Forum Home > GMAT > Quantitative > Problem Solving (PS)
All Reviews > Fortuna Admissions > Comprehensive School Package Reviews |
REVIEWER IDENTITY VERIFIED by school email address [?]
Product Fortuna Admissions Comprehensive School Package
Consultant William Kotas
I was an optimistic applicant, but having grown up in the Dominican Republic and very much isolated from the MBA culture and peer applicants, I did not grasp the level of detail top programs asked of applicants. Willie helped me choose my target schools, craft my story and highlight the parts of my profile that would stand out in my applications while mitigating aspects that were weaker. I ultimately received admits from my two top choices, one of them a member of the M7. I will be forever thankful for his patience and thoughtful advice. In my experience as a genuine outsider, I can't recommend Willie's services enough and I am certain I wouldn't have been able to navigate the application process as successfully as I did without his help.
Product Fortuna Admissions Comprehensive School Package
Consultant Bill Kooser
I came into the R1 process fairly well-versed with my deadlines and needs. I knew I wanted an MBA consultant so that I could have a 'project manager' of sorts who could not only provide essay advice but also keep me on track and help me balance 5 applications.
I interviewed multiple companies and decided to go with Fortuna because the initial call with Matt did not feel rushed or sales-ey. I subsequently chose to work with Bill because of his decades of experience in Admissions - a great decision that proved its worth along the way. Fortuna offered what they thought would be the best package and arrangement for me, and never tried to push additional schools or services.
We settled on the schools and began the process with a detailed questionnaire and timeline with the expected tasks. I will re-iterate a point often made here: the consultants are there to guide and help, but you must put in the work. It was a tough few months, but having Bill by my side made things much easier. If you have the budget for a consultant, I recommend getting the Comprehensive Package, because I had tons of tiny questions along the way that Bill had no hesitation answering, because I had chosen that package. I actually bought the package for only 2 schools, but Bill didn't hesitate to help a little (within reason) with the other apps that I was attempting alone. He truly cares that you get into the school of your dreams, even if it isn't necessarily the one you're working with him on.
Bill is supportive yet candid, and is always available to answer your questions. He knows how Admissions officers think, and he grasps and remembers details of your story. Before starting the process, I had heard horror stories of consultants getting 'lazy' and attempting to wrap up essays within a couple of drafts. None of that with Bill - he never hesitated to read the smallest of changes, and always put up with my sometimes neurotic behavior. Most important of all, he wasn't just a creative writing coach - he helped me stay motivated through tough times and rejections (which I learned happen all the time).
Staying motivated worked, because I ended up getting into the school of my dreams! In an extremely competitive year where it sometimes felt like I was hitting a brick wall, things eventually worked out. I highly recommend working with Bill, no matter your background, because he has seen it all.
Product Fortuna Admissions Comprehensive School Package
Consultant Emma Bond
I worked with Emma to apply to an early careers program at one of the top universities worldwide.Emma guided me and helped make the application process easy and simple. Without her I know that I would have been lost and confused. I loved working with her and her help has been instrumental to my acceptance at my dream school. I cannot thank her enough and really recommend her to anyone that is thinking of applying to a masters program. I convinced all my friends and family to apply through her.
I recommend her because she is very thorough and has a lot of knowledge on what the universities are looking for. She has a lot of experience and that experience is invaluable to anyone applying to a top university. She has helped me edit my Essays and CVs while not taking away my voice. She helped me enhance my application and for that I am very grateful. I also worked with her on interview prep and our mock trial was exactly like my interview. Her comments and suggestions made my interview go smoothly and helped me make a good impression.
REVIEWER IDENTITY VERIFIED by school email address [?]
Product Fortuna Admissions Comprehensive School Package
Consultant Melissa Jones
I recently received acceptance to my dream MBA program, CBS, and I would highly recommend Melissa and the Fortuna team for their help and support throughout the MBA admission process. Melissa brought an energetic, positive approach and really provided 360 degree support in helping me craft the story I wanted to present to the Admissions committee, essay guidance, mock interview support, helping to build and structure my resume, and give me the confidence I have the support of a professional who knows the MBA admissions process inside and out. I also want to highlight the instrumental guidance Melissa provided, which was instrumental in helping me navigate the sometimes opaque and nuanced admissions process. Thank you Melissa!
Product Fortuna Admissions Comprehensive School Package
Consultant Karen Hamou
When I first started looking at MBA programs, I didn't even consider applying to top schools as I didn't think I had a shot. I was originally looking to apply in round 3 2020 (last minute decision) and after the 30 min consultation with Karen, she gave me a lot of confidence about applying to top schools. That was really the sign for me (in addition to Karen's positive attitude) to chose Fortuna instead of the other firms I had a free consultation with. For the 7 months I've been working with Karen since then, I have had nothing but great experiences! She always has the right things to say, the right answers to my questions, she's always available and is the greatest cheerleader and supporter. From the beginning, Karen always made it a point to show me how much she believed in me and my chances of getting into the top schools I am applying to (even with a not so stellar GMAT or GPA). She knew that with my great professional background, lined-up recommenders and personal story, I could make a good compelling case for myself. She found the best way to tell my story, something I don't think I would have thought of or even would have know where to begin with without Karen. She also always made herself available any time I had a question, was nervous about something or felt down about my GMAT scores.
