School Package Reviews

I applied to two top 5 business schools in 2013. I was flat-out rejected by one and waitlisted then rejected by the other. When I decided to apply again this year, a friend suggested that I work with Angela. My friend had been accepted to his target school and was waiving the mbaMission flag rather fervently. I was initially skeptical. Believing that my rejections in 2013 were born of too ambitious a school choice, I had targeted slightly less prestigious (top 15) schools and did not believe that I needed an admissions consultant to help me gain admission. On the advice of my friend, however, I emailed Angela and scheduled my free, 30-minute consultation call. For those that don't know (I didn't when I started this process), mbaMission offers a free consultation call to assess your candidacy and to explain how a consultant can help you in your application process. I have heard that other admissions consulting firms offer a similar service but I cannot say for certain because I was completely sold on Angela after our first call. The first thing Angela did was convince me to raise my sights. Instead of applying to the slightly less prestigious schools on which I had settled, Angela convinced me to apply to 3 top 5 programs. She helped me to identify that I had been rejected earlier not because of my credentials, but because of the quality of my application. This turned out to be immensely valuable input as I was admitted to 2 of the 3 programs to which I applied.

As I started the process of applying, Angela and I set about crafting a clear and coherent narrative based on my work experience and my goals. Angela's keen sense of storytelling helped me see an arc in my own experiences and her enthusiasm about my accomplishments was inspirational. She also helped me see (and later explain) exactly how an MBA could fit into that arc and what I could do with an MBA after business school. In the initial, preparation phase alone Angela helped me to develop a better sense of what I had accomplished, who I am, and where I am going.

As I moved into the heart of the application process, Angela’s feedback and gentle reminders improved my confidence and efficiency. Knowing that a professional, who had read and reviewed hundreds of admissions essays, was reading and reviewing my work enabled me to write faster and with more confidence in the outcome. I was also able to take greater risks in my essays, short answers, and even in my interview responses because I knew that Angela would intervene if I swerved too far outside of the lines. I have no doubt that taking these risks helped me to create a more interesting application.

After I was offered an interview at 2 of my 3 targeted schools, Angela worked with me to prepare for the interview. Immediately after interview invites were distributed, she conducted a webinar about the interview process and preparation for the interview. The webinar was invaluable in helping me contextualize the interview and begin to establish the outline for my responses. Later, during a mock interview, Angela helped me to refine my answers and the style of my responses so that I was able to convey the points I wanted to convey without sounding over-prepared or canned. Preparing with Angela for my interviews immensely bolstered my confidence and helped me crush both interviews.

The last thing I will say is that working with Angela always felt personal. She took a genuine interest in me and my goals. Her personal touch teased a handful of (what I think were) really good applications out of a candidate who had been completely rejected previously. I can’t overstate how much I recommend her services.

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I'm writing this review in a state of almost euphoria: As I write this, I've been accepted to HBS, Wharton, Booth, and Kellogg MMM. I can very credibly say that I could not be where I am right now if it weren't for Katy.

I know this because I am a reapplicant, so I know that whatever I was doing before simply wasn't enough. Though I'm fundamentally the same person as I was before (plus a few extracurrics and a fun new post at my company), Katy was able to provide insight as to what I was truly looking to get out of business school. That was at the core of every discussion: she was prying and poking to see what actually makes me tick, and what I'm really striving for -- only then could I craft any kind of real, authentic story (which is absolutely essential to demonstrate to the top business schools).

I know that I was expecting an 'essay proof-reading' service, but what I got was absolutely different, and so much better.

In addition to forcing me to take a long, hard look in the mirror (and through my work experience), Katy did things like walking me back from weak essay ideas, helping me reflect on nuanced parts of my work and personal experience, and more importantly lending a steady, objective hand in how I crafted my application.

For instance, I was originally going to focus a large part of my essays on a personal hardship (which I still believe is a huge part of who I am as a person). But Katy asked the tough questions like, "Does this really demonstrate who you are as a leader? Does this show the admissions officer that you'll be a valuable asset in the classroom? Do you think some part of you is trying to pull on emotional strings rather than highlight your professional/personal strengths?" These were questions that were guided, wise, and ultimately extremely important.

