I worked directly with Kathryn and can't recommend her enough!

She has 17+ years of experience and that totally reflects when you work with her. I got connected with her via a free review of my profile and she knew exactly what I am capable of. To help me build faith in choosing her, she also connected me with a few of her previous clients from my background.

She gave me a pretty honest review of my situation and advised me to reappear for GMAT. I took her word and my score improved drastically. While writing essays/building resumes - she has a strong work ethic and works really hard on you, gives realistic goals (in terms of timelines) to do your homework and is super active in communication.

2 moments that stood out for me were first when I went through a crisis in my personal life 4 weeks before R2 deadlines and second when I was anxious before one of my interviews. She was able to calm me down in both cases and got me through that phase. Later, when my partner needed some advice, she helped both of us as well. Beyond being a great MBA coach, she is an amazing human being!

Another advantage of going with SOP is their team: they have folks who were on various adcoms. Also, they have a solid portal with lots of data (resumes, essays etc.) of past successful applicants.

All in all, I am very happy that I went with Kathryn and would recommend her to everyone!

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It is a rare privilege to have a mentor who’s willing to support you through what is arguably one of your most important life decisions the way Kathryn Lucas and her Square One Prep (SOP) team do.

After deciding to do an MBA in early December 2023, taking the GMAT a couple weeks later, I approached multiple consultants for assistance given the short timeline and the complexity of my 9-year work history (entrepreneurship, career pivots, etc.). In my free consultation call with Kathryn the day after Christmas, which lasted almost two hours, she took genuine interest in understanding my past¬, my future plans, and the effort I was ready to put into the applications in 10-20 days until R2 deadlines. The decision to choose Kathryn came easily. She was upfront about the realistic expectations I needed to have and, together with her amazing team, we went through a whirlwind of two ambitious R2 applications. I must tell you that she urged me to NOT apply R2, to instead wait and apply R1 — to be ahead of everyone instead of behind everyone. But I wanted to try, and I knew she and her team would give me the best shot.

Undeterred by the negative outcomes in R2, I worked with Kathryn and my brilliant advisor Catherine Rolfe over the next several months to piece together a game plan of things for me to do before R1 (2024-25) deadlines, including school research, preliminary essay drafts, student outreach, events attendance, etc. Assisted by Horatiu Stefan’s terrific insights into weaving a coherent career narrative (an actual written document!) from my terribly convoluted 9-year work experience, I worked with Catherine on applications in both R1 and R2, with Kathryn as the team lead. After deep dives during several calls and a highly iterative editing process, Catherine helped me bring the most relevant and consequential stories to my essays, tying them together seamlessly into a clear and authentic story for my applications.

Kathryn’s highly sophisticated schedule on the SOP website (accommodating my applications and other engagements), along with Catherine’s gentle push and sometimes tough love, kept me on my toes while managing multiple deadlines. They always had incredibly fast turnaround times and were happy to answer any questions I had about the whole process. Through Catherine’s meticulous analysis of my essays and Kathryn’s overarching vision-setting, I put my best foot forward.

I had great interview experiences with Booth, Tuck, Darden, Anderson, Ross, and McCombs, thanks to Catherine’s mock interviews where she helped me strengthen my weak spots through thoughtful feedback and patiently addressing even my silliest queries. I’m delighted to have successfully converted the Darden waitlist into an offer after two rounds and I’ve received offers from Anderson and McCombs with scholarships, while also getting waitlisted at Booth, Columbia, Yale, Ross, and Johnson (of which I only pursued Booth and Columbia). Catherine and Kathryn were right there by my side, helping me define a WL strategy and craft letters to the schools. They were just as focused on me converting as I was!

This over-a-year-long journey has been challenging due to some personal setbacks I had to endure. There’s not enough room here to fully capture how instrumental Kathryn’s mentorship was in getting me through it all — extending beyond her professional obligations to become a pillar of unwavering support and a vote of confidence, even when my own dwindled.

You might’ve heard adcoms say that the application process is one of self-reflection and it makes you grow as a person. I completely agree and can say without hesitation that with the SOP team as my anchor and personal cheerleader, I not only navigated this journey successfully but emerged from it with greater clarity, confidence, and a rewarding experience. I also developed relationships with Catherine and Kathryn that I never would have guessed would be so meaningful during my application process, but I now know will be so lifelong.

