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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.
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Consultant Donna Bauman
Stratus Consulting overall offers amazing MBA admissions consulting services. I personally worked with Donna Bauman. Coming from an Indian male engineering background, I thought my chances at getting in an M7 school were pretty slim. However, Donna guided me in the right direction and helped me understand my motivation to go for an MBA. She gave me new perspectives which helped me build my story for my applications. From understanding the essay questions to preparing for interviews, Donna was there for me every step of the way. Another great aspect about Stratus admissions is that you will get inputs from multiple stakeholders which will help you mould your application for different colleges.
With Donna's help, I was able to get an admit into multiple M7 colleges, including my dream college - HBS. I understand making a choice of MBA admissions consultant can be a tough one, but honestly, you cannot go wrong with Stratus, especially Donna :)
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Consultant Sophie Hilaire
I was lucky enough to work with Sophie for my admissions counseling. Before I found Stratus, I had no idea how to effectively position myself to stand out to top business schools and felt lost trying to navigate the admissions process.
Sophie made the whole process very structured and easy to tackle while providing constant support and encouragement throughout the process! She helped me find my confidence and develop my story to stand out in both the essay and interviews.
Through her counseling, I received acceptances to M7, T15, and T20 schools. I truly do not think I would be where I am today without the help of Sophie! Cannot recommend Stratus Admissions enough!
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Consultant Kelly Lundy
I loved working with Kelly and the Stratus team. Kelly helped me with the CBS and Stanford GSB applications. As advertised, Stratus use a team approach. During each of these applications I received guidance from Kelly, Susan Cera, and multiple editors (CBS & Stanford Alums). Kelly even connected me with her classmates at CBS during the process.
The methodology that Stratus uses not only helped me complete the applications for these schools, but the introspective nature of the process prepared me for the school interviews and will definitely help me throughout my career.
Kelly is truly a marvelous mentor. She supports you and enables you to develop your own authentic narrative. She spends a lot of time to learn about you. Many times, she nudged me to dig deeper into parts of my essays based on all the information she had gleaned from my introspection exercises. Further, she is extremely diligent and patient. I completed almost 15 drafts for both the Stanford and CBS essays with Kelly. Never, did I feel that she was not completely vested in improving the narrative or was growing frustrated with stagnation. She was extremely responsive and gracious with her time.
Finally, I want to commend Kelly on never talking about my chances or trying to sway me in applying to different school. Both Susan and Kelly were fully committed to help me create the best product possible to elevate my chances of getting admitted. They provided candid feedback in a timely manner and were never closed off to new ideas or suggestions.
Kelly was instrumental in helping me get admitted to Stanford, which was my primary choice, and I wholeheartedly endorse her as a mentor to help you through the MBA application process.
Thank you Kelly and Stratus Team!!
***Final Outcome: Admitted to Stanford, Interviewed with CBS, withdrew application after Stanford Admit. ****
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Consultant Jennifer Jackson
I chose to hire a consultant because of my unusual background and lack of understanding of how to translate my background in a way that is attractive to top MBA schools. I chose Stratus because of their structured approach to the application process, and I chose Jennifer specifically because of reviews I had read on different forums, including P&Q. The specific package I purchased was 2-schools. The structured approach gave me hard deadlines to make sure I was on track for getting the essays accomplished on time. Jennifer was encouraging throughout the process, but still pushed me to think harder about certain aspects of the essays, which was critical in those moments when I was simply sick and tired of writing and drafting and thinking during the application process. There is no doubt in my mind that her guidance was critical to the success of my application. With 20/20 hindsight, the only thing I might have changed is to purchase 1 school rather than 2. I felt that much of the advice given for 1 school could be carried over to any application I was working on. (I ended up applying to 7 different T20 MBA programs Round 1, accepted to 4, 2 of which with significant scholarship).
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Consultant Donna Bauman
I had the distinct pleasure of working with Donna as my admissions consultant throughout the MBA application process, and I cannot speak highly enough of her invaluable guidance.
