GMAT Club

Hourly Services Reviews

For those who have identified specific needs and require focused advisory services, we offer "A la Carte" services.
5.0 /5 Average Rating
5 star
553
4 star
12
3 star
1
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0
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Based on 566 reviews

AI Super-Summary of Customer Reviews for Hourly Services*

These reviews highlight the impactful support and guidance provided by various MBA admissions consultants, who have helped clients shape compelling narratives, optimize application materials, and ultimately gain admission to top business schools. Reviewers consistently praise the consultants for their responsiveness, professionalism, and ability to provide personalized feedback that aligns with each client's strengths and goals. Several clients succeeded in securing admissions with scholarships, and emphasize the consultants' role in addressing application weaknesses and building confidence for interviews. Overall, it's clear that these consultants have made a significant difference in their clients' educational and professional journeys.
9 users mention "Admitted"
  • "With his guidance, I went from being lost and confused to getting into fantastic schools!..." Read more
  • "At the end of the process I got into my top school (Wharton)..." Read more
  • "Thanks to Kate, I was accepted into Kellogg..." Read more
  • "in securing my place at my top-choice program - HBS!..." Read more
  • "I am thrilled to say I got into my target MBA program Darden!..." Read more
  • "I was admitted to my #1 choice, Columbia Business School..." Read more
  • "I applied to Stanford MSx program and got admitted...." Read more
  • "I was accepted into all five of the top MBA programs I applied to...." Read more
  • "I worked with Julie-Anne for the MBA program and was admitted to both Columbia and Wharton...." Read more
5 users mention "Responsive"
  • "he is very quick to respond to emails and often provides detailed and thoughtful feedback on the same day..." Read more
  • "Michael is very experienced, responsive, and knows how to highlight your unique strengths..." Read more
  • "highly responsive to my needs...." Read more
  • "She was also very responsive and I never had to wait long for feedback...." Read more
  • "I was especially impressed with her responsiveness and availability, which were crucial given my tight deadlines and demanding work schedule...." Read more
3 users mention "Scholarship Awarded"
  • "offers of admission and scholarships from all 5 other schools. The lowest amount of scholarship I got was 50% of tuition, and I even got a full-ride scholarship..." Read more
  • "Harold guided me through the scholarship negotiation process, helping me leverage offers effectively to maximize my financial aid...." Read more
  • "I was accepted to an M7 program with full tuition..." Read more
3 users mention "Top-Tier School Focus"
  • "she was helping the clarity of my application through her artful guidance and deft editing...." Read more
  • "Debbie also gave a lot useful tips and strategic comments which allowed me to be more focus on the most important things...." Read more
  • "Julie-Anne has worked on getting many students in different programs so she knew what are good areas to be highlighted in essays and characteristics of different schools...." Read more
2 users mention "Non-traditional Backgrounds"
  • "As a non-traditional applicant, applying to business school was a bit intimidating. When I first met with Harshad, I could tell right away that I wanted to work with him. He is skilled at and passionate about crafting a story that is not only compelling to admissions committees but also speaks to your unique strengths...." Read more
  • "I come from a nontraditional background and knew that seeking the help of an admissions consultant was likely the best way for me to craft the best applications possible...." Read more
2 users mention "Interview Prep"
  • "Her warm personality made the stress and tediousness of MBA applications and interview prep easier to handle...." Read more
  • "Kate was also instrumental in preparing me for the interview process...." Read more
2 users mention "Free Consultation"
  • "I started my process at mbaMission with a 30-minute free consultation with the next available consultant..." Read more
  • "mbaMission offers a variety of service package. I chose the hourly service which allowed me to use the time flexibly and wisely...." Read more
2 users mention "Career Transition"
  • "Kate took the time to understand my unique background, career goals, and personal story...." Read more
  • "I came from financial services and decided I was ready to transition into consulting..." Read more
2 users mention "Value for Money"
  • "The cost is absolutely worth it...." Read more
  • "I believe the hourly service is a great value if you are particularly seeking assistance with the essay portion of your application...." Read more
2 users mention "Supportive"
  • "having someone in my corner who genuinely cared about my success made all the difference...." Read more
  • "providing unwavering support and motivation..." Read more
1 users mention "Reapplication Success"
  • "As a reapplicant, I could easily see how she was helping the clarity of my application through her artful guidance and deft editing...." Read more
1 users mention "Low GPA Success"
  • "Despite my below-average GPA, Harold s strategic insights led to my acceptance at Dartmouth Tuck and Chicago Booth, with significant scholarships, and admittance to another T10 school...." Read more
1 users mention "Industry Specialist"
  • "my professional background is in advertising/marketing, which is where Kim spent most of her career prior to doing MBA admissions and consulting work...." Read more
1 users mention "Career Changers"
  • "provide advice that was best tailored to help me achieve my goals. She was also able to be flexible as I decided what I wanted to do..." Read more
1 users mention "Resume Review"
  • "she felt that my resume was in good shape and it would be more beneficial for her to spend time refining my essays..." Read more
1 users mention "Time Management"
  • "she is really good at pushing you to think through what differentiates you and how you can highlight yourself..." Read more
1 users mention "Essay Editing"
  • "what was unnecessary and what needed fixing, without worrying about sugarcoating something I really appreciated...." Read more
*Review summaries are AI generated from 25 latest reviews in the past 2 years.
June 11, 2017
bkrump

