Harold was a very valuable resource during my MBA application process--from initial consultation, through the end of the process when I landed the interview. Harold was personally invested in my case being from similar backgrounds and was supportive through adjusting our focus time geared toward my preferences for what I wanted to get out of an MBA program, which programs were the best fit for my goals and which programs I wanted to apply for. Harold assisted through every step of the application process: Initial discussions as to why I want an MBA and which programs would be the best fit for my goals, recommender selection, resume review, essay review and interview prep.

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Just a little background about me to make everything easier to understand: I am Chinese but moved to the United States more than 10 years ago. I attended Rice University for architecture and graduated in 2021. During college, I took the GRE and scored 330 (163+167), maintaining a GPA of 3.52+4.0. Rice University awards architecture students two degrees: Bachelor of Art in Architecture and Bachelor of Architecture. After graduation, I worked for an architecture firm in Chicago for three years before applying to MBA programs, accumulating four years of work experience in total.
Strengths of the Consulting Service:
1. Industry Understanding: Harold possesses a deep understanding of my industry, which is crucial for a non-traditional applicant like myself. As a Chinese male in architecture entering business school, I was apprehensive due to the rarity of individuals from my field pursuing an MBA. Harold's experience in real estate proved invaluable during our sessions. Unlike other consultants, he comprehended the nuances of my industry, providing tailored advice. For instance, he suggested exploring real estate private equity with a social impact focus, aligning with my volunteer work. This insight connected my short-term and long-term career goals in a way that only someone familiar with the industry could achieve.
2. Resume Refinement: Harold excels at refining resumes. He guided the transformation of my architectural resume into a business-oriented one, emphasizing numerical achievements and impacts. Through multiple rounds of refinement, he even sought input from his colleagues, ensuring a comprehensive and polished result.
3. Essay Theme Development: Harold demonstrated a keen ability to identify and articulate the central theme of my essays. After reviewing my extensive brainstorming materials, he promptly proposed a theme that perfectly aligned with my vision. In this case, we nailed down “notion of home” to emphasize my architecture’s identity. Our collaborative approach allowed us to refine the essays further, selecting impactful life stories tailored to each school's essay topics. Harold's constant infusion of creative ideas elevated the quality of my essays.
4. Timely Document Turnaround: As a busy architect, I appreciated Harold's efficiency in turning around documents. Despite my weekend writing schedule, he consistently returned revised essays within 1-2 days. This professional approach provided a steady rhythm for the application process. Please note: Sometimes Harold has gotten documents back to me in less than 2 business days, it is only because he was able to sneak them in. As approaching deadlines, his queue will be at a 2 business day turnaround as indicated in the contract.
5. Recommendation Letter Review: Harold's proficiency extended to reviewing recommendation letters. Upon evaluating my boss's letters, he identified the need for concrete examples and communicated this clearly to my recommender, enhancing the letters' credibility.
6. Emotional Support: Harold's unwavering support played a pivotal role throughout the stressful application process. Facing moments of doubt and panic, his availability and encouragement helped alleviate the challenges. The importance of a supportive consultant cannot be overstated during such a demanding process.
7. Insider Information: As part of a large MBA application consulting team, Harold provided valuable insider information, including previous interview questions and strategies to help me transition from a non-business background to speaking confidently as a business professional.
In conclusion, Harold's professionalism and expertise were instrumental in my acceptance to Booth, CBS, Kellogg, Haas with scholarship, Stern, and an interview invitation at HBS. For anyone considering an MBA consultant, Harold is the ideal choice. The application process is a joint venture, requiring both the applicant's diligence and the consultant's expertise to ensure success.

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Harold is a rock star. I'm so glad I decided to go with him and mbaMission, and I truly would not have been admitted to Sloan without him. He was incredibly invested in my admissions process, and since Sloan was the only school I was applying to, he was incredibly pointed and diligent in making sure I put together the best possible application. I never had to worry about delayed responses or missing deadlines since Harold was incredibly timely (oftentimes responding at 5 or 6 a.m. to exceed expectations). He always had a smile on his face and offered his unwavering support during each step of my application.

Harold was also tremendous at editing my essays. I'm forever grateful for Harold and would not have gotten to where I am without him.

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As a re-applicant, I am glad that I chose to work with Harold Simansky from MBAmission this year. Compared to the consultant I worked with from another boutique shop last year, Harold definitely surpassed my expectations and gave my school applications a 360 turn. First of all, Harold has tremendous experience to offer and knows how to put together a compelling personal package for different schools. For example, the brainstorming session with him always gave me a new angle, idea or inspiration as to how to improve my essays. Another thing I appreciate is that he is personally invested in my case. While typical turnaround time for a consultant is 2 business days, Harold does not care that much at all. He would get back to me asap and even work on weekends if the situation was urgent. His dedication is on a different level, which I truly appreciate! Overall, I enjoyed working with Harold for his undivided attention, invaluable coaching and mental support. He is definitely one of the best!