Each person applying to school has so many facets of his or her background to choose from when trying to show schools who they really are. Katy is like a guide in the wilderness, though, when it comes to pointing out what's really important (versus what I was building up in my head).

Katy spent hours on the phone with me going through idea after idea until I felt so confident about what I was putting forth.

But even after that, she was there to help me prep for my interviews and for me to bounce ideas off of. Her flexibility was absolutely critical, as I happen to live in a timezone literally a world away. She took calls late at night, as she was grabbing take-out from a restaurant downstairs -- That kind of effort is far well and beyond what I would expect from someone of her stature and expertise.

Finally, and perhaps most importantly, she helped me coach my two recommenders. I asked my mentor and my former manager (with whom I'm great friends) to write my recommendations. That in itself is an extremely daunting task. Katy was full of tips. But what's worse is when one of those recommendations was a bit lackluster: that's a REALLY tough situation, and if Katy weren't there with her sage advice, I may not have asked my recommender to take a much needed second pass at the letter.

Do not expect Katy to write your essays for you. She is here to help you find your own voice, and put it in context of her dozens of years of experience -- she won't be there to take your GMAT, write your essays, write your recommendations, or interview for you.

I went through a quick, admittedly un-comprehensive search when I was looking to meet MBA consultants. Among them, I met with Bhavik from Critical Square, a forgettable person from Stacy Blackman, and finally Katy.

Bhavik was great -- he seemed extremely knowledgable, and was very friendly.

The person from Stacy Blackman called me, spoke with me for 10 minutes, and seemed rushed and hurried throughout the process -- I felt like I was being churned through a monstrous machine.

And finally I spoke with Katy. Not only did we hit it off, it was clear that professionally she is at the top of the game.

What ultimately made me choose to go with Katy (as opposed to the other two consultants) was her experience as a reader for GSB, and her experience at HBS. Those being my top 2 choices, it was a no-brainer (though I'm sure Bhavik would have also done a great job!). That type of experience is irreplaceable, and absolutely comes into play.

If I were to summarize, for anyone reading this, I think hiring someone like Katy is only the cherry on top of: Demonstrated leadership, success at your job, and a great GMAT score. I seriously doubt that without those three things, hiring Katy will make a lick of difference when it comes to getting into your dream school.

But I do think that having a resource like Katy to lean on during the process is the difference between going to a top 15-30 school to a top 5 school. I truly truly believe that.

Thank you, Katy!

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Originally I was pretty set on not paying for an admissions consultant. I had done a lot of research on schools, had a good career goals story and am a strong writer. But a couple of top B-school graduates I respect told me I wouldn't regret hiring one.

So I did a few free 30 minute consultations, and when I spoke with Melissa (Blakeslee) at mbaMission, I was immediately impressed. Besides her credentials (graduated from Kellogg, director of admissions at Rice), she quickly grasped what I was looking for in an MBA program and in a consultant, and we built rapport quickly. I really enjoyed telling her my story, both professional and personal, and getting her guidance on what would make the most compelling material in essays. After discussion with Melissa, I changed two of my essay topics, and I'm so glad I did because the examples I ended up using were more concrete and interesting. Her essay edits were incisive and kicked me in butt a couple of times, but hey, that's what I was paying her the big $$$ for.

Additionally, Melissa was a great resource to talk to for career and MBA program advice. She has an insiders' perspective on comparing Tier 1 to Tier 2 schools, understands the regional differences for recruiting and gave me non-biased, motivating advice on where to go after my acceptance letters came in (i.e. it wasn't just "go to the best ranked school you get into, period")

In the end I was accepted to Kellogg w/o $, Darden w/$$, Rice w/$$$ and got dinged at Harvard. Do I think I could have gotten into these schools w/o Melissa? Possibly, yes. Do I think my odds went way up because my essays were way stronger? Yes. Do I think I was able to make a more confident final decision on where to go (Darden) because of Melissa's advice ? Absolutely. She was responsive, met every expectation and is a highly intelligent, authentic person who gives straight answers. 5 stars all-around.

