My first attempts at essay writing on my own were dreadful because:

1) I didn't believe I had anything extraordinary to tell - I haven’t cured cancer, started a charity, mentored a child, lived in another country, or lost 100 lbs.
2) I couldn't answer the essay questions effectively - 400+ words of background information
3) The tone/voice of my essays was off the mark - It is SO easy to sound whiny, bossy, judgmental, or just plain boring.

I knew I needed help but didn't have the money to hire a 1:1 consultant. So I signed up for the 3-day mbamission Application Boot Camp held in Chicago in August 2012.

The class amounted to 9 hours of live instruction with five other students, a 1 hour pre-recorded class online, and 30 minutes 1:1 with the instructor to review practice essays and answer questions, which I used to discuss application strategy. I was initially nervous about not getting the personal attention of my instructor in a classroom setting. But the group is an added benefit because there are other people to bounce ideas, give feedback, and ask the questions you didn’t think of. But still small enough that your instructor gets to know you, your profile, and answer your personal questions.

Angela Guido is a fantastic instructor. You can tell she has a real passion for this and truly wants to help you succeed. She is intelligent, straight forward, and will tell you like it is. She also has an amazing ability to hear your story and twist it with a fresh perspective, or pull out some ‘a-ha’ that you didn’t initially see, so that you can craft a unique essay. And she will help identify the weaknesses and pitfalls of your writing style, so you can avoid these going forward on your own.

After the class, I was super motivated and applied to 4 schools in Round 1. I got interview invites to all 4, and accepted to 3 - Wharton, Kellogg, & Duke.

If you are SERIOUS about getting into a top 10 program, you are going to need some help. And this class is the best bang for your buck! DO IT!

I worked with Liza from MBA Mission on 3 schools, and although I don't have a reference to compare my experience against, I do think that I couldn't have come up with such spot-on essays without Liza's help.

The process, I felt, was a very very involved one. There were many many iterations for every essay, and I'm talking 11 on an average and sometimes even 15 or 16. Liza worked with me very closely on them.

To sum up the process, we'd talk a bit about all the essays before we started to tackle writing them. We'd go through every question, and Liza would ask me questions (a lot of them) that really helped me search my life for relevant stuff that we could use. Liza would then tell me what she thinks about it – whether it's good enough or not, and why. She'd force me to seach harder and harder if she thought the story wasn't strong enough until I came up with something really strong.

Then, once we are settled on stories to write, the iteration begins. I'd come up with crap, and Liza would fix it. That would go on for 10-15 iterations until I had something awesome in hand. Liza was super-friendly, super-patient, and super-supportive through all the rejects – that actually helped a lot!

To sum it up, I'd recommend Liza very strongly. You can definitely count on her to bring out the best in you and then write it in a very compelling fashion.

I would highly recommend mbaMission's Rachel Beck for MBA aspirants who are looking to get guidance for their applications. She is an expert and a very dedicated consultant. She took allot of interest and spend allot of time in making my application very strong. She is very knowledgeable about the admissions process and knows what each school is looking for in a candidate.

With her help and guidance I was able to get into the school of my choice and even got scholarship offers from multiple schools. I would say I was very lucky to have her as my consultant.

I would highly recommend her.

As someone who has used a different consulting firm in the past (and had a much different result) I can tell you a little bit about what makes MBA Mission, and Rachel specifically, that much better. First, just to give you a sense of my profile: I work in management consulting for a very small firm, was graduated from a mid-tier undergraduate university with a 2.9GPA, have 5 years of work experience, and a 740 GMAT.

I decided to work with MBA Mission at the recommendation of a friend and couldn’t have been more pleased with the result. Rachel was an incredible asset throughout. She was able to help me compartmentalize the overwhelmingly large process into small manageable chunks and tackle each one effectively. From crafting my ‘story’ all the way through interviewing, she was there to provide great advice and guidance. I can say with near certainty that I would not have been accepted a top 5 school without her help!

