Michel Belden

Michel was instrumental in my 2+2 application process. She is incredibly organized, thoughtful, and structured during our time working together. As I started contemplating the deferred admissions cycle only a little over 2 months before the application deadline, Michel ensured that the process was smooth and efficient, enabling me to put my best foot forward. I particularly appreciate the insights she is able to bring to the deferred admissions process, as it is evident that she is an expert in this space. With a wealth of experience and strong track record of delivering admissions results, Michel played a crucial role in my admissions process with Wharton, Sloan, etc. from the written portion all throughout the final interview. I highly recommend working with Michel.

Michel worked with me on 4 Round 1 MBA applications. She is exceedingly knowledgeable about the MBA application process and helps you understand how admissions teams think. She helped me identify a clear application story and got me excited about the application process! I found Michel’s coaching most helpful when it came to essay revisions and interview preparation. She really pushed me to tell a clear story in my application and made sure that I covered all of my credentials across the application. I ended up getting into 2 / 4 of my Round 1 schools and I am confident I would not have had this result without Michel. She is an excellent advisor and is super diligent, thoughtful and kind in her approach. It was truly a joy working with Michel!

I worked with Michel on my Deferred MBA applications and she was incredibly helpful. Not only was she very thorough in her process for getting to know me and my background, but she was also comprehensive in utilizing her knowledge/resources throughout the application process (including everything from essay writing to writing out activities to preparing materials for recommenders). I would highly recommend working with Michel in the MBA application process!

Working with Michel was an excellent experience, and I am confident I would not be headed to a dream school had I not worked with her. Without hesitation, I would recommend working with Michel. The only thing I would caution–and this applies to all admissions consultants–is that this is not a magic bullet, but as long as you enter the process with the right expectations and mindset, you will not do better than Michel!

Michel has been very supportive for my MBA admission process and offered great advice.

Michel was instrumental in my application process to five business schools. I truly don’t think I could have done it without her, and definitely wouldn’t have achieved the same result without her expertise and guidance. Michel was always responsive and easy to work with, gave great feedback, and kept me organized as each deadline approached. She helped guide me in my essays to achieve the best outcome and was thorough in her approach and guidance. In the end, I was accepted to 3 of 5 business schools I applied to and I would 100% recommend Michel to anyone thinking about applying to business school!

Michel certainly has the skills I was expecting from a seasoned consultant (e.g. making connections about my background that I could not have spotted, and awareness of each school’s requirements), but her non-imposing supportiveness stood out to me the most. Very near to the R1 deadlines, I had a change of heart about some important aspects of my narrative core. Michel remained incredibly level-headed and supportive – helping me build up aspects of the essay from scratch while also providing valuable input on which parts could not be changed too much (as they were important to admissions officers). We eventually completed a months’ worth of reworks in less than 2 weeks and I submitted the best-possible versions of my essays. With Michel’s help, I was admitted into my dream school (an M7).

Very professional. Michel helped me secure interviews with Wharton and Yale. Worth the money!!

Michel is great to work with. She demystified the MBA application process and clearly outlined a simple and easy-to-follow timeline for me to be able to hit multiple deadlines without stress.

Michel is especially strong in assessing essays and your overall application to help you tell your story and your why for each school. I truly felt confident in each of my essays and applications, and she was easy to get feedback from and workshop ideas with.

With Michel’s perspective, I got into my dream school!

Michel is hands down the best admissions consultant out there. Besides her impressive background (Working at Bain, Director of Admissions at Wharton, and coaching for years at Fortuna), she is extremely caring and gives her clients the time that they need. In all honesty, I was hesitant to work with an admissions consultant at first, but after meeting Michel and booking a session with her, I changed my mind. Thanks to Michel, I got into all 3 schools I applied to (Wharton, MIT, and HBS). Let me save you the time and hassle of looking for a good coach. Michel is the one.

