I’ve applied for a few T20 business schools’ MBA program in Round 2 for 2023 admission, and I have been admitted to my top choice school with scholarship offer that is way more than I could ever dream of.
My experience of working with Gavriella has been amazing beginning to end. As an older applicant (mid 30’s) with none-traditional background, I had a lot of doubt about myself when I started the MBA journey. Gavriella did a great job to be there for me and to build my confidence. She was very caring and passionate -- a very good listener and a genuine friend who made me feel comfortable to share my stories and put trust in her. I felt so lucky to have her during the whole process.
The best part of my experience with Gavriella is that, instead of trying to fit in any typical category or image, she worked with me to create a unique strategy to present my true self. She guided me to look back into my life/work experience, to reflect and to find connection between my past and future goals.
She was always approachable, answered my inquires right away and more than often gave back more than I could’ve asked. Whether it was with essay drafting, recommendations, school networking, interview prep or actions after submission, she always thought ahead and offered me insight to guide me through the key turning points in the application timeline.
My result is beyond what I have expected, and I am extremely grateful for Gavriella’s generous assistance.
Also a shoutout to resources mbaMission provided to me, including brainstorm framework, recommendation and interviews tips, etc. Big help, not only saved me time but helped me to best prepare myself!!

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I will open this by saying beyond being a great consultant for your application, Gavriella is a wonderful person. I came to meet Gavriella through a free consultation (as I am sure many others do), and I have done this with other consultants, so I had experience in this. What I found was not a pushy salesperson, instead, someone who asked the 'right' questions. She asked me why I wanted to go to the programs I specifically brought up, she asked me what my biggest concerns were and what I thought my unique attributes were (because on paper I was at best an average candidate, if not below average) and at the end of our brief interaction, she candidly told me what she thought of my application and profile, what schools were the best fit, and what I could do if money were no object. I am also a relatively simple person, who loves analogies, and her analogies and explanations were so clear and relatable - my experience with her was one of the best interactions I have had with someone providing a service.

I believe that if you are like me and want this experience to be as enjoyable as it can be - I know it is a nervous time, but at this point you have done all the heavy lifting, now its about articulating it well - then I would recommend Gavriella. Her ability to be candid and honest, while also being a pleasure to work with is unparalleled by anyone I have met in any other sector. Moreover, her generosity, be it in time or reviewing materials, extends far beyond expectations.

I know I did not hit on things you probably were expecting to read in this review, but I feel if you're going to trust a person to help you make this life changing decision, you need to understand their character, and I can tell you Gavriella's character, effort, and devotion to her clients is unmatched.

If I could share my name and information I would, because I believe that strongly in her ability to support you.

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As a somewhat unconventional applicant, I wasn't sure what to expect from an MBA consultant. Any trepidation I might have had vanished after my first call with Gavriella, however. It was clear from the first day that she would be an invaluable asset going forward.

She helped weave my disparate work experience into a compelling narrative, hone in on a more curated target list of schools, and provided excellent interview prep which left me in great shape for all of the interviews that subsequently arose.

Working with Gavriella went a long way in taking the stress out of the application/interview process, and it was clear to me early on that she was operating with my best interest in mind, not her own.

To anyone reading this who is in need of an Admission Consultant - go with Gavriella if she's available. You won't regret it!

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Working with Gavriella totally exceeded my expectations. The process was really smooth and although we were short of time she connected with my story immediately and helped me outline it in the best way possible. She was very detailed-oriented, and precise with her contributions… It was the third eye I needed to accomplish a well-rounded application. She was very efficient and we even had the opportunity to check other essays! After submitting everything we kept in touch, fact that made me notice she was very diligent with her work.
I was skeptical of acquiring this kind of services but it was an investment I'll never regret. I totally recommend MBA Mission and Gavriella.

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My overall experience with mbaMission and especially my consultant, Gavriella, was excellent!

I elected for the hourly service, for the flexibility and because I knew which schools I wanted to apply to, but in no way did this detract from the highly personalised guidance I received.

My busy work schedule and different time zone were also no impediment; Gavriella was able to work around me and help with essay editing, deciding on which stories to discuss and eventually on interview preparation as well. I received first-class coaching for every step of the application, tailored specifically to me.

