I worked with Susan on the start-to-finish package for 4 schools, was admitted to 3 of them, and used the all of the self reflection and tools that Susan provided me with to apply to and get accepted at 3 additional schools.

I didn't have many friends who had applied to business school, nor did I have a great understanding of the application process, and Susan was a true partner and guide throughout the whole process. I tend to be quite verbose as a writer and sometimes I struggle to concisely make a clear point. While I knew why I wanted an MBA and what in my past experience made me qualified, I was having trouble articulating it clearly in my essays. Susan was a tough critic, and pushed me to write at a much higher level than I would have on my own. I appreciated that she didn't just say good job when my applications were "good enough", she pushed me to the next level, and I don't think I would have as many acceptances and scholarships to top programs without her!

Despite her pinpointed and sometimes tough feedback, Susan was a warm and caring coach who truly cared about my journey and who was rooting for me throughout the process. She made me feel proud of my accomplishments and was such a great cheerleader. With her help, I was admitted to Kellogg, Tuck, Columbia, Darden and Yale SOM all with scholarships and to Wharton as well! I can't recommend Susan enough!

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I did the Start-to-Finish Package for two schools with Susan, Stanford and Harvard. Coming from an engineering background and as an applicant to deferred MBA programs, I was unsure of how to approach the MBA admissions process and wanted to be sure to convey my story authentically. Ultimately, I was admitted at Stanford and, as a result, did not apply to Harvard.

Susan is able to identify your greatest strengths as a candidate, and enables you to craft an application that truly shines with these characteristics. She is completely honest and meticulous with you throughout the essay editing process instead of taking the easy route and approving of your essays once they’re in “good enough” shape.

I came to Susan for help with my applications only 2 months before the deadline, and even with our condensed timeframe I was able to take the GMAT, construct my essays, and polish them to a great quality. There were times even 2 weeks before the deadline (due to my condensed 2 month timeline) where I was not sure my drafts would come together, yet I was able to secure admission to my dream MBA program, Stanford GSB.

Needless to say, I highly recommend Susan. To any applicants who work with her in the future who are on a similarly condensed timeframe, I offer two pieces of advice: 1) Especially if you are not sure of an essay draft, send your edits back to Susan within one business day. Susan will always give in-depth comments to help you progress through a rough patch in the editing process. 2) Leave double the amount of time you think you need for the essay editing process. Susan is extremely thorough, and you will want to take advantage of it!

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I 100% can say I would not have gotten into any business school without Susan's help. Although I have lived in the US for a few years for work, I was quite unfamiliar with the unique process of applying to US business schools when I first got started. My initial kick-off call with Susan was a bit of a "wake-up call" for me on this, as Susan was able to candidly and thoroughly explain the actions I would need to take to maximize my chances of admission.

When I first started thinking about the business school process I was only thinking about it at a macro level but not about the specific ways in which I should approach it - i.e., setting clear and actionable clear goals, developing an overall story, brainstorming application stories (applicable for both essays and interviews), and meticulous attention to detail in every single thing I wrote as part of my application submissions (down to even the 25 words or less mini essays).

Susan was exactly what I needed to get this done. She kept me focused, pushed me when I needed to be pushed, kept me on track despite a busy work schedule, travel and late hours in the office etc. I think the most valuable part of Susan's help (although there were obviously numerous aspects) was that she was 100% honest and direct in her feedback. When I think about this now, I realize that Susan was always doing this because she acts like your "first line of defence". If your essays and materials make it past Susan's review, then they'll be in stellar condition and will blow away any admissions committee reading them. That being said, I found working with Susan more of a partnership than her "spoon-feeding" you through the process. If you wan't to work effectively, you must be willing to put in the work and constantly striving to meet the standards she sets for you (just any good mentor or counselor would).

My time with Susan and what I learned with her extended beyond more than just putting together business school applications. The way she made me think about my own career goals and the self reflection she required of me (I think we spent the most time on the "brainstorming" process at the beginning of the package more than anything else, which was extremely valuable), continues to benefits me and has allowed me to be incredibly focused in my post-MBA career goals even now that the whole admission process is finished. I hands down would not have reached this point in my life and career without her.

In terms of results, Susan helped me apply to 3 schools (NYU Stern, UVA Darden and Duke Fuqua. I received 50% and 70% scholarships at Darden and Fuqua. The skills that Susan taught me about the application process made me feel so confident about it all, that I ended up applying to several other schools on my own (using Susan's mantras and approach), and was admitted to and received partial scholarships at Northwestern Kellogg and Dartmouth Tuck. ( was also admitted to London Business School. I ended up choosing to go to Kellogg and telling Susan about the great news was one of the most rewarding and proudest moments for me throughout the whole process!

