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Product mbaMission School Package
Consultant Helen Summers
I didn't know about MBA consulting service till I went to a conference in September and encountered a different MBA consulting service company. I did my research and decided to go with mbaMission.
I would say Helen's biggest asset would be her ability to play with words. I am not a writer, so I needed a lot of help on my essays. I knew what I was trying to convey, but somehow I couldn't translate onto paper. Helen was able to make my story to the point, add more color, and make it flowed.
I paid a little more for the 5 schools package because I wanted to play it safe and have a range of schools. However, some of the schools have similar essay prompt, and you can probably do okay with 3 schools package.
Thanks Helen!
Product mbaMission School Package
Consultant Helen Summers
I worked with Helen Summers at mba mission and she was absolutely amazing! I did the full school package for 5 schools. She helped me narrow down schools I should apply to based on fit / feasibility, helped me find a great GMAT tutor, and really took the time to get to know me and why I wanted an MBA. She pushed me hard to dig deep when brainstorming essay topics, wasn't afraid to call my BS when she knew I could be doing better, and was constantly providing valuable and critical feedback in a timely manner. She was also great at helping me get out of my comfort zone with the essays and really telling my stories in a eloquent and unique way. Without her help, there is no way I would have gotten into 3 top schools!
Product mbaMission School Package
Consultant Helen Summers
I am not the type of person to usually post reviews online but I wanted to make an exception for my experience with mbaMission. I would highly recommend the program for anyone needing guidance on their B school applications. I personally worked with Helen who I though did an amazing job of helping me along the process. They have a tested and proven method for all stages of the application process and I thought they did a great job of giving me a step by step guide of how to go about the process and what kind of information to try to present to the admission committees. Helen helped me put my best foot forward and form a specific story regarding each school. If you do the work and listen to their advice and feedback it will be a beneficial service. I would do the free 30 minute consultation and then go from there. I also think the earlier you start the program the better so you are able to get the most out of the service and have as many drafts and exchanges as needed with your consultant to prepare the best application possible.
Product mbaMission School Package
Consultant Helen Summers
Very simply, I'm not sure I would have gotten into Booth - my first choice school - without Helen at mbaMission. After sending in my brainstorming material, Helen helped me uncover the key themes in my personal story that I wanted to highlight in my application. She helped me frame the application and suggested an overall organizational structure. Helen's greatest strength was speaking directly. She provided blunt, honest, and constructive feedback. And, she was always right. Helen won't project manage you, and you'll need to own your deadlines and the pacing to get things done. But, if you're looking for straightforward and substantive input on your work, Helen might be the perfect fit. You'll never be confused about what she thinks is working and what isn't.
Ultimately, I produced an application I was really proud of and the outcome was as good as I could have possibly hoped for - thanks to Helen.
Product mbaMission School Package
Consultant Helen Summers
At first I was very hesitant to sign up for a school package. I had heard about admissions consultants and thought that I would be able to get the same amount of valuable insight from forums online without paying the money. I ended up doing the free thirty minute consultation with Helen and realized I needed to sign up for a school package.
Helen is a perfectionist and is a great person to have on your side throughout the admissions process. She works with you to figure out how to make you shine and helps you convey your story in the best way possible. She goes above and beyond, constantly proofreading drafts and always giving really insightful feedback. She has a very fast response rate and I never felt like I was waiting for her to get back to me. It actually felt like she was keeping me on schedule! On top of it all, she is honest and gives feedback in a way that does not seem critical or judgmental. Applying to business school is stressful, but I always felt like I had an edge with Helen. I know I would not be going to a top program (with a fellowship) if it wasn't for all of her help and guidance.
Ultimately, I only wanted to apply to business school once. I wanted to be sure that I was selecting schools that I could see myself going to, but that I also had a good shot at getting into. I knew that if I didn't use a consultant and ended up not getting in anywhere, I would be really disappointed knowing I'd have to wait another year to re-apply. I decided I wasn't okay with wondering "what if" and so I bit the bullet and signed up to work with Helen. I couldn't be happier!
Product mbaMission School Package
Consultant Helen Summers
I'm very excited to to say that I will be attending Wharton this fall and I couldn't have done it without Helen's help! Before working with Helen, I felt like I had a solid understanding of my answers to the major b-school application questions - why b-school, why school X, why now - and that I just needed a second opinion on my essays. Helen provided that and SO much more! She was the candid and honest voice that I needed to help my writing be genuine, clear, and impactful. She helped me dig deeper into my experiences to ensure I was bringing all relevant examples to the forefront of my application. She asked the tough questions and gave the hard-to-hear feedback when needed. And above all, she got to know me and gave me the opportunity to get to know her which tremendously benefited our working relationship that lasted a few short months. Her vibrant personality paired with her utmost professionalism made her a pleasure to work with and I hope that she continues to impact many future MBA candidates!
Product mbaMission School Package
Consultant Helen Summers
When starting my application process, I was conflicted as to whether I should hire a MBA consultant or not.
I was confident in my writing abilities and unsure as to how much value a service like this would actually add.
After speaking to Helen Summers for our free consultation, I definitely felt much more comfortable about moving forward with MBA Mission, and she followed up our conversation with a VERY comprehensive email outlining my strengths, weaknesses, and how I could frame my application to schools. Note that this was before I even hired MBA Mission.
