The MBA application process, as it stands today, is challenging - it requires huge amounts tactfulness, perseverance and optimism. Katharine’s coaching through the process helped me realize the importance of several subtleties (in addition to obvious aspects) in presenting my case, and her enthusiasm helped keep my morale at elevated levels through the process.

Tactfulness: While there are several aspects of your application you can’t change (GPA, GMAT score, Demographic group, Brand affiliations) there are several other aspects, obvious and obscure, that you can play around with to affect you candidature. Katy, armed with her years of experience coaching applicants, helped me champion every available open lead. For instance, she helped me sort through my aspirations to identify a long-term goal that was ambitious, yet achievable given my background and recruiting at HBS. She then helped me articulate my goals in a meaningful way and encouraged me to model my essays, around life events that were generally aligned. She made several other golden recommendations regarding referrals, essays, interviews etc.

Perseverance: Writing an application is hard work. I did 10-12 iterations on each essay/response following feedback from Katy, my wife and friends. Katy was patient and quick going through my drafts and gave me succinct directional feedback on each iteration. She was always available to discuss ideas and helped me understand where each idea could fit into my story. The same before and after each one of my interviews.

Optimism: Time and again, during the process, one tends to wonder whether the effort is worth it. The anxiety of doing well at work, taking tests, finding time to write your essays, attending networking events, figuring out your career and most importantly enduring the long time-gaps between steps in the process can be tough to deal with. This is where working with Katy helps the most. Her cheerful persona and perpetual enthusiasm helped keep up my morale and focus. I’d often chat with her just to find enjoyment in the process while looking forward to the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow.

If I had to apply again, I’d do it under Katy’s mentorship all over again. I wouldn't have made it to my schools of choice (HBS, Wharton, Booth) were it not for Katy's coaching!

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Katy helped me see the application process as an opportunity for structured self-reflection. There were two aspects to her coaching. First, she helped me understand what I value, where I want to go and what I have done so far. Katy facilitated that process through writing exercises and follow-up discussions. Second, she helped me create a narrative that communicated my story to an objective party and explained why business school is the obvious next step. Here, Katy supported me through the process by reviewing multiple drafts of my essay and helping me prepare for my interview.

Katy managed to remove much of the mystery surrounding the application process by helping me understand my motivations and how to effectively communicate them. Thanks to her support I was admitted to my top choice.

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I worked with Katy Lewis on round 2 applications to three different schools (on a package basis). Katy came highly recommended from a friend and I chose her after having initial conversations/ interviews with three other business school consultants.

I know I made the right decision in using Katy, and I believe that she was the difference-maker that helped me get into my target school (off the waitlist, I might add). Speak to anyone who has used Katy – they will universally recommend her (just see the posts below). To keep it simple, Katy has some real differentiators and she added value to my application in very clear, tangible ways:

1. School-specific admissions knowledge: From our first conversation, it was clear that Katy knew what made each school’s admissions department “tick.” Since she already knew the hot button issues for my target schools, she immediately began giving advice about what to emphasize from my background and some ideas to differentiate/ strengthen. What Booth is looking for is vastly different from what Tuck is looking for, and Katy is one step ahead in separately appealing to those schools.

2. Taking essays from solid to great: I imagine that every business school consultant will edit your essays. I’d even guess that every good one will add real value. Where Katy differentiators herself even further is her assistance on the “Why this school?” question in the application. Every school asks and Katy helps craft the essay/ give you ideas so that it sounds like you know the school as well as a current student.

3. Initial Brainstorm: Katy typically sets up an early brainstorm session where you discuss who you are, your background, your interests. More importantly, you talk about your motivations, dreams, fears and focus points. This brainstorm session, as far as I know, is unique to Katy (only someone with her interest in people and personality could pull it off) and helped me figure out what I would write my essays about.

4. Realistic Feedback: From Day 1 – Katy shot me straight about my chances at different schools. Of course, I still applied to all the reach schools on my list (and Katy encouraged me to), but her ability to softly manage expectations/ prepare me for the necessity of overcoming my overrepresented background was helpful. I preferred that to a consultant who was unrealistic and telling me what I wanted to hear.

