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Product Stratus Admissions Counseling MBA Admissions Counseling Packages
Consultant Susan Cera
Before meeting Susan, I truly believed there was no way I could get into a top 20 business school. However, Susan not only had a clear and structured process to help identify key and unique traits but she also helped me to regain my confidence and pride in my accomplishments to date. She helped to dig up all my accomplishments including ones that I never thought were significant. She patiently helped me revise my CV 10 times with no complaints but the mere justification that she wanted it to be absolutely perfect. She helped me navigate standardized testing anxiety and reminded me that scores are just a small part of the entire application. Susan made navigating the tricky application process easier by providing tips & tricks that someone completing an application on their own would never know. It is no question that part of the reason I got into the schools I did was thanks to Susan and her team! If you are applying to grad school working with Susan and stratus is worth every penny.
Product Stratus Admissions Counseling MBA Admissions Counseling Packages
Consultant Susan Cera
Choosing Stratus, and specifically Susan Cera, has proven to be a life-changing decision. Initially torn between two options, resounding recommendations from Susan's previous clients gave me the confidence to move forward with her - a decision that exceeded all expectations.
We started off by delving into the intricacies of my past experiences, meticulously exploring every detail relevant to my business school application. What initially felt like a chaotic stream of stories and reflections was expertly curated by Susan, weaving together pertinent details to create a narrative that not only showcased my breadth as an applicant but also articulated a coherent story of my journey and distinctive qualities that set me apart from the crowd.
Her guidance was instrumental in forming a cohesive strategy, pinpointing areas of development to address through an MBA and identifying key themes that authentically portrayed my character and career trajectory. Throughout numerous iterations and feedback sessions, Susan remained steadfast in her commitment to refining and polishing each aspect, steering me back on course even when I veered off track.
We also completely remade my resume, with each word meticulously selected under her guidance, drawing from her extensive experience as an admissions committee member at Duke Fuqua. Further, once I got to the interview stage at my first choice school, Wharton, Susan arranged for a mock interview with a colleague—a Wharton graduate—who provided invaluable insights and tailored guidance specific to Wharton's interview process. Each step of this journey, from brainstorming sessions to interview preparations, was marked by Susan's dedication to excellence, ensuring that the final product was nothing short of exceptional, which in turn led to my being accepted to Wharton. I cannot overstate the impact of her guidance, and I am immensely grateful for her role in helping me achieve my aspirations.
Product Stratus Admissions Counseling Hourly Services
Consultant Susan Cera
I had the privilege of working closely with Susan for my 2+2 MBA applications with a deadline in April 2023. Susan played a pivotal role in guiding me through the entire application process, from the initial ideation phase to crafting a compelling MBA narrative and presenting it convincingly. Her support was marked by thoughtfulness, honesty, and unwavering availability whenever I needed assistance.
One standout aspect of Susan's support was her offer to provide input and guidance to my recommenders. This was a significant help in ensuring that my recommendations aligned perfectly with my application goals. Susan also helped me to differentiate between a standard job resume and an MBA-focused resume. She made several subtle but impactful adjustments to my application that I would have easily overlooked on my own.
I cannot recommend Susan highly enough. Her deep understanding of the MBA application process is unparalleled, and her dedication to her clients is truly commendable. Even after the application process concluded, Susan has maintained regular contact and offered to meet in person, demonstrating her genuine care and commitment. Susan is not only a remarkable coach but also a wonderful person, and anyone fortunate enough to have her as a coach is truly lucky.
Product Stratus Admissions Counseling MBA Admissions Counseling Packages
Consultant Susan Cera
I had the privilege of getting to work with Susan as my MBA Admissions consultant. Susan was recommended to me by a friend who worked with her last year and spoke so highly of her that I knew she was someone I could trust to get my MBA applications across the finish line. Prior to working with Susan, I had written my MBA essays on my own the previous year with the plan to submit my applications without an MBA consultant. I had doubts about my ability to get my story across in my applications and I ultimately decided that working with an MBA consultant and waiting another year would give me the confidence I needed to put my best foot forward. Susan was living proof that I had made the right decision.
