Sharon Joyce Reviews

I worked with Sharon during Round 1 applications for the current cycle (2022 start). I bought the 3-school package from Fortuna which meant that I had support all the way from refining my resume to essay editing and interview prep. I targeted 2 M7 schools and 1 T10 school and got into 2 of them, including my top choice (1 with a significant scholarship; waiting for the scholarship decision from the other).

Based on my experience, Sharon was amazing to work with and one of the main reasons I got in!

I was paired with Sharon on the recommendation of my contact at Fortuna and never actually spoke to her before we started working together. From the get-go, her working style resonated with me and I knew I made the right decision. Sharon took the time to get to know me and understand my reasons for pursuing an MBA. She was organized, detail-oriented and had a clear plan for helping me refine my application and have everything ready to submit based on our internal deadlines. Through Sharon’s previous experience working in admissions offices, she was able to provide unique insights into what schools were looking for and helped me refine my story to help me stand out.

I had spoken to one other MBA admissions consultant and felt that they were distant, unapproachable, and pessimistic about my odds of getting into a T10 school. Sharon and the whole Fortuna team were the total opposite. Sharon truly understands the MBA admissions process thoroughly and was able to provide honest feedback regarding my chances of getting into my target schools. As someone from a non-traditional background, there were many moments when I was unsure whether I made the right decision. Sharon’s optimism and empathy helped me during these tough situations and helped me get through the draining MBA admissions process.

Overall, I highly recommend working with Sharon!

Read More

Why did I seek admissions advising?
Early in my business school application journey I spoke with MBA colleagues and friends to understand what lessons could be learned from those who had already walked the path. The resounding advice: do not underestimate or neglect the non-GMAT components of the application. I would be remiss not to reinforce that same message for anyone embarking on their admissions journey.
My success and acceptance to a top program can be attributed to taking that advice to heart and putting it into action by Partnering with Sharon Joyce and Fortuna. If you are serious about your application and you want the best in the business, this is it.

Why Fortuna?
• Scalable offerings – Fortuna offers both hourly billing and comprehensive packages. My coach Sharon kindly indicated that hourly should be enough for me to achieve my goals, but I opted to go with the comprehensive one school package anyway because I felt I needed every edge I could get. This was important for me because it established a sense of trust early on. Sharon was not trying to talk me into anything I didn’t need and placed my best interest at the forefront early on.
• Top Talent – I had the please of meeting many of the coaches and directors throughout the process. Fortuna without a doubt has some of the most talented and well-connected staff in the game. Each coach has different strengths related to the application process, specific programs and geographies, so do your diligence upfront. You will also benefit from the cross-pollination of coaches e.g., I decided later in the process that I may toss an application at a European program and that week Sharon had me on the phone with the ex-admissions director for INSEAD.

Why Sharon?
If you have read Sharon’s Fortuna profile or other reviews, you know by now that she has an innate and unmatched ability to extract, polish, frame and re-frame individuality - the single most important element that your application should aim to embody: YOU. I will keep this short as other reviews have touched on this point – but if you value this trait, there is not another human being that can match her talent in this space. Period.
The reason I prefer to draw your attention to Sharon’s other attributes is that in my own coach selection, my only apprehension was in answering the question: is she too specialized in this individualization thing? What else will I get? Allow me to enlighten you:
• An exceptionally brilliant, charismatic human being: If you need as much help as I did, you are going to be spending a considerable amount of time with your coach. You want someone who you are not only comfortable with, but enjoy spending time with. Sharon is an absolute delight - her passion for her work and genuine interest in you make the long hours and difficult moments not only endurable, but enjoyable.
• A strategic thought partner: I had very little direction when Sharon agreed to work with me. I was not even able to articulate why I wanted an MBA or why I chose the schools I did. I don’t recommend anyone come in at ground zero as I did, but the point is: Sharon met me there with grace and asked the right questions to give me the direction I desperately needed.
• An insider’s perspective: Sharon has years of experience in academia, and specifically as an admissions director for a top ten program. Her ability to channel the perspective on the receiving end of the application and apply it to how your application will be perceived is invaluable.
• A source of energy and accountability: I was already working 60+ hours a week and I knew I needed someone to push me. I was upfront about this with Sharon, giving her the permission to push me hard when it was needed. She heard me and took on the role that I needed - pushing when it was time and counseling with clear eyes when I was overwhelmed and disoriented.
• Clear direction; direct and honest feedback: My favorite thing about Sharon – she is not afraid to be direct and honest. In retrospect, she saved me from some very bad essay, video, and resume ideas, and did so very quickly backing her position with strong reason and real-life examples. She is not abrasive, but she is very direct. If she senses you heading down the wrong path, she does not give you a long cryptic fable to take away chew on. Instead she gives you direct, honest, and logical feedback. When time is of the essence, this is a highly valuable trait.
• Value beyond the contract: Beyond providing the services outlined in the Fortuna contract, Sharon is willing (within reason) to operate outside of scope. This was never anything I asked for or expected. For example: I shared that I was working with my organization to further develop our Inclusion and Diversity framework and principles. Later that night I had three perfectly relevant research papers in my inbox as well as an offer to connect me to the Director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion for a top five MBA program.

