Strengths:

Square One Prep’s biggest strength is the clarity and structure they brings to a very overwhelming MBA admissions process. They clearly articulated all of the nuances of the process. I remember showing up to MBA fairs and hearing very basic questions from other candidates and thinking I'm light years ahead, all due to the structure that Square One brings.

From the start, they helped me translate a technical, nontraditional background into a compelling, cohesive story that admissions committees could easily understand. My advisor's feedback was thoughtful, candid, and iterative; they didn’t just edit essays, but taught me how admission committees think to better convey my story. I also found the team exceptionally responsive and invested; I consistently felt supported and well-informed at every stage of the process.

One other unique aspect of Square One is their career counseling. Not only will they help you get all of the application pieces in place, but they will help you better understand yourself: What are your career goals? Why grad school? Why this grad school? I have a much better vision for my career thanks to working with Square One.

Would make the product better:

There's not much about the process I would improve. One minor improvement could be to front-load essay examples or templates early in the process, especially for candidates coming from a more unique background (i.e., highly technical or military). While the examples provided were excellent, having a few more tailored reference points earlier in the process could have helped me brainstorm my own essays. That said, this is a minor suggestion in an otherwise very strong experience.

Before working with Square One Prep, the MBA admissions process felt confusing and very very intimidating. I had a good profile for an MBA, but I struggled to translate my story to the page and understand how admissions committees would view my background (or how to explain a technical background to an admissions committee.) Square One completely changed that - they helped me develop a clear narrative, improve my essays, and approach the admissions process in a scheduled, paced, and strategic way. Throughout the process, I felt consistently supported, challenged, and guided. My advisor's feedback pushed me to improve and she wouldn't accept anything but my best work. It felt like my advisor and the entire Square One team (you get to work with a whole team of amazing people) truly cared about me and not just my outcome. However, thinking back on the process, I know I would not have achieved the same amazing results without Square One. I would highly recommend them to anyone serious about putting their best possible application forward.

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Strengths:

Exceptional application strategy: Expertly positioned my profile to balance an extremely quantitative background with a more emotionally intelligent, leadership-driven narrative, resulting in a compelling and differentiated application.

Direct, high-integrity “tough love”: Provided candid, unfiltered feedback and was never afraid to disagree or push back. They consistently challenged my assumptions, forced me to think outside the box, and redirected me when a different approach would yield better outcomes.

Outstanding career narrative development: The work done to shape my long-term career story, including role clarity, goal articulation, and networking strategy, was simply excellent and became a clear strength across my applications and conversations.

Would make the product better:

Clearer probability framing at the very top tier: For ultra-competitive programs, more explicit discussion of acceptance probabilities - even for strong candidates - could help manage expectations and reduce post-cycle second-guessing.

Did you enjoy the process?
Yes - I genuinely enjoyed the process. What could have felt transactional or overwhelming instead felt collaborative, energizing, and deeply personal.

Was it stressful?
The MBA application process is inherently stressful, but Square One Prep significantly reduced that stress. They pushed me to start early, maintained disciplined timelines, and gave me the space to reflect, revise, and improve without last-minute pressure.

Were they helpful?
Incredibly. Beyond application mechanics, Lara and the Square One Prep team leveraged their own personal and professional connections to help refine my career narrative and validate my goals. They were also consistently there for me emotionally as a sounding board, a source of reassurance, and a steady presence during moments of doubt or uncertainty.

Did they meet your expectations? Why or why not?
They far exceeded my expectations. Early on, I was told by others that an M7 school was likely out of reach given my background. With Square One Prep’s guidance, I finished the process with two M7 admissions and over $300K in merit-based scholarships, making my MBA not only possible but financially compelling.

Would you recommend them? Why or why not?
Without hesitation. This was a true partnership built on trust, honesty, and genuine care for my success.

What was their greatest strength?
Strategic application and career narrative development. The team expertly balanced my quantitative background with leadership, emotional intelligence, and long-term purpose.

What was their weakest skill?
If anything, earlier benchmarking against ultra-selective outcomes could further help with expectation-setting, though this did not detract from an exceptional experience.

