I had worked with several different consultants who told me that my GRE score was too low to even apply to my desired schools. Kathryn and her team not only helped to build up my confidence to consider applying and improve my GRE score, they coached me through a highly organized action plan to set me up for success. Kathryn made herself available to me 24/7 to walk through any questions or concerns, and continued to fill me with positivity helping me realize my goals were within reach. They helped me feel confident throughout a rigorous process. I would recommend her a million times over.

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If you’re reading this then you’re likely in the same shoes I was in 5 months ago, wondering if you should partner with a consultant for your business school applications when you think you’re capable of going it alone.

Flashing forward 5 months, I was just accepted to my top school - HBS - and genuinely feel that I wouldn’t have even gotten an interview, let alone accepted, had I not partnered with Square One Prep.

I naturally did a lot of research on admissions consultants before partnering with Square One Prep, and each call only reinforced the doubt I had about hiring a consultant in the first place. I knew I was capable of getting into HBS, but most companies pushed me to apply to a lower ranked school so that I wouldn’t affect their lofty “success rate” if I didn’t get in.

Not Kathryn.

When I told Kathryn that I was looking for help with my HBS application, she didn’t try to talk me into applying to a lesser school. Kathryn knows better than anybody that getting into HBS is a long shot, but she gave me an honest assessment of how I could best maximize my odds. As you’ll learn very quickly, Kathryn is brutally honest with you about every aspect of your candidacy. But in this process, you need someone like Kathryn who is simultaneously honest about the odds of succeeding yet willing to roll up her sleeves to take on the challenge.

Simply saying that S1P edited essays or conducted mock interviews undersells their services, because as ridiculous as I’m sure this sounds, I felt like I discovered the best version of myself in working with them. After having gone through the process, I truly believe that the key to getting accepted to a top school is to convey the ambitious and interesting path that you’re heading toward in the future and make each school want to be a part of your journey. The hard part of the process is discovering what that path actually is, which requires deep reflection on what makes you tick and what mark you’d like to leave on the world. These conversations felt deeply uncomfortable in the moment - especially as Kathryn is telling you that your seemingly ambitious plan isn’t ambitious enough - but you’ll appreciate them like I do when you’re done.

I also can’t recommend Square One Prep without giving a shout out to my incredible mentor, Eva. S1P lets you “interview” a couple of different mentors to find one that you click with, and I actually told Kathryn that I didn’t even need to talk to a second mentor once I met Eva. Coming from similar backgrounds with Eva having started her own company (I also ran my own company before applying to school), Eva instantly got me. I’m sure that all of the Square One Prep mentors are equally wonderful, but I’m incredibly thankful that I was able to partner with Eva. She’s simply the best.

If you’ve read this far and still aren’t convinced that you should partner with Square One Prep then I don’t know what else to tell you. But if you do move forward with Square One Prep, I’m confident you’ll be as thrilled as I am when you’re done with the application process.

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If you are like most candidates, you are doing all the research you can and taking calls with every consultant possible. I even bought hours with consultants to test who I liked most. Kathryn and Square One Prep shined above the rest. 3 people (two from my company, one from my high school) had also recommended SOP and had stellar results. And here's why - Kathryn is the most candid, ruthless, empathetic and dependable person. Despite being the founder (who is naturally busy), she replies to every communication within minutes and gives you personal attention throughout the process.

I initially requested to speak with a few consultants who I thought would be the right fit, but those weren't a match. Kathryn graciously suggested others that may fit my personality, and soon I was excited to work with Lee Kaplan. Lee pushed me to my limits. She is an unimaginably strong writer, and compassionate partner through months of stress. Lee was very honest with me and showed me ways to highlight strengths and mitigate my weaknesses. I really respected her - she would return revisions quickly and thoroughly till the work was perfect. I think we did 18 iterations of my resume! I was also fighting against a very low Quant test score, but Lee and Kathryn packaged my application in a way that M7 schools couldn't resist.

This was all supplemented by Wendy and Bailey. I struggled with my Career Narrative work and finding my story. Wendy was patient with me as I stumbled, and she guided and nurtured my story into a work of art. Bailey ensured I was always on top of things and provided friendliness and rapport amidst the "stay on schedule" communications!

If you are thinking twice, choose SOP. You will not regret it. They work with a small, niche set of clients every year and guarantee success. I was interviewed at HBS, GSB, Booth, and Wharton. There is truly no way I could have done it without Square One. The amount of personal attention, genuine care, and relentless revising until the product is perfect is unlike any other admissions consulting firm. And now, HBS here I come!

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When beginning to start my school applications I knew I would need all of the help I could get. I began researching admissions consultants and am so thankful I found SOP. They helped me craft a unique, authentic, and powerful brand to complement my work experience, education, and extracurriculars. Going into my applications I knew my education would be my weakest component, so I had to optimize my remaining application areas. SOP helped me do just that. Specifically, the career narrative we constructed permeated into all of the other application components. My essays were superb and my interview feedback was great! Even with lower than average GPA and GRE scores (an application killer) I was admitted to my favorite schools to include, amazingly, Wharton as well! Money well spent and praise well deserved! There is no way I would have these results if it were not for the fine folks at Square One Prep. Thank you Kathryn, Eva, Bailey, and Luis!

