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Heidi Hillis Reviews

Company: Fortuna Admissions

Heidi Hillis graduated from the Stanford Graduate School of Business in 1998, where she was the student chair of the Global Management Program (GMP) and helped craft the first Global Management Immersion Experience (GMIX) to China in 1997. For several years she served as an alumni interviewer for the Stanford GSB.

Heidi’s 24-year career in business has taken her across the globe, helping her to develop a truly international perspective on the value of a business education.  She has worked as a director of micro-finance for a nonprofit in Russia, a amanagement consultant for McKinsey & Co. in London, a senior product manager for a European e-commerce company, and a finance director for a major South American telecom. Most recently she helped launch an industrial minerals company in southern Chile.

In the course of her career Heidi has created several business internship programs and has interviewed hundreds of job applicants. In addition to the MBA she holds an MA (1991) and BA (1990) from Stanford University.


5.0 /5 Average Rating
Based on 59 reviews
April 17, 2024
vvindu

Joined: Apr 17, 2024

Posts: 0

Kudos: 0

Verified GMAT Classic score:
730 Q45 V45 (Online)

In Heidi I trust

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Best in the world? Let's get the obvious out of the way, with Heidi's unparalleled knowledge of the MBA application process and her ability to draw out your full story, you'll undoubtedly get into the school(s) of your dreams (from a Wharton & CBS admit).

With Heidi as your coach, what you're really getting is a life coach who will guide you through perhaps one of the toughest years of your life. Through your journey applying, there will be unexpected things that creep up, making you doubt your candidacy and if it's worth applying to business school, especially if you're juggling 10 other priorities. However, Heidi always made sure I kept true to my goals and dreams. It was with her nudges that helped me endure taking the GMAT until I reached my goal score. As somewhat of a perfectionist, she probably saved me 100s of hours pouring over every detail in my essays by giving me the confidence that I was putting my best foot forward. I will also be carrying her wisdom forward as I'll be enacting the career vision she helped clarify. This is why I'm convinced that while automated MBA application platforms may demystify the process a bit, that's not where the true value of having a world-class coach comes from.

The best athletes in the world are usually trained by the best coaches in the world. If you're lucky enough to work with Heidi, she's your MBA equivalent.

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January 20, 2024
mbernard08

Joined: Jan 20, 2024

Posts: 0

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Navy Veteran - HBS, Wharton, MIT Sloan Admit

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I am beyond grateful for the exceptional support and guidance provided by Heidi during my MBA admissions journey. Her dedication and expertise played a pivotal role in securing admission offers from Harvard Business School, Wharton, and MIT Sloan, all while navigating the challenge of a below-average GRE score.

Heidi demonstrated unparalleled commitment from our first consultation to the final application submission. Her deep understanding of MBA admissions intricacies, coupled with a meticulous eye for detail, elevated the quality of my applications. She worked tirelessly on refining my essays, ensuring they effectively conveyed my unique story and aspirations.

What truly sets Heidi apart is her ability to tailor her guidance to my individual strengths and challenges. Despite my below-average GRE score, she strategically highlighted other aspects of my profile that showcased my potential for success in the MBA programs. Her insights into the preferences of each school's admissions committee were not only accurate but crucial in securing my acceptance letters.

One unique aspect of my experience was Heidi's flexibility in working from Australia. As a new parent juggling a demanding job, her willingness to accommodate evening consultations made the process accessible and convenient for me. This thoughtful consideration of my schedule enabled me to receive valuable guidance during times that suited my commitments, ultimately contributing to the success of my applications.

I wholeheartedly recommend Heidi to anyone pursuing an MBA. Her commitment to excellence, personalized approach, and proven track record make her an exceptional partner in achieving academic and professional goals. I am immensely grateful for her role in helping me secure admission to three top business schools and eagerly anticipate thriving in this new chapter of my academic and professional journey.

Thank you, Heidi for being the catalyst for my success!

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June 05, 2023
arstudent

Joined: Apr 14, 2023

Posts: 0

Kudos: 0

Heidi is a fantastic coach!

