Gavriella Semaya Reviews

I'm an Asian male applicant with average to below-average GMAT score for HSW (was worried about this). I am also extremely picky (spoke to ~10 consultants before going with Gavriella based on strong recommendation from friend at HBS who had worked with her). My personality is also the highly proactive and detail-oriented type, so it was important that I worked with someone who is highly communicative/responsive as well and wouldn't make me feel like I'm being too demanding when I'm asking questions that I feel are necessary for me to know to feel confident in our process.

Gavriella was the perfect consultant for me. Three things I'd like to highlight. (1) She was very practical and always gave it to me straight. I'm the type to want the honest truth. I'd want to know my chances at a certain school so I don't waste resources. I'd also want to know how bad or good my essay draft is so I can revamp efficiently. (2) She is an impressive writer and storyteller. My HBS friend mentioned this as the main reason she had liked Gavriella and I can confirm this. (3) She is highly communicative. This was important to me as mentioned above. She'd also always make time for me for Zoom calls on the day of. She certainly made me feel like I was one of 1-3 clients when she probably did have more because she's so highly demanded. I do know she makes sure to take less than she can take on so she can dedicate herself fully to her clients. (4) I know I said 3 things but one more...she passed the vibe check...! You spend so much time with your consultant especially if you do an all-in package so I think it's so important you work with someone pleasant and with whom you'd, for example, grab dinner with. 4 months after my Wharton acceptance, I still think about how fun it'd be to treat Gavriella and her beautiful kids for a dinner (or Toys r Us) with the merit-based scholarship money she helped me earn. Unfortunately we do not live in the same city :)

I told her BEFORE the results came out that the ROI on my investment had already checked out, largely because her process helped me better understand what I want to do professionally and find confidence.

I strongly recommend Gavriella. If you're on the fence and would like to speak with me directly about my experience, please feel free to reach out to Gavriella and we can discuss setting something up.

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I'm so glad I made the decision to work with Gavriella for my MBA applications! She was so incredibly helpful with making sure I stayed on track with drafting and completing my applications. She always sent me information in advance to make sure I felt prepared for the next step of the application / interview process. I felt very prepared by the time I was interviewing, and it really was all thanks to her. Even after getting accepted to all of the programs I applied to, she was very willing to talk through my options with me - after chatting with her, I was confident that I had made the right decision for myself! Would highly recommend working with Gavriella!!

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It was a great decision to work with Gavriella! I was accepted at both HBS and Wharton. She was a tremendous help in putting together my application, and particularly in effectively using the essays to tell my story. I reached out to her under a time crunch, and Gavriella was able to quickly identify the unifying thread in my past experiences and help me highlight the accomplishments I was most proud of. She is timely and attentive. Not only is she great at what she does, she is also kind, encouraging, and supportive. Her support extended beyond my admissions - I was torn between the two schools and she gave me helpful advice in making the decision that was best for me. I would highly recommend working with Gavriella - you will absolutely not regret it!

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Working with Gavriella was incredible and I recommend her a consultant for a couple of reasons:

1. Professional and timely responses - Gavriella was extremely professional and responded to my emails, gave me resume feedback and edited my essays all in a timely manner so that I could follow the timeline we sett and make sure I was happy with my application well before the deadlines.

2. Relevant feedback - Gavriella gave me relevant feedback based off of my post-MBA goals and what schools I wanted to go to. She didn't try to fit me in a box but worked with my story and helped me shape the right version of me that I wanted to present to the admissions committees.

3. Comfortable & Friendly - Some consultants are really hard to approach and can be really intimidating. Some of them I even felt discouraged from applying or I felt that I wasn't good enough! But Gavriella never made me feel that way. She was supportive and a friendly face through out the whole process. It felt good that I could rely on her to answer any of my questions.

Not only did I get into my dream school of Columbia, I also got a scholarship!

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Working with Gavriella was the single best decision I have ever made! She helped me out every step of the way during my application process. I signed up for the 3-school package - GSB, HBS, and Wharton. With Gavriella's help, I got interview invites from both HBS and Wharton, and I ended up accepting the offer from HBS.

Gavriella was extremely supportive and helpful throughout the process. She helped me stay focused and responded quickly during the overwhelming application process. She's great at paying attention to details and shaping your story. Plus, she genuinely cares about your success.

Not only is Gavriella amazing at what she does, but she's also really nice to work with. She listens to you and values your ideas, making sure they come through in your application. She's a great communicator and really understands where you're coming from.

On top of helping me with these 3 applications, Gavriella also gave me some great advice for my Sloan MIT application, which I was working on by myself. Thanks to her help, I got an interview invite for Sloan MIT too!

Overall, Gavriella was amazing to work with, and I'd definitely recommend her to anyone looking for help with their applications.

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The MBA process can be very intimidating and overwhelming, but Gavriella made me feel at ease and ultimately helped me secure admission into my top choice, Columbia Business School!

She provided very quick feedback on any and all questions that I had and even supported me through higher-level conversations about my future career, I have always been a bit skeptical about MBA consultants from other reviews by friends, but Gavriella truly went ABOVE AND BEYOND to help me! She genuinely cares about her students and truly wants to see them succeed. I highly recommend you work with her, she's the best!!!! 10/10

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Working with Gavriella is one of the best life decisions I have ever made. In 9 short months (all inclusive package), she not only helped me secure admission into my dream school - Stanford GSB (and other M7 schools) but has also evolved into becoming an advisor, friend and confidant for life. Such has been the transformative impact of Gavriella and no amount of words will ever do justice to how highly I recommend her to any applicant planning to embark on the MBA application journey.

