Working on taking stock of my educational and professional accomplishments up until now was a helpful and interesting experience with Jessica. It was a combination of understanding what my strengths and weaknesses were and phrasing them to outline the accomplishments and filling the gaps of possible shortfalls. Going into the process, I had a solid idea that I wanted to work with Jessica, given how splendid her recommendation was from my closest friends. I chose to go with hourly services as I have previously given thought to what my story was and had limited but solid experience of pitching myself from experiences at US university coupled with working on sell-side at a private equity. Hourly services decision was also driven by me not having GMAT score (never prepped or wrote the exam) and wanting to apply to only UK universities. Should I wanted to apply for prestigious MBA programs in USA, I would have certainly gone for 3-5 school packages.
I have enjoyed fast-paced, to the point discussions with Jessica, honored turn-around times and the outcome was to make it all worthwhile (more on that below). However, where Jessica truly made a difference was taking my application to the next level – making me not a good candidate but an outstanding one for the programs that I was applying for. She identified the questions that based on my profile would be tricky to handle – I had a gap of > 6m before the start of the programme – and we worked on those with more care. Further, she was able to translate for me what the particular questions were getting at – what do your friends and family think about your plans – and identify patterns in my story to exhaustively answer those. My younger sister is considering to apply for MBA/Master’s programs and I would not hesitate to recommend Jessica to assist her in forming a story for the next stage in her professional life.
I have applied to Master in Finance at London Business School, Master in Finance at University of Cambridge and Imperial MBA (where I had a GMAT requirement waived) along with applying to Cass, NYU and Northeastern using the prompts that we have developed together. I have gotten accepted into all six universities and even received a scholarship at two of those.
I would highly recommend splurging on Admissions Consulting Services if you are taking your graduate plans seriously and Jessica if you would like to place your story in the best hands.

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Harshad had been a great support during the application process. He would be forthright in sharing opinions on schools and programs. Harshad’s biggest contribution came in the form of decoding what the essays were asking, and then suggesting structures in which to put together essay responses. That was able to help me put together my stories in most fitting ways.

On occasions of deadlines approaching, Harshad would without fail remain available to edit my essays and get me over the line. His backing was a huge mental support. He motivated me on times when I felt less confident or low in general, including discussing other matters too, that I was struggling with in general. He was diligent and respond on time, despite my being tardy often.

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Harold is a phenomenal coach and played an invaluable role in my application process. His down-to-earth personality and genuine interest in understanding my pursuit of a dual MBA/master’s in urban planning degree made the experience both rewarding and introspective.

Before I started working with Harold, I had an idea of what I wanted to do in the long term but no idea how to get there. From the start, Harold took the time to get to know me and asked lots of questions to help me understand what I wanted out of an MBA. He then was able to use his expertise in the professional world and as an MIT Sloan grad to present paths that would allow me to achieve my long-term goals. From there, the essay writing came quite easily, and he assisted me in editing and refining my story.

Not only was I able to articulate my goals to the schools to which I applied, but Harold was also there to patiently answer my questions about every aspect of applications. I shared my thoughts and concerns with him openly from our first call until I decided on a school - I always felt comfortable being transparent with him, and he was always quick to respond.

Because of Harold’s support, I got into Wharton, a school to which I almost did not apply because I felt so underqualified, and received a full scholarship from another top 20 school. I know I would not have achieved these results without him and feel so grateful to be in this position because of him. I wholeheartedly recommend Harold to anyone, no matter where you are in your journey of figuring out how you want to use your MBA. Thank you, Harold, for everything!

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Having completed the MBA process a few months ago, I can very confidently say that I wouldn’t have had the success that I had in the MBA process (getting into 5 full-time MBA programs with scholarships at each of them, receiving interviews from each school I applied to, and eventually committing to go to an M7 MBA program) without Kim. When I started working with Kim, I told her that I was working on a tighter timeline during Round 2 (I had started the MBA process in the fall of last year) and she constantly exceeded my expectations in helping me achieve all of my goals in this shorter timeline. It is because of Kim that I am going to my dream school. 