It was an amazing pleasure working with Michel and the Fortuna Admissions team on my MBA applications. I had a phenomenal experience with the 5-school package (Harvard, Wharton, Stanford, Sloan, CBS) and would highly recommend it to any prospective applicant.

I applied as a deferred enrollment applicant and I was so uncertain about my chance of getting in any of the schools, because I consider myself lack both working experience and impressive life stories. I was going on a very traditional track to IBD and didn’t have something “interesting” to write about at that time. Throughout the application process, Michel took the time to get to know me on a personal and professional level. Although we had a 16-hour time difference, she always responded in a timely manner and consistently found ways to improve my skills to present myself to the admissions. Michel is extremely approachable and patient. We can always find a time to chat, brainstorm, or edit if I need.

Michel was a huge help during every stage of the application process. She helped me with things include what to include in my resume, to whom I should ask for recommendation, countless times of editing essays (she paid huge attention to improve every word) and preparation for interviews.

With Michel and Fortuna’s help, I was very fortunate to be admitted by the Wharton Deferred Enrollment program! I can’t wait to be there in around 2 years, and I sincerely recommend Michel as a consultant to whoever wants to take on the challenge and discover their potential in the MBA application process!

Michel is an all-star strategist in the MBA admissions process. She brings immense domain expertise and a deep understanding of brand development that is crucial to the admissions process. With Michel’s help, I was accepted to MIT Sloan and Harvard Business School for deferred admissions!

I would highly recommend working with Michel, particularly to my fellow deferred admissions candidates! First, she helped me step back from the process and understand what I would bring to an MBA program and how I can tailor my application to reflect that. Second, her deep understanding of each school on an individual level helped me best explain my candidacy and interest to the respective admissions department. Third, Michel’s eye for clarity and narrative in application essays made it possible to tell my story within the required format of the respective programs. Fourth, her patience and dedication to my success helped me stay on the ball and meet deadlines under stress. Fifth, her interview preparation had me prepared to comfortably and confidently meet with admissions staff and describe my professional and personal background. Finally, she became a friend during an anxiety-producing process and was an excellent ally.

If you want an expert and partner in the MBA admissions process, no one would be better than Michel!

Michel has been extremely helpful in my MBA admissions process. I entered this cycle as a deferred MBA applicant, which I knew wouldn’t be easy, and I was able to get into Stanford and Wharton with Michel’s help!

To begin, she broke down how I should approach the process of applying to difficult MBA programs. From helping me ideate different essay topics to conducting mock interviews, she was willing to go above and beyond in order to ensure that I felt prepared and confident in every single aspect of my application. She displayed a unique ability to help me see the bigger picture and develop a roadmap, and I felt that this was essential when I was writing my essays and preparing for interviews. Having bought the comprehensive package, another thing about Michel that I really appreciated was that she did not try to rush me through the process or set a limit to the number of hours I could ask for her help. In the heat of the essay writing period, she was willing to meet with me multiple times a week to go over numerous revisions and essay versions, which I felt was something incredibly unique about Michel and Fortuna. Having that immediate access to advice and analysis on my application was critical to my success at Stanford and Wharton. I highly recommend Michel and Fortuna to anyone beginning the MBA application process!

Michel is an amazing person to work with, and I highly recommend her services to anyone who needs help with their MBA application. Her experiences and knowledge have been really insightful, which really helped me a lot during the process! Michel is also very patient with any doubts and questions I may have. With her guidance, I was able to submit various applications under a tight deadline and she really helped make my story come to life. I cannot thank Michel enough for her guidance and it has been an incredible journey working on the applications with Michel.

I had a great experience with Michel throughout applying to deferred MBA programs. She not only gave insightful feedback on my essays but also helped me to feel confident throughout the interview process. Michel was very responsive during the application cycle and made sure that I submitted each application with time to spare. With her help, I was admitted to an M7 school (I only applied to two schools). If you’re a college senior thinking about deferred programs, Michel has great expertise and can definitely improve your chances.