To conclude, the best way I know how to help you understand Sharon, is by referencing an artist at work - as this is what she truly is. She can step back and see your canvas from a far, coming back the next day to add some hatching there, some shadowing there, and sfumato where it’s needed. She will continue to do this, sometimes unnoticeably, until the end when you view the entirety of the application for the first time and realize just how polished and harmonic each component has become.

Read More

I was fortunate enough to work with Sharon as I navigated the MBA application process. I worked with her during Round 2 of this past cycle (2020 – 2021). From the start, I decided to apply to five of the “Top 10” MBA programs in the US. And, with her help I was able to get interviews at three of them getting accepted into my target school!

Sharon’s support and honest feedback allowed me to portray my uniqueness in my essay and through the rest of my application. Additionally, because of experience in admissions I was able to tailor my applications to each of the schools I targeted.

Some of the major actions Sharon took for my success were the following:
- She reviewed my profile and helped me come up with a strategy for each of the schools I was targeting.
- She defined a clear timeline for my application deliverables (especially helpful with recommendation letters).
- Her approach and coaching strategy provided accountability for me to stick to my deadlines.
- She went above and beyond providing extensive feedback to the multiple iterations of my essays.

All of the above Sharon did while being positive, supportive and someone who I really enjoyed working with. Again, I couldn’t recommend more working with her. She was organized and clearly on top of things.

Read More

My experience with Sharon was excellent! I struggled with confidence regarding my MBA profile; although I have a strong GMAT and high GPA, going into the process, I had very poor work experience (0 promotions, long layoff periods, no brand name companies, and low salaries), non-existent extra curriculars, and I am a male ORM. I viewed myself as pretty unremarkable, with nothing unique to write about and that showed in my essays. During R1, I got 0 interviews from any of the 6 T15 schools where I applied.

Working with Sharon, I was able to use her suggestions to pinpoint what my essays were lacking. Through her guidance, I discovered that things in my past, that I viewed as unremarkable, could be leveraged into storytelling that would appeal to admissions committees. I incorporated these experiences into my Round 2 essays, texting and emailing Sharon practically everyday as deadlines neared to quell my insecurities - she kept me in a positive mindset and kept me on the right track. I ended up with interview invitations to all 5 T15 schools that I applied to in Round 2, resulting in 2 Waitlists, and 1 acceptance with a generous scholarship. I attribute some of this success to also doing comprehensive interview preparation with Sharon - she helped me focus on what would be important to convey and what would be important to emphasize at the programs where I interviewed.

Aside from the noticeable improvements in my applications, I think the best thing about working with Sharon was the mental support she provided me. When I was looking for a consultant, I actually had a company tell me that I had no shot at any of the schools I was targeting, stating my work experience as the biggest downfall. Sharon was very supportive of my aspirations, reassuring me that my profile was solid and my story will be strong enough to gain admissions to a competitive and selective b-school.