The combination of Kim’s many years of experience in MBA admissions consulting, her expertise in English, kindness, patience and personable nature made our time working together such a success. I enjoyed working with her so much! She worked tirelessly to help me during this process and was always so responsive as well as deeply committed to her craft of helping her clients achieve their goals. 

I worked with Kim during the resume/essay editing, mock interview preparation, and scholarship negotiation phases of the MBA process. Her suggestions to improve the quality of my essays and my resume were invaluable. I could tell that she took a lot of time to critically think about how my essays/resume could be refined where needed. Outside of her support in essay/resume review, Kim also conducted several mock interviews with me. She asked thoughtful questions and she thoroughly prepared me for my interviews. After each of my interviews, Kim would check in to see how I felt after completing them. Her thoughtful nature and the personal touch she adds to everything she does truly differentiates Kim from other MBA consultants. Even after I had completed my interviews at each school, Kim would frequently check in to see how I was feeling during the process and provide encouragement. Kim also supported and guided me through the scholarship negotiation phase of the MBA application process, providing me with highly beneficial advice and edits for any emails or documentation that I needed to send out. With the school that I decided to commit to, I received a sizable scholarship from them, which is largely due to the advice and guidance that I received from Kim. 

I highly recommend anyone looking for a highly experienced, wise, friendly and personable MBA consultant to work with Kim. Kim is the best out there! It was highly apparent throughout the entirety of the process that she was so genuinely invested in my success and cared so much about me getting into one of my dream schools. Thanks to her, I did it and am going to my dream school. Thank you SO much, Kim!!! 

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Harold is very professional, has a in depth understanding of the MBA application process and individual business schools. Harold cares about his clients. Without his guidance, coaching and encouragement, I would not be able to get into my dream business school. Thank you, Harold! He is the dream consultant.

I started MBA application process two months before round 2 deadline. Because of Harold’s strategic application plan and quick turnaround time, I was able to submit 6 school applications on time. Throughout the entire application, interview, and waitlist process, Harold has always been very patiently answering my questions and providing me insightful feedbacks. Harold is empathetic and very generous about his time. I feel very comfortable just sending him email or call him when I have questions. Harold also provided me insightful outline of the 2-year MBA journey and post-MBA career advices. Harold is more than a consultant, he has became my mentor.

Harold’s service worth every penny. I would recommend Harold to my friends who plan to apply for MBA.

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My spouse and I were fortunate to work with Katy as our MBA admissions consultant. Our goal was to attend an M7 program and pursue an MBA together in the same city, and we achieved it!

From the beginning, Katy demonstrated a deep understanding of the MBA application process. I called her two years ago, and she spent over an hour speaking with me, way exceeding our allotted time. She quickly grasped my story and identified key themes. My spouse also had a pleasant consultation call with her. Katy sent each of us a thoughtful debrief, and I immediately knew I wanted to work with her. Despite still having over a year before applying to business school, Katy welcomed my numerous questions and provided thorough answers. She even advised trying the GRE if I struggled with the GMAT. Although switching from GMAT to GRE was challenging due to my prior investment, I’m grateful I made the move. I enjoyed studying for the GRE more, and my score, while not extraordinary, was sufficient for admission to the schools I applied to.

Katy is a highly sought-after consultant who only works with applicants she genuinely believes have a good chance at their desired schools. My spouse and I appreciated her honest feedback throughout the process and trusted her advice completely. Working with the same admissions consultant as your spouse makes it so much easier to create a cohesive story.

Katy worked closely with us from start to finish, thoroughly brainstorming ideas, refining essays, preparing for interviews, proofreading thank-you notes, and assisting with recommenders and scholarship applications. I went through 10+ drafts for almost all my essays, and Katy never discouraged me. She provided unwavering support and helped me refine my essays until I felt comfortable.

Katy’s assistance extended beyond application essays. She provided exceptional guidance and interview preparation. Mock interviews were instrumental in boosting our confidence. Thanks to Katy, none of my interviews were a surprise. I knew exactly how to approach them and had prepared for 90% of the questions asked. Katy provided a list of past questions, conducted mock interviews, and helped refine our answers to align with our true selves, making interview preparation effortless.

