mbaMission: Gavriella Semaya

In the Fall of 2021, I'll be attending a top 5 MBA program - this was made possible because of my mbaMission consultant, Gavriella Semaya. Without her coaching, mentorship, and guidance, I recognize that I would not be in the very fortunate position that I am today.

I was nervous going into the MBA application process and doubting what schools to which I should even apply. I had the test scores, transcripts, and resume to be competitive, but I was unsure how my life experiences could be shared in a compelling fashion in the essays. During my first conversation with Gavriella she was instantly supportive of my goals while always being very honest about the task at hand. She reassured me that we could partner together and uncover experiences that would make for the most impactful applications.

Prior to even addressing the essay topics, Gavriella challenged me to do a great amount of self-discovery by answering thought-provoking questions about my personal life. I had not anticipated this experience would require such deep levels of introspection. While I was at first very hesitant to share somewhat personal details of my life, I very quickly came to trust her with anything. This openness allowed for us to truly explore all topics, so when it came time to answer the essays, we were able to weave together salient stories. Regardless of the admission outcomes, the self-discovery this exercise provided is something that I’ll never forget.

Not only was Gavriella able to help me share experiences that I would have never considered relevant, she amazed me at her ability to tie those experiences together with my work and academic history to provide a holistic perspective in my essays and interviews. Her ability to recall the most intricate details of my essays, work history, and even experiences is something that I’ve always appreciated – it truly made me feel like she was my partner in this process.

Even when I got down on myself, Gavriella always was there to support and encourage me through the process. Her feedback was always very straightforward, and she constantly challenged me to put forth my best; however, I never felt like she lost faith in me – her encouragement and coaching truly helped me push to the finish line and believe in myself.

I’d recommend Gavriella’s services to anyone going through the MBA process! I do not say this just because of her results, but the amount of which I learned about myself – that is something I’ll never forget through this journey.