mbaMission Admissions Consulting Reviews

I am in the unique position of having had the chance to work with Heidi twice on MBA applications (once for full time programs and once for part time programs). Prior to working with Heidi, I had elected to work with a "budget" (but still not cheap) service that did not provide the high level of service I would have expected.

While applying to full time programs a few years ago, I worked with Heidi on an entire three school package and added two additional schools via hourly services. Heidi provided good constructive criticism throughout the process. She was quick to provide responses, positive, and extremely knowledgeable. Over the course of working with Heidi, my essays evolved immensely, creating a cohesive and compelling story. Without Heidi's guidance, I would have never been as successful in my application process as I was (I was invited to interview at all five schools I applied to, interviewed and was accepted at one, and decided to cancel the remaining interviews). Unfortunately, due to work circumstances I decided not to enroll in a full time program.

Thus, a few years later when I decided to apply to part time programs I did my best to track Heidi down in order to build upon our past experiences and work with her again. Once again, she was prompt and provided good criticism while helping me quickly and efficiently craft new applications from my old and some new material. With her help I was admitted to both programs I applied to.

Overall, Heidi challenged me throughout the process and not only helped my applications evolve but helped me become better as well. Without her assistance, I would have never been able to develop the well-rounded applications I ended up submitting.

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As an Indian applying to US B- Schools, I spoke to a few other consultants before deciding to work with Helen. What really caught me was her optimism and confidence in helping me put up my best foot forward in my application. While other consultants might push you to target more "safe" schools and be skeptical about targeting "reach" schools, Helen always encouraged me to go after the schools of my preference. She was EXTREMELY responsive throughout the process, which is why I never faced issues with deadlines. I also want to highlight that she will not let you put up a feeble application in any case and will keep pushing till you produce a solid output. We had hours of brainstorming calls that enabled me to really think about the experiences I wanted to present to the admission committees. I got a few admits with fellowship as a result of her efforts and have decided to attend Yale. I very strongly recommend Helen as an amazing consultant who not only will help you sail through your entire application process seamlessly, but will also constantly help you stay positive and on track.

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Let me begin this by stating that before I decided to work with Krista as my consultant, I held free consultations with a handful of other consultants/companies. I knew the application process would be long and grueling, and so I looked at it as a learning experience and a chance to grow. I really did my research to ensure I’d pick the right consultant: I wanted a consultant who would challenge me to be the best version of myself – thereby putting me in the best position to get accepted into a top business school – and who at the same time I would actually enjoy working with.

I decided to go with Krista because I felt that she would do both. And I was right.

Krista guided me through the long journey – always there to answer difficult questions (or even the most basic ones), motivate me, and provide mental support – and she really challenged me to think hard about my story and to continually improve my work – whether it was my resume, essays or interview answers. I applied to eight schools – the first four with Krista and the last four on my own – and once I worked on those first few schools with Krista, I had a great feel for the entire process and was able to do very well on the last four by myself.

Ok, so what made Krista so amazing?

1. Krista’s advice on school selection was excellent. We slightly altered my school choices based on things that came up throughout the process. In fact, I wasn’t even planning on applying to the school that I’ll be attending this Fall until Krista suggested that I apply; she knew that it was a great option based on my career goals and that I would like the school’s culture. I ended up choosing it over another school that she helped me get into that I had originally considered my top choice. I probably would not have considered the school I chose to attend had Krista not been there to offer her guidance!

2. Krista really knew which aspects of my story should be highlighted so that they would shine in front of the admissions committees. While it’s not always obvious at first, everyone has a story, or something that makes them unique – and Krista knows exactly how to pinpoint it and then come up with a plan for creatively showing this to the adcom.

3. Krista was a pleasure to work with! I knew that I was progressing every time I received her input – whether it was edits to an essay or feedback during a mock interview. But it’s not just about the results – it’s about how you get there. It was Krista’s wonderful presence that made me truly enjoy working on my applications. I would be at work and when I saw her emails come through, I’d stop everything to read her feedback – because I knew it would be enjoyable to read. And I loved chatting on the phone with her – she brought energy and enthusiasm every time we spoke.

