Non-traditional candidate

As a non-traditional candidate coming from one of the over-represented background, I have the average work experience and went to the average school. I applied for the class of 2022 on my own and was rejected by all schools without interview. After deciding to reapply with the help of admission consultant, I did several 30min free consultations with different firms. Everyone, except for Fortuna, told me to forget about HBS/GSB. Then I started to work with Tatiana, who helped me getting the interview, then waitlist at Stanford, as well as the acceptances from Kellogg and INSEAD.

This is what helped me get to this point from where I started:

1. Developing my personal narrative. Tatiana spent several 1-hour sessions on the phone with me going through my life stories since childhood in detail. She was very patient, empathetic, and inquisitive. I became comfortable with her immediately. She has a very deep understanding of human psychology and was able understand my stories/points very quickly. This process by itself was quite therapeutic. She also took notes on everything while we speak and helped me connecting all the dots at the end.
2. Leveraging my non-traditional background. While I tried to fit my work experience into the mold of business, Tatiana helped me identifying elements that are unique and attractive to schools and then amplifying those elements in my application. This really helped me standing out from a crowded applicant pool. She understands what makes an applicant special to the admission committee and her unique perspective added tons of strength to my application.
3. Career coaching. When new career opportunities presented themselves during my application, I was able to discuss everything with Tatiana and get solid advices from her. Her experience of working in very diverse range of sectors/industries helped me identifying and prioritizing opportunities for my own career development and consequently, strengthening my application.

At the end of the process, I gained not only offers of admission, but also confidence and career advices that will help me in the long run. Throughout this journey, Tatiana was tremendously supportive and her expertise made me confident that I have put my best foot forward this time. I would recommend Tatiana with my full heart!