Joined: Apr 02, 2016

Posts: 0

Kudos: 0

Self-reported Score:
770 Q49 V46

Helped me off the Stanford GSB Waitlist!

REVIEWER IDENTITY VERIFIED by school email address [?]

John was a pleasure to work with and helped me manage an incredibly stressful waitlist process. After completing applications without an admissions consultant I found myself waitlisted (after interview) at Stanford GSB, MIT Sloan, and Wharton. John provided a logical and informed process to address my scenario and successfully navigate the waitlist. Even though the schools publically posted that they didn't need additional information, John helped me find ways to positively communicate with them and tip the needle in my favor. I found him to be responsive, and he always provided value added advice.

My only regret is not hiring John as my admissions consultant earlier so I could have avoided the waitlist process in the first place!

I can honestly say that without John's wisdom and coaching I'd be going through the admissions process all over again. Because of him I'll be attending Stanford GSB in the fall!

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June 01, 2017
chglobe

Joined: Jun 01, 2017

Posts: 0

Kudos: 0

Verified GMAT Classic score:
690 Q44 V41

SIMPLY SUPERB!! Jessica Shklar

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Jessica had rave reviews from my former manager (“simply the best”), and I used her for Round 1 of the 2016-2017 cycle with 2/2 admissions at HBS and Wharton.

Both a business executive and perceptive storyteller, Jessica is unique. She outperformed at every step, packing our time with prompt, actionable feedback delivered with off-the-charts energy and humor.

In our first conversation, she quickly synthesized my profile (strengths and specifics to improve – e.g. trying the GRE) and cited information on schools I hadn’t unearthed in hours of research and calls. During our sessions, Jessica took time to understand the influences that have shaped me, and my future goals. She then drew out my most compelling accomplishments and experiences, weaving them into a memorable yet strategic narrative that stood out to my target schools.

In particular, she is an exceptional writer. She is skilled at understanding the point you are trying to communicate and crafting a succinct, accessible way to get it across. She helped me tell a very context-specific story in a way that was clear and persuasive to any reader, which I believe got me into my top school.

I worked with Jessica on my brainstorming, essay (editing again and again until every word had weight), and career goals. She also demystified the process by providing honest answers on what schools expected and how I matched up (How to use the short answers, or present a low GPA?).

My engagement with Jessica gave me the edge I needed to get into my dream school, and clarity and focus going forward. Work with Jessica – you will not regret it!!

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May 24, 2017
wam54321

Joined: May 22, 2017

Posts: 0

Kudos: 0

Verified GMAT Classic score:
760 Q49 V46

Accepted by Top Choice

REVIEWER IDENTITY VERIFIED by score report [?]

I would highly recommend working with John Sisk from mbaMission. His experience in journalism and his degree from a top business school give him a unique perspective as an admissions consultant. Entering the admissions process, I had a strong GMAT score and strong enough GPA to get into a top school, but I needed help rounding out my story. That is where Johnny was so helpful. After our free 30-minute consultation, I already had a great idea of how I wanted to put my story together, and over many iterations that story came to life with John’s help.