Edit: added the recent successful Darden waitlist conversion

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The MBA application process is a highly introspective journey, and SOP was there with me, guiding and supporting me all along the way. From school selection with Kathryn to preparing the career narrative with Wendy, SOP provides a highly structured and rigorous process that ultimately proves fruitful. Kathryn, on several occasions, provided me with a reality check, which kept me grounded and set expectations right. Wendy worked extensively on my Career narrative. She encouraged me to dig deeper, which enabled me to draft a well-thought-out career narrative. I cannot thank Cristina enough, my primary advisor! Cristina has been my mentor, advisor, and friend all along the journey, from resume building, LOR, applications, interview prep, to scholarships. She was patient and motivating during the vulnerable times and stern in times when I needed to pull up my socks. The Square One team brings immense experience, structure, and guidance. Working with SOP not only helped me actualise my dreams but also provided a lot of learning along the way. Would highly recommend SOP!

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Strengths:

Personalized approach. Over time with square one, you fully understand your strengths as a candidate and can tell a compelling story to admissions committees.

Would make the product better:

N/A

My experience with Square One Prep was incredible. Before I started working with Square One, I felt an overwhelming sense of doubt about MBA applications: I didn't think I had a compelling story to tell, and I worried that all of the effort would be for not. One of the first things Kathryn and Square One did for me was instill confidence. They believed in me, and I in turn began to believe in myself.

Perhaps the most valuable aspect of Square One's process is that they push you to really think about why you want an MBA. I did not know what my career goals were initially, but my work with Square One helped me to develop a real, genuine career narrative that allowed me to write more convincing essays and interview more confidently. I cannot wait until school starts to actually pursue these goals, all of which were developed through my work with Square One.

Ultimately, Square One gave me the tools and the confidence to get into a dream MBA program, and I am incredibly grateful

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Strengths:

- Knowing the application process in detail.
- Consistently available.
- Constant constructive feedback.
- Very honest and direct communication with applicant.

Working with Kathryn from Square One Prep has been a life-changing experience for me. Not only because we worked extremely hard towards the goal of getting an offer from the best Business School in the world, Wharton, but also because the way in that Kathryn approaches the application process allowed me to discover so many things about myself that I wasn’t aware of, including; identifying and organizing my short, medium, and long term goals, developing a career narrative based on what I aspire to become one day, and discovering skills that I did not know I had. Her dedication is impressive, when I had a question, no matter the day or time, she was always there to steer me in the right direction and provide useful advice. Her familiarity with the application process (which can be overwhelming at times) made my process a lot friendlier and successful.

I would 100% recommend her and Square One Prep if you are trying to secure an offer from the best graduate school programs in the world.

Stefano

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Would make the product better:

Kathryn's website, and Square One Prep's overall branding are pretty light on details. The real magic of the process came to life for me during the intro call, and moreover in seeking client reviews. The initial 4-8 hour onboarding of her asking deep questions, just listening, reflecting and taking notes made my essays, resume a breeze. So in short, the process is way better than the branding from the outside. Honestly, I know it sounds like a cop-out answer, but the process was really that much better than the branding!!

After three painful rejections with previous consultants, I was hesitant to try again. Working with Kathryn completely transformed not just my applications, but my sense of self. As an Indian applicant working at a T-1 Venture Firm in the Bay Area applying to elite programs a third time, I was burned out. I needed someone who could energize me as well as help me find the authentic voice that had been missing from my previous attempts.

Kathryn flipped the script in one cycle: Harvard Business School + Stanford GSB admits and a 50 % tuition scholarship. I cannot recommend her enough! As I told her at the end of submitting my applications, the new sense of self and professional clarity were worth enough to me. The dual admit later on was just a cherry on top.



