Using MBA mission, especially Nisha Trivedi, was the best decision I could have possibly made for MBA admissions. She knew exactly the steps needed and what to expect from the entire process. I do not think I could have gotten in without her help. From brainstorming to essay writing to the interview, she kept me informed every step of the way and ensured I was as prepared as possible. She was not only knowledgeable but showed a deep interest in my success. Because of MBA mission, I got into programs far beyond what I ever expected. I am very thankful.

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I had the opportunity to work with Krista after I got rejected for all my target schools using other consulting services. After I started working with her I immediately saw the difference and felt way more confident than a year before.

Krista focused on every detail of my application, even those that I had never considered important. She also kept me track of the timeline which sometimes flybys but more importantly she also gave me a lot of feedback that sometimes other consultants try to sugarcoat but as an applicant is important to be aware of, especially in my case since I come from a usually overrepresented pool (finance). She also made a lot of suggestions that I am sure played a pivotal role in my application.

Now I can happily say that I´ll be attending my dream school (Wharton) and received two other offers from great schools. But I am sure that I would not have done it without Krista´s help. She genuinely cared about my application process and all the high and lows that it represented. I am always going to be grateful to Krista for helping me achive one of my dreams.

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I hesitated using an admissions consultant at first, but I don't know why I did - Jen was a godsend and worth every penny. She supported me every step of the way, got to know me well beyond my resume, and helped me craft a compelling story that maximized every word of every essay and every line of my resume. Jen is helpful, motivating, an expert in all things admissions, and is happy to answer any question about any part of the process (no matter how minor) and review all the millions of iterations of essays with great attention to detail. I couldn't have achieved the results I did without Jen's help, and she got me there way faster and way more efficiently than I would have on my own.

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I started the MBA application process, hiring Jen as my admissions consultant almost exactly a year ago, having no idea what my final list of schools to apply to would be or where I would end up! After a year of self reflection, countless essay drafts, and tons of anxiety in the mean time, I am so happy to be attending one of my top schools (Kellogg) in the fall!
Jen took the time to understand who I am and what I want out of an MBA program and career and helped me learn these things about myself as well. She is great at pulling the most compelling aspects of a candidate out through discovery sessions and helping weave them throughout your application to make a cohesive and compelling story. She knows this industry up and down and is very familiar with how to present an applicant in the most compelling way for each individual school. Many other consultants are very knowledgeable as well; however, what made Jen stand out from all the rest was her supportive and understanding nature. I felt like we were in this together and my success was her success. We had many long conversations about what schools would be the best fit for me versus what schools I was best qualified for as a candidate. We talked about options to improve my application and what parts of myself were most important for me to showcase.
I worked with Jen on a 4 school package and ended up adding on a 5th school. Most of my schools were M7s and I got rejected from a few, with Jen there to support me; however, my Kellogg acceptance made this whole process worth it! In the days leading up to Kellogg releasing their decisions in December 2020, I kept re-reading my application and the Kellogg website and I realized that everything I showcased in my Kellogg application perfectly aligned with what the school was asking for in their essays and in their students values and attributes-- I have no doubt that Jen was instrumental in me crafting an application that reflected the core values of Kellogg and made me stand out as an applicant. Admissions consultants are a big investment, one that I was nervous about but looking back, I am confident that this investment was the key to my success!

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Kate is awesome! Aside from being kind and understanding, she was so helpful and supportive throughout the entire process. With all the different elements, from essays to interviews, Kate was an incredible resource and sounding board who helped alleviate so much stress by breaking up the process into manageable pieces. She gave excellent guidance, kept me on track, and was extremely quick to respond to any questions I had.

Kate really took the time to learn about me and my goals, and she helped me to develop my story in a way that would stand out to the schools I was applying to.

I am very thankful for the support she provided throughout my MBA application journey. I definitely would have felt lost without her help. I would absolutely recommend her as an admissions consultant!

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I suspect many MBA applicants view the admissions consulting business with a fair measure of cynicism. I certainly did. The upfront cost is high, most firms market comparable services at a similar price point, and online reviews are almost uniformly positive. Yet, after my first conversation with Katy Lewis, I immediately realized she would be a valuable partner and advisor. I am now fortunate to also call her a friend.

I write this testimonial as someone who was accepted to Harvard, Stanford, and Wharton in a historically competitive admissions cycle. Even if I did not achieve these incredible outcomes, I would value Katy’s services equally highly. Katy has received dozens of testimonials speaking to her personality, work ethic, dedication, and value for interview preparation. I wholeheartedly agree with these reviews. I now want to highlight some additional facets of Katy’s work that, while less obvious, are perhaps even more important.

Katy’s education and experience seem custom-tailored to her present role. She unites the strategic thinking of a McKinsey consultant with the discerning and critical eye of an attorney. As an HBS alum and former member of the Stanford GSB admission committee, she brings a true depth of understanding to the application process. Moreover, Katy has years of experience working with clients specifically targeting the top three MBA programs in the country. Carefully read the bios of admissions consultants from other firms; buried in a sea of self-congratulatory superlatives you might find one or two relevant substantive experiences. With Katy, every relevant skillset and experience is brought into play. If you are serious about optimizing your chances, why compromise?

Katy demonstrated a sophisticated and enthusiastic understanding of my background and career aspirations. Though we do not share a similar professional background, Katy immediately and intuitively grasped the “narrative arc” uniting my educational and professional experiences. This ability allowed Katy to provide individualized, thoughtful, and nuanced advice specific to my situation. Thus, contrary to prevailing wisdom, Katy advised me to apply in round 2, which proved to be a shrewd (and very beneficial) decision. Any consultant can provide generic advice about the various components of the application (essay, recommenders, employment, etc…) Katy’s value was most evident in those ambiguous situations that ultimately come down to a matter of sound judgment.

Katy was incredibly proactive at all stages of the application process. She volunteered to reach out to my letter writers to provide some insight into the MBA admissions process. As I come from a non-traditional background, my recommenders had never written a letter of recommendation for admission to business school. Understanding the admissions criteria helped my recommenders more effectively communicate their sentiments. Perhaps most importantly, I felt like my own voice, style, and values, and motivations were clearly present in each and every application. At no point did Katy attempt to “package” my unique story into a template.

Returning to my skepticism regarding admissions consultants, I do suspect that in 99% of cases they are ineffectual or downright harmful. Katy Lewis is the other 1%.

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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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