My experience working with Eric was outstanding. Consistently throughout the application process, he re-oriented my focus on how best to address the admissions committee and application reviewer, nudging me with thoughtful questions designed to showcase my talents and experiences in the best light. For background, I grew up in the Midwest and attended a top 10 U.S. News university (think Duke, Northwestern, UPenn), where I majored in Economics. Upon graduation, I spent two years in investment banking and will have spent two years in private equity by B-school matriculation (fall 2025). I applied with a very strong GPA (4.0) and solid GMAT Focus (685-695). My biggest worry going into the application process was telling my “story” and being able to differentiate myself in a pool of superb candidates—I applied to HBS, Wharton, and Booth.

Eric brought tremendous thoughtfulness and engagement from the get-go, listening carefully to my background and figuring out how best to position myself to admissions. Given I’ve become numb to my own experiences, it’s easy to overlook something that may standout to a third-party. This is where Eric excels. He has you consider things that you may have overlooked, using them to better round you out as a candidate. This shows up time and time again during the essay writing process. Eric reviewed my writing, re-directing it as appropriate and offering recommendations to make it more concise and focused. During interview prep, Eric both supplied comprehensive materials and simulated an environment that mirrored what I experienced with my actual interviewers. Walking away from both my one-on-one and team-based interview, I felt as though both were incredibly additive to my application (rather than a check-the-box)—largely due to the rigorous prep provided by Eric.

Without question, I am blessed to have worked with Eric and credit him with much of the success experienced in the 2024-25 MBA application cycle (admitted to Booth and Wharton with significant scholarship).

Read More

I approached Eric as a reapplicant for the HBS Class of 2027 after an unsuccessful attempt in the previous application cycle for the Class of 2026. As a traditional applicant (MBB background) with solid but average stats (Top LAC undergrad, 3.7 GPA in STEM, 740 GMAT) and a short time frame to reestablish my candidacy, I knew I needed a strategic edge to stand out in a hyper-competitive applicant pool. Eric proved to be that game-changing differentiator.

Eric’s dedication and creativity as an advisor were evident from the start. He conducted a meticulous review of my prior application, pinpointed the execution flaws, and developed a fresh strategy that highlighted untapped aspects of my profile. An example of Eric’s many creative contributions was identifying a major extracurricular activity I had begun in college and helping me reframe it into the centerpiece of my narrative. This became the foundation of a cohesive and compelling story that I wove through all my applications.

Eric’s thoroughness and commitment to excellence were unparalleled. During the essay writing process, he challenged every sentence I wrote to ensure it met the highest standards. His brainstorming sessions were invaluable in overcoming storytelling roadblocks, and he was instrumental in refining my resume and devising a robust recommender strategy. When it came to interview prep, Eric was proactive, consistently checking in, and providing fresh insights to enhance my preparation.

In the end, I was admitted to my dream school, HBS, in R1—just nine months after my initial rejection. Eric was the true difference-maker in this journey, and I can’t recommend working with Eric highly enough.

Read More

Eric was great to work with over the past few months and I'd highly recommend him to others that may be considering applying to top MBA programs and are looking for support differentiating themselves in their applications. I come from a finance background and felt that my GPA (3.8+) and GRE (168Q/162V) may be competitive alongside my work experience but was concerned that my "story" may not be as compelling as others applying to top MBA programs (I applied to Booth and Kellogg). Eric's assistance with the essay writing portion of the application was particularly helpful, as he was able to help me outline the key ideas I wanted to focus on, bring out the most important qualities and traits that illustrated the strength of my candidacy, while still maintaining the personal feel of the writing so the reader could get a true sense of who I was. He made my writing much more concise and direct, so it was easier to follow. After submitting the applications, Eric also was very helpful with my interview prep. We walked through many different types of questions I might encounter, so I was extremely well prepared for the interviews. As a result, I thought my interviews were a particularly strong component of my application and I believe the key driver behind the scholarship I was able to receive. With Eric's support and guidance, I was fortunate to be admitted to both Booth and Kellogg with meaningful scholarship!

