Jessica Shklar Reviews

Summary: Jessica’s exceptional storytelling skills, professionalism, efficiency, and phenomenal mentorship and coaching, which will impact your personal and professional life beyond the MBA application process, make her the best consultant. She is undoubtedly the highlight of my MBA application process. I highly recommend contacting Jessica if you plan to apply for business school.

Jessica is an amazingly incredible mentor, coacher, motivator, and so much more than just an MBA consultant. Before my free consultation with Jessica, I spoke with a few other consulting firms. Coming from a non-traditional background, most consultants asked me to complete pre-MBA courses or study/work abroad before applying to Business School. By the time I was going to have my call with Jessica, I was already demotivated by how all the other consultants talked about my weaknesses and how I won’t be able to get admitted to any Business School without signing on with them. I was incredibly impressed by how Jessica went more in-depth, sought to understand my strengths, and helped me promote those rather than looking for my weaknesses and trying to scare me into signing on with them. I was surprised how Jessica used the 30-minute window to encourage me and give me a game plan without waiting till I signed up with her, unlike the previous consultants who always ended the conversation mid-point, prompting me to sign up with them to hear the rest. She highlighted that there is no universally accepted “ideal candidate” for a business school, and I am indeed a unique applicant, but it shouldn’t be a bad thing but a good thing. She even emailed me after our meeting explaining why she thought I should apply and even went above and beyond to share my story with a couple of her colleagues to support her feedback.

Her work ethic makes you comfortable relying on her. She reviewed some of my urgent materials even though she was on vacation. She got back to my quick questions within minutes and always gave feedback on my application materials well before the deadlines. You notice her love and passion for what she does immediately after starting to work with her. The dedication and effort she put into my application made me feel she wanted me to get into my dream school as much as I did. Sometimes I felt like I was her only client with the attention she gave me. This proves how dedicated she is to each of her clients and how exceptional she is in managing her time among all her clients to ensure no one is left behind.

Jessica is an astonishing storyteller and has an impeccable ability to draw out relevant information from you to create a unique essay. Once you sign up with MBAMission, you will be given the “Brainstorming” document, among other things. The brainstorming file is where you will get the chance to tell your life story. All the significant events in your life from childhood to now so the consultant you are working with will learn about you and strategize how to articulate your story to the admissions committee. After completing the brainstorming file, which was a 22-page file in my case, my stories were all over the place, and I couldn’t have been more confused about what I should write in my essays. I had so many different stories which I wanted to tell in my application, but I couldn’t imagine how all these would fit in or how the flow would be. During our first brainstorming call, I realized how in-depth Jessica had studied my story and even had many follow-up questions. The story, which I once thought was all over the place, was creatively and strategically articulated into a beautiful piece by Jessica at the end of our call. She raised many questions during the essay writing process, which prompted me to think differently and creatively. Her intelligent questions encourage you to think about your life differently, which will reflect creatively in your essays.

Don’t think twice! She’s the best MBA coach you can work with, without any doubt!

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Before I had my initial consultation with Jessica, I met with three other admissions consulting firms. I found those sessions discouraging, as they didn’t like my chances at my target schools, but also frustrating because they based their forecasts on my outdated resume, demographic and the fact that I didn’t go to an Ivy or come from an MBA feeder company. They focused on what I didn’t have. Jessica, on the other hand, took an entirely different approach. She had researched my company ahead of time and took the time to ask me questions about my background. She wanted the consultation to be a value-add for me and took the time to answer my many questions. At the end of the session, she said that she thought I was a strong candidate for my target schools and explained her rationale.

Two days later, I signed on to work with Jessica and she was extremely helpful throughout the entire process. She had confidence in my ability to succeed, which gave me the confidence I needed. Jessica has a wealth of knowledge of all things MBA admissions. Whenever I asked her a question, I got a well-thought-out answer, informed by her experience seeing what worked or didn’t for the hundreds of applicants she’s worked with. Jessica took the time to understand my background by reading every word of my 25 page brainstorming document. She then mapped that to her wealth of experience to give me extremely valuable advice. Applying to business school is a mountain of work on top of a full-time job. Jessica kept me on course. She helped me stay organized to ensure I had time to submit my best work for each component of my applications.

I ended up getting into Stanford GSB, Booth and Kellogg and am incredibly grateful for all of Jessica’s advice throughout my MBA admissions journey.

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I started the application process very, very late (late October/early November for Round 2) relative to what seems to me to be the standard timeline most take, so I knew I needed help (and maybe a little bit of discipline/tough love). Additionally, I come from a non-traditional, albeit international, niche family business background, so I had hesitancy around how to tell my story and describe why I wanted to pursue an MBA, even though I intrinsically knew.