The biggest thing that sets Rachel apart is her candor. It’s nice (and feels good) to have someone tell you how great you are, how perfect your essays are, and how big of a ‘shoe-in’ you are for whatever your top school is; but, that doesn’t get you that coveted acceptance letter. In retrospect, my previous consultant did a pretty poor job of managing my expectations (and helping me craft my application). This was definitely not the case with Rachel – she was blunt (but tactful and friendly) in telling me where I was weak and where I was strong all throughout the process. While it may have been a blow to my ego to hear that my essays weren’t perfect as written the first time (or the 10th), it is that kind of honesty that is really necessary to put together the best possible application and maximize the chances of acceptance. She was integral in helping me shape my story into one that would stand out amidst the pile of other applications and in a way that grabbed the reader’s attention quickly. She was particularly great at identifying elements of my profile, and my story, that I had completely overlooked but that the ad-com would love.

She was also a tremendous help with interview prep. A lot of people (and I was one of them) think that you can enter your interview without much preparation and just ‘wing it’ – Rachel was quick to change my thought process when, after doing rather poorly on our mock interview, she told me bluntly ‘you’re not going to get accepted unless you improve your answers to these questions.’ And then she proceeded to tell me exactly how I should improve. Her suggestions proved to be vital as I encountered many of the same questions she asked in the actual interview!

So, would I recommend her? Yes! A thousand times yes! Sure, working with a consultant is expensive; but, it is nothing when you consider the increase in your earnings potential for the rest of your life should you get accepted to a top school. The process is more complicated and potentially overwhelming than most people realize. A great consultant can really help you put your best foot forward and Rachel is certainly that. Work with her. You won’t regret it.

I first called for a free half hour consultation two years ago and was immediately impressed with the amount of work that Jessica had already put into reviewing my candidacy. Twice after that, my job situation changed in a way that caused me to re-evaluate my business school timeline. Both times Jessica provided me with support as she identified factors that I had not yet considered, even offering career advice. This was truly service above and beyond as I had yet to sign up for any mbaMission package.

When the right timing came along for me to sign up for business school, I did not hesitate to contact Jessica and signed up for a three school package. I was thrilled to work with her and was impressed throughout the whole process of how well she seemed to know me. You can tell by the energy that she puts into her work that she is invested in the future of her clients beyond the application process.

While working with Jessica and mbaMission, I appreciated that I never felt that I was being packaged in a way that was not authentic to who I am. The final essays were still my stories, my experience, and my voice, but presented with a polish that would have required countless hours (that I did not have to spare!) for me to achieve on my own. Beyond that, the materials provided by MBAmission were invaluable during the process. They gave me an efficient framework in which to tackle the application process, which I desperately needed as I was applying during one of our company’s busiest times of year.

When choosing a MBA consultant, choose someone you feel comfortable with, as you will likely be discussing with them intimate details of your life. For me, Jessica gave me the support and confidence to bring out stories from my past that were difficult to tell but important in defining who I am. This type of reflection not only led to an admittance at my top choice of Stanford, but enabled me to learn a lot about myself during the process.

I would absolutely, without hesitation, recommend Jessica to anyone considering an MBA consultant.

When I had my free consultation with mbaMission, I was on the fence about working with the company in the future. To be candid, my initial (free trial) consultant and I didn’t click. She was tough and to the point, and I knew I needed a cheerleader. A quick chat with the founder informed me that I was able to be matched with the consultant best suited to my style for powering through seven (yes, seven) MBA applications to top 20 programs. When I told him I wanted a cheerleader; someone who would constantly encourage me with the power of positive energy, he immediately said “You need Liza!”

He could not have been more right. Liza is upbeat, peppy, realistic, and encouraging. Her tone is always cheerful and bright, powering through long calls discussing every accomplishment and story I have from my undergrad, career and personal life. I work long hours, and she was always able to accommodate my schedule by meeting at 7:30 or 8:00 am, in the evenings, or on weekends. She helped me pick my stories and truly unearth the key points from each, all the while providing both positive and constructive feedback. When Liza sends comments back on essays, she’ll also include little notes like “love this part” or “great point!” That’s just the kind of person she is. Her 48-hour-or-less turnaround time was impeccable, powering me through three round one applications and almost four round two applications.

