Fortuna Admissions Admissions Consulting Reviews

I did a lot of diligence going into the process, researching and speaking to probably about 10 different consultants. Being sold by so many different consultants, I really wanted true honesty from a consultant. It seemed like every initial phone conversation I had I was being told I could get into H/S/W. Fortuna separated themselves right off the bat in that regard offering me what I felt was an objective and realistic assessment of my chances at various schools.

I signed up for the comprehensive school package for 3 schools. Fortuna touts themselves as the "premium" option amongst their peers. Their ability to do this stems from the unique set up and group of talent at the firm. The core group of founders at Fortuna all have the highest qualifications (all ex admissions directors) and at minimum review the application for submission. The consultant you work with has daily dialogue with that core group regarding your application.

Catherine specifically went to extra lengths to help me. As we both live in the same city, she met every Saturday for about a two month stretch at a local Panera as I felt it was easier to work in person.

I am not sure if its because they are a newer firm with few clients but I received far more attention I expected. Another firm touts "48 hour email response time"... Catherine never took longer than 4 hours. I had an equally accommodating experience scheduling spur of the moment phone calls to review a question.

Overall very happy. If you are reading this, you are likely questioning why almost every consultant has 5 stars and probably questioning the legitimacy of said reviews. For what its worth, take it from me and give Fortuna a shot- it paid off for me.

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From the initial consultation through to writing essays and preparing for interviews, the Fortuna coaches are extremely knowledgeable given their experience at admissions departments across a wide range of top US and European business schools.

Their bespoke approach (multi-step timeline for comprehensive school package) resulted in them gaining a deep understanding of my background and experiences to date and the coach that I was paired with was efficient and responsive, regularly following up and responding to emails. Indeed, one of the coaches also went above and beyond by putting me in touch with someone with a similar background to mine for additional insights and advice.

Overall the process went smoothly and the coaches exceeded my expectations.

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I got accepted in INSEAD and LBS, and I am beyond excited.

With an average GPA, and over 30 years of age, most admission consultants considered me an “unfavorable” MBA candidate. However, working with Caroline (Ex INSEAD admission director) and Cassandra (Ex LBS & INSEAD admission officer) helped me to capitalize on the unique aspects of my story. Both Caroline and Cassandra are proactive, details-oriented, supportive, and genuinely resourceful. I always found their feedback sessions to be exceptionally useful and practical.

My only tip for those who are considering working with an admission consultant is to look for a consultant who actually worked in the "admission" of your target school. Seriously, don't waste your time with anyone else. I have met over 10 admission consultants who are either MBA graduates from top schools, or self-claimed admission experts. Both groups told me useless stuff. You need someone who knows the admission process and can confidently show you the real tips and secrets of your target school.

Thanks Fortuna for the dedication and professionalism. You made my dream come true!

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Julie assisted me in preparing my applications to the Booth and Wharton - Lauder MBA programs. This is my first time applying and I only apply to a selected few M7 schools, hence I was quite stressed out during the process. Julie provided me with candid feedback on my strengths and weaknesses as an applicant and clear strategies to tailor my applications to the schools, gave me specific suggestions on how to draft cohesive storylines, and always pushed me to sharpen my messages. Thanks to Julie's assistance, and some luck of course, I have been admitted into both programs. I am excited to start a new chapter of my life!

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I had free consultation with 3 companies in Jun. I felt most comfortable and engaged when talking to Matt (Fortuna), Though he also quote the most expensive package price :). Another free consultation I had was with a GSB graduate. He advised me not to consider M7, and probably not even S16. He suggested a few other schools, and i felt a bit discouraged.

I decided to follow my heart as Matt really made me feel he knows inside out the application process and sees my unique profile from the AO's prospective.

I am so lucky to be admitted to all the three schools I applied in R1 and I am going to HBS this fall!

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I signed up for a Comprehensive School Package covering two schools - INSEAD and Tuck. I was admitted into both.

The team at Fortuna Admissions played a significant role in helping me achieve this. My lead consultant was Caroline Diarte Edwards and Jessica Chung was my expert coach.

The first step of the program was a comprehensive strategy questionnaire, containing questions that kick started my process of self reflection. The questions guided me to think carefully about my values and key experiences, and this formed the core of all essays that I wrote.

Both Jessica and Caroline were always very quick to respond to my questions. Jessica consistently ensured that I was on course to complete my applications on time. I found the frequent conversations and brainstorming sessions with Jessica to be extremely useful in helping me pick the right experiences and personal qualities to focus on in my applications. I really liked that there was no spoon-feeding during the process, and instead the focus was always on helping me think in the right direction, therefore ensuring that my essays were completely authentic and reflected my own story.