I first spoke with Michel several years before applying to MBA Programs – at the time, I was in information-gathering mode and testing the waters to see if a consultant may be worthwhile. Michel was extremely generous with her time and highly informative. Being on a budget, I was highly averse to hiring a consultant due to the high cost. With that said, in hindsight … Michel is worth every penny (and more) as she provides expertise, guidance, and structure that is truly game-changing. Michel is very responsive, she’s a realist and provides honest feedback/advice, and is also very encouraging, and provides a positive and exciting framework with which to tackle daunting MBA applications. She is super hands-on in terms of brainstorming, revising documents, meticulously reviewing materials, and specifically catering applications on a school-by-school basis. Best in the business. Michel’s guidance spans the gamut, and she’s incredibly helpful with interview prep. I engaged with Michel to apply to M7 schools, and it’s clear to me that I was able to put my best foot forward in large part because of Michel’s precise and process-driven approach. Again, worth every penny and Michel is a key factor in my admission to CBS, which I plan to attend in the Fall.

I knew I wanted to get an MBA. However, I wasn’t confident that I would be able to craft my application in a way that would showcase my strengths or get my story across. I debated getting an admissions consultant because of the cost, but it was 100% worth it. I think a huge pro of having a consultant is the detailed feedback and ability to circumvent any potential hurdles in the application process.

Working with Michel was a breeze! She is super professional and honest and responds very quickly. I was able to share my story with Michel and we were able to work together to craft my entire application. She got into the details of my essays and provided great feedback to make sure my story came across. She also helped me prepare for my interview, being sure to provide comments on the best parts and areas of improvement within my responses.

She truly wants to see you succeed and is willing at any time to hop on a call to answer any questions or help you brainstorm. I worked with Michel for two M7 school apps and used the information she shared to work on my other applications. With Michel’s help, I was able to interview at two schools and ultimately got admitted to an M7 with a scholarship!! If you are thinking of hiring an admissions consultant, look no further than Fortuna and Michel! They are the BEST!

I worked with Michel during this year’s admission cycle, and I can’t recommend her highly enough. Thanks to Michel, I was able to gain acceptance to two of my target schools in what I believe has been the most competitive year for international applicants in recent memory. Michel has all of the attributes you would expect from a top-tier admissions consultant; perspective on what top schools are looking for in an application, speedy turnaround on feedback, and great insights on how to ace interviews. These attributes, coupled with the feeling that Michel was genuinely invested in my success, made it easy to form a strong working relationship in short order. Having this type of relationship with your consultant is critical because schools will expect that you reveal your authentic self in your applications, and it is hard to be vulnerable enough to do that if you’re not working with someone you trust. If you are considering working with an admissions consultant, take the time to have an introductory call with Michel; I suspect you’ll be able to quickly confirm everything I have claimed above!

As an applicant, I was initially hesitant to hire a consultant due to the cost, and I can confidently say the experience with Michel was nothing short of amazing. I would say what differentiates Michel is i) her strategic perspective on my profile (ii) her extensive experience and guidance, and (iii) finally, her humor and dedication throughout the application journey. Initially, I had a view of how I wanted to craft my story and application, coming from more of a common background in finance. Michel provided specific viewpoints and honest feedback as to how I could differentiate myself which allowed my voice to come through in the essays by highlighting parts of my background that I did not think of synthesizing. Furthermore, Michel’s guidance was invaluable throughout the process – whether that is reviewing the essays, to the recommender deck, or preparations for the interviews. She ensured that I always brought out the best part of my candidacy in each step and prepared for any hurdles. Lastly, Michel is frankly a pleasure to work with – she is always ready to hop on a call to bounce ideas, is open and honest, has a great sense of humor, and is truly an advocate for me. I cannot thank her enough for her wisdom in the process, and I was able to secure a place at my dream school (HSW) and another M7 school because of her efforts. I highly recommend partnering with Michel if you are serious about your MBA application process!

