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Kate Richardson earned her MBA from the University of
Chicago’s Booth School of Business and has a BS in psychology from the
University of Illinois. After earning her MBA, Kate worked for several years in
management consulting at Axiom Consulting Partners, a boutique strategy
execution firm. Kate’s work at Axiom focused on ensuring that clients had the
right organization and talent in place to execute their business strategies. As
a principal with the firm, she also co-managed its recruiting program,
including hiring MBA interns, and mentored entry-level consultants. While at
Chicago Booth, Kate was actively involved in the Business Solutions Group and
the Dean’s Student Admissions Committee and was also an Admissions Fellow,
reading applications and conducting on-campus interviews. Kate has remained
involved in the Chicago Booth community since graduating by serving as
communications chair for the Booth Alumni Club of DC and as an alumni
admissions interviewer. Before attending business school, Kate worked in human
resources for Pepco Energy Services and KPMG. Kate brings a passion for identifying
and developing future business leaders to her work at mbaMission. Originally
from the Chicago area and having spent most of her professional career in
Washington, DC, Kate now lives in Columbia, South Carolina.
Product mbaMission School Package
Consultant Kate Richardson
Kate was an unbelievably exceptional consultant.
One of my biggest concerns with the process was balancing work and the applications, but Kate made sure I was completely on top of all of my deadlines, regularly checked in, and ensured I was always on track.
As someone who very often gets stressed and anxious, Kate promptly provided extremely sound and logical advice to all of my questions (which I had a million of) and even emotional support. She was exactly the type of calming influence I needed. She always made me feel my concerns were legitimate and valued, was always available, and always willing to chat.
She has exceptional understanding on the schools as well and gave me so much advice on how best to approach each school, talking through with me and pulling out the strengths I had. I ended up being accepted to both the HSWs I worked with her on.
I cannot speak highly enough of Kate and I would very very strongly recommend her.
Product mbaMission School Package
Consultant Kate Richardson
When I contemplated engaging an admissions consultant for my MBA applications, I was uncertain about the investment versus the value it would bring. But I wanted to learn what additional benefits admissions consultants had to offer. I talked to several folks, but Kate stood out more than anyone else. As an Indian male engineer, I recognized the competitiveness of my background. Kate helped me uncover my unique strengths, shaping a genuine and compelling narrative tailored to the schools I targeted. After experiencing her exceptional service with one MBA application, I was so satisfied that I chose to engage her for another school as well. And it doesn’t stop there. Kate has an amazing network of current and former MBA students. During the application process, she connected me with current MBA students at the schools I was interested in. This was extremely helpful in comparing MBA programs across culture, organizations, and career potentials. Even better, currently I’m going into my second year of the MBA program and trying to transition into product management (PM). Through Kate, I was able to connect with a current PM at the company I am going to intern with over the summer. I wholeheartedly endorse Kate as an admissions consultant. She offers comprehensive support from application to post-admission success, ensuring your journey to top programs is both fruitful and fulfilling.
Product mbaMission Hourly Services
Consultant Kate Richardson
Kate came highly recommended to me by several friends who had overwhelmingly positive experiences with her helping them gain admission to top / M7 schools. After being admitted to my top choice schools, I can safely say the experiences of my friends were not a fluke.
It's obvious that Kate cares about the success of her clients on a personal level. Aside from providing thorough feedback of my resume and essays, she kept me in the loop about information and happenings relevant to my choice schools. She administered a mock HBS interview which I ultimately found to be highly representative of the actual interview. I come from a relatively niche career background, but she performed thorough research to give specific, focused questions and feedback.
Well past the application reviews and interviews, she remained in constant contact to provide thorough answers to my questions and updates. Ultimately, I gained admission to my top choice / M7 schools - despite my GPA starting with a "2".
I strongly endorse Kate to anybody pursuing admittance to the MBA program of their choice.
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Product mbaMission School Package
Consultant Kate Richardson
Kate is an exceptional MBA admission consultant, possessing extensive experience and expertise in the field. I had the pleasure of working with Kate for applications to both Booth and Kellogg, and I am thrilled to share that I gained admission to both institutions, with the added bonus of receiving a scholarship for Booth.
Throughout our collaboration, Kate remained unwavering in her support, demonstrating a keen understanding of my challenges, such as my lower-than-desired GMAT score. She provided invaluable guidance, recommending alternative exams like the Executive Assessment to meet stringent application deadlines. Despite my demanding work schedule, Kate consistently delivered prompt feedback on my essays, ensuring that I stayed on track with my application tasks.
Kate's commitment to my success was truly remarkable. Her ability to deeply listen, identify my strengths, and craft compelling narratives played a pivotal role in strengthening my applications. Working with her was a pleasure; her calm demeanor, organizational skills, and diligence were evident in every aspect of the application process.
I wholeheartedly endorse Kate as one of the best MBA consultants I've had the privilege of working with. Her exceptional qualities make her a top choice for anyone seeking guidance in their MBA journey.
