I had started building my story in December last year. During that story building phase, I spoke to more than 10 consultants both in the US and in India. Not one consultant appeared as enthusiastic and emphatic in their initial assessment as did Kathryn!

Although SOP's services sounded expensive because of the Rupee-USD exchange rate, I chose to work with them purely because of the confidence Kathryn exuded in my candidacy. In the hindsight, I can safely say that working with Square One Prep has been the best investment of my life till date!

I worked with Michael Crosby (Mike) on 4 applications. We selected the schools in a manner that provided me the most diverse coverage in terms of essay-types, thus enabling me to easily work on the remaining apps on my own. Mike's elaborate comments on each change made me learn new things every day. It was important because as an Indian candidate, I had little idea about how Americans think and perceive various sentences. I also learnt that GMAT sentence correction section is of little use when writing essays. The sentences in essays need to be short, comprehensible, seamless and logical. We spent close to a month on my first application, i.e. Kellogg, and I'm so glad we were able to convert it.

The best part about Mike was that he used to provide a brief commentary at the end of each review and encourage me to make the specific improvements myself. This method really helped me improve my writing style and grow in confidence as I moved from one essay to the other. The best thing I did was to approach Mike's assistance as a learning exercise, and not just as an engagement to finish 4 applications I signed up for. The result was that I converted 1 (Columbia) out of the 2 applications I wrote myself.

For the interviews, Kathryn provided me great insights into how to answer various questions. After the mock interview, she provided me specific inputs into what was good or bad about my responses, and how I could improve them. The confidence I got after incorporating her inputs was essential in helping me nail the 90 mins long Kellogg interview.

For Indian aspirants contemplating applying to the top US MBA programs, I would strongly recommend the services of SOP. Indian consultants, although less expensive, are not always able to provide you those cultural inputs that can be pivotal in the message you eventually convey. Among the US based Consultants, SOP led by Kathryn came across as the only one that genuinely cared for my success. I'm pretty sure that with SOP's services, a few thousand grands will soon appear to be a very small price for significantly lower stress and greater confidence because of the quality of your applications.

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Square One Prep was far and away the best decision I made during my business school application process. I first reached out to Kathryn at the strong recommendation of two friends who had both been admitted to top schools. This, however, was before I was sure I even wanted to attend business school. The fact that I wasn't sure about applying did not stop her from spending a great deal of time with me walking through my background, the potential strengths and weaknesses of my application, and how we could potentially craft my story. Once we agreed to work together a few months later, nothing changed. The entire process was one in which she was always available (almost immediate e-mail response was typical) and willing to offer her blunt, yet much needed feedback. She knew when to really push you to dig deeper in crafting your essays and her help with interview preparation was invaluable. I was extremely impressed with how easy she made a difficult process feel due to her organization and encouragement. You could tell that she truly cared about helping you achieve your goals and that she would not let you rest until you put forth the best application possible. I am happy to say that I received admission to both Wharton and Columbia! The support and guidance she offered were critical in making that happen.

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1. Committing to $5,000 investment through e-mail
Yes, we live in this high-tech modern e-commerce era but bank-wire $5,000 to someone you've never met? Really? I guess this is where everyone, including me, is hesitant and there are reviews - I've read like 500 reviews of different companies on gmat club - that says some consulting firms didn't live up to what was expected. When buying something as expensive as $100 on Amazon, people usually read the reviews to see if the product delivers and even then, the reviews are subjective by nature; from glass half-full and glass half-empty to glass no drinkable water. Unfortunately, based in Korea, I didn't know anyone who had used an US consulting service and I had to rely on reviews. Reviews on Square One prep really seemed to come from heart of applicants and after initiation calls with 5+ consulting services, I felt Square One prep really cared - I mean really - about the applicants and that they really enjoy doing this.

2. Structured guide from experience
I've gotten my GMAT and TOEFL score by July and realized there were tens of thousands of other applicants with similar scores. Applying to 6 b-schools for round 1 just seemed overwhelming and I wasn't sure if I could do it all. I leaned towards another firm because of web-based schedule and documents upload/download management system but e-mails proved to be a more efficient way with instant access through smartphones. I was worried if I was going to get enough "air-time" or structured guidance but Square One had set up their system from experience and delivered manageable packages at right timing to keep me focused and assured.

3. Hop on a call from e-mail exchanges
Sometimes, dialogue is the most efficient way to communicate and that's exactly what we did. The whole process is based on e-mail to keep track of where we were but Skype calls were always welcome; Square One prep asked that we talk on Skype for a few minutes when we had 3-4 e-mail exchanges in a short period of time, to remove any ambiguity. I don't remember how many times we had talked but I'm sure it was more than like 20. It was up to me if I wanted more calls.

4. Essay qualities depends on consultants not firms.
There isn't one super-consultant or super-firm that is the best in the world. It really depends on the chemistry between the applicant and the consultant. No one can say that their essay could not have been better if they had worked with another consultant/firm. I think my results speak for the quality of work with Square One prep.

5. Highest recommendation
I am most happy with my application results and I don't think I would be here without Square One prep. I would recommend Square One prep to my friends and family.

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I must say that investing in a partnership with Square One Prep was without any doubt one of the best decisions I ever made. My main objective on this partnership with SOP, and with Kathryn Lucas specifically, was to have someone keeping my focused as I was starting a new project and had recently moved to a new country. I didn't know I needed as much strategic and editorial help until I began to see Kathryn's edits to my work, starting with my CV and going all the way through to my final essay! I never thought that the quality of my profile and applications would reach such a high level as they did. The commitment to our goals, the rhythm of work imposed, the discipline and the constant challenges that Kathryn "surgically” created during the process were impressive and can only illustrated what an enormous expert she is in this kind of process.