Michel was instrumental in building my profile. She was amazingly thoughtful and patient in understanding my background and working with me to put together the best application possible. I was dependent on her throughout and she was always reliable and thorough, providing incredible ideas and feedback from beginning to end. She even made me realize that I had a stronger application than I originally realized; her motivation enabled me to apply to my dream school and gain admission (M7)! I cannot imagine navigating this process without her and would highly recommend Michel and the entire Fortuna team to anyone looking for guidance or partnership in what otherwise is such an overwhelming process. I am confident that I got the best results possible for me and owe my results to Michel!

I had the pleasure of working with Michel Belden to prepare for my deferred enrollment applications to business school during my senior year of college. I would strongly recommend working with Michel – she helped me discover and drive my application narrative from the first draft of my essay all the way through to the post-interview reflections many months later. With her guidance, I was accepted to 3 M7s, including HBS.

Michel reviewed my essay drafts all the way through “V10” with sharp insights in each edit. We brought my many-page monstrosity to a tightly-executed narrative that succinctly encapsulated my application narrative. She responded quickly to the many questions I had and has a fast but thorough turnaround to her reviews. With the comprehensive school package, she was instrumental in preparing for my interviews and planning the answers to my post-interview assignments. She and Judith Hodara cheered me on through the entire process and made it thoroughly enjoyable.

All in all, I would definitely recommend Michel to anyone looking to enhance their business school application!

I would highly recommend Michel for anyone who is seeking advice on the MBA application. Michel is very kind, patient, and responsible. I started my MBA journey less than three weeks before the deadline without any preps. However, Michel helped me plan out the whole process and ensured me stick with the deadline. She is truly a lifesaver for me. She quickly digested my situation and background and provided me a plan the day after I provide her my information. I eventually got into my dream school, the school I don’t even have the courage to apply before I met Michel!

I would highly recommend Michel for anyone who is seeking advice on the MBA application. Michel has proven experience with the MBA process and insights from her work in the industry, which uniquely positioned her to advise her client effectively. She was incredibly thoughtful and gracious throughout the process. She is willing to go above and beyond to help her client. She is super accessible even during early morning her time. I can’t thank her enough and highly recommend you consider working with her.

If you are on the fence about using a consultant, Michel was worth the cost and incredibly beneficial throughout the process. The entire Fortuna experience was great and helped take my application from good to great.

When considering a consultant, I was looking for someone who had admissions experience and would be able to candidly evaluate my application. Michel provided a unique perspective when reviewing my essays and overall application. Michel was genuine, responsive and encouraging during the crazy application season. She was a great resource from idea generation to making a final decision. I can’t thank her enough for helping me get into my dream school!

I knew going into the application process that I definitely wanted to work with a consultant, since I did not know anything about the business school process. Luckily, my friend recently worked with Michel and strongly recommended her, and I didn’t hesitate to move forward with her after our initial consultation! My work with Michel and Judith, as well as the broader resources of Fortuna’s platform, has been extremely valuable and key to my acceptances to three top business schools (2 M7s).

Working with Michel was incredibly easy. I found Michel to be very quick to respond, thoughtful, and honest. She would always find time for us to chat, even if she was out of town herself. I especially found Michel very skillful and patient with helping me prepare mock interviews. Interviewing is something that has always scared me, but after even our first mock interview I felt so much more prepared and knowledgeable about how to convey certain stories and how to speak confidently.

Generally I would say Michel took a lot of the stress out of the business school application process that I would otherwise have. From helping me brainstorm essay topics to pumping me up for interviews, and finally debriefing after interviews, I have so much appreciation for the care Michel took into being my advocate and supporter, and I know she will continue to put in the same time and effort with her future clients.

