Over the past 6 months I took full advantage of mbaMission's start to finish package for three schools, Duke, Texas, and Michigan. I also applied to MIT, but did not buy a package for this one. I started out with 1 and ended up buying two more. Below is my background and overall experience working with mbaMission.

Background: I am a 29 year old male with an undergraduate degree in mechanical engineering, which I received in 2010. I have spent 6 years in the IT consulting industry, 2 of which were for a smaller firm (400 people), and the past 4 working for one of the big 4 consulting firms. My undergraduate GPA was 3.7 and my GMAT score was 670. Note - I took the GMAT 5 times (660, 590, 660, 640, 670)

Consultation: I started to look into mbaMission in May 2016, the year I applied, when I participated in their free consultation, which I highly recommend. You are going to be spending a lot of time working with your respective consultant so it is very important that you gauge the working style and personality of the consultant on your call. Make sure you take full advantage of this call to fully understand what you are buying and the effort you will need to contribute in the coming months.

School Selection: One of the very first items you hit with your consultant is a school selection call, which is a 30-60 min discussion about what schools you should be applying to. Note - make sure you do your homework and you use the consultant as a sounding board versus expecting them to tell you where to apply. The great part about the consultant is that they work closely with schools during the off season, meeting with admissions teams, and getting to know the programs at a more detailed level. Although this feedback can be found online, it will be invaluable to have it applied directly to your situation. My consultant did an outstanding job providing candid feedback about how my profile aligned with the schools I had selected. In my situation, I spent the past 6 months cold calling students and visiting programs to truly determine where to apply. To truly find your perfect school you will need to do much more than the 30 min call mbaMission offers. I would consider this call a final sounding board.

Brainstorming Call: Early on in the process the consultant will have you complete a brainstorming document. MAKE SURE TO PUT IN THE TIME HERE. I think mine ended up being over 30 single line pages in MS Word. This is by far the most important part of the process and will help your consultant really get to know you. Don't leave out any detail and be as transparent as possible. I often found my consultant referring back to this document and pulling out the most minute details that I had forgotten about or didn't realize would add value to my applications. At the end of the day, your essays are all about showing (1) here are my goals (2) here is how far I've come thus far (3) here is why I fit into your school and (4) here is proof I'll achieve what I just told you. One of my FAVORITE concepts was "proof points." Everything you tell a school needs to be backed up with some proof that what you're telling them will actually come to fruition and that you aren't just applying on a whim.

Essay Writing: Most of the process you will be working on your essays with the consultant, which is the most critical component. I will say that what you put into the process is what you get out. Do not expect the consultant to provide you content for your essays. They also do NOT write your essays for you. That is entirely up to you. The more you can research the schools, cold call students, visit the school in person, and read student blogs, the better the consultant will be able to help you. I found it invaluable to have brainstorming discussions with my consultant about how to share my story in the most effective manner, while weaving in characteristics about the school. The biggest thing the consultant taught me was that I should NOT focus on trying to write what the school wants to hear, but rather focus on my story and how the school will impact my career journey. The schools know themselves better than everyone else so they don't need us to tell them again. Furthermore, I thought the consultant provided a great outside view on how my stories would be perceived to the admissions committee. Going into the essays I had a few stories that seemed obvious that I wanted to share, but further realized that another story I had was much stronger outcome. Last, the consultant did an outstanding job of keeping me motivated throughout the process. Their ability to provide feedback and constructive criticism was motivating. They always helped me see the positives in what had been written which kept me motivated through a very stressful application season.

Interviews: If you have ever participated in a behavioral interview before you realize that they require a lot of preparation. Having a consultant to do mock interviews with was a life saver. For one of my interviews I had more than 15 behavioral questions back to back. Questions such as: Explain a time when you dealt with diversity, Explain a time when you dealt with conflict, Walk me through a time you motivated a team, etc. etc. My consultant taught me how to be concise, hit the key points, and move on. Without having worked through a few practice rounds, I would not have been as prepared as I was.

