Nisha was extremely helpful with every step of the process, breaking down what seems to be such a daunting task into digestible steps and pieces. Even knowing that I wanted to pursue an MBA and having a target list of schools, there still was a great deal of guidance and support which only comes from experience that Nisha provided in terms of best practices and strategies. From school selection, to research and brainstorming, to application crafting, to essay writing and editing, and to decision strategies, Nisha was greatly beneficial, and I am very appreciative for her support along the way.

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As a member of an over-represented group (white male in financial services), I found Katy’s keen insight and expertise to be particularly helpful. With only a 720 GMAT (weak on quant) and a 3.7, I would not have been admitted to Kellogg (and potentially Booth!) without Katy’s brilliance. Here’s what I found helpful in list form:
– Right off the bat, Katy helped me figure out what I want from my MBA with our brainstorming sessions
– She helped me create a plan for which schools to apply to and when I would need to execute each step
– Her expertise really shined on the resume and letters of recommendation. These are without a doubt the most overlooked part of every application, and I think she’s the best in the industry at it. None of my friends applying to M7 programs got anywhere near as acute of advice as Katy gave me.
– She knew how every program interviewed and helped me prepare for each interview based on the school’s specific style
– She has an insanely high hit rate on getting clients admitted from waitlists and navigated me through the waitlist process at Kellogg and Booth.
– Her coaching has been paramount as I’ve negotiated for financial aid

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I initially was unsure whether to use an admissions consultant at all. Looking back, I'm so glad I found Katy and decided to work with her through this process -- I couldn't be happier after having been admitted to my two top choice programs, HBS and GSB. Katy truly "got" my story from day 1 and guided me through the entire process to help me put my best foot forward while staying completely true to myself -- and coaching me through a number of broader life and career choices along the way! Highly recommend for everyone, especially for others who may have very busy day jobs -- the resources and experience Katy was able to bring to bear really made the process as smooth and efficient as it could possibly ave been. Could not be happier with Katy and mbaMission.

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I wasn't a very easy case. I'm 36 with a low GPA from a non-feeder school. Melissa still helped me get into a top 10 school and I made the interview round at one H/S/W program and one other M7 program. I can tell you looking at my first essay drafts to the finished product, I would not have gotten in on my own because I wasn't selling myself the right way at all. Melissa helped me shape and develop ideas for essays and helped me decide how to think about these essays in a way that let me be effective.

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Katy was an incredible partner in this process. From the brainstorm document, which was a vital tool in crafting my story, to the essays, Katy was an incredible partner in this process and made it significantly easier to pursue. She was great at providing insight into the process and what to expect, and she was a valuable resource for interview prep and waitlist management. One of the key aspects of this was better understanding where my strengths were and how I could manage any weak points of my application. She was an incredible partner to have, and I am immensely grateful for her help. Signing up was one of the best decisions that I made

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Kate was instrumental in my MBA application journey from start to finish. She was extremely insightful, helpful and resourceful. When I was struggling with GMAT, she suggested various strategies for me to break out of the plateau stage and referred great tutor to help me. When I was brainstorming essay ideas and got stuck in difficult situations, ranging from not having enough ideas to having too many ideas, she was always there and ready to share wisdom and guidance. Kate struck a perfect balance between being an independent consultant and being resourceful.  

Additionally, she was extremely responsive throughout the whole process. Whenever I had a question, she responded right away via email or phone call. Even during the rare days when she took time off, she gave more than adequate advance notice. During this challenging process with hair greying and weight loss effect :), it was so comforting to know that Kate always has my back.

If I were to do this again, I would choose Kate again in a heartbeat. Good luck to everyone looking to embark on this journey! Besides hard work, luck, and support from family and friends, Kate is the other invaluable and critical player to complete your dream team.

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Attending an MBA program was a dream of mine for a couple years before I started working with Kate, and now it’s a reality! I’ve been admitted to multiple T20 US MBA programs, all with merit scholarships.

After a brutal year of studying for the GMAT and consistently scoring poorly, I felt it was even more important to work with a professional when applying to top business schools. I could not make the Round 1 deadline because I did not have a competitive score and didn’t want to risk having to re-apply the following year. For me, it was Round 2 or bust. After my fit call with Kate, I was eager to sign up for the Complete Start-to-Finish package for four schools.

Kate was instrumental in helping me formulate my story, building a strong resume, helping me guide my recommenders, and partnering with me throughout the entire process. As someone who has a very small MBA network and in a field that traditionally does not hire MBAs, I knew I would have tons of questions and Kate is a great sounding board for every and any question I had. As someone applying for the first time, I knew I wanted to do this right and Kate was a great partner and helped me feel confident that the applications I sent out were the best possible.

