School Package Reviews

As many prospective students will quickly find out, top MBA programs really want to hear your story and there is no better person than Katy to help you with the introspection process. She has this unique ability to get to know you as a person and help get that authentic self across to the admissions committee. Together, we were able to brainstorm specific themes of my life, how they were important to me, and communicated those in my essays.

Through all of her help, I was able to secure R1 interviews at 6 top programs - Stanford GSB, HBS, Booth, Kellogg, Tuck, and Yale. She spent a lot of time prepping me for my interviews and provided her perspectives on each of the different programs.

Because of Katy's help, I was able to secure multiple offers and ultimately accepted my offer to attend Stanford GSB. I truly cannot recommend Katy enough as an admissions consultant and now as a friend!

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I found Helen extremely useful for soundboarding all things MBA related - from the admissions process to brainstorming to essay construction to the interview prep! Her knowledge and expertise made me feel at ease and confident in her advice. It took me several iterations before I settled on the topic of my essays but throughout the process Helen was extremely patient and able to help extract the stories that resonated most with me. Her advice never lacked clarity or reason, and I found her warm yet to-the-point style extremely helpful in making progress. Ultimately, I was accepted into both schools I applied for!

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My first encounter with Nisha was through one of mbaMission’s free online workshops. I was quickly drawn to Nisha’s bright personality and her passion for helping applicants realize their MBA aspirations. As I listened to Nisha present, it became clear to me that she had extensive knowledge of the application process and experience working with many different types of candidates.

Shortly after the session, I decided to purchase the Start-to-Finish package and I’m so grateful that I chose Nisha as my MBA consultant. Right from the start, Nisha provided great insight into the application process and worked with me to come up with a detailed game plan for my applications. I was very impressed with how much time and effort Nisha put into getting to know me and understanding my background as well as my motivations for pursuing an MBA.

Nisha always came well prepared to our discussions and it was very easy to have an open conversation with her. I really appreciated how Nisha pushed me to dig deep and self-reflect on my experiences, helping me to make the most of my stories. She gave targeted feedback throughout the essay writing process and was extremely responsive, answering any questions that I had along the way. Nisha was also incredibly helpful in my interview preparation; she advised me on the different types of interview styles that I could expect to see and ran me through mock interviews that closely simulated my actual interviews. Practicing my stories with Nisha and incorporating her feedback helped me feel confident and much more comfortable during my live interviews.

Overall, Nisha far exceeded my expectations and I highly recommend working with her to any applicants beginning their MBA journey. With her guidance I was able to get into one of my top programs and I can’t thank her enough for all her support throughout my applications!

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I first started with Jessica for CBS and Wharton. The best part about working with her is the first Brainstorming Session. After this session, your more or less in great shape for your essays.

Ultimately, I got accepted to both schools in Round 1. With a scholarship from Wharton!

Because of my confidence in getting into two schools, I thought I would apply to HBS myself in Round 2. Big Mistake! The essay was the most challenging, especially when there is no word limit. I was too verbose and was losing the plot.

I decided to take her up one last school with literally a month to go for my deadline. She was really accommodating to take on this application despite her prior commitments. She mentioned " I always have time for my clients", which was really sweet. Her advice was exactly what I needed and ultimately led to my acceptance.

In short, pick Jessica at mbaMission as she is a great listener and at the end of the day, you want someone to hear you out completely before they advise you on structuring your application.

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Helen was very patient in guiding me through the whole process. She was super responsive to emails and I got feedback usually the same day/next day. She was also very flexible with phone calls, even if I was just perplexed or wanted a quick mock. Overall, I found Helen's style to be encouraging, frank and not pressuring at all, which worked well for me. She really helped steer me in the right general direction and was able to spot interesting elements from my drafts to make sure I've highlighted them. I got into both M7 schools I worked with Helen, and definitely couldn't have done this without her help!

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TLDR: Do yourself a favour, choose Jessica Shklar and forget everything else.

First Impressions:
Meeting Jessica via the free consultation (4-school package for R2 apps) sold me on working with her. I had had preview sessions with two other top firms, but those felt cold and artificial compared to Jessica’s style. At the time, I was in the process of studying for my GMAT and one other firm was unwilling to start working with me until I completed the exam. I was running out of time for R2 apps, and Jessica understood that the application process more often than not is a messy and haphazard process. Coupled with experiencing her deep insight over the 30-minute call, Jessica accommodating the real-world circumstances of busy applicants was yet another mark of her competence in my opinion.