Gavriella was very knowledgeable about the idiosyncrasies of each school's application process and took time to understand my background, my goals and exactly how I should present my narrative.

I found most useful the open and honest feedback. I felt Gavriella really wanted my application to be the best that it could be. I am very excited to start business school later this year and am sure I could not have been successful without the help of mbaMission.

Gavriella is a fantastic advisor and a lovely person - I could not recommend her services high enough!

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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.

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From the beginning of my application process I had been hesitant about hiring a consultant for a variety of reasons, but now as I prepare to attend Columbia Business School next year, I can very confidently say that working with Gavriella was the best decision I made during the process. I interviewed five consultants and from the get-go I was confident that Gavriella was the right choice. She showed up to our meeting prepped on my background, was very candid about my strengths and weaknesses and proposed a concrete plan to move forward. The minute I knew for absolute sure that I had made the right decision occurred several weeks after we started working together. We were several turns into the all-important goals essay when Gavriella made the (at the time) very unpopular suggestion that we weren’t hitting the mark and that we should go back to the drawing board to make sure that we craft not just a good story but a great one. Most people would have said it’s good enough and forgone the extra work, but Gavriella was committed to our process and committed to my goal of getting into Columbia. She was always there for me to bounce ideas off, provided truly honest feedback, and at times just to listen to me complain about the whole process. No stone was left unturned from beginning to end and Gavriella pushed me day after day to make sure that I wasn’t just submitting a good application but a truly exemplary one. Gavriella guided me and helped create a narrative that showcased to the admissions board a full picture of who I am and what I am capable of.

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I used 5 hours of Gavriella's services to help support reviewing/editing my applications. She really took the time to get to know me and my motivations. She was then able to provide concrete feedback on how I could increase the clarity of messaging across my application. Furthermore, Gavriella was able to offer valuable input on what admissions committees would be looking for.

I had a highly personalized experience where I felt she was truly invested in my success. Not to mention the quick turnaround times to review materials. I ended up getting into my two top choice (GSB & HBS). Gavriella was a key contributor.

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Gavriella helped me with several of my school essays and not only helped with content but also helped correct all my grammar. She really helped strengthen my essays and I got accepted to CBS and will be attending.

What I liked is that she spent time getting to know my background in an introductory call, which I think really helped her modify my essays. I also really liked that in correcting my essays she also included questions that made me think on what to add and remove. I would recommend Gavriella to anyone and she was really instrumental to my MBA admissions process.

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Spark notes:

Gavi is articulate, approachable, pragmatic, and incredibly smart. She removed any intimidation I had about the application process, and helped me cement my story and goals in a way that was strategic, calculated, but also nurturing.

Working with Gavi was like working with a good friend who wants you to succeed, but is not afraid to step back and be real with an honest, third party perspective. Her knowledge of the application nuances between each school was extensive, and she was extremely accommodating and flexible throughout my somewhat accelerated (my own fault) process.

You *will not* regret working with Gavi. I could not have made it through applications and interviews - and into programs! - without her insight, encouragement, and guidance.

Full picture:

Like many others, I decided to apply to MBA programs during a period of uncertainty. I'd already taken the GRE and researched schools, but needed clarity on my story, and direction on how to holistically incorporate my experiences and ambitions. On top of that, I was starting the application process only a month out from R1 deadlines, so everything was accelerated and I was overwhelmed. 

Working with Gavi brought clarity and more - she was truly the calm within the storm in what would have been an otherwise unbearably frenzied process. My biggest obstacle was the overwhelming number of themes I was trying to incorporate, and Gavi's ability to distill them into compelling narrative was invaluable. Her clarity was particularly helpful throughout essay outlining / writing / editing, where she broke down the process into measured, achievable segments that kept me on track and on topic. Gavi has also been incredibly supportive throughout the interview process, sharing previous questions unprompted, helping me strategize, talk through themes, and brainstorm examples of past work and projects.

On top of her extensive insight and skill set, Gavi is extremely invested, caring, and supportive. She offered guidance and reassurance when I was struggling to balance a demanding full-time job with the application process, and - not only put up with, but also helped me work through - the anxiety and stress of the past 6 months. She is a fabulous MBA coach and career coach who genuinely cares about her clients’ success and happiness. Thank you, thank you, thank you!

As stated above, work with Gavi - I cannot recommend her enough.

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