School Package Reviews

I applied to 5 schools in total (HBS, Wharton, Kellogg, Booth and Columbia) and used a 2 schools package.

I really enjoyed working with Debbie, she was incredibly friendly and I feel that she really made the effort to get to know me as a person which came through in the feedback she gave to shape my applications.
There are three specific reasons that I would recommend Debbie:

1. Brainstorming and prioritising stories: With 8 years work experience and many extra curriculars I had so many things that I wanted to say but it was not possible given the tight essay word count. Throughout the brainstorming sessions she was able to distil my stories down to the few that were really impactful while making sure there was minimal overlap of attributes displayed so the schools could still get the 'full picture'. The brainstorming sessions left me with very specific (paragraph by paragrah) content to write.

2. Taking my first ordinary first draft and making it great: I am an Engineer, not a writer, I knew what I wanted to say but could not craft it in an entertaining or persuasive way. I feel that Debbie assisted me most when I sent her a content rich but quite ordinary sounding first draft and it came back, in some cases with more edits than original content, sounding more like an extract from a storybook. It was still my words and content but just sounded a whole lot better.

3. She stuck with drafts long after I was bored with them: I think my CV ended up at version 16, Debbie's attention to detail and discipline forced me to keep polishing my essays and documents to give me the best possible chance of getting an interview.

I received a number of acceptance’s (with scholarships) and decided to matriculate at Wharton.

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Like many others, I also researched a lot before opting for MBA admission consultancy services. I finally selected mbaMission and worked with Angela Guido. The experience has been really good. Throughout the admission process, she was open to all kind of my ideas and experiences which could potentially be part of my application. Whenever I had discussion with her, I found her to be well prepared about my profile and also shared her key insight that how the admission committee see applications and what they look for in the resumes. Though I am not selected to all schools but have received offers from my top options. Working with Angela was not only limited to the application process but I would say that it helped me to realize my own potential as well which I will be better using in my upcoming studies. Many times after getting feedback from her I was able to modify my ideas in more appealing fashion. I would recommend to anyone who wish to give their best shot for admissions in their dream schools !!!

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I had an absolutely amazing experience working with Monica Okrah. With her expertise and guidance, I received admission to HBS and two other premier business schools. Before Monica, the pressure was debilitating. I had just quit my New York City job to work within my family business and to pursue business school. I felt completely overwhelmed with the seemingly complicated MBA application process. The round 2 deadline was 3 months away and I hadn’t looked at a single application, but was still stumbling through a GMAT prep class. I didn’t think that I could salvage the year and meet the deadlines. I was unjustifiably confident in my writing and personal story, so I was merely looking for a comprehensive strategy to efficiently tackle the process, but I received so much more!

I participated in the free consultation with mbaMission and the initial consultant directed me to Monica Okrah. I spoke with Monica and for the first time, I actually believed that my goals were achievable. Not only was she extremely encouraging and optimistic, but Monica was also professional, knowledgeable and candid. Monica knew everything there is to know about the application process including the smallest details that could determine my success or failure. I signed up for the four-schools, all-inclusive package right away. Before we dug into the essays, Monica created a step-by-step game plan that would allow me to create my best product.

As I stated before, I was unjustifiably confident in my ability to market my story. Through many (many) iterations, Monica helped me highlight my experiences and achievements to form comprehensive, unique and focused essays. Thanks to Monica, my entire application including resume, short-answer questions, essays and even recommendations, sent a united message to the admissions committee. After I received interviews to all of my schools, Monica’s rigorous interview prep gave me the confidence to express myself and own my story. Monica knew my story and application better than I did. She was able to highlight potential areas where I needed to have sound responses to relay the right message. As far as application content, interview preparation and process management, Monica provided tremendous value and surpassed every expectation that I had for a MBA consultant. However, it’s her intangible factors that compel me to write this review. Like most applicants, I experienced ups and downs throughout my journey. Because of sub-par scores, I took the GMAT multiple times including just 10 days before the final deadlines. I was burdened by immense pressure and had gaps in my story. Monica was there and she believed in me. She always knew the next strategic move and provided the motivation to take the next step. I ultimately received admission to all of my top choices and I can’t say enough about Monica’s help. She was absolutely instrumental and I would highly recommend her to applicants that want to make their MBA dreams come true.

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I started working with Katy in August of 2014 for the 2014-2015 MBA application cycle. Before reaching out to Katy, I had done very little preparation other than taking the GMAT and truly had no idea what I was getting into to be ready to submit applications in the first and second rounds. Though Katy knew that there was a lot to be done, she made the process as easy as possible, starting with setting realistic goals for my process. I had originally planned to apply to 6 or 7 schools in the first round, and she very wisely advised me that I was setting myself up for failure, leading me to apply to three schools in the first round.

