Review MBAmission / Liza Weale

I applied to a total of 6 schools (CBS, Ross, Wharton, Stern, Yale SOM and INSEAD), 4 of which I worked on with an MBAmission consultant, Liza Weale, namely CBS, Ross, Wharton and INSEAD. I was a Round 2 applicant for all of these schools, except for INSEAD, for which I was a Round 1 applicant to the January '17 intake. I got admitted to all schools except for CBS and Yale (for which I did not even receive an interview invitation). By way of background, I am a female in my late twenties and live in Europe. I did my undergraduate in the United States and then worked in a few different fields, namely in law and retail. I was recommended to work with Liza Weale by a friend who worked with her a little over a year ago and who got admitted to the only MBA program she had applied to. We had free Skype conversation in the summer of 2015 during which she told me about the process of working with an MBAmission consultant, and gave me tips as to what my timing and focus should be in the coming months. I was able to meet Liza in-person during a trip to New York, but most of our work was done by e-mail and Skype.

Working with Liza throughout the process was extremely valuable, and I doubt that I would have had these great results, had I gone through the process alone. Liza was helpful on three distinct levels: 1) giving me a structured approach on how to tackle the b-school apps, 2) helping me build my story, connect the dots and give me strategic advice and 3) on helping edit/cut my essays, short answers and resume. Firstly, Liza was tremendously helpful in informing me about the business school application process, which I felt very removed from, given that I was living abroad and did not have any family members who had gone through the process. She was very familiar with all the schools (and respective applications) that I was interested in applying to, but also helped me discover other programs which I had not been considering. Liza helped me structure my time, encouraging me to work on very specific parts of my application at given times, making the entire process much less overwhelming than it could have been.

As I alluded to earlier, my work experience since graduating from college was not linear, and I worked in a few different fields. This meant that my "story" was not particularly evident to put forward. Thanks to our brainstorming exercise, Liza helped me establish the common thread that linked my different experiences and tied to my career goals. This process also helped me think about and frame post-business school goals-- a key part of the application. Liza came back to this brainstorming document throughout the entire process and advised me on which experiences to highlight in different parts of the applications. For each school we worked on together, we had a 45 minute Skype call to brainstorm ideas for each question of the application. Liza always came well prepared to each of our calls, and helped me map out a strategy for each application.

Following our brainstorming sessions for each school, I would prepare drafts for each question and send them to Liza. She was extremely helpful when it came to helping me focus/clarify my thoughts and cut my drafts to respect the word restrictions for each essay/school. In terms of timing, Liza always got back to me with new drafts (with track changes and comments) two working days after sending her my drafts. When I had quick questions, she would respond very promptly, during the same day.

Liza was an ally and partner throughout this stressful and intense process. She always demonstrated understanding and empathy, and helped me keep my spirits up in tough times. The first b-school response I received was a negative one, which made me doubt my applications to the other schools. Liza helped push the negative thoughts away. On a personal level, I felt like Liza and I got along well. I would very much recommend working with MBAmission during your MBA applications, given the breadth of their resources (the insider guides, the huge amount of data that they've gathered from their work with applicants) and the knowledge of their consultants, who have worked with so many applicants. I cannot speak for any other consultants (although I'm sure they're all good), but I certainly would recommend working with Liza!

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I won't lie -- I was not sure if I needed a consultant at first. As a green MBA applicant just starting the process, I felt that maybe the value add wasn't quite worth the cost. My free, initial conversation with Liza proved me wrong.

During our initial chat, Liza started asking me all the hard questions I needed to confidently master. Liza was always honest, and it was from there that our relationship began. Her experience and expertise lends her to have a general understanding of what is "market" in the MBA universe. It is her candid, yet careful, honesty that won me over. The application process is a long, brutal process that really forces one to face his/her self, and Liza was the first step for me to face it.

She served as a valuable resource in the coming weeks and months. She was quick to answer any and all questions I may have, no matter how big or small. She was very active in my brainstorming process and helped me expand my initial ideas. Importantly, she reviewed my essays and sometimes provided an outside perspective that I would not have thought of on my own.

Even after the application process, Liza was responsive and helpful to answer any additional questions I may have. And even during my acceptances (and rejections), she remained engaged and enthusiastic.

