I come from a non-traditional background. An MBA wasn’t something I even considered as an option for me until multiple years into my professional career, so I didn’t know the first thing about doing MBA admissions the “right” way. I entered the 2024 application cycle for the class of 2027 with a solid profile but lacking the fine tuning needed for a competitive M7 application. I was dinged after interview in that application cycle, and I reached out to Harold for the first time in early 2025 for a ding analysis. I never could have dreamed how instrumental someone’s guidance and expertise could be in getting me past “ding” and into multiple top business schools in this past year’s application cycle.

Everything about my experience with Harold is something to compliment. His feedback on my applications were tailored, candid, and fair. He’s great at communicating, whether getting back to you quickly to answer your questions, giving comments on your application drafts, or independently reaching out to see how things are going. He was invested in providing me the best possible chance to have a successful outcome, whether it was through dutifully reviewing the dozens of essay drafts I sent his way, utilizing his MBAMission colleagues as a resource to answer my questions if he didn’t know the answer to them, and even recommending I work with a Harvard-specific colleague of his (shoutout Devi!) to help me better prepare for my HBS interview.

MBA applications are a hard, drawn-out process. You spend so much time studying/testing, reflecting, writing essays, and chasing down recommenders, to name a few. You need to boil the sum of your professional and personal self into these applications, and that’s a lot of work. The difference between my 2024 application cycle and my 2025 application cycle wasn’t that it got easier the second time around - it wasn’t - but that I had someone in my corner who I knew was genuinely invested in me and wanted to do everything in his capacity to help me succeed. He even helped me reach beyond what I thought I was capable of. I didn’t even apply to HBS the first time around, and now I am a very excited member of their class of 2028! Thank you Harold, I cannot recommend you enough!

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I worked with Harold throughout my MBA application process, and what stood out immediately was how invested he was in understanding my background, goals, and overall candidacy. I applied to a wide range of business schools, each with different requirements and approaches, and Harold was consistently available to provide thoughtful guidance.

I would not have been able to develop an effective professional narrative or clearly articulate my background and career goals without Harold's guidance. He helped me make sense of my experiences, identify the themes that connected them, and present them in a way that was both authentic and compelling. His feedback was thoughtful and constructive, and his perspective was invaluable in helping me communicate my story effectively throughout the application process.

What I appreciated most was Harold's responsiveness and steady support throughout the process. His turnaround times were excellent, he always understood the priorities associated with upcoming deadlines, and I genuinely felt like he was in my corner from start to finish. I was balancing the application process alongside a demanding, high-hour job, and despite the many moving pieces, I never felt rushed or constrained in our work together. He was flexible when needed and always made time to address questions or provide feedback. He was always supportive and confident in my potential.

Most importantly, his guidance produced results. I was admitted to more than seven programs, including my top two choices. I am extremely grateful for Harold's support and would highly recommend him to anyone navigating the MBA admissions process.

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Harold gave me relevant feedback on my essays, and useful tips for the overall process. The interview prep was something else, he not only prepared me for difficult questions, but gave me a confidence boost in this very stressful part of the process. That made a real difference.

He is not your average MBA consultant, you can tell he cares about you. He constantly follows up to see how things are going, and goes above and beyond to maximize your chances of success. He also hosts the MBA Mission podcast, which in my opinion is the best free source of content online.

I ended up being admitted to multiple programa, and he even offered to connect me with other clients to help me make the best decision.

Harold was very important in my admission process and I'm very thankful for his help. I recommend him to anyone who not only needs expertise but also a friendly coach. I would strongly recommend getting the full package to maximize your experience.

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Working with Harold throughout my MBA application journey was one of the best decisions I made during this process. From the very beginning, all the way through admissions results, scholarship negotiations, and ultimately deciding where to enroll, Harold played a major role in helping me navigate every step with confidence and clarity.

I applied to seven business schools with his guidance and was successful at more than half of them, receiving major scholarships at every school I got accepted to. I’ll be attending MIT Sloan, and I genuinely believe a significant part of my success came from Harold’s collaboration, insight, and support throughout the process.

What stood out most about Harold was how personable, responsive, and invested he was. He was always willing to hop on a call, answer questions quickly, and provide thoughtful feedback no matter how big or small the concern was. He helped me significantly improve my resume, pushed me to think creatively in my essays, and worked closely with me to tailor my story authentically and strategically for each school. He also provided valuable interview preparation and helped me think through difficult admissions and enrollment decisions once results started coming in.

Every conversation I had with him left me feeling more prepared, more confident, and more optimistic about the process. He has a great ability to make applicants feel supported while also pushing them to present the strongest possible version of themselves. He is transparent, honest, and easy to work with. No question ever felt too complicated or too insignificant/dumb for him to address thoughtfully.

My advice to anyone applying to business school would be to start the process as early as possible and strongly consider working with Harold. Beyond being an exceptional consultant, he is genuinely fun, kind, and supportive throughout what can otherwise be a very stressful experience.

One thing I especially appreciated is that the relationship doesn’t feel transactional or temporary. Even after getting accepted and preparing to start business school, I still feel comfortable reaching out to Harold and staying in touch.

I cannot recommend him highly enough.

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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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