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Ok, so I cannot overstate how much I recommend mbaMission for anybody seriously applying to top MBA programs. I eventually got into Harvard Business School with below-average numbers, but even during the application process I was telling everybody I knew that mbaMission was a MUST-do if you're serious about business school and can afford it (not cheap). Also, the Start-to-Finish package is the way to go 100% - and probably cheaper than the other options in the long run. Trust me, I broke this down and probably spent 2-3x less than I would have with the hourly rate. You have no idea how much you will reach out to your consultant, and you will thank yourself many times over for biting the bullet in the beginning. My consultant was John Sisk, and he was fantastic. I chose him because I knew I would struggle with telling "my story" and John seemed to be strong in that category. He led me through the process in a clear, honest, productive, and efficient way that was ultimately very successful and enjoyable. I was no-doubt stressed during the process, but that's just part of it. John took the stress WAY down for me and he was my partner in crime during the entire process. My expectations were exceeded at every level (from essay editing, to resume crafting, to strategies visiting campuses) and I can't recommend mbaMission or John Sisk enough. EVEN IF I had not been accepted to ANY of my schools (Stanford, HBS, Sloan, Haas, Anderson) I would have been 100% glad I used mbaMission.

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After hearing glowing reviews from a fellow college alumni, I signed up for Dan’s help with three applications. I had done a lot of research on business schools and thought I had a strong grasp on which programs would be best for my post-MBA goals. However, my free 30 minute consultation with Dan made me quickly realize I needed to give it more thought; it also solidified Dan was the right person to guide me through the process.

If you are considering working with a consultant, I highly recommend Dan for three reasons:

1. He will push you to achieve your best application

We went through multiple rounds of essay and resume drafts. While the changes between drafts seemed small, the difference between the first and final versions was night and day. By asking detailed follow-up questions, Dan helped me cut through “the noise” and highlight my biggest accomplishments.

2. Dan is a seasoned professional

I was blown away by his knowledge of the various programs. Dan spoke at length about the pros/cons of several schools, ultimately helping me strategize on which ones would be the best fit. His knowledge also helped me craft my story to align with a niche industry, even though my professional experience in the area was limited. There is no doubt, Dan is a b-school guru.

3. You will have a real partner who wants you to succeed

Dan provided priceless insight into even my most basic application questions. He also guided me through vital decisions, such as retaking standardize testing. Dan and I tackled every aspect of the application together, making the process that much simpler.

Choosing to enlist Dan’s help was perhaps the best decision I made in the application process. I’m happy to say that all of the hard work paid off, as I was accepted by my top choice.

I wish you luck in your business school journey.

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I worked with Dan Richards on 3 school applications (CBS/Wharton/Fuqua) - CBS was my top choice and I was ultimately accepted ED.

Dan was instrumental in helping with the brainstorming/editing process. He is not afraid to be frank or push you on points where you can improve. It was also especially helpful that he went to my top choice and was able to provide detailed knowledge. I would say the mbaMission brainstorming method seems a bit daunting and time-consuming at first, but trust the method since your advisor (esp. Dan) has seen it work time and time again. It feels like a lot of upfront work even though you might instinctively want to jump straight into writing - take the pause to brainstorm with your adviser first - it's worth it. Beyond assisting with essays, your advisor will also prepare with you for mock interviews - Dan was very flexible about when we could jump on the phone to do these, and it was helpful to get into the interview mindset to see how you would perform (and how you could improve) for the real interview.

Definitely exceeded my expectations and would recommend Dan for help with applications to any top school.

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When I first started considering working with an admissions consultant, people around me warned me that my consultant will persuade me to apply to safe schools only because they care so much about their own track records. But my experience with Angela was exactly the opposite.