I decided to take the plunge and was overall very happy with MBA Mission and Helen. I opted to take the unlimited package, which I certainly recommend - even for one school, I definitely went over the number of hours that they offer on an ala carte basis. It felt very liberating to keep editing, changing, and not have to worry about using up all my hours.
Helen provided concrete and useful feedback to my essays. She did not unnecessarily revise my essays for the sake of it, and was vocal about telling me whether something "worked" or not.
The numerous revisions to my resume was the most helpful - re-formatting your resume from a professional one to an MBA application version is time consuming and difficult. Helen made it easy and was never short or brief on her explanations of why she wanted something to change.
Helen was also very helpful in my interview preparation for Columbia, which according to my interviewer I "aced."
Most importantly, Helen was supportive and upbeat. She seemed to genuinely care about my application and helping me get in (which I did!).
Having someone to coach, push, and motivate you to get your application together is an excellent tool, and that's exactly what MBA Mission provides. In the end, I would certainly recommend both MBA Mission and Helen - while it's hard to quantify exactly how much a company like this helps, it gives you peace of mind knowing that you're doing everything you can to increase your odds.
Product mbaMission School Package
Consultant Helen Summers
Hi all! I am writing to recommend Helen with FLYING colors. Her name was sent my way by several people, both students and admissions officers who are familiar with her work. I set out to apply to one of the most competitive business school programs, the Stanford Graduate School of Business, and with Helen's help I was able to apply and got accepted in Round 1!
Helen was extremely thorough. She really leveraged the brainstorming exercise to identify key elements of you application that you should highlight. She also asked the tough questions to ensure that your story is tight and make sense. She is also very straight forward and realistic. She was not afraid to point out where the weaknesses were in my application and how we could compensate. She gave me honest feedback on my essays telling me when what I wrote was just fluff. She also continually pushed me to be better saying, "This is good but I know it can be better."
Helen is EXTREMELY experienced and qualified. An HBS alum herself she knows the process and is very blunt in letting you know what it takes. Also, she know how stressful the process can be and was very accessible when I needed her and was great about turning around feedback in very quick timing. She was also ALWAYS willing to hop on a call and talk through any questions I had on her feedback.
I can honestly say I would NOT have gotten in GSB without Helen! I hope many of you can have the same great experience I did!
Product mbaMission School Package
Consultant Helen Summers
Helen Summers is amazing. When considering to use the services of an admissions consultant I was a little sceptical. I read a lot of testimonials and reviews like this very one and wondered whether the candidates behind all those with successful admission experiences actually needed a consultant to begin with. I wondered whether they were all just exceptional individuals and whether their constant made any real difference. I now know the answer to those questions and let me tell you that I couldn’t have been more wrong.
Helen is the person who got me into Booth, without her I can honestly say that I would not be heading to business school this fall. I guess the true test of Helen’s skills a consultant and her impact on my application is whether I would use her services again. My answer is categorically YES.
Helen’s skills and contribution to my application are best represented by comparing my submitted essays with my very early attempts, particularly those that I attempted prior to working with her. The difference is massive, to the point where I am now embarrassed by my initial attempts. I put a huge amount of effort into my application and Helen matched me at every step. Helen went above and beyond what she was contracted to do. She regularly sent me feedback within a few hours and worked until the early hours of the morning and at weekends. We only spent a few weeks working together but I think almost every essay had at least 10 or 11 drafts! So be prepared to work hard.
I was really impressed with how professional Helen was yet she remained so personal. She was honest, fair and not afraid to provide me with ideas and the constructive criticism necessary to improve my application. This is what really made the difference between creating an average application and the one that got me admitted. She pushed me further than I would have pushed myself, she ensured that every word of my application had meaning and maximum impact. Helen is a pleasure to work with, generous with her time and contributions. It is clear from working with Helen that she genuinely feels for her clients and wants them to succeed, not only from a professional perspective but also personal.
Not only did Helen help me create a successful application, but I learnt a huge amount about myself from working with her. I also learnt so much about the MBA application process and what schools are looking for. I have a sub 700 GMAT score and was regarded as a ‘wild card’ for Booth. But because of Helen this wild card got accepted!
Deciding to work with Helen and MBA Mission is probably one of the best investments/decisions that I’ve ever made.
Product mbaMission Hourly Services
Consultant Helen Summers
I worked with Helen Summers as my mbaMission consultant over the summer while I applied to Harvard, Stanford and Haas (all in Round 1). I’ve been accepted at Stanford, which was far and away my top choice, and I absolutely know that I couldn’t have done it without all the help I got from Helen! I had already taken the GMAT so I mostly worked with Helen on my essays, resume and short answers. Helen helped me both with brainstorming stories and themes for my essays, as well as tons of proofreading and draft revisions.
Helen was an absolute dream to work with. Helen is extremely personable and friendly, which made me feel totally comfortable talking to her about more personal essay topics or the struggles I was having through the process. I really felt like she was genuinely invested in me and rooting for me on a personal level the whole time. She also was very efficient and organized, always getting back to me quickly and clearly, so I felt that every single minute of my consulting time was maximized. Finally, the advice she gave was invaluable. Helen was very direct and gave honest, unbiased feedback about my essays — when something wasn’t working, she wasn’t afraid to tell me, which is exactly what I needed! However, she always gave feedback in a constructive way so I felt like I had a very clear, actionable idea of what I needed to change.
When I look back at the first draft of my essays compared to the final applications I submitted, they are absolutely worlds apart, and so much of that is thanks to Helen. I recommend her and mbaMission unreservedly!