, much less how to put together a strong application. Bill was extremely patient in helping me realize what I wanted to achieve with an MBA and which programs were best suited to what I needed. The profound introspection that Fortuna preaches and Bill reinforced helped me hone an application that got me into my dream school with a scholarship! I can’t recommend Fortuna and Bill highly enough. Incredible and transformative experience!
    Mark O'Connell
    MBA Class of 2025 Admit
    All reviews are independently verified by Poets&Quants staff.
  • Kellogg MMM 2025 Admit
    12 months ago
    I am thrilled to provide a positive feedback for Bill Kooser as an MBA consultant from Fortuna. Bill has been an absolute gem in helping me get into Kellogg's MBA program, and I couldn't have done it without him. Bill's editing and writing skills are truly exceptional. He helped me hone my essays and personal statements, and his feedback was always insightful, clear, and to the point. His communication style was warm, friendly, and approachable, making it easy for me to share my thoughts and ideas with him. What truly sets Bill apart is his personal care and attention to detail. He invested the time and energy to get to know me on a personal level, and his understanding of my background and experiences allowed him to ...
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    Class of 2025 Admit
    All reviews are independently verified by Poets&Quants staff.
  • Helped Me Gain Admission To Stanford GSB & Chicago Booth
    12 months ago
    Bill provided director feedback for my Round 2 applications to Stanford GSB and Chicago Booth, and his input and advice were critical to my admission to both schools. Bill’s deep knowledge of the application process, especially that of Chicago Booth, helped me craft an application narrative that highlighted my key strengths and attributes yet remained true to my professional and personal experiences. Furthermore, his keen eye for detail ensured that each sentence of my essays and short answers was impactful and that not a single word or character was wasted. Thanks, Bill!
    Class of 2025 Admit
    All reviews are independently verified by Poets&Quants staff.
  • Hire Him, Right Now
    1 year ago
    Bill was so professional when he coached me to chase my EMBA application. It's highly efficient under the former gatekeeper of a top business school like Bill, preventing me from endlessly guessing what the adcom wants to know from me and focusing on the truly mattered aspects. Bill always responded to my email within 24 hours and was always prepared to call when I need one. He also had a mock interview with me. I couldn't get the offer from Wharton without Bill's help. He will be your best partner on your way to the application.
    Class of 2025 Admit
    All reviews are independently verified by Poets&Quants staff.
  • Wharton/Booth EMBA Application Review For Bill Kooser
    1 year ago
    Words can not express my gratitude for Bill's guidance and encouragement during my EMBA application to Booth and Wharton. I found Bill's advice and perspectives extremely valuable as I progressed through the application process. He helped give me more confidence and I'm sure anyone who applies to these programs for the first time. I was able to receive offers from both of the above programs I applied to.
    Class of 2023 Admit
    All reviews are independently verified by Poets&Quants staff.
  • First Class Advisor
    1 year ago
    Bill worked with me for a few months and helped get me into my dream school. I cannot recommend Bill enough and really enjoyed working with him. In particular, Bill has an extensive background in the Admissions industry which allows him to understand the MBA application process incredibly well and speak from a point of experience rather than assumption. Past that, he did a great job of challenging me to elevate my essays and reason for applying while also keeping me upbeat through the process and remaining supportive. Thanks for all your help, Bill!
    Class of 2023 Admit
    All reviews are independently verified by Poets&Quants staff.
  • Class Of 2025 Admit
    2 years ago
    I had an excellent experience with Bill. He was incredibly supportive and always there for me when I needed him most during this application journey! There were many times when I wanted to give up due to work pressures, but he kept motivating me to go through with my application. We built an excellent rapport that he could give any advice by phone or email and be there for support when needed! I am genuinely grateful that I got a chance to work with Bill and would highly recommend him to anyone who wants to give executive education a shot.
    Class of 2023 Admit
    All reviews are independently verified by Poets&Quants staff.
  • You will NOT regret
    2 years ago
    Bill just helped me a lot in the application. I am a young professionals on Finance and Real Estate, who is not on Executive level (Just manager grade). Every consultant that I have call with, told me that, nah, you should go to Duke/Insead or some other schools. You got no chance to get into Chicago Booth, blah bla bla. But Bill gave me confidence, he is the ONLY consultant that affirmed my potential and thinks that I can be admitted to Booth. Not only that, he gave me constructive advice. You can schedule any time for call from him, and he will help you shape your story, make your personality stand out, tell you how to be fit into Booth and give your prompt feedback. He was the ...
