| All Reviews > Gatehouse Reviews |
Product Gatehouse Admissions Consulting
Consultant Brooke Wheelan
I was admitted into HBS, and I attribute a large part of this to the two mock HBS interviews I did with Brooke. The detailed feedback I received was incredibly helpful for course-correcting many of my bad habits. Yet at the same time, Brooke provided feedback in a confidence-building way, something that was critical for me as I approached my actual interview date. In addition, Brooke’s questions were so insanely accurate; several of them came up during my actual HBS interview! Not only the questions themselves, but the style and the flow of the interview–suffice it to say, I felt very prepared during the actual interview.
If you are interviewing at HBS, you need to do a mock interview with Brooke. I seriously cannot recommend it enough. I can personally say that I would not have gotten into HBS without Brooke’s help.
Product Gatehouse Admissions Consulting
Consultant Rachel R Nelson
Background: In-state undergrad, 2 years of banking, 3 years of private equity. 750 GMAT. MBA being sponsored through my current fund
Result: Admitted to HBS; GBS; Wharton (with $55k per year scholarship). Chose HBS
Rachel is the best there is. I come from a very overrepresented background of MBA applicants and did my undergrad at my generic middle-of-the-pack state school. On paper, my resume looks very similar to many folks with my background, but Rachel was critical in helping me tell a compelling story that gave schools a deep understanding of who I am and allowed me to stand out in the ways I hoped. She guided me through all parts of each application and every single line (down to the 100 character entries on the online apps after you’ve uploaded all your essays) was thoughtfully crafted. Rachel got an incredible sense of me as a person over this process and then helped me think about the mosaic I wanted to build out with each aspect of my application (i.e. let Recommender A cover X, so you can use real estate in your essay to elaborate on Y). Most critically, she was able to see throughlines in my experiences that allowed me to have connected themes and narratives guide my essays. She had my back every step of the way and wasn’t afraid to tell me when to pick it up (either in my quality of drafting documents or in the pace of turning them to meet my target deadlines). She is a wonderful thought partner and an especially kind and caring person. I tremendously enjoyed working with her and couldn’t recommend her enough.
Product Gatehouse Admissions Consulting
Consultant Rachel R Nelson
Background: Ivy undergrad, Consulting > Buyside, 760 GMAT, re-applicant (previously applied for 2+2)
Result: Admitted to HBS and Wharton
As a quant-oriented person, I was nervous about essay writing. Rachel guided me through the entire writing process and rounds of revisions. She helped tell my story in a way that highlighted my accomplishments, created a coherent narrative across my personal / professional life, and didn’t feel forced. For both schools, she coached me on what the adcoms are looking for – I didn’t realize how different my essays needed to be!
When I was given a “Further Consideration” decision at HBS, Rachel helped steer me through the process. She gave me the direct feedback that I needed to put together the best overall package possible. This ultimately resulted in being accepted to both schools that Rachel helped me with (my top 2 choices)!
I cannot recommend Rachel enough - I would tell anyone applying to business school to look no further!
Product Gatehouse Admissions Consulting
Consultant Rachel R Nelson
Background: 2 years of Banking, 2 years of PE, 710 GMAT, Claremont McKenna undergrad with 3.6 GPA.
When signing up for a consultant, I did not know what to expect exactly. Rachel made the process incredibly easy and smooth for me. First thing Rachel did was truly get to know me. She took the time and effort to figure out my story to understand how we can make the best application possible. Rachel did not tell me to just do xyz, she really worked with me so I understood why we were doing what we were doing. This allowed me to tell the story that worked for me and my application.
When working with Rachel, you realize how much work your application really needs if you want to make it the best application possible. The MBA process is incredibly competitive, so it is important to put yourself in the best position possible to succeed. I truly think that Rachel did that, and she truly got me to a place where I felt like I had the best application possible and also felt prepared for my interviews.
You will only get what you put into it, and Rachel really made me feel that I got all that i put into the process. Truly would not have done it any other way.
Product Gatehouse Admissions Consulting
Consultant Laura MacLean
Background: Mid-20s female, based in Boston, worked in healthcare private equity and then operations at growth-stage healthcare company, went to Colby College for undergrad, Spanish and International Relations double major, Economics minor, 3.8 GPA, 161V/162Q GRE.
Result: Attending HBS Fall of 2024 and admitted to Wharton
Working with Laura was an absolute dream. Laura’s firm, Gatehouse, came recommended to me through a former coworker who also had great success working with Gatehouse and is currently at HBS. I was given the option to “interview” a few consultants before choosing who I would work with throughout the process but I only needed 30 minutes with Laura to know I wanted to work with her. Between her background of working in HBS MBA admissions and also having been in my shoes at one point in her life as an MBA applicant, I was confident she was going to ensure that my application was as strong as possible and that I was over prepared for interviews and navigating the process in general.
What struck me most about working with Laura was her organizational skills and holding me accountable to our timeline. Laura gets straight to the point which I really appreciated. There are so many different work streams that overlap during the lengthy application process that it would be easy to get lost without someone with excellent time management skills guiding you through it. Her expertise in interview prep made me feel confident and prepared walking into my interview, and all of her advice paid off. I never had to worry about not knowing what was going on or feeling confused about the process because Laura had either thought ahead and prepared me with detailed documentation and materials or I knew I could reach out to her at any time with any question.
I am so thankful to have worked with Laura throughout the MBA application process. She was with me every step of the way. I would recommend Laura (and already have) to anyone applying to business school.
REVIEWER IDENTITY VERIFIED by school email address [?]
