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Product mbaMission Hourly Services
Consultant Harold Simansky
Looking back on my MBA application experience, I can say with total confidence that the best decision I made was choosing Harold as my consultant - I would not have made it into my top-choice program—let alone with scholarships—without his help. He brings a mix of responsiveness, structure, and strategic insight that made the whole experience manageable and perfectly tailored to my strengths.
First off, Harold is incredibly responsive. Whether I had a quick question or needed feedback on an essay draft, he was always just a text or email away—usually replying within minutes. That kind of fast back-and-forth made it easy to keep momentum during some of the most intense stretches of the process.
On top of that, he excels at bringing structure to what can otherwise feel like a chaotic process. I was working full-time during my applications, and the schedule he set up—complete with milestones, check-ins, and realistic deadlines—helped me stay on track without burning out. It never felt rushed, but we were always moving forward.
What really set Harold apart, though, was how strategic he is. He deeply understands what each MBA program is really looking for, and he takes the time to get to know you—your story, your goals, your strengths, even the things you might overlook. There were multiple moments when I thought I was highlighting my best qualities in an essay, only for Harold to help me reframe or redirect toward something more aligned with a particular school. That kind of insight carried over into interviews too—more than once, interviewers actually called out specific points Harold helped me craft.
Through it all, he stayed positive, encouraging, and genuinely invested in my success. The whole experience felt far less overwhelming because of him—and in the end, I got into several top programs with scholarship offers. I couldn’t recommend Harold more highly.
Product mbaMission School Package
Consultant Jessica Shklar
Strengths:
Jessica's strength lies in her ability to ask thoughtful questions and weave together parts of people's stories to make their applications showcase their strengths in unique and innovative ways. She is also very helpful in establishing a healthy mindset throughout the entire admissions process, from brainstorming to school selection to interview to acceptances and making final decisions.
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As I prepared to apply to a top-tiered business school program, I knew the importance of having the right consultant. I spoke with 8 different ones who all felt very transactional and like they would put my best interests in mind, so long as I could make up my mind and make the hefty investment in the arbitrarily short amount of time and availability they claimed they had remaining. Then came Jessica.
From our first conversation, I was incredibly impressed with her ability to ask thoughtful questions and listen with remarkable patience. She dug deep into my background (back to my childhood), my motivations for getting an MBA, and where I would flourish into the person and professional that I’m capable of being. She gave me the space to speak very vulnerably about my experiences and helped me brainstorm how I would weave those into my applications in the right way. Our sessions were intentional and productive, and she did a really good job of guiding me to put my best application forward, but recognizing that it was MY application to ultimately prepare how I thought was true and authentic to me.
Fast forward to the school selection process, I had my two schools set, but hadn’t decided on a third. I aimlessly threw names around, but they weren’t backed by any serious thought, just what I thought seemed good. As she got to know me, she recommended that I consider Stanford GSB, a school that she thought would fit my values and provide the growth experiences that I sought. When you tell someone they’re a “good fit” at the most competitive and elite business school in the world, you don’t know what to make of it. While she did acknowledge that there is obviously no guarantee GSB would work out, she helped me dig deep and find the confidence that if anyone could get in, it was me, and let me make the decision for myself. As I continued crafting my application and ultimately got the interview/visited the school, I fell in love with it and couldn’t stop thanking her. As we approached decision day, she offered unwavering emotional support as it was a very stressful time for me. When I got the call that I was accepted, I couldn’t wait to call her and celebrate.
Without Jessica, I never would’ve had the personal belief, motivation, or strength of application to apply to Stanford GSB, let alone interview and get accepted. Now I’m heading there for what will be a life-changing 2 years. I will never be able to repay Jessica, but the least I can do is help the next person looking to maximize their MBA application process: stop wasting time on 30 minute consultations with companies that don’t care about you and work with Jessica. She will bring the best out in you and you will be grateful that you chose to work with her.
Product mbaMission School Package
Consultant Christine Patel
Strengths:
Personalized support from your consultant throughout the process. Christine offered timely responses to any and all questions I had and feedback on my essays. She was an incredible support throughout the process!
