mbaMission Review

I am an incoming student at H/S/W for the class of 2017. I felt obligated to post my amazing experience working with Monica Okrah at mbaMission.

I first contacted Monica two years ago, because I was starting to think about applying to MBA programs. Monica was recommended to me by a coworker who was leaving to attend an M7 program along with her husband, both of whom worked with Monica throughout their MBA applications. At the time, I decided to delay my applications to business school, because I wanted to gain more work experience and leadership experience in different extracurricular activities. Monica stayed in touch with me every few months providing free advice.

Last June, I officially hired Monica to work with me on applying to three MBA programs in the M7. Monica immediately began working with me on picking the right schools; strategizing around my career goals, strengths, and weaknesses; and finding the best stories I would tell in my applications once they were released later in the summer.

Once the applications were released, I worked with Monica on my essays and short answer questions on a daily basis. We held weekly calls and Monica was very responsive to all of my emails. Monica's comments were always insightful and she provided tons of examples to back up her suggestions. I significantly improved my essays thanks to her probing questions and feedback. I previously thought writing was a strong point of mine. I read all the time, I scored an 8/8 on the writing portion of the GMAT, and I previously scored 800/800 on the SAT writing exam. However, Monica repeatedly proved that I could improve with constructive criticism and helped me to think of how to make my essays come alive with interesting, poignant stories.

I soon found myself with interviews at two of the M7 programs. I was ecstatic. I honestly never thought I stood a chance at most of these schools. Monica worked with me throughout the entire interview process doing multiple practice interviews for each school. I was provided lots of helpful resources such as sample questions at each school. Both of my interviews went smoothly, because I was prepared and confident. I had rehearsed many of the questions I would be asked before. I was surprised leaving both interviews, because I had expected much worse.

In the end, I was fortunate enough to be accepted to two M7 MBA programs. Monica was instrumental in helping me tell my "story" and true career aspirations rather than trying to come up with what I thought MBA programs wanted to hear. Monica helped me to differentiate myself among the crowded white male in finance crowd. While I was initially skeptical of working with an admissions consultant, I think Monica provided tons of value to me. From crafting my story to keeping me on track to interview preparation, Monica was incredibly helpful.