Donna Bauman

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!

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 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.

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.

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!

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!

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.

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!

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.

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.

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.

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.

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!).

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 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!!

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!

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.

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!

Working with Donna was an excellent decision and helped me get into my dream school, Kellogg! From our initial consultation, I knew she was going to give me the push I needed to get my application ready. I came to her less than 1 month before my application was due and she kept me on track, motivated, and calm through a normally very stressful process! She provided amazing advice on crafting my resume and essays – really challenging me to dig deep. Her experience as a Kellogg alum allowed her to provide spot-on information about the program and what they seek in applicants. She was extremely quick, providing feedback within hours, even on weekends. I can honestly say I would not have been successful without Donna’s help. Although the packages may seem a little expensive, I cannot speak highly enough of her and the support she provided during my MBA application process. 10/10 recommend!

When I decided I was ready to apply to business school, I knew I was going to need some help navigating the process. From our initial call, I knew I had made the right decision. She was incredibly thoughtful, sharp, and eager to get started. She carefully listened to my ideas and brought her professional perspective that gave us a great road map. Alone, the insight she brought to the table was worth the cost. Throughout the process, I felt her commitment to my success, and genuinely knew she was rooting for me. I was confident that I put my best applications forward. Although I remain waitlisted, I have been pleasantly surprised by how willing she is to respond to emails with quick questions. Even after everything, she is dedicated to her clients’ success. I give Donna my highest recommendation and encourage all applicants to consider working with her.

I was accepted into Kellogg Round 3 and without Donna, it would not have happened. I chose the hourly package, as I was in a few MBA prep programs, but without Donna, I would not have been accepted.
Donna truly cared about me as an individual and not just a number. She was very candid, but warm at the same time. Her adcom experience is invaluable and she will give you the insights you need to improve your application. I felt very prepared for the video essay and my interview because of my time with her. She was so positive and encouraging it really helped to calm my nerves. I am forever thankful I chose to work with Donna.

Donna sincerely _cared_ about me and my application for B-school. From the first 30-minute free “introductory” call, I started learning more than I had in hours of online research. She was very knowledgable of all the schools I was looking at and had suggestions for others that matched my interests.

Yes, she is expensive (the package deal worked out to about $380/hour) which is quite the sticker shock. But when I considered that my application improved so much that I increased my chances at merit scholarships, this service will pay for itself.

She is incredibly efficient and fair with her time tracking. In the five hour package I bought, we covered every aspect of my application and interview preparation so that I went from still drafting my application to having them all submitted by the time I finished working with her. Her insights, experience, preparatory material, essay, and resume edits, and practice interviews helped me tremendously.

I was able to get accepted to McCombs with Donna’s help! She talked me through my goals and really cared about my story. She was willing to answer any questions and was very prompt in all her responses. She gave succinct edits to my application essays. She provided recorded mock interviews and her feedback was extremely helpful. I was able to ace all my interviews. She prepared me with the exact questions the schools asked me!
Most importantly, I felt supported and she calmed my worries. Donna truly cares about her client’s outcome and that is what sets her apart from most.

When Donna and I started working together, I expected this to be a typical consultant-client relationship where I am provided with guidance and feedback on my applications. What I didn’t expect was for me to learn so much about myself and gain significant clarity through our conversations.

Overall experience:
It was evident to me that Donna has a breadth of knowledge on MBA schools and programs, and that she is committed to keeping herself up-to-date with school-specific information. I particularly appreciated her nuanced inputs and notes on outlines and essays, and the support I received at least very stage of the process, including brainstorming, mock video essay and interview sessions.

Donna not only encouraged and helped me reflect deeply and think critically about my strengths and goals but also displayed genuine excitement about my journey so far. She would remember details that I had casually mentioned in our early brainstorming conversations and help me connect the dots to bring out aspects of my story that even I had not thought to emphasize. She actively listened to what I had to say, made sure my voice wasn’t lost when she provided feedback and was truly committed to highlighting my unique story. Her attention to detail, positivity, honest feedback and authenticity made an overwhelming and daunting experience significantly easier (and even fun) to navigate!

