I have wanted to go to Harvard since I was 10 years old. Katy Lewis helped me make that dream come true.

I work at a private equity megafund in New York. A lot of people here didn’t use consultants because applying from a bigger PE firm is usually a fairly routine process. I decided to go with a consultant because my view was that if anything, it certainly couldn’t hurt. I was very happy I did; results speak for themselves - I got into HBS, my top rated school.

Hiring a consultant is expensive; I began interviewing consultants in November before the application year. After speaking multiple times to about 30 different people over a 3-4 month period, I decided that it was Katy I wanted to go with. She came with stellar recommendations and I had some very positive experiences with her before we were even under contract. I had some questions around GMAT score sufficiency and re-taking, around structuring my application process, as well as some random other items that came up every now and then – I would always shoot Katy a note and she’d always answer immediately or be available to discuss on the phone, without me having mentioned anything about wanting to go with her for sure. You could say that she was putting on her best face since she was trying to get hired by me, but I assure you Katy doesn’t need to worry about being hired. It is March now and I’m trying to have my friends who are applying round I this year work with Katy, but Katy already is hopelessly booked out for Round I! Booked out in March – way before a lot of people are even starting to think about the process. So, I truly believe that when Katy spent all that time helping me with no contract, it wasn’t some marketing plot, it was just generally her being the phenomenal and kind and caring person she is. If you’re going to share the most intimate details of your life with someone, knowing that they have a good heart (which usually tends to be accompanied with people being respectful and discreet!) is important.

I tend to be ruthless and while I appreciated Katy being a mentor and a coach who calmed me down at every point in the process, I would often shut down any supporting sentiments from her end (even though I’m sure they were well intended) to get straight down to business. My view was that her job was to tell me where I was lacking, and I wanted to work in a quick and efficient manner. Katy took very well to that desired style of mine; while I could tell that she tends to be very much of a cheerleader and someone who would act as a powerful encourager to people lacking confidence etc., she worked with me in a very financy-private equity style, completely cutting all the bullshit and just helping me produce great work in the most efficient manner possible. (at the same time, if I would have weak moments, like right after my interview, she would always be there for me with open arms and an open heart, I felt she believed in me at every point in the process even at points when I had given up belief in myself, and I felt I could always come to her – while I didn’t need this much it was nice to know it was there, unconditionally, always)

There’s a few very concrete items I want to call out were Katy decisively impacted my process:

• Initial brainstorm and continued work through the essay: a lot of people have mentioned this, but Katy has an unbelievable ability to draw a red thread through someone’s life and come up with that story to tell. I had my bits and pieces, but she provided the glue that fit it all together. She was the one who created one holistic, beautiful mosaic out of the different pieces of my life. I ended up absolutely loving my essay and simply writing it was a transformational journey. Katy has a beautiful ability to work with all the information you give to her and then arrange it in a logical manner, draw themes, etc. this had as a result that everything on paper is all mine, it’s all from deep within me, it’s my own work – but it is arranged in a logical manner, a coherent story, a story that people can follow – rather than the mess in my head. Please note by that I actually do a lot of writing in my spare time, have studied a lot of literature and consider myself very adept at language – what Katy brings is a whole different level. It’s not so much about being a good writer I think as it is her ability to understand what admissions wants to see, what you bring and what’s important to you to express, and how it can all be aligned

• Recommenders: Katy encouraged me to contact one recommender she felt strongly would be great to have. I would never have approached that person because I thought that there was a 50-50 shot that he would either write something great or meh, and I thought it was much too risky. Katy helped me put together a reach-out email that in a very diplomatically correct and polite yet effective manner asked for the recommendation and would also help crystallize right away whether the recommender would write the sort of stuff we would want him to write. Turns out the recommender was one of my biggest fans and my fears were completely ungrounded. He wrote an absolutely stellar rec. Had Katy not insisted I ask him, I would have never gotten that rec from him, and stuck to a much safer but probably less standout choice. Katy also helped me navigate another politically a bit tricky situation of getting a third person to volunteer to contact the university on my behalf and act as an informal recommender, without me actually ever asking that person to do so. Katy literally gave me instructions on how to just call that mentor person, have the catch-up conversation, mention HBS, and “wait for the recommender to offer.” Would never have thought this would work, but it did. I could barely believe it. I am convinced that it’s not just dumb luck this worked the way it did, but rather Katy helped me set it up the right way

