Harold Simansky Reviews

From my very first conversation with Harold, I knew he was the perfect mentor to guide me through the physically and emotionally draining MBA admissions process. For reference, I come from an extremely over-represented cohort. What really stood out for me was that he "listened" to my entire story for the first 15 mins and took into consideration all that I had to say before sharing his thoughts on how I should position my application. All the other consultants I had spoken with tried to force fit my story into a certain profile type even before I had the chance to explain the nuances in my story.
Working with Harold during the actual application process was also a breeze. He was very responsive and would provide comments on essay drafts, resume and other short answers within 12-24 hrs. He was very encouraging throughout the process and acted like more of a mentor than simply a consultant.
As is the case with most applicants, we have a tendency to solicit feedback from family/friends/colleagues - most of which can be extremely differing and confusing. Harold made sure to address each piece of external feedback that I received. What really stuck with me was that he did not diminish or belittle the external feedback but clearly explained his point of view and showed me ways I could incorporate some of that feedback into my application without complicating the overall narrative.
I was extremely happy with my experience and would definitely recommend Harold to any future applicants.

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I only had one month left to write my essay before the application deadline. I was so fortunate to have Harold to go through the process with me. Harold can understand my profile quickly and transform it into a story that appeals to the admission committee of my dream school. Whenever in doubt, I can always arrange a call with Harold and e-mail him. His quick response and accurate answer assure me that I did not waste my time and I was on the right track. The application process can be very stressful. However, there is nothing better to have a mentor, motivator, and friend like Harold who is dedicated to ensuring you have the best version of yourself in the application and get admitted to your dream business school.

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Harold was extremely helpful throughout the application process. I appreciated that he could focus on the fundamental building blocks of an application (short-term/long-term goals, program fit, etc.) rather than get bogged down in minutiae. He helped me focus my story from a slew of different ideas.

This was my second year applying, and I found his advice to be invaluable around what to change from the prior year application. He was able to make a time-condensed hectic process more straightforward. Overall, he is very conversational and a pleasant person to work with. Would recommend to anyone going through this process.

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When I started considering my applications for business school, I knew I needed to not only flesh out my story but also position and deliver a meaningful message. Harold was integral in both the brainstorming and composition of my application profile both of which helped to round out my message and overall candidacy.

I think one of Harold's best traits is his ability to understand your background and help you conform your story into a tight narrative. This was evident to me during our first correspondence in which we brainstormed all of my experiences I could potentially draw from. I appreciated all of his assistance and guidance and would definitely recommend him to a peer.

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I decided to apply for my EMBA at Sloan really late in round 2. I started my application process late November and I engaged Harold one month before the dateline and I don't think I would have made it and finish my application without having him coaching and preparing me for the admissions process.

Harold was an amazing mentor and consultant. He helped a lot during the brainstorming stage of my application and walk me through the different aspect of how I should position my submission. He was detailed in his approach, provided tons of feedback, reading materials (he has a lot of good tips) and was always on time with his reviews and comments. He gave tremendous amount of insight to the admissions process and got me to focus on what mattered the most in a short period of time.

One thing I really appreciate about Harold is that he is always available to me when I needed him. I live in Asia and being in a different time zone he was always accommodative and offered to work with me so that it fits my schedule.

During the interview process, he worked with me closely to do several mock interviews. His interviews questions got me mentally ready for my face-to-face with Sloan.

I think the whole admissions process would have been extremely daunting if not for Harold. Harold is also really patient and works well with clients remotely and in different time zones. I would highly recommend him. (and yes, I got admitted).

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Harold was an excellent advisor during a very stressful time. He was very clear on expectations of what he needed from me to do his job which made the process go very smoothly. I felt that he genuinely cared about my progress and was there for me via email and phone call if necessary. When we got to crunch time and submission deadlines were approaching he put the extra time to accommodate my needs and was an invaluable asset. He has incredible industry knowledge and provides objective/specific feedback on how to tell your most effective story. From the school selection process to the essay writing he was realistic and supportive and made this incredibly stressful process much more manageable.

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I got a late start to the MBA application process after spending more time than I had planned preparing for the GMAT. Harold helped me stay on track for round 1 by helping me prioritize my top schools and created a plan that enabled me to get all applications done on time. The most difficult part of the process for me was finding the time to write essays with a busy work schedule. Harold was instrumental in helping me organize my essay topics so I could make the best use of my time. He encouraged me to keep sending him drafts even when far from perfect form. Harold’s insightful feedback and knowledge of the application process led to a final product I felt confident submitting. I ended up getting into my first choice school and couldn’t have done it without Harold. I would highly recommend his services to anyone starting this process.

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Harold has been an indispensable resource for my application journey to HBS. The time and care that Harold spent to understand my candidacy was above and beyond my expectations and was instrumental in providing tailored advice that took my application to the next level. His holistic understanding of the MBA application process, his unparalleled knowledge of each program and the time spent knowing my strengths and weaknesses were crucial for my success. I would have not been accepted to HBS without his counseling, guidance and overall direction. A must if you are serious about applying to business school or even if you want career advice!

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My experience with Harold exceeded my expectations. I hired Harold as my consultant to help me through the admissions process because I was short on time. Initially, I was having trouble with the GMAT and once I got a satisfactory score, I had about two weeks to get my applications in. Harold really helped make this process as seamless as possible. He was both realistic and professional. Before we got started, he outlined what I could expect from him and didn't oversell me, which is something I could really appreciate. He was very good on his time with me and was very prompt with his responses, considering I was going into the weekend to get my application in.
Harold helped me with resume editing, articulating my responsibilities (especially important if you work in a relatively small company wearing multiple hats) , the application process, and interview prep.
Harold is really an expert at really help you put into words ideas that you have trouble expressing, which is especially important in the essays and interview. If you have trouble with this, I cannot recommend him enough.
I was also able to get some face to face time with him during our interview prep and I can say that he is very friendly and genuine. During our prep, he really tried to steer me in the right direction of the things I should and should not talk about. I can say that the interviewers were quite impressed with some of the ideas we came up with.
Overall, Harold doesn't have many reviews but I can attest to the fact that he is a very well-rounded consultant and I can recommend him without any reservations.

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Harold was a fantastic mentor and consultant throughout the MBA applications process. Coming from Private Equity, I knew I needed to have a unique story to stand-out amongst the other, plentiful finance applicants. Harold helped me hone my life story to something concise and digestible for the AdCom. He often provided insights and suggestions that were the exact catalysts I needed to round out my application. I applied to a handful of schools and Harold was able to give me unique feedback on each that helped put my applications "over-the-top". I would definitely recommend and use Harold again, he is truly a great consultant.

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