After our first introductory call, Jessica had already broken my life story into 3 big themes, each of which had their own subplots--as if my life was a novel. (It is evident Jessica is a total bookworm, which I think contributes her remarkable ability to tell a great story--where you are the protagonist.) From there, Jessica helped me build my story as it should be best told in essay(s) form, giving me optionality along the way.

Jessica does not make you fit an "ideal" MBA candidate mold; there is no shoehorning you into one of X buckets. Rather, Jessica makes the essays and your profile on paper fit who you really are at heart.

Bluntly, without Jessica I am wholly skeptical that I would have had the opportunity to attend HBS this fall. And even if I had been rejected from every school, I at least would have been able to sleep at night knowing I gave it my best shot. Thank you Jessica!

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It's been a pleasure to work with Jessica, she has a great knowledge of all the top MBA programs and what the schools expect from the candidates. She has the ability to make your profile to seem stronger by investigating your full profile starting from your childhood till now. She's got a great work ethic which makes you relieved that there's a great support behind you. She clearly declares a roadmap by analyzing your strong and weak parts and then evaluate you whole profile. By the help of her strategy and vision, I'll be pursuing my MBA degree at one of the top schools in the US.

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I recently had the pleasure of working with Jessica Shklar as my MBA consultant for the school application package, and I cannot recommend her highly enough. Jessica's guidance and support throughout the entire process were invaluable, and I am truly grateful for her expertise.

From the beginning, Jessica took the time to understand my background, experiences, and aspirations. She helped me refine my career goals and identify the unique stories that would showcase my strengths and make my application stand out. Jessica's collaborative approach not only made the process enjoyable but also allowed me to learn and grow during our time working together.

Thanks to the materials we created and the insights I gained from working with Jessica, I was able to apply to other schools with confidence. Although I did not get into HSW, I am thrilled to share that I have been accepted into an M7 school - a testament to Jessica's exceptional guidance and support.

Jessica's expertise, dedication, and genuine interest in my success made her an invaluable partner throughout my MBA application journey. For anyone considering an MBA consultant, I wholeheartedly recommend Jessica Shklar. With her help, you will undoubtedly put forth the best version of yourself and maximize your chances of success.

Thank you, Jessica, for your incredible support and for helping me achieve my goals.

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My experience working with Jessica has been phenomenal. She is experienced, perceptive, and dedicated – qualities that make her one of the best partners in the MBA application process. And that’s exactly what working with Jessica is: a partnership. I always felt like I had nothing but her full support every step of the way. While she would provide me with feedback informed by well over a decade’s worth of experience, I very much appreciated how she made it a point to frame them as suggestions and emphasize that I was in the “driver’s seat.” I was looking for someone who would work with me, not for me, and that’s exactly what Jessica does.

Jessica cares deeply about her clients’ success, even before they are clients. From the moment I did my introductory call with Jessica, I was beyond impressed with her willingness to help me, staying in touch with me over the coming weeks as she helped me work through testing strategies and application timeline options. As the application cycle progressed, Jessica was there to provide encouragement and empathy when I’d receive disappointing news, but she was also the first to celebrate my successes.

Throughout the process, I was constantly impressed by how responsive Jessica was to any questions or concerns I had. In addition, she is incredibly organized and efficient, churning through drafts and interview prep sessions all while still providing extremely valuable and specific feedback. It’s important to note that Jessica’s feedback is sometimes brutally honest – she doesn’t mince words. But that’s exactly what makes it so valuable. Jessica has extremely high standards and she holds you to them – but in the end, it’s worth it.

Working with Jessica allowed me to put my best foot forward, and I would highly, highly recommend her to anyone else who’s looking to do the same. I’ll be attending HBS next year, an outcome that wouldn’t have been possible without Jessica’s help.

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Summary:
Deciding to work with Jessica was the single best decision I made as part of the MBA application process. If you're reading this review, I highly encourage you to reach out to Jessica to see for yourself. Having spoken with many MBAs who worked with other consultants, I can say with confidence that Jessica is in a league of her own.

Why Jessica stands out:
1. Unparalleled ability to 'see the forest for the trees' -- Jessica's super power is her knack for helping her clients realize what makes their application unique. EVERY applicant has a story - Jessica is invaluable when it comes to teasing out & tailoring an applicant's story for particular programs or application/essay prompts. I cannot stress the importance of this talent enough: every consultant will help you project manage the application process, but Jessica will help you create the best possible output. She asks idea-generating, prodding questions, looks across your applications to identify content that should be included in all, and has a knack for finding the details that really help applicants stand out (details I would have NEVER identified myself). Seriously, I cant say enough about Jessica's capabilities on this front. She is unbelievably talented.

