Rachel was my trusted advisor for R1 admissions from the very start, starting with school selection up until deciding between the offers I received. She is the ideal partner for admissions and has pushed me to be strategic about where I apply and how I package myself to adcoms. Her exceptional professionalism alleviated a lot of the stress I faced: she was always available to answer all of my questions and proactively accommodated multiple deadlines (as early as June for a scholarship application).

I’m an international student working in strategy consulting in MENA with 4 years of experience, a 3.8 in engineering undergrad and a lower than ideal GRE of 320. I was concerned about my chances given my below-average score and I attribute my successful applications to Rachel’s support in helping me package my personal experiences outside of work and future aspirations into a compelling story for business school. Rachel did this with warmth and honesty, continuously checking in to keep me on track in spite of my 80-hour work weeks and pushing me to put my best foot forward on all iterations and steps along the long process.

I am especially impressed with the support she provided on my resume (almost 10 drafts!) and interviews—while I do have a lot of resources on both from my undergrad career center, business school is a different ballgame. The many mock interviews we did were invaluable in securing admission to Sloan, Kellogg and Darden (50% scholarship).

The quality of my submitted applications could not have been achieved in this timeline without her insights, meticulous reviews and deep understanding of my goals and background. I considered other consultants at Gatehouse before working with Rachel and I cannot imagine having a better experience.

Thank you so much Rachel!!

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Background: Early 30s, white male, BYU undergrad, Finance major, 3.86 GPA, 730 GMAT
Work Experience: 2 years at tier-2 consulting firm (not MBB), 3 years boutique VC firm in southeast US
Extracurricular Experience: Heavily weighted towards volunteer work with my church
Results: Accepted R1 to HBS and Wharton; rejected R1 from Sloan

I got serious about applying to MBA programs 18 months before I would eventually submit, and I was fortunate enough to have a friend connect me with Brooke. He had a very similar profile to me and got into HBS after working with Brooke as his coach. She ended up not having availability to take me on as a full client, but she connected me with Liza Weale (the founder of Gatehouse) for a full package, and then I hired Brooke to do an HBS mock interview a week before my actual interview.

Mock interviewing with Brooke was one of the best decisions I made as part of the application process. I tend to get more nervous for job interviews than the average person, and I cared more about my HBS interview than I have for any job interview previously, so I wanted to do everything in my power to control my nerves. In all of my research, I'm confident there couldn't be a better single person with whom to do an HBS mock interview. Brooke has decades of previous experience on the HBS adcom, and with that, gave me a mock interview experience that felt just like my actual interview. Knowing her background and incorporating the feedback she gave me after our mock, I walked into my actual interview with way more confidence than I expected to. I felt very prepared for all of the questions I got, and left campus feeling like I had done everything in my power to put my best foot forward.

Brooke prepared very thoroughly for our mock (hard to tell, but it seemed like she spent 2-3x more time than my actual interviewer did reviewing my application). She was warm but efficient, a style that was very reflective of my actual interviewer. She asked me some creative & challenging questions, but in ways that didn't make me feel like she was trying to put me on the spot, but just genuinely see how I think about complex issues I've encountered.

After our mock interview, we spoke on the phone for quite some time, and she gave me detailed feedback (constructive and reinforcing) on every single one of my answers. This debrief was probably the biggest contributor to my confidence going in, as she gave me lots of low-hanging fruit ideas for tightening my interview style, but simultaneously reinforced the main strengths she saw come naturally through, things that she said she was impressed by.

I could not recommend Brooke highly enough. Best of luck with the application process!

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Background: Mid-20s, Ivy League undergrad, 715 GMAT, 3.58 GPA. I've spent the last 4 years working in the Consumer/Retail space.

I was hesitant to work with a consultant for the application process. I was determined to submit an authentic app and was concerned that a consultant would try to influence my story to fit what admissions officers are looking for. I was also concerned that I would not realize the full value of the cost, and that the benefits would be marginal.

