Strengths:

From the consultant to the company - everyone is invested in you to succeed.

Would make the product better:

None

As I studied for my GMAT, I often lurked on Reddit and P&Q to read up on consultant reviews. But the decision couldn’t have been more challenging when the time came. After talking to 7-8 consultants, I couldn’t find a fit with anyone. Some would often sell themselves, while others would try to sell me dreams. So, I decided to talk to more consultants. This is when I stumbled upon Harshad. An individual who was genuinely interested in my story rather than trying to sell me his services. So much so that after talking to consultants for over 2 weeks, I decided to work with Harshad the same day I spoke to him.
One thing was obvious: Harshad mentioned he is “very direct,” and he means it. He understands that time is of the essence in MBA applications, so there is no time to beat around the bush.
The process was straightforward. Brainstorming sessions, school selection, Resume, essays, interviews, etc…
While looking for a consultant, I also assessed the “firm” they worked for. This became obvious when Harshad sent me the Brainstorming document to fill out. Mbamission’s brainstorming document is long, but filling it out in its entirety allowed Harshad to really get to know me. This made our essay discussions easier because all of my stories were laid out, and Harshad could pinpoint exactly how I could approach the essays.
Things weren’t always easy. Initially, I thought that I had hired a consultant, and with his guidance, I had written my essays, and my job was done. Harshad put a stop to this in our very first essay. What I had written was nowhere close to what we had discussed. He was “direct” in his approach and quick to get on a call to re-discuss, just in case I had missed any details in our initial essay call. It again became evident that Harshad wasn’t willing to settle for less. Even if it meant additional time and resources, he went above and beyond for me to craft the best essays possible.
I also liked Harshad’s “one-school” at a time approach. With 2 months to go for app deadlines, I was wary of this and thought I couldn’t submit it on time. However, he assured me that we would meet the timeline, and we did. The time we invested in our initial essays on one school, made it easier for us on the subsequent schools.
After submitting my applications, Harshad suggested I get some rest, but the job wasn’t done. Slowly, the interviews trickled in, and Harshad quickly set up mock interviews, provided resources on Mbamission’s Ontrack, and assured me I was in the best place possible during my interviews. I enjoyed Harshad’s mock interviews because he threw hard questions at me, ensuring I could think on my feet.
From the interviews to the decisions, Harshad checked in often to ensure I was doing well. He even took the time to check in on my parents during our regular essay calls, showing genuine care and understanding of the personal challenges I had shared about their health. While he is undoubtedly direct and professional, he has a very high emotional intelligence.
I knew hiring a consultant was expensive, but I couldn’t have been happier with my decision to work with Harshad. With Harshad’s help, I was admitted to Yale (with a 50% scholarship), Tuck (with a 50% scholarship), and Darden.
Also, a special shoutout to Jen (also from the mbaMission team), who connected me with Harshad!

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Strengths:

-Willingness to help
-They will push you to aim higher; they will not just sit there and say, "Ok, you like those schools, lets do it." Kate said, "I think you could do even better."
-Timeframe: was fully applied to 3 schools in 2.5 months

Would make the product better:

-Further improvements to the onTrack service could have saved some time.

Kate Richardson was instrumental in my MBA application journey, providing unwavering support and guidance every step of the way. From reviewing drafts late at night to offering honest feedback, she was always there when I needed her. Kate didn’t just help me craft a strong application; she helped me see potential in myself that I hadn’t recognized. Her encouragement and belief in my goals opened doors I didn’t think were possible. She constantly pushed me to be a better version of myself, and I honestly would not be where I am today without her dedication, insight, and care. I do not just consider Kate a mentor and role model now, but a friend.

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I interviewed several MBA admissions consultants before choosing to work with Gavriella, and I’m so glad I did. After applying on my own last year and getting rejected, I knew I needed more support. From our first intro call, Gavriella had already reviewed my background and came prepared with specific suggestions on how to strengthen my application. While other consultants suggested changing my school list due to my lower GMAT score, Gavriella believed in me and encouraged me to stick with my original targets. I ended up working with her on a five-school package.

