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Debbie Choy Reviews

Company: mbaMission

Before earning her MBA from the Stanford Graduate School of Business, Debbie Choy was an investment analyst with JP Morgan, and previously, a management consultant with Booz & Co. After graduating, she worked in product marketing in the medical technology industry, where she developed an expertise in the planning and execution of product launches, product line management and marketing strategy. In addition, Debbie was actively involved in recruiting business school graduates for her employer and led an MBA recruiting program for a fast-growing health care company, focusing on the top programs. She also presented at career fairs and directly interviewed candidates. Debbie is a co-founder of ALIST Magazine, which showcases Asian American corporate leaders and success stories. In this capacity, she oversaw a team of six staff writers and produced a regular column called “Women At Work” for the publication’s Web site. Debbie graduated cum laude from Vassar College with a BA in International Studies. Debbie grew up in Singapore and speaks fluent Mandarin and Cantonese, as well as conversational French.

4.9 /5 Average Rating
Based on 98 reviews
April 07, 2024
Julie_A

Joined: Apr 07, 2024

Posts: 0

Kudos: 0

Verified GMAT Classic score:
680 Q49 V32

I approached Debbie in October 2023 for interview training. Unlike some consultants who prefer to read a script of the “walk me through your resume” answer, after reading my application materials, Debbie asked me to do a mock-up right away. The first mock-up certainly felt stressful, but I found myself making progress very quickly after the first session. After 3 sessions with Debbie, I believed I was fully prepared for the interviews.

What I truly appreciate about Debbie’s work is her detailed feedback - I have done multiple mock-ups with current students but often their feedback are way too general. Debbie’s feedback, on the other hand, ranges from the structure of my answer to my facial expressions. She truly pays attention to my performance and gives useful advice that are also beneficial for my job interviews in the future.

More importantly, whenever Debbie pointed out a problem, she almost always suggested her solution. I also had worked with a freelancer to prepare for my essays and resume before I found Debbie. My freelancer consultant charged me a lot less compared with Debbie. However, I would spend a lot more hours with her than with Debbie. In a word, I understand that Debbie, at her level, charges more than many other consultants, but it is absolutely worth it. Debbie’s feedback and suggestions are always very sharp, constructive and on-point.

For example, I struggled to put my story together as someone with an engineering degree and an art degree, and Debbie suggested that I position myself as someone who prefers to use both sides of her brain - right hand side and left hand side, meaning quantitative and qualitative. And a weakness (lack of cohesiveness) suddenly became a unique strength of mine. There are a couple of other similar examples, and I benefit so much from Debbie’s solutions.

I was eventually admitted to Ross with 20k scholarships. In addition, I was admitted to Tepper and Johnson with half scholarships, and Darden and UNC with full scholarships.

In the zoom call where I received the great news from Ross, the AdComs specifically mentioned that the interviewer (a Ross alum) gave high praises on my interview performance. Obviously I performed well because Ross was my second last interview, but I also could never have done it without Debbie’s professional instructions and continuous support.

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April 06, 2024
annabee

Joined: Apr 06, 2024

Posts: 0

Kudos: 0

Verified GMAT Classic score:
680 Q47 V37

BEST coach ever!

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When I was looking for an admissions coach, I was immediately drawn to Debbie's candor, her commitment to excellence, and her positive and pragmatic attitude. As an Asian-American female pivoting out of finance, I also connected with Debbie at a personal level given her background, and I believed she would best understand and help me craft my unique story. Reflecting on a highly stressful and exhausting year-long process (April 2023 to April 2024), I feel EXTREMELY FORTUNATE AND HAPPY (CAPS LOCK REQUIRED) to have worked with Debbie. Debbie truly partnered with me and rooted for me every step of the way, pushing me to put my best foot forward while always providing a safe space for me to be honest and authentic.

I applied to 4 schools (H/S/W/MIT), and Debbie was critical to helping me structure and advance my applications. Completing 4 applications can feel super daunting, but Debbie set progressive timelines that made everything feel manageable. One of Debbie's many strengths is her ability to balance detail orientation with strategic guidance: for EVERY essay and short answer, she provided highly effective feedback, from sentence phrasing to essay flow, that allowed me to best convey my story and my voice.