I could not have been more wrong! Liza was a true partner in this process. Her expertise in resume building, essay writing, interview prep, and much more were invaluable. She pushed me to focus my application on being "100% me", helped transform my storytelling, and kept me extremely organized. Most importantly, I maintained a tremendous amount of trust in Liza throughout the process. She was always reachable, honest, and supportive. Because of her help, I was fortunate to be accepted at GSB and Wharton.

If you're thinking of signing on with Gatehouse, pull the trigger!!

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I came into the cycle with a background that spanned finance, tech operations, and medical device R&D. My stats were solid but not in the top percentiles. My undergrad GPAs ranged from 3.6 to 3.9 across two top-20 universities, and I had a 720 GMAT. I planned to apply to both MBA and JD/MBA programs but wasn’t sure how competitive I’d be, especially for the JD/MBA programs which are known for small cohort sizes and dual-admissions hurdles. At one point, I seriously questioned whether I should even apply.

From the start, Eric helped me make sense of everything. He understood the different chapters of my career and helped me see how they actually fit together. When I shared my doubts about applying to a JD/MBA program I really wanted, he didn’t hesitate and encouraged me to go for it. That kind of confidence was exactly what I needed along the journey of school applications. It can be an overwhelming process at times and having someone that is in your corner rooting you on makes all the difference.

Eric has a real gift for finding the through-line in your story and helping you communicate it clearly and concisely while keeping your unique voice. Given how tight essay word limits are, this made a huge difference. His edits were specific, thoughtful, and always honest. When something wasn’t working, he told me directly; when the writing clicked, he acknowledged that too. It was the right mix of tough love and encouragement which was especially helpful for someone like me who doesn’t consider writing a strong suit.

Whether it was talking through doubts or tightening essays before deadlines, he consistently showed up. He checked in before and after submitting applications, interviews, and decision days, and it always felt like he genuinely had my back.

In the end, I was admitted to several M7 MBA programs, including Harvard Business School, and to a top 5 JD/MBA program with over $100K in scholarship funding. Eric’s guidance played a major role in that outcome for which I'm immensely grateful.

If I had to go through the application process all over again, I would choose to work with Eric every time!

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Eric was exactly what I needed as a candidate coming from the most “classic” MBA feeder path imaginable: two years in bulge bracket investment banking followed by four years at an upper-middle-market private equity fund. I had strong numbers (~3.9 GPA from a top liberal arts college and a 755 GMAT FE), but I also knew that great stats and a traditional background can actually be a liability at the very top schools if you don’t have a clear point of view and a differentiated story.

I only applied to HSW, so there was no margin for a generic application. From the start, Eric focused less on polishing and more on strategy. He pushed me to answer the hard questions that top programs actually care about: What’s the throughline in my decisions, beyond “finance progression”? What do I uniquely bring to a class full of high-performing investors? What is the precise problem I want to solve post-MBA, and why am I the right person to solve it?

Where Eric really stood out was his ability to craft a narrative that felt both compelling and true. He helped me identify the more nontraditional aspects of my experience that I had been under-weighting, then built them into a cohesive story with clear stakes, motivations, and direction. Just as importantly, he helped me pressure-test my post-MBA goals until they were specific, credible, and differentiated—so the “why MBA / why now” argument didn’t read like a template.

Eric also brought the kind of candid feedback that is rare and incredibly valuable. He gave tough love when I needed it, called out weak framing immediately, and didn’t let me hide behind strong credentials. That directness made the work better and made me better. By the end, I submitted three applications that I was genuinely proud of—applications that reflected my best foot forward, not just my resume.

The outcome speaks for itself: I was admitted to Wharton with a scholarship. I obviously own the work, but I also know I would not have stood out the same way without Eric’s guidance. If you’re coming from a traditional background and want a consultant who can help you differentiate with substance, sharpen your goals, and tell your story with clarity and edge, Eric is the real deal.

