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Product mbaMission School Package
Consultant Jessica Shklar
Jessica was my #1 resource and advocate during the application process. Coming from a non-traditional background was intimidating, as I had no other guidance or friends who had previously applied for MBA programs. Jessica is a wealth of knowledge; from her insights into AdCom to the depth of her essay edits, she guided me every step of the way. Jessica put structure around what can feel like a very daunting process and helped me tell my story in a compelling way. I am thrilled to have gotten into my dream school! I truly could not have gone through this process without her!
Product mbaMission School Package
Consultant Krista Nannery
Pursuing an MBA has been a life-long dream of mine, so I wanted to give it my 110% and work directly with an admissions consultant who could guide me through the process. I had multiple free 30-minute consultations across 6 different companies, but I felt an immediate connection with Krista from our first call. She was extremely kind, lively, and encouraging from the get-go, and I knew she would take the time to understand me on a deeper level.
Even before I paid for the school packages, she was quick to respond to emails and answer any high-level questions about the process/GMAT. To provide context, I had a below-avg GPA and GMAT score, but only wanted to apply to top 5 programs in round 2. While she was realistic in setting expectations with me, Krista was always SUPER encouraging and optimistic -- And she always made it a point to ensure I was putting the best possible application forward. In a process that could be quite stressful, you want to ensure that your consultant is always there for support...and I always felt this support and trust from Krista.
The first part of the process was filling out a brainstorming document about my life, work, projects, and aspirations. While it took me 10-15 hours (and ended up being 35 pages long...more than I knew I could write!), it served as an important element in the application process. Krista took the time to read through the whole document and help me build a well-rounded story. Rather than telling me what to write, Krista ensured that I was the author of my own essays, keeping the applications very authentic...And whenever I felt a roadblock, she would always refer back to the brainstorming doc and suggest stories that would fit well with the essays' themes/questions.
Krista was also great about keeping me on track in the Round 2 process -- She does an amazing job of sending friendly reminder emails and holding me accountable. When I felt stuck on one school's application, she reached out and asked that I send her whatever essays I've written. We then scheduled another brainstorming call to walk through some ideas and best ways to approach the essay topics, which made it much easier.
She set the right cadence for scheduling meetings, returning application drafts, and answering emails. And per the mbaMission policy, she stayed on top of the 2-day turnaround (most times, she was even faster). When I got to the interview stage, she was right there by my side to help me prep with mock interviews. Most questions she asked me during our mock interviews were eventually asked in my actual interviews...I would have been very underprepared if it wasn't for Krista, once again, holding me accountable!
Now, I'm fortunate enough to be fulfilling a childhood dream -- pursuing an MBA at a top program...And I'm thankful to Krista for supporting me along the way. Krista is extremely trustworthy and took a huge interest in learning about my family, life, personal goals and desires. She is truly an amazing friend, and I look forward to staying in touch with her in the future.
I highly recommend Krista as a consultant...she has really been a blessing for me!
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Product mbaMission School Package
Consultant Jessica Shklar
To start, Jessica takes the success of her students as truly truly her own. I was shocked by the amount of dedication and energy she brought to presenting my application in the best light, and I can confidently say she does the same for all her students.
Besides having a profound insight into what admission committees are looking for in an applicant, she made it a point to believe in me and my story, allowing me to be proud of my application, and enabling me to put my best foot forward through the entirety of the process.
I applied to H/S/W. Never in my wildest dreams did I believe I’d get into all three. Words cannot express how grateful I am for Jessica’s help – an “admission’s consultant” sure, but also a special friend and coach! If you get the opportunity to work with Jessica, you will find yourself lucky for having done so and thankful you did.
Product mbaMission School Package
Consultant Jessica Shklar
Jessica was friendly to work with and returned drafts in a timely manner. Would recommend if you are looking for a more structured consultant. Jessica and the mbaMission consultants often work with many clients at any given time and have a process of their own to cycle through drafts and other deliverables. As a result, there is little to no flexibility on deadlines and process standards, but you will be guaranteed to receive feedback by a certain time.
I did appreciate that Jessica would always provide helpful ideas while respecting my decisions to take a different route several times. She was efficient in moving forward rather than debating when time was precious and we had different opinions. As with any process of this nature, expect to take ownership of your work and be realistic even if you are lucky enough to have additional leverage from a consultant.
