Katharine Lewis is much more than a Consultant. She was a value-add partner throughout the process.

I started working with Katy in August of 2014 for the 2014-2015 MBA application cycle. Before reaching out to Katy, I had done very little preparation other than taking the GMAT and truly had no idea what I was getting into to be ready to submit applications in the first and second rounds. Though Katy knew that there was a lot to be done, she made the process as easy as possible, starting with setting realistic goals for my process. I had originally planned to apply to 6 or 7 schools in the first round, and she very wisely advised me that I was setting myself up for failure, leading me to apply to three schools in the first round.

During my application process, Katy simply went above and beyond. She knows all of the programs intimately and was able to put herself in my shoes after I provided her with an in depth profile of my background during my brainstorming process. This allowed me to craft each of my applications to the best extent possible, focusing more on telling my story rather than submitting a generic profile, which was the approach I intended to take before working with Katy. Furthermore, Katy has been on both sides of the table as an MBA applicant and student herself and also as an admissions reader. This allowed her to provide me with a perspective that is truly unmatched. She was much more of a life coach during the process than a “consultant on the clock.” No matter how many drafts or how long it took to get to the absolute best application draft, Katy patiently worked with me throughout the entire process. In addition, Katy made time to work with me on other aspects of my applications besides the essays. She read my entire applications and provided me feedback, worked with my recommenders as if they were a client as well, met with me in person for every interview, and even spoke with my father countless times during the process. I can assure you that most consultants would not go to the level that Katy does for her clients. We also spoke at length about strategy, school choices, and even alternative MBA programs given the challenge I had of convincing schools that I was a compelling candidate, despite my low GMAT score.

After the first round, I was admitted to USC, which was my back up school and waitlisted to my first choice, Stanford. I decided to apply to three more schools over the holiday months and Katy worked with me through all of the applications – even on New Year’s Eve. During this time, I also experienced some irregular requests from Stanford including a request for an additional letter of reference and a phone call from the admissions office. While Katy had never seen these requests before, she helped me strategize and handled them as if they were common occurrences.

Ultimately, I was admitted to Stanford and I give Katy much of the credit. She was a master at navigating the waitlist process – making sure not to be overbearing on the school. She helped me craft the right message in my continued letter of interest and made the suggestions of retaking the GMAT and providing a peer reference. If you are willing to follow Katy’s advice, I simply do not think you can find a better partner in what is a very long and challenging process full of highs and lows. Looking back on the process, I would not have wanted to do it alone and I truly believe I would not have achieved the same outcome without her. When I called her to let her know the news, she was as excited for me as I was. I simply cannot recommend her highly enough.