Right from the start, she truly made an effort to understand my backstory, my work experience, extracurriculars as well as my intention to attend business school and my future goals. Afterward, she would constantly provide me with specific suggestions, given my profile, on how to best prepare for my applications, particularly on my essays.
I worked with Michel for about a year because the first time I applied to business schools I didn’t get into the schools I was aiming, but after a very successful reapplication, I was able to get into my dream school (an M7 school).
There are three things I really appreciate about working with Michel: 1) she’s quick, 2) she always knows what to do and 3) she’s genuinely on your corner. I highly appreciate that Michel she was always quick on getting back to me with concrete answers and great suggestions on how to further improve my applications.

I think the title sums it up. Sure there’s a monetary cost to hiring a consultant, but I can definitely say that for me, working with Michel was worth it. Your experience and circumstances will be different from mine, but Michel will know how to help you to bring out a more compelling story to tell the AdCom.
I did not get a comprehensive school package, but rather the hourly services for help on my essay. Her advice was valuable in making my essays more coherent and logical. She didn’t do the thinking for me since my story is really my own, but she asked me about why I chose to share certain experiences or how I could connect experiences to the overall story I was trying to tell.
She helped me take my essay from “good” quality to “admit” quality.

Oh, and she was very pleasant to work with and usually responded quickly. =)

Michel and the whole Fortuna team were thorough, thoughtful and very helpful. Michel provided valuable guidance and insight throughout the process from data forms to essays to waitlist strategy. Her deep experience helped me create a holistic application and “story” that would resonate with each of the schools I applied to. In the end, I decided on Columbia Business School, and couldn’t be more excited! I would definitely recommend working with Michel and the Fortuna team, to have a team of experienced advisors on your side throughout a competitive and often stressful process.

Michel was absolutely integral to my success at getting into Stanford GSB. She guided my MBA process from start to finish, be it in big picture thinking about the best way to frame my story to the nuts and bolts of the application itself. She and her team’s experience in the actual MBA admissions offices were invaluable and definitely helped me feel confident I had an insider’s view into how the process works and what traits to highlight at each school to which I applied. Michel is also a generally lovely person, and I always looked forward to our phone calls. Thank you, Michel!

I would like to recommend Fortuna Admissions and especially Michel Belden to anyone who is applying to an MBA. As you will find out, getting into a top school is a long and difficult process. The people at Fortuna made me submit a confident application to five different universities. They are very professional and Michel, in particular, is a very patient, kind and smart person.

I was initially referred to Michel by a friend of mine who told me that they owed their seat at business school to her. I must admit though, at first, I was skeptical. I wasn’t sure if the services Fortuna offered were necessary- surely I could do it on my own… how wrong I was!

It was during my very first call with Fortuna that I quickly realized that I lacked the knowledge of what business school adcom look for, how to answer the essay questions and how to stand out from the sea of other applicants. I was promptly put in touch with Michel who, from the outset, demonstrated an incredible level of application knowledge that you would only expect from someone that had spent years as Wharton’s MBA gatekeeper.

Michel was a terrific choice for me. She was responsive to questions I had, possessed a great sense of what each of the schools look for and had an exceptional eye for detail. In one instance, I even remember Michel pointing out a grammatical mistake I had made in a 31 page application. Michel considers each of her clients’ applications as hers, treating them with a personalized touch.

Thank you, Michel, for getting me into the business school of my dreams! I know it would not have been possible without your support, encouragement and knowledge.

After my first consultation with Matt Symonds, I immediately knew I wanted to work with Fortuna. I could tell the entire Fortuna team had a knack for noticing the most compelling aspects of an applicant’s profile and making them shine. Matt talked me through Fortuna’s platform, their experience working with clients from similar backgrounds, as well as the flexibility I would have in choosing a coach.

I chose to work with Michel because of her extensive experience working in admissions. I came to Michel with a vague idea of my “story”. She patiently talked me through how my background, past experiences, and extracurricular interests could create a cohesive, compelling application. I initially bought the three school package, but shortly added additional hours for other schools to which I was applying. I immediately saw the “edge” Michel’s guidance added to my applications, and I wanted her guidance to put my best foot forward.

