An MBA application is a bit of a slog and - coming from a slightly atypical non-MBA feeder background and a profession which entailed regular work weekends / late nights - I was fairly sure that I required the services of a consultant so that I could turn in the best applications possible. I set up calls with almost all of the top admission consultants and ultimately decided to go with Catherine Tuttle from Fortuna Admissions - that was one of my best decisions during the applications process!

An admission consultant is a slightly strange animal, part-adviser, part-mentor and part-friend. At the same time though, the applicant is the story-teller - the value of a consultant lies in identifying the right stories to tell, in shifting the wheat from the chaff! If I had to pick qualities in an ideal admission consultant they would probably be (in no particular order): quality of initial brain-storming (e.g. selection of key character points / stories), patience and flexibility, turn-around time and pertinent yet focused comments on an applicant's essays!

Catherine ticked all of these attributes in spades. I applied to three top business schools and received admission offers to all three of them. I have come to regard Catherine more as a friend than a consultant and remain exceedingly grateful to have had the benefit of her constant support and encouragement during my application process.

If you are looking to engage a consultant, I would whole-heartedly recommend Catherine's services and encourage you to set up a preliminary call with her. Hopefully, she can assist you in your MBA journey in the same way she assisted mine!

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After conversing with Matt and Melissa, it was clear to me that Fortuna would meet me where I was (schools selected and story roughly drawn out) and take my ideas to the next level. I thoroughly enjoyed working with Melissa who is efficient and proactive and provides thoughtful guidance relevant to the programs. She demonstrated knowledge of the difference between programs and connected me to resources that eventually would help me make my decision. After working hard on the applications and interviews I was able to secure a spot at my top choice MBA program in Europe. Massive thanks to Matt and Melissa for being there throughout the process!

Even if you have a strong sense of story and have zeroed onto your top choices, I highly recommend Fortuna and Melissa to hone your message and put your best possible case on the table. It makes all the difference.

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Cassandra worked with me on two applications. I was accepted into my top choice. She helped me strategise my unique story by probing me to think about my own journey and accomplishments in a different light. She was instrumental in my interview prep, pushing me to try different techniques for improving interview and presentation skills. I really enjoyed working with her, she's a great balance of realistic yet motivating. Her job isn't to hold your hand but she pushes you to think creatively and deeply. She also has a convenient online booking system for appoints. I would highly recommend her!

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I worked with Michel for an intensive 4 month period and got complete support from her in all aspects of the application process. This was my second time applying to B-schools and second time working with a consultant. My experience the first time was not that great and working with Michel and Fortuna really made realize the importance of having a strong and supportive admissions consultant. The area I needed most help with is really bringing out my strengths and crafting my story so that it all tied in to why I was going to do an MBA at this stage of my career. 30 years old and a Senior Director at the company I was in. Some consultants told me I was pass the period of applying to an MBA. Michel provided me with continuous support and guidance to really get my story right and was open to giving continuous feedback on my essays. And "real" "constructive" feedback that was actionable and you can really work from. This is key as you don't want someone just reviewing your grammar. This feedback was extremely valuable and made my life a lot easier when it came to turning comments. She also helped me in navigating all aspects of the application process (prep for interviews, guidance on answering app questions, preparing recommender materials) she has a wealth of experience working with most of the top schools and she doesn't hold back in sharing all this information. Extremely happy with my engagement with her and definitely recommend utilizing her as an advisor for your application process. She knows, gets it and is willing to help on all fronts. Also for those that are really busy she provides pretty practical feedback that will help you approach the process without diving too deep unnecessarily. Really grateful for all the support I received from her and the team at Fortuna. Definitely made a difference in my application process!

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Melissa was a pleasure to work with from day one, and having her there to answer questions and provide feedback on my work was an invaluable "safety net" to have throughout the process. Fortuna was incredibly professional from the first evaluation call, to their comprehensive profile evaluation, all the way through essay and application stage. In the beginning, I was having trouble deciding which schools to apply to. Fortuna gave me very honest guidance and valuable insight (GMAT score minimums, etc.) that saved me countless hours of time by not applying to a school I would have had no chance of being accepted to. I also really appreciated their process in that Melissa reviewed my whole application and made sure it was perfect, then my profile was reviewed by a director who used to be a dean of admissions at an ivy league school. I felt very confident once I passed all of those reviews, and sure enough was accepted to three of my four schools! Thanks Melissa and Fortuna.

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I would recommend Fortuna Admissions for anyone working towards an INSEAD MBA application.

From start to finish, every dollar was worth it. If it wasn't for the daily coaching by Susanne Peltz, and the reviews at different points by Caroline Edwards, former head of admissions at INSEAD, I probably wouldn't be celebrating an INSEAD MBA acceptance.

I had the right profile, the right CV, and the right references, however I didn't know the BEST way to tell a compelling story. Fortuna helps you do just that. You can be the perfect candidate, but if you don't put together a compelling application profile chances are you won't be accepted, even with a high GMAT score.