During my time with Susan, I had the chance to start over with my MBA applications and use the Introspection exercises to really reflect on who I was, what my passions were, and why I ultimately wanted to get an MBA. She helped me identify themes that represented who I was and channeled these themes throughout my application, essays, and recommendations. There were certain experiences I shared with her that I had not considered highlighting in my application but she saw those experiences differently, which allowed me to share a unique perspective of myself. Susan also leveraged her network and her Stratus teammates, such as Melisa Prevost (huge shoutout!), to help connect me with the right resources and chat with previous clients about their MBA admissions journey.
When it came to feedback, whether it was my essays, my resume, or interview preparation, Susan was thorough and upfront, which made such an impact for me to not be afraid to change my content entirely or start over. She pushed me to go beyond my comfort zone with conveying my emotions in my essays and helped me to refine my resume bullet points and my interview responses to be succinct.
Overall, I can say that Susan was one of the best investments I could have made with my MBA admissions journey. Because of her, I was able to get into multiple M7 schools, including Wharton, my dream school, where I will be matriculating at this year! Susan walks the walk and talks the talk and I could not be more thrilled to give her the highest of recommendations.
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Product Stratus Admissions Counseling MBA Admissions Counseling Packages
Consultant Susan Cera
I am immensely grateful for Susan’s guidance, which helped me get admitted to my dream MBA program at Stanford!
Susan was instrumental in working with me to sift through essay ideas and find my “voice.” Susan prepared me thoroughly for my MBA interview, providing critical feedback on how my responses would be perceived from an interviewer’s point of view and helping me to gain the confidence to succeed. As a former admissions officer who has also coached so many other candidates, Susan brings a level of insight and judgement that friends, family, and colleagues cannot replicate. Furthermore, Susan encouraged me to apply for a merit scholarship, which I would not have considered on my own. Susan has helped me better understand myself even beyond the MBA application.
Looking back, I remember browsing these forums when trying to decide whether to work with Susan and her team at Stratus. I would say to my old self without hesitation to work with Susan – see it as a worthwhile investment in yourself!
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Product Stratus Admissions Counseling MBA Admissions Counseling Packages
Consultant Susan Cera
As the header says, I would not have succeeded without Susan. I came into the process with a good GMAT score, my heart set on one M7 program, zero preparation, no backup plan, and a 4-week deadline. Luckily, I found Susan who took me on as a client and righted the ship immediately. Not only did I get accepted, but Susan helped me articulate my character and personal narrative in ways that I still use today. I owe a huge part of my admissions success to Susan and recommend her to anyone who wants to maximize their business school application.
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Product Stratus Admissions Counseling MBA Admissions Counseling Packages
Consultant Susan Cera
After quite a bit of research on different consultants, checking with references (both online and personal connetions), I had the fortune to work with Susan. I'm glad I did because I was admitted to my top choice!
One of the most challenging aspects of the application for me was how to coherently bring together all the elements of my past experiences and translate that into an application. Throughout the introspection process, Susan asked insightful and pertinent questions that helped me dig further into the details of my experiences. Once that work was done, she was instrumental in helping me parse through all the details to come up with a detailed and very focused narrative. I was concerned in working with a consultant that my "voice" might be stripped away, but was impressed by how she helped me maintain my "voice" throughout while helping me sharpen it to focus on communicating my story more clearly.
She was helpful in all parts of the application process (from helping review essays to updating the resume to preparing for the interview). Susan, together with the Stratus team, helped guide me through the high frequency of questions I had regarding my application with thoughtful replies.
The MBA application process can be an extremely nerve-wracking one. Many times, I revisited my essay, my narrative, and other parts of my application over and over again. Susan truly cared about me not only as a client, but as a person, helping me calm down during this intese process. Her words to "trust the process" are something I will never forget. I'm so glad I did listen because now I'll be going to my dream school. I cannot recommend her enough if you really want to go to your dream school!