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Strengths:

The entire product is excellent - see detailed review below

Would make the product better:

N/A

Eric Hollowaty was a phenomenal advisor throughout the entire application process, going above and beyond routinely to ensure I put my best foot forward in my Round 1 applications. I would highly recommend him to anyone who is debating working with a consultant ahead of their MBA applications.

For background, I am from the Northeast and attended a top 15 U.S. News-ranked university for undergrad (think Duke, Johns Hopkins, UChicago, Northwestern), where I graduated with a liberal arts degree and a 3.9+ GPA. I applied in Round 1 this fall with a 695 GMAT Focus to HBS, GSB, and Wharton with four years of work experience (will be five by matriculation); two years at an investment bank and three years in large-cap private equity. In case helpful context, I had previously applied as a college senior for the 2+2 / deferred admission at HBS / GSB (did not apply with a consultant and had been less rigorous about prepping for GMAT, resulted in rejections without interviews).

I approached the application process with some trepidation about building a profile that would differentiate me from the large pool of candidates applying to the same schools with similar backgrounds. Although I had led a few initiatives outside of my core job responsibilities / through partner organizations over the ~2-year stretch ahead of applying, I wouldn’t say I had some particularly strong non-professional angles (i.e., no Associate Boards, leadership positions with community orgs, etc.). With Eric’s help, however, I was able to build a differentiated application that still described me authentically.

I’d say Eric’s primary value-add can be split across three core buckets, all of which were immensely valuable and critical to my success:
• Initial Ideation: Eric spent hours going through my background with me, teasing out anecdotes and stories that would ultimately form the basis of my applications. Where he is most effective in this process is driving you to think more critically about why something has been impactful or where you have driven change – he doesn’t ‘let you off the hook’ at your initial story, but prompts you to do the second-level thinking that makes your story both unique to you and interesting. Once the essay prompts themselves were released, he would coordinate a 90 minute school-specific ideation session, where we would debate stories to leverage for each prompt. These sessions with Eric were critical – he is unafraid to tell you when an idea is a bad one, saving you the time of writing an essay that ultimately would not land. Further, his excitement over a compelling essay idea is palpable, motivating you to drive forward. In short, he was a crucial sparring partner that helped me land at the best and most relevant narrative possible.
• Essay iteration: Eric was tireless in his support through the drafting process; he thoughtfully reviewed everything I drafted (multiple times), ranging from the long-form essay responses to the 150 character blurbs embedded in the applications. He was unafraid to push me when a draft needed a lot of work, taking the time to even leave voice memos describing where he thought I could improve when a draft particularly missed the mark. Across the three schools, Eric reviewed and commented on nearly 50 iterations of my various essays and short answers – an incredible level of meticulous external review that helped me get my essays into very polished shape well ahead of submission day.
• Interview Preparation post-submission: Eric’s help did not stop after I submitted my applications. When it came time to prepare for interviews, he worked with the same meticulousness, helping me think through both how to prepare broadly and specifically for each school I applied to. Again, Eric was unafraid to give direct but valuable feedback when my answers missed the mark during a mock session. With his support, I walked into my interviews incredibly confident, and even faced several questions that we had gone over in our mocks.

One other note which I think is important in the hectic nature of getting applications submitted – there are no surprises with Eric. He is incredibly communicative, clear, and always available to promptly answer one-off questions that pop up. Importantly, he is also a pleasure to work with, bringing an infectious attitude that made the marathon of MBA application writing feel manageable.

With Eric’s support, I was admitted to both HBS and Wharton this fall. I am 100% confident my applications and profile would have been nowhere near as well-received without his help and support throughout the last year. I feel very fortunate to have worked with him, and strongly recommend him to anyone considering working with him.

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Before my mock interview with Laura, I was frankly very overwhelmed with prepping for the HBS interview because of the sheer number of answers and stories I felt like I had to prepare. That's when I decided to do a mock with Laura. And let me tell you, that was the best decision I could have made, because Laura was AMAZING.