Approach:
Stratus has truly nailed the MBA application process. I spoke to a number of firms before choosing Stratus, and it was because of their method of working. Their introspective and methodical approach, that Donna facilitates perfectly, helps you create well-thought-out and articulated applications that display your best self.

Communication:
I started working with Donna about a month before my first deadline, which meant I was on a fast track to ensure I complete all the stages and applications in time. Even with a time crunch, Donna did not leave any stone unturned. She was incredibly prompt, responsive and available whenever I needed her. I’m based in India and was unsure of how our communication would be because of the time difference, but Donna always responded within 24 hours, worked around my schedule and accommodated urgent requests when needed.

I HIGHLY recommend Donna and her team. In Donna, you will get an extremely knowledgeable consultant, an honest advisor, and a personal cheerleader. Under her guidance, I was accepted into Yale SOM, Haas & Fuqua (with Forté Fellowships and scholarships). If I had to do the MBA application process all over again, I would choose to work with Donna again in a heartbeat.

Donna was exactly what I needed during the grueling application process. She really challenged me to dive deep into introspection while taking me through the right exercises and questions that helped me create my MBA story. Not only was this incredibly helpful for crafting strong applications, but it’s also helped me hone in on areas I actually want to pursue in my career post-MBA. I had a general idea when I met Donna, but her guidance helped me gain clarity on my story and the path I want to take.

Background: Donna is a former MBA admissions officer at UNC Keenan-Flagler and MBA grad of Kellogg. Those two pieces of experience combined helps her give an invaluable insight into the MBA experience and a unique perspective to the application process.

My experience: Donna and I began working together in mid summer 2019 and I was able to apply for R1. I was in the middle of a fall public accounting busy season, so the application process was a grind. Maybe one of the most helpful things Donna did for me was being flexible with my available time and promptly responding to questions and drafts that I sent her. She created a system of deadlines for me that took the structural aspect out of the equation so that I could focus on content, a HUGE plus.

Coaching: Donna continuously kept me on track, both schedule wise and mentally/emotionally. The application process can be very draining. Having a coach there to lift you up when you feel down while also being stern enough to challenge you when you need it is crucial.

Results: I got into Foster (UW) and Anderson (UCLA). When taking into account acceptance and scholarships, there’s no question the investment with Donna and Stratus was worth it. More than anything, Donna helped me represent my best self in the applications, which is all you can ask.

Before deciding to go with Donna, I spoke with 10 different admissions consultants. Through these conversations I realized that I needed to work with someone who really believed in my story and who could help me overcome some of the weaker parts of my application. After my initial chat with Donna, I could tell that she really cared about all her clients and I could trust her to guide me through my application process. Here are some of my takeaways from working with Donna:

Experience: Donna was able to leverage her admissions knowledge (from her time working as an MBA admissions officer) as she gave me feedback and comments on my essay. It helped me understand who my audience was and what their expectations are for prospective students. Additionally, I knew I could turn to Donna for any questions/ issues/ concerns I had throughout the process because I knew she has seen it all.

Professional: Donna was quick to respond to my emails, set regular deadlines, and went through my essays and applications with high attention to detail. This professionalism helped establish trust right off the bat.

Coach/mentor: Donna was able to successfully guide me through the application process and understand what I was going through mentally during the application process because she once sat in my seat as a former MBA applicant. Her tips and advice were key to a successful application

My Biggest Supporter: The application process can be an emotionally draining task and Donna was always there to cheer me up and give me the support I needed to get through it.

Results: Donna helped me put together an amazing application and it helped me get into Kellogg and Haas. I am very grateful for all her help and I would highly recommend her to anyone!

The admission process is complex, long, and has lots of hidden, unevident aspects – getting some help from professionals would be a wise move for many prospective applicants. I would strongly recommend Stratus to anyone who needs help in applying to top-tier business schools. When it comes to succeeding in getting accepted to M7 there is simply no other company that would go above and beyond in supporting you as much as would Stratus.