She called it a “partnership,” and that’s exactly how it felt. Gavriella took the time to deeply understand my story, helped me surface unique and authentic experiences, and is an exceptional editor. She knows what schools are looking for and provided clear, direct feedback throughout. She also provided detailed interview prep for each school, including mock interviews and thoughtful, actionable feedback that helped me feel confident going in. I’m thrilled to be attending Wharton next year, and I couldn't have done it without Gavriella’s support!

Having gone through the MBA application process once before on my own, my only regret is not working with Gavriella the first time. She made the process not only less stressful but genuinely enjoyable. I highly recommend Gavriella to anyone applying to an MBA program!

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There are MBA consultants and then there’s Katy. She is truly one of a kind and, without a doubt, the absolute best in the business.

I started working with her during the HBS interview stage because I wanted a bit of extra prep support. I don’t usually go for consultants or spend on outside help, but working with her ended up being one of the best decisions I made during the entire MBA process. From the very beginning, she stood out. Katy is incredibly sharp, thoughtful and genuinely fun to work with. What blew me away most was how deeply she understands the admissions process at schools like HBS - every insight she shared felt precise, strategic and tailored exactly to what I needed at each stage. She knew how to guide me through the interview, and even more impressively, through the unpredictable and extremely stressful waitlist process.

But what truly sets Katy apart is how much she cares. She was beyond generous with her time, never once making it feel like a transactional relationship. I felt like I had a coach, mentor and real friend who genuinely wanted to see me succeed. With Katy’s guidance - and a little bit of luck - I got off the HBS waitlist!

If you’re getting ready to apply, need some extra interview support or have been waitlisted and want not just the best consultant out there to guide you but someone who will be in your corner every step of the way, work with Katy. She is the real deal and truly in a league of her own.

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I started thinking about business school in October without a clear direction. I spoke to a few consultants and Jessica immediately stood out. During our free consultation, she didn’t try to sell me any packages and instead focused on me getting the most value in those 30 minutes. She followed up promptly with detailed notes and suggestions. While some other consultants were quick to judge (I am on the older side of applicants) or steer me in a specific direction, I never felt that with Jessica. She genuinely listened and supported the path I wanted to take.

Since I started the process so late, I applied in Round 2 to three schools but didn’t get in – they were all ambitious choices. At that point, I assumed my MBA journey was over.

Jessica then reached out and encouraged me to apply in Round 4 to a school that had originally been high on my list, but I hadn’t applied to due to time constraints. Although she typically doesn’t work on applications that late in the cycle, she made an exception and helped me navigate what I could do differently this time. With her guidance, I got in with a scholarship (in R4!) and am going to school this fall! She continued to look out for me even after her formal responsibilities had ended, offering consistent encouragement when I had given up.

Working with Jessica never felt transactional. While her services are on the higher end, I never once questioned whether I was getting my money’s worth. She is truly exceptional at what she does - and she genuinely cares about every single client she takes on. There were moments when it felt like she understood my story better than I did, especially when we were working on my essays.

If I had to go through this process again, I would choose Jessica in a heartbeat. I highly recommend her to anyone looking for an MBA consultant.

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It was a great experience working with Jessica—from the jump in our introductory call she was straightforward, very easy to talk to, and provided thoughtful prods on potential narrative threads in my background, underscoring the main strengths of working with a consultant- someone who knows the process thoroughly and can provide incisive insight and strategy on how you are currently showcasing your story and how it could be improved-- all of which gave me great confidence in choosing to work with her!

Throughout the application journey, Jessica helped ease any anxieties from the process with her clarity and depth of knowledge-- she laid out the steps and function of each approach and meeting, making the marathon of applying much more digestible and coherent. She took time to deeply understand my background, forming a foundation to build off of in subsequent meetings, and her frankness was refreshing in providing honest and clear direction in what was realistic.
She was always prompt in responding, and for almost any situation or question had fantastic advice and specified expertise.

Jessica's invaluable support made the entire application season much more doable!

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Kate was a true partner throughout the application process and with her support, I was accepted to multiple MBA programs, including my dream school with a scholarship. She was easy to work with, approachable, professional, and always clear in her guidance. I especially appreciated her flexibility with time, which made scheduling seamless despite a major time zone difference. Her dedication was unmatched, she consistently went the extra mile to help get every detail across the line, even under tight deadlines.