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Strengths:

Comprehensive, thorough, personalized admissions prep

Would make the product better:

n/a

It has been a dream for me attend business school and I knew I had a very high risk appetite going in: applying to only m7 schools. No one in my family had gotten their MBA from a top business school and I wanted to ensure that I put my best foot forward. A friend of a friend had recommended Square One Prep, so I decided to book a free consultation with Kathryn. The meeting lasted well over the allotted time and it felt like such a natural conversation where she was trying to get to know me: my goals, my hobbies, what drives me, what my passions are, and why I wanted to pursue an MBA at this time. I got to know more about how thorough and personalized Square One’s process was as well. I then was able to have conversations with a couple different consultants and decided to work with Catherine. She is incredibly diligent, empathetic, and a wonderful person to work with! She has a quick turn around time for edits on deliverables, kept me accountable for resume, LOR, career narrative, and essay deadlines, and truly created a safe space for me to be vulnerable and share my voice through my writing. I was incredibly impressed by how involved the team was with each step of the application process, not once did I feel overwhelmed or like I was going through this process alone. Catherine and the Square One team were my biggest cheerleaders even after I submitted my apps R1 and helped me prep for interviews, pre-interview assignments, and cheered me on throughout all my acceptances. I got into MIT Sloan(with $$), U Chicago Booth, Kellogg(with $$), and Columbia because of the Square One team and I cannot thank them enough for their support throughout.

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There is absolutely no way I could have achieved the results I did without Square One Prep’s help.

I started the MBA application process feeling overwhelmed by the number of essays and variables involved. I was also anxious about my non-traditional background and winding career path. Kathryn, Amalia, Horatiu, and the rest of the Square One Prep team immediately put me at ease and gave me immense confidence throughout the process. They were incredibly responsive, insightful, and supportive—helping me connect the disparate dots of my career and craft a story that was genuine to me on paper and in interviews.

Thank you Square One Prep!

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Strengths:

Detailed process, hands-on approach, personalized consultation.

I cannot recommend Square One Prep enough. Square One Prep came to my attention after one of my close West Point friends was admitted to Wharton after leveraging Square One, and could not stop raving about his MBA application experience.

Given I had applied to business school in the past (R1 of 2022 cycle) and was not offered any interviews, I decided to take the intro call. What was supposed to be a 30 minute chat with Kathrine turned into an hour plus conversation full of value and transparency that left me energized to start the process.

What set Square One apart was their intentional process and ability to go beyond the surface level. Wilson and team challenged my original application framework (Why MBA, SL/LT goals, my story) and opened my eyes to a level of detail that I was not keen to. Everything from the initial assessment, to the career narrative, to resume build, and essay work is truly top tier. It's a phenomenal process that enables you to put your best foot forward.

As a result of our work, I received interviews from Tepper, Tuck, Columbia and ultimately was admitted to Tepper and CBS.

I would especially recommend SOP to applicants to anyone, especially transitioning military members who want a coach that will push them to think deeper—not just write better.

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Strengths:

-Free consultation
-School selection assistance
-Career goals assistance
-Knowledge about the MBA application/adcom space
-Responsiveness
-Resume building
-Interview prep

Would make the product better:

N/A

Working with Wilson and the Square One Prep (SOP) team was an incredible experience. I came into the MBA application process feeling insecure about several aspects of my candidacy-my test scores, GPA, and work experience-and unsure how I would measure up against other applicants to top-20 programs.

What truly sets Wilson and SOP apart is their emphasis on seeing candidates as more than just numbers. Before charging for anything, they take the time to genuinely get to know you-why you want an MBA, your career and personal goals, and which schools make the most sense for your profile. This stood in stark contrast to other consulting firms that charge simply for an initial conversation.

SOP offers a deep bench of strong consultants, and with the help of Kathryn Lucas (Founder & CEO), who thoughtfully matched me with several potential advisors, I ultimately chose to work with Wilson after speaking with each of them.

What stood out most about Wilson was his consistently upbeat and positive attitude-which was invaluable during a stressful process-combined with his experience working with admissions committees and his impressive track record helping candidates build compelling applications for their dream schools.

As we began building my profile, Wilson and I met across several calls to refine my resume, clearly articulate my career goals, and strategically select my recommenders. From there, we moved into essays, working closely together on each one to fine-tune my story. With every step, my confidence in my candidacy continued to grow.

Beyond the core deliverables, Wilson and the broader SOP team consistently went above and beyond-responding quickly to emails and texts and answering every question I had along the way. Having access to trusted, expert guidance rather than turning to anonymous online forums made a huge difference.

Overall, if you’re looking for a truly comprehensive and supportive MBA admissions consulting experience, I can’t recommend Square One Prep and Wilson highly enough. I genuinely wouldn’t be in the position I’m in today without their support.

