Gatehouse Admissions Consulting Reviews

Background: Caucasian female, 5 years of experience (2 years investment banking, 3 years private equity), GMAT: 690
Results: Accepted to Booth, Kellogg and Tuck

April was the guiding force for me throughout my MBA application process and was a true advisor and friend along the way. From the onset, April provided the perfect balance of “tough love” that I needed to be held accountable yet feel supported in the process. When there were weeks I needed to study for the GMAT or prioritize work, she gave me the space to do so and updated our calendar accordingly. When time was getting tight, she was honest and held me to our deadlines. This balance and her approach gave me the structure to make progress on my applications without feeling overwhelmed or behind during busy weeks.

This balance of serving as a sound advisor and supportive friend extended throughout the process, from essay writing to interview preparation. As I worked through brainstorming my essay topics, April helped pull out pieces of my “story” she thought would be interesting to focus on. As I iterated drafts with her, she was never afraid to be honest when things weren’t clicking and to ask thoughtful questions to help move me along and solidify my points. She helped me effectively communicate my values, what in my life shaped these values, how I have leveraged them in my career, and how I plan to in the future by asking tough questions and talking through my responses. The process not only helped me write an essay I was very proud of, but also allowed me to better understand myself and my motivators. This guidance extended throughout my application – from ensuring my resume was data-dense and focused on quantifying my accomplishments, to running through several mock interviews and pushing me regardless of how prepared I felt, her guidance was instrumental to my success.

April was also extremely professional throughout our time working together. She was responsive and organized and always made the deadlines she set. She was always open to schedule a call to chat through things and always provided comprehensive feedback, regardless of the number of iterations she had already reviewed of an essay, resume or short answer. Her patience and commitment to working with me until my applications were great was steadfast and deeply appreciated. In summary, I cannot recommend April enough. If you are looking for someone to push and support you to drive the best MBA outcome, April is your girl!

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I worked with Laura on mock interview/general interview prep prior to my HBS interview. She was extremely helpful and thoughtful. My mock interview with her was nearly identical to the actual interview, and her feedback was constructive and insightful. Furthermore, it was clear that she had done significant work to prepare for the interview and was well up to speed on my entire application. With her help, I was accepted!

For background context on my profile - I graduated with a 3.9 gpa from an ivy league undergrad and worked in big 3 consulting then PE investing, and had a 730 GMAT score.

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Background: Early 30s, white male, Ivy League undergrad, Professional sports with family business background

Attending Harvard Business School in 2022.

Liza came highly recommended to me and her knowledge and ability to understand my story was almost immediate. I was coming from a “non-traditional” background after 9 years of professional sports and I was not equipped to go through the application process alone.

Liza guided me every step of the way, and was honest, motivating and collaborative. Her deadlines kept me on schedule and she truly life-coached me throughout the entire process. She challenged me to be more descriptive and show who I really was while also being concise and to the point. Liza’s honest feedback and great edits improved all my essays tremendously.

I was starting a new job, taking multiple GRE tests, and applying to business school amid a pandemic. Life was beyond stressful, but Liza’s optimism, preparation and communication left such a clear road map for me during some of the most uncertain times. I could not be more thankful to have met such a genuine, kind, and smart leader in my life when I needed it most.

You will not meet a more passionate, detailed, and charismatic individual. It was an absolute pleasure getting to work with Liza from start to finish. It was a daunting process, but Liza’s guidance and consummate professionalism was exemplary in every sense of the word.

If you have the privilege to work with Liza…DO IT!

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I worked with the MBA consultant April Stewart from Gatehouse Admissions. Though it was a large investment of time and money, I truly believe April was a key factor in being admitted to business school. A bit about my background, I graduated from the University of Virginia with a 3.5 GPA and a degree in Political Science. I’ve worked in management consulting at a large firm (but not Big 4) for about 3.5 years when I applied to business school in Round 2 of 2022. I also had worked in a sales role for 1.5 years as my first job, totaling 5-years’ work experience upon application. I had some volunteering/additional leadership outside of work that I discussed. I did not have a strong quantitative background through undergraduate courses, (just micro/macroeconomics/stats with B’s). I did not apply with a GMAT/GRE score as I applied to receive a COVID Test Waiver. I applied to 7 schools to get a COVID Test Waiver and ultimately received 6, which were the 6 schools I ended up applying to in Round 2. I applied to Cornell, UNC, UT, USC, Boston College, and Michigan in Round 2. I went through a process of self-reflection and several in-depth calls with April to select which schools were right for me over about a month period. Going into working with April in early October of 2021, I had not selected any schools that I was planning to apply to ahead of time so that was part of our process of working together.