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Christine was incredible throughout my entire MBA admissions process. From our first meeting, she provided great guidance on which schools I may want to consider given my interest in healthcare and what I should be looking at as I thought through my options (without being pushy). As we got into essays and completing the applications, Christine always quickly turned around edits, comments, and answers to my questions (within 1-2 days) and had clear feedback and answers that I could implement to improve my application, making it much easier to make it through what can be a very stressful process. As we did mock interviews, Christine encouraged me to be myself and remain authentic while still being polished and interviewing well. Christine cheered me on throughout the process and her support was instrumental in my ultimate acceptance at four schools (Kellogg, Ross, Kenan-Flagler UNC, Anderson UCLA) including full ride and half-tuition scholarships Kenan-Flagler UNC and Ross, respectively.
Product mbaMission Hourly Services
Consultant Harold Simansky
Strengths:
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Would make the product better:
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My experience working with Harold was outstanding. I approached the MBA application process with very limited time and an ambitious plan: apply to four top programs, all of which were “reach” schools given my GMAT score. Harold turned out to be exactly the person I needed. Thanks to his guidance, I was admitted to three of those schools — each with generous scholarship offers.
From the start, Harold took the time to really get to know me — my background, my interests, my career path — and used all of that to help craft the strongest applications possible. He guided me through every part of the process and I always felt supported. He was incredibly responsive and available whenever I needed to connect.
When we first started, I had no clear idea what my essay topics should be or which stories to highlight. Harold’s deep experience showed right away. He helped me uncover and shape the stories that would resonate most with admissions committees. Instead of discouraging me because of my lower test score or suggesting I delay my applications to improve my stats, Harold focused on identifying my strengths and figuring out how to showcase them effectively. Once we aligned on the key themes and strategy, he fully believed in me and never let any doubts creep in. His confidence in my profile helped boost my own, especially as I prepared for interviews.
One of Harold’s standout skills is his ability to trim down essay drafts to meet word limits while keeping all the important content intact — and he does it quickly and naturally.
He was also fantastic at managing deadlines. Not only did he turn around essay edits rapidly (often in less than a day), but he kept me calm as deadlines approached. He promised we’d finalize materials a few days before each due date — and we did. By the end, I felt proud of every application I submitted and had ample time to review everything without stress.
I have no doubt that without Harold’s help, I wouldn’t have received the same admissions outcomes — and especially not the scholarship offers. Working with him was one of the best decisions I made during the application process. I wouldn’t hesitate to hire him again.
Product mbaMission School Package
Consultant Rachel Beck
You might be an exceptionally strong applicant with stellar stats and an impressive career profile, but ultimately, you’re only as good as your application. I truly don’t think I would have been able to craft compelling essays on my own without Rachel. Her greatest strength lies in the genuine effort she puts into getting to know you—your values, your story, and your unique strengths. Because of this, she knows exactly which stories from your life will shine through in your application.
Rachel brings years of insight into what each school looks for in its candidates. That depth of experience is invaluable—not only in helping you select the right schools, but in shaping your profile to stand out in the eyes of the Admissions.
I formed an instant connection with Rachel from our very first call. She was warm, supportive, energetic, and truly invested in working with me. Applicants often try to gauge their chances by distinguishing themselves as coming from traditional or non-traditional backgrounds, but I believe what truly matters is how much you believe in yourself—and how effectively you can prove to the Ad Com that you deserve a spot in their school. Rachel not only believed in me from the start but also inspired me to grow in confidence throughout our journey together.
She has incredible strategies for making the most of every section of the application—highlighting different dimensions of your personality and experience in thoughtful and distinctive ways.
With her guidance and unwavering support, I received admits from two M7 schools. I 1000% recommend working with Rachel for your MBA applications. Good luck!
Product mbaMission School Package
Consultant Nisha Trivedi
Strengths:
MbaMission offers top-tier mentorship with the MBA admission process.
Would make the product better:
NA, all was great.
Nisha was a great person to work with. The minute I started talking to her I noticed that she genuinely wants me to success. Being an International student, I felt she understood that I needed to portray additional requirements to the applications.