You can tell that she really cares about and shares in the successes of her clients. And by these reviews, you can see that her clients feel the same.

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My first experience working with Liza was through mbaMission's Boot Camp product. The Boot Camp is an all day online session with an instructor that really give you a great jump start on the essay process of your applications if you don't have the time or money to spend on a full school package. I found this Boot Camp to be extremely helpful, but you need to be willing to put in the work yourself (prep work leading up to the session, during the session, and homework after) to get the most out of it.

Liza was great during the session and provided very valuable feedback to me on my homework assignment, which was to write a draft of one of my essays. For some, just this one activity might be enough guidance for their whole application process. However, I felt that I needed a little more expert advice on the rest of my essays, so I decided to purchase a few hours of the Hourly Services with Liza because of my positive experience with her in the Boot Camp.

Liza was always very up front and honest in answering my questions and her assessments of my essays. She was very encouraging in pushing me to strive for my greatest, but was also unbiased and honest - willing to tell me when she thought a particular school may be a reach for me. When giving essay feedback she was able to not only just offer ideas for better wording, but also ask me questions about the topics that really helped me focus on the right issues and get my mind in gear. She was very prompt in her responses and offered valuable advice once it came time to making admissions decisions. I would definitely recommend Liza to anyone navigating the business school application process. It is certainly daunting to do alone and having Liza as a resource made everything a lot easier!

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When I started the application process, I admit that I was skeptical about consultants. I’m extremely organized and have been told I’m a strong writer – so I was confident I could do everything on my own, without cutting a big check. One of my best friends worked with Liza a few years ago, did very well in the application process and encouraged me to at least do the 30 min session with Liza – after all, it was free. My friend had nothing but positive feedback about Liza and raved about the experience working with her. I really trust her so went ahead with the call, but still thought it would be a sales pitch. I couldn’t have been more wrong.

Liza had reviewed my resume and responses to mbaMission’s questionnaire thoroughly before our call and after giving a brief introduction, turned it over to me to use the remaining 28 mins how I saw fit. I came with a bunch of questions and frankly, concerns, and Liza was direct, honest and encouraging in her answers. It was far from a sales pitch. I walked away with a feeling that I should reconsider working with her and ended up deciding to do the start to finish package for the 4 schools to which I was applying.

Throughout the process, Liza was my biggest supporter, provider of constructive feedback, motivator and at times, therapist. Her knowledge of the process and each school’s quirks was clear but perhaps more importantly, she really got to know me and therefore could help me strategize and determine how to position my best self in each piece of the application.

In the beginning, I was anxious and just wanted to get started on the essays but Liza reminded me that I needed to be patient with the step by step process she laid out. I was skeptical once again, but listened. She was right -- the brainstorming process could not have been more important. I spent that first weekend answering the many questions she provided. The result was 15+ pages about all aspects of my life, past experiences, values and personality. The self-reflective process and probing questions that Liza asked after reading the document became the starting place for my essay topics. Liza helped me to see how my accomplishments were just that – accomplishments. And as we went along, her comments in each draft were pointed and pushed me to articulate a specific point more clearly in the next version. The robust and honest dialogue we had was so valuable as I tried to show the admissions offices what I am all about.

Liza kept me organized & accountable and made the overwhelming application process seem less daunting as we tackled each essay/task step by step. I tend to overanalyze and as such, tweaked the wording or sentence structure of my essays frequently – Liza was patient and truly wanted me to feel 100% confident with the end result. After many iterations, she finally helped me to let go and press the submit button, knowing I really did put my best foot forward. It didn’t stop there – she was there to prepare me for my video essay and interviews, and served as a sounding board as I made my final decision.

In addition, Liza was there when things didn’t go so smoothly. First, I had a few bumps in the road with my recommenders. Liza calmed me down and offered constructive suggestions given the circumstances to get to a positive outcome. Second, one of my interviews went poorly and Liza made herself available on a Friday evening and early Saturday morning to help me bounce back. She never made me feel rushed on our phone conversations (which always went over our allotted time), answered my frequent emails quickly and thoroughly, and helped me put things in perspective while waiting for and hearing the results.

Now that I have a few acceptances under my belt and am thrilled with where I’ll spend the next few years, I look back and realize that partnering with Liza was worth every penny I spent. Liza goes above and beyond, is truly invested in her clients, and is someone you want on your side as you take this next step. While I already miss seeing Liza’s name in my inbox every other day, I can honestly say that I think we will keep in touch long after this application year.

