As someone from a non-traditional background applying to top MBA programs, I am confident that working with Square One Prep (S1P) has been integral to my Round 1 application success. I first connected with Kathryn approximately 8-9 months prior to the R1 deadlines. We had several phone calls in the lead-up to my decision to commit to S1P. During these calls, she was incredibly transparent and encouraging, dedicating a significant amount of time and effort.

After speaking with a few consultants at S1P, I committed to the program and chose Kelsey as my consultant, about 3.5 months before the R1 deadlines. I decided to work with Kelsey because of her energy and dedication to my success. Working with her was truly incredible; she was my champion, sounding board, and editor all rolled into one.

The process of completing the applications with S1P was very structured, which helped me avoid feeling stressed or overwhelmed. It was an essential support system, and I could not have completed eight strong applications for R1 without S1P's assistance.

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After speaking with nearly 20 consultants, I instantly knew that Square One Prep (SOP) was the right choice for me. From my first conversation with Kathryn to finally deciding on which consultant I wanted to work with at SOP, the whole process stood out as unique and not something competitors could offer.

I was particularly attracted to the collaborative way SOP operates, you are not working with an individual, you are pulling on the collective expertises of a team. There was no hard sell and when I ultimately decided to postpone my application to the following year, the whole SOP team including Kathryn and Alessandro (my consultant) continually checked in on me to ensure I was doing well.

One of the truly unique parts of the experience is that I had my own career narrative coach who helped me to think introspectively to work out what I really wanted to do long-term but most importantly chart out the path to get there. This was a long but insightful process and set me up to efficiently tackle all of my goals essays, and gave me a cogent responses to “why MBA”, “why now” and “what are your short/long term goals”.

With each essay, video essay and interview, I worked with Alessandro to hone in on the specific topics to delve into and with both Kathryn’s and Alessandro’s review, each essay improved considerably between the first and final draft.

Overall, SOP strengthened my application! Applying as an ORM with a below average GRE score, I am sure I only received two M7 offers due to the help and guidance from Alessandro and Kathryn.

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After a recommendation from a friend, I sought out SOP to help me find the best way to share my story in my applications. SOP far exceeded my expectations. Working with Kathryn and Horatiu to build my career narrative and goals was critical to my essays and interviews. The career narrative not only helped my applications but will be valuable in shaping my priorities as I start school this fall.

Kathryn went above and beyond with her time and attention to hear my story and answer all question that came her way. She spent countless hours reviewing, providing feedback, and hopping on numerous calls. I can’t stress enough how valuable and thoughtful Kathryn’s expertise was to my applications and the entire process.

Kathryn is deeply empathetic and pushes you to introspect to get to the root of your story. At the same time, she gives straightforward and honest guidance to bring your applications to the next level. Through our conversations, Kathryn parsed out the multifaceted parts of my story (in ways I didn’t even realize!) and uncovered the unique experiences I brought to the table. This level of detail and understanding only comes through the significant amount of time Kathryn devotes to getting to know you.

This ultimately culminated in building a multidimensional and cohesive story in my applications that attracted top programs and a scholarship! I am incredibly grateful for Kathryn’s expert guidance, and I could not have done it without her!

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Words can’t truly express how grateful I am to Kathryn, Anna-Lali Tsilidou (my advisor) & the rest of the SOP team. Applying to top MBA programs is tough work. It doesn’t only require great grades/extracurriculars/experience but also persistence, belief, and teamwork. That’s why SOP was the clear choice for me. After speaking with countless business school consultants (including titans of industry), nothing rivaled that hour-long conversation with Kathryn. She was honest, sincere, and extremely easy to talk to! Coupled with the well-structured and team-oriented approach at SOP, I immediately decided to partner with them.

SOP went above and beyond in helping me ace the key aspects of the application including developing a career narrative, brainstorming & building essays, strategizing test prep, and preparing for interviews. Equally important, I always had a strong, supportive team behind me that I could rely on and trust. That was very critical for me, especially during tough times. Without the SOP’s team support, counsel, and tough love, it would have been much harder to continue pushing further and ultimately secure offers from top MBA programs. I truly felt that the SOP team was deeply invested in my success. That’s what makes them unique – they were not only great advisors but also true partners.

And lastly, I can’t conclude without speaking about my advisor, hero, and friend Anna-Lali Tsilidou! Not being dramatic but deciding to work with Anna was one of my best life decisions! We immediately connected from our first meeting; working with her was a joy, she made an otherwise daunting process - applying to business school – extremely fun! Together, we’ve built a series of business school applications that I’m extremely proud of – it was a very rewarding experience.

I speak highly of Kathryn, Anna & SOP not only because they helped me achieve one of my life goals but also because I want the same success for my colleagues, friends, and anyone thinking about applying to business schools!

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I don’t often write reviews, but today I am delighted to share my positive experience with Square One Prep as a successful Kellogg and INSEAD admit, crowned with a cherry-on-top scholarship award. My journey with SOP began a year before embarking my MBA applications. In fact, it all started with a recommendation from a close friend who had also secured admission to Kellogg with Kathryn’s guidance.

In our first meeting, I shared with Kathryn my aspirations and the early stage of my MBA application process, set for the following year. Despite the early stage, I sought candid feedback on my profile for the upcoming applications. Our intro discussion covered school choices, work experience, and my GMAT score. Immediately, I sensed that Kathryn was genuinely interested in my project rather than merely pushing me to sign up for her consulting services. Kathryn not only encouraged me to retake the GMAT to improve my chances but also provided follow-up support, even recommending a GMAT tutor – impressive considering I wasn’t yet an official client.