Product Gatehouse Admissions Consulting
Consultant Liza Weale
Background: Late 20s, female, Texas, technical role at oil and gas company, undergraduate business degree from state school (business management & finance double major), 3.7 GPA, GRE: 162Q/159V.
Accepted: Wharton, Chicago Booth, MIT, Yale
Attending: Wharton School (Class of 2025)
I had the privilege of working with Liza at Gatehouse Admissions for two years. Coming from a niche role at an oil and gas company, I knew that I needed exceptional guidance to navigate the competitive admissions process. Liza proved to be the perfect partner in my journey to business school.
Liza played a pivotal role in shaping my personal story. She helped me craft a narrative that described where I came from, the decisions I made along the way, and most importantly, my "why." Liza's guidance in this aspect was invaluable as it helped me present a clear and strong case for my candidacy. Further, Liza took a holistic approach to the application. She ensured that all components of the application (resume, essays, short answers, etc.) were consistent and connected to my “why”.
One of Liza’s specialties was her ability to help me articulate my accomplishments, projects, and performance in a way that was clear and compelling to admissions staff who may have been unfamiliar with the energy industry. Liza took the time to understand my nuanced role and pushed me to dig deeper in my reflections in both professional and personal experiences.
Additionally, Liza provided strategic advice on re-testing for the GMAT & GRE and helped guide me through my decision to delay my applications until the following admissions cycle, ensuring I could present the strongest possible application to the admissions committees. Her thoughtful guidance underscored her dedication to not just meeting but exceeding the expectations of top-tier business school admissions processes.
Further, my experience with Gatehouse Admissions offered access to a variety of resources. I participated in a mock interview with another specialized admissions consultant and engaged with other Gatehouse clients in a simulated Wharton “Team Based Discussion” interview. Throughout the entire process, Liza and the Gatehouse team consistently offered constructive feedback and support.
Liza at Gatehouse Admissions was a vital partner on my journey to business school. I am incredibly grateful for her expertise and guidance, which undoubtedly played a key role in my successful application to business school. If you want to gain admission to the top business schools, you must work with Liza and Gatehouse Admissions!
Product Gatehouse Admissions Consulting
Consultant Marcus Dahllof
I am thrilled to be attending Wharton next year and attribute my success to Marcus and the Gatehouse team. I came to them with a condensed timeline, a non-traditional background (investor relations hoping to transition to entrepreneurship) and Marcus helped me create a compelling story across my varying experiences. My gpa (3.9) was strong but my GMAT was slightly below the average of my target schools. With Marcus's hands-on support in editing and reviewing my essays and resume, I was admitted to a handful of programs with scholarships. Notably, given my condensed timeline, Marcus spent much time helping me on weekends and provided thorough and efficient feedback in each step of the process. I also want to highlight that Gatehouse has incredible resources for preparing applicants for interviews and truly helps you throughout the entire process of applying. I give my highest recommendation!
Product Gatehouse Admissions Consulting
Consultant Marcus Dahllof
I will be heading to London Business School this summer, and Marcus was an invaluable partner in getting me there.
I came in with I had a fairly strong background (3 years WE in Corp Strategy & Operations at a FinTech, 3.9 GPA at T25 undergrad, 334 GRE (170V, 164Q)), but I needed help differentiating myself as a white male looking to make an industry change into clean energy. Marcus helped me build out a holistic and compelling story, helping me find throughlines across my education and professional career that not only shaped my essays, but also my post-MBA career outlook. He also had an attention to detail that helped me perfect the parts of the app that are super important but easy to overlook (resume, short answers, etc.).
LBS was always my top choice school (though I have never spent extended time living or working internationally), and Marcus's experience working and living in Europe provided guidance that was difficult to find at other US-based consultancies.
REVIEWER IDENTITY VERIFIED by school email address [?]
Product Gatehouse Admissions Consulting
Consultant Rachel R Nelson
Background: White male of Latin American descent. Worked for PE/HF/VC for two years and Investment Banking prior to that. Non-target undergraduate with above average GPA. Recently admitted to HBS!
It initially took me a while to appreciate the value of an MBA. I was skeptical and spent a long-time soliciting feedback and different points of view to ensure this was the right next step in my career. After coming to the realization, I was slightly behind in my application process and timeline for round 1.
Rachel was incredibly helpful from day-1 distilling each of the key components of a well-rounded application. As someone with a type-A personality, Rachel did a great job creating structure to each component of the application process and pushing timelines to hold me accountable throughout. While busy with work, this demystified the application process and allowed me to dual-track applications with GMAT test preparation in a short timeline.
Rachel was also a great thought partner as I evaluated the course of my applications. Rachel helped me prioritize applications and shared valuable perspective on how to structure my submissions (round 1 vs. 2) based on the strengths and weaknesses of my application relative to each school's focal areas.
Most importantly - Rachel clearly wanted what was best for me and always gave honest feedback. I am happy to have had the opportunity to work with her, and don't believe I would have achieved the same outcome without her support. Highly recommend you put your faith in her as well!
Product Gatehouse Admissions Consulting
Consultant Laura MacLean
I cannot say enough positive things about Laura. She was instrumental in helping me put my best foot forward and tell my story in a way that stood out despite no obvious "hook" (HBS / GSB admit as a white / Asian male from large cap PE). Laura is intelligent, knowledgeable, organized, empathetic, and refreshingly direct. I was a huge fan of both her substance and style, and would recommend her if you're looking for someone who will be upfront and candid with you while working tirelessly to help you put your best foot forward in an increasingly competitive applicant field.