Liza - best decision ever

Background: Male, re-applicant, non-business undergrad, 5+ years consulting

After going through rejections the prior year (worked with a different admission consulting company), I knew I needed a different strategy to have a positive outcome this time around. I spoke with a few other companies and most of them were hesitant in taking me on as a client due to low GPA/GMAT stats. Feedback provided in initial consultation was that I should delay re-applying until improving my stats. Despite the feedback, I still felt there was a way for me to be competitive or even be considered for a top MBA program. I first heard about Liza from a friend who worked with her before and spoke nothing but great things. I decided to do an initial consultation with Liza and explained to her of my situation/background/low stats. She was very honest in her feedback saying that it would be difficult to be competitive and I should be prepared for backup options if not accepted again. Liza still felt there was a unique story that I could tell and schools would look at that positively if the story was told in an effective way. Knowing that I was taking a gamble given my low stats, I felt really comfortable after my initial discussion with Liza and knew I wanted to work with her on my applications.

I decided to re-apply to two top-20 programs. Initial activity with Liza was spent on the brainstorming document. I highly encourage you to spend ample time on this document so that Liza has all the personal stories/experiences which she will be reviewing prior to essay drafting. The more information you share in brainstorming, the more material Liza will be able to help you filter to determine what is powerful to include in essays or not. There were personal stories which I included from my childhood which I never thought b-school admissions would want to hear, but Liza was a true advocate in highlighting those experiences which I know helped distinguish myself from the stack of applicants.
Once essay drafting began, I always felt like I was telling the story I wanted to tell. Liza was a great supporter along the way who was not afraid to provide honest feedback if I was heading in the wrong direction or not making sense. Her feedback is extremely valuable and allows you to take a step back and self-reflect. Over the course of drafting versions of essays, I became more and more confident in the story I was telling. Liza would always ask me how I’m feeling about everything before any major deadline we set for ourselves. When it came time for interviews, she would personally send me a note hours before wishing me good luck which was really great. Those moments were very nerve-wrecking, but it was just nice knowing Liza was rooting for me.

My recommenders commended on Liza’s assistance during the recommendation letter drafts. Even though I did not see what they wrote, I knew that Liza knew my story better than anyone else and made sure the recommenders brought out my strengths. She worked closely with my recommenders and helped them frame their stories which resonated well with my overall goals. Knowing that Liza was on my side every step of the way, I know that my recommenders had all the tools and information needed to write an effective letter.

The overall end result was that I was invited to interview to both my programs and accepted and a waitlist to the programs which I was rejected from nearly a year ago. I know this would not have been possible without Liza’s support throughout this entire process. Liza is definitely a gamechanger and helped me represent myself in the best way to admissions committee. If you are in the process of applying for business school, Liza is without a doubt the only way to go. Even though she was my admissions consultant, along the way she became a friend who truly wanted me to succeed. Best decision ever.