Background: Male (no diversity). Top business undergrad. Senior Associate at PE fund. Below average GMAT. Outcome: Deferred HBS, Admitted Wharton.

I began thinking about the business school application process at the start of my second year in private equity, or about 1 year prior to applications being due (for reference I had already signed on to stay at my company for a third year). I was unsure whether to use a consultant since I consider myself to be organized and a relatively decent creative writer. I reached out to Liza directly via an introduction from a former coworker of mine who had used Liza 1 year prior (accepted to both HBS and GSB). I interviewed Liza and maybe 3-4 other consultants (all recommendations from current + former coworkers), and decided that signing up with Liza was an absolute no brainer. I’ll try to boil this down to the reasons that I think are most applicable to someone of my profile looking to sign on an MBA consultant:

1. Cost (General): I understand that for some of you reading this, signing up with a business school consultant may be financially prohibitive. But for those of you who are willing to fork up an additional few $k (on top of the c.$100-200k MBA cost), my view is that doing so is extremely worthwhile. I personally was contemplating whether the cost for a consultant was justified, but after working with Liza, I am certain that the outcome of my application was leaps and bounds better and more targeted towards a seasoned admissions committee than it would have been otherwise working on my own (again, coming from someone who got straight A’s in English / writing throughout school and who admittedly has a bit of a “writing ego” – a lot of this is not just “am I a good writer” or “do I have an interesting story”, but also “do I really know exactly what the admissions folks are looking for?” My sense is that the answer is more nuanced than you/I may think). So from a cost perspective, again, if able to afford, I view this as a no brainer drop in the bucket cost relative to the broader MBA program expense, to ensure your application is as stellar as possible. But this is a highly debated topic so I understand if there are others that may feel differently.

2. Her Track Record: before joining private equity, I previously worked for 3 years at a boutique investment bank. I probably need 3 (maybe 4) hands to count the number of my former co-workers from that bank that have used Liza for business school applications over the past several years. The reason why working with Liza has become such a rite of passage for those from my old firm is, at face value, the unarguable results she produces. I’m pretty sure that all of my former co-workers that have worked with Liza in the past ended up getting into at least one of their top choices (typically HBS, GSB or Wharton). I of course don’t want to mistake correlation vs causation here (i.e. many of these individuals were likely stellar candidates on their own accord). But given how competitive the application process has become over the past few years (I’ve witnessed many rejections of other top tier candidates), I’d be remiss not to attribute a non-immaterial portion of many of these successes to Liza’s “magic touch” during the application process.

3. Her Insight: Liza has been working as an MBA consultant for over a decade, and as a result of that has deep insight into specifically what each admissions committee is seeking for a given background. I.e. for myself – what might help me stand out as a relatively generic non-diverse male private equity candidate? I found this particularly relevant for HBS, GSB and Wharton. The two essays I’d say we spent the most time on were i) GSB’s “What matters most to you and why” and ii) “What more would you like us to know as we consider your candidacy for HBS?”. I started by compiling a 20-page brainstorming document that contained all my “stories” from growing up, high school, college, etc. The goal was to resurface some of my deepest most personal stories (“what makes me tick?”) that would be most helpful in presenting my candidacy to an admissions committee of a top MBA program. Liza read every page. Over the course of many months, Liza focused me on which stories were better to showcase vs others, and pulled out key motifs/themes that seemed present across each of them. (For me – the key theme we found was my underlying longing for experimenting / not being afraid to do things differently). Moving from brainstorming document (finalized call it mid-April) to final draft of HBS/GSB essays took 4-5 months of relentless reflection and substantial re-working. I am confident that the finished product is what granted me acceptance into Wharton and Deferral from HBS despite a well-below-average GMAT score for my application cohort + non-diverse background.

4. Her Energy and Enthusiasm: throughout the application process, Liza became much more than just my consultant. She became a great friend and life coach. The spring and summer I spent writing applications was admittedly pretty rough. I had to sit inside during countless sunny Saturday’s and Sunday’s to brainstorm / write essays, on top of an already demanding job. During that time, Liza helped me stay positive through her energetic and buoyant tone during each and every one of our phone calls, and embedded within each of her redlined essay comments. Liza isn’t afraid to “think out loud” on the page which I thought was immensely helpful and motivational (i.e. “I like this, but we can make it better! Something along the lines of ‘xyz’”), and always gave credit when due (“wow, what an improvement! Love this!”). She also isn’t afraid to hold your hand when you get writer’s block, and take you down a path that might possibly lead somewhere great, just to keep the ball rolling. These anecdotes may seem small / generic, but really do add up during a long and grueling application process. It’s important to select a consultant with contagious energy that will help you get through all the long hours, and that is as invested in your application success and general well-being during the process (and post-process as well) as Liza is. I have no doubt we’ll remain in touch for many years to come.