Allow me to sum up her differentiated attributes that made her an absolute game changer in my path towards my dream school across 5 themes:

1. Highly Personalized - In our time working together, it always felt like I was her only client because that is the level of personalized attention she provided. She always went above and beyond without ever counting how many rounds of essay edits have happened or how many interview practice sessions we have done, because Gavriella genuinely cares. During the brainstorming phase, she allowed us to do innumerable zoom sessions (more than typical) to really pin down the essence of the story we wanted to convey. During the essay writing process, she provided thoughtful feedback and edits ahead of the regular turnaround time (and many times over weekends too), which allowed me to work efficiently. During the interview practice sessions, she helped me practice critical stories again and again until I felt confident enough for the big day. If you sign Gavriella up, I can guarantee that you’ll be promised a level of personalized service and responsiveness that will far exceed your expectations.

2. Expert Storyteller and Marketer - One of my core takeaways from this journey is realizing how much of the application process is about effective marketing and storytelling. And that is where Gavriella shines so bright. I’d like to particularly call out 2 nuances of this trait. One, she has a rare ability to connect disparate threads of your life in a uniquely creative yet authentic fashion. And two, her flair with words is simply unmatched. She also possesses a rich awareness of language and tone nuances that different schools like. While she tirelessly helped me level up my essays to a place worthy of submission to highly selective programs, I am also walking away with actionable tips on how to storytell (both written and verbal) effectively in other parts of my life. Working with Gavriella will allow you to go beyond the scope of the application process and permit you to experience a deep sense of reflection and growth.

3. Meticulous and Persevering - Gavriella has an amazing attention to detail. In every redlined essay version I received, it was clear to me that she had read every word thoroughly because she proposed multiple ways in which the same sentence could be written for higher impact and recall value. As I already stated, we went through the same essay draft more than 10 times, because she pushed for perfection. Even when we might have had differing thoughts on things, she used to provide well rationalized and thought out explanations for each of her points, which brought the best out of me. Also, one of the often understated and overlooked portions of this process is the application form itself. She made sure that in addition to extremely strong essays, we went through multiple iterations of application form short answers to curate the best possible overall application we could.

4. Trust and Belief - I had talked to 12 consultants when I was searching who to partner with, but what made me instantly connect with Gavriella was the belief she placed in me and my candidacy. I was a non-traditional applicant from an overrepresented demographic. I was unsure whether I was dreaming too big. But when I talked to her, I immediately felt that she understood me and I got a sense that she would make my dream of getting into Stanford hers, and boy I was right!

5. Friend and Confidant - As I have stated, applying to business school is more than a full time job. More than a consultant, you need a friend who will motivate you when you need it, who will hear you rant when you are stressed and who feels every inch of your emotion all the way. That’s what Gavriella was to me, which made this process all the more easier.

I can go on and on about the indelible impact she has had, but in summary, I would simply not be where I am today without her. I highly recommend you to choose her in a heartbeat for she can single handedly change your life.

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I worked with Gavi for a 5 school package (all M7 schools), and I have no shortage of praise for Gavi! Gavi helped me convert all 5 of my applications into interviews, resulting in 3 acceptances all with scholarship / fellowships. I will be attending Wharton this fall with a fellowship thanks to her support!

While the MBA application process can be a grueling challenge filled with uncertainty, anxiety, and stress and Gavi operates as a true partner to help break down the application process into a tenable journey.

Gavi has an incredibly deep toolkit to help prepare you for the application process. As an attentive listener, strong communicator, and deep empath, she takes the time to deeply understand her clients so that she can tailor her guidance specifically to you. Gavi will get to know you and help you create an application that highlights you in the best way possible.

Though I was randomly assigned to work with Gavi through the mbaMission consult, I feel blessed to have had the opportunity to work with her. My application and preparation would not have been what it was without her. I attribute so much of my success in the application process to her guidance and support. The only sad part about the MBA application process being over for me is not getting to work with Gavi anymore!

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I cannot recommend Gavriella enough for her exceptional assistance in my MBA admissions journey. Gavriella's genuine passion for her work shines through in every interaction. She doesn't just provide a service; she becomes personally invested in your success, going the extra mile to ensure you have the best chance of admission. Her dedication to each client is remarkable, making it her mission to support and guide you through every step of the process. Thanks to Gavriella's expertise and commitment, I not only secured admission to my dream MBA program but received multiple offers. If you're looking for an admission consultant who truly cares about your success, look no further than Gavriella Semaya.

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I can only speak positively about my experience working with Gavriella. Candidly, I did work with a consultant other than Gavriella during majority of my application process. Once I submitted my applications, I was fortunate enough to be invited to interview at several programs. At the time, my original consultant was inundated with work, so he recommended that I prepare the interviews with Gavriella. He spoke highly of her and felt that she would provide fresh and objective feedback.

Gavriella exceeded my expectations in every possible way. I was nervous pivoting to a different consultant on such short notice, especially before what felt like the biggest moment in my application process. Gavriella accommodated my tight schedule in every way possible. She provided helpful technical advice and thoughtful perspectives that I could implement immediately. She offered to do as many follow-up sessions as necessary to reinforce the prior work we had done to ensure I felt comfortable, confident, and prepared going into my interviews. Gavriella took the time to understand my story and to connect with me as the human behind the stressful application process. It was a true pleasure working with Gavriella and I recommend her highly and without reservation.

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