Donna's expertise, professionalism, and dedication were evident from our initial interactions. She possesses a deep understanding of the intricacies of MBA admissions, and her insights proved instrumental in shaping a compelling and authentic narrative for my application. Donna's commitment was evident in her meticulous approach to every aspect of the application, from refining essays to providing strategic advice on recommendation letters.
What truly sets Donna apart is her ability to draw out the unique aspects of an applicant's experiences and aspirations. She not only helped me articulate my achievements but also encouraged me to reflect on my journey, resulting in a more authentic and impactful application. Donna's keen eye for detail ensured that my application presented a cohesive and compelling story, a critical element in the competitive landscape of MBA admissions.
Her support extended beyond the technicalities of the application. Donna provided insightful advice on school selection, helping me tailor my choices to align with my career goals and personal aspirations. Her personalized approach, genuine enthusiasm, and unwavering support created a collaborative and motivating environment that made the challenging process more manageable.
I am thrilled to share that, with Donna's guidance, I received an acceptance offer from Wharton's MBA program. This outcome is a testament to Donna's exceptional abilities as an admissions consultant. I wholeheartedly recommend Donna Bauman to anyone embarking on the MBA application journey. Her dedication makes her an invaluable partner in achieving one's academic and professional aspirations.
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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.
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Consultant Jennifer Jackson
Jennifer was an outstanding resource during my admissions process. Beyond being a friendly face during a stressful time, Jennifer provided invaluable admissions knowledge, strategy, and assistance during the essay writing process. Stratus' tools for extracting and shaping my story were extremely helpful, and Jennifer's ability to quickly understand my background and goals was incredible. She provided great feedback throughout the essay writing process as well as concise and thoughtful edits to ensure that I was communicating most effectively and within the word limit. Jennifer was also extremely responsive and always replied quickly to my countless emails, no matter how small the question. I was super excited to be admitted to my top two choices of the early MBA programs I applied to and could certainly not have done it without the help of Jennifer and the Stratus team.
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Consultant Joe Farr
I highly recommend Joe Farr to anyone aspiring to get into a top business school. Thanks to his guidance and expertise, I was admitted to Wharton in Round 2 and even received a $40,000 fellowship.
Joe's assistance went beyond navigating the Stratus process; he provided invaluable insights into what I truly wanted out of life and business school. Through thoughtful discussions and probing questions, Joe helped me clarify my goals and aspirations.
Joe played a crucial role in helping me overcome the obstacle of a low undergraduate GPA. His expertise in helping me present my strengths and weaknesses was instrumental in securing my acceptance to Ross, Tuck, Tepper, Kellogg, and Wharton. He guided me in showcasing my growth, leadership skills, and unique attributes that demonstrated my readiness for business school.
Overall, Joe's guidance and expertise were crucial to my success in the admissions process.
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Consultant Donna Bauman
Donna is a fantastic resource to anyone seeking guidance and support in their MBA application journey. With her expertise, dedication, and personalized approach, Donna helped me secure an offer from one of the top MBA programs despite a below average GPA and test scores for those schools.
From our very first interaction, Donna displayed a genuine interest in helping me understand my aspirations, strengths, and weaknesses. Before starting any school-specific applications, we went through a rigorous process of understanding key aspects of my profile that I could highlight and organizing those components into an arsenal that I could draw from. Thanks to this kind of preparation, when it came time to writing essays, I was able to spend less time on coming up with ideas and more time thinking broadly about the narrative I wanted to communicate.
Throughout the admissions process, which can be more akin to a marathon than a sprint, Donna helped me create a strategy of regular communication with admissions committees and constantly developing areas of my application that may be viewed as weaknesses. The right strategy will elevate your candidacy above any one grade or score, and through consistent effort and willingness to improve your profile, you will stand out.
To anyone who believes that the right school is out of reach for them, I strongly recommend Donna and the team at Stratus as partners in the MBA admissions process. Donna stuck with me throughout the application cycle and I couldn’t be happier with the result!
