Before committing, I had intake calls with 7–8 consultants. All were well-qualified, but Susan stood out immediately. She clearly took the time to understand my profile before our call, and she went well over the allotted time to dig into my concerns about my nontraditional background. As a former collegiate soccer player herself, she also understood my story on a personal level in a way others didn't. Her Dartmouth undergrad background and experience on Fuqua's Admissions Committee were especially valuable given that Tuck and Fuqua were high on my list.
What stood out about working with her:
1. Introspection exercises
Susan's exercises pushed me to think deeply and connect the dots across my experience, giving me a clear, cohesive MBA story and a strong set of examples for essays and interviews.
2. Essay brainstorming
With all that introspection, I often ended up with 4–5 drafts covering different experiences for a single essay. Susan talked through each one with me and helped me identify which one truly fit.
3. Essay editing
Tight word counts and making the "Why This School" section stand out are genuinely hard problems. Susan worked through both with me skillfully.
4. Interview prep
She made sure I had both core and school-specific questions down cold.
5. Character
Encouraging, thoughtful, instinctive, and knowledgeable — she held me accountable while giving me room to work things out on my own.
6. Confidence
Most importantly, despite multiple resume gaps and relatively short stints at my previous three companies, Susan gave me the confidence to present my background as an asset rather than a liability.

I'd recommend her without hesitation to anyone navigating a nontraditional path to business school.

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When I started the MBA application process, I knew I had strong experiences, but I wasn't sure how to turn them into a compelling story that would resonate with admissions committees. Working with Susan Cera was easily one of the best investments I made throughout the entire process.

From our very first conversations, Susan challenged me to think more deeply about my past experiences, motivations, and long-term goals. She didn't simply edit essays, she helped me uncover the themes that connected my personal story, professional achievements, and future aspirations into an authentic and cohesive narrative.

Susan added value at every stage of the process. She guided me through the introspection needed to identify my strongest stories, helped develop a thoughtful application strategy for each school, brainstormed and refined every essay, transformed my resume into one designed for MBA admissions, and prepared me extensively for interviews. Her feedback was always honest, strategic, and incredibly detailed, while never losing my own voice.

What impressed me most was that Susan genuinely cared about my success. She knew exactly when to push me harder, when to challenge my thinking, and when to reassure me that I was on the right track. Throughout the process, she became much more than an admissions consultant, she was a trusted advisor and coach.

The result speaks for itself: I accepted an offer to an M7 business school which was my #1 choice and I can confidently say my application was dramatically stronger because of Susan's guidance. I have no doubt that I would not have presented the same caliber of application without her partnership.

If you're looking for someone who combines deep admissions expertise with an incredible ability to help you tell your story in the most authentic and compelling way possible, I cannot recommend Susan Cera highly enough. She was instrumental in helping me achieve one of my biggest career goals, and I will always be grateful for her support.

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If you're liked I was 2 years ago reading this page and wondering whether to fork over a considerable sum of money and time to have Susan (or truthfully any counselor) work with you on your applications ... do it and choose Susan every time.

About me: deferred MBA candidate that did her 4-school package, accepted at Booth and Wharton (headed to Wharton in 2-4 years). Came from a big midwest state school, working in consulting post-undergrad, and felt really bleak about my odds.

So, why is Susan so uniquely phenomenal? Three reasons:

1. She's cares enough to be blunt (when needed): Susan is the definition of someone who will push you to your fullest even when you may be reluctant to go further. When I was taking my GRE, I had really struggled to boost my score, and she provided incredibly helpful (and transparent) advice about where my lower score would get me and how to course correct. I spoke with around 6 consultants before choosing Susan, and I'm confident at least half of them would've sugarcoated or told me what I wanted to hear with my subpar, original GRE score. Susan, though? She'll keep it straight and tell it to you how it is / how to fix (and that's true for EVERY part of the application process with her).

2. She's been in this business long enough to have actual experience WORTH drawing from: In identifying what my long-term career goals were, I was consistently waffling with unclear visions. At every turn, she must've rattled off 10-12 prior candidates that had quite similar backgrounds to me that provided actual inspiration. Post-Susan, she opened my eyes to Entrepreneurship through Acquisition, the career goal that came to form the basis of my b-school applications.

3. She's just as much a consultant as she is a friend: In talking with her prior clients and what I'd gathered in our consultation, I knew she was personable. Great, I thought; however, I brushed it off to mean she's merely a friendly person, cool. No! Susan is a true gem that goes ABOVE and BEYOND what it means to truly get to know someone, becoming a PARTNER (not just second set of eyes) in the process. She remembers every small detail you may have mentioned in passing and even remembered my birthday that was nestled in a final application read through (in the fine print) for one of my schools. She's someone you keep in touch with long past working on MBA applications because she's that genuine of a person.

Can't recommend Susan enough - if you have a seed of doubt, ask her to speak with a former client or two of hers like myself, and you'll quickly understand why so many sing her praises.

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Susan Cera was truly amazing to work with, as were the other members of the Stratus team who supported me throughout my MBA application process. I ultimately got into each of the schools I applied to—several of which felt like “reaches” when I first began—and I don’t think I could’ve done it without Susan and Stratus.