In summary, I could not recommend Susan more highly (especially if you, like me, are someone that benefits from direct and honest feedback, as well as candid guidance and steerage if you are feeling a bit lost at the start of the whole process). I will be forever grateful for her help as it was truly life changing. Get working with her today!

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I purchased the full package from Susan, and I was accepted to my number one choice, Columbia Business School (CBS). I highly recommend working with Susan, and quite frankly, I would not have been successful without her. She is motivating while also empathetic, and no doubt has a wealth of knowledge about MBA schools and the MBA application process.

Susan’s knowledge about CBS and its values and criteria shaped the way I approached my application and essays – and she has the same knowledge for any school you apply to. I can’t understate how important this is. Every call, despite my hours of research online, she would bring up several points that would improve my application and essay for CBS specifically and that only someone with her experience could know.

Beyond her wealth of knowledge, my favorite thing about working with Susan was her ability to remain empathetic and motivating, at the same time as challenging me to dig deeper. By “dig deeper” I mean two things: (1) MBA applications (in particular the essays) take a lot of self-reflection. She will push you to truly understand what motivates you, and it truly comes out in the essays. And (2) while you write and own all of your essays, she works with you to ensure that everything you do and write has purpose and makes sense in layman terms, which is particularly useful if you have been in industry for several years.

I would recommend Susan without hesitation.

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I started my MBA journey in 2018, and despite having a decent GMAT score, I got dinged by many top B-schools. Re-applying to these schools was a significant challenge before me. After a lot of deliberation and research, I zeroed in on ‘MBA mission’ to help me with my applications.

I spoke with Susan in July 2019 and felt an instant connect with her with the way she listened to my story, gave her inputs on the possible weaknesses in my application and the steps I could possibly take to improve them. She explained to me about the rigour and focus it would take to put together a strong application and instilled so much confidence in me in our first interaction that I decided to work with her and bought a two-school start-to-finish package.

The brainstorming document that she shared initially really pushed me to think through my story: strengths, weaknesses, achievements, failures. A full 1.5 hour session that followed really helped me create a concrete foundation for all my applications. She constantly encouraged me to do thorough research about the programs and school resources, learn about my fit with the school, and, most importantly, think through my story. Susan responded to my every query and would regularly schedule calls to make sure I am never stuck and always on the right track. She never shied away from giving an honest opinion and comments on my essays and provided constructive feedback to direct me towards the best version of my applications. On many occasions, I did feel all burned out and frustrated working on multiple iterations and drafts, but Susan really helped me piece together an effective and sound application.

She also helped me get the video component of the application right that one of my schools required. She made sure that I practiced it right to master this segment. I was elated when I got the interview calls from both the schools. Susan arranged mock interview sessions (and at a very short notice for Kellogg) with her that really helped me prepare for the most dreadful part (for me, at least) of the application process.

I got admitted to both the top schools (Cornell and Kellogg) that I applied to with her help. I would strongly recommend Susan to anyone and everyone who is headstrong about getting into a top B-school. I am really excited to be going to Kellogg this year and can’t thank her enough for making it possible for me.

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I had already written first drafts of my essays, but I wanted some professional help to edit them. I turned to Susan Kaplan, whose advice was incredibly insightful and absolutely instrumental in ultimately achieving success. She worked with me to perfect my writing while maintaining my own voice and ideas. This was what I was most impressed by with Susan - she was able to help me overhaul my essays while preserving my own identity within the writing. I also leaned on Susan for help when prepping for one of my first interviews, and her advice there was equally insightful.

I was ultimately accepted to 3 of the 4 schools Susan assisted me with, including Kellogg, Wharton, and Haas. Without Susan's help, I do not believe I could have possibly achieved these same results. I'd strongly recommend her to anyone looking for help throughout the application process.

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I did the Start-to-Finish Package for two schools with Susan, Tuck and Yale. I also applied to HBS, Ross, and Foster on my own. Coming from a non-traditional background I was daunted by the MBA world and wanted to be sure I was able to tell my story authentically, but in a manner that would resonate with MBA admissions committees. Ultimately, I was admitted to Tuck and waitlisted at Yale. I also receive admission to Ross with a full-tuition scholarship and Foster with a moderate scholarship. While Susan and I only worked together on Tuck and Yale I know without a doubt that my other applications also benefited from our work together. I would 100% recommend working with Susan.

Susan is often characterized as “tough”. I don’t believe this to be a completely accurate characterization. Susan was relentless at making sure I put my best foot forward, while also being a deeply empathetic and supportive colleague. The MBA admissions process is tough and requires you put in the work, Susan makes sure you do it. She helps you to find your story and paint a clear picture of who you are and what you bring to the school. There were times when I got frustrated because I thought I was addressing a comment, but she would say I hadn’t gotten it yet. This can feel tough, but it was absolutely essential in pushing me to be as effective as possible in my essays. She knows what it takes to succeed and was invested in my success.

