It was really the initial consultation and the follow-up that sealed the deal for me to work with Square One Prep. In our first conversation, they did not pressure me to sign on with them or to apply right away. Rather, they encouraged me to take a step back, get prepared, and figure out my own timeline for applying to business school. The owner checked in periodically to see where I was with my GMAT studying and general pre-application prep, but never pestered. She really showed that she wanted me to make the right decision to apply on my own terms.

My biggest concern in applying was the seemingly incongruous nature of my past work experiences. I come from a background that included economics/finance education and work in the
telecommunications and mortgage industries and I didn't know where to begin in explaining this.

I signed on with Square One to work with them on my resume, as the owner explained that if my resume wasn't strong, the admissions officers wouldn't make it to my essays and LORs. They then drew out both connections and strengths in my
experiences and truly helped me craft my story. They were very direct with their guidance and edits.

My resume would be nowhere near the quality it is today without their help. The work put in on my resume paid dividends when I wrote my goals essays and when I went to my interviews - as I was able to tell my story with continuity and conviction.

Thank you Square One Prep - with your help I'm now heading to McCombs!

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At first I wondered if Square One Prep, which came recommended by a friend who worked with them the year before and got into HBS, Wharton, and Kellogg, was worth my hard-earned money. In retrospect, working with Square One Prep was invaluable. From my very first conversation with Kathryn, the firm's owner, to my very last, working with them made all the difference for both my applications and my sanity. It was as if SOP shined a flashlight down a dark passageway and then guided me to safety. My anxiety for the daunting and opaque application process disappeared because I knew I was in good hands. It meant a lot due to how much conflicting information is out there on the blogs and forums.
The support I received allowed me to focus on the important things, like being myself rather than second-guessing myself. Kathryn encouraged me to talk about topics that I never would have considered appropriate for b-school applications, but in retrospect I am so happy I did talk about because I now see myself and some experiences in my life very differently, more maturely. I also think that talking about the personal experiences I did helped set me apart from the competition. One topic was particularly difficult to open up about. But Kathryn made me feel comfortable going to places in my head that I didn't even go to with my family or girl friend.
Kathryn was also incredibly accommodating, working around my i) hectic work schedule (that sometimes meant we did calls after midnight) and ii) personal vacation which was unplanned and meant Kathryn had to work with me in a VERY rushed manner upon my return to ensure I made my deadlines. It was hard work, but Square One Prep enabled me to put my best foot forward. In fact, they wouldn't let me do anything less, even if that meant going through ten iterations on an essay or doing a mock interview 2-3 times to make sure I was ready. I should add that I was interviewing when Hurricane Sandy hit the Northeast. When Square One Prep's office and Kathryn's apartment lost power for days (like most of NYC), Kathryn still found places to give me two 2-hour+ mock interviews over the phone so I wouldn't have to do my HBS interview cold. That's dedication.

I am happy to share that, thanks to the help from SOP, I was accepted into two top-5 schools, including my #1 choice, HBS. Even with a lackluster GPA in college and no extracurricular activities since college, I got into my dream school. Money well spent!

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