When I received interview invites, her mock interviews truly prepared me for the real thing. She wasn’t afraid to tell me where I needed to improve and study up, highlighting how to ace a “why xyz school” question after I completely bombed the question in our mock interview.

When I was dinged from my first school, I emailed Liza in a panic: “Do I need to apply to some lower ranked schools for safety? Am I going to get in anywhere?” Liza talked me down, reassuring me that I would get in somewhere, while still researching some additional safety school options, should I choose to go that route. Her overall knowledge of the MBA programs helped solidify my school list, despite my constantly changing thoughts, and made me feel confident in my ability to be admitted to a top school .

With Liza’s help, I was able to gain admittance to a top five program and a top fifteen program (with a full ride!) during round one, halting the additional applications I was working on.

Liza even helped me when I was on the fence between the two options, gathering information from her coworkers about how to approach gently negotiating for scholarship money and having calls with me to weigh my options. She advised me to look at recruiting data at both schools, and to think of the bigger financial picture post-MBA than just the cost of the MBA itself.

Almost a year after I started studying for the GMAT, I submitted my deposit for a top 5 MBA program. I could not have done it without Liza’s help; hiring her is so much more than hiring a consultant. It’s a true investment in your future.

I started thinking about working with an MBA consultant in June for round 1 applications. I had a 700 GMAT so I knew that I needed to really stand out on the essays to get into my dream school. I had lots of ideas on what I could write about but was looking for someone who can help me decide which stories are the most compelling. I was looking for thought leadership, a direct communication style and someone who really clicked with me. I reached out to friends, colleagues and even my GMAT instructor for consultants they have used and would recommend. I spoke to 8-10 different essay consultants before deciding to go with Angela Guido.

She was someone who really wanted to understand me and help present my stories in the best light instead of just treating me like a client. From the beginning, I felt like Angela was somewhat of a best friend, mentor and epic story evaluator. She was the one my GMAT instructor recommended and I was delighted that she was making time for me in her busy schedule.

Angela was very easy to work with. We spent a lot of time upfront brainstorming and talking about my entire life story. I did most of the hard work on my own (i.e. filling out brainstorming documents, writing drafts of essays/resumes, scheduling time with her to chat, bringing ideas to the table) but we did the all the creative thinking and structuring together. We started with essays for my top choice school. The first one was the toughest one. I think we had a total of 4 or 5 drafts, including one where I had to re-write the entire essay. Angela was very prompt with her feedback and her notes were very clear with thoughtful questions, insightful suggestions and a knack for keeping the big picture in mind. Sometimes, I would have ideas on what I wanted to talk about but had no idea how to approach it. This is where Angela was the most helpful. She could boil down stories to the most important essence and help me recreate it in writing. She never “wrote” anything on my behalf and she trusted that I would be on top of all my applications. I was in charge of the whole process which made our working relationship very positive.

List of what she helped me with:
- Brainstorming – thinking about who I am and how I could differentiate myself
- Essays – at the beginning we did everything together, but by the end I was doing essays on my own without too much iteration
- Applications – including short form answers, I had everything in a word document and she reviewed
- Recommender brainstorming – I ran my recommenders by her and what they were going to write about so she had the “whole application” in mind
- Interviews – we spoke about them but didn’t do a formal practice interview
- Resume
Other things she can help with that I didn’t take advantage of (did it myself, but she could’ve been very helpful):
- Mock interviews
- Read recommendations from recommenders

I sincerely feel like I had a better end product because I worked with Angela. She brought out the best in me. She was so great that I referred many of my friends to her. One of my friends let me read her essays before submitting them for her round 2 application and I was pleasantly surprised that her essays were very different from mine. This was one of my fears of working with a consultant. This just goes to show that Angela really tries to stay true to her clients and does not impose any “molds” or “common guidelines” for them. Everyone remains an individual.

I was introduced to mbaMission through the Manhattan GMAT test prep program. I called and did the initial 30 minute session and ended up purchasing a two school package. I asked them who they thought would be a good fit as someone who wants to get into the financial industry and they placed me with Rachel.