April and I had weekly calls to discuss choices for schools, strategies for applications, my career goals, talking with current students/alumni, and then further into the process reviewing specific edits on each essay, and then practicing for interviews. April was very thorough and knowledgeable about what each school was looking for regarding my essays. We easily did 15 rounds of each essay (2 per school) for the 3 schools I selected to work with her on through Gatehouse Admissions. April also helped me draft my COVID Test Waivers, additional information the school requested on extracurriculars, as well as another 15 rounds of my Resume. The process was very detailed and tedious, which is what you want in order to get your material to be the greatest it can possibly be. I then used the extensive work I did for those 3 schools and utilized that insight (and often the same wording of my story) for my other 3 school’s applications. April helped me frame my story for all of my application materials, but also for my interviews. Once I was into the interview round, April sent me 20+ interview questions for each school that past applicants had been asked, which ended up being very accurate to what I was asked in my interviews. We also did several mock interviews for each school.

Ultimately, I got into all 6 schools that I applied to, and I also received scholarship money (anywhere from 10k-70k) from all 6 of the schools. I chose to go to UNC Kenan-Flagler based on the great environment for women, consulting track, Forté scholarship money, and school atmosphere! At the beginning of the process, I wasn’t sure if I wanted to work with an MBA consultant, I had friends who had gotten into business school with and without one. I decided I would rather pay for assistance for the best possible chance to get in. I was so happy I chose to work with Gatehouse Admissions and ended up having 6 options for school selection, which I never thought would happen.

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Background: 26, Female. 2 years investment banking. 2 years at a PE firm. Liberal arts major from Ivy League.

Results: Admitted to HBS (attending), Wharton, Booth (with $), and Kellogg

It’s no secret that preparing five business school applications is a daunting process, especially while juggling a demanding job and other extracurriculars. I had heard about Liza from several colleagues who had successful application processes the year prior. My decision to work with Liza was one of the best I have ever made. Liza was an amazing cheerleader, sounding board, motivator, and friend to me throughout my process.

From the very start of my work with her, Liza took the time to dive in and get to know me. Through her review of my personal reflection (a lengthy document she has you prepare to kick off your work together), Liza helped me to extract the elements of my story that would lend themselves to compelling business school essays. Over the course of several months, through draft after draft, Liza consistently challenged me to push my writing further until I had final drafts of which I am extremely proud.

Equally important, Liza kept me organized. Between standardized test preparations, gathering materials for recommenders, drafting around a dozen essay responses, and preparing for interviews, I certainly had my work cut out for me and not much time to complete it. Through weekly priority lists, timely essay draft reviews, and frequent check-ins by phone, Liza ensured that my five sets of applications were completed seamlessly and far before my application deadlines.

Because of Liza, I have the opportunity to attend the business school of my dreams. I cannot recommend Liza enough!

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After four years in big four strategy consulting I decided to pursue an MBA. I was fortunate to achieve a 760 GMAT, but my profile didn't really have a wow factor or anything to separate me from other candidates. I'd attended a second tier Canadian undergrad, where my GPA was good but not great and I hadn't achieved anything spectacular in terms of extracurriculars. Luckily I decided to work with Liza Weale!

We started our journey together almost a year ahead of deadlines, and so she was able to offer me great advice to strengthen my profile while I had time to spare. She did an absolutely incredible job helping me craft my brand and essay stories. She really dove into my history and expertly drew out the most impactful elements from my life. Liza knew just how to put the pieces together in a compelling way for the school and I really felt that she was invested in my success.

She went beyond simple advice and feedback, and her encouragement did wonders for my confidence. Finally when I was able to interview at my dream school Columbia, Liza's interview feedback was absolutely vital to my preparation. I was able to receive an offer of admission with a significant scholarship.