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I worked with Amy on my application for two schools – LBS and Kellogg and I am more than thrilled by the outcome from both schools. I couldn’t stress enough that this wouldn’t have been possible without her guidance.
One of the advantages of working with a Fortuna coach is access to well-structured resources. I was short on time when I started my applications and Amy really helped me bring my timelines back on track. The guideline documents provided by her really helped me expedite the process and put together a strong first draft.
Amy not only helps you in identifying your strengths and bringing them to life, but also in addressing your weakness head-on in your applications. When she reviewed my first draft of essays she said, “we need to make every single word in your application count” and she stuck by it till the end. Her attention to detail is impeccable and she really helps you put forward the best version of your story in a well-articulated succinct manner. She questions every aspect of your story making sure you have left no loopholes. There was a time when I felt the essays were in a really good shape but she still thought we could make them better. Amy is also very collaborative and we reached out to Emma (Director) for a fresh perspective once we had a strong story in place, which proved to be extremely helpful.
Having been on the admission committee herself, Amy has immense knowledge of the process and the school which becomes a huge asset and a confidence booster. I took her help to prepare for my interviews too and I couldn’t have been better prepared. No part of the interview came to me as a surprise and there were no questions that I hadn’t prepared for or thought about.
Choosing her for my application process was one of the best decisions I made. Amy is so warm and helpful that she makes it look so easy. She is now more of a guide I look up to than an admission consultant. To any applicant seeking expert help especially for LBS, I highly recommend Amy!

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Before choosing to go with Fortuna, I had conducted Skype interviews with about a dozen admission consultants. Most looked at my dry credentials and concluded I have little to no chance of being admitted to an M7 B-school, disregarding what I had though were some appealing elements of my prospective application.

The first time my “story” was essentially and holistically examined was during my first Skype call with Judith, who offered a complex, data and experience driven analysis of my chances of being admitted to several target schools. 6 months after that initial call, I can wholeheartedly say that I have made the right call in choosing the most professional, experienced and amiable admission consultancy firm I possibly could have asked for.

From the moment I started working with Heidi and Judith, I have received their full and undivided attention. Whether it was rethinking my application strategy, seeking advice on timelines and task prioritisation, or most importantly, the relentless editing of my application materials until they were absolutely flawless - Heidi and Judith were there for me and at no point did they cut corners or shy away from hard work to be done. As far as they were concerned, as long as I wanted to further perfect an essay, even for the 15th time, they were enthusiastically up for the task. They continuously made me feel like they were worth every cent I had paid for their superior service and extremely valuable baggage of MBA admissions experience.

When I first interviewed admission consultants, a consultant from one of the most established firms in the industry told me that I “was not even in the ballpark for an M7 school”. Thanks to Fortuna, enhancing and streamlining my work, I was accepted to the Columbia Business School MBA program, an M7 school.

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Heidi is an expert at recognizing your strengths and getting the best out of you!
1) I was not very confident with my essay writing, so having Heidi's help and encouragement was invaluable. Heidi is very well-rounded and she played key role in defining my career goals and polishing my essays.
2) I had a relatively rushed application timeline and was traveling for business a lot. Heidi was able to accommodate.
3) Heidi has deep knowledge on the GSB and HBS application and you will also have access to other experts at Fortuna as well!
I am very happy with the final results that I got into my favorite schools. I would recommend Heidi to prospective applicants.

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I’ve spent the duration of my professional career (over 5 years in total) working to separate myself from my lackluster undergraduate performance. So, when I decided to apply to institution ranked in the top 10 globally, I researched extensively how I could overcome my >2.9 GPA as a social science major. After unsuccessful attempts (both on my own and with a well-known MBA consultant), I opted to take a chance with Fortuna based on overwhelmingly positive feedback on this site.

After an initial consultation, I was paired with Emma Bond which turned out to be match made in heaven. I came to Emma with a high-level understanding of “my story” and how a MBA could help me achieve my career goals. However, Emma strategically poked holes in my story where required and skillfully helped to fill in any crucial details. Additionally, Emma provided a depth of information across all programs that was a result of her and her colleagues direct experience. Her expertise on how each program evaluates candidate could not be replicated by other means. Her insider knowledge allowed me to put forth the most compelling body of work to each program.

Throughout our engagement, Emma was incredibly pleasurable to work with. She was willing to accommodate my rather demanding work schedule and turned around drafts very promptly. But, I could also rely on Emma to politely push me when necessary to stay in sync with our aggressive timeline. It became apparent that Emma was genuinely invested in my success. Emma set a high standard for work because she knew that’s what it took. I found myself digging deeper to turn around stronger drafts so I wouldn’t disappoint Emma. When I put forth work that she didn’t think was up to par, she didn’t hesitate to roll up her sleeves and masterfully guide me on how the work could be improved. Most notably, Emma helped me interject my personality into the essays and short answers in a professional and charismatic way. Emma’s involvement helped to cultivate applications much stronger than I believed were possible. As a result, I was invited to interview at multiple schools that I was repeatedly told were “out of my league” from other consultants.

When it came time to prep for interviews, Emma was well-prepared to make the mock interview best replicate the actual experience. She asked refreshingly challenging questions and spent extra time ensuring that my answers were as sound as possible. With her preparation, I marched confidently into my interviews and nailed it.

Ultimately, I gained admission to my dream school and punched well above my weight. If you want to maximize your odds at gaining entry to a top MBA program, especially London Business School, you need to work with Emma. She cares about her clients on a whole different level and has the experience to push you above & beyond your capabilities. I’d best sum up our time together as transformational.

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