Product mbaMission School Package
Consultant Jessica Shklar
mbaMission has a collection of resources, templates and guidelines for its consultants. Its a great company because their standardization and databasing makes it so that a consultant that simply follows instructions and pulls on archived resources would likely be quite helpful. Jessica routinely exceeds the expectations set forth in the agreement by responding faster than prescribed, tailoring the already high quality templates to your story, and straight up creating content when it makes sense. Her veteranship in this space is valuable - anecdotes about past clients and wisdom from discussions with other consultants and adcom personnel help significantly. She's talented at synthesizing what she learns about you to help you answer the questions that these applications pose
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Product mbaMission School Package
Consultant Julie-Anne Heafey
A little bit of my background:
Chinese with an engineering degree and working in investment. I decided to apply for an MBA in the US to get more exposure in PE/VC. 720 GMAT, Near perfect GPA.
I could have brainstormed with a local consultant, but I believe that working with a US based consultant is a must so we can craft a story that would catch the eye of a top US school Adcom.
I started my application with another admissions firm 2 years ago, and was finally dinged without interview.
I did not lose hope and decided to have another try the year after. I was struggling between staying with the former firm or test a new one, and contacted mbaMission for a free consultation. Julie-Anne Heafey was strongly recommended to me, and she was willing to review my past application to pinpoint areas of improvement. She pointed out elements that could be presented from another perspective and I directly felt that she could strengthen my application substantially. I bought 3 schools packages and kicked that application journey off.
Julie-Anne was particularly helpful during the story draft stage. As a former consultant, she knew what questions to ask to find the root cause, all the why’s and external factors that led to any decision or accomplishment.
She really wanted me to write the story myself, so she kept introducing new questions to dig deeper.
At the end, I felt that my story was very unique and assisted me to stand out.
As compared to the former firm’s consultants, MBAMission’s consultants are working full-time. Julie-Anne was there, supporting me, and answering quick questions on the spot and it REALLY ease the process as I also have a busy work schedule.
I also submitted application on 2 schools on my own, and was invited to interview at HBS, MIT, Yale, and Booth - was so ecstatic! Remember, I was dinged without interview prior application cycle.
A word on the interview prep:
mbaMission interview guides are updated regularly and tailored to each school, so feel free to download them for free.
Julie-Anne’s support was crucial. I rehearsed couple times before the interview prep session with Julie-Anne, but there was still room for improvement.
As she knew every details of my application - just as an Adcom would for a non-blind interview - she always prepared a list of challenging questions to see how I react. We then reviewed my performance and she provided me insightful feedbacks and ways to sound natural and not scripted.
Finally, Julie-Anne is very resourceful, and by working with mbaMission, you have the support of the entire team as well.
Working with Julie-Anne is one of my best decisions, and thanks to her, I am attending my dream school this fall!!
She helped me make the impossible possible. THANK YOU!!
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Product mbaMission School Package
Consultant Jessica Shklar
Jessica must be one of the best admissions consultants out there. I came to her after an unsuccessful application process, and over the course of the ensuing year, she helped me to drastically improve my admissions story and my application materials to tell it.
Jessica works as a consultant full-time, which I strongly recommend over part-time consultants. Jessica will be your most valuable counsel and sounding board throughout, and she will ensure every word of your application helps to present the most compelling version of yourself. Along the way, she’ll also help you clarify and focus your own goals and plans. Additionally, the mbaMission team has a wealth of resources and knowledge that are available to you. Jessica is a valuable investment and I encourage you to consider working with her on your admissions journey.
Jessica knows the business school scene like the back of her hand and can also help you with joint degree programs too (e.g., MBA/MPP). Her depth and range of expertise will be especially valuable to you. Even if you think you have your plan figured out, you may surprise yourself. When I made a pivot mid-cycle on the type of joint degree program I was pursuing, Jessica was able to pivot with me and continue to guide me. I cannot over-emphasize the value of having an all-around elite consultant to manage through the many twists and turns you could encounter.
From start to finish, Jessica brought me into her world of professional admissions coaching and support. She has an extensive, organized process that sets clear expectations for her and for you and ensures everything gets done on schedule. Your engagement with Jessica begins with a rigorous brainstorming period involving detailed questions to help you gather the stories and experiences that will inform your application, which also helps Jessica really get to know you as a person. Then, you should expect to spend much of your time going back and forth with Jessica on essays. As application deadlines and interviews come up, you’ll have specific instructions to follow in order to ensure you submit a strong overall package and that you are prepared for the next steps. Throughout, Jessica is honest and direct, while still maintaining a comfortable and trusting space for you and her to work together on your grad school undertaking.