Rachel was great throughout the process. She was very responsive, provided great feedback and really helped me tell my story effectively. She also was a great sounding board for different ideas that I had and was an extremely critical asset once I hit submit. She completely exceeded my expectations and I would definitely recommend her--even giving me assistance on schools that were not on the package I purchased.

She pushed me to work as hard as I could and and some of my essays went to v14. It even went beyond essays, including the resume, short answer sections, interview prep and recommender assistance. If I wasn't happy she wasn't happy.

While I didn't get in to my dream school I got into my #2 and couldn't be happier. My one thing of advice is if you have/want very specific career assistance it's probably better to reach out to a current student or alumni in the field you want to get into.

I found my experience with mbaMission to be incredibly rewarding and it absolutely helped me to be admitted to my top choice business school. My consultant was always available and her comments and critiques helped build my essays and resume into the best possible version.

Rachel, the consultant I worked with from mbaMission, was instrumental in my successful application to business school. Through conversation and email, I felt that she truly understood the story I had to tell and the reasons why I wanted to go to business school and then she pushed me to write the strongest versions of that story. Rachel was especially helpful at cutting to the core of thoughts and helped me cut paragraphs down to sentences - a vital task when the essay can only be a limited number of words.

I felt like she was my partner in the entire application process and would recommend her to anyone seeking admission to a top tier business school.

After considered applying to business school for several years, I finally made the decision to apply last summer. Wanting to give myself every advantage possible, I looked to enlist the help of an MBA consultant.

I met Liza during my 30-minute free consultation with MBA Mission and immediately knew that she would be a great fit for my application process. From the get go, Liza had an array of thoughtful comments tailored to my specific background and target schools. She immediately spotted “themes” in my work experience, such as an ability to create systems/infrastructure, which I had not identified on my own. On top of that, her supportive and enthusiastic attitude made it clear that she was 100% invested in my success. I immediately signed up for two start-to-finish packages (GSB and Sloan) and later added two more (HBS and Haas).

As soon as we began the application process, I knew that working with Liza had been a wise choice. My first brainstorming session started as a general get-to-know-you session, but it was immediately clear that Liza genuinely wanted to understand my personality and behavior. With each experience we discussed she would ask probing questions such as, “How did you respond? Why did you do that?” Through this session, I felt that Liza gained valuable insight into my personality, motivations, and behaviors. With this insight, Liza helped me identify trends in my work history and hone in on my most compelling stories based on each schools profile. In later sessions, Liza acted as a sounding board for my ideas, ensuring that I did not waste time writing essays about less-than-stellar subjects.

This up-front work truly paid off as we entered the essay writing stage. With general themes already identified for each application, I was able to jump into essay outlining without any problem. Throughout the MANY iterations of my essays, Liza’s feedback was impeccably on-point complete with thoughtful questions, insightful suggestions, and a laser focus on the big picture. She asked pointed questions that helped me focus on salient information and she also has an amazing ability to identify and eliminate non-essential details. Once my essays were boiled down to the core story, Liza demonstrated her very impressive ability to cut words through creative editing. Throughout the process I felt that Liza, really went above and beyond as I often received comments back well before the 48-hour response time had lapsed and, on top of that, I would get random emails saying things like, “While I was out for a run, I had an epiphany regarding your essay….” This extra effort really made me feel as if she had my best interest in mind and was truly invested in my success. At the end of the process, I felt that my essays retained my individuality and read as my voice, but were more focused and polished than they would have been otherwise…thanks to Liza.

Liza was also hugely helpful with the remainder of my applications helping me concentrate on achievements in my resume, choose words thoughtfully in my short answers, and present myself succinctly in my interview. Finally, after six long months of the grueling application process, I was accepted to three programs (HBS, Sloan, and Haas) and could not be happier about choosing to work with Liza during the process. In fact, Liza has continued to go above and beyond since I have received my acceptance letters helping me through the school selection process, even going as far as to write an email with some questions/self-exploration questions to ask myself while I make my decision.

If you are considering using an MBA admission consultant, I would highly recommend Liza. She helped me demonstrate the best version of me through my applications and not a pre-packaged idea of what business schools want. I am super pleased with my experience with Liza and, I think, the results speak for themselves.