5. Positive Feedback Approach: At the same time, Katy drives you with positive feedback and reinforcement. Personally, I respond well to positive feedback. Her various iterations of “you are doing a great job” were vital. Look – most people aren’t going to get into every school they apply to and there will be a definite hit to confidence at some point in the process. Katy is a pro at managing that and keeping you moving.

6. Organization and Calendar: I decided to apply to business schools at a very late point in the year and needed to cram to get the GMAT and applications done (while working in finance). Katy’s process schedule/ calendar adherence to it was extremely helpful for me.

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I wouldn't have been accepted to business school without Katy's advice and perspective. I only applied to two schools (HBS and Stanford) in the 2nd round, as a re-applicant and was accepted by HBS (interview at GSB). Katy understood and explained how I ought to polish my application (no major career changes in the yr).

Katy's brainstorming pre-work and interview advice were particularly helpful. Her pre-work exercise formed the basis of my essays. Her interview practice (the guides along with her voice-over) were invaluable perspective for what to expect, how to frame the conversation and how to best position my experiences.

Big thanks to Katy - would highly recommend to any of my friends/ family.

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Katharine (Katy) Lewis did a fantastic job advising on my application process, and I could not have been more pleased with our experience working together.

Applying in Round 3 this past spring (2016), I knew that I was going to have an uphill battle if I was going to be accepted to one of my target schools (top-10, mostly). I began working with Katy approximately six-weeks before my application deadlines after I had already taken the GMAT exam. Immediately, Katy and I set to work brainstorming, discussing my background and goals in-depth over approximately two hours of phone calls so that we better grasp and articulate my “story”.

When I began working on my essays, this investment in brainstorming really paid off. Going into my applications, I knew that my above-average amount of job movement was going to be an issue that I would need to address, and Katy did an exceptional job of helping me express a coherent career path that emphasized professional growth and a breadth of experience gathered along the way.

Additionally, an added benefit of this brainstorming work and Katy’s guidance was that I approached my applications with a more well-defined sense of my career goals after my MBA and was able to better explain why these goals appealed to me personally, as well as why they tied into my overall “story”. This concrete sense of direction was incredibly helpful, both in creating well-crafted applications, and in planning for my MBA experience going forward.

Ultimately, I was accepted to my top school after initially being waitlisted. Statistically, the odds of a successful outcome after applying in Round 3 are fairly slim, and while a fair amount of luck was certainly on my side, I can honestly say that I do not think I would have arrived at the same point without Katy’s help. I strongly recommend her service, particularly to applicants with a “story” that is unusual or not immediately straight forward.

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Katy was a godsend in my application process—I’ve said as much many times, to myself and others, over the course of the past year. I have no doubt that my final results would have been starkly different without Katy’s start-to-finish guidance and involvement.

Before starting my applications, I had a prosaic view of the path they would take: write essays, take GMATs, hope for interviews and acceptance letters. Within the first half hour of speaking with Katy, I realized that my applications would be, needed to be, more personal. We started with a “deep dive” into my psyche. Katy wanted to know everything about my professional aspirations, and get to know me as a person, so that we could construct my “story”.

My “story” came a long way from our first phone call. Katy identified unique strengths in my profile, which business schools would love to add to their incoming class—strengths I might have otherwise glanced over. She also illuminated how to buff up weaker portions of my background. By the time we had finished with dozens of essay drafts, my final submission was entirely different—and so much stronger—than anything I could have come up with on my own.

Perhaps the most rewarding aspect of having Katy as an advisor—aside from being accepted into several top-choice schools—was that she encouraged me to think beyond the application, and towards my future aspirations. Even though she had clearly worked with many, many individuals before me, her guidance was never generic. Unquestionably, she helped me to solidify my long-term professional goals, by pushing me to hone my natural skillsets, and consider how I intend to apply those strengths—as I enter business school, and beyond.

It was a welcome pleasure to have Katy advise me in this process, and I recommend her service to anyone considering, or in the midst of, the MBA application process.

