Harold was instrumental to my MBA application. I planned to DIY my application, and have an advisor to only triangulate and review my essays in a targeted manner. I feel compelled to share that I was impressed by the value of Harold’s highly effective essay review, feedback, and suggestion. The specificity and criticalness formed stark contrast with feedback I was getting from AI.

Another element that I wanted to share was that even though I was an hourly client, I did not feel that I was the second priority. I was sensing that hourly clients would tend to be de-prioritized from speaking with other advisors during free consultation sessions, but Harold’s responsiveness and quality of advice soon assured me that it would not be the case working with him.

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I worked with Harold Simanski throughout my MBA application process, and what stood out immediately was how invested he was in understanding my background and my case. Harold then pushed me to translate and tailor my experience into clear, outcome-driven narratives that resonated with admissions committees.

His turnaround times were very consistent with the right priority at any given time in your process, as Harold is aware of upcoming deadlines and milestones. Harold’s feedback was precise and actionable, he challenged and pushed me to be more specific and honest in how I presented my story. He also guided me to change direction in my narrative when I needed to.

Harold struck the right balance between candor and support. He was direct when something wasn’t working, but also encouraging and confident in my potential, which helped me stay locked in through a long and demanding process.

I genuinely felt like he was in my corner the entire time, and his guidance played a key role in my admission to top programs, including HBS and Sloan.

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Working with Harold genuinely changed how I approached the entire application process.
From the beginning, he was very personally invested in my application. I never felt like just another client. He took the time to really understand my background, my goals, and what I was trying to communicate, and pushed me to think more deeply about all of it.
A lot of his feedback was not just about making essays better. It was about getting to something more honest and more compelling. I remember a few moments where he challenged how I was framing my story or career goals, and those conversations ended up being some of the most valuable parts of the process.
He was also incredibly responsive, which made a big difference given how fast everything moves. Turnaround times were consistently quick, and I always felt like I could reach out with questions or ideas and get thoughtful feedback right away.
Just as important, he was very easy to work with. The process can get pretty stressful at times, and he struck the right balance of pushing me while also being supportive and encouraging throughout.
I was fortunate to be admitted to my top choice (HSW), and I do not know if I would have gotten there without Harold’s help. I would absolutely recommend him to anyone going through the process.

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Harold was an outstanding partner throughout my MBA application journey. What I appreciated most was his strategy. Before working with him, I did not fully understand the importance of early admission rounds, test waivers, and how these could create leverage later in the process. Thanks to his guidance, I applied during an early admission period with a test waiver, and that turned out to be a very successful approach.

His advice also directly shaped my scholarship outcome. There was one school I was not originally planning to apply to, but Harold encouraged me to consider it. That decision became especially important because I received a scholarship from that top school, which then helped me negotiate successfully with the school I most wanted to attend. In the end, his strategic guidance helped me get into the school I truly wanted with a stronger financial outcome.

Beyond strategy, Harold was always highly responsive. He was there when I needed him, and that gave me a lot of confidence during a stressful process. His communication style was another major strength. He was consistently positive, encouraging, and motivating, which made a real difference throughout the journey.

He also gave very sharp and practical feedback on my resume. His comments were not superficial. They were critical in helping me strengthen how I presented my experience and achievements.

Overall, what I value most about working with Harold was his thoughtful admissions strategy, especially around early applications, test waivers, and scholarship negotiation. His support made a real difference in my results, and I would strongly recommend him to any MBA applicant.

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I worked with Harold in 2023-2024, and initially he helped me build my application for a Full-Time MBA program at a top US business school (essay, resume, etc.). Although I wasn’t accepted that time, Harold kept encouraging me to reapply the following year. I almost gave up, but he believed in me more than I believed in myself, and he was always following up, brainstorming, and suggesting alternative approaches. Based on my inputs (age, workload, location, career goals), he advised me to shift strategies: to consider an Executive MBA and take the Executive Assessment instead of the GMAT. It all paid off - now I’m halfway through the Chicago Booth Executive MBA program. Earning an MBA from a top U.S. business school was my dream. I am really enjoying the experience, and I will be forever grateful to Harold. Thank you very much!

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Harold was amazing! He did not only help me get the admission outcomes I was hoping for, but also help me find the best program fit for me. Harold's availability was really out of this world, and through the many bumps I hit during the process, he really helped me stay on track and put my best application forward. I think Harold puts a lot of effort into into understanding you as a person, and takes a candid interest in your personal life, your new achievements at work, is sympathetic of you fallbacks, and all of this makes him great at helping you craft an application that resonates with an AdCom. My Outcome was getting into my #1 and #2 programs, and the #1 program was an HSW program.

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I am so grateful that Harold was part of my MBA application journey - from school selection to applications, interviews, and even negotiating scholarship offers. I first met Harold through a “ding review” promotion with MBA Mission. He reviewed my previous application and clearly outlined areas for improvement – specifically, my low GMAT score and the need to better clarify my practical post-MBA career goals.

Honestly, Harold’s encouragement, insights, and steady support were pivotal in helping me commit to the reapplication process. I truly do not think I would have gone through it again without his affirmation of my candidacy (I came from a nontraditional background, which many successful candidates do! I had been working in research as a chemist).