Many things set Kathryn apart from my prior consultants:

First, she has a rare balance of empathy and decisiveness. Rather than simply polishing my essays, Kathryn guided me through a process of self-discovery that clarified my personal narrative, professional direction, and unique value proposition. *She spent 8 hours getting to know me over the first 2 days*. I felt deeply heard, and challenged, by her. She asked me “Why?” until we unearthed two foundational personal stories I’d never have put on paper. Those moments became the spine of every essay and ended up being quoted back to me in my HBS interview and by the GSB Dean of Admissions on Admit Day. Compared to prior quick rejections, I was thrilled with this outcome.

Kathryn often reminded me what my prior apps, and most people miss: that admissions committees and alums are human. They want to _feel_ something when they read your work and sense that they are truly getting to know you (fun fact: we even included little personal, emotional tid-bits even in formal places like my resume). This is just something my prior apps were missing. The materials Kathryn and I created together moved even my parents to tears - capturing an authentic, graceful power in remarkably few words.

The end result: During my collaboration with Kathryn, I experienced a profound shift in confidence that friends, family, and professional colleagues noticed before I did.

Second, Kathryn makes surgical, candid edits and has a “pen-down” discipline. Every draft—resume, essays, even recommender packets—came back dripping with color-coded notes. Some tweaks, some brutal truth. Zero guesswork. When she felt I was over-working pieces, she stopped me. For example, because we completed our work well in advance of the deadlines, I kept unnecessarily re-working essays. I still recall making some 2 a.m. perfectionistic revisions and sending them to her, only to get an immediate reply: “Stop and realize it is time to trust what you have created: Submit tonight.”

Third, Kathryn went the extra mile at every stage. From those initial calls when I was on the fence about reapplying to working with me painstakingly and patiently on my application components ," to coaching me for the interviews – three rounds that were tougher than the actual interviews. Her guidance was both comprehensive and precisely calibrated to my needs.

The results speak for themselves: admits to both Harvard and Stanford after previous rejections. But like I’ve said, the true value transcended admissions results. After trying two other consultants who charged $10K each, I am so glad I went with Square One Prep. I enjoyed their unique approach to first build a stronger me, transform how I look at myself in the mirror, and only then use the newfound clarity and confidence to write a winning application.

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Strengths:

Read below

Would make the product better:

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Let’s get the outcomes out of the way: SOP helped me achieve admission to both HBS and Wharton! From start to finish, it took less than one month!

I had two friends who both had successful outcomes refer me to Square One Prep but I was someone who thought I could navigate the process on my own. It was December 14, less than a month before Round 2 deadlines were due and I was still debating whether I even wanted to apply to business school. I had a few half-baked essays and knew I had not strongly communicated my narrative.

Kathryn hopped on the phone with me on a Friday afternoon, walked me through the SOP process, and sent me a schedule on how we would make two schools work in less than 30 days. She was direct honest, and most importantly caring. By Saturday morning, Kathryn was my sounding board on whether I wanted to “hit the brakes on the process” or “pump the gas”. Kathryn wanted me to make this personal decision and there was no pressure on whether I pause or continue the MBA process. I decided SOP was for me on Saturday morning and by Saturday afternoon, Kathryn had me set up with intro calls with multiple advisors. This was on a SATURDAY. This was beyond anything I expected, Kathryn and her team truly go above and beyond. Any other company would say we’ll get back to you Monday, Kathryn and Lara got back to me in 10 minutes. They care about your experience in the process (not just the outcomes) and you truly feel that.

On Saturday evening (at 8 freaking PM!!), I had my first call with Lara Avsar who would change my life. Lara took the time to understand my story and my “why”. It wasn’t just let’s build an application, it was let’s know who you are, why you are who you are, and how you and the business school can fit together.

Lara was patient, caring, and helped me reflect on who I was as a person, and craft that story. She made time on the weekends, at night, and in the early mornings to make sure I was supported throughout the entire process. Her expertise in crafting vignettes and focus on storytelling was extremely impactful in my essays. I truly felt that Lara cared about me as a human being and that the application was a byproduct of the deep thought work we did together! I consider Lara someone who has changed my life and I’m extremely grateful for all of her time and support during this entire process. I do not doubt that Lara will be an advisor for life!

SOP overarching strategy was extremely effective and everything was perfectly planned thanks to Pat! Kathryn made herself available 24/7 to review the work and provide her expert guidance on where we were tracking and direction on strengths/weaknesses.