Overall, if I had to go through the process again, I would 100% use mbaMission without a doubt. Sure, it can be costly, but it is the future of your career on the line. I had spent over a year studying and preparing for the GMAT and if I put 110% into my applications and didn't get in, I would have strongly regretted not using a consultant. Using a consultant gave me the confidence that I was giving it all I had. At the end of the day you are investing over $100K into a graduate program to further your career. Yes, $100K! It is worth a small portion of that to know that you gave it your best shot at the end of the day.

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My stats: 3.5 years of experience in consulting. GMAT score in the low 700s. GPA above 3.7.

As I started to think about apps, I felt like I was a strong candidate, but didn't know how to best convey that to schools. I decided to hire Liza, because:
* She stressed that it was my job to do the work and tell my story. Her role was to provide feedback.
* She was candid, like she wouldn't pull punches with feedback, but also knew how to deliver feedback in a helpful manner.
* She was super knowledgeable about the schools I was targeting.
* She was just an enjoyable person to interact with.

Other consultants had bits and pieces of these qualities, but none offered the complete package.

A few of the biggest ways Liza helped me are:
* Identifying MY story. Liza persuaded me to address and own a few aspects of my background that are atypical. This made me a non-generic candidate and helped my authentic self come across. In three of my acceptance calls, I was complimented on my thoughtfulness and candor.
*Essay editing. Liza suggested ways to add depth and dimension. She tightened up the prose into something pithy and lucid. There were dozens of drafts, and she always had great feedback.
* Logistics. Liza kept the big picture of deadlines in mind and organized the work accordingly. I was pretty much ready to submit apps a week in advance of their deadlines.
* Interview prep. Liza helped me learn how to tie things back to resultsand to emphasize the challenges faced. She helped me identify my 'best' stories and understand how I came across.

In the end, I applied to five top ten schools, received interview invites at all five, and was accepted into four, including my top choice.

Would recommend Liza to anyone without hesitation.

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I currently work in PR. I applied to business school because I am looking to transition into a role in brand management in luxury goods. I purchased hourly services with mbaMission and worked with Liza Weale.

Liza first helped to transform my resume -- it was previously focused more on responsibilities and now highlights more of my accomplishments/results achieved. Liza also really helped to shape my story and showed me how my experiences in PR/Events were not dissimilar from brand management. She helped position me as a competitive candidate, and I don't think my candidacy would have been viewed as favorably if I hadn't worked with her on how I was going to present my background.

Every step of the process, Liza provided great insights, and I really felt as though she was rooting for me the whole way. Her support was incredible throughout the admissions process. She really knew exactly what to anticipate and how to prepare me for everything. Liza also prepped me for my interview and helped give me the confidence I needed to succeed.

I highly recommend working with Liza. She was a game changer for me, and I know she has the ability to work with applicants from all different backgrounds and help them to highlight their strengths and present their best possible application to a school.

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I come from a traditional background for business school applicants: Ivy league undergrad, average GPA, high GMAT, and 4 years of work experience in asset management then financial technology in NYC.

I had first taken my GMAT without knowing whether if I'd apply, but after I got a great score- decided to give it a shot. When I first started looking into business school applications, I was overwhelmed by the process. I looked into several consultants by first scheduling the 30 minute free consultation with each. When I spoke with Liza, I knew right away that she knew her stuff - she went straight to critiquing my resume and giving me individualized advice during that first 30 minutes, rather than some more "fluffy" stuff that other consultants talked to me about.

Going with Liza got me into my first choice school (Columbia ED). I signed up for the hourly services, and saw Liza as being extremely efficient at using our time together. From the brainstorming sessions, Liza helped me come up with themes and main stories for my essays based on the 15 page long brainstorming document I completed for her. The edits she then made on my essay drafts were always on point and made my essay much more succinct and more coherent. I was always surprised at how little time she used up to do all of the edits- which were a big positive surprise as an hourly client.