Read More

Eric is a candid and meticulous consultant. I am an engineer and have been in the industry for around 10 years. My GMAT score (700+) and GPA (range 3.5 - 4.0) were satisfactory, but I had a unique plan distinct from other applicants. Eric empathetically considered my perspective, offering constructive feedback, whether positive or negative. Throughout the application process, he meticulously reviewed every aspect, from essay writing to transcript submission, ensuring thoroughness. His insights included valuable suggestions I hadn't considered, and he maintained punctuality, returning my essays and emails promptly. Eric was consistently reliable for any inquiries, from application strategies to MBA program selection. I applied for two top 5 schools (u.s news ranking) and got into both! It would be impossible for me to land two dream schools without his professional consultation. I wholeheartedly recommend his services!

Read More

Eric's coaching and essay comments helped me gain admission into the Booth, Haas, and Anderson part-time MBA programs. I leave very impressed with MBAMission, including my initial 30 minute consultation. I chose to go with Eric because his background in investment research aligned with my goals in pursuing an MBA. From the beginning, Eric offered me very direct and detailed advice. My initial goal was to get into a full-time program, but Eric helped me see that a part-time program was likely a better fit for my ultimate goals.

While he was ultimately spot-on with this initial advice, he fully supported me in pursuing both full-time programs and part-time programs. He pushed me to quickly network with current students at all the schools I applied to, which was invaluable, and helped me brainstorm my approach. I started the process later than is advisable, but Eric told me exactly the themes I needed to communicate in my application and essays. He helped me brainstorm my strategy for approaching writers of my letters of recommendation and prepare for interviews. In the essays, he did not tell me what to write, but instead coached me on what I needed to get across (proven leadership experience, fit with the programs, etc). Eric worked with me to bring out the very best of my story. His comments challenged me to either think more critically about an element of my story, explicitly make a link I wasn't making, or edit out unnecessary detail. The final applications encapsulated an excellent summary of me and my value proposition to the programs.

I chose hourly services because I felt comfortable with a transactional relationship, and given my time constraints, wasn't sure I would get value out of a package. Eric was very efficient with my purchased time. I feel like I received a great value, and found his help invaluable in gaining admission to three programs. Eric also helped me learn how to sell myself better, which I think will payoff for me in many other areas of life and career.

Read More

Choosing Eric Hollowaty as my admissions consultant was the best decision I’ve made for my application – looking back I don’t regret it for a second.
I had prepared for the GMAT myself but I knew that essay writing and in general selling myself was my weakest skill. Moreover, I decided to apply to only one (!) top business school and I definitely wanted to give it the best possible chance of success. Eric is the best professional coach I’ve ever worked with – not only does his coaching helped me to submit a great application and get admitted, but it had a tremendous impact on my whole professional career. I learnt how to craft a compelling cover letter and build a strong business case in no time…
I work within a top professional services business and yet mbaMission impressed me with the top-notch quality of every bit of their work and the completely flawless service delivery. Writing wasn’t an easy thing for me but Eric was restless and didn’t stop pushing me to perfection. When I was stuck, he was always finding a way to foster my inspiration – I wouldn’t have make it without his help.

Read More

I started the MBA application process late in the admissions season, having taken the GMAT in the second week of December, hoping to complete second round applications. I spoke with Eric Hollowaty at mbaMission the week after the GMAT and told him I intended to try to complete three applications to top 10 business schools in three weeks and asked for his help. Eric was eager to work with me and suggested an hourly package due to the timing of my applications.
As an individual with a finance background, I needed to really differentiate myself in order to be accepted. Through conversations and drafts of my essays, Eric was able to extract a truly unique story from my background that seemed rather mundane to me at the onset of the process. His ability to detect true differentiators in my background helped craft a perfect admissions story. Eric really pushes you to expand on all of your points to get the most out of your essays. Furthermore, Eric has deep knowledge of all of the top business schools and knows the types of people that they are interested in which helped tailor my story to each school that I applied.
Eric’s advice and guidance throughout the process enabled me to write excellent essays and tailor my resume for business school. The result is that I got in to Wharton and Columbia and couldn’t be more pleased with the services!

