Accepted to HBS and GSB from Overrepresented Background – Eric Was Key to My Success

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As an applicant to HBS and GSB with a very “traditional” background on paper (Ivy League undergrad with high GPA and GMAT scores, followed by IB at a top bank, followed by large-cap PE), I knew that, although my application would be taken seriously by top programs, I would also be contrasted against a very competitive peer group. Therefore, I needed to be very focused on how I could stand out as a unique applicant.

I spoke with several consultants before Eric, but he immediately stood out in our very first conversation. I felt he had a deep understanding of the issues I faced as an applicant from an overrepresented pool. His level of financial expertise, as a former industry practitioner, was evident from the first minute we spoke. This enabled us to have a deep conversation about my specific goals (for example, different types of PE strategies I was interested in pursuing longer-term) that simply would not have been possible with other consultants. Just from that first meeting—which I’d encourage anyone to take with Eric—I left with new essay ideas that I may have otherwise never contemplated. Eric’s initial thoughts on my positioning as a candidate, including pointing out what he thought could be unique differentiators for me, also made it clear that he had plentiful experience working with candidates with my background.

Gatehouse Admissions (the agency through which I worked with Eric) does charge a premium for its services relative to most other consulting firms. This was top of mind as I considered whether to work with Eric. Ultimately, given the competitive nature of the schools I was applying to (Harvard and Stanford), and knowing several coworkers from my fund who were not accepted despite strong credentials, I decided the premium price was worthwhile for the peace of mind of getting the best possible advice.

I had a fairly long lead time to work on applications, so I ended up working closely with Eric for around seven months. Throughout that period, he exceeded my expectations in all respects.

In our initial discussions about my background, experiences, and interests, I had an initial view of how to present these qualities to the admissions committees—a view that, in hindsight, would not have been differentiated enough. Like many consultants, Eric took the time to understand my initial perspectives. However, he then pushed me to go a level deeper in terms of my motivations, helping me unearth anecdotes I likely would have never otherwise reflected on. One of these anecdotes, which I first mentioned to him offhand without thinking much of it, ended up being featured prominently in my Why Stanford essay after he helped me see how it tied together many other aspects of my story. Another such story became the basis for one of my HBS essays.

When it came time to draft essays, I benefited tremendously from Eric’s feedback. He is not afraid to tell you when an essay needs serious work, but conversely, his excitement is contagious when an essay hits the mark. As someone with a tendency to overthink, knowing that Eric would give me honest, well-informed feedback on every single draft helped me feel comfortable moving on to the next essay rather than continuing to ponder or rework essays that were already of high quality. With a consultant that I did not have as much trust in, I may have continued to iterate. However, because I knew that when Eric told me an essay was “done,” it was actually done, I finished the bulk of my application a month before the deadline, saving me from the major stress I saw other applicants go through in August.

Beyond the formal application tasks within the scope of Eric’s services, he also gave me great advice on topics more tangential to my application. For example, there were a couple of recent instances where I had a choice between different projects I could pursue, and I appreciated Eric’s willingness to offer his opinion on how each could potentially be featured in my application. I don’t think many other consultants would have offered this input with such generosity given that some of my questions may not have technically fallen within Eric’s agreed scope of work, so I greatly appreciated his help.

I was ultimately admitted to both Harvard and Stanford, and I absolutely believe that Eric’s help was a key factor in that outcome. I’m thrilled with the quality of service I received from him and the entire Gatehouse team, and I’ve since recommended other associates at my fund to Eric because I’m confident they’ll have the same positive experience.