Judith Silverman Hodara

Co-Founder and Director of Fortuna Admissions

Fortuna Admissions

Pennsylvania

United States

Net Promoter Score: 9

Consultant Bio

Few industry leaders have more experience than Judith Silverman Hodara, who formerly led MBA Admissions at Wharton. A dedicated admissions expert, Judith brings immense skill to the Fortuna team, combining a deep knowledge of both the Wharton and wider US selection process with an insightful understanding of school ‘fit’.

During her time leading the admissions team at Wharton School’s MBA Program, Judith headed up the Admissions Committee, reviewed thousands of applications, and traveled extensively to meet with prospective students throughout Asia, Europe, and the Middle East. She also recruited both domestically and internationally as an Associate Director of Admissions for Penn; in total, she was a core contributor to admissions teams at the University of Pennsylvania for nearly two decades.

Judith has also served as Director of Academic Affairs for the Rothberg School for International Studies at Hebrew University. She holds an EdD from the University of Pennsylvania’s Graduate School of Education in Higher Education Management.

Company Information

Fortuna-Admissions-Logo

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: Pennsylvania, United States

Email: info@fortunaadmissions.com

Website: http://www.fortunaadmissions.com

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P&Q Consultant Reviews

  • Exceptional Service & Personal Investment
    2 years ago
    I started working with Judith later in my MBA process when starting the interview process, and I was blown away by her dedication towards getting up to speed with my materials and being as thorough as possible in preparing me for the Wharton TBD. I felt from day one that she was truly invested in my success and became someone that I came to rely on for any and every question I had. She went above and beyond.
    Benjamin Davis
    MBA Class of 2024 Admit
    All reviews are independently verified by Poets&Quants staff.
  • Ahead Of The Pack
    3 years ago
    I interviewed a dozen consultants - all the top names on P&Q - and even worked on an hourly basis with another well-known competitor, but Judith is head and shoulders above her peers. Her years of experience as an adcom really shows: she cuts through what is important and what is not, is very flexible around your goals and needs, and leverages experts from the rest of the Fortuna network to fine-tune applications for each specific school on your list. Working with Judith was also seamless. She was very responsive all times of the week and answered all of my questions (I probably had too many). From clarifying career goals to structuring approach to essays and interviews, Judith was there to support me every step ...
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    Class of 2023 Admit
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  • The Coach You Want In Your Corner!
    3 years ago
    I worked with Judith Silverman Hodara and Tatiana Nemo during the 2020-2021 MBA admissions cycle. I wholeheartedly recommend working with Judith and Fortuna Admissions if you're considering hiring an MBA admissions consultant. Judith was instrumental to the ultimate success of my candidacy. From the first consultation, she took the time to get to know me and provide candid feedback, something I greatly appreciated. Whether it was reviewing a last minute edit of my essays before I pressed the "submit" button on my application, sharing expert knowledge on my target schools, or making herself available for an early morning strategy phone call, Judith was there to encourage and support me every step along the application journey. There is no better example of this than when my ...
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    Class of 2023 Admit
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  • Amazing
    3 years ago
    I would 100% recommend Judith as a consultant. Judith is very kind and patient, which is super important in what can be a rather sensitive journey. I was a returning applicant and she really helped me find a unique story to tell in my reapplicant essay. I am so glad I went with her because I would have probably gone in a generic direction that wouldn't make me stand out. Her service is a worthy investment in your future.
    Class of 2023 Admit
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  • Outstanding
    3 years ago
    I had a fantastic experience working with Judith; I am delighted to offer my strongest recommendation. Judith has an unparalleled ability to meaningfully connect the dots between seemingly disjointed experiences in a candidate's profile. Judith's analytical shrewdness allows her to craft a personally tailored approach that combines big-picture thinking (such as identifying the most compelling narrative given a candidate's background) with micro-level execution strategy (such as determining the proper sequence in which examples ought to appear in an essay). Her written feedback on essay drafts was invariably thought-provoking, reflecting a keen eye for detail. Judith demonstrated great flexibility throughout my engagement. She was always extremely quick to reply to my email queries and would take calls on very short notice. It was abundantly clear that ...
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    Class of 2023 Admit
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  • Great To Have Judith Help Along My Application Process
    3 years ago
    Judith is definitely the best of the best! I decided to work with Judith after speaking with a number of MBA consultants because I was very impressed with her experiences in this industry, and more importantly, felt related to her after our 1st call. On the first call (free consultation) she showed interest in my experiences and asked why I chose my current career path and how I became who I am. Judith helped me get into Booth for R1, and I applied for a few other M7 schools for r2 and will see how it goes! Judith is great to work with. She is super responsive whenever I have a question and always has the right answers. During the whole process, I strongly felt ...
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    Class of 2023 Admit
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  • Judith Was Incredible!
    4 years ago
    Judith was so helpful throughout the admissions process. I had previously applied to CBS, HBS, and GSB, and decided last minute to submit round 3 applications to CBS / LBS. Judith had excellent thoughts on both my essays and my application as a whole and really helped me highlight the areas in which I improved since my last application. She was also very quick to respond to questions and concerns, which was important given my tight timeline. Fortuna's process is top-notch and they are very familiar with the unique application processes at each school. I cannot recommend Fortuna and Judith enough!