• Reflection: HBS makes you write another essay within 24 hours of interview. Cruel. Looking back the thing that I had written initially was horrible. Katy helped me “see the light.” I need to be careful what I write, because if HBS somehow traces this back to me I don’t want them to withdraw my offer ;) but let it just be said Katy shaped this one decisively. Note she doesn’t obviously actually write anything for you (and there was a moment when I was really upset when at 1 in the morning after I had just landed back from Boston and the thing was due at 11am, she told me what I had written was bad, needed to be redone, and oh by the way she wasn’t going to line edit or give me specific detail since that was “against the rules” .. but she then in an incredibly practical and helpful way conveyed to me the sort of spirit this thing needs to be written in, and then offered to set her alarm for 4.30am (I could request any time I wanted) to do another turn). I literally went from feeling terrible about my interview, to in a confident and upbeat manner addressing everything in my reflection, to then as a result feeling pretty confident about my admission. ALL thanks to Katy.

In summary, I really cannot commend her enough, and I feel so fortunate to have gotten the chance to work with her. My only advice is book her early!!

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Being a second year applicant, I had already laid down my strategy and noted down my weak parts on the application. So, knowing that I needed work on my interview skills, I went on searching for an admission consultant. The search ended very quickly as just after I spoke with Katharine on the free 30-minute, I knew that she is the one I needed. And indeed I was right as she helped me a great deal and I had an amazing learning experience.

To start, Katharine consulted me for about 1 hour for free in the free 30 minute consultation. She, didn't just provide me the best consultation ever over that hour, but she also helped me out connect with people that can help me strengthen the application. This worked quite well for me as I got to connect with people from my country who have gone to schools that I was aiming at going at. And all this was even before I hired her. :)

Two months later, right after I got my first interview invite, I purchased Mock Interview Service with Katharine. The day I purchased it, she sent me a lot of materials to read about the interview, studied my application in detail and provided with ideas on how to construct my interview. She was great at identifying what might be considered as weak on my application and at what I should emphasize in the interview. After that I went on to sit on that and then did a introductory mock up interview that lasted well over 1 hour. Besides consulting me over the phone, she also took notes with feedback on improvement and sent them to me. The notes and feedback was just amazing. I studied them and prepared a schokingly great second mock up interview. I was amazed at how well I answered the many questions we practiced together. I became very confident on the things I was saying and loved the way I answered them. This turned out just great as she did not just help me out rock in one interview, but in all the others I received an invite on.

Aside from the mock up interview, Katharine also connected me with an amazing current student of the school I had to interview on. The current student met with me and gave me very valuable insight and information that were useful in the interview. He was a previous client of her.

Katharine, while not obliged to do it, she helped me out with the pre interview essay, the thank you note and finally with results and decisions well after the interview.

I highly recommend Katharine for the services she offers especially the mock up interview service as she indeed helped me truly get very confident on the interviews and got out of her way to help me out in all the steps. The best experience ever.

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Came from a pretty blue-chip background, but was concerned about differentiating myself within the very competitive cohort of management consultants. I chose Katy after completing free 30-minute calls with several different consultants across several different firms. I chose Katy because of three main reasons: one, she had substantial experience at HBS and Stanford (alum of one, reviewed applications in the other), which were the only two schools I was planning to apply to; two, she seemed to have a thorough grasp of what business schools were looking for at a level deeper than what I was getting on forums, books, school profiles, etc.; and three, she had a much more friendly, down-to-earth attitude and approach than other consultants I spoke to, which really resonated with me.

Katy's number one strength is her RIDICULOUSLY uncanny ability to draw a trendline in your life -- to figure out "what matters most to you and why" by listening to the choices you've made in your career and personal life and the experiences that have shaped you. This is the foundation of any great business school application, and its importance cannot be overemphasized. As someone with a fairly strong writing background, I probably could have managed most of the essay writing and editing myself, but her services were worth the cost for this thematic identification alone. It was something I was struggling with, and it wasn't until she said "this is what I think matters most to you" (after two hours on the phone talking through my life) that it all "clicked." I think it's what ultimately differentiated me, and I'll be headed to Stanford in the fall. Would enthusiastically recommend Katy to friends and family.

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The MBA application process, as it stands today, is challenging - it requires huge amounts tactfulness, perseverance and optimism. Katharine’s coaching through the process helped me realize the importance of several subtleties (in addition to obvious aspects) in presenting my case, and her enthusiasm helped keep my morale at elevated levels through the process.