Prior to the mock, she read through my entire HBS application, and I could tell she did thorough research beforehand (just like your HBS interviewer would) from the thoughtful and pointed questions she asked me. She was warm, energetic, and thoughtful - throughout the interview, I felt like she was always on my side (which is what your actual interviewer will feel like as well - they want you to succeed, something Laura reinforced!).

The mock helped me so so much! Many of her questions were very similar to my actual HBS interview. Her feedback was also incredibly helpful - she told me exactly what was working really well and what I needed to reframe. She helped me tighten responses that were too long and encouraged me to emphasize the parts of my story that she felt would be more compelling.

I honestly don't think I would have done as well in my real interview without this preparation. Laura made me feel so much more confident going into my HBS interview that I actually wasn't nervous on the day of.

If you get an HBS interview invite, PLEASE do a mock with Laura!! I got into HBS, and Laura played a huge role in getting me there.

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Working with Eric was one of the best decisions I made during my MBA application process. As an engineering graduate with a second upper honor degree from a global top 50 university, I initially felt unsure about how to position myself in the competitive MBA admissions landscape. Eric’s guidance was instrumental in helping me identify my unique strengths and connecting my profile to each school’s distinct strengths.

What set Eric apart was his ability to add value in very specific ways:
He helped me refine my career goals and connect my engineering experience to my post-MBA aspirations in a way that felt authentic yet ambitious. Eric challenged me to think deeper. One of my essays went through multiple iterations, and each time, his feedback sharpened my reflections and made it more impactful.

Thanks to Eric’s support, I was admitted to CBS. I wholeheartedly recommend him to applicants, especially those with non-traditional backgrounds who need help translating their strengths into a compelling MBA application. His expertise and encouragement made all the difference!

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Strengths:

responsiveness, helpful insights, personalized

Would make the product better:

n/a

I started working with Rachel quite late into round 2 (around end-November) and was initially nervous about whether we could pull everything together in time. From day one, Rachel jumped right in, helping me organize and prioritize the many moving pieces of my application while never making me feel rushed or behind. Her responsiveness was unmatched - whether it was (many) questions over email, quick check-ins, or strategic brainstorming sessions, Rachel always made time, even during the holidays. I was especially grateful for her availability between Christmas and New Year’s to accommodate my short timeline, when many others would have been offline.

What truly set Rachel apart was her ability to help me tell my story. Coming from a consulting background, I struggled to differentiate myself and articulate my post-MBA goals in a compelling way. Rachel asked the right questions, challenged me to dig deeper, and helped shape a narrative that felt both authentic and impactful. Her feedback on my essays, resume, and even the short-answer questions was consistently sharp and constructive, yet always encouraging.

Thanks to her guidance, I was admitted to Kellogg’s One-Year MBA program (my only application) and I can confidently say I wouldn’t have gotten there without her support. I was initially hesitant about the investment but it was worth every penny especially if you are an international student like myself.

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Strengths:

thoughtful and strategic, efficient with time, supportive but direct

Would make the product better:

Since I came in with a less traditional major background (social policy), I think it would’ve helped to get even more examples or templates early on for reference.

I'm a recent graduate from Northwestern University, where I studied Learning and Organizational Change and had a focus in marketing. I graduated with a 3.8 GPA and was applying to deferred MBA programs during my senior year.

Working with Rachel made a huge difference in my application process. She never wasted my time—instead, every session felt intentional and productive. She asked thoughtful questions that really pushed me to reflect on my long-term goals, and helped me build a clear narrative connecting my past experiences with where I hope to go. She checked in regularly, helped me manage my stress around the process, and gave me the freedom to shape what our work together looked like.

With Rachel’s support, I applied to the Kellogg Future Leaders Program and was accepted. I’m so grateful for her guidance and highly recommend working with her—especially if you’re looking for someone who will bring your story to life.

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