I hesitated in spending the money to hire a consultant, but I found that I got great value from John using the hour-by-hour option. Having been accepted into the top school, I can say that I would not have done a single thing differently. John was instrumental in strengthening my voice and I cannot thank him enough.

John continually offered strong advice and was very patient as we worked through my drafts, which made him very easy to work with. He was always completely honest, telling me what worked and what didn’t, but at the same time he was very optimistic and would ensure that the process never got me down. He was also timely in getting his responses back to me within the 2-day turnaround window, which was critical in feeling confident that my drafts were in the best shape possible before deadlines.

Thanks John!

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May 18, 2017
happytobehere

Joined: Jan 02, 2017

Posts: 2

Kudos: 5

Verified GMAT Classic score:
720 Q47 V42

A Breath of Fresh Air

REVIEWER IDENTITY VERIFIED by score report [?]

When I set out to write my applications, my mind was a giant cloud. I had lots of ideas about why I wanted to pursue an MBA, but, as a career switcher, I didn't know much about the ins and outs of business school admissions process and what adcoms looked for. I wanted to be authentic but whenever I sat down to write, my ideas were all mixed together in a giant spaghetti ball of thought.

Jessica has a deep understanding of the application process and helped me to organize my ideas. With her direction, I was even able to understand more about myself and why I desired an MBA on the route to what I desire to accomplish. Not only was she extremely knowledgeable and affable, I felt that she genuinely appreciated my story and cared about my progress. Throughout her webinar and even the free consultation, I never felt I was being sold and received great insight from those offerings alone. That said, purchasing a couple hours to talk through my application was one of the best investments I made. Hands down, you need someone with experience with the application process and admissions to proof your entire app; I didn't know any such person, so Jessica's very professional assistance was invaluable.

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May 18, 2017
erodgator

Joined: May 18, 2017

Posts: 0

Kudos: 0

Krista Nannery - An Invaluable Resource

REVIEWER IDENTITY VERIFIED by school email address [?]

I wanted to take the opportunity to discuss my experience with Krista Nannery as I navigated the MBA admissions process. Obtaining an MBA had always been a personal goal of mine but as an applicant with almost 15 years of substantial work experience across multiple products within my field, attending a top 10 business school would be the only way that I would receive a long term benefit of investing my time and money. I knew that I would have some challenges that I needed to address through the application process, and this is where I sought the help of mbaMission.
Initially I was skeptical whether the payoff of working with a consultant would be worthwhile but I can honestly attest that collaborating with Krista Nannery was well worth the investment.
Krista was instrumental in helping me strengthen my applications for the three schools I had initially targeted. I say initially because as I finished up my second application, Krista was able to leverage her previous experience as an admissions director at a top school to recommend a program at a fourth school to research. Given my work experience and ultimate career goals, this fourth school is where I will be matriculating in the next few months. I can not thank Krista enough for suggesting this program.
As an hourly client, the majority of my time with Krista was focused on essay and resume editing. In that arena, one of Krista’s key strengths is that she is able to get to the heart of the story you are trying to tell in a succinct manner that really impacts the reader, even if that person is unfamiliar with the industry or experience that you are discussing. In one instance where I chose to write about a workplace leadership experience that had happened quite some time ago in my career, Krista suggested to choose a more recent story. Due to that feedback the resulting essay was significantly stronger and more relevant to the admissions committee. Because of her prompt turnaround time I was able to finish the bulk of my essays for three schools in about two weeks, which is no small feat when each application has between 2-3 essays. For one program in particular, there was a video essay component which I had filmed and sent to Krista while she was on vacation. Even half way across the world, she provided great comments that enabled me to reshoot the video to allow the viewer to learn more about me on a personal level. Also, as a more untraditional applicant, Krista really helped me leverage all components of the application to ensure the admissions committees of each school obtained a holistic view of my work experience, impact I have made in the workplace and community, what I was seeking to obtain through a MBA program, and most importantly what I would contribute to my peer set if admitted. With a lengthy two page resume filled with professional accomplishments and community and workplace involvement outside of my day to day role, a resume review one was of the most challenging aspects of the application process for me. Krista was up for the challenge – she was able to leverage her resources and really help me consolidate my best and most pertinent highlights on to a one page resume document, which is an amazing accomplishment.
Upon entering the interview phase of the application process, Krista was a great resource during our mock interview phone call. Prior to that call, Krista and I had only communicated via email which was no issue given her extremely clear notes and great communication skills. I had not had a formal interview in quite some time so the mock interview call was invaluable preparation because it really helped me refine and better articulate my message.
On a personal level, Krista is a real pleasure to work with. She always exhibits a positive attitude but is also someone who will provide real feedback that ultimately strengthens an applicant’s admissions package. I really felt she had a vested interest in my success, and because of the time and effort she put into working with me, I can confidently say she was a key factor in my success.

