Lynn Moloney - Worth Every Penny!

When I decided to apply to an MBA program, I spoke to several of my friends who were accepted into top-tier schools, they all suggested getting a consultant. Although consultants are not cheap, I found my experience with mbaMission, in particular with Lynn Moloney, worth every penny.
I considered buying different services a la carte, but I am glad I opted to buy the school package. Although more expensive, the school package really helps you build your entire application. The consultant knows what you have already described in your resume and your short essays. This might not seem significant, but the space in your application is limited and you want to make sure you are able to showcase everything important, including minor details that the application committee might find interesting.
After a 30 minute free consultation with a different consultant, it was suggested I pair with Lynn Moloney. I was happy that the consultant didn’t just suggest herself, but listened to what I wanted and based her recommendation on that. I would suggest starting this process sooner rather than later. Each consultant can only have so many clients, if you are joining late in the process, the consultant that might be the best fit for you might already be fully booked.
After doing my initial brain storming exercise, something that you should give yourself several weeks if not more to do and think through, Lynn discussed each story with me, helping me see different angles and picking up on different strengths/skills that I did not see myself.
My number one choice, and the hardest application, was HBS. The single open ended essay question can seem overwhelming; you have one chance to show the application committee what you are all about and what you will add to the HBS community. After the brainstorming exercise, Lynn had suggested a topic for the essay. I was very surprised as the topic was very similar to what I was thinking myself. Lynn does not write the essays for you, she provides input on which stories make sense to include and helps edit the essay, tying each story together and making sure every word has an impact.
I found Lynn to be extremely helpful in the writing process. I went through 9/10 drafts of my HBS essay. Lynn was always timely in her response and with each draft I could tell she was very thorough and took the time to make each draft substantially better than the last.
The interview prep was also very helpful. I did two mock interviews with Lynn. She helped me frame each answer in a clear way and discussed some of the techniques interviewers might use. For interviews, it’s important to practice. I practiced 3-4 times with friends, but Lynn’s feedback helped me see how to approach each answer, where my friend provided the opportunity to practice what Lynn and I had discussed.
I was accepted into HBS and believe Lynn was an instrumental part in this. Overall, not only was she professional, but I felt that the service she provided was very personalized. Lynn provided me with the tools that helped me showcase the traits that were unique to me, helping me stand out from other candidates.