Krista was truly invested in my success, something that motivated me to always work harder and come back stronger.

Another thing that I appreciated while working with Krista is that she never told me that I had to do something – she only gave me her advice, and left it to me to decide the best route having been told what the possible outcomes or consequences might be. Krista has worked with tons of applicants and knows the ins and outs of the process, so whatever advice she gave me I knew it was coming from years of experience.

I think the most valuable takeaway from working with Krista, however, is that not only did her expertise and guidance help me to get into top business schools, but it prepared me for business school itself and I’ll carry what I learned from her with me throughout my career. I learned how to craft my story in a convincing way and really understand which of my accomplishments to highlight in what situation, and to present myself the best way possible.

This is a valuable skill that I’ll use on resumes, cover letters, and job interviews for the rest of my career.

If I were to do it all over again, I wouldn’t think twice about who I’d choose to guide me through the process – without a doubt, it’s Krista Nannery.

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I worked with Kate Richardson from mbaMission for my applications. I knew a lot of people who graduated from different MBA schools, felt that I needed a person who is in the know, day to day, and could alleviate some of the stress.

I don't want to say MBA application process wasn't stressful but mbaMission team and Kate made it as easy going as possible, almost enjoyable.

My process was slightly unconventional, I had left my full time job and have been working on my own consulting gig. Kate helped me position that best for all the applications.

When it came to answering questions, Kate was extremely responsive, and thoughtful. She responded to my emails in a few hours at most, and most of the time followed up with more research afterwards.

I also had a long waitlist period, during which Kate cheered for me, always provided me with tips on how to move forward. She would keep me up to date, tell me what she have heard from other schools / places.

And on a personal note, I felt comfortable with Kate; she was very personable, clearly enjoyed the coaching process, and took time to connect on a personal level.

In the end, I got into one of my dream schools and Kate helped me a lot during that too. I can't recommend working with her enough.

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I had never used a consultant before applying to business school, but given my position as an untraditional candidate, I am not sure I would have gained entry to Columbia Business School without the expertise of Rachel Beck at mbaMission.

Despite Rachel's own standing as an alum of CBS, she knows a tremendous amount about the business school industry at large and was extremely deft at reading my own potentiality as an applicant from that first free consultation.

Before this experience, I had stereotyped consultants on being generalists under the guise of being experts, but Rachel learned my background more than any mentor even had. Even though she knew Columbia as a former student and as a consultant, she familiarized herself with minutiae of with the school's budding social enterprise club and leadership programs--two areas I was interested in.

Even though I used the "a la carte" services via mbaMission, Rachel answered my every impromptu question about the process--going beyond her job description and the services I was entitled for--and almost always she would respond within a 24 hour period to boot.

I primarily used Rachel as a consultant for honing my resume and essays, but she was instrumental in helping me prepare for informal interviews with staff and my official interview for Columbia. She was thoughtful in tailoring her responses to any question or situation for me Mollie as a candidate--I cannot emphasize this enough.

As stressful as this process is, Rachel helped me manage my own mental headspace and timeline.
Like others below, I recommend reaching out to Rachel in the early spring before your application is due. As a writer, I struggled with the composition of my written components--I was often too emotional and close to the subjects I was writing about and I was very attached to Columbia; I could not always see my deliverables objectively and that's where Rachel came in--she did not dismiss any part of my story or argument, but she helped me with an economy of language, she helped me with the "so what." We did about 7 drafts for each product and though it was humbling, I have never been prouder of an application in its completion. Speaking candidly, she can be blunt in her criticism of one's writing, but trust me: she's on the money.

In sum, Rachel Beck was a true part of my application to business school and she is part of my success in getting in.

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Jen provided really helpful feedback on essays and and my mock interview, helping me hone my story and tell it in a concise and compelling way. Our communication was mostly by email and she was always quick to respond.