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I had the pleasure of working directly with Kathryn as my advisor throughout the full-time MBA application process. While I was somewhat familiar with the application process, having independently applied to several 2+2 programs during college, I knew I needed to seek guidance from an experienced MBA consultant to help me get into my dream school.

Like many prospective applicants, I was initially overwhelmed by the options available. Working with a consultant is a significant investment, and I was mindful of the risks of working with someone who lacked experience, did not understand my background, or did not align with my working style. As such, I did countless consultation intro calls with consultants (independent and those part of a bigger organization) to narrow my options.

I walked away from my call with Kathryn feeling very positive, not only because she was quick to respond to my consultation request or that she was actively engaging and learning about me, but also because of her extensive experience working with clients across the spectrum and how she encouraged me to embrace my identity. I felt comfortable sharing personal aspects of my life with her, which added depth and authenticity to my essays. I also appreciated her firm’s unique, structured process, which provided clarity and peace of mind.

For example, their approach to helping me define my career vision and steps to get there, led by Horatiu, my career narrative expert, and Kathryn was particularly valuable, as the research I did to make my case and get their support enabled me to build a differentiated narrative that truly reflects what I want to do. It took hard work with work sessions and lots of homework, but was worth the effort.

To be clear, Kathryn will push you to work hard throughout your experience with her. I spent a lot of time and effort researching schools, brainstorming, and drafting essays – she was with me in the trenches every step of the way, even when I hit some unexpected challenges with my LORs. I especially appreciated Kathryn’s quick turnaround times even though I knew she was also running a firm. She always made herself available (even during weekends!) whenever I had questions or grew anxious about the application process.

In hindsight, as much as the goal was for me to get into my dream school (which I’m happy to share that I did), I also developed a deeper understanding of the school, my career goals, and how to maximize my MBA experience, thanks to Kathryn’s guidance. I’m very glad to have worked with Kathryn and her team throughout the MBA application process and would enthusiastically recommend her to everyone!

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Strengths:

Personalized coaching with the support of an entire team, responsive, and experienced

Would make the product better:

NA

Square One Prep was the best decision regarding I made regarding my business school application! I originally thought I’d be able to tackle the application process myself, but I found out very quickly that the process is very nuanced and a even an outstanding applicant can thwart their chances by putting together a lackluster application. I had consultations with some of the biggest MBA consulting firms and independent consultants, but Square One stood out to me as the best fit, as I was getting the dedication of a single consultant, but my application was being supported by a team of experts. Allison was constantly by my side to push my best application forward, and Kelsey’s final reviews and comments helped me nail my essays and post-interview reflection. Kathryn was always in touch to answer any questions I had throughout the process. I couldn’t recommend Square One enough and I am happy to have been admitted to the two schools I applied to (Wharton and Harvard). I will be attending HBS in the fall! I couldn’t have done it without the team :)

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Strengths:

I wouldn't have been able to have a successful MBA application process without the help of SOP; the carefully selected team truly invested in supporting and developing me to achieve my best. Top-notch professionals who take their role seriously and truly care about you and your journey.

From the moment I was recommended to SOP by a friend, I was amazed at the professionalism and expertise of the entire team, and knew working with them would be integral to my success in the process. From the initial introduction call with Kathryn to discuss their unique, highly effective process, to having the chance to meet several different coaches, their approach felt meaningful and impactful since the beginning. After they helped me craft my resume, working with Horatiu opened my eyes to career possibilities while developing a career narrative.

Kelsey was a constant source of inspiration and guidance available around the clock for any question. I received tailored guidance to approach my GRE/GMAT testing shortfalls, and help from Pat supported me in structuring a solid plan around my constant travels around the world for work.

I really enjoyed the structure and guidance the program provided to ensure that I could effectively manage my full-time career while applying to 6 schools simultaneously all in Round 1, and was fortunate enough to receive acceptance offers from several M10 programs, to include Stanford, Harvard, Wharton, and Booth.

You are in good hands if you opt to utilize SOP!

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I had an excellent experience working with Lara, Kathryn, and the rest of the Square One team. From our very first interaction they were very honest with me about my strengths, weaknesses, and expected outcomes. I was not interested in working with a team who would coddle me, and
the Square One team certainly challenged me. I am highly confident that working with their team improved the quality of my applications significantly. I started out working with Square One for only my top 2 schools, but ultimately chose to work with them for the remainder of my applications as well, due to how helpful they were. Without their help I'm not sure if I would have received an acceptance to my dream school, and I am positive I would not have received the large scholarship I was awarded. Would highly recommend working with the Square One team, and specifically Lara, to anyone working on MBA applications.

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