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Product mbaMission Hourly Services
Consultant Gavriella Semaya
I signed up for hourly services with Gavriella after doing an initial consultation (30 minutes - Free). After talking through my options and focus schools and laying out a potential game plan together I purchased a 4 hour package. I was initially nervous about spending money on a consultant to help but I am so glad I committed to making use of our time together. After an in-depth brainstorm session that I completed on my own, I felt like Gavriella truly had an understanding of some of my background, successes and motivations and was able to point to specific examples that would be beneficial to highlight. We made sure my goal schools were realistic and also some opportunities to stretch to some that may be more challenging.
After each essay draft (which she reviewed on her own and kept track of time) I would receive feedback/edits back within 2 days and was able to see the track changes made in each version. It was helpful to get such concise feedback that better set me up for future drafts and future schools I hadn't started yet.
The best part of the experience was during interview prep. MBA Mission has an incredible database of former questions to help you prepare for what to expect. Every school interview I had was unique and because I was able to get some potential questions in advance I felt very confident answering.
Couldn't recommend the hourly services more for any future applicants!
Product mbaMission School Package
Consultant Nisha Trivedi
I entered the MBA application process with a lot of unanswered questions, knowing it was a daunting process that would require ongoing support from an unbiased third party. I'm fortunate that I had the chance to work with Nisha for almost a year as I navigated decisions on which schools to apply to, how to structure my application, and how to fine tune my essays. From our first meeting, Nisha listened to my ideas, thoughts, and questions very closely. I could always trust her to respond promptly, make herself available as soon as I needed her guidance, and I knew from her many years of MBA consulting experience that I was in good hands. Nisha understood my goals from an MBA program and could gently suggest new schools or application approaches that accommodated my personal strengths and weaknesses. Her feedback is very direct and constructive, and she knows how to encourage you over a prolonged application process. I'd recommend working with Nisha to anyone considering getting support from a professional. Thanks to Nisha's support, I'm joining Kellogg's 1Y MBA program next month and am excited for my future.
Product mbaMission School Package
Consultant Rachel Beck
I worked with Rachel on the 3 school package: Wharton, Booth, and CBS. I wanted to start out saying the outcomes went beyond my expectations. I wouldn’t be able to receive all the offers without Rachel’s input. I don’t have a clean and straightforward background and thought those are all biggest ding points. Rachel stepped in to comb through my story and helped build a strong narrative for me - collecting all my shiny points. Her brainstorming session is so powerful. She has the best intention for me and is a great resource on all things considered, and time and time again went above and beyond to help me. On top of that, her previous background in journalism has made my essays so much stronger. I’m always caught up in awe about the power of language upon receiving her edits. Her turnaround time is quick! She is my mentor and coach, I’m so thrilled to have chosen working with her and strongly recommend her!
Product mbaMission Hourly Services
Consultant Harold Simansky
Harold was a committed partner to me throughout the entire application process. I am Australian and the MBA application process is largely foreign to myself and my peers, so it was great to have someone on the ground I could field my questions with and better navigate the application process.
We started our partnership with Harold helping refine my list of application schools based on my character, what I was looking to get out of an MBA and where I was likely to be competitive given my CV and GMAT score. He was super knowledgeable about the nuanced difference between schools and was candid and pragmatic with where he believed I was likely to have a shot.
He was prompt always in turning around essay feedback and helping me hero my strengths in a way that translated clearly to admissions. He was also always available for ad hoc requests and queries around interviews and processes.
Harold is a really great guy who is truly invested in seeing his clients succeed! With Harold, I got 3/5 interviews and 2/5 offers from my dream list of schools.
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Product mbaMission Hourly Services
Consultant Debbie Choy
Debbie is the rockstar you need to get you into your dream business school. She will be brutally honest with you because she has one single goal - to get you accepted. And trust me - she knows what she is doing so do listen to her. I did and this fall I will start my MBA at the only school I applied to - Chicago Booth.
Applying to business school has been my dream for 10 years and I knew that when the time came, I wanted to do it the right way which meant hiring someone who does admission consulting for a living. MBA Mission is the clear golden standard but I still decided to have a consultation with Stacey Blackman. That consultation reinforced my belief that the best firm you can hire is the one that has full-time consultants with MBA degrees (people who have went through exactly what we are going through now) and has track record of helping applicants get accepted - regardless of whether they have AdComm experience. No other firm can match what MBA Mission offers. After I went through all reviews on GMAT Club and Poets and Quants, I knew Debbie is my consultant - someone easy-going and friendly I can easily connect to. I chose Debbie and MBA Mission instead of someone from another firm who actually was on the admission committee at Booth.
