I cannot express how deeply grateful I am to Jessica for supporting me through the entire MBA process – from the brainstorming sessions, to the essays, and interviews and perhaps more importantly, the life changing conversations. If there is one thing that I can say for certain it is that applying to an MBA program is a journey and not a destination. What Jessica excels at is really allowing you to find your story and craft your journey. There were multiple points in this process where I had to deeply reflect on what my deepest priorities were and Jessica was masterful in helping me through this thinking. In addition, she is an exceptional writer who really simplifies complexity, whilst preserving the integrity of your thinking. As i reflect on my time working with Jessica, I am confident that she has made me a better story teller, but I am as grateful for her endless curiosity, desire and commitment to stretch my thinking, find my deepest values and express them with clarity.

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I will be attending the University of Michigan Ross this Fall on a fellowship, and Helen Summers was essential to this outcome and my entire business school application process. What I appreciated most was her quick turn around time for every essay draft I sent her. Seldom did I wait more than 2 days for her to turn around my essay drafts with comments. This was especially impressive given that we were working together through December/January holiday season. I also found her detailed commentary on every essay and resume draft I sent to her incredibly helpful. Helen did a fantastic job at dissecting “my story” and pointing out the flaws in my anecdotes. She challenged my writing every step of the way, and it made me better each time. Working with Helen ultimately made me more introspective about my life story and what I wanted to have come through in my application. In addition to essay reviews, I had several phone conversations with Helen throughout my process to discuss GMAT strategy and Recommendation letter strategy. It’s important to note that I signed up for MBA Mission’s Hourly Package. Because the package was based on time spent, I was extremely cognizant and aware of every minute that I used for these consulting services. That being said, I can comfortably say that I never once was concerned that any billable minutes weren’t maximized. Helen was incredibly efficient in combing through my essays and resume while giving back meaningful feedback. When it came time to purchase additional hours, more than I initially planned for, I had zero hesitation because I knew every minute spent to on my application by Helen was going to help. Although I never ended up getting my target GMAT score, Helen did a great job of keeping me focused and helping me bolster every other part of my application, including my optional essay! She will give you the “tough love” that you need, and I truly felt like she was one of my biggest cheerleaders; you can really tell that she is passionate about this stuff. If you want to get into the school of your dreams, she will best position you to do so. I also had three of my friends use Helen this past year and they all got into the schools of their dreams, schools including Wharton, HBS, and Stanford. - I would highly recommend her.

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Applied to 5 different schools, four among them were part of the elite M7 group. Not a single ding. Invited to interview from all five of them! Now, I am on my way to enroll at my dream school, Chicago Booth! Yes, my decision to work with Heidi turned out to be a killer deal for me. But the problem with quoting just impressive statistics like these is that they are but a snapshot of a nearly year-long process and very often don’t exactly reveal the entire story. Heidi made me realize that success rates alone don’t define a consultant. It is the experience that counts. Working with Heidi was one of the best and most memorable part of my entire application journey and when I say this I am least guided by the end results. It was a realization that hit me barely a couple of weeks after I started working with her. Patient, diligent, considerate, accommodative, and I can go on with more and more adjectives to describe her. But above all, it was her comforting presence and her cheery outlook that made me feel so self-assured. At no point during the entire process did I even have an iota of doubt about the outcome. Being an Indian male with an engineering background, it was supposed to be insanely difficult to differentiate me from the entire applicant pool. But Heidi managed to do exactly that in style. I still remember the very first call we had, when Heidi, after having read my entire biography, zeroed in on seemingly inconsequential stories of my life as must-haves in all my application essays to differentiate myself from the Indian applicant pool. That statement from her stands out as a remarkable prophecy today. And it was not just about creating quality essays. Being a Booth graduate herself and having been a consultant at one of the Big 3 consulting firms, she’s not just an admissions consultant but a perfect mentor to guide you in your post-MBA goals. I can confidently state today that my business education journey started the very same day I started working with Heidi. Long story short, if you are ever looking for a person who would go beyond being just an admissions consultant and stay with you as a friend/mentor/counsellor to guide you and steer you through the rigorous application process then Heidi is the one you should be looking for. I have extremely fond memories of my application journey only because of Heidi and they are mine to cherish forever!

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Going into the application process, I honestly felt like my profile was fairly mediocre for the schools I was targeting. As a white male from the finance industry and working at a largely unknown company, the competition was abundant/tough and my numbers weren’t anything special. Like many, I was initially reluctant to use a consultant because of the cost; there’s no doubt it’s a big decision. But a good friend referred me to Jessica and told me she was the best in the business and that I had to work with her. The opportunity to go to a top b-school is once in a lifetime and I’d seen it open incredible opportunities for others, so I figured I’d give it my best shot and try to get any edge I could in the application process. After all, I’d already committed to the idea of leaving the workforce for two years and spending my life savings (plus some) on school itself – so might as well do it right.