Additionally, Katy’s support and expertise were instrumental in securing strong recommendation letters. She guided all our recommenders, particularly those unfamiliar with writing recommendation letters for top MBA programs, to understand the letters’ importance. Katy helped us draft thorough memos highlighting our accomplishments, ensuring our recommendation letters showcased our full abilities. I truly believe my recommendation letters compensated for my less-than-stellar GRE scores.

Katy’s dedication to helping us secure scholarships exceeded our expectations. She willingly reviewed our scholarship essays, even months after I completed my business school applications. As a result, I received a full ride at Kellogg and scholarships from other M7 programs. My spouse also received a generous 40% scholarship from Kellogg. As a first-generation college graduate from a low-income background, the financial investment in a consultant felt extremely daunting. However, for fellow MBA hopefuls in similar circumstances, I assure you that a consultant like Katy is worth it.

Completing the application process has been a long-awaited dream, and we’re overjoyed to have achieved our goals and more. The MBA application journey demands a lot out of you, and having Katy by our side, someone truly committed to our success throughout the process, will pay dividends in the future. We were expecting to pay for our MBA at a sticker price, and I can’t believe I get to say that my spouse and I are going to Kellogg together and I get to go for free! We are immensely grateful to Katy. I wholeheartedly recommend Katharine Lewis to any aspiring MBA candidate seeking a knowledgeable, honest, dedicated, and results-driven admissions consultant. Good luck!

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TLDR the brainstorming and structure of a "Complete Start-to-Finish Package" with MBAMission was useful but definitely not worth the $6,900 price tag. I went into the process thinking that using a consultant would give me an "edge" in the extremely competitive process of applying for top 10 MBA programs but found that to be not the case. Overall the consultant (John Sisk) was very nice and personable. The brainstorming session and documents at the beginning of the process were definitely helpful in coalescing thoughts and providing direction. The structured process can also be a boon to someone who is less organized but I'd say any reasonably driven individual should be able to handle organization / time management on their own.

The two primary reasons for my less-than-stellar rating are:
1) in hindsight, I believe the structured essay writing style of the consultant actually hurt my chances as they likely felt too sanitized and polished; and
2) although the consultant was friendly, I didn't feel like the consultant actually cared whether I got into a good program. I had disappointing results in Round 1 (with his complete package assistance) but didn't receive any follow-up or hear from him come decision time. As a consultant, he was keenly aware of when school decisions were released but basically if I didn't reach out to him with the news, good or bad, he likely never would have contacted me again. After getting a hold of him and telling him of my rejections in Round 1 he offered to continue helping and providing advice for Round 2 but my subsequent two emails were left unanswered. Also, case in point, he never reached out or contacted me again to ask how my MBA application process was going and still does not know which schools I got into in Round 2.

I was ultimately successful in getting into a top 10 MBA program on my own in Round 2 (writing essays in my own style rather than the vanilla structure he recommended) so all is well that ends well but I simply cannot recommend spending so much money for this service.

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If you’re reading this review, you’re probably asking yourself the same two questions that I did: Is it really worth thousands of dollars to hire an MBA consultant? And if so, is Susan Kaplan the right consultant to hire? I will do my best to answer both of those questions.

As some background…

I was born and raised in a small, Midwest town in the United States. I attended a good (not great) public university, where I played a Division-1 sport and graduated with a 3.9 GPA. I turned pro after college and played for two years at the minor league level. I then spent six months as an investment banking analyst at a reputable “middle market” firm. I scored 700 on the GMAT (48 quant) and I applied to HBS and Tuck, two schools that were at the top of my range.

1. Is it really worth thousands of dollars to hire an MBA consultant?

The harsh reality is that every individual that gets into a top MBA program inevitably takes that seat from someone else. The process is highly competitive, and preparation is everything. It is also binary – you either get in or you don’t – so the reality is that outcomes determine whether hiring a consultant was money well spent. I looked at it this way: Whether a consultant provided me with 50% or 1% improvement during this process, that could very well be the difference between whether I was admitted and not. I wanted my best chance at success, leaving no stone unturned, so I hired Susan as my consultant from start to finish for both programs.