I can only speak to my background, my experiences, and the experiences of my peers. But if you are coming from an investment banking or PE background with the goal of gaining acceptance into a top MBA program, Liza is nothing short of an incredible option from a track record and personality perspective. And if you do find after your intro call with Liza that she is the right fit for you, I’d make sure to sign up with her early on in the process – her spots tend to fill up quickly.

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Background: Male, Finance undergrad, associate at VC firm
Admitted: HBS

Go with Liza!

If you’re contemplating working with a consultant during your application process, it’s likely because you know that the applications are not to be underestimated. And given that, you cannot find a better choice than Liza. I was candidly on the fence of whether or not to work with a consultant, but after my initial consultation with Liza, I knew I only had one choice.

I worked with Liza over the course of 6 months, but it was after our initial brainstorming session that I felt like she knew me. Throughout our time together, Liza would consistently reference topics or conversations we covered in our first session together. And that was why she was so impactful for me. Ultimately, I was crafting my own story, but Liza knew the prodding questions to ask – she brought out the details in my story that truly showed who I am.

Liza’s support and cheery disposition always brightened my day. Whenever we hopped on the phone together, whether it was to brainstorm essay topics or to conduct a mock interview, I always left our conversation feeling confident. The on-campus interviews were a particularly daunting part of the process for me, but Liza’s feedback gave me a framework on which to concentrate, and her positive reassurance made me feel ready. The quick email on the morning of a big day with positive vibes was always helpful too…

If you’re applying to just one school or a handful, the application process is time-consuming. Liza, though, distills everything into digestible pieces. There will no doubt be a number of iterations until you get to the final product (for your resume, essays, and/or responses to application questions). But, speaking to my process, with each turn, Liza’s feedback was targeted and impactful. Liza guided me to the “a-ha” moment, the instant I knew I nailed my story.

I don’t know how many other applicants Liza worked with, but I always felt that I was given individual attention. Liza is always there, to answer a one-off question or to have a longer form conversation. Most important to me, though, was that I knew Liza was invested in seeing me succeed. Without Liza, I know I wouldn’t have felt as confident submitting an application as I did.

If you choose to work with Liza (you absolutely should), you’ll have someone in your corner that will challenge you and is wholly devoted to your success. Quite simply, if you’re looking to present the best version of yourself, go with Liza!

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Background: Male, Ivy League undergrad, real estate development / construction industry

I owe a huge part of my three acceptances to top schools (with scholarships!!) to Liza. This review doesn’t begin to cover how much I appreciate her help throughout this long but rewarding process. However, I hope it gives future applicants some insight into the journey and encourages those serious about presenting their best business school applications to work with Liza.

I came to Liza knowing that getting into a top MBA program would be a stretch given certain components of my profile. I had worked for very small, entrepreneurial companies in an industry that is an atypical precursor to MBA. Additionally, I was not on the best terms with a previous employer. I told her in my initial call that I was going to be a challenge! However, Liza never let me think for a second that I wasn’t capable to getting to where I wanted to be. Instead, she encouraged me to see my unique background as an asset and focus my efforts on what I could control in the application.

Initially, we examined themes ranging from my childhood through college and professional life. I felt comfortable sharing so much with her because she was truly interested in getting to know me and created an open line of communication. Liza helped me create powerful essays from these themes by identifying specific examples that demonstrate my achievements to date and leadership potential. She was also a tremendous resource with developing a strategy behind presenting components of my background, interests, and goals, locating where in each application I could present my many facets.

Furthermore, Liza kept me in check – beyond just a schedule/flow of work kind of way. Yes, Liza was very direct with creating a game plan from day one, setting target dates, and being responsive to all of my essay drafts. What I mean is that Liza kept me focused on my message in every possible opportunity in the application. What connected me further to Liza was her commitment to showcasing my authentic self and core values. For one of my essays, Liza encouraged me to run with an idea that I was afraid was too “personal” for a business school application. Without her guidance, I would not have had the courage or ability to execute on what I now believe to be a valuable part of my journey to MBA. After multiple drafts, the essay turned out to be the one I’m most proud of across all applications and got me accepted to my top choice school.

The MBA application process can be very exhausting and stressful but also reflective and constructive. Beyond these acceptances, I feel that I’ve achieved a greater clarity towards what I want in next steps in my career and life. It was not easy though and comes with answering tough questions and taking time for uncomfortable introspection. Liza is going to guide you to really do this work which I believe got me into these programs. I wouldn’t have been as disciplined or successful in this process without Liza’s positive attitude and direct counsel. You want her on your team!