The team was always supportive and encouraging, giving me the confidence to express myself in my application. As a result of their guidance, apart from having admits from my dream schools, I also have a better understanding of my own strengths and weaknesses, and what areas of growth I should focus on in the months leading up to my MBA.

I strongly recommend working with Fortuna Admissions for your MBA applications.

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I really cannot thank Catherine and Judith enough for helping me get into a top school. I was a prospective student with a low GMAT score initially. After starting to work with Catherine and Judith, I ended up delaying my application. This was because we decided I needed to get my GMAT score up in order to apply and get accepted into a top school. They could've pushed me to just apply the first time around because it was easier, but they guided me toward the longer, harder road. Because I delayed and restarted my application the next year, they essentially worked with me twice. They were so supportive the entire time and really pushed me to get my story straight. Each of our session were like a therapy session to dig deeper and bring out my true story. We looked to showcase my authentic self in my application and I cannot thank Catherine and Judith for pushing me on this.

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I decided to work with an MBA admissions coach 12 weeks before the HBS Round 1 application deadline.
From the first minute of my 1,5h application kick-off call with HBS expert Malvina, I felt that she shared my desire to win. I felt so lucky to work with someone who is passionate about coaching, and even though we would only spend 8 hours together, Malvina clearly considered my application her Full-Time job. Malvina developed a highly customized essay framework based on the “key selling points” that she had identified from my responses to the “Fortuna questionnaire”. Already during my second call, I felt like if Malvina had known me for over 20 years. Between our calls, Malvina reflected in depth on my application and thanks to her excellent essay editing skills and her continuous availability, we managed to come up with a picture-perfect essay in less than four weeks.
Malvina also played a crucial role in helping me to complete the application questionnaire (employment history, additional information, etc) and to select the right recommenders.
The interview-prep call with Malvina was very similar to the actual interview, and she shared extremely valuable HBS insider tips that no-one else (eg. HBS alumni,…) would provide me. Working with Malvina - who knows HBS inside out - really made the difference.
Five months after I started working with Fortuna, I can call myself a proud HBS admit, and I don’t know how I would have done without Malvina’s help.

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Michel, Judith and the Fortuna team, helped me get into Anderson and wait-listed at Haas. The Fortuna team helped me at every step of the process and I would highly recommend working with them.

From a high level, Michel and Judith worked with me on a timeline to successfully apply round one 2016. I initially reached out to Fortuna in early 2015, but due to several prior commitments I was not able to apply until Round 1 2016. Despite this delayed timing, Michel and Judith started working with me in June 2015 on a game plan so that we could hit the ground running in 2016.

Michel and Judith referred me to an excellent GMAT tutor who helped me break the 700 mark. Fortuna's in-house resume expert got my resume into excellent shape. By the time essay questions got released, I was feeling very organized thanks to Fortuna.

To help me develop my story for applications, Michel and Judith put me through several exercises to hone in on my thesis. These exercises helped me flush out my story, and Michel and Judith challenged me at every step of the way to support my story with evidence. Michel and Judith were extremely responsive, and were always available via email, call and even text message. I was ready to submit my essays in advance of the deadlines, making it a stress free process.

When it came time for interviews, Michel and Judith helped me prepare by pointing me towards sample questions (shared by previous clients) and putting me through a mock interview. I felt very confident going into both interviews as a result.

Over the past 1.5 years, Michel and Judith have dedicated a lot of their time to helping me with the applications. Michel and Judith were truly invested in my success, and when we got the news they were the first people I called. If you are looking for a partner to guide you through the process and help you get into top-tier schools, Fortuna is the way to go.

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Having gone through the application process unsuccessfully the previous year I am able to especially appreciate the constant support and guidance that I have received from Catherine throughout my application journey this year. We worked together on three schools and I received admission offers from two of them while being wait-listed for the third.

I daresay I actually enjoyed the application process this time around as Catherine not only helped me identify the right schools but also helped me present my best case as to why I should be a part of their class. Her suggestions and interventions made all the difference in my applications and interviews and her constant availability and support helped make this a stress-free experience.

Looking back I do not think I could have asked for a better guide. Going to Business School is a significant investment of time and money and is probably one of the most important decisions I have made. I am glad to have had Catherine's advice, encouragement and support during this journey and could not recommend her and Fortuna highly enough.

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