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I at first was against using a consultant as I was already stressed about the cost applying, let alone an MBA. Like everyone else, I had applied to undergrad on my own with no problem and questioned why I would a need a consultant for graduate school. I could not have been more wrong. The MBA process is a beast – it is far more competitive, far more nuanced, and forces you to think about your future in a way most people are probably avoiding.

A few weeks before applications for round 2 were due, I met a friend for lunch to talk about our b-school struggles and she mentioned she just got into Harvard round 1 and used a consultant that really helped with her resume. She said I could set up a free 30 minute call with her to see if she could be of help to me. Of course I expected 25 minutes of this call to be a marketing pitch. It was the exact opposite. She gave her 2 minute roadmap of the call and then immediately asked me what questions I had. We spent the entire 30 minutes addressing any and all questions I had regarding my application from “how should I explain my GMAT math score” to “who is the best person to pick as a recommender.” She was a great smart, thoughtful, and rapid fire responded to me. It was the most helpful 30 minutes of my application process.

Unfortunately, I didn’t utilize this resource until too late in the process and regretted every moment of it. But I told myself, if I got an interview, I wanted her guidance.
Luckily, this chance came. My interview date gave me limited time to prepare and Liza found time in her schedule to talk to me. She helped me formulate my best answer to central questions like “why an MBA at X and why X career.” She helped me organize my thoughts and then convey them in a logical, succinct way. She even set prep material so we could take the most out of our call and she was kind enough to go past the allocated time. I felt as though she was truly invested in my success and she did everything she could to help me achieve my goals. I know she helped me because I got into or waitlisted at the schools I interviewed at. I don’t think this would have been possible without her help.

I unequivocally recommend her to anyone that is applying to get an MBA.

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Initially, I had been hesitant to work with an admissions consultant knowing that many other peers had been admitted to top business schools without any assistance. However, my opinion completely changed after working with Liza and looking back at what an amazing job she did guiding and supporting me through the entire process beginning before I even took my GMAT. I have highlighted below what I view as her most significant strengths, and could not recommend her more strongly to anyone looking for an MBA admissions consultant.

1) She is entirely invested in getting to know the ins and outs of your life and personality – what makes you tick, which is so important during the admissions process. As a result, the commentary and feedback on all elements of my application were far beyond structural and grammatical but rather unique to my qualities that she thought should be emphasized. There were even some things she picked up on and noticed about me that I hadn’t even thought of myself, but ended up coming through in various ways throughout the application.

2) She is the most enthusiastic person I have ever worked with, staying extremely positive and motivating no matter the situation. During the process I had some very rough times at work and there were many times when I didn’t think it was going to be possible to get my applications in. She was the single driving force keeping me going with her constant positive feedback and mentoring. If I didn’t know she was working with other clients, I might have thought I was the only person she was helping through the process – that is how much attention she gives to each and every one she works with. She will also make herself available to talk about anything you need at almost any time, and always managed to brighten my day and relieve some stress.

3) She is very knowledgeable about the entire process and the nuances of each school’s essays and application materials. It is very clear that she has a lot of experience in this field and most any question that I had she knew the answer to. She was also able to steer my thoughts in the right direction for brainstorming in ways that I thought got me to the correct content for each school. Plus, she is a graduate of a top program so has actually been through it herself.

4) She is so dedicated to you, and it never felt like my time was getting cut off or I was not getting what I paid for (which I have heard from other people). Often times we would go over our time limit but it is so clear that her goal is to help you in whatever way possible. She went above and beyond what I expected in terms of personal investment in my success during the process.

5) She is open, honest, and will tell you her opinion in a straightforward way. I will admit it was hard to hear negative feedback sometimes, but she was so good at being critical and at the same time still being my best friend helping me to improve the content of my application beyond what I thought I was capable of. I put a lot of value on this as I liked to be pushed to achieve the best result possible.

I can say with confidence that you will definitely not regret working with Liza, she is an incredible partner to have through the admissions process.

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Applying to school was by no means a fun process, but made all the more comfortable thanks to Liza. She was incredibly positive and encouraging, while keeping it real about my chances for each school I was looking at.