Having Kate was so important for me because I was still studying for the GMAT when we started working together. I can’t imagine the hours I would have spent mulling over my essays without guidance. Having Kate allowed me to send her drafts and receive fantastic feedback – freeing up time to study. Kate also helped me realize the GMAT was not working for me and pursue the GRE. This was a difficult decision because I had invested SO much time in the GMAT and I desperately wanted to earn a 700+ score, but I took the leap and didn’t look back. The GRE turned out so much better than I expected and I even admitted that the GRE was fun…I guess it’s fun when you do better than you expect!

Another weak aspect of my profile is my work experience. Kate helped me to formulate a story and make sense of my work experience within each organization I worked for and why I jumped from company to company (I had three jobs in the span of 5.5 years). This was helpful in my interview process and I was able to leverage my experience in a meaningful way to avoid being labeled a “job hopper”.

I really appreciate Kate’s dedication to my MBA journey. She often returned my documents well before the required 2-day turnaround time. Since she is on the East Coast and I am on the West Coast, I would always wake up to multiple documents returned and could tackle them first thing in the morning! Kate was strategic in mapping out my application timeline, based on the amount of work needed to complete the application. For example, we started with Duke Fuqua’s application due to the amount of work required. Completing this application took many iterations, but this helped establish a strong foundation to tackle other schools’ applications.

Kate is personable and someone who genuinely wants to help you succeed. I enjoyed chatting with her about current events and even life outside of work/business school! She shared her experiences at Booth, in consulting, and even helped connect me with MBA students in her network at schools I was interested in. All in all, I would highly recommend Kate as an admissions consultant. The application process was so much smoother than I could have imagined and I’m thrilled to be an MBA candidate this Fall!

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I had an excellent experience working with Melissa. From the very beginning, I felt much more comfortable working with Melissa than other consulting firms. I told myself I'd contact two of the major consulting firms for the free half hour phone call, and Melissa came across as someone who really understood my story and believed that I could be successful, whereas the other firm felt very salesy and lacked warmness.

I had some uniqueness in my profile, and Melissa was great in helping me to shape my story and really focus my essays. One of the most important and helpful things that she did was help me to shape the optional essay. Her insight took the original draft from about a 6 to a 10. I couldn't be more pleased with how that turned out and am positive that without her help on the essays I would not have been accepted to the school I'll be attending (Booth).

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Jessica is hands down the best in the business! When beginning my search for the right admissions consultant to work with, my biggest concern was whether the investment would be worth it. After initial consultations with numerous admissions consultants, I still had my doubts. That was until I spoke with Jessica. I knew right away from that initial consultation with Jessica that she was who I wanted to work with. What immediately stood out for me was her genuine passion and excitement to work with me, and that enthusiasm never wavered throughout the application process, from that initial consultation to my acceptance to my dream school!

Jessica’s approach is direct and honest, so you’ll get the best advice and feedback without any sugarcoating. This is the approach you need if you’re aiming for a top school, and it’s amazing how her feedback helped transform my weak first draft essays to powerful and impactful essays that told my story in the best way. Along with this fantastic approach, Jessica has a great background and extensive experience; she’s seen pretty much everything there is to see, so she can give guidance in any scenario. This was especially helpful for me since I was a non-traditional applicant that didn’t have friends or colleagues in my industry I could go to for advice. She always had time for even the silliest of my questions. Most importantly, Jessica was dedicated and committed to my success throughout the entire application journey. It was a big confidence booster for me knowing that she was in my corner to help me navigate through all the stressful and tough challenges that the application process can pose.

I can’t say enough just how incredibly valuable it was working with Jessica. If you’re on the fence about an admissions consultant as I was when I started my application process, do what I did and schedule an initial consultation with Jessica. You’ll quickly see that Jessica is a cut above the rest – she’s truly the best in the business and you won't find someone better that can help you achieve your dreams!

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My plan to apply to a top Biz school started in 2016. It wasn't until last year that I decided to really figure out what it was going to take to get there. A friend recommended I speak to Katy. In our first 30-min conversation I instantly felt Katy's enthusiasm to help others achieve their MBA goals and also her objective and honest feedback to make sure you understood what that would take. I spoke to many other consultants and none gave me confidence like Katy. For the next four months (albeit a short time frame for apps) we worked diligently on polishing my application. Katy took interest in my personal story, guided me when I felt nervous and motivated to approach applying to business school with determination and optimism. I will be attending my dream school now, and this achievement is in part due to the amazing work and dedication of Katy. Gracias!

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