School Package Reviews

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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I worked with Helen for over a year and would not have been able to finish the application process without her. The brainstorming session with Helen was critical as she took the time to understand who I am as a professional and where my true passions lie. With her help, I was able to convey my "story" clearly to the admissions committees. My interview prep with Helen helped me gain the confidence needed to outperform my own expectations. I was accepted at both Harvard and Wharton. Helen is not afraid to tell it to you straight and if you're willing to listen, your application will come out very strong. I highly recommend her.

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My MBA journey started in late 2018, when I decided that I wanted to pursue my MBA. Like many, my first step was to research top MBA Consulting firms. Quickly, mbaMission and more specifically, Jessica rose to the top. I had a few friends that worked with mbaMission so I knew, at the minimum, it was a great firm to partner with. In addition, I noticed that Jessica was praised by Poets&Quants as one of the Top MBA Admissions Consultants so it was a pretty easy decision to reach out to Jessica to set up a 30 minute consultation. It was evident from the onset that Jessica was EXCELLENT at her job. Jessica exceeded my expectations and here is why:

1. Unbelievable Story-Teller: Jessica is unbelievable at helping you tell YOUR story. I was worried that I was coming from an over-represented applicant pool (IB, Consulting, PE, etc.), and that I would not be able to distinguish myself from my peers. However, Jessica mitigated that very quickly for me. Her initial brain-storming document helps you think about your entire journey up until the moment you work with her. Where you grew up, which countries you traveled to, what are your hobbies, did you have a life-altering experience meeting someone, etc.? All these questions and more helped me tell my story and why I was a unique candidate. Coming from an Investment Banking background, I would of never thought that I would talk about why I started taking acting classes, and how that translated into a second career, and ultimately how it positively impacted me at work. Jessica turns over every rock to find a gem in your story.
2. Honest Feedback: I can’t say this enough. Jessica tells you what you need to hear, not what you want to hear. We went through my resume, grades, test scores and she helped me evaluate which schools were the best for me to apply to. I did not get my optimal GMAT score the first time, so she strongly advised me to re-take it even though I thought I could get in with my current score. Jessica helped me stay grounded and helped me explain that while that score might have been acceptable last year, this year’s applicant pool was much stronger, and that I needed to re-take the GMAT. Being one of the best at what she does, Jessica was able to highlight what my target school was looking for. For example, if I had a “flaw” in my resume or application, Jessica was able to focus on the positives of the setback or flaw, and focus on my strengths.

Without Jessica, there is absolutely no way I would have gotten into Columbia Business School. I am so fortunate that she had a spot open for this year’s application cycle. Her patience and guidance with me throughout the process is something I’ll always remember and be grateful for. She is truly in a league of her own.

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Debbie turned my R1 disaster into a R2 miracle, and helped me get into my dream school at an M7 with $$ (also turned down a T12 with $$$). Well worth the investment.

When I applied for MBAs in R1 I did everything myself and ended up with 4 dings at all of my M7 schools (no interview at 3 schools and waitlist at 1) with a 780 GMAT.

In R2 I decided to go with Debbie at MbaMission. She was enthusiastic, insightful, and was always timely in responding to any questions I had. She even went beyond her scope of duty and advised me on waitlist strategy for one of the schools I had applied for in R1.

As a result of her efforts I managed to get offers from 2 out of the 3 schools that I applied to (M7 and T12, both with significant $$$), with a waitlist at the 3rd school (M7).

Recommend 5/5.

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In the Fall of 2021, I'll be attending a top 5 MBA program - this was made possible because of my mbaMission consultant, Gavriella Semaya. Without her coaching, mentorship, and guidance, I recognize that I would not be in the very fortunate position that I am today.

I was nervous going into the MBA application process and doubting what schools to which I should even apply. I had the test scores, transcripts, and resume to be competitive, but I was unsure how my life experiences could be shared in a compelling fashion in the essays. During my first conversation with Gavriella she was instantly supportive of my goals while always being very honest about the task at hand. She reassured me that we could partner together and uncover experiences that would make for the most impactful applications.

Prior to even addressing the essay topics, Gavriella challenged me to do a great amount of self-discovery by answering thought-provoking questions about my personal life. I had not anticipated this experience would require such deep levels of introspection. While I was at first very hesitant to share somewhat personal details of my life, I very quickly came to trust her with anything. This openness allowed for us to truly explore all topics, so when it came time to answer the essays, we were able to weave together salient stories. Regardless of the admission outcomes, the self-discovery this exercise provided is something that I’ll never forget.

Not only was Gavriella able to help me share experiences that I would have never considered relevant, she amazed me at her ability to tie those experiences together with my work and academic history to provide a holistic perspective in my essays and interviews. Her ability to recall the most intricate details of my essays, work history, and even experiences is something that I’ve always appreciated – it truly made me feel like she was my partner in this process.

Even when I got down on myself, Gavriella always was there to support and encourage me through the process. Her feedback was always very straightforward, and she constantly challenged me to put forth my best; however, I never felt like she lost faith in me – her encouragement and coaching truly helped me push to the finish line and believe in myself.

I’d recommend Gavriella’s services to anyone going through the MBA process! I do not say this just because of her results, but the amount of which I learned about myself – that is something I’ll never forget through this journey.

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I first reached out to Jessica in early August and was aiming to apply for round 1 for just one school. I was juggling studying for the GMATs, while also trying to wrap my head around how to tell my story (not to mention all the other things like resume, letters of recommendations, short answers, etc.). Once you start the admissions process, you realize how many parts there are to it and how you would be severely disadvantaged by not having someone like Jessica on your team.

I spoke to several consultants before speaking to Jessica and she got right to the point and provided valuable feedback and insight. I knew I only had a few weeks to prepare an application for the top school so I needed someone who I could trust and count on. Jessica is so prepared, organized, and never misses a deadline. That's what she promised on the call, and she delivered 10x. I ended up applying to the top 3 schools by Round 1 and was accepted to one of them. There is absolutely no doubt in my mind that Jessica was the main reason I received the acceptance. Every step of the process she provided value (even to little details like how many group members I should indicate in the extracurricular group I was part of). Those little things add up and she looks at everything holistically. Jessica got to know me super well and brought up stories to use as examples for short answers that I had forgotten about. She really knows the schools that you're applying to and has the track record to know what has been successful and not. I have already recommended her and mbamission to multiple people because I TRULY believe that you are severely disadvantaged without someone like Jessica. It's worth the investment over and over again. Even if I had not gotten into any school, I know that I would not have had any regrets because I really know that we put together the best package and story that we possibly could have - I think having no regrets is more valuable than anything else.

Thank you so so much again Jessica!!!

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