Stefanie Barlow

I recently embarked on the journey of applying for an Executive MBA program, and I can confidently say that I wouldn’t have achieved my current success without the invaluable assistance of Stephanie from Admissionado.

Initially, I contemplated selecting a basic package, but immediately after my first call with Stephanie, I realized the necessity of upgrading to the gold package. Stephanie provided a plethora of information, even though I hadn’t committed to signing up yet. Reflecting on this, I couldn’t help but imagine the vast amount of valuable information I would have missed out on if I had stuck with the basic package.

From the outset, Stephanie demonstrated an exceptional level of professionalism and expertise. She took the time to understand my background, aspirations, and strengths, allowing her to tailor her guidance effectively. What truly stood out was her ability to open my mind to new perspectives and approaches, which significantly enhanced the quality of my application.

Stephanie’s insights were instrumental in highlighting my strengths and unique qualities, enabling me to present myself in the best possible light to admissions committees. Her attention to detail and commitment to excellence ensured that every aspect of my application was polished and compelling.

Moreover, Stephanie provided invaluable tips and advice to help me prepare for interviews. Her guidance not only boosted my confidence but also equipped me with the necessary skills to articulate my experiences and goals effectively.

Thanks to Stephanie’s unwavering support and expertise, I received the much sought-after admissions offer that I had been dreaming of. I am immensely grateful for her dedication and guidance throughout this process.

In conclusion, I wholeheartedly recommend Admissionado, especially Stephanie, to anyone seeking assistance with their MBA applications. Their professionalism, expertise, and personalized approach make them stand out in the field of admissions consulting. Thank you Stephanie, Rose and Claudia for all the help!

I worked with Stefanie on Haas, Booth, Wharton, and Kellogg. I received acceptances at Booth, Kellogg, and Haas. I was waitlisted at Wharton, but Booth was my first choice so it worked out perfectly. I purchased the Silver Package with LOR support and Resume support.

I wanted to apply to business school for years but I did not believe I had a chance. I have an untraditional background so I didn’t work in consulting, finance, marketing, or any “traditional” business fields. I had a background in nonprofit work primarily, with multiple jobs in random fields on my resume. Additionally, I had low test scores (after 3 retakes). Finding a way to weave all the divergent aspects of my story and background together into a narrative that made sense to an adcom required both creativity and patience.

I really don’t like when people blow smoke and I can detect it from miles away. I first approached Stefanie very shakey about applying and vocalized all the gaps and weaknesses in my profile. She didn’t disagree with them (because they were objective) but steered the conversation to how we could focus on the strengths that I couldn’t see. I knew she wasn’t lying to me or trying to comfort me. The application process itself is exhausting and emotionally draining, so I needed someone I felt safe and comfortable with. The connection one has with a consultant is so important because you need to trust the person enough to allow yourself to dig into your true motives, figure out what’s driving you versus what you think schools (or other people) want to hear, and be unashamed when you realize you’re more lost than you initially realized. Stefanie supported me emotionally when I doubted myself, and also when others expressed doubt toward me.

I really hate writing about myself. Getting me to boast about my accomplishments or get personal in writing feels like pulling teeth. Stefanie pushed me enough that I was able to be vulnerable in my writing, but not so much that I felt coerced. There were countless times when I found major gaps in my story. The questions almost became harder as I started writing, and the more I wrote, the more frustrated I became. Without Stefanie, I would’ve been stuck in this loop. There were essays I thought were good that Stefanie told me didn’t do the trick…and there were ones I thought were absolutely terrible that Stefanie helped me evolve to make them work.

In the end, I really loved the essays that I submitted. I even told Stefanie that even if I didn’t get in…I’m still so proud of my essays and I gave it my all. I didn’t think the essays could be any better. They were genuinely ME and I was able to vocalize my goals more clearly than I ever had been able to, which showed in my interviews. It’s very easy in the process to think you need to fit a certain archetype, especially when you review other people’s essays online or look at profiles of people who got into top MBA programs. If you’re an untraditional candidate or you have gaps/weaknesses in your profile, go to Stefanie!

