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ka2727
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Joined: 11 Jul 2016
Last visit: 06 Dec 2016
Posts: 9
Posts: 9
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Profile Evaluation Request Updated on: 12 Jul 2016, 12:37
Originally posted by ka2727 on 12 Jul 2016, 12:19.
Last edited by ka2727 on 12 Jul 2016, 12:37, edited 1 time in total.
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Hi there,
Thank you so much for your help.

Applying to HBS, CBS, GSB, Booth and possibly a couple more

Key stats:
- 26, Female
- Top liberal arts school in MA, 3 majors, 3.4 GPA
- 780 GMAT (51 Q, 46 V)
- Graduated 2011 (6 months early)
- International student from small Asian country

Work / Activities:
-Researched at HKS and HBS for 2 years while in undergrad
-founded education related non-profit in college
- founded student consulting firm in college (very strange at a lib arts school)
-Social enterprise VC for 6 months after graduating early (Implemented findings from Senior Indep. Study)
-PwC Consulting, 1.5 years (left to found startup)
-EdTech Startup (founder, bootstrapped, 1 year, failed to launch)
-Freelance strategy consulting for 2.5 years, with long term clients
Other info:
- Grew up in 5 countries, fluent in 5 languages (Hindi, Tamil, English, Chinese and French)
- Hobbies: currently working on pilot's license, sailing (3 years), glass blowing & sculpture, product design


Post MBA plans :
Short term: Work in product strategy for an innovation consulting firm, to learn more about product design / innovation
Long term: Found an Ed-Tech venture that expands globally / across languages


My key concerns are really that my background is quite unusual - I don't want to give them too much information, but I also don't want to give them too little. If you could please advise on this, I'd be very grateful.
Best,
K
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StratusDonna
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Stratus Admissions Consultant
Joined: 31 May 2016
Last visit: 18 Feb 2026
Posts: 1,531
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Location: United States
Concentration: Marketing, Organizational Behavior
Schools: Kellogg
GPA: 3.67
Products:
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Schools: Kellogg
Posts: 1,531
Kudos: 220
Profile Evaluation Request 12 Jul 2016, 12:30
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ka2727
Hi there,
Thank you so much for your help.

Applying to HBS, CBS, GSB, Booth and possibly a couple more

Key stats:
- 26, Female
- Top liberal arts school in MA, majored in Econs, Phil and Chinese Cultural Studies, 3.4 GPA
- 780 GMAT (51 Q, 46 V)
- Graduated 2011 (6 months early)
- International student from small Asian country

Work / Activities:
-Researched at HKS and HBS for 2 years while in undergrad
-founded education related non-profit in college
- founded student consulting firm in college (very strange at a lib arts school)
-Social enterprise VC for 6 months after graduating early (Implemented findings from Senior Indep. Study)
-PwC Consulting, 1.5 years (left to found startup)
-EdTech Startup (founder, bootstrapped, 1 year, failed to launch)
-Freelance strategy consulting for 2.5 years, with long term clients like Mazda and NYU

Other info:
- Grew up in 5 countries, fluent in 5 languages (Hindi, Tamil, English, Chinese and French)
- Hobbies: currently working on pilot's license, sailing (3 years), glass blowing & sculpture, product design


Post MBA plans :
Short term: Work in product strategy for an innovation consulting firm, to learn more about product design / innovation
Long term: Found an Ed-Tech venture that expands globally / across languages


My key concerns are really that my background is quite unusual - I don't want to give them too much information, but I also don't want to give them too little. If you could please advise on this, I'd be very grateful.
Best, What do you mean- don't want to give too much info? I would say you present almost impeccably! Lots of cross-cultural experience, amazing stats- kudos on GMAT, lots of really interesting activities- pilot- 5 countries, passion for work, start up experience. I think you have to identify your key themes- visionary leadership sounds like one- and just let those experiences fall as examples under those key themes. I do think you will present well. We'd love to give you more feedback- we offer any range of services from hourly to full package- and we may be able to help you tighten your message. But on the raw materials- you've got that! If you have more questions PM me or reach out for a free consult on our site at StratusPrep. But I'd say many people would like to have your kind of stats- and it is not just the stats- it is the leadership that I see coming through and that will serve you well at all the schools you mention.
K
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ka2727
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Joined: 11 Jul 2016
Last visit: 06 Dec 2016
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Posts: 9
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Profile Evaluation Request 12 Jul 2016, 12:39
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Thanks so much! Quick question for you - how do I represent freelance consulting? I've been working through a staffing agency to maintain my visa status, but I basically find my own clients. I worked in consulting for around 1.5 years after graduation, at which point I left my job in order to pursue a startup idea. While the startup idea failed, I amassed a few different clients for strategy and marketing consulting and have been doing that for the past 2.5 years.