Read More

I had an incredible experience working with Sharon and cannot recommend her highly enough as an admissions consultant. I targeted three M7s and one T10 and was admitted to two of the M7s and the T10 with scholarship offers at two of the three.

Like many, I spent a month or so taking advantage of the many free consultations that exist to learn more about the admissions consulting process, gauge the strength of my application, and determine whether partnering with an admissions consultant could be the right fit for me. I knew going in that if I did decide to leverage a consultant that I wanted to have someone who I could trust to be a confidant and to support me throughout the process.

After going through a handful of calls, I wasn’t optimistic – I hadn’t found the right person with a working style that resonated with me. However, after speaking with Sharon, I knew that she was the right fit immediately. In that initial call, she showed a genuine interest in my story and her warmth and empathy shone through (which, if you’re lucky enough to work with her, you’ll find out quickly!).

The application process is grueling and stressful. Working with Sharon was a dream. She was incredibly supportive, insightful, detail-oriented, efficient (especially important if you use an hourly package like I did!) and unafraid to push you to do more or dig deeper when you need it most. Perhaps most importantly, Sharon can do all of this well because of her extraordinary empathy. With Sharon, you will always feel like you have someone who is in your corner and who understands your unique story. If you partner with Sharon, you will not regret it.

Read More

I can’t recommend Sharon enough. I was able to secure admission to the Haas EWMBA program, which was my top choice, thanks in large part to Sharon and Fortuna admissions.

I chose the hourly sessions from her. She tracked all our work in a spreadsheet: minute by minute, so I was always aware of exactly what she was working on. I was initially skeptical about working with a consultant due to the cost involved, but if you are having similar thoughts, I highly suggest you evaluate the cost of consultation vs opportunity cost due to missed admit, or the fees of a top-tier MBA program, and suddenly this cost seems like a drop in the bucket. Sharon was very well organized and highly responsive during the entire process. I was in a time crunch and had just 2 weeks’ time before the R3 deadline when I approached her, but she made sure that I was able to get the best version of my application submitted on time. She made me introspect what truly matters to me and that helped me immensely while crafting my main essay for Haas. If not for her counselling, I would have submitted an essay which I thought was compelling at that moment, but rather a subpar one in hindsight. Being from an overrepresented male Indian engineer category, I wanted to distinguish myself from the pool of similar applicants and Sharon’s guidance helped me do just that. This is where her rich experience of working in admissions for over 25 years and as an Associate Director of Admissions at Berkeley Haas shines. She also did a thorough review of my final application and helped me cross all t’s to ensure that I don’t have any gaps. She recognized the strengths and weaknesses in my profile and gave me pinpoint advice on how to highlight or mitigate these respectively. She even introduced me to other Haas admits, so that we can network prior to school, which speaks volumes about how determined she is in helping her clients succeed.

Read More

My experience working with Sharon was nothing short of phenomenal. Coming into the game with a sub-par undergrad engineering GPA, I knew that I was at a massive advantage from the get-go.

Sharon was incredibly easy to talk to and dove straight into the application process with me starting from the very first minute of the initial session - not a single minute felt like a waste. Sharon was able to identify my strengths almost immediately, and was really able to help me bring out my own unique perspective and voice in my essays and overall application in a way that I wouldn't have been able to do by myself. The entire process would have definitely taken me easily at least 3 times as long if I had done everything alone. I was working on a time crunch, since I repeatedly took the GMAT, up until literally one week before R2 deadlines, leaving me with less than half a week to perfect the rest of my application. Sharon was able to help me craft together EVERYTHING for a Haas reapplication - resume, essays, interview prep, and overall application - within the unbelievable span of 3 days. She was readily available, always just a text/email away, and was extremely responsive, even on the weekends. I was finally admitted to Haas, a Top 10 program, and could not be happier, given my GPA handicap going into the process.

Read More

I highly recommend working with Sharon; not only did I enjoy the process, but I felt very cared for and supported.