I'm very happy with the services Liza provided me. She took a lot of the stress out of the process and it was apparent to me right away that she knows exactly what she is doing and what needs to be done to get her clients to their top programs.

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I was referred to Liza by a friend who ended up at HBS, so I figured she would be great... but she exceeded even my expectations. I came in with ~3 years of investment banking background, and the last year in a family business. The goal of business school for me is to hopefully meet great people, take valuable coursework, and when I graduate to hopefully be able to take the family business to the next level.

I was a reapplicant, and in the middle of Summer 2016 decided to just apply to Columbia's J-term program. My undergraduate GPA was high but GMAT was on the low-end for Columbia, which I was worried about. The process is stressful, and having someone like Liza there to help is invaluable. If you are set on attending business school, Liza and MBA Mission should just be seen as part of the cost. Liza was great at demonstrating how to show my strengths in my application through stories/experiences, and ultimately it paid off. Liza was also extremely helpful with positioning my accomplishments to date and framing my future goals in my application.

I do not think I would have got into Columbia's J-term program without Liza's help, and can not thank Liza and MBA Mission enough.

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Review MBAmission / Liza Weale

I applied to a total of 6 schools (CBS, Ross, Wharton, Stern, Yale SOM and INSEAD), 4 of which I worked on with an MBAmission consultant, Liza Weale, namely CBS, Ross, Wharton and INSEAD. I was a Round 2 applicant for all of these schools, except for INSEAD, for which I was a Round 1 applicant to the January '17 intake. I got admitted to all schools except for CBS and Yale (for which I did not even receive an interview invitation). By way of background, I am a female in my late twenties and live in Europe. I did my undergraduate in the United States and then worked in a few different fields, namely in law and retail. I was recommended to work with Liza Weale by a friend who worked with her a little over a year ago and who got admitted to the only MBA program she had applied to. We had free Skype conversation in the summer of 2015 during which she told me about the process of working with an MBAmission consultant, and gave me tips as to what my timing and focus should be in the coming months. I was able to meet Liza in-person during a trip to New York, but most of our work was done by e-mail and Skype.

Working with Liza throughout the process was extremely valuable, and I doubt that I would have had these great results, had I gone through the process alone. Liza was helpful on three distinct levels: 1) giving me a structured approach on how to tackle the b-school apps, 2) helping me build my story, connect the dots and give me strategic advice and 3) on helping edit/cut my essays, short answers and resume. Firstly, Liza was tremendously helpful in informing me about the business school application process, which I felt very removed from, given that I was living abroad and did not have any family members who had gone through the process. She was very familiar with all the schools (and respective applications) that I was interested in applying to, but also helped me discover other programs which I had not been considering. Liza helped me structure my time, encouraging me to work on very specific parts of my application at given times, making the entire process much less overwhelming than it could have been.

As I alluded to earlier, my work experience since graduating from college was not linear, and I worked in a few different fields. This meant that my "story" was not particularly evident to put forward. Thanks to our brainstorming exercise, Liza helped me establish the common thread that linked my different experiences and tied to my career goals. This process also helped me think about and frame post-business school goals-- a key part of the application. Liza came back to this brainstorming document throughout the entire process and advised me on which experiences to highlight in different parts of the applications. For each school we worked on together, we had a 45 minute Skype call to brainstorm ideas for each question of the application. Liza always came well prepared to each of our calls, and helped me map out a strategy for each application.

Following our brainstorming sessions for each school, I would prepare drafts for each question and send them to Liza. She was extremely helpful when it came to helping me focus/clarify my thoughts and cut my drafts to respect the word restrictions for each essay/school. In terms of timing, Liza always got back to me with new drafts (with track changes and comments) two working days after sending her my drafts. When I had quick questions, she would respond very promptly, during the same day.