Before choosing this company I have done quite a selection process of different admission consultants – Stratus stood out among all due to their sharp focus on helping me as their client and their extensive expertise.

During the whole process, I have never second-guessed my decision to go with them as Donna Bauman and Susan Cera did absolutely amazing job and, eventually, helped to get me admitted to Columbia Business School. As I said the process was long and, at times, tiring – Donna and Susan did absolutely fantastic job in helping me stay focused and advised extensively on different options and moves I should consider. I am beyond grateful to them for their help and highly recommend their service to anyone!

Before writing about Donna, I’ll say it’s important to know what you’re looking to get out of an MBA consultant. I began the process with Donna with only 40 days until round 2 submission, so not only was I looking for guidance on school selection, application strategy, resume and essay review, and interview prep, I also needed a project manager of sorts to clearly lay out deadlines and allow me to use the little non-working time I had most efficiently. I had talked to several consultants and it was clear that Stratus had the full package. When I first talked to Donna I knew we would work well together (while the Stratus process is great, your relationship and ability to work with your individual consultant is the most important piece).

As far as value goes, I can’t praise Stratus, Donna, and Cartha enough. The introspective application strategy is something that contributed greatly to my essays and I would not have gotten there on my own. By connecting me with former clients and knowing where my strengths played best, Donna helped inform my school selection. My professional resume was turned upside down into a great MBA resume. The school-specific essay review, interview guides, and mock interviews were dead on. And apart from their own gain from my success, they were truly rooting for me throughout the process.

To speak to results, I applied to 4 top 10 programs, was admitted to 3, waitlisted at 1. Even if I started months earlier and had a wide network of recent MBAs, I’m not sure I would have produced the same quality of applications.

As a non-traditional candidate, I was really nervous about making my experience seem relevant to b school admissions committees. After searching around for several different consultancy services, I decided to go with Stratus, both for their competitive price and their clearly structured plan to help candidates achieve their business school goals.

I was lucky enough to be placed with Donna, who really made my experience applying to business school eye-opening and interesting. We began with an introductory call where Donna really looked beyond my CV to see what was at the heart of my decision to apply, and made multiple suggestions on schools I previously hadn’t considered. After that, the path was very clear: we had regular deadlines, lots of e-mail communication and several calls with really useful and pointed feedback that I could easily integrate. Donna held me hand through this long process and made sure I was reflecting what was truly me at each stage.

If you are looking for a consultant that will do the work for you: this isn’t it. Donna always encouraged me to dig deeper, to re-tweak until it was perfect and to let my authentic voice shine through: guiding me as I went along this journey without ever inserting her own thoughts into my narrative. It was mine to craft, but I really valued Donna’s support to craft it in a way that would look good for business schools.

When it came to interview stage, Donna helped me by conducting a challenging yet realistic interview and by giving helpful feedback afterward. I went into my interviews feeling confident and they both went really well! I ended up getting an offer from both schools I applied to as well as a generous scholarship offer from one. Definitely recommend!

I worked with Donna on a 4-school package and couldn’t be happier with the results. Donna knows the ins and outs of the process and so much more. We worked on my key themes (that become building blocks of the application), school selection, a resume revamp, and created a winning strategy. Everything was methodical yet never did I feel that the relationship was “transactional”. Donna truly puts herself in your shoes and becomes a mentor. The perk is that you also get a team behind Donna, including other senior consultants and school-specific consultants, to provide a comprehensive impression of your application.

Amazing experience with Donna and the Stratus team. Super fast response time and always on top of things. I got into several dream schools with combined scholarships that made over 2000% return on my investment. Heading to a top 10 school. Good luck!!

I worked with Donna on my US MBA applications. Donna exemplified the most essential quality needed in a consultant – being invested in the client’s success. She worked beyond the time limits to give my application the best chance I could possibly get.