Michel was with me every step of the way. She was responsive, thoughtful, and honest. Michel always found a way to make herself available, even though my work and travel schedule was very unpredictable.

Thanks to Michel’s guidance, I was admitted to Columbia and Booth, two of my top choices! I am absolutely certain I would not have arrived at this outcome without Michel’s help. I highly recommend working with Michel – you will not regret it!

Michel is a wonderful coach who is responsible, dependable, patient and informative.

She thoroughly understands a student’s personality, life stories and goals. Then she helps to invite your true ideas about your career path and life plan so that you can be very confident and genuine when stating that in your essays.

She knows the schools well (with a professional Fortuna team supporting her) and so you will be quickly able to navigate down to your favorite schools and their specific styles/ requirements. Michel will help you formulate your strategy of which ones to tackle first that provides you a better experience of the entire procedure.

Michel is patient and she helped me with 6 drafts for the three essays respectively. There’s no end unless we both are satisfied with what we are presenting.

Last but not least is the interview rehearsal. She gives friendly guidance and detailed feedback so that student won’t feel unconformable/unexpected during the formal interview.

All in all, I got to my dream school and am very grateful for having her in this journey.

I worked with Michel from early on my decision to apply for B-school. I knew that I was going to apply Round 1 and that I would be on the younger side if accepted by the schools I wanted to get into. So I did my extensive research and chatted with 6 different consulting agencies before finally choosing Fortuna.

What really set Fortuna apart from the other agencies is the level of care and detail Michel went into crafting my story. I come from a traditional consulting background but I was looking to make a career pivot with my MBA to go into something a lot more untraditional. Michel spent hours on the phone with me really dissecting why and how I came to the conclusion that business school is the right move at this stage of my career. Once that was set, we went about creating the right narrative for my applications.

Throughout the process, Michel was extremely responsive and provided strong feedback on my essays, resume, video interviews, in person interviews, recommender selection, etc. Along every step of the process it became very obvious how experienced and knowledgeable Michel was with this entire MBA process. And because we started very early in the year, the pace was very manageable and at no time was I overwhelmed or stressed out.

I found it very helpful that Michel knew me very well and was able to call back on all of my extracurriculars in order to help prep me from the essays to the interviews. After each interview, Michel and I called to debrief and prep for the next one.

Ultimately I was admitted to 2 schools and waitlisted for my third! All top 10 programs! I’m thrilled and could not have done this without the expertise of Michel. If you’re looking for a compassionate, understanding, patient and knowledgeable MBA consultant, Michel is the way to go!

From the initial consultation, Michel and Judith took the time to understand my story, answer my questions. They spoke with me about my candidacy with confidence and enthusiasm, which I really appreciated. I spoke to a number of other consultants prior to deciding to work with Fortuna but my initial conversations with Michel and Judith really stuck out. I worked with them over the course of 5-6 months on my application to Columbia.

From the strategy questionnaire to my essays and interview prep, Michel took the time to understand my background, strengths, and interests to help me craft a compelling story. Michel provided constructive feedback on my essays to ensure they highlighted my personality and experiences. Michel kept me on schedule and provided valuable advice at every point of the application process. She went above and beyond and took the time to speak with me about a job change mid-way through the application cycle and how to frame that in my business school applications and interviews.

When I received an interview with a tight timeline to prepare, Michel was quick to make herself available to put me through a mock interview and I felt confident going into the actual interview as a result of that.

I felt Michel was truly invested in my success and was very excited for me when I was accepted to Columbia. I would highly recommend Michel, Judith, and Fortuna to future applicants!

My Background: Asian-American male in finance with a strong GPA and GMAT score. Generally, I had a very strong profile on paper in terms of academics and career.

My Top Choice: Wharton.

Results w/ Fortuna: Accepted to Wharton and Columbia ($100,000+), and invited to interview at HBS. I only applied to these 3 schools.

