I started working with Rachel very late for Round 2 applications. I had only recently finished my GMAT, with an average score of 655, and had a fairly average GPA of around 3.4 compared with others from my demographic. I had gone to the US for my undergraduate degree, but had studied a non STEM major.

I worked with Rachel on three schools. All three were reaches, which Rachel and other counsellors had been upfront about. At the same time, I was managing a very demanding workload, so everything came down to the last few metres before the finish line.

What was incredible was how Rachel responded. She kept me calm during a very stressful period and somehow managed to find my story in the middle of all the chaos.

One of the main things I wanted to get out of the MBA application process was a better understanding of my own story and goals. It is sometimes difficult to figure that out by yourself without speaking to someone. Rachel was able to pull that out of me, while also cutting through the BS I initially tried to put forward.

She was very direct when something did not make sense or was not good enough, which is exactly what I needed. At the same time, she was extremely supportive throughout the process and helped me stay focused when I was overthinking things.

I received interview invitations from two of the three schools and was ultimately admitted to London Business School.

My only advice is to start early. It is a marathon, and the process will be far more enjoyable and useful if you give yourself enough time. Do not wait until the last minute and keep your ambitions high. You only do one MBA.

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