I worked with Donna on my school selection, essays and resume. Compared to many other consultants that I have met, she showed intimate knowledge of most schools (gained through school visits) and advised me on possibilities of cracking a given school keeping in mind my post-MBA career ambitions. On essays, she helped shape a compelling story in a manner, which only an experienced consultant could have done. But most of all, the killer-punch was the resume. She helped me completely reshape my “career-resume” to an “MBA-resume”, which I felt was an important piece of constructive feedback.

Overall I highly recommend Donna and it was a pleasure working with her.

P.S.: I am happy to say that based solely on Donna’s advice I applied to one of the M7 schools and got an interview invite. Donna also helped me with my interview preparation specific to the school. Great working with here through-out!

I had the unique experience of working with Donna and Stratus for two application seasons. In 2016, Donna helped me get accepted by three elite MBA programs. However, unforeseeable circumstances forced me to postpone my plans to pursue an MBA. Because I had such a great experience in the past, when I was ready to reapply, I contacted Donna immediately to ask her if she was willing to help me again. This had proven to be one of the best decisions that I have ever made, as I was accepted by five elite MBA programs this year with scholarships from four of them.
During this journey, Donna was always super responsive, even during weekends and holiday seasons; the average turnaround time was around 12 hours. She managed to help me prepare seven high-quality applications within one month! She was also always thinking about what was best for me; I felt I was treated not as a client but as a friend and a family member. When things were not going as planned, she was there to encourage me and help me brainstorm new ways to improve my candidacy. When I was behind schedule, she pushed me so that we could move forward. When I was accepted by my dream school, she was there first to congratulate me. Nowadays when the application season is over, we still chat regularly to discuss my progress. I am extremely grateful for her dedication and commitment to my success.
I honestly think I could not achieve what I have without the support from Donna and the entire Stratus team. I would recommend her to anybody I know who is interested in pursuing an MBA education!

I had a really great experience working with Donna Bauman. She was exceptionally encouraging and supportive throughout my application journey. She was always willing to provide helpful, honest, and timely feedback (within 24 hours) and was able to be flexible to accommodate with our time zone differences for interview preparations. Most importantly, she really took the time to understand my unique background and aspirations and was a true advocate to ensure that I conveyed my unique story across my applications. I would highly recommend Donna and Stratus to anyone looking for an admissions consultant!

I will be the first to admit that I was skeptical about using an MBA admissions consultant. I went back and forth about the idea for at least six months while I did research and after talking with several consultants I finally went with Stratus. I couldn’t have been happier with my choice. Donna Bauman was the best thing that happened to me along the way to applying to business school. Donna took the time to not only help me with the application process but also to help me make some difficult personal decisions about where to apply, decisions that were greatly assisted by her own personal anecdotes and experiences. Through a clear and concise pipeline we worked together every step of the way, with Donna taking time out of her evenings and weekends to help with my often last minute modifications and revisions. The employees at Stratus went above and beyond to help work around my schedule and timeline throughout the MBA application process, and after the hours and hours spent talking to Donna on the phone I now consider her a friend. Several months ago I was accepted to my #1 pick school, and awarded a hefty scholarship to boot, making Stratus more than worth the price I paid.

I recommend working with Stratus Admissions to anyone who is serious about applying to top MBA programs. I began working with my consultant, Donna, through the MBA Early Edge Package about 18 months before I applied to schools. Through the Early Edge Package, we identified opportunities to strengthen my application profile with enough time to make important improvements. Many of the improvements became core pieces of my essays and interview answers. Since Donna and I had already been working together for a year through the Early Edge Package, we were in a great position to hit the ground running when essays and applications were released. Donna was very responsive, genuinely interested in my success and provided excellent, school-specific feedback. Her experience as as a full-time MBA admissions officer prior to Stratus allowed Donna to provided expert advice on each application and guidance navigating the stressful application process. With Donna’s insight and the support of the entire Stratus team, I was admitted to my dream school and look forward to attending a Top 5 MBA program this year! If you are serious about attending an elite MBA program, starting with Stratus as early as possible will help achieve your goals!