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Harold is a phenomenal coach and played an invaluable role in my application process. His down-to-earth personality and genuine interest in understanding my pursuit of a dual MBA/master’s in urban planning degree made the experience both rewarding and introspective.

Before I started working with Harold, I had an idea of what I wanted to do in the long term but no idea how to get there. From the start, Harold took the time to get to know me and asked lots of questions to help me understand what I wanted out of an MBA. He then was able to use his expertise in the professional world and as an MIT Sloan grad to present paths that would allow me to achieve my long-term goals. From there, the essay writing came quite easily, and he assisted me in editing and refining my story.

Not only was I able to articulate my goals to the schools to which I applied, but Harold was also there to patiently answer my questions about every aspect of applications. I shared my thoughts and concerns with him openly from our first call until I decided on a school - I always felt comfortable being transparent with him, and he was always quick to respond.

Because of Harold’s support, I got into Wharton, a school to which I almost did not apply because I felt so underqualified, and received a full scholarship from another top 20 school. I know I would not have achieved these results without him and feel so grateful to be in this position because of him. I wholeheartedly recommend Harold to anyone, no matter where you are in your journey of figuring out how you want to use your MBA. Thank you, Harold, for everything!

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Harold is very professional, has a in depth understanding of the MBA application process and individual business schools. Harold cares about his clients. Without his guidance, coaching and encouragement, I would not be able to get into my dream business school. Thank you, Harold! He is the dream consultant.

I started MBA application process two months before round 2 deadline. Because of Harold’s strategic application plan and quick turnaround time, I was able to submit 6 school applications on time. Throughout the entire application, interview, and waitlist process, Harold has always been very patiently answering my questions and providing me insightful feedbacks. Harold is empathetic and very generous about his time. I feel very comfortable just sending him email or call him when I have questions. Harold also provided me insightful outline of the 2-year MBA journey and post-MBA career advices. Harold is more than a consultant, he has became my mentor.

Harold’s service worth every penny. I would recommend Harold to my friends who plan to apply for MBA.

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I had consulted Harold for my mock interview prep for an M7 school and application approach. Throughout the process, he was always available for my questions, direct with his feedback and quick & thorough with his input. This was critical for me as I was juggling with multiple timelines. His vast experience makes him a great consultant during the MBA admissions process. I appreciated his availability and guidance both during our mock interview prep and offline

I highly recommend the mock interview practice with him as he provides constructive feedback to help you shine during the process.

Thank for all your help, Harold.

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Harold Simansky was immensely helpful throughout the process of applying to early admissions MBA programs. As a student in my final semester of college studying computer science, I was unsure of what exactly top MBA programs were looking for in applicants. Harold helped me focus on the experiences that were most important, while also giving me suggestions on how I should best talk about these events. His perspective was extremely helpful when trying to explain my role in technical projects to a business-focused audience. Harold ultimately helped me get accepted to MIT Sloan's early admissions MBA program, and I would highly recommend him as a consultant.

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Harold was instrumental in getting me into three top ten MBA programs, including my number one choice. Harold was most effective at getting me from authentic uncertainty in which career path I wanted to take down into a clean and clear narrative that made my case for why I wanted and needed an MBA. He was a calm, direct, and consistent presence that helped me channel these doubts into clarity. Additionally, his vast school specific knowledge was very helpful for expeditiously adapting my “Why XYZ school” essays in a manner that was authentic.

Throughout the application process, Harold went above and beyond to ensure that I had my needs met. When up against application deadlines, Harold made sure to be available even when the policy of MBAMission provided him with extra time to respond, out of concern for my wellbeing and my applications. When it came time to choose a school, Harold was a sounding board throughout the process that I am exceedingly grateful for given the magnitude of a decision like this.

I would highly recommend Harold to anyone, but particularly those that need a steadying hand to keep them on the right track.

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Harold was a committed partner to me throughout the entire application process. I am Australian and the MBA application process is largely foreign to myself and my peers, so it was great to have someone on the ground I could field my questions with and better navigate the application process.

We started our partnership with Harold helping refine my list of application schools based on my character, what I was looking to get out of an MBA and where I was likely to be competitive given my CV and GMAT score. He was super knowledgeable about the nuanced difference between schools and was candid and pragmatic with where he believed I was likely to have a shot.

He was prompt always in turning around essay feedback and helping me hero my strengths in a way that translated clearly to admissions. He was also always available for ad hoc requests and queries around interviews and processes.

Harold is a really great guy who is truly invested in seeing his clients succeed! With Harold, I got 3/5 interviews and 2/5 offers from my dream list of schools.

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