I got admitted to my dream school, but ended up not going, because Angela helped me get into an even better one. It's not like I was only aiming for the safe options. My GMAT, GPA, work experience is all below my school average. It's only because Angela gave me the confidence to go for it that I ended up getting into this school.

Angela is not in it for herself. She genuinely cares for your success. That's why she will push you to aim higher, work with crazy deadlines and still make sure you have the best outcome, and remember the tiniest details about you that even you yourself don't remember.

She will keep you grounded through the crazy process and keep you focused.

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I decided to hire a consultant because writing was my weakness (I had done poorly in some classes in college due to my inability to complete decent enough papers on time). On top of that I was also hoping to apply to 7 schools with only 2 months left till the Round 2 application deadlines, so I was looking to add some structure to the process that would help me avoid feeling overwhelmed. I bought a two-school package and selected the toughest applications from those 7 for Monica. Here are all the ways in which she helped me:

1) Monica helped me structure the writing process. She explained the number of drafts i would need to go through to write good essays, as well as how much time she needs to get her comments and edits back to me. I planned my essay writing around that, leaving enough time for multiple drafts before the deadline. The number of drafts is not limited by mbaMission so while some essays i finished in just 3-4 drafts, other essays took me 7-8 drafts! Realizing that i would go through so many drafts lowered my stress about the first few drafts - they did not need to be perfect. I knew i just had to put some thoughts on paper and move forward in baby steps. In the end, I had some seriously good essays!

2) Monica helped me move forward when I was stuck. A few essay topics (I am looking at you, MIT Sloan!) were really confusing and hard to relate to my own experience. I felt stuck, but I knew that I had to quickly find a way to proceed in order to complete the applications by the deadline. Monica helped me think through some ideas and find themes to my essays that could relate to my experience. At other times she suggested how to re-structure my story to make it more interesting to read.

3) Monica helped me improve my essays by asking me very good questions about the details of my stories. When i expanded on some of those details, my stories came to life.

4) Monica provided moral support and for me this was the most important part! A few times during the process i panicked and doubted myself. I thought that i should apply to some lower ranked schools instead of the top schools i was targeting. I had some flaws in my background (a lower GPA, and no brand name employment). Monica told me that it was OK, and that I did not have to be perfect to make it into a top school!!! She praised my unique accomplishments since undergrad, and assured that admissions could forgive a few mistakes if the rest of the application is solid. She helped me write the optional essay to explain the circumstances. Her kindness helped me move forward.

From the beginning my own application strategy was clear to me - I knew what in my background I wanted to highlight, and what i needed to explain in my applications.
Of course I knew my stories better than Monica or anyone else, so my best essays were the ones for which I had my own creative idea. I worked with Monica on telling this story better and became a much better writer throughout the process. Just learning from Monica how to write and tell my story was worth the money. I learned more from working with Monica than in all my college writing classes!!!

I mostly used the same essays that i worked on with Monica for all schools, (adjusting them slightly to school specifics). I applied to 7 top schools, interviewed at 5 and got accepted at 3. I am starting at my dream M7 school in the fall.

Overall Monica was AMAZING to work with and I am very grateful for her hard work and for her kindness. I highly recommend her! She will be your biggest cheerleader!!!!

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I read every review on GMATClub prior to deciding on an admissions consulting service, and therefore, I feel obliged to give back my share.

HBS was my dream school but without much resource or friends attending the school, I knew I needed some support. I signed up for comprehensive school packages with Monica Okrah.

I had a lot of doubts about timing of my application, story plots and most importantly, I lacked confidence. With her extensive experience with HBS admissions, Monica answered all my nitpicking questions, which really helped to calm my nerves and stay focused. Monica was instrumental in all parts of application but particularly stood out in the following three:

1) Letters of recommendations: Both of my recommenders didn’t have much (if at all) experience writing letters of rec for MBA admissions. MBA Mission’s templates really helped to guide and prep my recommenders. Monica provided directional feedbacks, which were especially critical for my recommenders and pushed them to provide deeper reflections.