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To say that Liza has been an integral resource and partner to me throughout this process is an understatement. She made the daunting process of applying to MBA much easier and more fun, particularly her eagerness and passion to help bring out the best in me. I’ll highlight several that particularly stood out:

1. Liza’s uplifting energy has been very helpful throughout this stressful process. Applying to MBA is often daunting, but Liza’s passion and eagerness was a huge motivating factor.
2. Always readily available via email or call. Liza and I even met in person for our initial discussion on our initial ‘brainstorming’ doc, which was over 15 pages long!
3. Liza took the time to get to know me as a person and helped me connect the dots of recurring themes in my life to craft compelling stories.
4. Providing the type of essay feedback that would push for more details; the resulting stories would come out so much more ‘alive.’
5. Interview coaching was also extremely helpful. Liza completely upended the way I answered interview questions by crafting them in a much more refined yet concise way. This enabled me to go into my interviews feeling much more confident and prepared.
6. Liza also would check in with me from time to time just to make sure I am doing okay and she also sent me messages right before my interviews to wish me luck!
7. Also, never missing a deadline (48 hour turnaround -- without exception)

All in all, Liza was such a great partner throughout the application process. I ended up getting into Tuck and was waitlisted at Kellogg (For context: I am a female applicant working in the financial services sector and I have below average GMAT and GPA for both of these schools.)

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Background: female, Ivy League undergrad, banking+PE
Results: accepted to HBS and GSB

I was referred to Liza by multiple friends who had used her in prior years with great success. After our intro call it was immediately clear that Liza was my “must-have” consultant. I was just thankful that she still had spots available to work with me!

I can say definitively that working with Liza was the best investment I made during my MBA admissions journey. She served as a thought partner, sounding board, cheerleader, and mentor throughout my application process, and I could not recommend her more.

Liza stands out among a number of dimensions:
1. SHE FINDS YOUR STORY: Liza was relentless in helping me find and showcase my story. She knew exactly the questions to ask and threads to pull on to tease out my unique personal and professional experiences. Going into the process, I was not used to writing about myself, but Liza fostered an environment for reflective personal exploration. She helped uncover stories I had previously overlooked and helped me translate those experiences into compelling essays. By the time I submitted my apps, I felt that they were truly “me” on paper, thanks to Liza

2. SHE JUST GETS IT: From the very beginning, I felt that Liza had a deep understanding of my background. She had worked with many folks from banking/PE previously, and I felt that she “got” me and knew how to help me stand out among this pool of applicants

3. UNPARALLELED HONESTY AND THOUGHTFULNESS: Liza takes great pride in her work and holds both herself and her applicants to high standards. She put real time, thought, and energy into reviewing every piece of work that I submitted – from the brainstorming doc to essays to short answers. Her comments always explained both WHAT she was thinking and WHY. And she was very honest and direct. In the final days before one of my applications was due, Liza kindly but directly told me that she thought a section of my essay still wasn’t working – and then spent a few hours and multiple more drafts helping me MEANINGFULLY improve it. When Liza told me that my essays were “good to go,” I know that she meant it

4. NAILS THE PROCESS: Liza just nails everything related to organization, deadlines, timing, etc. She is very responsive to emails, never missed a single essay revision deadline, and did an amazing job keeping ME on track

Thank you Liza for helping me realize my MBA goals. I couldn’t have done it without you and couldn't recommend you more!

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Background: male, Canadian undergrad, engineering background, 6 years in specialized consulting in financial risk management
Schools applied: CBS, Tuck, Booth, NYU Stern
Admitted: Tuck, NYU Stern
Waitlist: Booth
Rejected: CBS

I came across Liza during one of her online seminars. Finding the seminar itself informative, I booked her for a consultation and decided to work with her for my application. I quickly realized after working with her how helpful and supportive she is throughout the entire process. My experience was quite positive for several reasons:

1. Despite the initial consultation being pro bono, Liza took the time to review my profile in detail and provided me with multiple actionable steps I can take to strengthen my profile.
2. Liza helped me understand the nuances, and strength/weaknesses between different schools. This helped me understand clarify the list of schools I wish to go for and helped me focused on a handful of schools that will help my career.
3. Liza not only understands the MBA admission process, but also takes the time to understand me as a candidate. Furthermore, while Liza is always empathetic and supportive, she does not hesitate to point out weakenesses that my profile currently display - points that I believe ultimately allowed me to craft a stronger application.
4. Finally, Liza is someone who's always in your corner. I bombed my mock interview right before the real interview, and Liza offered to do another one the morning of (7am) of the actual interview. I was grateful and took up on the offer and this ultimately calmed my nerves for the actual thing.