Consultation process:
She was extremely organized which was key in knocking down 4 B-school applications to M7 schools in the period of 4 months, while also providing morale support as I studied for the GMAT. There were established rules in place to maintain the organization and flow of essay reviews, brainstorming chat etc, but when it mattered, she was willing to go above and beyond, working day and night and even with at one point with a badly sprained wrist (on her dominant hand)! And she came through more than once.
Regarding essays, Jessica is not merely an editor - she is storyteller and muse. Initially, when you do try your best to describe your own life, you realize how it pales in comparison to the final draft. This is not because it is embellished or anything like that; it’s because she helps you tease out your motivations and cogent reasons behind the key plots in your story and stitches it in a way that is amazing. I know she is a habitual reader (sometimes finishing books in a single day) and so story telling isn’t just a job - it’s part and parcel of who she is, and this benefit is reflected in the essays she helps you with.

Conclusion:
One of the first things she helps you with is review any pre-existing school choices you’ve made. She gets to know you and then accessed for compatibility with your POST-MBA goals, your dreams and your personality. Clearly, she isn’t just trying to crank out essays, or maximize admit rates for her firm. She genuinely wants to mold your application to represent the best version of yourself. She cannot guarantee outcomes (no consultant can), but you leave with a feeling of extreme satisfaction in the effort put towards application. I got into one of them, but it was not my dream school unfortunately. But the fact that I still write this review is testament of the positive force that is Jessica Shklar. I gained more than just an elite application package; I also gained a renewed understanding of myself.

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When I first started looking for a consultant I had many different phone chats with different consultants at different companies and most felt so cookie-cutter & scripted or scorched earth and interested in bending my story to fit what they thought would combat my overrepresented background of white male / private equity.

Immediately upon chatting with Melissa I knew she would be my pick. She genuinely take a deep interest in understanding your whole story and is great at helping you find a way to authentically tell it while also focusing on the aspects that will be most impactful to the adcoms.

Working with Melissa made what at baseline is a grueling process that much better. She kept me on my timeline, was always super encouraging and helped me tell a story in my essays that we both felt strong about. With that said, she also wasn't afraid to stand her ground and tell me when she thought I needed to change something, which was very helpful.

I would not have gotten into HBS and Wharton without her help!!

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Rachel was the first MBA consultant I spoke with, and immediately I felt she and I would be a good match. She had a strong ability to be supportive in areas where I didn't feel as comfortable, as well as realistic about what my chances would be for the different schools I was applying to.

Her feedback throughout the process was really honest, and I always felt like she had my best interests at heart and really took the time to get to know me to help me present the best version of myself, which still felt true to who I was as a person. Additionally, her feedback was always timely and I felt she really "got" who I was as a person.

Applying to business school is a lot of work - you're really only going to get as much value out of an admissions consultant as you put in. Having Rachel as a partner throughout the application process was truly an advantage in every way, as she put her all into the entire process from considering schools to interviewing.

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As a consultant with a side business, my schedule is very busy, and I was looking for someone to help me manage the extensive MBA admissions process while also providing insight on what areas of my background to highlight. One thing I was looking for was a consultant who could empathize with my story and help to craft it in a unique and compelling way.

After my initial call with Debbie, I knew she was the right one. We shared similar backgrounds and social values, and she was very open about areas to highlight in my application and helped me through the strategic decisions like choosing a school and timing my applications. I was grateful because many of these decisions were helpful in not only deciding where to apply, but also where to attend. Debbie provided a response timeline at the beginning of our relationship and she stuck to it throughout. Additionally, after I was notified by schools that were outside the ones I engaged her to help with, she continued to provide helpful advice.

I only applied to three schools – Harvard, Stanford, and MIT – interviewing at all three. In the end, I received admission into Harvard and MIT. While Debbie officially only supported on MIT and Stanford, I could use much of the guidance and even essay preparations for my application at Harvard.

I would highly recommend Debbie. Not only did she play a pivotal role in my MBA admission success, I also really enjoyed my conversations with her. Our brainstorming sessions were a fantastic opportunity to reflect on my career, personal goals and ambitions.

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As a first-timer, I felt that applying MBA was like losing my direction in a grand blue ocean, and then I got the help from mbaMission.

Nisha did a great job in helping my self-exploration. With MBAMission’s systematic approach, Nisha helped me explore my stories of successes and failures, and identified the key elements that bring up a strong application. She also helped me spot mistakes that I made in the essays and CV, avoiding elements that would confuse the readers or lead to unnecessary criticism.

With Nisha’s support, my stories in the application become more compelling, and I was admitted to Judge and Said with bursary from one of them. This totally exceeded my expectations and I am truly grateful for having Nisha’s support along the way!

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