Liza was an ally and partner throughout this stressful and intense process. She always demonstrated understanding and empathy, and helped me keep my spirits up in tough times. The first b-school response I received was a negative one, which made me doubt my applications to the other schools. Liza helped push the negative thoughts away. On a personal level, I felt like Liza and I got along well. I would very much recommend working with MBAmission during your MBA applications, given the breadth of their resources (the insider guides, the huge amount of data that they've gathered from their work with applicants) and the knowledge of their consultants, who have worked with so many applicants. I cannot speak for any other consultants (although I'm sure they're all good), but I certainly would recommend working with Liza!

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I won't lie -- I was not sure if I needed a consultant at first. As a green MBA applicant just starting the process, I felt that maybe the value add wasn't quite worth the cost. My free, initial conversation with Liza proved me wrong.

During our initial chat, Liza started asking me all the hard questions I needed to confidently master. Liza was always honest, and it was from there that our relationship began. Her experience and expertise lends her to have a general understanding of what is "market" in the MBA universe. It is her candid, yet careful, honesty that won me over. The application process is a long, brutal process that really forces one to face his/her self, and Liza was the first step for me to face it.

She served as a valuable resource in the coming weeks and months. She was quick to answer any and all questions I may have, no matter how big or small. She was very active in my brainstorming process and helped me expand my initial ideas. Importantly, she reviewed my essays and sometimes provided an outside perspective that I would not have thought of on my own.

Even after the application process, Liza was responsive and helpful to answer any additional questions I may have. And even during my acceptances (and rejections), she remained engaged and enthusiastic.

You can tell that she really cares about and shares in the successes of her clients. And by these reviews, you can see that her clients feel the same.

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My first experience working with Liza was through mbaMission's Boot Camp product. The Boot Camp is an all day online session with an instructor that really give you a great jump start on the essay process of your applications if you don't have the time or money to spend on a full school package. I found this Boot Camp to be extremely helpful, but you need to be willing to put in the work yourself (prep work leading up to the session, during the session, and homework after) to get the most out of it.

Liza was great during the session and provided very valuable feedback to me on my homework assignment, which was to write a draft of one of my essays. For some, just this one activity might be enough guidance for their whole application process. However, I felt that I needed a little more expert advice on the rest of my essays, so I decided to purchase a few hours of the Hourly Services with Liza because of my positive experience with her in the Boot Camp.

Liza was always very up front and honest in answering my questions and her assessments of my essays. She was very encouraging in pushing me to strive for my greatest, but was also unbiased and honest - willing to tell me when she thought a particular school may be a reach for me. When giving essay feedback she was able to not only just offer ideas for better wording, but also ask me questions about the topics that really helped me focus on the right issues and get my mind in gear. She was very prompt in her responses and offered valuable advice once it came time to making admissions decisions. I would definitely recommend Liza to anyone navigating the business school application process. It is certainly daunting to do alone and having Liza as a resource made everything a lot easier!

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When I started the application process, I admit that I was skeptical about consultants. I’m extremely organized and have been told I’m a strong writer – so I was confident I could do everything on my own, without cutting a big check. One of my best friends worked with Liza a few years ago, did very well in the application process and encouraged me to at least do the 30 min session with Liza – after all, it was free. My friend had nothing but positive feedback about Liza and raved about the experience working with her. I really trust her so went ahead with the call, but still thought it would be a sales pitch. I couldn’t have been more wrong.

Liza had reviewed my resume and responses to mbaMission’s questionnaire thoroughly before our call and after giving a brief introduction, turned it over to me to use the remaining 28 mins how I saw fit. I came with a bunch of questions and frankly, concerns, and Liza was direct, honest and encouraging in her answers. It was far from a sales pitch. I walked away with a feeling that I should reconsider working with her and ended up deciding to do the start to finish package for the 4 schools to which I was applying.