Susan is a true expert at her job and helped me effectively navigate every aspect of the MBA application process, which is time-intensive and can feel daunting at times. She was there every step of the way, rolling up her sleeves alongside me as I shaped my narrative, wrote my essays, drafted my applications and resume, prepared for interviews, and ultimately decided which school to attend. Every time I faced a situation I wasn’t sure how to approach, Susan knew exactly what to do. From the very beginning, she took the time to truly get to know me—spending months before I even started writing essays helping me think through my professional, personal, and educational experiences, my values, and my future goals, and tying those together into a cohesive narrative. She did an amazing job of helping me recognize themes in my life that hadn’t been top of mind but that are very true to who I am and ultimately shaped much of my application process. She worked tirelessly alongside me as I translated those themes into cohesive essays and applications that genuinely reflected who I am, and later as I prepared for interviews. I felt like I had Susan’s full attention the entire time—she was incredibly responsive; we often spoke multiple times per week and iterated on my essays several times each week. She put tremendous effort and thought into every aspect of my application and interview process and provided insightful feedback that helped me frame and elevate many parts of my application in more effective ways.

Susan and Stratus have the MBA admissions process down to a science—not in a cookie-cutter way, but in a way that is highly personal and provides the structure, methodology, and resources that enabled me to navigate a complex, multi-step, months-long process. Susan broke everything down into discrete steps, each with resources and guidance to help me approach it correctly—from brainstorming relevant life experiences, conducting school research, and developing my key themes and application strategy, to crafting my MBA resume, briefing my recommenders, writing my essays and applications, and preparing for interviews. I felt in control at every stage because I knew exactly what I needed to do and what to expect next. Stratus brings together so many unique resources from its years of experience—I not only worked closely with Susan, but also received feedback at multiple points from Melisa and Lisa as I refined my narrative and prepared for interviews, as well as from reviewers who are experts in each school’s application. I also had the opportunity to connect with past Stratus clients and students at my target schools to learn directly from their experiences.

Overall, I greatly enjoyed working with Susan, feel like she really got to know me personally and really invested in my success. I could not recommend working with her and Stratus more highly.

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Susan went above and beyond my expectations of an MBA consultant going into this process. She is a true professional, and her and the team at Stratus are exceptional. She added so much value to my application, helping me explore my past experiences to shape my key themes, create a strategy for my application, brainstorm essay content, update and refine my resume, and prepare for my interview. She also encouraged me to submit a late application to my top school, and I ended up getting into my top MBA program a year earlier than I thought I would! I am so grateful for Susan and all the help she gave me in helping me achieve my MBA goals.

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I highly recommend Susan Cera to anyone looking to boost their chances of getting into a top business school. From the start, she took the time to understand my academic background, work experience, and community involvement to build a strong foundation for my applications. As my story evolved, she helped me craft a tailored strategy for each of the three schools I applied to.

Susan was incredibly patient as I refined my resume, guiding me on how to shape it for business school admissions rather than just a future employer. She was also instrumental in helping me push through writer’s block during the essay process. When it came time for interviews, she arranged Zoom mock sessions for each school, which made a huge difference in my confidence and preparation.

With her guidance, I was accepted to all three M7 schools I applied to. Beyond her expertise, Susan genuinely cares about her clients and is a true professional. I can’t recommend her enough!

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Working with Susan Cera at Stratus for admissions consulting was one of the best decisions I made. From our very first interaction, her kindness and genuine care stood out. Navigating the admissions process can be overwhelming, but Susan had an incredible ability to break everything down into manageable steps, making the experience far less stressful.

Her expertise in admissions consulting was evident throughout. Susan not only helped me craft a compelling narrative but also provided insightful feedback that elevated my application to the next level. She had a remarkable way of understanding my unique strengths and helping me present them in the best possible light.

Beyond her professional expertise, Susan’s warmth and encouragement were truly invaluable. She believed in me even when I had moments of doubt, and her support kept me motivated and confident. I felt like I had a true partner in the process who was genuinely invested in my success.

I can’t recommend Susan highly enough. Her combination of kindness, strategic insight, and unwavering support made all the difference for me. She was truly fantastic, and I’m so grateful for her guidance!

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It was an absolute privilege to work with Susan from Day 1 of my MBA application journey. Having been highly recommended by my brother, I knew I was in capable hands, but the experience far exceeded my expectations. The MBA application process, with its inherent highs and lows, can be really daunting. However, Susan not just made it enjoyable, but a rewarding experience overall.
To begin with her technical expertise is nothing short of remarkable, as evidenced by her consistent track record of success. With a deep and nuanced understanding of the application process, she helped me shape my personal narratives in a way that resonated really well with admissions committees. Throughout this journey, I experienced tremendous growth both personally and professionally, much of which I attribute to Susan’s insightful guidance. Her thought-provoking questions prompted me to reflect on my aspirations and experiences more deeply, ultimately sharpening my perspective, and I am sure this will come in handy in the future as well.
What truly sets Susan apart though is her genuine investment in your success. She cares deeply, and this sincerity is evident in every interaction I had with her. I felt an unwavering sense of trust and support throughout the process.
In short, Susan is a remarkable consultant and a trusted advisor, and I feel incredibly fortunate to have had her by my side during this pivotal phase of my career.

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I highly recommend Stratus and their consultants, especially Susan, who was instrumental in my success. Susan's guidance was invaluable, helping me secure admissions to several M7 schools. Her expertise and personalized approach made a significant difference in my application process. If you're considering deferred admission, Susan is the consultant you want. Her insights and support were crucial, and I couldn't recommend her more highly. Stratus, with Susan's help, exceeded my expectations and played a pivotal role in achieving my academic goals. Trust Stratus and Susan for a seamless and successful admission journey and especially if you are looking for deferred admissions help.

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Susan was a wonderful consultant who clearly cared about my story and application process. Applying to MBA programs can be quite hectic, stressful and overwhelming. Susan made the process straightforward and exciting.

Even from our first conversation, it was clear that Susan has deep expertise on the application process and that she takes time to help you understand your own strengths, weaknesses and story. Applying to MBA programs calls for introspection and for salient communication of your background. Susan is an excellent guide who helps you pull at the threads that make you, you. Without a doubt choosing Susan was the best choice I made in the application process.

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