HBS Round 2 Admit!

I entered the Round 2 application process this year with a 680 GMAT score, professional experience in the entertainment industry and a lack of understanding of how best to use this to aid me in obtaining my MBA from a top tier school. I hesitated to even apply this year because of my sub-700 GMAT score. Many people including other MBA consultants told me I was better off in Round 1 of next year and that I should stay focused on boosting my GMAT score. While the GMAT is a very important metric for admissions officers and consultants, my success in being accepted by my number one program can serve as a testament to the true “holistic” approach and to the advantage you can have in teaming up with the right consultant.
I came to mbaMission through Manhattan Prep, where I had a positive experience with their GMAT materials and private tutor. My concern in hiring a consultant was I would just be another client to them, which I couldn’t afford when I needed to really stand out in my essays and applications in order to have any chance of acceptance. I also knew that I was facing an audience whose understanding of my industry and my experience may be very limited.
mbaMission really worked to match me with the best consultant who suited my needs in every way. I had a preliminary 30 min call with John Sisk and we not only hit it off from a personality standpoint, but John had previously worked in entertainment and really understood how to best approach framing my essays and complete application. Following that call, I purchased the Complete “Start-to-Finish” Package - Three-School Package.
I found the entire mbaMission process to be extremely organized, thoughtful and streamlined. From our initial brainstorm to the final essays, John was very strategic about where we started so we could eventually use the content and stories from our first essay and mold it into every essay for each school, thus maintaining my essence and personal story throughout my applications. Looking back, John made the difference in truly unlocking the best story I could tell, and I honestly believe I would not have told the same impactful and compelling story if I chose to go it alone.
John’s approach to writing essays made my entire experience less stressful, more organized, and very streamlined. Additionally, the straightforward delivery schedule and holiday considerations in the mbaMission organization made it very easy for me to plan ahead and around holidays.
In the end, I was accepted into HBS in Round 2. Having made it through the application process, I would strongly urge future applications to not only trust in the holistic process of compiling a complete application but also to strongly consider teaming up with a consultant to help you tap into your best story and position. In my case, I know John made a huge impact in my applications that was exponentially more valuable than the price.