Debbie is genuine, always on time with her feedback and very easy to work with. She would answer all of your questions and guide you through the whole process of preparing your application. Debbie was tremendously helpful in advising me how I should organise my stories and what I should emphasise on in my essays and CV. When I started writing, I came up with so many ideas and in my pursuit of sounding unique, I ended up writing too much and still missing some key points that would help the the admissions committee understand who I am and what my goals are. My first draft of the required essay was too far from where it needed to be, but Debbie was honest enough to tell me the truth so I started from scratch and re-wrote the whole essay. My CEO tried to help me with my career essay but Debbie was honest enough to tell me that my original version was actually better and I should keep my voice and style of writing. Debbie will not write instead of you but she will advise you to how to write better. In the end I'm really proud of all essays I wrote. In addition, thanks to Debbie, I couldn't have ended up with a better, more polished and more impactful CV than the one I have now.
I had a very positive experience with Debbie, I produced a very strong application with her help and I ended up being accepted to Booth. I got all I wanted and I can't recommend Debbie enough. Dreams do come true but you need to put the work needed - hiring someone experienced like Debbie is a must.
Product mbaMission School Package
Consultant Krista Nannery
Krista is the reason I was admitted into top programs including HBS, Wharton, Tuck, and others, and almost all with scholarship money totaling almost $500,000. Go with Krista, you won’t regret it.
From our very first conversation, Krista believed in me when I had doubted myself. I was on the (slightly) older side yet didn’t have direct management experience; I came from a decidedly “non-analytical” background; and there was a long tail of other insecurities I had about my candidacy for business school. Krista saw something in me, and she helped me find and amplify my authentic voice. I was on the fence about hiring an admissions consultant because I considered myself a good (enough) writer, but boy am I relieved I was able to work with Krista.
I could not be happier that I chose Krista after doing many free consultations. Here is what I think she brings:
Krista has a preternatural ability to bring stories to life. As a person with a technical software background, I was concerned about explaining my accomplishments in a way that felt impactful yet understandable to a non-technical audience. It turned out not to be a concern at all. For every technical project that I explained in my resume or in one of my essays, Krista encouraged me to “paint a picture” for the reader. Going from an “I did this” to a “this was the impact” mentality was difficult for me, but with Krista’s help, projects that were so esoteric that I almost considered leaving out of my application were now the strongest advocates for my candidacy.
While Krista guarantees a 48-hour turnaround time for reviewing essay drafts, she consistently over-delivers, providing feedback more often than not within 24 hours. As a chronic procrastinator, I felt solace knowing that Krista had my back and actively supported me even—or rather, especially—when R2 deadlines were fast approaching. I was concerned that I wouldn’t be able to iterate on drafts of my essays quickly enough before the deadline, but Krista went above and beyond in establishing even quicker turnaround times that worked with my personal timeline. During times of unbelievable stress, it is a huge relief knowing that your admissions consultant is in the trenches with you, fighting just as hard for you as you are fighting for yourself.
I could go on and on about how she has key insights about specific schools and programs that you can’t find online, how she is always willing to meet with you for even the most trivial of concerns, or how she sends you pump up emails on interview day because she is so invested in your personal journey, but if you’ve made it to this section of the review, I hope you are already convinced. Krista was able to take an incredibly stressful application process and turn it into a fun and enjoyable experience.
I cannot recommend Krista enough to anyone who is truly serious about maximizing their chances to get into a top business school. I can’t imagine what my application would have looked like without Krista’s help, and thankfully I don’t have to.
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Product mbaMission School Package
Consultant Jessica Shklar
Summary:
Deciding to work with Jessica was the single best decision I made as part of the MBA application process. If you're reading this review, I highly encourage you to reach out to Jessica to see for yourself. Having spoken with many MBAs who worked with other consultants, I can say with confidence that Jessica is in a league of her own.
Why Jessica stands out:
1. Unparalleled ability to 'see the forest for the trees' -- Jessica's super power is her knack for helping her clients realize what makes their application unique. EVERY applicant has a story - Jessica is invaluable when it comes to teasing out & tailoring an applicant's story for particular programs or application/essay prompts. I cannot stress the importance of this talent enough: every consultant will help you project manage the application process, but Jessica will help you create the best possible output. She asks idea-generating, prodding questions, looks across your applications to identify content that should be included in all, and has a knack for finding the details that really help applicants stand out (details I would have NEVER identified myself). Seriously, I cant say enough about Jessica's capabilities on this front. She is unbelievably talented.