Now at Columbia Business School, I’m still pinching myself because just a few years ago this didn’t seem like a possibility. And I can say with great certainty that it wouldn’t have been without Jessica’s help. Jessica helped me tell my story in a way that took my borderline profile and made it a standout one. She’s passionate about getting the best out of her clients, and she understands the application process and the perspective of admissions committees better than anyone. Always a straight shooter, she’ll constantly push you and tell you exactly what you need to hear. It wasn’t always fun or comfortable, but I wouldn’t have wanted to do it any other way because it resulted in the best possible application. She’s truly as invested in your success as you are at each and every step of the process – she was just as excited as I was when I got accepted to Columbia. In retrospect, I can’t believe I ever considered going through the application process by myself. If your dream is to attend a top business school but you think it might be a bit of a stretch, then I can not recommend Jessica enough.

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I knew there were a lot of competitors in the MBA admissions consulting space, so I made sure to do my research. On top of reading multiple external reviews and testimonials, I took advantage of each consultant's test call to get a gut feel. Out of everyone that I talked with, Krista was really the only person that didn't act like a salesperson. Instead, she took a full hour to understand my background and my aspirations; it was easy to tell that she was caring and would pay attention to you as a person.

This definitely carried over into the entire process of 1.5 years of working with her, from several months before Round 1 all the way to the end of the waitlist process. Here are the highlights of working with Krista:

1) Thoughtful and probing in edits - She made it clear from the beginning that she was not going to be writing the essay herself, but rather that she would be a guide to help probe out my own thoughts and points. This was to emphasize the originality and uniqueness of my essay. In doing so, Krista was always thoughtful when giving updates and edits by posing various hypothetical questions in how to make a point stronger or why a certain point was necessary.
2) Direct and straightforward - at the same time, however, over 15 deep iterations of an essay, Krista wasn't afraid to be blunt and give objective feedback when needed. She deleted entire sentences and paragraphs when she felt it wasn't strong or contributed to my overall message, but was not tyrannical about it - she always explained the reasoning behind her edits.
3) Strong preparation for business school interviews - Krista provided extensive preparation for the interviews, including multiple rounds of mock interviews along with deep feedback. Not only did she help me work on the interpersonal aspect with tone and intonation to guide me with the proper delivery, she also cracked down on the concrete content of the answers to the questions to make sure they were well-structured and concise.
4) Maintained a strong personal relationship even after I got admitted into school - she referred me to MBA internship positions for a large financial services firm that she previously worked with.

I highly recommend Krista to anyone really looking for a personalized consultant with great insights into any industry and school.

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As a Canadian student applying to top business schools in the U.S., I had very little knowledge of the intense level of competition. I didn't know anyone in my immediate circle who has successfully applied to a top U.S. MBA, so I had no reference point either.

I started the process intent on using the DIY-way, but quickly found myself completely lost - what is a "narrative" or "story", and what matters most to me and why?

I knew I needed help. I set up 7 consultations with various companies and knew after my first conversation with Helen that she knew what she was doing. She pointed out my strengths, weaknesses, and told me some strategies to address my lower GPA. After our call, Helen sent a detailed follow-up email with free resources that I could use, regardless of whether I decided to work with her.

A few things to highlight about my experience working with Helen:

• Responsive: Helen never missed a 2-business-day turnaround deadline, and often returned edited drafts to me sooner. I started working with Helen in Mid-October with one application due in November. It was quite a short turnaround since I was very naive about the intensity of the process, but Helen's responsiveness made it more than manageable.
• Your personal cheerleader: Helen gave me her vote of confidence on my target schools and told me to go "full throttle" on the applications instead of suggesting that I apply to "safeties". While some consultants suggested that I apply to lower-ranked programs or schools that weren't a great fit, I'm glad that Helen pushed me to apply for my dream schools.
• Thorough and thoughtful: I did no less than 10 drafts for some essays and Helen always had good feedback and pushed me to push my own thinking. Even if I was happy with a draft or a sentence, she gently guided me towards a path of constant improvement.

I applied to 4 schools in total (H/S/W and a Top 10 program) and worked with Helen on 2 school packages. I was accepted at one of the schools we worked on together and one program where I did the application myself. However, even though we didn't work on that app together, I believe I wouldn't have put forward such a strong application if I didn't have all the back-end work that I did with Helen on the other application.

I'm off to my dream program this fall, and I would highly recommend working with Helen Summers and mbaMission.