Reason for Choosing Fortuna: During my initial free consultation with Matt Symonds, I found it refreshing to speak with a consultant who provides an honest assessment of the services that would be of most value to me. Matt took the time to understand my profile and suggested an hourly package to help hone my messaging. He also ensured that I could retain my voice and give full freedom to my recommenders. In contrast, many other consultants insisted on having a heavy hand in the essays (basically writing it for me) and controlling the recommendations – not my cup of tea.

Experience w/ Michel Belden: I highly recommend Michel and can’t give her enough praises. Michel’s proven experience with the Wharton process was one of the key reasons that I chose to work with Fortuna. Michel really helped me articulate and structure my message and made sure I wasn’t leaving any stones unturned in my story. She was incredibly thoughtful and gracious throughout the process, going above and beyond during the holidays by remaining accessible when I was in a time crunch. I can’t thank her enough and highly recommend you consider working with her.

Going into the MBA admissions process, I had a lot of questions and uncertainty despite hours upon hours of research. I depended on Michel to answer my never-ending stream of questions and vet my scatterbrained essay ideas, guiding my thoughts and application to the best ones. She helped keep me stay organized, particularly in terms of not spending too much time on workstreams I kept going back to. Having her experience, as well as the extra opinions from the rest of the Fortuna team, provided me peace of mind.

I came into the process with fairly low expectations but Michele bolstered my confidence, which I needed to execute on my applications. I ended up getting interviews at almost every school I applied to, and eventually ended up in the program that best fit me. The MBA admissions process is tough, but having Michele and Fortuna at my side made it almost enjoyable, as I was able to spend more of my time reflecting and executing instead of worrying over details and uncertainties.

I worked with Michel for an intensive 4 month period and got complete support from her in all aspects of the application process. This was my second time applying to B-schools and second time working with a consultant. My experience the first time was not that great and working with Michel and Fortuna really made realize the importance of having a strong and supportive admissions consultant. The area I needed most help with is really bringing out my strengths and crafting my story so that it all tied in to why I was going to do an MBA at this stage of my career. 30 years old and a Senior Director at the company I was in. Some consultants told me I was pass the period of applying to an MBA. Michel provided me with continuous support and guidance to really get my story right and was open to giving continuous feedback on my essays. And “real” “constructive” feedback that was actionable and you can really work from. This is key as you don’t want someone just reviewing your grammar. This feedback was extremely valuable and made my life a lot easier when it came to turning comments. She also helped me in navigating all aspects of the application process (prep for interviews, guidance on answering app questions, preparing recommender materials) she has a wealth of experience working with most of the top schools and she doesn’t hold back in sharing all this information. Extremely happy with my engagement with her and definitely recommend utilizing her as an advisor for your application process. She knows, gets it and is willing to help on all fronts. Also for those that are really busy she provides pretty practical feedback that will help you approach the process without diving too deep unnecessarily. Really grateful for all the support I received from her and the team at Fortuna. Definitely made a difference in my application process!

Coming from a generally overrepresented profile – management consulting, Asian American male, average undergrad GPA, and solid (but not especially high) GMAT – I wanted an admissions consultant that could help me to stand out. I chose Fortuna for the dedication of their consultants and depth of experience they brought. Most other admissions consulting firms simply connected me with recent graduates of MBA programs who were doing admissions consulting on the side (translate: very busy day jobs and limited availability), but Fortuna’s consultants were dedicated specialists with direct experience in the admissions offices. My focus was Wharton and I worked with Michel (Wharton alum, former Wharton Associate Director, former management consulting recruiter) and Judith (former Wharton Director) – I could not have asked for a better fit.

Throughout the process, Michel was super responsive and provided insight into not just the essays but my whole application, from recommenders to interviews to even the wording of each extracurricular activity description. She helped me to structure my story upfront and challenged me to really think hard about my writing by constantly pointing out things that were unconvincing, unnecessary, and/or unspecific. Over the three-month period working with me, Michel patiently talked me through every last question/concern floating around in my head, steering me away from pitfalls and fostering confidence in my decisions.

