Not Just an Amazing Consultant, but a True Mentor

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My journey with Susan and the entire SIA team reset the standard to which I will hold any consultant going forward. As I began preparing for round one applications, Susan's holistic and personalized approach stood out immediately across my conversations with other firms. She took the time to understand my background and goals for an MBA, which allowed us to be targeted and thoughtful in how we approached each program's essays and interviews.

With something as significant as the decision to return to graduate school, I wanted to work with someone who had my best interests in mind — and Susan exemplifies this perfectly. If an essay was falling short or missing a critical piece of analysis, she would identify it quickly and tell me candidly that I was missing the mark. Watching my writing transform from the beginning of the process to the end was remarkable: Susan helped me bridge the gap from merely having good anecdotes to articulating precisely why they were relevant to the program I was applying to.

The same holistic approach extended to interview prep. After receiving interviews at all five schools I applied to, I assumed a few mock sessions would be sufficient. As with the essays, Susan pushed for full execution — multiple school-specific mock interviews, each one calibrated to that program's format. By my last interview, I was genuinely comfortable delivering both professional and personal anecdotes, a dramatic evolution from the initial rambling.

Overall, working with Susan was the single wisest decision I made throughout this process. I was admitted to three M7s initially and ultimately accepted off the waitlist at my top choice. For anyone considering a consultant, there is no better choice. Her thoughtfulness, comprehensiveness, and care for her clients is second-to-none, and I am beyond grateful.