2. Operational excellence - Jessica keeps you on track. I applied to five schools, and Jessica ensured I never missed a beat or fell behind. Moreover, Jessica NEVER missed a deadline. She often offered meaningful suggestions for my essays or applications well ahead of her agreed turnaround time. The regular engagement with Jessica made the application completion process fun and motivating! It was really helpful to brainstorm with Jessica asynchronously (given i was working full time) and i ultimately feel some of the best ideas came from our regular ping-ponging of essay drafts.

3. A supportive and confidence-building mentor -- the MBA application process is grueling and long. You have moments of self-doubt and exhaustion. Jessica was there at all times to help me get back on the horse. This dimension of Jessica's partnership is one I have come to deeply appreciate. More than anyone, Jessica understands what you're going through. She helps you stay positive, focused and productive.

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From the perspective of a graduating college student from an African university encountering deferred MBAs for the first time, the MBA application process immediately struck me as a daunting, overwhelming, and expensive experience. I was unsure if I was willing to commit the sheer amount of hours the process demanded.

After meeting Ms. Shklar for a free consultation, however, I felt a lot more confident and had a bolstered sense of belief in myself. Here's why:
1. Ms. Shklar offered very constructive feedback on my resume review.
- She advised me on how to better framing each bullet point on my resume, using an "accomplishments not responsibilities" framework. Combined with mbaMission resources like free insider guides and YouTube videos on how to get into respective MBA programs, this content allowed me to better contextualize my work experience.

2. She offered keen insight to how Admissions Committees work.
- I didn't score as well as I would have liked on my GRE, hence mbaMission's "Acknowledge/Explain/Pivot" came in very handy when explaining why this shouldn't be an issue in my additional information section.
- Ms. Shklar's "WISP" method was also a valuable tool I used to guide my recommenders through the dreaded "constructive feedback" essay. Of course, all these strategies were supplemented with mbaMission's free personal statement and letters of recommendation guides.
- Not to mention, of course, the value of applying regardless of not being accepted in the deferred MBA programs.

3. She offered a personable approach.
- Even as I explained my context and background, Ms. Shklar was exceedingly understanding and gave me practical advice on how I can leverage my "Africanness" in my stories and overall application.
- Even after consultation, Ms. Shklar followed up with a catalogue of resources to supplement my application process and was always open to answering any questions I had about the process.

Regardless of the outcome of my application, I am grateful for the openness and kindness Ms. Shklar showed throughout our interactions and would recommend her to any and all prospective MBA applicants.

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Jessica redefined every expectation. I was accepted to both schools that I applied to and Jessica was the secret ingredient i.e., I would never have been able to successfully get into both HBS and GSB without her.

+Crafts a powerful story: Jessica spends a lot of time/energy in understanding you/your story. I had varied experiences that didn't necessarily flow together; within 12 hours of reading my intro document, Jessica gave me 3 strong ideas for my core essays. The HARDEST part of the MBA process is delving deep and weaving a unique, compelling narrative — this is exactly where Jessica shines!
+Encourages you to stay true to yourself: Jessica will never make you sign-up for extracurriculars etc. to fit a mold; she takes existing accomplishments to build a powerful story. This is rare — other consultants wanted me to take on additional extracurriculars that were not true to who I really was
+Encourages you to stay true to yourself: Jessica will never make you sign-up for extracurriculars etc. to fit a mold; she takes existing accomplishments to build a powerful story. This is rare — other consultants wanted me to take on additional extracurriculars that were not true to who I really was
+Focus on crafting consistent applications: Jessica has an eye for detail; I recall how she noticed that I had highlighted contradictory points in different parts of my application — she knew my app better than I did!
+Thoughtful and empathetic: Jessica always made time for me (e.g., took a call on July 4th despite it being a holiday, responded to emails within minutes) -- she really cares about her clients

Jessica has 15+ YoE (I know 4 people who worked with her and EACH got into HBS, GSB, or both), is an excellent writer (her suggestions really “punched” up the story-telling), and moves fast without compromising quality (helped me complete it all in 1.5 months)

I HIGHLY, HIGHLY recommend both MBAMission & Jessica. Don’t think twice.

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I had a call with Jessica once I intended go apply for an MBA and she really helped me figure out what I can do, what my points of strength are, what my areas of improvement are and what I can do to capitalize on my profile. She also helped me a lot in figuring out which post MBA opportunities I can leverage to strengthen my profile. I would definitely recommend Jessica for anyone who wants support in the introspection journey finding leadership examples and in developing a career game plan for their post MBA journey. She is very helpful in brainstorming sessions!!

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