2. Operational excellence - Jessica keeps you on track. I applied to five schools, and Jessica ensured I never missed a beat or fell behind. Moreover, Jessica NEVER missed a deadline. She often offered meaningful suggestions for my essays or applications well ahead of her agreed turnaround time. The regular engagement with Jessica made the application completion process fun and motivating! It was really helpful to brainstorm with Jessica asynchronously (given i was working full time) and i ultimately feel some of the best ideas came from our regular ping-ponging of essay drafts.
3. A supportive and confidence-building mentor -- the MBA application process is grueling and long. You have moments of self-doubt and exhaustion. Jessica was there at all times to help me get back on the horse. This dimension of Jessica's partnership is one I have come to deeply appreciate. More than anyone, Jessica understands what you're going through. She helps you stay positive, focused and productive.
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Product mbaMission Hourly Services
Consultant Jessica Shklar
From the perspective of a graduating college student from an African university encountering deferred MBAs for the first time, the MBA application process immediately struck me as a daunting, overwhelming, and expensive experience. I was unsure if I was willing to commit the sheer amount of hours the process demanded.
After meeting Ms. Shklar for a free consultation, however, I felt a lot more confident and had a bolstered sense of belief in myself. Here's why:
1. Ms. Shklar offered very constructive feedback on my resume review.
- She advised me on how to better framing each bullet point on my resume, using an "accomplishments not responsibilities" framework. Combined with mbaMission resources like free insider guides and YouTube videos on how to get into respective MBA programs, this content allowed me to better contextualize my work experience.
2. She offered keen insight to how Admissions Committees work.
- I didn't score as well as I would have liked on my GRE, hence mbaMission's "Acknowledge/Explain/Pivot" came in very handy when explaining why this shouldn't be an issue in my additional information section.
- Ms. Shklar's "WISP" method was also a valuable tool I used to guide my recommenders through the dreaded "constructive feedback" essay. Of course, all these strategies were supplemented with mbaMission's free personal statement and letters of recommendation guides.
- Not to mention, of course, the value of applying regardless of not being accepted in the deferred MBA programs.
3. She offered a personable approach.
- Even as I explained my context and background, Ms. Shklar was exceedingly understanding and gave me practical advice on how I can leverage my "Africanness" in my stories and overall application.
- Even after consultation, Ms. Shklar followed up with a catalogue of resources to supplement my application process and was always open to answering any questions I had about the process.
Regardless of the outcome of my application, I am grateful for the openness and kindness Ms. Shklar showed throughout our interactions and would recommend her to any and all prospective MBA applicants.
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Product mbaMission School Package
Consultant Jessica Shklar
Jessica redefined every expectation. I was accepted to both schools that I applied to and Jessica was the secret ingredient i.e., I would never have been able to successfully get into both HBS and GSB without her.
+Crafts a powerful story: Jessica spends a lot of time/energy in understanding you/your story. I had varied experiences that didn't necessarily flow together; within 12 hours of reading my intro document, Jessica gave me 3 strong ideas for my core essays. The HARDEST part of the MBA process is delving deep and weaving a unique, compelling narrative — this is exactly where Jessica shines!
+Encourages you to stay true to yourself: Jessica will never make you sign-up for extracurriculars etc. to fit a mold; she takes existing accomplishments to build a powerful story. This is rare — other consultants wanted me to take on additional extracurriculars that were not true to who I really was
+Encourages you to stay true to yourself: Jessica will never make you sign-up for extracurriculars etc. to fit a mold; she takes existing accomplishments to build a powerful story. This is rare — other consultants wanted me to take on additional extracurriculars that were not true to who I really was
+Focus on crafting consistent applications: Jessica has an eye for detail; I recall how she noticed that I had highlighted contradictory points in different parts of my application — she knew my app better than I did!
+Thoughtful and empathetic: Jessica always made time for me (e.g., took a call on July 4th despite it being a holiday, responded to emails within minutes) -- she really cares about her clients
Jessica has 15+ YoE (I know 4 people who worked with her and EACH got into HBS, GSB, or both), is an excellent writer (her suggestions really “punched” up the story-telling), and moves fast without compromising quality (helped me complete it all in 1.5 months)
I HIGHLY, HIGHLY recommend both MBAMission & Jessica. Don’t think twice.
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Product mbaMission Hourly Services
Consultant Kimberly Hoey
After getting the GMAT score I wanted just about a month before the Round two deadline for the two schools I wanted to apply to and with absolutely no progress in my applications, I got in contact with Kim and she took the challenge of helping me with my application despite the tight timeline.
She was totally invested with my applications. She designed a delivery plan for me to work on and gave me faster than the standard reviews on my work.
After the application, she prepared me for the interviews and gave me tips that definitely made a difference in getting accepted into both schools I applied to.
I really enjoyed working with Kim and I'm 100% sure she will be of great help to anyone working with her (even if it means working on a tight timeline!!)