Fantastic experience with Katharine Lewis -- MBAmission

I'm writing this review in a state of almost euphoria: As I write this, I've been accepted to HBS, Wharton, Booth, and Kellogg MMM. I can very credibly say that I could not be where I am right now if it weren't for Katy.

I know this because I am a reapplicant, so I know that whatever I was doing before simply wasn't enough. Though I'm fundamentally the same person as I was before (plus a few extracurrics and a fun new post at my company), Katy was able to provide insight as to what I was truly looking to get out of business school. That was at the core of every discussion: she was prying and poking to see what actually makes me tick, and what I'm really striving for -- only then could I craft any kind of real, authentic story (which is absolutely essential to demonstrate to the top business schools).

I know that I was expecting an 'essay proof-reading' service, but what I got was absolutely different, and so much better.

In addition to forcing me to take a long, hard look in the mirror (and through my work experience), Katy did things like walking me back from weak essay ideas, helping me reflect on nuanced parts of my work and personal experience, and more importantly lending a steady, objective hand in how I crafted my application.

For instance, I was originally going to focus a large part of my essays on a personal hardship (which I still believe is a huge part of who I am as a person). But Katy asked the tough questions like, "Does this really demonstrate who you are as a leader? Does this show the admissions officer that you'll be a valuable asset in the classroom? Do you think some part of you is trying to pull on emotional strings rather than highlight your professional/personal strengths?" These were questions that were guided, wise, and ultimately extremely important.

Each person applying to school has so many facets of his or her background to choose from when trying to show schools who they really are. Katy is like a guide in the wilderness, though, when it comes to pointing out what's really important (versus what I was building up in my head).

Katy spent hours on the phone with me going through idea after idea until I felt so confident about what I was putting forth.

But even after that, she was there to help me prep for my interviews and for me to bounce ideas off of. Her flexibility was absolutely critical, as I happen to live in a timezone literally a world away. She took calls late at night, as she was grabbing take-out from a restaurant downstairs -- That kind of effort is far well and beyond what I would expect from someone of her stature and expertise.

Finally, and perhaps most importantly, she helped me coach my two recommenders. I asked my mentor and my former manager (with whom I'm great friends) to write my recommendations. That in itself is an extremely daunting task. Katy was full of tips. But what's worse is when one of those recommendations was a bit lackluster: that's a REALLY tough situation, and if Katy weren't there with her sage advice, I may not have asked my recommender to take a much needed second pass at the letter.

Do not expect Katy to write your essays for you. She is here to help you find your own voice, and put it in context of her dozens of years of experience -- she won't be there to take your GMAT, write your essays, write your recommendations, or interview for you.

I went through a quick, admittedly un-comprehensive search when I was looking to meet MBA consultants. Among them, I met with Bhavik from Critical Square, a forgettable person from Stacy Blackman, and finally Katy.

Bhavik was great -- he seemed extremely knowledgable, and was very friendly.

The person from Stacy Blackman called me, spoke with me for 10 minutes, and seemed rushed and hurried throughout the process -- I felt like I was being churned through a monstrous machine.

And finally I spoke with Katy. Not only did we hit it off, it was clear that professionally she is at the top of the game.

What ultimately made me choose to go with Katy (as opposed to the other two consultants) was her experience as a reader for GSB, and her experience at HBS. Those being my top 2 choices, it was a no-brainer (though I'm sure Bhavik would have also done a great job!). That type of experience is irreplaceable, and absolutely comes into play.

If I were to summarize, for anyone reading this, I think hiring someone like Katy is only the cherry on top of: Demonstrated leadership, success at your job, and a great GMAT score. I seriously doubt that without those three things, hiring Katy will make a lick of difference when it comes to getting into your dream school.

But I do think that having a resource like Katy to lean on during the process is the difference between going to a top 15-30 school to a top 5 school. I truly truly believe that.

Thank you, Katy!