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My main concern going into the application process was my weak undergraduate GPA. I was referred to MBAmission (and Katy in particular) by a former student of the program that I wanted to apply to - the Goizueta Business School at Emory University. During my initial 30 minute conversation with Katy, she was receptive to my concerns and I felt that she was taking a genuine interest in my story. Speaking with Katy initially was a breath of fresh air and it renewed my sense of confidence in what I wanted to do. After I hung up the phone, I made the decision to move forward with my application despite my concerns. It was a huge benefit having someone with Katy's knowledge and experience on my side and, at the risk of sounding corny, I truly felt like I had a partner on the path to admission.

Katy made sure that I stated my needs up front so that there was no time (or money) wasted in our work together. I made it clear that I wanted her to help me with my essays and resume only and she was totally fine with that. I never once felt like I was getting a sales pitch on additional services or that Katy was pushing for additional time, etc. I've seen some other reviews asserting that this service is only as beneficial as you make it and I'd like to reiterate that point. DO NOT come into this expecting your consultant to do the work for you. They will make suggestions and guide you a long the way, but the work is yours to do.

Once we got started, Katy dug into my history i.e. work experience, reasons for wanting an MBA, etc. She helped me to identify some general themes that centered around my story and that would allow me to best represent myself through my resume and essays. At the conclusion of our time together, I came away with finished essays and a resume that I was really proud of.

I was ultimately accepted into Emory and I truly don't think it would have been possible without having Katy on my side.

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I’ve worked with Katy for my “ding” review. As an HBS alum and an ex-admissions person, Katy really understands every detail of how an application will be reviewed by the school. She gives candid and insightful feedback on my application, some of which I’ve never thought about before. She doesn't impose her opinion, but works together with me to explore what is best for me. In the end, she has helped me make what I believe to be the best decision on how I should move forward. I recommend Katy to not only first-time applicants, but also reapplicants who want to sharpen their packages and start again.

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My main concern going into the application process was my weak undergraduate GPA. I was referred to MBAmission (and Katy in particular) by a former student of the program that I wanted to apply to - the Goizueta Business School at Emory University. During my initial 30 minute conversation with Katie, she was receptive to my concerns and I felt that she was taking a genuine interest in my story. Speaking with Katy initially was a breath of fresh air and it renewed my sense of confidence in what I wanted to do. After I hung up the phone, I made the decision to move forward with my application despite my concerns. It was a huge benefit having someone with Katy's knowledge and experience on my side and, at the risk of sounding corny, I truly felt like I had a partner on the path to admission.

Katy made sure that I stated my needs up front so that there was no time (or money) wasted in our work together. I made it clear that I wanted her to help me with my essays and resume only and she was totally fine with that. I never once felt like I was getting a sales pitch on additional services or that Katy was pushing for additional time, etc. I've seen some other reviews asserting that this service is only as beneficial as you make it and I'd like to reiterate that point. DO NOT come into this expecting your consultant to do the work for you. They will make suggestions and guide you a long the way, but the work is yours to do.

Once we got started, Katy dug into my history i.e. work experience, reasons for wanting an MBA, etc. She helped me to identify some general themes that centered around my story and that would allow me to best represent myself through my resume and essays. At the conclusion of our time together, I came away with finished essays and a resume that I was really proud of.

I was ultimately accepted into Emory and I can honestly say that it wouldn't have been possible without a partner like Katy on my side.

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This year was my 2nd go-around attempting to business school, and I found Katy to be instrumental in the process. Being an over-represented candidate (white male, finance), Katy did a great job helping me suss out key differentiating factors and experience I had to offer. More importantly, I honestly think Katy truly just wanted what was best for me, and wasn't pushing an agenda of a specific school or anything of that nature. I was 50/50 whether I wanted to go to school or not and Katy offered up some really good advice around the pros and cons of going to school vs not, and helping me figure out what I want to do next. While I ended up deciding to go to school, when I was leaning towards not, Katy was just as happy that through the experience I had gained a better sense of what I wanted to do with my professional career next

Lastly, I want to stress that I really appreciate how much Katy seemed to be working as hard towards my acceptance goals as I was - she took calls on weekends, over holidays, on short notice, etc - definitely super invested, which was really important to me.

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