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I highly recommend Harshad to anyone looking for an admissions consultant. His support and guidance was critical to my success, and ultimately contributed to me getting accepted at both Wharton and Kellogg.

Before I was connected to Harshad, I’d spent several months narrowing my list of schools, visiting, thinking about why I wanted to go to school, what matters to me, and what I wanted to do when I grew up. In December, I found myself planning to apply R2 having done a lot of thinking, but with no essays or concrete application progress made. After a 30 min “real talk” consultation with Harshad, I was off. With his support, I turned the many thoughts into compelling coherent applications.

Highlights of the experience:
– Harshad doesn’t mince words, but he explains himself clearly and logically. His first set of comments on my first essay attempt were tough to swallow (but accurate) – this approach let me quickly kick it into gear and start making progress!
– He maintains the integrity and truth of everything his clients write. He helped me edit words out and make suggestions about which approach to take of multiple things I’d try, but he never inserted his own voice into my essays (and would explain when he couldn’t edit something until I worked on it further because it would require him to make decisions about the message)
– When I was holding back and my responses were suffering as a result, Harshad would always kindly but directly call me out. This is how I work best.
– He works like a madman in application crunch time to be there when his clients need him (all hours of the day/night, all days).
– Always provided actionable feedback (both on essays and when we did a mock Kellogg interview). I will carry his interview advice forward for all future job interviews

Because we started working together 4 weeks before my app deadlines, we agreed that it would make the most sense for me to purchase hourly consulting services. Harshad worked very efficiently, leading to cost savings over what I expected. As a consultant myself who bills by the hour, I really appreciated Harshad’s diligence in managing and communicating time he’d spent with me or reviewing my essays.

Harshad cares deeply about his clients and manages to work efficiently while also getting to know people and forming supportive personal connections. He is funny and optimistic and a pleasure to work with.

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Jessica was beyond helpful and words cannot describe my appreciation for her. I couldn't have asked for a better experience. She was incredibly responsive, thoughtful, and held me accountable throughout the entire process. She knows exactly when to push and when to encourage. Her talent, experience, and genuine care for my success were all worth every penny. There is so much more that goes into the entire admissions process than I realized, and Jessica does a fantastic job of breaking down each portion into a manageable, organized timeline. Looking back, there is absolutely no way I would have made it into the schools that I did without her.

From the bottom of my heart, THANK YOU for all of your hard work Jessica!

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When I think of Helen, five words that come to mind are honest, responsive, blunt, personal, and strategic. My goal was to gain acceptance to Harvard, and I purchased mbaMission’s “Start-to-Finish” package after a free consultation with Helen.

Brainstorming
Regrettably, I have never been an introspective person. Helen sent me an extensive brainstorming document that forced me to be thoughtful about my past, present, and future on a professional and personal level. When we had our one-on-one brainstorming session, it was obvious she had taken time to think critically about my life story. This was demonstrated by her asking very pointed questions about my upbringing, academic/career decisions, and transition points. At the end of our long call, I was certain about the story I wanted to tell HBS. To be very clear, Helen never told me explicitly what I should tell HBS. She encouraged me to be thoughtful about communicating what was truly important to me. She pushed me to make the final decision.

Essay, resume, and short answers
I purchased the “Start-to-Finish” package because I wanted to iterate each part of my application until I was satisfied. Helen was meticulous and blunt when reviewing my essay: “This isn’t clear”, “This doesn’t gel with what you said earlier”, “I like how you said this”, “Try to use less words”. Each draft progressed in flow, efficiency, and style. It was very rewarding because I maintained my distinct voice and the final product was 100% authentic. Helen never forced her thoughts on me. Helen took this same approach to my resume and short answers. She never missed a deadline and was sometimes well ahead of schedule.

Interview
I had ~10 mock interviews (Helen, current students, alumni, friends) before my official HBS interview. My session with Helen was closest to the real thing. My interview preparation with Helen gave me confidence and calmed my anxiety about the interview.

Overall, Helen enhanced my application process in every way. She was pivotal to helping me achieve acceptance to HBS. Have no reservations about working with her.

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Jessica talked me through a 30-minute free consultation, and it completely changed the way I viewed the process. She helped me with school selection, ensuring that my angle and approach were appropriate and compelling, and structuring my essays. Again — all of this was in a FREE 30-minute consultation. I decided to apply quite late in the process, otherwise I would have signed up for additional hourly services. I've since been admitted to 4 of 5 programs (Michigan Ross, Berkeley Haas, Yale SOM, and UVA Darden) and waitlisted at 1 (MIT Sloan). I'm really impressed by the way Jessica helped me tailor my application, and I'm very grateful for this consultation. I highly recommend her services!

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