Throughout the process, Liza was my biggest supporter, provider of constructive feedback, motivator and at times, therapist. Her knowledge of the process and each school’s quirks was clear but perhaps more importantly, she really got to know me and therefore could help me strategize and determine how to position my best self in each piece of the application.

In the beginning, I was anxious and just wanted to get started on the essays but Liza reminded me that I needed to be patient with the step by step process she laid out. I was skeptical once again, but listened. She was right -- the brainstorming process could not have been more important. I spent that first weekend answering the many questions she provided. The result was 15+ pages about all aspects of my life, past experiences, values and personality. The self-reflective process and probing questions that Liza asked after reading the document became the starting place for my essay topics. Liza helped me to see how my accomplishments were just that – accomplishments. And as we went along, her comments in each draft were pointed and pushed me to articulate a specific point more clearly in the next version. The robust and honest dialogue we had was so valuable as I tried to show the admissions offices what I am all about.

Liza kept me organized & accountable and made the overwhelming application process seem less daunting as we tackled each essay/task step by step. I tend to overanalyze and as such, tweaked the wording or sentence structure of my essays frequently – Liza was patient and truly wanted me to feel 100% confident with the end result. After many iterations, she finally helped me to let go and press the submit button, knowing I really did put my best foot forward. It didn’t stop there – she was there to prepare me for my video essay and interviews, and served as a sounding board as I made my final decision.

In addition, Liza was there when things didn’t go so smoothly. First, I had a few bumps in the road with my recommenders. Liza calmed me down and offered constructive suggestions given the circumstances to get to a positive outcome. Second, one of my interviews went poorly and Liza made herself available on a Friday evening and early Saturday morning to help me bounce back. She never made me feel rushed on our phone conversations (which always went over our allotted time), answered my frequent emails quickly and thoroughly, and helped me put things in perspective while waiting for and hearing the results.

Now that I have a few acceptances under my belt and am thrilled with where I’ll spend the next few years, I look back and realize that partnering with Liza was worth every penny I spent. Liza goes above and beyond, is truly invested in her clients, and is someone you want on your side as you take this next step. While I already miss seeing Liza’s name in my inbox every other day, I can honestly say that I think we will keep in touch long after this application year.

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I at first was against using a consultant as I was already stressed about the cost applying, let alone an MBA. Like everyone else, I had applied to undergrad on my own with no problem and questioned why I would a need a consultant for graduate school. I could not have been more wrong. The MBA process is a beast – it is far more competitive, far more nuanced, and forces you to think about your future in a way most people are probably avoiding.

A few weeks before applications for round 2 were due, I met a friend for lunch to talk about our b-school struggles and she mentioned she just got into Harvard round 1 and used a consultant that really helped with her resume. She said I could set up a free 30 minute call with her to see if she could be of help to me. Of course I expected 25 minutes of this call to be a marketing pitch. It was the exact opposite. She gave her 2 minute roadmap of the call and then immediately asked me what questions I had. We spent the entire 30 minutes addressing any and all questions I had regarding my application from “how should I explain my GMAT math score” to “who is the best person to pick as a recommender.” She was a great smart, thoughtful, and rapid fire responded to me. It was the most helpful 30 minutes of my application process.

Unfortunately, I didn’t utilize this resource until too late in the process and regretted every moment of it. But I told myself, if I got an interview, I wanted her guidance.
Luckily, this chance came. My interview date gave me limited time to prepare and Liza found time in her schedule to talk to me. She helped me formulate my best answer to central questions like “why an MBA at X and why X career.” She helped me organize my thoughts and then convey them in a logical, succinct way. She even set prep material so we could take the most out of our call and she was kind enough to go past the allocated time. I felt as though she was truly invested in my success and she did everything she could to help me achieve my goals. I know she helped me because I got into or waitlisted at the schools I interviewed at. I don’t think this would have been possible without her help.

I unequivocally recommend her to anyone that is applying to get an MBA.

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