Having less than 3 years of experience, I can guarantee you that Nisha will get you a top-tier acceptance if you do everything she recommends. Keep in mind she reaching out to me more than I did with her. I truly felt she wanted me to get accepted more than myself.
I would definitely recommend her mocks, I felt really confident going into interviews, felt that recommenders needed to prove why I'm a good fit.
I owe you, Nisha!
Product mbaMission School Package
Consultant Melissa Blakeslee
I truly cannot imagine going through the MBA admissions process without Melissa. I started out completely overwhelmed—nervous, lost, and unsure of where to begin—but Melissa transformed what felt like an impossible mountain into one of the smoothest and most rewarding journeys of my life. She is incredibly organized, always a step ahead, lightning-fast with responses, and somehow manages to balance being upbeat and encouraging with honest, grounded guidance.
But what really sets Melissa apart is the way she connects with you as a whole person. Our calls were never just about applications—they were about life, family, our dogs, and everything in between. She quickly became so much more than a consultant—she was a mentor, a coach, and a true friend. I genuinely looked forward to our meetings, and even after the applications were submitted and decisions were rolling in, she stayed by my side to help me make the final (and very tough!) choice.
Thanks to Melissa, I was accepted to six top MBA programs with over $530,000 in scholarship offers. That number still blows my mind. And it wasn't all smooth sailing—there were major life events, unpredictable GMAT hurdles, and plenty of moments where I could’ve crumbled. But Melissa showed up every single time with empathy, wisdom, and unwavering belief in me. She invests in your story like it's her own, and she never loses sight of what makes you you.
I wouldn’t wish the stress of this process on anyone, but if I had to do it all over again, I would choose Melissa a thousand times over. She is, without question, the best of the best.
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Product mbaMission School Package
Consultant Julie-Anne Heafey
When I first started my MBA application process, I was pretty skeptical towards the idea of using a consultant since I knew I already had a decent profile coming from Big Tech and a well recognized college. Luckily, I had a friend encourage me to at least book a free 30-min consult with MBA Mission before making a decision. I originally met with a different consultant who immediately had some good insights and referred me to Julie-Anne for her exceptional track record with HBS admits.
From my first chat with JA, it was instantly clear the value she would bring to my applications. Throughout the 10 (!) months we worked together what stands out are:
- She’s not afraid to push you to dig deeper, she reminds you the “so what?” is what’s essential in your essay writing
- She’s great at assessing your strengths and guiding you to highlight them in your application
- She always makes herself available to chat on the phone when you hit a wall in your writing
In my case, I applied to 3 schools with her, got 2 interviews, and then was waitlisted from both schools I interviewed at. She then worked me on my letters of continued interested and ultimately I was accepted off the waitlist to HBS. I’m so happy I made the decision to work with her, I truly couldn’t have done it without her support!
Product mbaMission Hourly Services
Consultant Jessica Shklar
I can’t say enough about my experience working with Jessica. Her deep knowledge of the programs enabled me to have a clear sense of what each school was looking for and tailor my applications and interview prep accordingly. Her breadth of experience meant she had ample ideas on how to best position the different elements of my application, particularly in one area that was complicated to explain. Her fun and supportive nature helped me be at my best through the ups and downs of the process, and made her such a pleasure to work with. Couldn’t recommend her enough!!
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Product mbaMission Hourly Services
Consultant Melissa Blakeslee
I was fortunate to work with Melissa for my MBA applications. She guided me through the entire process with honesty and her deep insight that made all the difference. Melissa helped elevate every part of my application – from revamping my resume and crafting compelling essays to preparing for the interviews. She also recommended that I take the Executive Assessment (EA), as my GMAT score was on the lower end. That turned out to be great advice, as I performed really well on the EA.
Thanks to Melissa’s support, I was accepted into four top business schools and received a scholarship offer from all of them. The return on investment from working with her has been incredible – ranging from 300% to 900% in scholarship value alone.
Melissa genuinely cares about her clients. She’s not only an exceptional consultant, but also a true friend who makes your dreams come true. She made my applications an order of magnitude stronger. I would highly recommend Melissa to anyone seeking guidance on their MBA journey.