The perspective she (and Judith) provided from being on the other side of the table at Wharton was invaluable. I successfully got into Wharton and am excited to start the program this year. Thank you Michel and the Fortuna team!

Michel was a tremendous help to me. After getting rejected from my top choice schools last year, I wanted to work with a consultant and Michel could not have been a better partner throughout the process. She had such a tremendous depth of knowledge about what schools are looking for among applicants, from her own experience working in the Wharton admissions office. She quickly identified the flaws in my applications from the previous year, and helped me better structure my narrative for the next cycle. She helped me with everything from selecting who my recommenders should be and helping me draft notes highlighting my accomplishments for those recommenders, to prepping me for all of my interviews. The amount of time we spent going through my answers to commonly asked questions, and making sure my answers were thorough and cohesive was HUGELY helpful. We also went through draft upon draft of each of my essays, making sure that each was concise and conveyed all of the necessary information. She was so responsive, and offered deep insight every step of the way. I was accepted at Tuck (my top choice!) and 2 other schools. I was even awarded merit scholarships at the others. The overarching strategy, guidance, and insight that Michel provided was absolutely critical in terms of setting me up for success. Michel has gone above and beyond to help me in this process. During the application process, I met with alumni and adcoms from the schools I was applying to, and Michel and I talked through key questions to ask, and what I should highlight about my own experience to those individuals. Michel and I have even talked through which school I should select based on my career goals. It’s been amazing to have her as a resource throughout every single step of the process. I can’t recommend Michel and Fortuna highly enough! The fact that all of their consultants have experience working in the admissions offices of all of the top business schools is incredible, because these people know EXACTLY what adcoms are looking for, and can help you structure your narrative in an impactful way. I also loved that I had a second pair of eyes on all of my essays (big shoutout to Judith Hodara for all of her help!!), and someone to review my resume.

White male from a non-target undergrad, with an average GPA, great GMAT. I first reached out to Fortuna to check if it was feasible for me to apply after only 2 years of work experience. They were encouraging and I decided to apply this year rather than next. The best part about Fortuna is DEPTH. They have specialists in each area and school. I targeted Wharton and was able to work with Michel, a former Wharton alumn / Associate Direction, and a Wharton Admissions Director (Judith Silverman Hodara). This customized service is something few other consultants can provide. They even ran a mock Team Based Discussion with other applicants which was extremely helpful. When I was waitlisted at Stanford I was able to work with a specialist on the GSB as well. Michel was stellar: responsive, thorough, and insightful. She let me write my own application but steered me away from danger (she made sure I used two professional recs rather than one profession and one academic.) Working with her added structure to the process and fostered confidence in my decisions. In the end, I was admitted to Wharton and could not be more excited. I applied a year early and got into one of the three best MBA programs in the world thanks in part to Fortuna. My only regret: that I didn’t get the full package and use Fortuna for every school.

Michel was the best! Not just the results, but working with her through the process made it much less stressful. She has a great personality to work with, and her knowledge base to pull from makes the process even easier. During the consultation, I gave her my list of schools (3 Ivy M7s). She asked a bunch questions and really got to know me. After taking my stats into account, she told me that my goals were high-reaching, but felt confident we could differentiate my application together. Michel had great ideas to help me stand out, and she identified the best parts of my story that makes me unique. She was always available to talk on the phone about all her great comments on my progress and how to connect the dots. I was extremely proactive, and she had advice for all of my concerns, and she would discuss them until I felt comfortable. Only 100% positive feedback so that when I hit “submit” on my applications, I could rest assured knowing I showed my best, and Michel’s guidance was a big factor in my conviction. When I was asked for an interview, she coached me extremely well so that I felt confident. With all of her help I was admitted to one of my target schools! I highly recommend Michel!