I deeply appreciated all the time Susan put into to get to know me during the brainstorming process and beyond. During the brainstorming Susan identified themes that I hadn’t thought of based on the information I sent her about my experiences. She was spot on and I was surprised how someone I barely knew could so quickly get at the heart of who I am. Additionally, after writing a few drafts of my first essay I didn’t feel fully comfortable with the direction. We spoke about it at length and finally it clicked for both of us what the thesis of the essay really should be. This extra time she spent to make sure I got my message just right was incredibly helpful and it was also the moment I knew Susan would keep working on a problem as long as it took to get it right.

My applications also required video components, which I was originally terrified of doing. Susan showed me how to master them with ease and after our practice sessions I felt completely calm and prepared.

Finally, Susan was always on time with her responses and provided thoughtful, detailed comments on my numerous draft essay and other materials draft.

I highly recommend Susan! It was so reassuring knowing she was on my team and I could go to her with any question at any time. I’m thrilled about schools I got into and couldn’t have done it without her!

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Susan is a fantastic admissions consultant. I can't say enough about her contribution to my applications.

She spends a lot of time upfront clearly laying out her process so that working with her is efficient and methodical. We spent a lot of time brainstorming my story and how it will fit with my target programs. I did not have a safe school and she respected that decision - her goal is to make your application the best it can be for each school you choose. Within the framework of my story, she pushed me to adapt each application to the specific schools to increase the likelihood of success. The application has to be genuine and has to align if/when invited to interview, so she is careful not to draft actual text. She NEVER missed a 48hr turnaround deadline and frequently sent through comments earlier. During crunch periods when I needed things turned around more quickly she took the time to explain what my options were and her availability to accommodate. Her guidance is always clear, helpful, and specific when it needs to be. She must have turned my HBS essay 30+ times and the 4 others 15+.

Applied to 5 schools; Accepted to 4 (HBS, Wharton ($$), Tuck, Kellogg ($$$)), wait-listed at 1. White male in finance.

She is not stressful to work with. She can seem 'tough' at times, but in the best way possible: only because she knows if your application does not yet fully reflect your potential in the context of each school's values. She will insist that the essays can get better and will give you the guidance to help you get there.

Finally, she's on your side. She cares about your success and will be anxious with you when decision are released!

I highly recommend choosing Susan as your admission consultant.

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I first talked to Susan during a free phone consultation, after reading all her positive reviews. These initial 30 minutes convinced me that she would help make my applications stronger, and I decided to work with her for a 3-School package. I had a set list of schools in mind that I wanted to apply to. Although all 3 were reaches, she didn’t encourage me to apply to safety schools. I only had two months to submit my three applications, which was enough given Susan’s punctuality for returning material. She never missed her two-day deadline, and often returned documents ahead of time. She sent back comments on at least 50 versions of my essays and resumes. She was always available for a quick phone meeting when I needed help defining the direction for an essay or understanding a comment. Many reviews describe Susan as being “tough,” and that’s exactly what I needed. I thought at first that I had precise career goals and reasons for getting an MBA, but she challenged my assumptions, thereby making my personal statement clearer. She helped me pinpoint the distinct aspects of my background and personality that I could bring to a business school community. All these elements were extremely helpful for my essays and resume, but she was also great for interview preparation. I’m delighted to announce that I’ve been accepted to my top choice (top-ten program), with a significant scholarship! Susan was instrumental in helping me get there!

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I hired Susan Kaplan to help me with my applications for the MBA class of 2021, with excellent results! I applied to 3 business schools and was admitted to 2 (HSW and another top school with $$) and waitlisted at 1 (HSW). I started working on my applications in June with deadlines in September, after I completed my GMAT. We started with a review of my target schools and Susan gave me honest feedback about my chances. She helped me go through my personal and professional history and identified ideas for effective essay topics that I wouldn’t have pinpointed on my own. Although I was largely responsible for my application timeline and keeping myself on track, Susan was always prompt with feedback and never missed her review deadlines. I am currently residing abroad and she did a good job of accommodating the time differences with our calls.
Overall, the biggest value I got out of the consultancy was the essay feedback. I come from an engineering background and Susan helped me phrase my stories and experiences in a way that someone from any field could understand. Of course I did all of the writing, but her comments were invaluable in shaping how I told my stories. She did an excellent job of finding themes that tied experiences from my personal and professional lives together. She pushed me to go much deeper into my motivations and mindset than I would have otherwise. Although I had very strong stats going into the application process, I believe it was my essays that set my application apart. I would highly recommend Susan to any applicants that are looking for open, honest feedback, but are also self-motivated and not looking for someone to “mother” them through the process. At the end of the process I felt like the applications were fully my own, with Susan providing the push and assistance to make them the best work I could produce.

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