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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As an international student applying to US MBA programs, the whole process a bit of a black box. No one teaches you about it and you aren't exposed often to alumni that can explain the intricacies of applying.

I met Harold in August. I was accepted into HBS in March. This is a LONG period of time and it is a lonely journey. I 100% would not have achieved this objective without him.

Harold was a star throughout but three things shine particularly bright :

1 Exceptional guidance : Harold knows the journey well and had an incredible ability to help me correctly prioritise tasks and assess trade offs. When was it better to focus on GMAT/GRE and when to focus on essays? Which schools to start with ? Which essays first ? This made my journey much more calm and filled in gaps most of us have when doing this application process

2 Dedication & professionalism : Getting the school you want is really important and that's why you'd use external support in the first place. When you are feeling stressed, knowing the person supporting you truly has your back is invaluable. Not that I think he should, but Harold regularly took calls on holidays, at odd hours given his family commitments and regularly provided excellent feedback in short turnaround times, often faster than officially agreed turnaround times. This gave me energy and confidence across the journey

3 Rare blend of creative and logical : Harold has an excellent brain. On the one hand, rigorous, honest, challenging and thorough. On the other, creative, inventive and visionary. This means he is able to spar with you on multiple fronts and help you create and iterate on work until it is both cogent and compelling.

I would highly recommend Harold to anyone looking for support.

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Working with Harold was hands-down the most important decision I made during my MBA admissions journey. I initially came to Harold thinking I wanted to apply to Executive MBA programs, but he encouraged me to take a step back and really reflect on where I was in my career and what I wanted out of the next phase of my life. That conversation led me to explore the Sloan Fellows programs — an option I hadn’t considered before — and I’m so glad I did. I ultimately got admitted to every school I applied to, including Stanford MSx, MIT Sloan Fellows, and the Rotman One-Year MBA. I truly couldn’t have done it without Harold.

Harold was incredibly engaged at every step of the process. He didn’t just review my essays or give surface-level feedback — he really took the time to get to know me. We met countless times over several months, and I always felt like I had his full attention. He helped me clarify my values and drivers before I even began writing, which made the entire application feel more authentic and grounded. His turnaround time was incredibly fast, and the feedback was always sharp, constructive, and deeply thoughtful. He even brought in one of his colleagues to run additional mock interviews with me to help me see different angles — a move that reflects how invested he was in my success.

What stood out most was Harold’s personal commitment. He truly cared. I never felt like just another client. He understood my story, believed in me, and helped me show up as my best and most honest self in every application and interview.

If you’re serious about applying to a top MBA or Fellows program and want someone who’s strategic, compassionate, and personally invested in your success — Harold is the person you want by your side.

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Working with Harold from mbaMission was easily one of the best decisions I made in my MBA journey. From day one, Harold brought not just deep knowledge of the MBA admissions landscape but also unmatched strategic insight, empathy, and a genuine belief in my story.

He helped me crystallize my goals, connect the dots across my personal and professional experiences, and uncover narratives I didn’t even realize were powerful. Harold never rushed me. He listened deeply, challenged me thoughtfully, and pushed me to dig deeper when it mattered most. He provided detailed essay feedback, sometimes turning around edits within hours, and always with comments that elevated my writing without losing my voice.

Beyond essays, Harold guided me through school selection, interview preparation, resume reviews, recommender strategy, and even navigating waitlists and post-interview follow-ups. He was always one step ahead with a clear plan, personalized advice, and genuine encouragement that kept me motivated through every high and low.

Thanks to Harold, I ended up with multiple M7 offers and most incredibly, a full ride to Wharton. I truly could not have done it without him.

If you are even thinking about applying to business school, do yourself the biggest favor and work with Harold. He is not just a counselor. He is a game changer.

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I had an incredible experience working with Harold as my MBA application consultant and highly recommend working with him. Throughout the process, he was attentive and genuinely helpful. He was instrumental in helping me craft the right narrative for my applications. I'm interested in Real Estate after my MBA and have only had experience at a few tech startups so far in my career, so it was essential for my background and story to make sense to the admissions staff. I wouldn't have gotten in to my top choice without Harold's help. He helped me iterate many times on the framing of my essays, selecting my recommenders, and generally giving useful advice, opinions, and encouragement throughout the process. I couldn't be more grateful. Thank you Harold!

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Working with Harold Simansky from mbaMission was an absolutely exceptional experience. Going into the MBA application process, I knew I needed extra guidance and support, especially since I was coming from a less straightforward professional and personal background. I needed an admissions consultant who not only had the expertise and professionalism to navigate the complexities of the application process—including selecting the right programs, creating a strong personal narrative, and crafting impactful program-specific essays—but also someone whose personality would be a match for mine. After speaking with multiple consultants from several firms, it became clear that Harold was the right choice.

From the start, Harold’s positivity and genuine enthusiasm made a huge difference in helping me overcome my self-doubt and anxiety around the application process. He kept me grounded and steady through every stage, from strategizing about how to select and approach my recommenders to program-specific essay writing and editing, student and alumni outreach, interview preparation, and even waitlist strategies. Harold consistently went above and beyond, whether that meant scheduling calls at odd hours or pulling in insights from his network of “school-expert” colleagues from across mbaMission to provide targeted program-specific feedback.

One moment that truly stood out was during the holiday season when Harold was out of the office. Despite being on a break, he still found time to review my essays and provide feedback, which was invaluable as I was simultaneously working on applications for a vast number of Round 2 programs with deadlines in early January. Throughout the entire process, Harold's communication was exceptionally clear, and his response times were incredibly fast—even during crunch periods and at the absolute latest, I never had to wait more than a day to hear back from him. On the rare occasions when he could not provide immediate feedback, he made sure to promptly acknowledge receipt of my materials and clearly communicate when I could expect his input, which gave me peace of mind and kept us on track. His clear communication, reliability, and commitment were a huge relief, especially given that we were juggling a large number of applications at once.

Beyond Harold’s invaluable support, mbaMission’s resources were a significant boon. The firm’s online platform, onTrack, offered useful supplementary materials, recorded videos, and guidance that enhanced my preparation and application writing. While Harold was always my main point of contact and go-to resource, the platform’s resources gave me added confidence as I worked through each step.

Thanks to Harold’s guidance and unwavering support, I was admitted to a number of my top-choice programs, including Yale SOM and UCLA Anderson. His encouragement, patience, optimism, and belief in me were crucial in navigating the ups and downs of the process. I truly could not have done it without him, and I am deeply grateful for his partnership every step of the way.

I would highly recommend Harold to anyone seeking not just a consultant but a true advocate and ally throughout the MBA application journey.

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