We, I mean I, ended up getting offers from 2 of the 3 business schools we applied to, INSEAD and IMD. I say we because it was such a team effort. With the third application, LBS, considering my profile as a civil engineer and the fact that we applied in the final round, I must say that reaching the waiting list was in fact a achievement by itself. Therefore, the experience of working with SOP can be resumed to one word: priceless.

Thank you so much.

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As a younger Chinese applicant with a low undergraduate GPA, few extracurricular activities and a post MBA goal to switch my career, I know I never would have gotten this far without the help of Square One Prep. After I finished my GMAT, I did some research online and connected with Square One Prep. On my first free consultation, I spoke with Kathryn, the firm's owner. She spent longer than expected time listening to my story and assured me that, despite my challenging metrics, admission to a top business school was still feasible. She said she felt that way because of my story. No other firm I talked to took the time to learn my story. She actually did two calls with me to ensure she understood me and my needs.
Square One Prep helped me with my application strategy and differentiate myself from other candidates whose educational and occupational backgrounds are similar to mine. My counselor was very responsible and insightful. When we worked together, we sometimes edited my essay to a single question back and forth for as many as six times until he believed the essay had no more room for improvement. Throughout the application process, with the help of Square One Prep, I not only got admitted to two top schools - Stern and Johnson - but also discovered the true goals I’d like to pursue in life.
I will recommend Square One Prep to my friends when any of them decide to pursue a top MBA program.

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I spoke with many MBA consultants before deciding on Square One Prep. After my initial call with the owner (Kathryn), who would eventually become my personal consultant as well, I knew I had found the right partner and signed on shortly thereafter. Starting from the initial call, I could tell that she really cared about her clients’ success and went above and beyond in order to ensure it. Once I officially signed on, she took the time to really get to know me – my background, personal experiences, and future goals. When it was time to tackle essays, she pushed me on our topic calls to really get me to open up and create the best possible narrative to put forth in my application. Kathryn was also firm when it was necessary and kept me on a strict and rigorous schedule in order to make sure I would be able to get everything done by the deadlines. As I came from a unique background, Kathryn and I knew it was crucial to tell my story in a compelling way that aligned with my overall narrative; she did not disappoint in helping do that. I can say with confidence that my applications would not have been nearly as effective without the help and guidance of Square One Prep.

I have already recommended Square One Prep to several of my close friends and will continue to recommend them to anyone who asks me about hiring an MBA consultant. Take the initial call with Square One Prep and you will see what makes them different and why the decision to work with them is an easy one.

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The first thing that struck me about Square One Prep was their personable nature yet efficient, no-nonsense approach! Throughout the application process, my consultant never minced words or hesitated to challenge me, be it by identifying weaknesses that I needed to address, tearing apart my
resume to showcase more impact, or going through 10+ iterations on my essays to convey the right ideas and emotions. She was always committed to helping me perfect my applications regardless of how long they took to craft!

My consultant was also a great fit for me given my working style and professional commitments I had a grueling and unpredictable work schedule, travelled 80% of the time, and was in a time zone 10.5 hours ahead of her. Despite all this, her turnaround time for essay reviews was amazing, and I often felt like I was her ONLY client! Finally, the nuanced feedback I received during mock interviews proved invaluable when I went through the real thing!


–client from: India
–admitted to: Chicago Booth

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Being an international applicant, I was seeking guidance from a professional who could help me through the challenging application process and get an offer from a top MBA program in the US. Fortunately for me I chose to work with Square One Prep. They helped me with every aspect of my application - from choosing the right schools and developing a strong resume to shaping my essays and working over mock interviews. My consultant was available every day, every hour of the day. The 10-hour time difference between us never played a role. When I was developing my resume and writing essays my consultant suggested which strengths I should emphasize and why - they changed depending on the school. She then helped me refine my ideas until my essays were as compelling as possible. When I started to get interview invitations, she gave me a very thorough 3-hour mock interview. As a result, my actual interviews with admission officers were not stressful at all.
As a result of Square One Prep's assistance I got three offers, two of which included $40K scholarships. Here too my consultant helped me choose the school that would best fit me and my goals. This summer I start my studies at Ross, and I can't thank Square One Prep enough.

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"I am so grateful that I had the support of Square One Prep throughout my exhausting application process. Before starting it, I thought I would be fine putting my applications together by myself, but after working with my consultant for just a few days, I realized that she was a total game-changer.

The personalized attention she provided and her detailed understanding of the intricacies of each school’s application were crucial in helping me craft perfect applications. I can’t stress enough how valuable and self-assuring it was that she was always available, even on short notice, to provide such thoughtful advice and critique my work. She brought out the best in me and it worked - I am ecstatic to be attending Fuqua and I know I would not have had such success without Square One!"

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"I can't say enough about the team at Square One Prep! Kathryn Lucas and her consultants helped me to navigate my way to being accepted by both of the schools I applied to, one with a scholarship. As a non-traditional military applicant, I didn't have the technical resume writing skills, strategic insights or creative direction required to put together a strong application. Square One Prep educated and guided me through the entire process. They helped me define my career goals, refine my essays, polish my resume, and prepare for the interviews. I felt confident at every milestone, because of the time, energy, and personal attention that I received from Square One Prep. And to top it off, they were extremely responsive and flexible, often getting back to me in minutes and always free to work around my schedule which included a deployment.
If you're looking to put together a killer MBA application and to get into one of the top schools in the world, then look no further; Square One Prep is the way to go!"

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