I'm so grateful to Liza for being instrumental in achieving my dream outcome, and I would wholeheartedly recommend her to those starting their own MBA journey.

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Background: 25 year old Asian male in NYC. 2 years investment banking, 3 years private equity. Engineering major from Ivy League
GMAT: 760. GPA: 3.95
Results: Accepted to HBS and GSB. Attending HBS

Liza is an amazing consultant and an even more amazing human being. She came with raving reviews from co-workers who were successful with the application process in the past, and I have been recommending her to every friend who is thinking about applying.

(1) Liza worked tirelessly to make sure I put my best foot forward and told a consistent story across essays, short answers, and recommendation letters. (2) She kept me organized and in control of the application process. (3) She was and still is truly invested in me. I cannot recommend Liza enough, she is simply the best.

Liza spends a lot of time up front to make sure she truly knows who you are – personally, professionally, academically, etc. The first document you write is a lengthy “inventory” to reflect on your experiences. This not only helps Liza get to know you, but also helps both of you pick out themes/stories to go into your essays. After aligning on these themes/stories, you start writing.

Writing is not my forte – I studied engineering for a reason! Liza gave thoughtful comments on my essay drafts and pushed me on areas to expand/pare back on. I think we did 3 overhauls of my GSB essay. She made sure everything was in tip-top shape.

Even my recommenders loved Liza. She has a memo template that helps your recommenders surface qualities and stories to write about. They can also run recommendation letters through Liza. This all ensures a quality end product.

I work a demanding job and knew balancing the application process with work would be challenging. Liza kept me honest – she warned me when I was straying “off-plan” on my GMAT, essay, etc. which made the final week’s pre-submission feel controlled. Without Liza, I may have missed the deadline!

Liza is truly invested in her applicants. She constantly checks in on how you’re doing and helps connect you with her network to learn more about the schools / help you make an informed decision.

If you want to work with the best of the best, go with Liza!

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Taking the plunge and deciding to finally apply to MBA programs, I was aware of the compressed timeline I had put myself under when I started working with Rachel in late May 2021 for R1 applications. I had not yet taken the GRE, had a rough, but not solid, idea of my career goals and lacked insight into the process coming from a non-traditional background. Trying to play “catch-up,” I found Rachel’s balance of pragmatism and encouragement provided indispensable support when anxiety or doubt crept in. Knowing the process very well, she was able to help me set priorities and remain focused on the tasks before me—all to stunning results, acceptance at all three of my schools!

By way of background, I graduated from a top state school in 2015 with a 3.86 GPA majoring in Art History. Following undergrad, I obtained a Masters degree in Art History, and for the past five years, I have been working in the art industry at a major auction house. I opted to take the GRE and scored 168 in Verbal and 165 in Quant.

Rachel helped me take my application to the next level by pushing me to dig deeper and strive for more specificity in my essays. I always felt that I had ownership of my essays, but it was her astute questions and comments on drafts that drew out new ideas and connections (which I never would have thought to make on my own) and helped bring my story to life. She asked tough questions that gave me pause to think why something matters and if it does matter, how to show (and not tell!) that it does. If I got stuck, she was always willing to hop on Zoom and brainstorm or chat through my ideas. Rachel was the ultimate sounding board! This was especially helpful in crystalizing my career goals. In our conversations, Rachel would always say something that I could latch onto and research more in order to decide whether it made sense for me or not.

Beyond essays and career goals, Rachel answered every one of my minute questions about the applications, calmed my nerves when I convinced myself that I bombed a video essay and reminded me to embrace the uniqueness of my non-traditional background and be myself in interviews.

With her guidance, I applied to and was accepted at Kellogg, Columbia and Tuck (with scholarships at each). Even after acceptances, Rachel helped me weigh pros and cons of each school and provided guidance on negotiating competing scholarship offers.

From beginning to end, Rachel was honest, straightforward, patient and supportive. I honestly believe that my applications would not have been as successful as they were without Rachel’s unique ability to ask the questions that made me dig deeper, reflect further and piece my story together.