I ended up applying R2 due to a lower than median GMAT score that I was trying to increase ahead of the R1 deadline, but I couldn't, and I didn't even end up achieving my target score. It was brutally disappointing, but I still applied R2 and was very worried that my test score would be the gating factor. I was rejected from H/S/W but accepted to MIT. If it weren't for the thoughtful, strategic brainstorming that we did together for EVERY part of my application for EVERY school in order to best showcase my personality and my experience as a candidate, I wouldn't have been able to pull it off. Without Debbie, I would not be going to my dream school. Full stop, period.

Debbie's THE BEST. Work with Debbie.

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April 04, 2024
siwfrsg

Joined: Apr 04, 2024

Posts: 1

Kudos: 1

Accepted into Stanford (Dream School) thanks to Debbie!

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As an international applicant, the MBA application process felt daunting and confusing to me. After a 30 minute free consultation, I was matched with Debbie, whom I felt had a similar background to me (grew up in Singapore, worked at J.P. Morgan). Additionally, Debbie had graduated from Stanford, which was my dream school.

I remember feeling very assured after our first call, when Debbie helped me navigate critical decisions, such as which schools to prioritize in my applications.

One of the areas where Debbie truly excelled was in refining my essays. Writing compelling and authentic essays was a challenge for me, but Debbie's insightful feedback and guidance transformed my essays. She encouraged me to be vulnerable, and it enabled my voice to come through in my writing.

Additionally, Debbie did not overlook any aspect of the application, including the (many) short-answer questions in the application form. Her feedback is timely and always actionable.

Thanks to Debbie's guidance, I received acceptance letters from Stanford, Berkeley, Wharton and MIT, and secured over $50,000 in fellowship awards.

If you're considering MBA admission consulting services, I highly recommend mbaMission. You won't regret it!

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March 31, 2024
xdzx

Joined: Mar 31, 2024

Posts: 0

Kudos: 0

Debbie is the best!

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I applied to HBS and GSB, and Debbie helped me get into both schools!

In short, I could not have imagined the process without Debbie. From the start, she broke down a hefty work burden into a manageable timeline, even though I felt I had a late start to R2 applications. We developed a modified calendar and covered tasks in order of priority. When I found myself getting caught in the minutiae of essay/application edits, her feedback drew me back to the big picture.

Debbie also balanced high-impact feedback with preservation of my voice--I felt my final essays to be the most refined and authentic representation of me. She dove deep during the brainstorming process to understand all corners of my experiences, while keeping in mind the values specific to each school. When we started interview prep, she reminded me of stories even I had forgotten, and she guided me on how to frame these stories with an impact-oriented angle. I left each conversation feeling more confident in myself. In many ways, Debbie's care allowed me to uncover more of my authentic self in the application process.

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December 23, 2023
Crispychips

Joined: Dec 17, 2023

Posts: 0

Kudos: 0

Verified GMAT Classic score:
730 Q50 V39

Working with Debbie made the whole process easier for me

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Working with Debbie was a great choice. I started the application process late and had less than 2 months to prepare for R1 when I found Debbie. I applied to 4 M7 schools, and she demonstrated an impressive understanding of the MBA application landscape, providing valuable insights and strategic advice. Her expertise in MBA applications, especially at Wharton and CBS, secured my admission with a scholarship. Debbie helped brainstorm and polish my essays. Her guidance on recommendation letters was also invaluable. Her insights and genuine support were key to my application process. While every journey has its unique aspects, my experience with Debbie was positive and working with her has made this process much easier and more manageable than doing it alone!

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December 18, 2023
yakamayo

Joined: Jun 17, 2020

Posts: 1

Kudos: 5

Self-reported Score:
760 Q49 V44

Admitted to HSW!

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Debbie helped me get into 2 out of 3 HSW schools, including my DREAM school. To start, I had consultations with several consulting firms (Stacy Blackman, mbaMission, Fortuna, etc) and immediately gravitated towards Debbie. The most important thing you want in an MBA consultant is someone you feel comfortable with and Debbie was definitely that person! She's extremely nice, encouraging, and constructive (while also being positive). During our sessions where we brainstormed essay ideas, I never felt judged when I shared my ideas, even if she didn't necessarily agree. Instead, she built off my thinking (in order to keep the essays genuine to me) while steering me in the direction that would lead to a more successful application essay for each respective school. Each school has a preferred “style” for their essays that I never would’ve known if it weren’t for Debbie’s insight. During interview prep, Debbie provided really helpful feedback and, more importantly, boosted my confidence to ease my nerves.