Product mbaMission School Package
Consultant Kate Richardson
Currently I am a woman in Consulting who was looking to get an MBA to focus and pivot to Technology. Kate was an incredible resource to help me figure out my MVA goals. She guided me through the process all the way from choosing schools, submitting applications, and writing letters for merit scholarships. Kate's deep understanding of the various programs combined with insightful discussions about my career goals ensured that I shaped my applications tailored to the schools. Kate's unwavering support made the MBA application process less daunting - providing a detailed calendar view of all next steps in order to stay on track. Through essay help, mock interviews, and continuous engagement, Kate provided an outstanding experience, and I could not recommend her more.
Product mbaMission Hourly Services
Consultant Kate Richardson
Kate is truly an exceptional consultant/guide/advisor. The MBA application process is very daunting and one of Kate’s many strengths was helping me manage all of the moving parts that go into an application. From our initial consultation, Kate helped me identify areas of my profile that needed attention while helping me identify schools/programs/career paths that would fit well into my profile and story. As an applicant from a nontraditional background (engineering/STEM), Kate was invaluable in guiding me to hit the sweet spot of showcasing my skills and experience without sounding like an engineering textbook. Something that I think really helped with my application was having Kate review my letters of recommendation. Kate worked directly with my recommenders to help them better understand what areas needed to be highlighted in their letters. It made me feel much better knowing that someone as experienced as Kate was reviewing the part of my application that I had little control over. Additionally, Kate helped me prepare for interviews (which I highly recommend) and acted as a sounding board for when I had to choose where to enroll out of the 4 amazing programs I was admitted to. I would not be where I am today without Kate. Thank you so much!!!
Product mbaMission School Package
Consultant Kate Richardson
As a nontypical applicant (social science undergrad, career in nonprofits, gap in my work history) I recognized that I needed a consultant to partner with for the business school application process and my friends had recommended mbaMission. After exploring consultants online, I knew I wanted to work with Kate because of her experience and interest in working with those from nontraditional backgrounds, which proved to be invaluable. She helped me craft my personal story to cater to the unique aspects of each program, and identified key points to highlight my strengths and enable me to condense my essays to fit the strict word limits. Most importantly, she was the level-headed cheerleader I needed during this demanding process. She set realistic expectations, provided constructive criticism, celebrated achievements both big and small, and eased video essay and interview-related anxiety. Kate also worked with my three references (colleagues and mentors in the nonprofit sector who had never written business school recommendations) to ensure they successfully conveyed my potential as a future business leader. In the end, I was accepted to two out of the three M7s I applied to, including my first choice program. I doubt this would have been possible without Kate’s expert guidance. Applying to the top MBA programs can be a confusing and grueling process, so if you are wondering whether to hire Kate to support you, the answer is yes!
Product mbaMission Hourly Services
Consultant Kate Richardson
I worked with Kate during the 2021-22 application cycle. I started out the MBA application process largely unsure of where to start. Kate provided immensely valuable end-to-end guidance, including school selection given my stats and background, potential essay narratives based on my story, resume clean-up, essay review, and ultimately interview prep. Having an expert to provide direction along the way gave me the confidence I needed throughout the entire process!
My outcomes were extremely positive – I applied to 4 M7s, received 4/4 interview invites, and was ultimately accepted to Kellogg (my top choice) and CBS. I was thrilled to say the least and attribute so much of my success to Kate’s support! I can’t recommend Kate enough!
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Product mbaMission School Package
Consultant Kate Richardson
Kate was a really helpful adviser to my application process. She has worked with so many applicants across so many applications and that experience really showed through my process. Her familiarity with all the schools I applied to helped me figure out the best way to tailor my story to each school. If she didn't immediate know the answer to my questions, she always followed up afterwards. Kate was always prepared for every brainstorming meeting and had the time to provide me feedback by the deadlines she promised or to discuss comments via Zoom. Her deep experience also showed during our mock interviews. Practicing with someone who knows the types of questions that are often asked by every school is critical. Kate always gave constructive feedback and I felt better prepared for my real interviews after every session. Work with Kate if you want someone who is deeply experienced and cares to see you succeed! I'm now Wharton bound with her help!
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Product mbaMission School Package
Consultant Kate Richardson
I remember telling Kate near the middle of my MBA application process that "I really don't think I'm remarkable" only for Kate to respond quickly that "Everyone is remarkable in their own way!" Kate never wavered in her support for me, even when I was feeling a bit burnt out from GMAT, work and essay writing. It was her affirming notes and willingness to help me at every step of the process that made all the difference for me.
Beyond her thoughtfulness, Kate made sure that I was on top of deadlines and that I was giving each part of my application enough time. She has an amazing ability to listen deeply to what made me tick, pull out my strengths and articulate my story in the best light. This was especially the case for my Yale Essay in which I had a hard time connecting all the pieces to my "commitment". She helped provide suggestions and edits that made the final essay have such a punchy conclusion. I really loved it and I guess Yale did too :)
I cannot say it enough in how much I appreciate and love working with Kate. I won't forget how calm she is, how organized she is (always on time with providing updates) and how she always knows what to say. I would not be in the position I am today without her. Trust all the 5 star reviews, Kate's the best!