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I worked with Heidi on my MBA applications, and she helped me get into my top choice school. I'm so grateful for her advice and guidance. She has a very deep understanding of the process and how to create the strongest possible application, and this helped take much of the anxiety out of the process for me. I was able to approach my application and my story with much more confidence because Heidi took the time to understand me/my interests and help me solidify the themes I wanted to highlight. Heidi provided thoughtful guidance every step of the way (and helped me identify where my application could stand out). She was was able to be constructive and provide feedback while always being supportive and helping me believe in myself. I highly recommend working with Heidi!

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June 02, 2023
yx123

Joined: Jun 02, 2023

Posts: 0

Kudos: 0

Verified GMAT Classic score:
730 Q50 V39 (Online)

Best of the best!

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I would HIGHLY recommend Heidi! She is truly experienced, super easy to talk to and work with. I first met Heidi 2 years ago when I was thinking about applying to MBAs then but later decided not to. Heidi was very understanding and said that we can pick up whenever I'm ready. I started to work with Heidi again this year and she helped me get into LBS! What I appreciated most about working with her was that beyond the applications themselves, her worksheets and processes helped me reflect on my skills and what I want to do. Throughout the process, she was extremely responsive - always there to answer my questions and help improve my writings. She really hears me and helped me frame my stories in the best way. I truly enjoyed working with her and would highly recommend her to any applicants!

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April 23, 2023
wnj2025

Joined: Mar 24, 2018

Posts: 1

Kudos: 12

Self-reported Score:
750 Q50 V41

Truly helped me put my best application together

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Heidi truly is an expert in the B school admissions space, and I am extremely grateful I was able to work with her. I ultimately got into HBS which I am over the moon about, but I think the more important thing I would stress here is that by working with Heidi I am 100% confident I put together the best application I could have. Even if I got dinged from HBS, I would feel no regrets because there is literally nothing else we could have done to make my application any stronger. And I think that's the ultimate goal when applying to B schools.

Heidi is patient, caring, smart, and highly experienced, particularly when it comes to HBS and GSB. She made me do a lot of work up front on the career vision, but this really paid off later when we were drafting essays, and even now as I prepare to enter my MBA, as that vision really was true to myself. She also has a really strong sense of what essays 'work' and what may not, and this proved invaluable when we were in the thick of the essay writing phase - there was a point when I was doubting our direction and almost scrapped our idea, but she gave me the confidence to stick with our vision, and in hindsight this was absolutely the right move.

There were also numerous times when Heidi brought up points I could add in my application or things I should remove from my resume to avoid red flags, and I 100% would not have been able to see all of this without her. If you are serious about putting together the best possible application you can, and especially for the very top programs, I highly recommend working with Heidi.

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April 19, 2023
CgaR

Joined: Apr 19, 2023

Posts: 0

Kudos: 0

100% recommend!

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Heidi has been phenomenal at every stage and is an incredible resource. I'm thrilled to have been admitted to an M7 school and would recommend Heidi to anyone looking to apply to a top business program and needing help!

In particular, I was incredibly conscious about my low undergraduate GPA. I'd scored well in the GRE but wasn't sure how best to market this or reflect it across my essays and applications. Heidi knew exactly how best to help on this and even made this improvement one of the selling points of my essays. I couldn't have done the whole process without her - thanks, Heidi!!!

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April 11, 2023
RIM93

Joined: Aug 30, 2020

Posts: 0

Kudos: 0

Highly recommend Heidi!

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I started working with Heidi as a very nervous and unknowledgeable client – I didn’t know much about how to sell myself, write essays, or what the AdComs were looking for. Honestly, I didn’t know much about the process in general. And so, when I started looking for a consultant, I not only wanted to work with someone who could fill all these gaps, but I also wanted to feel heard and honestly, have a bit of emotional support in the journey. Heidi not only met all my expectations but excelled at them in all. She is kind, patient, professional, and super clever. She definitely knows how to bring someone’s best story forward and how to make you shine for the AdComs and all of that in very strict word limits! I’m very happy to say that I was admitted to a dream school with an 80K scholarship that I could not have gotten without Heidi’s guidance. I'm very grateful that I chose to work with her. Thanks, Heidi!