I can’t thank the Admissionado team enough for all of their help in the business school application process! Stefanie was the best and truly helped me every step of the way. We worked through two applications and I was admitted to both programs. She was very responsive and always available through email or Zoom meetings. Her reviews of LORs was insightful and helpful. She helped me perfect my resume, essays and strategy and I am so thankful to her for all she’s done. I highly recommend the Admissionado team and found all of their resources to be great and super helpful!

I worked with Stefanie using Admissionado’s Junior Deluxe package for my application to Wharton and my reapplication to Columbia, and I’m so glad I did. Her support and feedback was really helpful, and I particularly benefitted from the additional structure and confidence she gave me. I recently accepted an ED offer from Columbia and got interviews from a number of other schools.

I applied for a top business school by myself and got waitlisted. So I reached out to Admissionado and worked with Stefanie on my waitlist support package. A week after I sent my waitlist essay, I received an offer.

I signed up for Admissionado after consulting 4 domestic agencies. Admissionado’s team-approach and systematic process of working with both an MBA strategist and editorial specialists is part of what makes the firm stand out from peers. That is, a tailor-made team consisting of Stefanie Barlow who is in the real estate industry as well with 7 years’ mentor experience and the professional editing team has successfully guided me to develop sharp, memorable applications through uncountable rounds of reviews. As I look back on my choice now, I can guarantee that the whole package and the experience are priceless.

Stefanie Barlow, my senior consultant, is so approachable, humorous, inspirational, and endlessly supportive. Stefanie always delivers the prompt reply within 2 days even during the outbreak of COVID-19 and gives the strategic suggestions in time. For instance, she navigated me on how to categorize b-schools by type of essay questions to make full use of 3 Deluxes packages and evaluating risks of Kellogg application for the extended R3 round. More importantly, teaching one to fish is better than giving him fish. I must mention that working with Stefanie is a life-changing experience because she has taught me how to present in a most productive and efficient way and how to make the content more relevant to the theme. “Instead of merely telling us what the challenge is, the adcom really wants you to SHOW us.” Stefanie usually reminds me in the essays. Excellent writing skills are essential weapons to succeed in the business world. When we had a mock interview, she told me that I expressed myself beautifully compared with the initial free 45-min call. Stefanie is 100% credited with the tremendous progress I have made in the presentation which I think is the most rewarding part during the long application journey.

Besides, I must stress that the editing team is incredible as well. Editors help enhance the beauty and readability of my stories and make every line of story count. Also, Claudia spares no effort to answer my questions and Rose sends her blessings and congratulations all the time. Yes, you are not alone because the amazing team will support you from Day 1. To sum up, it is such a delightful and enlightening process, thanks so much to Stefanie and whole Admissionado team! The best part is that I have had the best teamwork experience here that maximizes the individual strengths of every team member to bring out our best. I am pretty sure that Admissionado will exceed your expectations as your MBA/Master consulting firm.

After 4 years of applying to b-schools and each season of applications ending in heartbreak, I bit the bullet and decided to go with a consultant. I chose Admissionado because their marketing materials are unique and gave off a friendly vibe, and Stefanie really helped me realize where my shortcomings were in terms of the application process. Her positive energy and encouragement were refreshing and helping as I was also occupied with not only work but a pregnant wife and newborn baby for most of the application process. I can’t stress enough how helpful the Admissionado team is, and one of the best things about their service is flexibility. Stefanie understood my life situation and always worked to adjust to my schedule. I appreciate her help so much which is why I am here leaving this review. Anyone who gets to work with Stefanie is very lucky and will have a much much less stressful time with the grueling MBA application process.

