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Product Embark MBA Consulting Services
Consultant Kelsey Kephart
Words cannot describe the incredible guidance, expertise, and effort Kelsey provided during my MBA application journey. I was a military applicant, and early on in my application process I tried using some military-centric MBA consulting services. However, I was not satisfied with their sense of urgency and expertise, particularly because I was still extremely busy at work and needed an adviser who was willing to grind to help me meet application deadlines. However, another vet told me about Kelsey and after a quick intro call my application process did a complete 180. Her knowledge as a former M7 adcom was truly unmatched and she worked all hours of the day (literally sometimes at 0100) turning edits on my essays, resume, doing interview prep, and answering all my admissions questions. Further, she helped me tailor my essays so they were truly personalized and unique. In the end, I was admitted to an M7 and my dream business school, and I couldn’t have done it without Kelsey. Please don’t waste your time and money with these big brand and overpriced consulting services; use Kelsey.
Product Embark MBA Consulting Services
Consultant Kelsey Kephart
If you're reading this, you can stop searching for your MBA consultant. Kelsey is the one you need. I started my application journey with a big-name consulting company, but after finding Kelsey, it was clear she was the better choice. Her approach is simply superior. She takes the time to really get to know you, understands what drives you, and then blends that with her deep knowledge of what admissions committees look for. The result is a powerful and unique application adcoms will drool over.
But here's what sets Kelsey apart: the personal care and attention she pours into your application. Hit a writer's block on a complicated essay question? She's a call away. Feeling nervous before an interview? She's got your back. Even during those late-night, last-minute application grind sessions, she's there. You won't find this kind of one-on-one focus at the larger firms.
If you’re still not sure, let me put it this way: I was a real Hail Mary applicant—low GPA, young age, not a single big-name brand on my resume—and yet, Kelsey got me into Columbia. If you want an application that will truly stand out, don't make my mistake by paying five times more at a big consulting firm (and then not even use their services). Kelsey is the one you want.
REVIEWER IDENTITY VERIFIED by school email address [?]
Product Embark MBA Consulting Services
Consultant Kelsey Kephart
Kelsey was instrumental during my MBA prep process and a core reason why I was able to get into HBS! At the onset, I did not think I had a chance at a top 5 school, and Kelsey explained very clearly that yes, it is extremely hard to get into these top schools. But through her advice, hard work, interview preparation, and all the other tactical prep items, Kelsey was able set me up for the best possible shot at getting into a top MBA, and I ended up at HBS! I think what makes Kelsey different than other consultants is she is very personalized and it does not feel like an MBA prep factory. She takes the time to learn your story so she can help craft the best essays possible. She Knows the process inside & out, and really acts as your guide throughout the difficult year of applying. I could not recommend Kelsey enough for the MBA journey
Product Embark MBA Consulting Services
Consultant Kelsey Kephart
The time before I found Kelsey, I was frustrated. I was just declined by one dream school and waitlisted by another dream school, both of which I have tons of connections and hopes for. At that moment, I was anxious and didn’t know what to do. I read all those MBA-related forums day and night and found out EmbarkMBA wrote Ask Me Anything on Reddit every year. One night, I read every reply from Kelsey and was like, “WOW, this lady really knows all the magics of MBA applications.
Then Kelsey helped me with her ADCOM Review. She was a former M7 admission member, and she provided like 7~10 pages of comments with all my materials, essay, LOR, resume, extracurricular activities, you name it. She helped me find the weakness part of my application and totally changed my application philosophy. I was super careful about each word I chose and each extracurricular activity I input, turning my essay way too formal and “miserable” and my application extremely professional and cold. To be a top candidate, I need to be more than a good student. And Kelsey built my confidence and told me I AM. I realized, wow, I could write so many things besides student government or my outstanding performance at work. Let me cite one reply from Kelsey for the impressive story and activity, “Roller derby skaters, pole dancers, stained glass art-makers, wine sommeliers - there was a wide range of ECs I was pretty surprised & impressed by!
Another misunderstanding I had before I knew Kelsey was the nationality and ORM. I realized ORM is not even a “drawback” when I apply for top MBAs. All those successful ORM candidates are unique. I must show my personality and not worry about “Asian compares with Asian things".
Kelsey set up a very clear and professional plan for the waitlist strategy. And super fair about the cost and time she worked on my essay. She replied to emails super quickly and would tell me what was valuable for my application and what steps were not worth it for me to save time. I was thinking about using the $600 waitlist package, and Kelsey was extremely helpful and fair, saying that you could do hourly first for your case. She was not kidding when she mentioned 90% of my clients fall within the hourly-service bucket. Because Kelsey is super responsible and loves to help candidates, help us away from the “fog” and uncertainty. Sometimes I was thinking back to this crazy and exhausting one-year application cycle and wish I could connect with Kelsey earlier
Product Embark MBA Consulting Services
Consultant Kelsey Kephart
Coming from the military, I knew I needed an outsider's perspective on my application, and I'm so glad I found Kelsey!
I didn't have a resume so that was the first place we started. Kelsey gave me perspective on how things would read to a civilian and we were able to put together a good product.
The essays were next. I'd do the initial drafts and she'd turn around and send those back to me with corrections. We did this several times until we had our final products. I want to emphasize here that there was no "72 hour turnaround" or anything like that. I got responses to all my emails within minutes, and longer corrections came back the same day.
She also helped with interview prep before my interview.
Having served on an admissions committee, she knows how things sound from the other side of the table, and she's able to steer you one way or another to ensure you're putting together the strongest application possible.
I also want to bring up that despite my GPA being well under the median, not once did she try to talk me out of applying to HSW. I feel like that's something a lot of admissions consultants do. They'll tell you you're not competitive and get you to apply to lower ranked schools so that they can ensure a successful outcome. In this case, my dreams were my dreams and Kelsey was 100% on board with that right from the start.
Lastly, there were several times when I had questions about things. She was always just an email or phone call away. Another friend I referred her to got into HSW as well.
I would highly recommend Kelsey to anyone applying to the top schools! She goes above and beyond at every step, and you just won't get that personalized experience working with a bigger name admissions consultant.
Product Embark MBA Consulting Services
Consultant Kelsey Kephart
I hired Kelsey after reading these testimonials. And man, am I glad I did. Working with her was like having an insider in my corner. As a former MBA admissions committee member, she intimately understands the minds of admissions staff. She helped me capitalize on my strengths, strategically frame my weak points, and most importantly encouraged me to be myself. She met me exactly where I needed to be met in the app process (which for me was square zero), and was there every step of the way from how to properly reach out to admissions, students and alumni, to editing my essay drafts (she’s an extremely skilled editor), all the way to interview prep and how to get off a waitlist. She leaves no stone unturned. In our initial meeting I told her about me, my story, my background, my goals and needs, and she turned around and laid out a personalized game-plan and checklist which was exactly what I needed. If you’re worried that working with a consultant will distort the true image and picture of ‘you’, don’t be. Kelsey really listens; she takes to heart everything you share, reads you like admissions will read you, and works hard to help you thoroughly craft the best possible version of your story and strategically build rock-solid, well-rounded apps. One of the best parts of working with her was having her available to quickly answer my thousands of questions and doubts. This is her world, she knows what she’s talking about (looking at you, r/MBA). She’s blazing fast, super friendly, realistic, professional, and an absolute hidden gem. She’s extremely good at what she does. Hire her and don’t look back!