    Justin Schaefer
    MBA Class of 2022 Admit
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  • Invited For a Team Based Discussion? Seek Judith!
    4 years ago
    I worked with Judith and Jenifer to prepare for my Team-Based Discussion. Since I came from a non-business background (military), the Fortuna Admissions team helped me showcase my strengths while also accentuating my personality. After the mock interview and debrief, I grew more comfortable influencing fellow applicants, whom had widely different personalities and backgrounds that I was used to -- a skill to improve upon for any applicant! My performance during game day rounded out my application and ultimately helped me secure a generous merit fellowship. Working with the Fortuna Admissions team will give you invaluable insight into what it could feel like during game day. Take my advice, you won't regret it.
    Class of 2022 Admit
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  • Thank You, Judith!
    4 years ago
    Working with Karen and Judith was nothing short of exceptional. Both helped to craft my experiences and credentials into 5 compelling applications - each of which illustrated my potential and told my story better than I ever could on my own. I'm incredibly thankful for their support and confidence in me and would recommend their service to anyone. Thank you, Judith!
    Class of 2022 Admit
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  • Great Experience Working With Judith
    4 years ago
    I'm extremely happy that I chose Judith and the Fortuna team to work with me on my b-school applications. I had low standards for myself going into the process, and with Judith/Fortuna's support, I was able to get into my top choice school (HSW). I worked primarily with Karen on my applications, but Judith provided valuable support throughout the entire process. When Karen was out of office at times, Judith did not hesitate to step in and provide her undivided attention. She was amazing from the start, coaching me on my recommender briefs through a short-notice phone call over a holiday weekend, to final checking my essays multiple times for each school. I'm grateful to have had the opportunity to work with Judith and would ...
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    Class of 2022 Admit
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  • Exceeded My Expectations
    4 years ago
    I approached Judith and Fortuna Admissions wanting to work with the best consultants and resources to maximize my chances to attend a top business school. From our first meeting to the last, Judith engaged me and my story on a personal level. She pushed me to understand my own story and challenged me in a positive way at every stage of the process. Through collaborating on multiple iterations of essays, we worked through creating intellectually and personally-rewarding statements. The team that I worked with at Fortuna exceeded my expectations. Every meeting was helpful, every question was answered thoughtfully with an underpinning of experience, and, most importantly, every interaction was a joy. I would recommend Judith and Fortuna to all.
    Class of 2021 Admit
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  • Thank You, Judith!
    4 years ago
    I really enjoyed my time working with Judith. She coached me through three round-two applications and I was admitted to two schools – UNC and Emory which included a scholarship for half of my tuition. I’m from an over-represented applicant pool with a 700 GMAT and less than a 3.0 GPA from an unknown undergrad. I truly believe Judith made a huge impact, and I highly recommend her to any potential MBA applicant. The first thing I did was complete a very thorough worksheet that spelled out my background, my career accomplishments, career path, extra-curricular, recommenders, and my general strengths and weaknesses. Then we had a long phone-call so I could explain anything she still had questions about. I really thought this was a tremendous way ...
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    Class of 2020 Admit
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  • Unbelievable Experience with Judith!
    4 years ago
    I first started my business school process without a consultant. I applied to 8 different schools and got denied by all 8 without 1 interview invitation. I realized that I needed to do something different and did some research online about MBA consultants. I chose the top 3 consultants based on reviews and had a preliminary call with all 3. Fortuna was far and beyond the most impressive, not just in terms of knowledge, but in terms of optimism and energy. I knew it was the right fit. I was given Judith Hodara for Wharton. I cannot say how grateful I am for the work she did on my application. I have probably spoken to her on the phone for 50 hours at this point! ...
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    Brian McMahon
    MBA Class of 2022 Admit
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  • Thank you, Judith!
    5 years ago
    This was my second time applying to business school. Judith and her team helped me reflect on what went wrong the first time, hone my story, and think deeply about my goals for business school and post-graduation. Her feedback was exact and encouraging throughout the entire process. Thank you, Judith!
    Class of 2021 Admit
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  • The Go To For Wharton
    5 years ago
    I was always very clear that I wanted to get into Wharton. I did my preliminary research on consulting firms and consultants who had strong connections to Wharton. After I read about Judith, I was very keen on working with Fortuna. I reached out to them and finally spoke to Matt. After that, I had no doubt in my mind that they were the team I wanted to work with. Judith oversaw my essays, recommendations, and even the interview prep. She is extremely supportive and encouraging, which is something you need over and above the application work. It was a delight to work with her and I do credit the team for my success. The team at Fortuna is exceptional and highly recommended. I wish ...
    Read the full review
    Class of 2021 Admit
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  • Very Helpful!
    5 years ago
    This was my second go-at-it. And I came to Fortuna needing help to figure out where I went wrong the first time around. Speaking with Judith and Matt, I was able to drill down to what parts of my story were lacking and how to communicate the salient parts of my personal and professional trajectory in a way that would resonate with an audience. Judith was very helpful in helping me find my story and tell it. She helped in editing my drafts and made recommendations that I would not have been capable of conjuring on my own. Thanks to her and Fortuna's help, I got accepted at an M7 school with > 50% tuition scholarship and waitlisted at another M7 school.