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Background: 26-year-old white/Asian male, marketing and strategic comms at homebuilding company, English major at liberal arts college, 3.67 GPA, 750 GMAT

Results: Accepted to Booth, Kellogg ($), Tuck ($), Darden

In many ways, I’m what you would call an unconventional candidate. I did not study business or economics in college, I do not work at a well-known company, and I am not coming from a common pre-MBA industry. With this kind of profile, it’s easy to feel like you don’t belong at a top business school. And in fact, the first consultant I spoke with urged me to reconsider my initial list of schools.

But not Liza. From our very first call together, Liza made me feel confident that my story could be uniquely compelling — provided that put I forth my best possible application. Luckily, that’s exactly what Liza will make sure that you do.

It’s really no exaggeration to say that I could sing Liza’s praises for days. Here are just a few things to highlight about my experience working with her:

• Before you get started with any part of your actual application, Liza will really take the time to learn who you are and tirelessly work with you to construct your overall narrative.

• Liza is a true pleasure to speak to and work with. Talking with her over the phone about my essays and over Zoom when prepping for interviews was always the highlight of my week.

• As others have said, Liza is incredibly supportive, positive, and empathetic. However, this doesn’t stop her from being able to provide sharp and constructive criticism when necessary. She will always be real with you.

• Liza is a masterful editor and will not let a single sentence that it isn’t up to par go untouched. I was consistently impressed by her comments and feedback each time I got one of my drafts back.

• Liza does an excellent job of breaking down each component of the application process — resume, essays, recommendation letters, interviews, etc. — and putting you on a schedule to complete each piece of the puzzle with as little stress as possible.

• Liza is very, very reliable. She sets clear guidelines on when she’ll be able to turn around any items of your application and ruthlessly sticks to them. She’ll also gladly answer any smaller questions you have along the way.

• She will go out of her way to put you in touch with her contacts at various programs. Thanks to Liza, I was able to speak to five current students at my target schools, which helped greatly with my essays and interviews.

• Liza is truly invested in your success. Even now, as I decide which school to attend, Liza has been as helpful as ever, acting as a sounding board and assisting me with scholarship negotiations.

The MBA application process is complex and daunting. But thanks to Liza, I always felt I was on track and was ultimately admitted to schools I’m thrilled about. I can say with total confidence that the best choice I made during this long journey was choosing Liza Weale as my consultant.

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Background: 28-year old; URM male in NYC; Economics and Psychology double major from Ivy
Professional: IB + Corp Dev
Stats: GPA: 3.70; GMAT: 750

Working with Liza was absolutely a game changer for my interview. I was a re-applicant for HBS and was interviewed in round 1 and waitlisted a few years ago. When I received a round 1 interview invite this time around, I knew I needed to prep differently so I would excel. I had not previously worked with Gatehouse but was drawn to their bespoke HBS interview package. Although I was originally looking for someone who had experience in HBS admissions, after directly hearing from Liza about her extensive experience doing HBS mock interviews and quite frankly, feeling her genuine enthusiasm to help me, I was excited to move forward with her.
 
Our prep started with her providing HBS specific interview materials as well as three tutorial interview videos which were all very helpful. The following week, we had our mock interview that tracked the cadence of the real thing followed by a post-interview analysis and a deeper dive on my profile to explore areas, such as my desired career transition to VC - Liza thought I would likely get questioned on this (and she was right). Liza was gracious enough to not only go through all of my latest application materials before our session, but also take a look at my materials from the first time I applied and was waitlisted. As a reapplicant Liza helped me to think through communicating how my story and goals had evolved since last time. Prepping with Liza helped to give me the confidence in my interview to walk through my story and become comfortable with the deeper probing of responses that is typical of an HBS interview. Although the questions from my mock and the real thing were not exactly the same, the topic areas we focused on were! Furthermore, Liza’s transferable and versatile approach helped me answer the unexpected questions typical of an HBS interview.
 
I was fortunate enough to be admitted to and will be attending HBS in the fall. I truly believe the difference maker this second time around was Liza. Although I only worked with her on the HBS mock-interview package, she had an understanding of my story as if we had worked together on the whole application process, which is a testament to how heavily she invests herself into her clients. If I had to summarize Liza’s approach in a few words, they would be thorough, thoughtful and encouraging. For those who want to maximize their chances of “crushing” the HBS interview (which can be quite tricky), even if you think you are familiar with the format, I would highly recommend Liza for her expertise and support!

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