I was accepted to 5 out of 7 schools I applied to – Duke Fuqua, Cornell Johnson, Michigan Ross, Rice Jones, and Minnesota Carlson – with significant scholarship offers! I was waitlisted at Yale SOM and only rejected from Northwestern Kellogg. Beyond the results, I came out of the experience with a much clearer sense of purpose and confidence.

Some of the most helpful suggestions Harold offered along the way included:
1. Recommending that I switch from the GMAT to the GRE, which ended up being a better fit and allowed me to improve my score.
2. Emphasizing that every MBA application must clearly answer: Why an MBA? Why now? Why this school?
3. Teaching me how to dig into alumni career paths across programs so I could define achievable, authentic, and compelling post-MBA goals.

Thank you, Harold! You truly made a difference in this process, and I am confident you will continue to do the same for many more applicants in the future.

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Harold is a very knowledgeable, responsible and proactive consultant – I would absolutely recommend him for anyone who is looking for the best outcome.

Harold was truly invested in my applications. During the brainstorming stage, he pushed me really hard to flesh out an authentic story, which was fundamental to the MBA application. Since I had very specific post-MBA goals, he provided tailored advice on my school selection strategy and shared many insights into schools that I had very limited knowledge of. That well-crafted strategy was proven a huge success, as I was able to leverage a scholarship offer from a lower-tier school (which I hadn’t even been considering initially) to secure a meaningful scholarship from my top-choice school.

Harold was also super supportive throughout the process. It was an extremely competitive year for international students even in Round 1, and I felt I could improve the outcome in Round 2. He continued to offer attentive support and share intel that helped strengthen my candidacy, despite the pro-longed process. Eventually I received multiple M7 and T15 offers with scholarships – an outcome I was very happy with.

In addition, although the standard turnaround time is approx. 2 business days, Harold had almost always got back to me within 1. This was especially helpful as I was juggling between a demanding job, GMAT prep, MBA applications and other life commitments.

This was hands down a 5-star experience from start to finish.

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Looking back on my MBA application experience, I can say with total confidence that the best decision I made was choosing Harold as my consultant - I would not have made it into my top-choice program—let alone with scholarships—without his help. He brings a mix of responsiveness, structure, and strategic insight that made the whole experience manageable and perfectly tailored to my strengths.

First off, Harold is incredibly responsive. Whether I had a quick question or needed feedback on an essay draft, he was always just a text or email away—usually replying within minutes. That kind of fast back-and-forth made it easy to keep momentum during some of the most intense stretches of the process.

On top of that, he excels at bringing structure to what can otherwise feel like a chaotic process. I was working full-time during my applications, and the schedule he set up—complete with milestones, check-ins, and realistic deadlines—helped me stay on track without burning out. It never felt rushed, but we were always moving forward.

What really set Harold apart, though, was how strategic he is. He deeply understands what each MBA program is really looking for, and he takes the time to get to know you—your story, your goals, your strengths, even the things you might overlook. There were multiple moments when I thought I was highlighting my best qualities in an essay, only for Harold to help me reframe or redirect toward something more aligned with a particular school. That kind of insight carried over into interviews too—more than once, interviewers actually called out specific points Harold helped me craft.

Through it all, he stayed positive, encouraging, and genuinely invested in my success. The whole experience felt far less overwhelming because of him—and in the end, I got into several top programs with scholarship offers. I couldn’t recommend Harold more highly.

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My experience working with Harold was outstanding. I approached the MBA application process with very limited time and an ambitious plan: apply to four top programs, all of which were “reach” schools given my GMAT score. Harold turned out to be exactly the person I needed. Thanks to his guidance, I was admitted to three of those schools — each with generous scholarship offers.
From the start, Harold took the time to really get to know me — my background, my interests, my career path — and used all of that to help craft the strongest applications possible. He guided me through every part of the process and I always felt supported. He was incredibly responsive and available whenever I needed to connect.
When we first started, I had no clear idea what my essay topics should be or which stories to highlight. Harold’s deep experience showed right away. He helped me uncover and shape the stories that would resonate most with admissions committees. Instead of discouraging me because of my lower test score or suggesting I delay my applications to improve my stats, Harold focused on identifying my strengths and figuring out how to showcase them effectively. Once we aligned on the key themes and strategy, he fully believed in me and never let any doubts creep in. His confidence in my profile helped boost my own, especially as I prepared for interviews.
One of Harold’s standout skills is his ability to trim down essay drafts to meet word limits while keeping all the important content intact — and he does it quickly and naturally.
He was also fantastic at managing deadlines. Not only did he turn around essay edits rapidly (often in less than a day), but he kept me calm as deadlines approached. He promised we’d finalize materials a few days before each due date — and we did. By the end, I felt proud of every application I submitted and had ample time to review everything without stress.
I have no doubt that without Harold’s help, I wouldn’t have received the same admissions outcomes — and especially not the scholarship offers. Working with him was one of the best decisions I made during the application process. I wouldn’t hesitate to hire him again.

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