    Class of 2021 Admit
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  • Judith Is An Excellent Consultant! None Better!
    5 years ago
    Judith is easily the best consultant I have worked with so far. I applied to Wharton in 2017 and Judith guided me throughout the process. She helped me tremendously in preparing for the Team-Based Discussion and the Healthcare Management Interview. She did these practice interviews numerous times to ensure that I was very well prepared and I was. I was very impressed with her level of insight into the application process and her patience with me on getting grips on the interview and application process. Not only did she help me during the interview process, but she also helped me in drafting a "Killer" essay to impress the admissions team ultimately getting me an interview at Wharton, which I initially thought was impossible, but Judith made ...
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    Deoye Tonade
    MBA Class of 2019 Applicant
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  • Extremely Knowledgeable & Helpful!
    5 years ago
    I worked with Judith on the Wharton group interview and off the bat, I knew she was invested in my success and extremely knowledgeable about the process, what they were looking for, and how to prepare. I especially appreciated her patience and honesty in helping me hone my pitch. I was getting frustrated at what needed to be changed and she rallied through with follow-up calls to made sure I understood and got there. Couldn't have gotten in without her!
    Class of 2021 Admit
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  • Great Experience With A Final Application Review
    5 years ago
    I was super confused when looking for an MBA admissions consultant – I wasn’t entirely sure about shelling out a ton of money on top of the ridiculous amount that I spent already. I decided to do a handful of the “free consultations” with various companies before finding Fortuna and talking with Matt. He was super clear, transparent and genuine in how he viewed my profile in the 30-minute call – he didn’t try to sell me on the full package (even though it was the MUCH more expensive route). He was transparent that he thought I didn’t need the full-school package but rather could reach out to him/Fortuna later for a more “ad hoc” engagement. I really appreciated what didn’t seem at all like ...
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    Class of 2021 Admit
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  • Could not have done it with her
    6 years ago
    I worked with Judith Hodora right before my group interview. From my first touch point with Judith, she was compassionate and encouraged me to focus on my strengths which definitely helped me calm my nerves. We also discussed specific ideas I could undertake on the interview day to tackle aspects I had missed. She was definitely invested in my success and even volunteered to go out of her way to give me extra coaching on the Sunday afternoon right before my interview !! This was quite heart warming and really made me feel like I was ready to ace D-day. Her experience having seen numerous candidate profiles really comes through. I would 100% recommend working with her throughout the process. Great mentor to have !
    Class of 2020 Admit
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  • So helpful!
    7 years ago
    My experience working with Judith was great. I was initially drawn to Fortuna after speaking with both Judith and Matt, her business partner. I had spoken with multiple consulting firms, and Fortuna really impressed me with their attention to detail on my background and what I was hoping to accomplish. Judith gave a lot of great insight into the admissions process at the various schools, drawing on both her own experience in admissions as well as that of her colleagues. I wasn't sure how much detail was needed for each of the essays. During my first pass at an essay, she came back to me and said that I really needed to go deeper and provided a handful of helpful questions and comments that forced ...
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    Class of 2019 Admit
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  • Excellent support!
    7 years ago
    Judith brings to the table her years of experience as an admissions director, to review applications from the lens of admissions committee. I found her inputs on my applications invaluable and worth every dollar spent at Fortuna. She maintained the perfect balance between projecting my authentic self and making me stand out in the applicants pool. She went out of her way and worked through her weekend along with me for my Yale application at a time when I was approaching the deadline fast and Judith's hands were already full. She was instrumental in helping me highlight my strengths and convey my intended message in the application, in the most succinct and presentable manner. She ensured optimum utilization of the consulting time I had with ...
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    Class of 2019 Anonymous
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  • Great experience!
    7 years ago
    I worked with Judith at Fortuna and could not be more thankful for her help. My first conversation with Judith was great – she was very calm, knowledgeable, and really took the time to hear my story. She provided constructive feedback and advice even during my initial free phone consultation, which immediately drew me to choosing Fortuna. They were initially going to place me with a specific consultant who had extensive experience with Wharton, but he/she was not available at the time – thus, Judith helped me instead and did not charge me extra even though she goes for the higher director’s rate. Judith was extremely responsive, efficient, and provided very helpful feedback to each iteration of my essays and application. With not much time ...
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    Class of 2019 Anonymous
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  • Fantastic
    7 years ago
    Judith and Catherine were both amazing during my unique process. I originally started to work with them back in 2015. When starting the application process, I was hoping to improve my GMAT score. Unfortunately, I did not get my dream GMAT score. Instead of recommending to still apply in 2015, they both advised me to get my GMAT score up and then apply. I really appreciated that candid answer from them because they definitely could've led me down a different path. I eventually got the score I needed and worked with them on a fast track to hit R1 deadlines. They pushed me to put forth the best application and showcase my authentic self (instead of just writing what I thought the admissions wanted to ...
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    Class of 2019 Anonymous
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