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    Chak Pan LEE
    EMBA Class of 2022 Admit
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  • Great Help, Highly Recommend
    2 years ago
    Spoke with several consultants from a few firms before deciding to go with Bill. He was very helpful throughout the entire process by being very honest and transparent with me across my application. Bill was readily available whenever I need his advice or insight. He was quick to respond and review my essays/documents. Very well-rounded consultant. Highly recommend.
    Class of 2022 Admit
    All reviews are independently verified by Poets&Quants staff.
  • Awesome Experience
    2 years ago
    I had an awesome experience with Bill. He was incredibly supportive and always there for me when I needed him most during this application journey! There were many times when his words of encouragement helped give me the confidence to go forward. He has a very wise perspective from his experience at Booth and can give you advice that will really suit your needs. I trust him 100% By the time I finished my application journey, it felt like Bill had become more of a father figure to me. We had built up such an awesome rapport that by phone or email he could give any advice necessary and be there for support when needed! I am truly grateful that I got a chance to work ...
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    Class of 2022 Admit
    All reviews are independently verified by Poets&Quants staff.
  • You Should Hire Him
    2 years ago
    If your application package is flawless and you just want a consultant's review of your work, I would say you probably will be okay with or without a consultant. But if you need a true thinker and strategist, I would strongly recommend him. Before I talked with Bill, I had already spoken with a few consultants and started my preparation. Back then I was not sure which one (MBA vs EMBA) suits me better/gives me a better chance to get in. I also think my application package has some flaws. I specifically wanted to find a true thinker to leverage my shining points and counter my weakness. During this preparation journey working with a few consultants, I observed that: 1. Some consultants would oversell themselves by saying how ...
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    Class of 2022 Admit
    All reviews are independently verified by Poets&Quants staff.
  • I Highly Recommend Bill As Your Consultant
    2 years ago
    I had the pleasure to have worked with Bill on my application, and I just want to say his help was essential in landing myself a dream school offer from CBS. Bill leveraged his expertise in admission to bring my stories alive after spending hours understanding my background and where I am headed to. In particular, because the most critical element in my application was my personal story, and I had a hard time integrating it into my career goal sensibly, Bill dug deep from my background and connected dots for me, which is eyeopening in both drafting essays and making me look at life from a fresh perspective. Thanks to Bill, I am now ready to take the next challenge in a different country. PS: ...
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    Class of 2024 Admit
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  • Highly Recommended
    3 years ago
    Bill helped me get into 2 out of the M7 schools. He was very patient with me and helped me work through a lot of the problems I had. I am very happy with the results.
    Wayne Zheng
    MBA Class of 2021 Admit
    All reviews are independently verified by Poets&Quants staff.
  • Who You Want On Your Side
    3 years ago
    Before I talk about Bill I want to touch on why Fortuna is fantastic. I looked into a few admissions consultancies before settling on Fortuna. There simply isn't another admissions consultancy out there with more depth and breadth of MBA admissions knowledge than Fortuna. I had the pleasure of working with Bill for the most part, but I truly felt like I had the full support of the entire Fortuna team. As for Bill specifically, his extensive experience and background in MBA admissions clearly come through when you speak with him. There is probably no question or concern you have that he doesn’t have the answer to, but in case he doesn’t, you can tap into Fortuna’s team of consultants who are equally as knowledgeable as ...
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    Class of 2023 Admit
    All reviews are independently verified by Poets&Quants staff.
  • Fantastic Experience
    3 years ago
    Bill helped me prepare everything for my applications. From Strategy, School Selection, Essays, Interview Prep... I had an amazing experience with him. All of our meetings were right to the point and he provided decades of experience to all of his suggestions and feedback. His leadership roles at Booth give him an unparalleled perspective to help students succeed and gain admission to their dream schools. Putting his competence aside, Bill also replied promptly to all of my questions/essay drafts and had an excellent professional demeanor during our interactions. I would recommend Bill to any candidate that is serious about breaking into the M7 schools and is not afraid to hear and do what is needed to succeed.
    Class of 2023 Admit
    All reviews are independently verified by Poets&Quants staff.