2) Essay: Ultimately, I was in full charge of my own stories but Monica was a great sounding board and steered me to the right direction. I applied to two schools and first worked on the HBS essay. After about 4 draft exchanges with Monica, I started on essays for the other school and suddenly felt the urge to change my HBS essay similar to the second school essay. I’m really glad Monica stopped me from trapping myself in the wrong path. It took about 7 exchanges until we marked the HBS essay final. When I re-read my essay, I feel it truly represents who I am and I wouldn’t have made it without Monica’s guidance.

3) Mock interview: I would recommend working with Monica for interviews (especially HBS), even if you don’t work with her on the application. Her interview preparation was remarkable. We had our mock interview two weeks prior to the real one. We did 45 minutes interview with set of questions Monica prepared unique to my profile. After, we went through each question one-by-one discussing ways to improve and she gave couple extra questions to chew on. She also helped to answer my questions for the post interview reflection so there are no surprises!

With undergrad degree in business, MBA was a natural next-step. Monica and MBAMissions was the best investment I made to help me get admissions to my dream school. Wishing everyone best luck.

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I am very lucky to have Angela Guido as my LBS application consultant. I applied LBS in round 3 with a very tight timetable, but got admitted with a scholarship fully covering first year tuition. Without Angela's strong help, sincere encouragement and infectious enthusiasm, I could never achieve that.

Angela was very engaged in my whole application process. She is more like a friend and mentor, who genuinely wanted me to have the best and spared no efforts to help me to attain that.

Angela is very very nice yet never hesitated to give me candid and honest feedback. I applied for two other schools in round 2 before working with Angela and got no interview invitations then. I wanted MBA this year very much and began to be a bit panic but didn't know what was going wrong in those applications until my thirty minutes free consultation with Angela. She listened to my previous application strategy carefully and pointed out that my weakness in career planning (Angela is also career consultant at mbaMission and gave me constructive feedback and advices on how to leverage my past experience to break into a new industry and then finally achieve my LT goals. She did that with solid placement statistics, broad knowledge in various industry and quick but sound analysis of my specific case).

Among other things, I especially appreciate Angela in below areas:

1. Her insights. I didn't find my edge during my previous applications, and thus while my applications had a complete and cohesive story, I cannot be remembered by adcom with a simple statement. But Angela helped me find my competitive advantage (balanced creative and logic capabilities) in our brainstorm stage after I complete a long list of questions. I really appreciate that because to me, MBA is not just about school application, but also self-reflection and self-exploration. Angela is so smart and experienced that she easily identified my strongest areas and I feel like she knows me for a long time and knows me better than myself.

2. Her encouragement. Essay writing and editing is a long and exhausting process. Sometimes I struggled to find the right angle to tell the story, while other times, I was not satisfied with what I wrote or had no idea about how to further improve it. Angela gave very specific comments about how to improve and she can always find my shining point or good paragraphs to cheer me up. It is extremely important when I was frustrated because of the time constrain. Angela believed in me which gave me a lot of confidence and inspired me to find something important of my experience I neglected previously.

3. Her knowledge. Angela really knows what makes a great essay and how to have your essay be remembered by adcom. After selecting the most impactful stories to tell, as an experience screenwriter, Angela taught me a lot on how to develop a story, how to make it more personal and how to convey the passion between lines. It is super helpful not only in terms of mba application, but also writing and presentation in general and to master the technique of storytelling really has a lifelong benefit. Besides, her golden advice of interview really helped me excel in two interviews.

4. Her dedication. Angela worked very hard to help me on my essays, letter of recommendations, short questions, resumes and scholarship essays. Personally, I am not very disciplined. However, I faced a very tight timeline. Angela helped me come out a feasible timetable and structured the whole application process which forced me to work in a very efficient manner. Angela was there for me during the entire process which really beyond her job descriptions - I greatly appreciate her advice on scholarship bargaining, school decision, career development and arts (my interest) around school.

Together with Angela, I achieved something marvellous that I could not achieve otherwise. I am beyond thankful!

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