If I had to offer one piece of constructive feedback, it's that I think Jen could have pushed me even harder by being more frank with her comments on the content of my essays. Her feedback on structure, wording, etc. was spot on, but I found several friends and family members who weren't afraid to tell me I had missed the mark in my response to a prompt and that I needed to alter my overall approach. In hindsight, I think Jen was a bit more forthcoming with feedback like this. (Important note, this may be a result that I was using Jen on an hourly basis, so she admittedly didn't know me as well as she might have if we were working together more extensively).

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From the first time I spoke with Katy on the phone, the chemistry between us just worked! As a college senior looking into MBA programs, Katy and I identified two major schools, GSB and HBS. Thanks to Katy's experience in consulting and process-management, I put together strong applications despite the short lead time. She listened to my story patiently and was extremely validating to my experiences, positive and negative ones alike. From my storytelling, Katy was quick to distill the essence of my personality which was later carefully weaved into my essays. We spent a significant amount of time working on a common essay body that can be applied to both schools' applications. Katy and I spent hours on the phone trying to tease out the lessons from all my stories to construct a coherent and authentic story.

What really made Katy stand out was how supportive she had been. She never put a word in my mouth. She wanted me to tell my story. Because of her empowering my own voice, the authenticity of my application led to positive results. I was ultimately admitted to HBS' 2+2 program. Thank you Katy!!!

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I recently worked with Katy on my HBS 2+2 application. I approached Katy with a rough draft of my personal statement about a month and a half prior to the application deadline. Katy was extremely helpful in her ability to brainstorm the ideas I was trying to get across and suggest ways to better articulate the themes. I was especially impressed with how she did not work from a template, but rather devoted time to understand my story and express it on paper. With her guidance, my unorganized amalgamation of thoughts came together as a genuine and expressive essay.

As a college senior who did not have recommenders that were familiar with the business school process, I relied on Katy to help me optimize the impact of my recommendations. Katy advised me on how to provide my recommenders with insightful information about the message I was trying to get across. I am confident that my recommenders would not have been able to speak as well to who I am had I not worked with Katy.

In the end, I was thrilled to get into HBS. Katy went above and beyond to always respond quickly and thoughtfully to my many, many questions. This responsiveness, in addition to Katy's strong ability to understand the college experience and relate it to business school language, makes me wholeheartedly recommend her to students applying to 2+2.

I was very happy with my result and know that much of it is due to Katy!

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Helen is truly the best there is. Seriously!

She consistently supported me in finding my most authentic voice, and was an incredibly sharp thought-partner. As an hourly client, Helen was always cognizant of my time and I never once felt ‘short-changed’ by any of our interactions. She always pushed the extra mile to answer questions, and never hesitated to reach out to her to offer multiple perspectives when helpful. Her interview preparation was on-point and her ability to meaningfully instill confidence was unparalleled. Helen’s realness won my trust in an instant, and her thoughtful tough-love helped me to be my best.

Tactically, Helen’s speed and flexibility – even throughout the holiday season and peak R1 moments – was fantastic. With a complex international travel schedule, Helen and I always managed to find time to connect at any frequency and duration required. She swiftly answered quick questions and provided well-framed, strategic answers to more complex ones. In the chaos that is the MBA application process, Helen helped me feel in control.

Throughout this entire process, I not only got into my top choice school but also gained a true friend and champion in Helen!!

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I signed up for 2 schools with Dan, without having much of an idea how to get started. Dan was very helpful in structuring the entire process and working with me from start to finish. From picking schools, to crafting my story, waitlist guidance, and interview prep, Dan was immensely helpful all the way through. Although the process was stressful at times, Dan was always there with guidance and made the overall application process much easier, helping me gain admission to a top 20 program. For anyone considering applying to any of the top rated programs I absolutely recommend consulting services, and if you can definitely go with Dan. He is the best in the business.

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