During my application process, Katy simply went above and beyond. She knows all of the programs intimately and was able to put herself in my shoes after I provided her with an in depth profile of my background during my brainstorming process. This allowed me to craft each of my applications to the best extent possible, focusing more on telling my story rather than submitting a generic profile, which was the approach I intended to take before working with Katy. Furthermore, Katy has been on both sides of the table as an MBA applicant and student herself and also as an admissions reader. This allowed her to provide me with a perspective that is truly unmatched. She was much more of a life coach during the process than a “consultant on the clock.” No matter how many drafts or how long it took to get to the absolute best application draft, Katy patiently worked with me throughout the entire process. In addition, Katy made time to work with me on other aspects of my applications besides the essays. She read my entire applications and provided me feedback, worked with my recommenders as if they were a client as well, met with me in person for every interview, and even spoke with my father countless times during the process. I can assure you that most consultants would not go to the level that Katy does for her clients. We also spoke at length about strategy, school choices, and even alternative MBA programs given the challenge I had of convincing schools that I was a compelling candidate, despite my low GMAT score.

After the first round, I was admitted to USC, which was my back up school and waitlisted to my first choice, Stanford. I decided to apply to three more schools over the holiday months and Katy worked with me through all of the applications – even on New Year’s Eve. During this time, I also experienced some irregular requests from Stanford including a request for an additional letter of reference and a phone call from the admissions office. While Katy had never seen these requests before, she helped me strategize and handled them as if they were common occurrences.

Ultimately, I was admitted to Stanford and I give Katy much of the credit. She was a master at navigating the waitlist process – making sure not to be overbearing on the school. She helped me craft the right message in my continued letter of interest and made the suggestions of retaking the GMAT and providing a peer reference. If you are willing to follow Katy’s advice, I simply do not think you can find a better partner in what is a very long and challenging process full of highs and lows. Looking back on the process, I would not have wanted to do it alone and I truly believe I would not have achieved the same outcome without her. When I called her to let her know the news, she was as excited for me as I was. I simply cannot recommend her highly enough.

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Lynn worked with me to apply to three schools, where I knew I was being really ambitious with my target schools. But thanks to Lynn I made it!! I took her help for the complete start to finish packaged and we got cracking on the day one itself. Lynn was very patient and understanding and that’s what comforted me the most. I had realized that I was bit late in the process of applying for R2 admissions, but Lynn made sure I had my cool on and that we gave the best shot to each of the schools we applied to. We spent hours brainstorming to ensure that we had the best available facts to and that my experiences would be weaved seamlessly into the essays I wrote. She ensured I stayed on track and not lose focus with the exhaustive application process. Lynn was not an easy reviewer that each essay I wrote was perfect with just a few changes. There were times where she was not comfortable with the work I had done and asked me to rewrite the entire essays. She knew my strengths and knew that I could do better than what I had been doing. Its due to efforts like these why I really value her advise even now. And when the time came for the interview she again spent hours prepping me up so that I could go to my dream school. I don’t know how I would have made it without the help and guidance provided by her. I have been accepted to Yale SOM and I cannot thank her enough for supporting me to reach to this goal. I will owe her great gratitude the day I walk through the portals of Yale SOM!!

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When I decided to pursue an MBA I knew I would need assistance putting together a competitive package. I was coming from a non-traditional background (higher education administration) with little to no quant experiences in the positions I've held, and a weak GMAT score (sub-600).

I applied to a program to help persons of color gain entry to top business schools and after being dinged by them, I decided to seek out admissions consultants. My method for choosing was quite simple; I called the five most popular companies and scheduled their free 30 minute calls. Given that the costs were fairly similar among companies, I decided to let my "gut" make the choice.

I spoke to Monica during my free call and knew she was who could get me into my target school. I felt at ease during our call, we laughed, and she gave me some sound advice, all before I even committed to mbaMission. This provided me with a level of trust that would be very important over the next several months.

Over several months Monica and I exchanged emails and phone calls. I would be lying if I said that her way of getting you admission ready was easy. There were many assignments that took hours to complete, however at the end of those hours was a solid product. I learned more about myself completing her assignments than I expected. These assignments were the foundation for crafting my story.