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Working with Square One has been a pure joy! Everyone was very personable and helpful throughout the process of gaining clarity in why business school was the right next step and how to communicate "my why" effectively, determining which schools were the best fit for me, crafting my resume' and essays, and preparing for interviews. I value their one-on-one approach and thoroughly enjoyed working with my personal coach, Afiya Bediako. She added a lot of experience and insight into the process, was very accessible, and made the process fun. Most of all, I appreciate that the team saw past the "dings" on my profile, saw my potential, and genuinely believed alongside me that admittance was possible. That said, they also did a good job of keeping me grounded in reality and helped me find ways to highlight my strengths and develop my weaknesses. After everything was said and done, our collective hard work landed me a seat in Kellogg's Class of 2022 Cohort!

I cannot adequately express how excited I am for this next chapter and how thankful I am that I chose to work with Square One!

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I worked with Square One Prep on an hourly basis starting about a month before my round 1 application deadlines. Kathryn is obviously a seasoned expert when it comes to business school admissions but I was most impressed with her ability to understand me and my motivations after just an introductory call. It was really easy to open up with her. The most valuable service that Square One Prep provided was career narrative help. I didn't realize how important it was for me to not only have a long-term and short-term goal after business school but also to have pretty specific details outlined. Kathryn and her team were honest and really helped me craft a narrative I used in all of my applications and all of my interviews (and even casual conversations). The narrative, importantly, was also authentic to myself and not something that we just made up to sound good to admissions. I think it will help me have a north star as I actually set out to do my MBA and surely encounter a lot of distractions/shiny opportunities. Additionally, my work with SOP definitely contributed to being offered a full-ride to Haas and a partial scholarship to Kellogg (my top two choices) which is obviously a huge plus!

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"I was a immense pleasure to work with SOP!
They made my application journey as smooth as possible. As they managed the timeline, I only had to focus on important things like smashing the GMAT and completing my applications, one step at a time.
Also, by constantly challenging me, they forced me to take a step back and think deep about my career goals, strengths and weaknesses. The career goals work was a pivotal element for my applications. It was also hard work but eventually paid off thanks to the team's devil's advocacy. In addition, in order to craft strong essays, the team pushed me to go to personal places, talking about my past and vulnerabilities. It wasn't easy but being authentic in my essays truly made me stand out.
Thank you so much for you work! I wouldn't have made it without them. I would highly recommend SOP team !

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I decided to go with Square One Prep after my free consultation call with Kathryn. She didn’t make empty promises like many other consultants had previously done. She told me clearly that due to my lower than average GPA, getting into my dream school (Stern) would be an uphill battle but that she would help me in every way she could. When applying to business school, having someone to give you thorough and candid feedback is extremely important and I wanted that attitude from the consultant I decided to work with. From the beginning, Kathryn was open and honest and gave constructive criticism when she felt like an aspect of my application could be better. She, along with the entire team helped me navigate the stressful application process and helped me organize all of my applications and deadlines which was very useful, especially while working a full time job. My consultant, Afiya, was always available when I needed her, either via text, email, or phone. Because of her, I was able to put forth my best self to the six business schools I applied to. SOP’s entire team truly want their clients to succeed and I am so happy that I selected them.

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I began the bulk of my MBA applications just months from Round 2 deadlines, along with a lower than average GRE for the programs I was aiming for. Luckily, a friend referred me to Kathryn. I had spoken to several consultants in the past, but Kathryn was unique: she encouraged me to aim high and was convinced I could succeed with a thoughtful application strategy.

Once we kicked off the process, Kathryn wouldn’t hesitate to reinforce a timeline, provide difficult feedback on an essay, or let me know when an aspect of my narrative wasn’t making sense. She was probably tougher than some of my most demanding bosses :) Her honest, yet encouraging approach pushed me to submit materials that reflected my best possible work.

With her guidance I was also able to weave a career narrative that truly excited me. At the end of the process, I knew that even in the event I wasn’t accepted to an MBA program, I would still have an invaluable outcome: a clearer vision for my life and a stronger understanding of my values, interests and goals.

Ultimately, I received invitations to interview with HBS and Wharton, and was accepted to Wharton with a scholarship. I’m excited for my next step and glad I chose to work with Kathryn!

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I cannot image navigating the complex and overwhelming MBA application process without Square One Prep. From my first consultation call onward, the SOP team was able to quickly address my weaknesses and play-up my strengths. Their expertise on what matters to top business schools shaped every aspect of my applications and allowed me to identify my most impactful personal and professional experiences to present myself as a high-value, accomplished candidate. When I began my work with SOP I was unsure of my ability to receive offers from the elite programs I wanted to attend. As of a week ago I have been accepted to both schools I applied to, both of which are ranked in top 5 nationally. I can honestly say the SOP team has changed my life for the better, and will highly recommend them to anyone interested in pursuing an MBA!

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