Square One Prep Admissions Consulting Reviews

Kathryn, Kathleen, Wendy and team have been phenomenal in supporting me through my MBA journey. I still remember my first call with Kathryn back in 2020 when I was first exploring pursuing an MBA – it has been an extremely fulfilling journey from then to today, having received 2 MBA admits from my dream schools. Throughout this process, Kathleen, my first point of contact, ensured I was comfortable with the pace of my applications. Kathleen and Wendy pushed me to think critically about my post-MBA goals. The team helped me bring out extremely unique aspects within my application that I would not have otherwise been able to do on my own. Lastly, the team always went above and beyond to support me during this process – be it early morning/late night calls, quick turnaround for review of essays, reviewing additional elements beyond essays or moral support every time I questioned my own abilities. Even now that I’ve secured my admit, Kathryn has been extremely graceful in guiding me as I decide between schools. All in all, you can’t go wrong with Square One Prep! 😊

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Happy to report that I have been accepted to the MBA programs at Oxford SBS, Cambridge Judge, and INSEAD! I got rejected by LBS - which Kathryn let me know was the school that I was least likely to obtain acceptance for ahead of time. She’s a pro!

Kathryn was referred to me by a Haas MBA grad who attributed a significant amount of secured scholarship to Kathryn’s insights. I’m so glad she was!

I couldn't have had as competitive of an application without them! Their direction and timely guidance was super valuable, all with the attention and care of a close confident. 

I am so thankful that I chose to work with SOP!

From the first minutes on the free consultation, I knew that Kathryn was 100% passionate about supporting applicants achieve their goals.
Shout out to Collin, my direct consultant, and Horatiu for their support!

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A couple of my friends had previously collaborated with Square One and successfully gained admission to their dream colleges. Their glowing recommendations led me to engage with her for my own applications. From our initial conversation onwards, it was clear that Kathryn's expertise was invaluable. Because I did premium service, she guided me through the entire application journey. Initially intending to apply to two schools, I later decided to pursue a third option. Despite this last-minute addition, Kathryn and her team ensured that we met all deadlines promptly. Working closely with Horatiu, my career narrative expert, and Wilson, my advisor, was an absolute pleasure. Thanks to Kathryn and Wilson's dedicated support, I secured admission to all three schools I applied to. The process was not just about gaining acceptance but also about reflecting on my career journey and appreciating my progress. Kathryn and her team transformed what could have been a stressful experience into a fulfilling and exciting opportunity. Without their expertise and guidance, this achievement would not have been possible.

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I could already feel the attentiveness and guidance that would characterize my entire experience working with Square One from my first phone call with Kathryn. When I decided to engage a consultant, I spent almost 2 hours on the phone with Kathryn, who drilled down beyond the usual surface-level chat in a preliminary call, and spent a lot of time to hear out my goals, ambitions, and desires while being honest and realistic.

I loved the Square One approach of having a full team as a multi-layer review on every piece of work that we developed. The structure, that initially may seem daunting, is all deliberate and sets you up for success. I was certainly challenged by some of the deliverables, such as the career narrative, but it paid dividends as I got into application work, and in interviews.

I worked with Allison, who I cannot say enough amazing things about. After giving my life story, of both ups and downs, we developed a framework of my unique perspectives and traits that could serve as potential essay topics. This framework, along with the career narrative all fed into the essay work, which ended up becoming much easier than I had thought possible. Allison and Kathryn gave me wonderful feedback that resulted in introspective essays I am extremely proud of. I simply would not have been able to get to this point by myself. Allison was incredibly attentive, and always had thoughtful feedback on my work in a very timely manner. She also helped me prepare for interviews with rigorous mocks that helped me figure out how to effectively convey my message. And generally, whenever I had questions, Allison was easily reachable and responsive to address any and all of my (many) questions.

The Square One team also truly has your best interests at heart. They suggested specific schools to be done comprehensively or hourly depending on the overlap and cost-effectiveness of each application.

Beyond the applications themselves, Square One taught me how to bring the best of myself and how to think about how to represent yourself and highlight your most meaningful qualities. I was kept accountable, received support, feedback, and wisdom. I am so happy that I worked with Allison, Kathryn, Cristina, Wendy, and the full Square One team on my applications. I had the support of so many wonderful experts that are invested in my success.

I’m delighted to say that the process paid off with the added bonus of meaningful scholarship, which was never in my wildest dreams!

But my story doesn’t end there. After applying to all my selected schools, I found myself waitlisted at two schools. Allison and Kathryn heard me out on my desire to convert these waitlists to admits and came up with a plan. Just because I had already received admits did not mean that Square One rested on their laurels and moved on to the next client. We developed how to effectively provide meaningful updates to the programs and Allison and Kathryn helped me convert an M7 admit! Just writing this brings such a huge smile to my face!

I’m so delighted to start the next chapter of my life and look forward to matriculating in the fall!

I was so convinced that Square One is the ideal consultancy to work with, I referred friends while still going through the application process. Like me, they have been very successful in their own processes, securing admits AND scholarships too!! I have and will continue to recommend Square One without a doubt to anyone who is committed to applying to business school. Like the Square One website says, “take a deep breath and relax,” you’re in great hands!

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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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