The results speak for themselves

(1) Background: 26 y/o white female; project manager in untraditional sector; int'l work experience; Ivy undergrad, 3.86 GPA, 166V 166Q (total 332) GRE

(2) Results: Admitted at HBS, Kellogg ($140K scholarship), Booth ($100K), Darden ($164K), Waitlisted MIT Sloan, No interview GSB

(3) Experience: I was accepted to 4 of 6 top-tier MBA programs (most with full or near-full rides) thanks, in large part, to April. Here are the highlights: (1) Because I'm a professional project manager, I initially questioned the need to hire a dedicated (and expensive) admissions consultant. I’m glad I did: As a first-time MBA applicant, I relied on April’s deep knowledge about the admissions cycle and school-specific expectations, which freed up my time to focus on test prep (allowing me to cinch a great score at the 11th hour) and essay drafting. (2) I appreciated that April had strong, well-reasoned opinions about how to frame my untraditional background and approach each essay; she is assertive and direct, not a ‘yes person.’ My essays looked night-and-day different after 5-10 rounds of edits. On a scale of "prescriptive" to "lax," April is quite prescriptive. While her feedback was sometimes uncomfortable to hear (I also have strong opinions, and sometimes disagreed on her approach), she always had the right intention (i.e., getting me into every school I applied to). (3) Finally, I credit April with revealing the extraordinary parts of my story to the admissions committee. When I joined Gatehouse, I tended to underplay my contributions (lots of “I helped” and “It was a team effort”). April noticed this habit and elevated my profile through consistent coaching to make my stories about me. While I struggled with this mindset shift, I believe it demonstrably improved my admissions outcomes (esp. at HBS). All in all, the results speak for themselves.