Tactfulness: While there are several aspects of your application you can’t change (GPA, GMAT score, Demographic group, Brand affiliations) there are several other aspects, obvious and obscure, that you can play around with to affect you candidature. Katy, armed with her years of experience coaching applicants, helped me champion every available open lead. For instance, she helped me sort through my aspirations to identify a long-term goal that was ambitious, yet achievable given my background and recruiting at HBS. She then helped me articulate my goals in a meaningful way and encouraged me to model my essays, around life events that were generally aligned. She made several other golden recommendations regarding referrals, essays, interviews etc.

Perseverance: Writing an application is hard work. I did 10-12 iterations on each essay/response following feedback from Katy, my wife and friends. Katy was patient and quick going through my drafts and gave me succinct directional feedback on each iteration. She was always available to discuss ideas and helped me understand where each idea could fit into my story. The same before and after each one of my interviews.

Optimism: Time and again, during the process, one tends to wonder whether the effort is worth it. The anxiety of doing well at work, taking tests, finding time to write your essays, attending networking events, figuring out your career and most importantly enduring the long time-gaps between steps in the process can be tough to deal with. This is where working with Katy helps the most. Her cheerful persona and perpetual enthusiasm helped keep up my morale and focus. I’d often chat with her just to find enjoyment in the process while looking forward to the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow.

If I had to apply again, I’d do it under Katy’s mentorship all over again. I wouldn't have made it to my schools of choice (HBS, Wharton, Booth) were it not for Katy's coaching!

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Katy helped me see the application process as an opportunity for structured self-reflection. There were two aspects to her coaching. First, she helped me understand what I value, where I want to go and what I have done so far. Katy facilitated that process through writing exercises and follow-up discussions. Second, she helped me create a narrative that communicated my story to an objective party and explained why business school is the obvious next step. Here, Katy supported me through the process by reviewing multiple drafts of my essay and helping me prepare for my interview.

Katy managed to remove much of the mystery surrounding the application process by helping me understand my motivations and how to effectively communicate them. Thanks to her support I was admitted to my top choice.

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I worked with Katy Lewis on round 2 applications to three different schools (on a package basis). Katy came highly recommended from a friend and I chose her after having initial conversations/ interviews with three other business school consultants.

I know I made the right decision in using Katy, and I believe that she was the difference-maker that helped me get into my target school (off the waitlist, I might add). Speak to anyone who has used Katy – they will universally recommend her (just see the posts below). To keep it simple, Katy has some real differentiators and she added value to my application in very clear, tangible ways:

1. School-specific admissions knowledge: From our first conversation, it was clear that Katy knew what made each school’s admissions department “tick.” Since she already knew the hot button issues for my target schools, she immediately began giving advice about what to emphasize from my background and some ideas to differentiate/ strengthen. What Booth is looking for is vastly different from what Tuck is looking for, and Katy is one step ahead in separately appealing to those schools.

2. Taking essays from solid to great: I imagine that every business school consultant will edit your essays. I’d even guess that every good one will add real value. Where Katy differentiators herself even further is her assistance on the “Why this school?” question in the application. Every school asks and Katy helps craft the essay/ give you ideas so that it sounds like you know the school as well as a current student.

3. Initial Brainstorm: Katy typically sets up an early brainstorm session where you discuss who you are, your background, your interests. More importantly, you talk about your motivations, dreams, fears and focus points. This brainstorm session, as far as I know, is unique to Katy (only someone with her interest in people and personality could pull it off) and helped me figure out what I would write my essays about.

4. Realistic Feedback: From Day 1 – Katy shot me straight about my chances at different schools. Of course, I still applied to all the reach schools on my list (and Katy encouraged me to), but her ability to softly manage expectations/ prepare me for the necessity of overcoming my overrepresented background was helpful. I preferred that to a consultant who was unrealistic and telling me what I wanted to hear.

5. Positive Feedback Approach: At the same time, Katy drives you with positive feedback and reinforcement. Personally, I respond well to positive feedback. Her various iterations of “you are doing a great job” were vital. Look – most people aren’t going to get into every school they apply to and there will be a definite hit to confidence at some point in the process. Katy is a pro at managing that and keeping you moving.

6. Organization and Calendar: I decided to apply to business schools at a very late point in the year and needed to cram to get the GMAT and applications done (while working in finance). Katy’s process schedule/ calendar adherence to it was extremely helpful for me.

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I wouldn't have been accepted to business school without Katy's advice and perspective. I only applied to two schools (HBS and Stanford) in the 2nd round, as a re-applicant and was accepted by HBS (interview at GSB). Katy understood and explained how I ought to polish my application (no major career changes in the yr).