The writing process is tough for anyone applying to school. Having Monica, who is a writer by trade, there to guide me (and often times re-direct me) what invaluable. I knew that certain areas in my app were weak (GMAT, gpa, quant skills), but Monica was determined to make sure that my story was clear and left a mark to whoever read it. In addition, Monica prepped me for my admission interview which I believe was a determining factor in my gaining admission. Monica sent out notices regarding her turn-around time so there was no confusion and even returned edits to me over the holiday.

I can say with confidence that my application would not have been given a second look at even my safety schools had I not enlisted the help of Monica and mbaMission. She challenged me to be better, pushed me to think harder, and prepared me to be successful during the application cycle.

Not only did she help me get into my reach school, but I was also given a partial scholarship. I owe her more than she knows.

Best,
Kendall

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I worked with Jessica from October 2014 up until recently, thanks to a friend’s recommendation. Though at the time I wasn’t sure if I would hire a consultant given the price tag, I scheduled a free 30 min call with Jessica to learn more. During that call, it immediately became obvious to me why my friend had recommended Jessica. Having spoken with a few other consultants from other companies, I knew Jessica was the right fit for me. There is no consultant out there who is more professional, dedicated or hardworking than Jessica. I highly recommend working with Jessica if you are considering hiring a consultant.

Jessica is the utmost professional. mbaMission has a 2 day return policy and Jessica often provided feedback well before that deadline. Even during crunch times, Jessica always provided comments in time, helping to keep me in check. Because I worked with Jessica, I felt that I was continuously making progress throughout this process. She kept me moving forward, and more importantly, pushed me to go deeper with my essays and applications. Jessica is also a great editor and writer. Her feedback will help you make sure that no word is wasted and that your essays are as crisp as possible.

Jessica is also direct – which is a great thing considering that this process is often very vague. Jessica won’t beat around the bush. Instead, she will give you her honest opinion and then help find you ways to get you to where you want to be. Moreover, Jessica is always happy to help and answer any question you may have (from something very minor to something more significant).

In the fall, I will be attending a top program with an amazing scholarship, and Jessica definitely played a big part in that. She helped me put my best forward and keep sane throughout this challenging and long process. I cannot recommend Jessica enough. Schedule a call with her today, you will be happy you did so!

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Lynn was critical for me in getting into HBS. The whole process we followed, from brainstorming to storytelling was extremely helpful and useful.

Several steps we made helped me vastly:
1. Brainstorming: Developing a comprehensive brainstorming exercise was extremely useful. In my case, I had already thought about what I wanted to tell in my stories but the brainstorming made me think about many other stories I had not thought of and that I finally used. Lynn asked me multiple questions in order to get into the specifics of my stories and uncover examples that were at the end very relevant.
2. Storytelling: As an international applicant, Lynn was very insightful on giving me tips on how to tell my stories, be specific and give examples. Her constant "show don't tell" policy was extremely valuable in order to make my application stand out.
3. Support: Lynn was very supportive during my application and also pushed me to constantly improve. As the deadline was approaching, she was sincere in her thoughts about my stories and urged me to improve the areas she felt were less strong.

As a conclusion, I would definitely recommend Lynn to anyone looking for a great admissions consultant!

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I signed up for mbaMission about 4 months before my application deadline. At that time, I felt I needed some guidance and expertise on crafting my essays with articulate goals and reasoning. I was paired up with Jen K from mbaMission and absolutely loved working with her. She was extremely patient, supportive, and gave me confidence throughout the application process. She always responded to emails before the turnaround time, and always provided me with detailed and concrete feedback on perfecting my essays. I ended up getting into my top choice school, and I don't think I would have gotten in without Jen's help.

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A former colleague of mine highly recommended Monica at mbaMission, and I'm grateful that he did. Monica worked with me, start-to-finish, on applying to HBS and Columbia for Round 2. She was an incredible resource and support system, and I got into both schools. Here are the areas where Monica was most valuable to my application process:

Essays – Monica spent a lot of time working with me before I ever wrote anything. We had multiple calls to hash out my ideas for individual essays, as well as discuss broader themes or strings to pull my whole application together. This made writing not so painful. And when it came to drafting and revising, Monica went well above and beyond textual editing. She was focused on the important things: themes, general direction, messaging. She frequently re-focused me when my essays drifted from what they needed to achieve.

Other Application Materials - Monica read through and helped me prune all aspects of my written application, including the resume and short answers. She also helped me strategically select, and approach, my recommenders.

Interview Prep – Monica's mock interviews and feedback sessions were excellent. This was particularly helpful for the HBS process. Having spent a lot of time reading my application in full (the way an admissions officer would), and having HBS-specific insight, Monica was able to hone in on the important nuances of my candidacy and ask me the tough questions.

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