I would hands down recommend Karen to anyone looking for great guidance, support and encouragement throughout the MBA application process. I did the comprehensive school package, but since Karen is so immensely helpful, effective and efficient, I would say, get whatever package works best for you and I guarantee you'll be very happy you went with Karen.
REVIEWER IDENTITY VERIFIED by score report [?]
Product Fortuna Admissions Comprehensive School Package
Consultant Rachel Erickson Hee
Rachel is incredibly attentive and thoughtful. From the get-go, she invested a ton of time to get to know me as a person, taking copious amount of notes each time. This was especially helpful when we brainstormed stories for each of my MBA essays, and she would bring up anecdotes that even I forgot about! Rachel also exhibited an incredible can-do attitude as she read and provided thoughtful commentary to each of the 26 drafts we went through for my main MBA essay. Rachel's publishing background was truly an asset as she helped me cut down words and improve the flow of my essays.
But, the most impactful part of our relationship was how she helped me clarify my long-term career vision. I actually made a job switch during the application process becasue I knew that the new job will bring me one step closer to my goals. I would not have had the courage to do this if it wasn't for Rachel's thoughtful guidance.
I am super excited to keep Rachel updated on all of my future endeavours, not just business school. She has had a HUGE part in my successes, and I cannot recommend her enough!
THANK YOU RACHEL!
Product Fortuna Admissions Comprehensive School Package
Consultant Heidi Hillis
I worked with Heidi on my business school applications and she was extremely supportive, responsive, and knowledgeable throughout. She played a pivotal role in all aspects of the process, including recommender strategy, application form strategy, essay planning and revisions, and interview prep.
She paid attention to the various stories in my life and helped me uncover key themes that really highlighted who I am. Once I began drafting essays, she provided thoughtful feedback with very quick turnarounds. I felt supported throughout. Overall, it was an amazing working with her and I recommend her to anyone applying to competitive business schools!
Product Fortuna Admissions Comprehensive School Package
Consultant Jessica Chung
Fortuna was an amazing consulting experience. I went with them after Stacy Blackman told me I shouldn't even bother with my top two choices (UCLA & USC). After the initial consultation, I got to chat with a few consultants to see who aligned with my goals the best. I went with Jessica, and by extension Lisa, because they matched my goals closely. This was the best decision! Jessica was amazing, she helped me with the entire process from A to Z. Without her or Lisa I wouldn't have interviewed everywhere I applied. With her help I was admitted to USC and am waiting on decision to UCLA. She was wonderful to work with and very professional. She guided me through every step and eased by anxiety throughout the whole process. I couldn't recommend the both of them enough, and I am very grateful to them and all their help.
Product Fortuna Admissions Comprehensive School Package
Consultant Melissa Jones
Melissa is undoubtably the best admissions consultant out there and I have nothing but A+++ words to say about my experience working with Melissa and the entire Fortuna team. Hire her now!!
From the start, Melissa invested a lot of time to get to know me, to understand my grad school goals, and to learn about all of my past work/life experiences so that we could shape the best narrative possible for my application. Throughout the entire process (from initial calls to essay prep to mock interviews), Melissa was extremely thorough, always had my best interest in mind, was very responsive, and provided honest and direct feedback, all while making you feel confident, supported, and motivated. Melissa truly wants you to succeed as much as you do.
Melissa also has unwavering belief in her clients, and she will stick by your side to help you get to your top B school, no matter how long it takes. Trust me… it took me over a year to get an application worthy GMAT score and Melissa was providing guidance and cheering me on the entire time.
Working with Melissa was the best decision that I made, leading up to applying to grad school and she was the key in turning my dream school into a reality. Thank you, Melissa!
Product Fortuna Admissions Comprehensive School Package
Consultant Karen Hamou
It's difficult to put into words how incredible Karen is. There are so many things that I could say about her that come to mind - intelligent, strategic, thoughtful, organized, focused etc. But what stood out the most during the MBA application process was her unwavering belief in me. I came into the the process unsure of my chances - I had strange background with a number of career jumps that I thought would be my downfall. And I was very vocal about my doubts, often poking holes constantly in my story and background. But throughout my anxiety and despair, Karen was steadfast in her belief that my story was strong and that I was worthy of admission to the school of my dreams. Her unwavering confidence washed away my doubts and pushed me to put my best foot forward. I've come out of this process not only with an admission to my top school (Columbia) but also more confident in my own capabilities, all thanks to Karen.