Product Stratus Admissions Counseling Hourly Services
Consultant Susan Cera
As a Deferred Programs applicant, I was unsure of whether it would be worth the effort / money to engage with a consultant. After chatting with a lot of other consultants, I find myself immediately gravitating toward Susan’s radiating passion for her work and her students. I was also affirmed by her candid feedback on my profile and her realistic assessment of my chances. These characteristics - passion, candidness, and optimism - remain constant throughout my interactions with her after I purchased an hourly service.
I am so grateful that I did decide to hire a consultant. We first worked together to come up with my key themes and a strategic plan, which Susan played a significant in helping me articulate. During the essay editing process, Susan was responsive and provided thoughtful feedback for every draft. There were moments when I grew frustrated with my writing, but Susan was persistent and encouraging in helping me craft a compelling narrative that accurately portrays myself. When it came time for interviews, Susan was my biggest cheerleader. Beyond helping me with mock interviews, she would send me a note before my every interview. To note, throughout my engagement with Susan, she has always been efficient with the hours I purchased.
Eventually, I got into 3/5 schools I applied to and I could not have asked for a more professional, helpful, and compassionate advocate by my side than Susan.
Product Stratus Admissions Counseling MBA Admissions Counseling Packages
Consultant Susan Cera
As a candidate from an overrepresented category - teaming up with Susan was the best decision I made. Susan really puts in the additional effort to understand the applicant's story. Her attention to detail is impeccable and her dedication was a constant source of support throughout the application process. She took the time to really get to know me so that I could identify what is unique about me and present my most authentic self through my essays and interviews. Her introspective inquiry process helped me come to realize my personal and career ambitions. She is kind and candid - the best of both! With her help, I will be attending my dream (m7) school!
Product Stratus Admissions Counseling Hourly Services
Consultant Susan Cera
I still keep pinching myself, y'know. To ensure I am not stuck in an 'inception-esque' trance.
But I know it's real. My destiny was sealed the day the admission letter read 'Congratulations' with a celebratory confetti background wallpaper.
Mins later, I sent an email to Susan telling her that we had done it. We had converted our first US business school. The journey hadn't been easy, especially for an ORM (over-represented minority). So, let's dive right in.
In September 2021, I decided to finally shake off the dust of procrastination regarding my MBA plans. But, still reeling under the 'let-me down' eyes of self-doubt, I knew I needed guidance on the admissions process. After some secondary research online, I came across the website of Stratus Consulting and its senior director - Susan Cera.
Susan and I spoke for the first time end of September. It was a 30 mins consultation call wherein we discussed my profile. The discussion was highly directive. It was humbling to hear about my strengths and my blind spots. Susan did not mince her words, which helped me steer clear of any delusions I was carrying.
We decided to work together for the next 1-2 months, building my personalized MBA blueprint. This had three critical parts, each feeding into the other:-
a) Part 1: Gather data points by reflecting on past experiences across professional and personal settings
b) Part 2: Identify Attributes by leveraging the data points gathered
c) Part 3: Build Story by identifying stories that allude to those specific attributes
Post this exercise. We built out the second part of the strategy:-
a) Why MBA? And Why Now?
b) Post MBA goals? Short-term and Long-term
Further to this exercise, we refined my resume, driving specificity through the STAR (Situation, Task, Action, Result) framework.
Finally, we bucketed my target schools across three areas, i.e., Likely/Reach/Stretch. At this point, it is essential to mention that given my debilitating test anxiety, we decided to only look at schools with a GMAT waiver.
As part of the following steps, we worked selectively on a few essays, wherein Susan reviewed my story, constantly pushing me to direct my thoughts using the STAR format. Her #1 guidance to me was that 'specificity drives credibility,' and those golden words have been etched into my brain since then.
Our journey led us to convert to a top 20 B-School and get waitlisted at a top 15. I honestly did not expect to cut, but Susan – as my guardian angel – was there to reassure me in every way. She was more than a consultant, a sounding board that allowed me to vent my frustrations and insecurities without turning a page of judgment. I am forever indebted to her contribution, allowing this ORM a fighting chance at the top 20 MBA programs in the US.
