How to choose: east coast (Sloan!) or west coast (Haas!)

I strongly recommend Square One Prep.
I am from outside the US and found the whole process baffling. I was unsure if my qualifications were sufficient because I had a pretty low GPA and GMAT. I didn't know where to begin with essay topics or writing as I'll be the first to admit that I'm not a strong writer. I wasn't even sure which programs were the best, in general and for me. Square One was extremely helpful in taking the time to understand my story, validate my experience was sufficient (with some shoring on my part), strategically help me select topics as well as write well on them, and suggest other programs that weren't on my radar. In fact, the school, I'm going to wasn't on my radar at first!
I am also one of those people that needs a bit of kick to move things forward. Square One will definitely will let you know if you are falling behind and encourage you to pick up the pace. They will also push you to introspect and grow as you develop your work. It really is quite a process.
Also there is so much advice out there on the internet. It's ridiculous. It was great to have someone qualified to distill down the best admissions strategy. Square One had extreme clarity about how to structure things to help showcase my best attributes. They also simply told me to stop surfing the net for advice, to just trust them. Square One didn't just offer sound advice; they really were a full-service guide to me. They did it all with personality which made the entire stressful experience less so.
I'm heading to MIT Sloan which is the perfect school for me. I definitely don't think this would have happened if it wasn't for the guidance and support of Square One."