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May 11, 2017
wonbae86

Joined: May 22, 2016

Posts: 3

Kudos: 5

Self-reported Score:
670 Q48 V34
680 Q49 V33

Worth it

REVIEWER IDENTITY VERIFIED by school email address [?]

After a free 30 min consulting, I was referred to consultant, Jen Kedrowski, who was recommended after the initial point of contact decided that my style, story, and direction would be best matched with Jen. I purchased 3 hours, which I thought to be quite pricey for the amount of time, but I was willing to pay that price because I was in a place where I just needed someone I could trust to verify that my thoughts and ideas made cohesive sense. There's only so much that your friends can do, and they can only be so invested in YOUR future. So I sought a consultant because it's their fulltime job to be invested in you. So what I was actually paying for was peace of mind and another set of eyes that would help me formulate a plan for each school that I was applying to. Upon introducing my story to Jen, she listened, and gave very helpful feed back in terms of what ideas were good and what ideas weren't so great. I told her in the beginning that I want feedback to be straight up, and to not worry about hurting my feelings, because what I want from all this is the best possible application and essays I can make, and that is exactly what she delivered. I had applied to McCombs (WL), Foster (Admitted with scholarship), and Wisconsin (admitted with scholarship) with a GMAT score of 680 and a GPA of 3.1. As you can see, my scores aren't particularly exceptional, and what I believe gave my applications the edge were my essays that Jen helped me formulate. She doesn't play any gimmicks with making things up with what you should say. What she does is gather all your information, tell you what about your past stands out the most, and help you tie those important pieces together in a way that you are able to articulate your strengths while making cohesive sense to your overall past, present, and future. Even though I had gone over my time limit that I purchased, she always responded with answers to any questions I had beyond what she was paid to do, and even helped me decide which school I should attend. Long story short, she's genuine, smart as hell, and trustworthy. I would highly recommend her to anyone seeking help on essays and which schools would best suit your needs.

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May 07, 2017
starryqs

Joined: May 07, 2017

Posts: 0

Kudos: 0

Great Hourly Service from Heidi

REVIEWER IDENTITY VERIFIED by score report [?]

Heidi provided an excellent service on my essay ideas and editing. She helped me generate my most convincing strength on my essay, which made me successful in my application. Heidi always turned her editing back to me in a timely manner, never later than her promise date. I signed up total 3 hours of her time in my essay edition and I think they were more valuable than my investment. I highly recommend Heidi to everyone who wants to apply for top MBA programs. Without her help, I don't think my application process will be such smooth and efficient (I did not waste one minute in my essay).

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May 07, 2017
agnesvarda

Joined: May 07, 2017

Posts: 0

Kudos: 0

Harshad + mbaMission helped me get to my top-choice school!

REVIEWER IDENTITY VERIFIED by school email address [?]

I was connected to Harshad by Angela Guido, another mbaMission consultant and generally amazing human being whom I'd met through the Forté Foundation MBALaunch program. I'd had my sights set on attending Chicago Booth from the time I opened my first Manhattan prep book, and I knew it would be a challenging process. I come from a social impact background, and I knew I could really only afford a couple of hours of admissions support. Although I was applying to a number of schools, I decided to devote my time with Harshad to structuring and editing my Booth essay. A Booth alum himself, Harshad was incredibly thoughtful and easy to talk to, and before I knew it I was sharing my life story with him. He helped me to choose an essay topic that felt authentic and meaningful. Notably, Harshad has a depth of expertise about the school and its philosophy, and he helped me to connect the dots between my own values and those of UofC's "Chicago Approach." Harshad is an expert storyteller and with his guidance I was able to shape my thoughts into a cohesive and compelling piece of writing. He is strategic and logical, and asks thought-provoking questions. Working with Harshad felt like participating in a writing workshop, and at the end of the process I was proud to submit my application.