What stood out most was how Kate took the time to understand me as a person. She got to know my story, values and motivations, which she used to tailor her feedback. The interview prep was also thorough, Kate chose tailored questions for my application and I walked into my interviews feeling well prepared and confident.

If you’re looking for someone who combines admissions expertise with a genuinely supportive approach, I highly recommend working with Kate!

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Working with Kim was an amazing experience. She was always both dependable and flexible. Despite starting the process a little bit late, she helped me build a schedule that allowed me to submit all my applications on time. Although I was anxious at the start of the process, I felt like I had put together the best application possible.

Writing narratives and selling yourself is a skill and everyone starts out from a different place. Kim would give good feedback and would patiently support me since it took several iterations before I was able to express myself articulately.

Kim also helped with all of the other aspects of the process such as the short answer questions, the interviews, the resume, past job descriptions. These aspects of the application can be very time consuming so it was good to have some support to make sure I put my best foot forward in all aspects of the application.

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I could not recommend working with Melissa enough. She not only helped me get my applications together for 3 schools in about a month and half between summer travels and studying for the GRE, but she helped me do it in a way that was manageable without much of the stress and pressure I know I would have felt going through it on my own. If I was ever overwhelmed or frustrated that my essay wasn’t coming out exactly how I imagined it would or I was nervous for an interview, Melissa was always an email or a call away.

Melissa is so deeply knowledgeable about the MBA admissions process and experience. Every interaction I had with her felt unique and tailored in order to really help me to standout in the process — she doesn’t just “copy + paste” essay formats, storylines, or feedback from client to client but provides individualized and detailed consulting services. My essays felt completely true to myself and she helped me tell my own story better than I ever could as she really takes the time to get to know each client on both a personal and professional level to bring your full persona to life for the admissions committee. I almost think Melissa knew me better than I know myself by the end and I could tell that she genuinely cared about how I felt and the outcomes I received.

Melissa was really a great sounding board and cheerleader whether it be planning out essays, preparing for interviews, or debriefing admit day visits and deciding between schools. I always left our sessions feeling more confident and more excited for my journey ahead. Who would’ve thought that I am now sitting here missing our weekly calls!

If I had to do it over again I 100% would work with Melissa every time. I got into all 3 schools I applied to (2 M7s + 1 Top International Program) with scholarships at 2 and I am going into the school year in August so grateful and excited!

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Strengths:

- mbaMission has a ton of school-specific guides and comprehensive materials to help in the application process
- Prompt and helpful communication
- Kept me on track throughout the process
- Extremely knowledgeable about the admission process
- Very caring and supportive demeanor
- Really helpful interview prep - both for one-on-one and Wharton TBD format

Would make the product better:

n/a - really happy with my experience!

When I first started the MBA application process, I was told by other consultant firms that I was late to the game (it was late spring and I wanted to apply Round 1). However, I immediately clicked with Heidi who was super supportive and gave me a clear plan/roadmap for how to apply to 3 schools and take the GMAT by Round 1 deadlines. I really appreciated her organization/planning, which helped me stay on track while working a demanding investment banking job. I was nervous that coming from a typical investment banking background would make it hard for me to stand out in the applicant field. However, Heidi really got to know me & my personal story and truly helped to make me feel comfortable in sharing key pieces of my journey and shape that into concise, impactful essays. It is SO abundantly clear that Heidi truly cares about her clients, and I felt so supported and empowered throughout the process. I applied to CBS, Kellogg and Wharton. Heidi helped to brainstorm ideas for essays with me and proofread them, while keeping my authentic voice within them. I also really valued the interview prep, especially doing a mock Wharton team-based discussion through mbaMission to feel more comfortable with the format. I ended up getting into all 3 schools, with scholarships from both CBS and Kellogg. I am so extremely happy with the outcome - I truly cannot thank Heidi enough! I am so excited to start at Wharton in August :) I would recommend Heidi 100%!!! So amazing, thoughtful and caring. Truly the best experience and outcome! Thank you, Heidi!

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