My decision to work with SOP was solidified, and a year later I signed up for the Premium-Need Based package, partnering with Amalia. Amalia’s availability, essay edits, and transparent communication stood out. Even when additional time was required, she informed me promptly, and throughout her edits I noticed a commitment to providing thoughtful and well-crafted feedback. I also worked with Horatiu to craft a robust career plan that would serve as the cornerstone of my applications. Horatiu was flexible in scheduling meetings at my convenience and shared thought-provoking ideas to build a career narrative that was aligned with my life goals. During my presentation of the career plan draft to Kathryn, her candid feedback was clear—she wasn't convinced. While this feedback was initially challenging to absorb, it prompted a collaborative effort with Horatiu to refine and develop a more compelling career plan. Looking back, I recognize that Kathryn's honesty was in my best interest, even though it meant hearing something I wasn't eager to accept at the moment.

As admission interviews approached, Amalia went above and beyond, organizing practice interviews and offering suggestions on creating engaging conversations with the admissions committee. As a persistent client, I requested multiple interview preps, and Amalia navigated the fine line between preparation and sounding rehearsed. Her inclusion of curveball questions proved invaluable, making the actual interviews feel like a breeze.

The most important lessons from my experience with SOP lies in the authenticity, transparency, and occasional vulnerability required in crafting compelling MBA applications. This process demands introspection and dedication from both the applicant and the consultant. It is a process that is time consuming, not straightforward, and your consultant must be genuinely interested in you. I feel that SOP has that advantage, and Kathryn’s passion about this is notable from miles away. If I had to repeat MBA applications a million times, I would do it with SOP with my eyes closed.

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Since I signed up with Square One, I have received great support and partnership in my MBA application journey! I started working with the team within two months of R1 deadlines, and the whole team, Kathryn, Allison, Cristina and Horatiu, crafted a workable timeline, consistently held me accountable for all of my applications as well as pushed me to challenge myself in terms of content for my application materials. As a result, we put together five applications in this short time period!

I have appreciated Allison's direct communication method and her honest feedback. I valued her and Kathryn's honest approach about why you are applying, finding meaningful anecdotes to discuss on applications, as well as helping me figure out any unexpected changes along the way. There were times during the application, for example one of my video essays, where I thought my video was good enough, but Allison and Cristina pushed me to keep working and submit my best work product. The interview process can also be emotionally draining and fatiguing but Allison encouraged me to stay positive.

I am happy that I chose SOP as in retrospect, there were so many moving pieces over the course of many months. It truly felt like a marathon and I could not have achieved my outcome without the consistent push and support from the SOP team! I am happy to have gotten into many of the schools I applied to and some with very generous scholarships!

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I chose Allison at SquareOne for my reapplication to HBS as I was not particularly satisfied with my previous consultant from another top-rated firm when I applied a couple years prior. The difference was night and day, I have no doubt Allison played a key role in getting accepted to two of my target schools, HBS and Wharton! While previously I was one of thousands of clients (each file had to be named in a special way, consultant was available only at specific times, feedback felt generic), with SquareOne it felt far more personal. Allison was always available, and super helpful. For example in drafting the HBS essay, I struggled with picking between a couple of concepts and she was immediately available for a call to give me guidance and principles on which I should chose my topic. The highlight for me was the choreographed preparation of the post-interview reflection for HBS. I received an hourly schedule ahead of time of exactly how we go from me finishing my interview, through rounds of edits, to the final product in less than 12 hours. The support gave me confidence even heading into the interview.

One other aspect of SquareOne I would point out as uniquely cool is the career narrative. I haven't seen this anywhere else and initially thought we were wasting time spending days working on a document explaining my career vision when this was not a deliverable for any school. However, I ended up going back to this document regularly when building my applications for all 4 schools to which I applied. It gave me a framework for what my story is, and forced me to develop a clear idea of what I want to do post-MBA such that I could confidently talk about it in essays and interviews.

Last but not least, it was super helpful to have drafts go for an additional review with Kathryn. Getting a fresh set of eyes on the materials helped us catch some gaps in the story multiple times, and her insight was super useful. I particularly appreciated her openness to challenge ideas which she believed weren't right, that way forcing us to rethink some parts of the materials to make them work better.

The whole team were great and I can't recommend them enough!!

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I was in a tough spot with work and wanted to get an MBA to pivot my career. I interviewed with many other well-known consulting firms, but was blown away by Kathryn's attentiveness and interest in my narrative from the get-go. Crafting my application narrative required a number of iterations since my background was complicated, but the team was incredibly patient and supportive. The large bank of work from previous students was a huge help, since I could see what worked for other students that were accepted into top programs. In the end, I was admitted into programs I thought were a long shot thanks to the team at SOP. I highly recommend their services to anyone 100% committed to getting an MBA!

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Working with Kathryn and the Square One Prep team helped me get into my dream school. The team, especially Leila, played a crucial role in the application processs. Leila was a huge help as I worked on crafting my essays and, thanks to the many calls, emails and texts we shared, I felt that my my final essays presented a holistic picture of myself, blending personal and professional experiences seamlessly. SOP’s team-based approach, leadership reviews, round-the-clock availability and dedicated advisors make their service a standout. I recommend SOP for anyone serious about applying to a competitive MBA program. Thanks SOP!

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I worked with Square One for my reapplication and they completely changed the way I built the application. Their strategic and thorough process helped me understand the application holistically, and they ultimately ensured that my applications showed the best version of myself. The whole team at SOP was extremely diligent and they demonstrated that they cared for my application, while always being sincere and managing my expectations. Through a lot of hard work, sleepless nights, and lengthy calls, I ultimately was admitted and am attending the Wharton MBA. I couldn’t be more excited and grateful for the work we put in!

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