Jessica is very knowledgable and passionate about her work — a critical combination that you should demand from an admissions consultant. She is a talented strategist who can walk you through important decisions during your application process, such as recommender choices and more. Jessica even helped me evaluate whether to accept a new job I was offered during my application process. Jessica and her colleagues at mbaMission are a great resource for the latest thinking from admissions committees and accurate news/chatter on relevant developments in the world of admissions. Having access to good counsel and intelligence will only help your applications.
Importantly, Jessica and the mbaMission team do this job full-time…unlike many consultants who do admissions consulting part-time. I strongly encourage you to select a full-time consultant, like Jessica.
For anyone on the fence about whether or not to hire an admissions consultant, I encourage you to consider all the costs that go into graduate school, and that you think about paying for admissions consulting as a (relatively small) part of that overall cost. Hopefully, it will help you get into your top school; if not, at least you won’t have lingering doubts about whether you could’ve done more. Even before receiving my admissions decisions from schools, I was very pleased with Jessica’s efforts because I knew she helped me prepare the best possible version of my application.
If you are considering hiring a consultant to help you apply to grad school, I strongly recommend Jessica — commit to her early, before her spots fill up! She is someone you want on your side. Jessica has been a true partner on my application journey. I will be forever thankful to Jessica for helping me achieve one of my dreams.
Product mbaMission School Package
Consultant Nisha Trivedi
I came into the application process really unsure of my prospects because my background was unorthodox and not easily package-able, I didn't have good recommenders, and it's intimidating for me to talk about why I'm 'unique and amazing.' But as I learned, everyone has a winning story that will get them into business school, and Nisha helped me find and frame that story, and without her I'm sure I would not have gotten into all five schools to which I applied, including my reach schools.
Nisha was an incredible help during the process. She has a finely tuned ear for what makes a winning story in an application, she knows what works and what doesn't. She's also very dedicated and personally invested in your success--she almost always got back to me within 24 hours, and her edits/comments/responses were thorough, thoughtful, and clever. She's also really upbeat and encouraging, which makes the application process relaxed and productive instead of anxiety inducing. Overall, I can't recommend Nisha and mbaMission enough!!!
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Product mbaMission School Package
Consultant Harold Simansky
I only had one month left to write my essay before the application deadline. I was so fortunate to have Harold to go through the process with me. Harold can understand my profile quickly and transform it into a story that appeals to the admission committee of my dream school. Whenever in doubt, I can always arrange a call with Harold and e-mail him. His quick response and accurate answer assure me that I did not waste my time and I was on the right track. The application process can be very stressful. However, there is nothing better to have a mentor, motivator, and friend like Harold who is dedicated to ensuring you have the best version of yourself in the application and get admitted to your dream business school.
Product mbaMission School Package
Consultant Jessica Shklar
Before deciding to work with Jessica, I had free consultations with other admissions consulting firms. I left all these consultations disappointed - they didn't provide any valuable advice and most of the time discouraged me from applying to my dream schools. And then I came across mbamission, and immediately felt a connection to Jessica after reading her bio on their website (and the reviews on gmatclub)
After my initial, 30-min free consultation with her, I was beyond excited to work with her! The packages were way above my budget, but I took the risk of buying a 3-school package and drowning a big chunk of my savings as an international student from an emerging country. However, I'm glad I did it.
Today I can happily say that working with Jessica was the best decision that I've made in a while. She not only helped me gain admission to Wharton, but she also helped me see the worth in myself. I've now also become more skilled at articulating my thoughts as a non-native English speaker, and this has helped me greatly at work too. I've come to know myself much better, am so much more confident. It's all thanks to Jessica - she had confidence in me, and showed me that I had strengths that I wasn't even aware of before.
A few more things - Jessica doesn't sugarcoat anything, but she'll be your biggest supporter. Whatever you dream of - she'll be there to support you and make sure that you put forward the best application possible. I can't recall the times I've sent her emails at awkward times of the day, about random things that I was freaking out, and she was always there to respond! She almost most of the time responds before the 2-day deadline - I haven't met anyone as committed to her job as she is.
I can't recommend her enough to anyone considering working with an admissions consultant. Jessica will always make you feel as if you're her only client, and will be your best friend throughout this tough process!