Two of these years have been exclusively on contract with one single company, an advertising agency, and I've worked mainly for one client, a large automotive company, but also for some other big names. One of my recommendations will be from a client during this period as well.

How do I represent my employment history accurately? Should I say I freelanced for 1/2 a year and then say I moved on to the advertising agency? Or should I say I was freelancing the entire time?

Again, thanks for replying so quickly!!
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StratusDonna
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Stratus Admissions Consultant
Joined: 31 May 2016
Last visit: 18 Feb 2026
Posts: 1,531
Own Kudos:
220
Given Kudos: 88
Location: United States
Concentration: Marketing, Organizational Behavior
Schools: Kellogg
GPA: 3.67
Products:
My Reviews
Expert
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Schools: Kellogg
Posts: 1,531
Kudos: 220
Profile Evaluation Request 12 Jul 2016, 12:45
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You show impact by mentioning names of large multinationals as clients, by what you have made in income, by results you have delivered for clients. Writing about what you learned in failed startup can also be very valuable. So while the name of contract firm may not be known - if you can show that you have done great work for large clients and make the case for the value you've added that helps. And if you have worked for same agency for long tenure that is helpful to see in terms of stability. If you were working through contracts whole time you can bundle that all as one experience and just note within details when you were working for different agency. If type of work was same, you want to bundle that if you can in one longer experience but always be truthful in noting who you were working for- just that resume allows you some flexibility in how your group your work experience.
ka2727
Thanks so much! Quick question for you - how do I represent freelance consulting? I've been working through a staffing agency to maintain my visa status, but I basically find my own clients. I worked in consulting for around 1.5 years after graduation, at which point I left my job in order to pursue a startup idea. While the startup idea failed, I amassed a few different clients for strategy and marketing consulting and have been doing that for the past 2.5 years.

Two of these years have been exclusively on contract with one single company, an advertising agency, and I've worked mainly for one client, a large automotive company, but also for some other big names. One of my recommendations will be from a client during this period as well.

How do I represent my employment history accurately? Should I say I freelanced for 1/2 a year and then say I moved on to the advertising agency? Or should I say I was freelancing the entire time?

Again, thanks for replying so quickly!!
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ka2727
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Joined: 11 Jul 2016
Last visit: 06 Dec 2016
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Posts: 9
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Profile Evaluation Request 12 Jul 2016, 12:49
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Got it - thank you!! With respect to the resume, I'm able to give the right kind of detail, but what about the detailed entry of work experience in the application itself? The questions are quite specific and detailed - employer, date of employment etc. Do I list the staffing company here or the clients themselves?
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StratusDonna
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Stratus Admissions Consultant
Joined: 31 May 2016
Last visit: 18 Feb 2026
Posts: 1,531
Own Kudos:
220
Given Kudos: 88
Location: United States
Concentration: Marketing, Organizational Behavior
Schools: Kellogg
GPA: 3.67
Products:
My Reviews
Expert
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Schools: Kellogg
Posts: 1,531
Kudos: 220
Profile Evaluation Request 12 Jul 2016, 12:53
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So yes- the application itself is very detailed usually and you must be truthful there in answering questions- you can put a note somewhere explaining as you are here that your consulting work was essentially the same but you did it either freelance or through an agency. Make sure what is on resume and application jive- and if needed have note in application if it is unclear. My point is that if the work is similar you can group how you talk about it on resume- but do make sure it is understandable and consistent within application itself. Highlighting the multinational aspect of the clients will help on resume.
You can mention clients on resume in explaining the work- you also mention clients in explaining work on application- but for application be sure to list the hiring contracting company. Just try to get point across when you speak about the work in interviews and also from what eye jumps to on resume that there is consistency in doing the same kind of work- and if you needed to work through agency for visa purposes- there will be a place on application where you can make note of that. you want adcom to understand your work and your impact and when you have these kind of freelance issues you just have to try to present it in best light- which I think you can if you focus on results and impact. I have seen people who have had their own consulting firms present in this kind of way- here's where adcom looks at salary to make sure it is legit amount of work/pay and not just a hobby or a way to fill space with a pseudo job. Sounds like you are doing real work and getting paid so I think it will present well.

ka2727
Thanks so much! Quick question for you - how do I represent freelance consulting? I've been working through a staffing agency to maintain my visa status, but I basically find my own clients. I worked in consulting for around 1.5 years after graduation, at which point I left my job in order to pursue a startup idea. While the startup idea failed, I amassed a few different clients for strategy and marketing consulting and have been doing that for the past 2.5 years.

Two of these years have been exclusively on contract with one single company, an advertising agency, and I've worked mainly for one client, a large automotive company, but also for some other big names. One of my recommendations will be from a client during this period as well.

How do I represent my employment history accurately? Should I say I freelanced for 1/2 a year and then say I moved on to the advertising agency? Or should I say I was freelancing the entire time?

Again, thanks for replying so quickly!!
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