Debbie became one of my biggest supporters during the application process, and I’m so glad to have chosen her, and mbaMission, to guide me along the way. Definitely recommend!

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December 17, 2023
fash97

Joined: Feb 23, 2023

Posts: 0

Kudos: 0

Got into CBS with Debbie's help

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I am not from a traditional background and had to admit I don't know much about MBA initially when I decided to apply. From a 30-minute call with Debbie, I was able to create a rough plan for my MBA application journey. Since I got in touch with her early in the cycle, Debbie provided some good advices on how to enhance my profile with more extracurriculars.

During the brainstorm session, Debbie helped me find a unique story out of my ordinary background, which was a result of multiple deep conversations. It's the most critical step when I worked with Debbie since it settled the whole theme of essays. Throughout the essay drafting process, Debbie is very responsible, and reply within the timeframe as always. We devoted quite some time to the essays together, and I am very happy about how the essays turned out.

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December 16, 2023
jc2334

Joined: Sep 04, 2023

Posts: 0

Kudos: 0

Work with Debbie for your MBA Applications!

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With Debbie's support and guidance, I have recently been accepted to 2 M7s and 1 T15 programs!

Debbie is the supportive, methodical, and insightful consultant I knew I needed when I first started out on my MBA application journey. Just a few reasons (of many!) that made her stand out...

1. Confidence - Going into this process, I had felt this pressure to stand out against a sea of applicants and feared that my background / experience was too "average." Debbie helped me build the confidence to present my authentic self and share my unique story. I loved that she never tried to change my voice as I was writing essays (one of my biggest fears when I was first considering a consultant!) but rather focused on asking probing questions or highlighting opportunities for improvement - without sacrificing my personal color.

2. Structure - MBA applications can feel overwhelming and stressful, especially when you are also balancing professional and personal lives. When I first started, I wasn't even quite sure where to begin. But Debbie provided the needed structure and kept each of our meetings targeted and efficient with a clear outcome. This made it easier for me to take things in bite-sized chunks.

3. Support - Debbie is extremely personable and supportive! I think it's important to work with someone you trust and someone who is invested in your success. Debbie has been consistently encouraging and excited about the milestones along the way - from my first interview invite to my latest acceptances - and I'm truly grateful for this level of support and investment.

I highly recommend working with Debbie - she's the best!

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December 13, 2023
bwrath

Joined: Dec 11, 2023

Posts: 0

Kudos: 0

Secured a position at an M7

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I would strongly encourage applicants to utilize mbaMission. My experience with Debbie was extremely positive; her expertise was crucial in securing a spot in an M7 business school. She did a phenomenal job of highlighting the best of my experiences, crafting my goals and background into a coherent message, and keeping me on track during all stages of the application process. The brainstorming worksheets and essay preparation meetings were especially helpful in ensuring my essays communicated my strengths to my target schools. I am certain I would not have achieved the same level of success without my partnership with Debbie and the mbaMission team. Given the opportunity to use their services again, I would 100% do so.

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December 05, 2023
ohyoungc94

Joined: Feb 28, 2023

Posts: 0

Kudos: 0

Beating the odds - admission to an M7 MBA

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I had many concerns and doubts when thinking about pursuing my MBA because of my non-traditional background. For context, I am an Asian American male who dropped out of high school and had to take a nonconventional way to "get back on track".

I have done my due diligence by looking into different admission consultant services/companies and held many free consultations. Everyone I had talked to set the bar low because of my background (focusing on the risk and the downside). Debbie was different - she was willing to see me and my profile from a different angle. She did not place any limitations on what could be possible. That is when I realized that I found my match.

Debbie is an expert in this field. Not only does she have many resources at her fingertips and is very knowledgeable about the MBA application process, she cares. She went to great lengths to understand me and my story. I can tell she carefully read through my 11-page brain dump of my history because she was able to come up with many strong stories and examples that evidence my competencies. Using what she knows about what MBA schools look for, she helped me strategize the picture I would ultimately paint for adcom. I was often amazed at her ability to not only see my stories from a different angle but also piece them together to highlight the traits that schools care about.

While the process is important, the result is just as equally important -- I was able to get into my dream school.

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12 Older and Non-Verified Reviews for Debbie Choy
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