GMAT Club

Sharon Joyce Reviews

Company: Fortuna Admissions

With over 25 years of experience in admissions and student affairs, Sharon is a seasoned professional in higher education who has been lauded for her innovative approaches in streamlining interview processes at multiple institutions and her efforts to create inclusive communities in graduate education. At UC Berkeley’s Haas School of Business, she served as the Associate Director of Admissions for the full-time program MBA program, while also collaborating on the overall strategic plan for Haas admissions as a member of the Senior Management team. While at Carnegie Mellon’s Tepper School of Business, she contributed to the success of the MBA program in a role that encompassed admissions and career services. Sharon received her BA from Chatham University and holds a doctoral degree in Administrative and Policy Studies in Higher Education from the University of Pittsburgh; her doctoral research was focused on first-generation college students and their rise into graduate programs. Sharon is also a Certified Coach in CliftonStrengths, and specializes in early stage planning with many of our Fortuna clients.

5.0 /5 Average Rating
Based on 68 reviews
January 15, 2019
herrke11

Joined: Jan 15, 2019

Posts: 0

Kudos: 0

Verified GMAT Classic score:
710 Q43 V44

Great, no-BS advice and a pleasure to work with!

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I cannot more highly recommend Sharon - with her help I got into Ross, Anderson, and McCombs, with generous scholarships to each school. Sharon helped me through the R1 process with resume review, essay review, gut checks for all of my communications with adcom, interview prep, and ultimately school decision-making. Sharon gave no-BS advice which made me feel like I could really trust her, and was such a pleasure to work with. She was incredibly flexible and quick to respond, which is VERY helpful when you're pushing up against deadlines. Something I really appreciated was that I never felt like she was wasting my time - she told me if she felt a review/prep could get done in 10 mins even though we had scheduled 30, which is really nice when you're spending $$ by the minute. Sharon is also certified in the Clifton Strengths Assessment tool, which was surprisingly helpful in generating wording and insights for personal strengths - it's hard to talk about yourself! Overall, Sharon is a delight and on top of her game - if you are looking for help at any stage of the application process, she's your gal!

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January 06, 2019
SamOstler

Joined: Jan 06, 2019

Posts: 0

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Verified GMAT Classic score:
700 Q44 V41

A Great Experience With Great Results

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When I was researching into the application process I came across Fortuna Admissions. Initially I discovered them from online searches, however an old friend of mine was a former client and confirmed they were a great service.

I was paired with Sharon and it was a great fit. We started just before the Summer with a goal of first round applications being completed by start of September. I am very busy with my career so having a strong supporting team to help organize my application efforts was a tremendous help.

I work best with goals and schedules. Sharon quickly adapted to my working preferences and helped me set goals and dates to accomplish various tasks. At the end of every session I would have my "take aways" and a set date I needed to have it done by. At the start of every session we would review the work I completed on my own time in an environment and pace that worked best for me.

When I received my first interview invitation it was almost unexpected. The deadline had been a few days prior, so to hear back so soon was quite shocking (albeit a great one!). That being said, I had a business trip already planned and had to opt for their earliest time slot. This gave me a little over 24 hours to be fully prepared. Sharon was able to accommodate my rushed time frame and I walked into the interview confident.

Overall my experience with Fortuna Admissions was great, and I will be recommending them in the future to my colleagues. Thank you Sharon!

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December 16, 2018
kdhanda

Joined: Dec 16, 2018

Posts: 0

Kudos: 0

Verified GMAT Classic score:
740 Q48 V45

Great Consulting Firm

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I enjoyed working with Fortuna from my first interaction with Matt. They provided loads of advice on the first intro call - far more than other consulting firms I spoke with - and sold me quickly. My consultant, Sharon, was personable and helpful throughout the process. It was tougher than usual because we lived in time zones 14 hours apart, but she regularly scheduled calls in her evenings because it was more convenient for me. I appreciated her pushing me to re-work my essays multiple times. Would recommend the services, particularly for school selection and keeping me on a steady schedule to get my applications in on time.

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July 16, 2018
whot

Joined: Jul 15, 2018

Posts: 0

Kudos: 0

Great Interview Prep from Sharon Joyce

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Thanks Sharon for prepping me for the interviews. I got admitted to UCLA Anderson, UC Berkely Hass, Yale SOM and MIT Sloan. Some of them offered almost full or half scholarship.

When I contacted Sharon for interview preparation, the deadline was approaching and I have nearly zero knowledge about the interview. Thank Sharon for the quick response and talking with me on such a short notice.

I truly enjoyed the 2-hour conversation with Sharon. She was able to provide insightful feedback and suggestions during the conversation, and also answered my follow-up questions via email with great patience. She gave me a good start on my interview preparation by identifying my strengths and weaknesses.

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June 10, 2018
Smeoww

Joined: Jun 07, 2018

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Kudos: 0

Sharon and Fortuna are the best!

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It was only a week away from the deadline when I decided to retain an MBA admission consultant because I was struggling with the optional essay. I contacted several companies that provide MBA admission consulting service, and Fortuna was the only company that was able to meet my deadline. Sharon from Fortuna contacted me within 24 hours and worked with me over the weekend to review my admission package. Not only she provided great guidance on my optional essay, she also offered incredible insights on my other essays and the entire package. Since I had already spent more than one month writing my other three essays, I thought they cannot be any better until Sharon mentioned a few points. Looking back, I would have not got into Stern without correcting those mistakes on the essays.
I cannot thank Sharon and Fortuna enough for what they have done. Sharon sacrificed her weekend and weeknights just to make sure my work is perfect. I would highly recommend Fortuna and Sharon to any MBA applicants!!!

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May 30, 2018
ghosttado

Joined: Aug 30, 2017

Posts: 0

Kudos: 0

Sharon Joyce from Fortuna

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I got admitted to my dream school, Kellogg at Northwestern University - HUGE THANKS to Sharon Joyce and her team.

I have lower than average GMAT and GPA, and also was in the non-profit industry. Yes, I was on the weaker side of the candidates, and it wouldn't be possible to get an admission from Kellogg without her help.

Sharon was BRILLIANT in positioning strategy and storytelling that are tailored to just myself as a unique MBA candidate.
She helped me with whole application strategy, essay draft, recommenders selection, interview preparation, and follow-up plan.
She also gave me very honest and critical feedback with the point of view admission office as a former Associate Director of Admission at HAAS.
Other things, such as quick turnaround and accessibility were also very helpful, especially when I started application process fairly late.

She also arranged with resume specialist and former Admission Director at Wharton to get a 3rd look at my resume and essays, which added a "perfection" to my whole application.

I was very lucky to find Sharon and really enjoyed working with her.

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May 30, 2018
bandini89

Joined: May 30, 2018

Posts: 0

Kudos: 0

Sharon can't be beat!

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After an unpleasantly protracted experience with a New York based admissions consultant, finding Fortuna and, more importantly, teaming up with expert Fortuna coach, Sharon Joyce, was the ultimate windfall. Sharon helped me navigate the application process every step of the way with her unparalleled expertise and insight. She is a gifted editor who turns essays around with expedience. Whether by phone, email, or text, Sharon always makes herself available. Working with Sharon was a very refreshing experience; her witty sense of humor and encouraging coaching style are game changers. Sharon was the defining factor in my acceptance to the school of my choice. Without her unmitigated help and attention, I would have struggled to meet deadlines and achieve success in applying to top MBA programs. In every regard, Sharon has the winning formula!

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1 Older and Non-Verified Review for Sharon Joyce