After the initial free 30min consultation, I ultimately decided I needed help with just one application, so bought 4 hours vs. the more expensive all-inclusive package. I found that this was enough for me, and (thanks to Liza’s instruction) made sure to be extremely prepared for each call to maximize my time with her. I never felt like she was trying to sell me on extra hours or needlessly waste my time. Rather, I felt like she really took the time to get to know me and my “story”, and had my best interests in mind through the end.

I had a tough time deciding which stories to go with for the 2 essays assigned, and an even harder time trying to figure out how to say anything meaningful with so little words! Liza was great at helping me dig deeper into the impactful pieces of my story while cutting out the fluff to get me to a quality finished product.

I was also really happy with her help on my resume. I thought I had an awesome draft to start, but quickly realized that a b-school resume is nothing like the resumes I had put together in the past. After reviewing my brainstorming doc, Liza helped me incorporate and expand upon aspects I didn’t even realize would be attractive to an admissions committee.

Anyone applying to business school should feel confident having Liza in their corner.

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I whole-heartedly recommend Liza as a consultant. I decided to work with her after our 30 minute free consultation. I purchased a few hours with her for resume review and essay editing. She's incisive and efficient - just the kind of support I was looking for. I've been admitted to HBS for R1.

RESUME EDITING: Liza took what I thought was an already strong resume and helped me transform it into an outstanding one by pushing me to find the "so what" for each of my accomplishments in two rounds of revisions. Investing in my resume with Liza was hands down the best money I spent throughout this process.

ESSAYS: As a last minute applicant, Liza's feedback helped me to get to the finish line faster from first to final drafts. She helped me shape my ideas into coherent narratives and let me know what was and wasn't working. I worked with her for my GSB and HBS essays.

HBS MOCK INTERVIEW: My session with Liza was pretty comparable to the actual HBS interview. Very helpful.

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If you want to get into the top business schools, you need to have Liza on your team. I met Liza during my free 30-minute consultation. Prior to that, I've already conducted 5-6 of those free consults with many other admissions consultants. What stood out to me was that Liza (1) was realistic and honest - she told me straight up I really should retake the GMAT, (2) spent almost an hour continuing to talk through my options whereas everyone else had their sales pitch 15-minutes in and wanted to wrap things up quickly, (3) knew her stuff, she had data and experience to back up every statement about what schools are looking for.

Over the next several months, my time working with Liza has been incredible. She was like a light that guided me through the murkiness, insecurity, and anxiety that came with the application process. She was accountable and never dropped the ball. She knew every story I shared and helped me develop them into really compelling narratives. I'm someone that does not care for sugar-coated statements and needed frank feedback that will make me better. Liza was that for me. During my essays or interview prep, she was firm and constructive, but did so with a lot of integrity, respect, and positive attitude.

My results? I got into 4 of 4 top 10 schools, thanks to Liza! She's the full package: intelligent, caring, an expert, constructive, positive, and a winner!

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You know that familiar feeling - when you are certain that you want to go from point A to point B - but you are not sure which route to take? I was there - about a year back. I knew that I wanted to go for a B-School - I also knew why. But I had too much information on hand that I needed to segregate - and too many options that I wanted to filter out.

And then I heard about mbaMission and Liza (a common friend recommended her). A quick 30-minute free consultation told me exactly what I needed to know. 6 intense months later I got an admission call from my dream school - which excites me as much as the fact that I am going to be fellow alums with Liza.

Applying for a B-School is no easy task. You have the essays where you have to talk about everything in 1 sentence. You have the creative essays where you have the temptation to go overboard. And of course if you are working long hours - you need someone who is probably more diligent than you are in following up with your essays. You need a mentor, a consultant and a friend with great knowhow about B-Schools (phew!). Liza is all of those rolled into one. She is prompt with her deadlines and her replies, she is thoughtful and extremely to-the-point with her feedback and insights, and most importantly - a lot of fun to work with. Work with her - and I can assure you that you will reflect on your past achievements in a way that you never did before.

Of course mbaMission's entire process is very thorough and organized. From the detailed brainstorming session to tweaks in your resume and essay reviews to finally the mock-interview sessions - everything is spaced out in the best possible way. With Liza - the process becomes fun and life becomes easy.

Can't thank you enough Liza. Keep rocking!

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