A little background about me: I’m an Indian with 3 years of work ex at matriculation, 2.7 GPA, and 710 GMAT. I worked with Stefanie on 3 schools – Darden, Cornell, and UNC. I signed up with Admissionado after talking to 3-4 consultancies. I had a few reasons for this – their essay style which felt inherently ‘me’, their feedback style which I felt most comfortable with, and most importantly, their cheerful approach toward the process (which helped me feel excited about it). Stefanie was great at easing me into the process. I was a ball of anxiety at the beginning, but later, seeing how the essays were shaping up, I started to relax. Stefanie and I drew up an action plan initially which was great while fleshing out the outlines for each of the essays. She had great pointers and was lightning quick when it came to replying. Even though their official turnaround time is 3 days, Stefanie sent my essays back to me in 2 and they were thoroughly dissected, just as I’d expected and hoped. What I loved most was how her comments did such a great job at directing me toward what I had to write. The editing part, although stressful, was a really fun process because of the way she gave feedback. I also loved how the only time they went dark was during Christmas, and that was only for a day. They were available on all days and did a superb job of adhering to the deadlines, always delivering before. All in all, it was a lovely experience and I wouldn’t have believed it two months ago, but I genuinely enjoyed the whole process, thanks to Stefanie & Admissionado!

I was introduced to Admissionado by a friend who worked with them the previous year. My first call was with Stefanie and I instantly felt a great vibe with her.
Their questionnaire was a great 1st step because it forced me to think hard about what I wanted to convey with my essays. Before starting this process I had the misinformation that all they did was “check” the essays for grammatical errors and content but it was so much more!
Stefanie had an astute sense of who I was and what were my best qualities. She dug deep into every single line of my drafts and forced me to chalk out the details and remove all unnecessary fluff. She helped me weave a thoughtful narrative and provided a structure to my words.
Although I had the most communication with Stefanie, Claudia and the rest of the team were always on hand for help. They were swift with their responses no matter the time of the day. I was so satisfied with the essay process I eventually went back for help with my interviews as well.
The best part is, the entire team is really cheering you on and want you to do your best. Stefanie was a much needed motivational boost during the whole application process.

As many of you prospective students know, the MBA application process is pretty painful. On top of months of studying for a test that did not come easily, I came to find out that the other elements of the app required just as much attention. In addition, I’m someone with an entertainment/media background and for this reason was fixated on one school with a strong emphasis on this discipline. To make my application the best it could be, I wanted to work with a consultant to maximize what made me unique. I also did not want to work with someone that did not understand my perspective. After vetting a number of agencies, I came across Admissionado and was paired with Stefanie after working through an extensive questionnaire. I really appreciated this aspect of the process because it indicated to me that the company thoughtfully paired their clients with their consultants. We had an introductory phone call and I was immediately sold. She could not have been nicer or more believing in my story, and I felt this kind of support would be crucial to my success. My only complaint would be that the company’s offerings aren’t that clearly laid out online. But when I had noted that there was a discrepancy as far as what I thought I signed up for and what they were willing to offer, they went out of their way to add services to my package for no extra charge. In addition, I can’t express enough gratitude towards Stefanie’s patience. My process is all over the place; I ask a lot of questions and am late on deadlines. She was always super understanding and accommodating to my process. She gets that an MBA means a lot to her clients and does everything in her power to help them achieve their goals. While I have not received my decision back yet, I felt 100% confident clicking that “submit” button. I could not have done that without Stefanie’s guidance.

I enlisted Admissionado for a strategy session with Stefanie and additional essay development services. I cannot recommend Admissionado and Stefanie enough. After filling out the in-depth questionnaire, Stefanie provided a comprehensive action plan both on paper, and discussed over the phone in a 30-45 minute phone call. Stefanie truly analyzes the questionnaire to help you strengthen your profile and provides guidance on the best elements to highlight. I did not enlist resume editing services with Stefanie but she still evaluated my resume and gave me concrete examples for how to improve it. The action plan and conversation with Stefanie made writing my essays 1000 times easier. Stefanie and Admissionado have a creative flair and style that stood out from other MBA consultants I researched, and I’m so glad I chose to work with them.

I also used Admissionado for to help with essay development. Their essays editors are AMAZING. I was convinced I only had it in my budget to do one school, but after seeing how much my essays improved, I added three additional schools. They provide in-depth feedback and multiple rounds of editing ranging from grammar/proofreading, to full on essay reconstruction while still maintaining 100% of your voice, word choice, and ideas. They made the essay writing process so much more manageable and my essays were much stronger as a result.