During this process, I also had the pleasure of working with Horatiu. Horatiu is
an expert at crafting a tangible career narrative and this is an element of the process that I think also sets SOP apart from the rest. Horatiu and team help you discover a career narrative that you’re passionate about and something that can be used well beyond business school.

Overall, I can confidently say I would not have achieved the outcomes without Square One Prep. More importantly than the outcomes, I know the SOP experience will pay dividends well into the future. I’m extremely grateful for Lara, Kathryn, and the entire Square One Prep team!

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I began the MBA application journey knowing very little about what to expect—what schools I should apply to, how to position myself, or how to efficiently navigate the process. A close friend encouraged me to hire a consultant and specifically recommended Square One Prep. Admittedly, I was skeptical about hiring a consultant at first. But after meeting with Kathryn, my perspective quickly changed.

That first meeting was incredibly thorough. Kathryn was patient, took the time to truly get to know me, and asked thoughtful, personalized questions that guided the conversation in a meaningful way. She never rushed me, and I felt seen and heard. I met with a few other consultants after that, and the difference was immediate. What stood out about Square One Prep was clear: this team genuinely cares. You’re not just another number.

Like many applicants, I struggled with defining what I wanted to do post-MBA. At times, the question felt overwhelming. Wendy’s process for building a career narrative helped me gain clarity and uncover new insights about myself. It pushed me to explore paths I hadn’t previously considered and to connect the dots between my experiences, values, and long-term goals.

The GMAT/GRE was not my strength, and I was genuinely worried about how that might affect my outcomes. My advisor, Allison, challenged me to bring my best to every other aspect of the application. Her support, guidance, and encouragement were invaluable—and ultimately critical to my success.

Looking back, the application process felt like a long and challenging period in my life. But Square One Prep’s guidance made all the difference. Their support was instrumental in helping me stay focused, confident, and ultimately successful. I can’t recommend this team highly enough.

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One of the aspects I valued most was how much time Kathryn and my advisor, Autri, dedicated to getting to know me as a person, not just as an applicant. They took the time to understand my personal values, aspirations, and what I was seeking in an MBA program. This deep understanding led them to recommend my school of choice during our initial conversations, an option I hadn't previously considered. This recommendation proved invaluable, as I will be attending this September!

The career narrative work was extremely helpful. Being paired with a career narrative expert allowed me to articulate a clear trajectory from my past experience to future goals and pushed me to conduct thorough industry research. This foundation made essay writing significantly easier and proved valuable during interviews when I could confidently discuss industry questions.

Working with my advisor, Autri, was exceptional as well. His superior storytelling skills consistently helped articulate my thoughts more eloquently than I could myself. Throughout the stressful application process while working full-time and preparing for multiple exams, Autri showed genuine empathy, providing not just technical advice but emotional support when I felt insecure about my chances.

The overall structured approach is another strong advantage. The systematic methodology removed much of the uncertainty from the application process and helped me feel more in control during what is inherently a stressful experience.

I highly recommend Square One Prep to anyone serious about maximizing their chances of admission to top MBA programs. I'm incredibly grateful to the entire team.

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Strengths:

Honest and direct feedback
Timeliness of reviews
Diligent and helpful

I had a free consultation with Kathryn when I wanted to start my MBA journey. She was really candid about my profile which I really appreciated. I felt like I need the support for the application process and I'm glad I went ahead with SOP! The team is incredibly diligent, timely, and cares about the individual applicant. They pushed me to think about my unique story and present it in an articulate way.

I also had a great time working with Wilson who worked with me on a more daily basis. He is incredible patient and responsive to all my questions. I had a lot of brainstorm sessions and he pushed me think about all aspects of my story. If we faced challenges in my essays, Wilson wouldn't just accept the easy way out so we can finish. Both Kathryn and Wilson put a lot of care and effort in reviewing my work, ensuring that it was always the best. Pat was consistently following up with me to ensure I met all deadlines and would flag if I was close to missing any.

The hardest part of my process was the career narrative but Wendy pushed me to think about how I can lay out a vision for why I want to pursue business school.

If you're thinking about MBA apps, do the free consultation with Kathryn! This application process is stressful to begin with so it's nice to have the extra support!

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