Read More

Selecting Eric Hallowaty was one of the best decisions in my life. He was an invaluable asset and instrumental to helping me to get into several top business schools.

Going into the application process, I wanted to make sure I chose the right admissions counselor to guide me in such a significant (and stressful) few months. I spent an enormous amount of time reading through most GMAT Club reviews on admissions consultants, and ended up choosing mbaMission after doing several 30 minute free consultations. The biggest differentiating factor for me was that mbaMission is the only consulting company whose consultants work full-time for them; thus they are constantly immersed in applications and have the most expertise.

Coming from a finance background, Eric was the perfect fit for me, having also worked in finance. Eric’s biggest strengths are 1) his logical train of thought and 2) his straightforward demeanor. While brainstorming, Eric has an innate ability to distill my verbose stories and anecdotes, and was immediately able to grasp the main concepts, and followed up with insightful questions. Additionally, I appreciated his honest opinion and feedback on my essays. When he didn’t think a story or an approach would work for the essay, and would lead to a dead end, he wouldn’t sugarcoat his opinions in an effort to appease me; he would directly tell me that he would approach it a different way. This allowed me to put forth my most effective essay.

Eric was instrumental in guiding me through the application process; from brainstorming the best approach to an essay to making sure my essay logically made sense, he was a true difference maker. If I had to repeat the process, I would choose Eric again in a heartbeat. I would full heartily recommend Eric for anyone applying to business schools, especially from a finance background. It’s one decision you won’t regret!

Read More

As Eric says in his initial 1-on-1 meeting, he was the “Sherpa” that I needed to help guide me through the admissions process. He’s not going to hold your hand but he does everything he can to position you the best. I got the three school admissions package with Eric for round 1 admissions. With his help, I was admitted to two of my choices (Wharton and Booth). Eric helped me craft a story after reviewing my personal brainstorming document, helped structure my essays and reviewed many details of my application.

Here’s where Eric was valuable to me:

(i) He was pivotal in helping me figure out what my story would be
(ii) He was upfront and honest and set my expectations straight
(iii) He helped me figure out what schools would be the best fit for me
(iv) He had a playbook that I was easily able to use in some of my applications
(v) He was very knowledgeable about the process and the applications and was capable of answering every single one of my questions; he also helped me deal with every ambiguity I faced in the process

I absolutely recommend using Eric as he will be an invaluable resource in the admissions process.

Read More

When it came to applying for business school, I was one of those crazy applicants who went all out with regards to preparation. I researched the various services over several weeks, finally settling on Manhattan Prep for my GMAT class, Stratus Prep for one-on-one tutoring, and mbaMission for consulting. Among all resources leveraged, my experience with my consultant, Eric, at mbaMission was by far the most helpful in achieving my acceptances. Eric always provided me with timely responses and honest feedback. From the initial evaluation of my target schools, to editing my many essays, Eric always helped me stay on track with realistic goals and provided valuable insight into the applications process, details I wouldn’t have known otherwise.
In addition, one of the biggest differentiator between mbaMission and other MBA consulting services is that with mbaMission you are assigned one consultant who works with you from beginning to end. With other consulting services however, you sometimes work with multiple consultants (general/school specific consultants). I much preferred working with one consultant throughout the entire application process because Eric became so familiar with my story that he was often able to suggest anecdotes from my personal and professional life (stories I hadn’t even thought of) that would be relevant to add to a particular essay. I had a great experience with mbaMission, and would strongly recommend using their services (and Eric specifically if he is available) if not for all of your schools, at least for the top contenders.

Read More