Darcy Cain

Consultant Bio

I have been helping build billion-dollar brands since 2007. After graduating from UC Santa Barbara with a dual degree in Political Science and Psychology, I became an Entertainment Marketer for Lionsgate, a Los Angeles-based movie studio. I helped build global brands for films including The Twilight Saga and The Hunger Games until I left to pursue my MBA at Kellogg, following which I returned to the world of building brands by joining Microsoft Office’s Brand Strategy team. I’m now at Amazon, working in their Devices Online Marketing team.

Throughout my career, pre- and post-business school, I’ve used my creative writing and marketing skills to help my clients craft winning MBA applications. I’ve been with the Square One Prep team since 2016, helping my clients craft their brand.

I’m a proud California native, who currently lives in Seattle, WA. When I’m not working with clients, I can be found at a soccer match, wine tasting, exploring Seattle’s food scene, or hanging with my dog.

Company Information

Square One Prep has partnered with 1200 clients since 2009. 90% have succeeded; 35% have secured unsolicited scholarships (avg.: $91,000 as of April 2022) due to the quality of their applications.

Our clients come from all types of professions – from financial services, product management, engineering, operations, and consulting to professional sports, entrepreneurship, non-profit, family businesses, and teaching. They come from all parts of the world; 54% are from outside the US. They’re all imperfect, as there’s no such thing as a perfect applicant. And they’re all unique, with compelling stories to tell. So are you, even though you may question that right now. With an unmatched team and approach, we’ll guide you through the increasingly competitive application process and make the time you spend on applications transformative so you grow in ways that benefit you far beyond getting offers. Hard to imagine, right? Trust us. Take a deep breath and relax.

Top business schools teach that diverse teams create the most impactful solutions. Our diverse team ensures our clients craft the most impactful applications. In addition to being the most diverse among admissions firms, our team is the most rigorous and hands-on.

We are selective about who we guide, as our focus isn’t revenue; it’s you.

Menu of Services and Associated Costs

OUR SERVICES:
Comprehensive Guidance
Hourly Support (on any aspect of your applications)
Ding Analysis
HBS Mock Interview Package
Career Coaching
Roadmap To Your Apps

With comprehensive guidance, we offer two service levels: PREMIUM (P) and PREMIUM NEED-BASED (PNB). Whether you choose P or PNB, your team will have 30-80 years of diverse, expert experience.

Top business schools teach that diverse teams create the most impactful solutions. Our diverse team ensures our clients craft the most impactful applications. In addition to being the most diverse among admissions firms, our team is the most rigorous and hands-on.

With PNB service, your team is:
– An Advisor (a top MBA with proven coaching and writing skills)
– A Career Narrative Expert (a current/former MBA Career Management professional)
– A Former MBA Admissions Officer (no further description necessary)
– An Editor (a writing professional with a creative writing MFA)
– A Partnership Manager (an MBA with operations and client relations expertise)

With P service, your team is everyone above, plus:
– A Current MBA Admissions Officer (yes, you read that right)
– Square One’s Founder (to amplify your relentlessly supportive SOP team)

You may choose a standard advisor (has 1-4 years advising experience) or a senior advisor (has 5+ years advising experience). Some of our advisors do this fulltime, some are entrepreneurs, and some have traditional 40hr/wk careers. Some clients want their advisor to be dedicated to this fulltime while others value their advisor having a wider spectrum of present-day expertise than admissions. None of our advisors work with more than 6 clients at a time. Most work with only 1-2. Again, our focus isn’t volume; it’s you.

There is one more asset on your team when you work with us: our portal. It includes your customized, dynamic, day-by-day schedule, which is always in real-time, reflects your bigger objective (not just the schools you’re building with us), shows your actual pace, captures everything you must do or have done
as it regards your application effort, and includes embedded samples of everything imaginable as well as school data to help you. We give you transparency while guiding you proactively.

OUR COVERAGE:
Assessment of your candidacy
School selection
Career narrative strategy
Resume development
Essay topic selection and essay development
Recommender selection, letter of recommendation (LOR) package development, LOR construction
Online application
Interview preparation (includes pre- and post-interview essays/videos)
Scholarship negotiation
Waitlist work (if necessary)

OUR PRICING:

PREMIUM PACKAGES

1-school | Standard Advisor $6,900 | Senior Advisor $7,700
2-school| Standard Advisor $8,750 | Senior Advisor $9,650
3-school | Standard Advisor $10,600 | Senior Advisor $11,600
4-school | Standard Advisor $12,450  | Senior Advisor $13,550
5-school | Standard Advisor $14,300 | Senior Advisor $15,500
Hourly | Standard Advisor $390 | Senior Advisor $390

PREMIUM NEED-BASED PACKAGES

1-school | Standard Advisor $5,050 | Senior Advisor $5,900
2-school | Standard Advisor $6,450 | Senior Advisor $7,500
3-school | Standard Advisor $7,850 | Senior Advisor $9,100
4-school | Standard Advisor $9,250 | Senior Advisor $10,700
5-school | Standard Advisor $10,650 | Senior Advisor $12,300
Hourly | Standard Advisor $285 | Senior Advisor $285

Location: New York City, New York, United States

Phone: 9178416833

Email: Darcy@squareoneprep.com

Website: https://www.squareoneprep.com