Katy's brainstorming pre-work and interview advice were particularly helpful. Her pre-work exercise formed the basis of my essays. Her interview practice (the guides along with her voice-over) were invaluable perspective for what to expect, how to frame the conversation and how to best position my experiences.

Big thanks to Katy - would highly recommend to any of my friends/ family.

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Katharine (Katy) Lewis did a fantastic job advising on my application process, and I could not have been more pleased with our experience working together.

Applying in Round 3 this past spring (2016), I knew that I was going to have an uphill battle if I was going to be accepted to one of my target schools (top-10, mostly). I began working with Katy approximately six-weeks before my application deadlines after I had already taken the GMAT exam. Immediately, Katy and I set to work brainstorming, discussing my background and goals in-depth over approximately two hours of phone calls so that we better grasp and articulate my “story”.

When I began working on my essays, this investment in brainstorming really paid off. Going into my applications, I knew that my above-average amount of job movement was going to be an issue that I would need to address, and Katy did an exceptional job of helping me express a coherent career path that emphasized professional growth and a breadth of experience gathered along the way.

Additionally, an added benefit of this brainstorming work and Katy’s guidance was that I approached my applications with a more well-defined sense of my career goals after my MBA and was able to better explain why these goals appealed to me personally, as well as why they tied into my overall “story”. This concrete sense of direction was incredibly helpful, both in creating well-crafted applications, and in planning for my MBA experience going forward.

Ultimately, I was accepted to my top school after initially being waitlisted. Statistically, the odds of a successful outcome after applying in Round 3 are fairly slim, and while a fair amount of luck was certainly on my side, I can honestly say that I do not think I would have arrived at the same point without Katy’s help. I strongly recommend her service, particularly to applicants with a “story” that is unusual or not immediately straight forward.

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Katy was a godsend in my application process—I’ve said as much many times, to myself and others, over the course of the past year. I have no doubt that my final results would have been starkly different without Katy’s start-to-finish guidance and involvement.

Before starting my applications, I had a prosaic view of the path they would take: write essays, take GMATs, hope for interviews and acceptance letters. Within the first half hour of speaking with Katy, I realized that my applications would be, needed to be, more personal. We started with a “deep dive” into my psyche. Katy wanted to know everything about my professional aspirations, and get to know me as a person, so that we could construct my “story”.

My “story” came a long way from our first phone call. Katy identified unique strengths in my profile, which business schools would love to add to their incoming class—strengths I might have otherwise glanced over. She also illuminated how to buff up weaker portions of my background. By the time we had finished with dozens of essay drafts, my final submission was entirely different—and so much stronger—than anything I could have come up with on my own.

Perhaps the most rewarding aspect of having Katy as an advisor—aside from being accepted into several top-choice schools—was that she encouraged me to think beyond the application, and towards my future aspirations. Even though she had clearly worked with many, many individuals before me, her guidance was never generic. Unquestionably, she helped me to solidify my long-term professional goals, by pushing me to hone my natural skillsets, and consider how I intend to apply those strengths—as I enter business school, and beyond.

It was a welcome pleasure to have Katy advise me in this process, and I recommend her service to anyone considering, or in the midst of, the MBA application process.

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My main concern going into the application process was my weak undergraduate GPA. I was referred to MBAmission (and Katy in particular) by a former student of the program that I wanted to apply to - the Goizueta Business School at Emory University. During my initial 30 minute conversation with Katy, she was receptive to my concerns and I felt that she was taking a genuine interest in my story. Speaking with Katy initially was a breath of fresh air and it renewed my sense of confidence in what I wanted to do. After I hung up the phone, I made the decision to move forward with my application despite my concerns. It was a huge benefit having someone with Katy's knowledge and experience on my side and, at the risk of sounding corny, I truly felt like I had a partner on the path to admission.

Katy made sure that I stated my needs up front so that there was no time (or money) wasted in our work together. I made it clear that I wanted her to help me with my essays and resume only and she was totally fine with that. I never once felt like I was getting a sales pitch on additional services or that Katy was pushing for additional time, etc. I've seen some other reviews asserting that this service is only as beneficial as you make it and I'd like to reiterate that point. DO NOT come into this expecting your consultant to do the work for you. They will make suggestions and guide you a long the way, but the work is yours to do.

Once we got started, Katy dug into my history i.e. work experience, reasons for wanting an MBA, etc. She helped me to identify some general themes that centered around my story and that would allow me to best represent myself through my resume and essays. At the conclusion of our time together, I came away with finished essays and a resume that I was really proud of.

I was ultimately accepted into Emory and I truly don't think it would have been possible without having Katy on my side.

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