First, Sharon's experience was evident from the very beginning. I targeted Haas, and after talking with some other advisors, she stroke me as someone who really understood the school and program and had experience in distilling my story. Additionally, when you work with Sharon, you will get access to the Clifton Strengths assessment, which is a very valuable resource to identify new insights that can help you shape your story.

Sharon's experience as part of the admissions team was very helpful in bringing a clear perspective of what would be ignored and how best to highlight important pieces of my story. I struggled a lot with testing, and Sharon was very, very supportive through the whole process emotionally and with resources for studying. I have heard horror stories of advisors who are very rude to candidates with low scores and even had some advisors I talked to initially say, "reach out again when you have a better score." I think a good advisor is someone who will help you tell your story and overcome the barriers you will face in the process: Sharon is that kind of advisor. From her mindful follow-ups and detailed plan of action, all our interactions were very positive. I know and truly feel she cared about my success.

I felt particularly supported through my interview processes. Sharon helped me prepare very thoroughly, going over each possible question in detail and until I felt comfortable sharing my story and bringing it to life beyond my texts.

I worked with Sharon on my Haas application, and the whole process was also extremely useful as I crafted additional applications. I am currently on the waitlist at Haas, but I already see this as a success considering my GMAT score, and I am certain our work together contributed to me getting into the waitlist.

I highly recommend Sharon particularly for those who, like myself, like to have a very structured plan and clear next steps and are looking to feel supported through and through in this journey.

Read More

Sharon was the absolute BEST to work with as an admissions consultant! She was able to help me achieve my goals of getting interview invites from 3 of the 3 top-25 schools that I applied to (and acceptance letters from 2 of 3) in Round 2 of the 2020-2021 admissions cycle, arguably the most competitive cycle ever. All of this while under a serious time-constraint and with my relatively low test scores/GPA! She was quick, efficient, fair with timing, and gave helpful advice throughout the process. It was always a pleasure to speak with her, as she had the ideal personality of someone you spend hours working with! I would recommend Sharon to anybody looking for an admissions consultant.

Read More

I attribute my success to Sharon! With her guidance, I was thankful to be in the enviable position of choosing between offers from two top programs, one of which was my “dream school” in the 2020-2021 application cycle, which proved to be a very competitive year.

The efforts Sharon put forth were numerous: phone call/video chats to brainstorm, multiple iterations for each essay until we were both satisfied, many email exchanges (200+, I counted!) to discuss how to polish each elements in my application package to differentiate myself, mock interviews with comprehensive comments and notes ranging from behavioral interviewing techniques to etiquette.

As an Expert Coach, Sharon has in-depth knowledge of the end-to-end MBA application process, from brainstorming long/short term career goals, through presenting impressive stories, to conducting mock interviews. Sharon is a gifted coach who encouraged me to dig deep to find my strengths/areas for growth and then the guidance to articulate my “brand” concisely and professionally. Not once did we shortcut on any of the discovery process, which enabled me to bring out my best and most authentic self.

Sharon is timely, candid, thoughtful and provides direct feedback. Knowing that I'm from a tech background, she was conscientious in reminding me to avoid jargon and to avoid being too “in the weeds” on project details when conveying my stories. Beyond serving as a consultant, she was more of a mentor to me in the MBA application process -- she had an uncanny knack to immediately zero in on what I needed to improve and, most critically, the reasons behind those improvements.

Sharon made my application so much better and she even shaped my understanding of the MBA degree in a broader sense and what I should look to leverage in my studies to get the best return on my investment. We both had a great work rhythm and Sharon was always responsive to my emails with flexibility -- even on Thanksgiving eve! In each step of the way, I felt more comfortable and confident than ever with her coaching and mentoring.

In searching for an MBA Admissions firm, I talked to many consultants and they simply didn’t bring the same level of energy and enthusiasm Sharon displayed during our initial phone call. I signed up with Sharon thinking of her as a Coach and I am leaving the process thinking of her as a life-long friend. I give her my highest recommendation!

Read More