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April 06, 2023
AUK2023

Joined: Apr 06, 2023

Posts: 0

Kudos: 0

A Phenomenal Partner in my MBA Journey

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I was an applicant with a non- traditional background. I didn't do my undergrad from Harvard/ Stanford/ Ivy- league/ Oxbridge etc. I came from a humble academic background in terms of my alma mater. There was no MBB on my resume etc. So I always felt the odds were totally against me of gaining admission to any MBA school let alone HBS and Stanford GSB. I spoke to various people in my run up to beginning my application to gauge what they thought my chances were and all of them told me I had no chance of getting into HSW. Time started to pass as hope dwindled and I was only a few months away from the application deadline. Then I met Heidi...

Heidi listened to my story carefully, she didn't interrupt me as I opened my heart out, told her about my fears, why I thought I didn't have a chance but still wanted to give it a go, what my hopes and aspirations were for the future. She took the time to understand me, made no assumptions and after half an hour of the first chat Heidi was the first person to not only encourage me to apply in that application round but also provided a realistic understanding of where I stood- no raising false hopes/ no exaggerating my accomplishments to make me feel good or destroying my self confidence (whatever I had left of it) by highlighting weaknesses in my profile.

Heidi was the guiding light I needed- highly structured, enthusiastic, methodical, detailed, caring. I never once felt that I could not open my heart to Heidi. She was the consummate professional, happy to be challenged, willing to listen, open to ideas, flexible in her approach. I was able to start from the beginning with her breaking down my entire life story and through that process came a self- realisation and awareness of how to tell my story. The process with Heidi was more than just an application it was a process of enlightenment. I learned more about myself in a few months than I had done over my entire life and that helped unlocked my application potential. She guided me through the entire process as an inspirational mentor and talented teacher. I was able to draw on stories in my life that I had forgotten about and others I hadn't realised the significance of both to me and the application, all thanks to Heidi.

I beat the odds and the naysayers. I got into HBS and GSB. There is only one person that believed in me, who never lied to me, never falsely raised expectations or belittled my chances, the only person that was real and committed to helping me put the best application forward that I could muster, only one person that was willing to take a chance on me- Heidi. This is something I will forever be grateful to her for.

What else can I say? Heidi is a superb admissions consultant. Anyone would be lucky and blessed to have her as a consultant.

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March 28, 2023
galap

Joined: Mar 28, 2023

Posts: 0

Kudos: 0

Verified GMAT Classic score:
700 Q48 V37

Any student who wants to succeed in the admissions process should work with Heidi from the Fortuna Admissions - no one is more professional, serious, and pleasant than she is!
In my case, I began the process at a late stage after I had already started a process with another consultant who I found unprofessional and incorrect. Heidi guided me through the process in a kind and sincere way, listened to what I had to say, and guided me in the best way. The initial process we had to go through (which was very arduous) paid off in the end when I was able to write excellent essays in a short time and fill out the forms for five different schools - in the end, I was accepted to four of them!
My experience with Heidi was invaluable, and I highly recommend working with her. There is no doubt in my mind that you will not be disappointed.

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December 29, 2022
jy558

Joined: Aug 13, 2018

Posts: 0

Kudos: 0

Verified GMAT Classic score:
700 Q48 V38

Thank you Heidi!

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Heidi was integral to my MBA application success! I didn't even have a good idea of what schools I wanted to pursue when I initially approached Heidi. She pushed me to get more tactical in understanding my MBA goals and selecting the schools that would allow me to achieve those goals.

I purchased a 3-school comprehensive package with her and one school on an hourly basis, and she carefully thought through what application to start with to make sure I had a good template essay for the remainder of my schools (even the one I didn't get the comprehensive package for). I really appreciated her candid and responsive feedback throughout the entire process. She made sure that I was happy with the personal narrative I wanted to tell these schools and even when I was waitlisted at one of my schools, she helped me through the process, and I was eventually admitted!

If I had to do this process all over again, I would 100% choose Heidi! I was so insecure about my GMAT score, but she made sure other areas of my profile shined and never made me feel that I was a lost cause because of my score.

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