After I was accepted to Booth in Round 2(!) with some scholarship funding, Harshad helped me to draft a respectful inquiry about possible additional funding, and the school was able to increase my scholarship package. This fall, I'll be attending Chicago Booth with a very generous scholarship award, and I owe a great debt of gratitude to Harshad for this outcome. I would absolutely recommend working with Harshad for your MBA admissions process.

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May 03, 2017
mbh

Joined: Dec 22, 2014

Posts: 0

Kudos: 0

Monica is amazing!!

REVIEWER IDENTITY VERIFIED by membership [?]

If an MBA is a personal discovery journey, working with Monica is the perfect way to prepare :)

I got to know Monica through a friend, currently HBS student.
When I had my 30-min call with Monica, I already knew what my biggest struggle would be - essay writing. I was under some time pressure, didn't have much experience in essay writing and had an unconventional career path I was struggling to take advantage of.

After our initial call, I knew I had found the right person to help me. Through her targeted questions and comments, I knew Monica would push me stay true to myself and would help me bring the best (and even leverage the worst) of my personal and professional paths.

On essay writing, Monica was a life-saver.

She helped me brainstorm the structure of my essay, what my stories and decisions meant to me, and which anecdotes would best convene my personality and would be more authentic. She would criticize, praise, help me think through my experiences and have a magical way to helping me communicate what I was really trying to say, even if I didn't know it at first (it's borderline scary sometimes). Plus, as a non-native speaker having Monica helping me was essential - she would turn convoluted sentences into incredibly powerful messages.

Monica also helped me prepare for my interview - and here again she was an amazing help.

Monica helped me understand the mindset of the interviewers, the best pace, depth, breath, and also what were the must-have questions/answers that I would need to prepare to. Thanks to Monica I was able to feel confident and relaxed, and follow her advice of being as genuine and authentic as possible during the interview :)

In the end I got an admitted to my target school - HBS - and I could not be more happy I got to work with Monica on this journey!!

Thank you Monica!! :)

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May 01, 2017
happymbaApplicant17

Joined: May 03, 2012

Posts: 0

Kudos: 5

Very happy with mbaMission and Jeremy Shinewald

REVIEWER IDENTITY VERIFIED by membership [?]

Working with Jeremy Shinewald from mbaMission was a gift and a pleasure. I signed up with him a mere 3 weeks before my Round 2 deadlines. I figured “the leverage” of using a somewhat pricey consultant made sense for a couple reasons – (1) If I get into my dream school, it leads to huge dividends for my future and (2) If I get awarded financial scholarships, on an immediate monetary level, the consulting services pay for themselves…I am fortunate to say that both outcomes happened to me. I got into my dream school and with a $25k+ scholarship.

I chose mbaMission because they were referred to me by ManhattanGMAT which I had an amazing experience with. I chose Jeremy because he is the founder of mbaMission and happened to be the only consultant available for my very short 3-week timeline.

Jeremy in particular, added a phenomenal amount of value to me personally and my applications. On a personal level, he helped me do some soul-searching and gain clarity on what I wanted, my past experiences and my strengths. As a “Type A” type of person, I can often be hard on myself and Jeremy helped me see a bigger and wider picture. On application materials, Jeremy truly went above and beyond, turning around tons of work back to me on tight deadlines (i.e., hours) without charging me an extra penny and despite the “two-business-day response” in our contract. The quality of Jeremy’s writing skills are tremendous and he understood the schools I was applying to on a much better level than I could from my own research.

In short, I highly recommend mbaMission and Jeremy. Whether you choose to go with them, I highly suggest taking advantage of the free 30-minute session as that short call on its own added a lot of value to me plus gave me a feel of their services without having to pay anything.

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