This is not a simple process that you can accomplish with little to no effort. A consultant will not complete your application for you. Quite honestly, it would be a mistake to approach it with that mindset, especially considering the financial commitment. If you have the means ($), have the foundation/resume to be competitive, and have the time and work ethic to fully commit to this process, you will absolutely benefit from working with an MBA consultant. If you are halfheartedly invested in the process, your money is better spent somewhere else because you are competing against a group of highly distinguished, fully committed applicants.

2. Is Susan Kaplan the right consultant to hire?

The short answer is, with conviction, YES. Susan was instrumental in helping me better understand the MBA application process, HBS and Tuck’s expectations, and how to best present my application to each program. Initially, we spent a significant amount of time identifying my post-MBA goals and which programs would be the best fit for me, both in terms of culture and career development. We then began to craft my story based on my experiences, tailoring this story to each program. We identified the best options for recommendation letters and then started preparing for my essays and additional responses.

Susan provided critical guidance and accountability throughout the entire application process. She provides direct, efficient feedback and is quick at responding to questions. She has “been there, done that” and, thus, makes sure you are prioritizing the appropriate tasks and staying on track with your set timeline. If you are looking for someone to coddle you, Susan should not be your first choice. If you are looking for someone who is passionate, responsive, accountable, and committed to doing what it takes to get you into your dream school, then you are in the right place. When you hit “Submit Application,” you will know that you have given yourself the best chance at success.

Final Review…

I truly believe I was able to put forth my highest quality application possible with Susan’s guidance and accountability. With that said, I look forward to attending my top choice, the Dartmouth Tuck School of Business, in the fall of 2023.

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I cannot emphasise enough how much I recommend Melissa as an MBA admission consultant. Working with her was an absolute game-changer! Her expertise, dedication, and support played a crucial role in my admission to all three programs during the final application round.

Melissa truly took the time to understand my unique story, aspirations and goals by deep diving into my background and experiences and ensure it was effectively communicated in every aspect of my application. Melissa’s warm, thoughtful and genuine approach created a safe space where I felt super comfortable sharing my ideas or concerns throughout the process.

Her insightful advice were absolute gold. Melissa provided invaluable feedback, helping me refine my ideas and craft compelling narratives that truly demonstrated my unique story.

Melissa’s commitment to time is unparalleled. I was working on an extremely tight timeframe for the final application round and she always ensured that we stayed on track. Her prompt responses to my inquiries and availability for calls provided me with a sense of reliability that was very comforting.

Melissa genuinely cares, her dedication and belief in my abilities instilled me with great confidence and enthusiasm (especially during interviews) that were instrumental to my success. This is truly one of the best decisions you can make!

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When it comes to deferred MBA admissions, the competition is fierce, especially for candidates like me from India with a STEM background. I realized that to stand out, I needed the expertise of someone who truly knows the ins and outs of the MBA admissions world. After exploring various admission consultants, Katy stood out from the crowd. During our trial call, her thoroughness and understanding of my background, strengths, and weaknesses blew me away. My gut told me she was the right person to guide me through this journey, and boy, was I right!

Katy took the time to delve deep into my background, helping me uncover my true motivations and connecting the dots between my life experiences and choices. Together, we worked on multiple essay drafts, and her edits were nothing short of amazing. She possesses a nuanced understanding of what top MBA programs are looking for. Thanks to Katy, I became more confident in my writing and found clarity in expressing my thoughts, which was invaluable since English isn't my first language.

Throughout the entire application process, Katy made me feel like more than just a client. She genuinely cared about my success and offered unwavering support, even though we communicated through emails and video calls across different time zones.

But it didn't stop there. Katy also went above and beyond in preparing me for my HBS interview. We conducted numerous mock interviews, and it was incredible how the very first question of the actual interview was something we had practiced. That moment of familiarity eased my nerves and made the interview experience remarkably smooth.

I got accepted into HBS 2+2, and I owe a tremendous amount of gratitude to Katy. Not only is she a brilliant mentor, but she has also become a great friend. If you're serious about putting your best foot forward and making your business school dreams come true, I wholeheartedly recommend Katy. She's the real deal!

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