Great experience with Katy

Came from a pretty blue-chip background, but was concerned about differentiating myself within the very competitive cohort of management consultants. I chose Katy after completing free 30-minute calls with several different consultants across several different firms. I chose Katy because of three main reasons: one, she had substantial experience at HBS and Stanford (alum of one, reviewed applications in the other), which were the only two schools I was planning to apply to; two, she seemed to have a thorough grasp of what business schools were looking for at a level deeper than what I was getting on forums, books, school profiles, etc.; and three, she had a much more friendly, down-to-earth attitude and approach than other consultants I spoke to, which really resonated with me.

Katy's number one strength is her RIDICULOUSLY uncanny ability to draw a trendline in your life -- to figure out "what matters most to you and why" by listening to the choices you've made in your career and personal life and the experiences that have shaped you. This is the foundation of any great business school application, and its importance cannot be overemphasized. As someone with a fairly strong writing background, I probably could have managed most of the essay writing and editing myself, but her services were worth the cost for this thematic identification alone. It was something I was struggling with, and it wasn't until she said "this is what I think matters most to you" (after two hours on the phone talking through my life) that it all "clicked." I think it's what ultimately differentiated me, and I'll be headed to Stanford in the fall. Would enthusiastically recommend Katy to friends and family.