In summary, I had a great time working with Liza, appreciate the dedication she displayed throughout the experience, and would recommend her to anyone who plan on going through the same process.

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Liza has been a fantastic resource throughout the entire MBA admissions process, and I could not be happier with the support she has provided. My background is a bit non traditional, as I'm an engineer from a large state school with 6+ years of work experience at large tech firms. I was initially reluctant to use an admissions consultant, but given how challenging and competitive the process is, I reached out to a few consultants to see if a top 10 school was even achievable. Most consultants I talked to were either too cookie-cutter or apprehensive with me applying to only "reach" schools. However, Liza took my personal story and background into account and provided honest, specific, and pointed feedback that started me on the path to be successfully admitted to a top 5 program.

There are three areas where Liza helped the most: 1. Coaching, 2. Real Life Experience, and 3. Specific Feedback. From a coaching perspective, I didn't have many resources or mentors to talk with about applying to an MBA program, let alone a top school, but Liza was able to give me a great overview and roadmap for how the MBA admissions process worked. I realize a lot of this information is online, but being able to talk through it and strategize together really helped me to plan out my application and what schools to focus on. The "story" is so important, and this process was more internal and reflective than anything, which helped me put into words why I wanted to go to school and what i wanted to do after graduation. Also, Liza is a graduate from Sloan, so she has gone through the process and is able to tailor her information and feedback to what top MBA programs are looking for. When going through the application and more importantly the interview, I felt very prepared. I would recommend anyone do at least one mock interview per school, as Liza was incredibly helpful to calm my nerves on interview day. She treated the interview as the real thing, and I felt as if I was talking to the admissions committee. On top of that, Liza provided very specific and actionable feedback, whether that was how I answered a mock question, what I wrote for an essay, or what I wanted to do after graduation. This was the most helpful part of the process, as it is a journey with constant refinement, which I think truly made the difference for me.

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Liza was an absolute pleasure to work with. I applied R1 to three schools: Stanford GSB, HBS and Wharton. While I didn't use Liza as my primary consultant (I worked with her only for my HBS interview), I realized quickly after engaging her for interview prep how helpful she would have been throughout the entire process. I used a different consulting firm as the primary resource for my application essays, but would recommend working with Liza if I could do everything over again -- even though I was admitted to my top choice school.

Background: Caucasian male, top 5 undergrad, liberal arts background (English major), 4 years at a top-tier investment bank in IBD, 1 year as a product manager in CPG
Admitted: GSB
Waitlist: HBS
Rejected: Wharton

Liza was recommended to me by a close friend who had applied the prior year and was admitted to HBS. They had worked with her for interview prep and had a fantastic experience. My experience was also quite positive for several reasons:

1. Liza cares about who you are and takes time to really understand your goals. I was shocked at the level of detail and commitment that she provided me even though I only worked with her on interview prep. Because she took time to understand me, the pointers she gave me during our mock interview were incredibly helpful, and I was able to apply them during the interview itself

2. Liza really understands MBA admissions and helps clarify uncertainties. She helped me to demystify the admissions process, and more specifically, the interview's importance with respect to an overall application. This made me more confident going into my interview because I had a clearer sense for what I was getting myself into and how important it was

3. Liza understands the nuances between schools and helps you tailor your story to each one. This is very important for the HBS interview, as much of what they are looking for is driven by fit for the school

In summary, I cannot recommend Liza highly enough. She was empathetic and supportive, and while I did not work with her on the application for the school that I am ultimately attending, I know she would have shown the same level of dedication and support throughout the process overall.

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Background: Male, Engineering Undergrad/Grad, Software Engineer @ FANG.
Admitted: MIT Sloan, Stanford GSB.

I struggle to express just how incredible Liza was during this entire process. I’ll start by saying she is a wonderful person. I started quite late and was honestly very hesitant as a result, but from the first introductory phone call with Liza she was incredibly reassuring, understanding, and ready to formulate a game plan that worked well with my tight timeline. I especially enjoyed Liza’s positive vibe and her uncanny ability to guide while ensuring that my own narrative was represented throughout my entire application, telling my authentic story was important to me, so I appreciated her holistic approach very much.

By virtue of Liza’s genuine interest in my story and her follow up “why” questions whenever we met, I became much better at telling my story (by the time I got to the 1 minute video for MIT’s app, I was an expert at articulating who I was). Updates were frequent and feedback was fast! I honestly couldn’t ask for better help.

Most importantly, all throughout the application process, I got the sense that Liza really, truly enjoys what she does, and brings every bit of her energy to helping her clients achieve their goals of admission to a top MBA program. She made what seemed a daunting process one of the most memorable experiences I’ve ever had. I highly recommend Liza as an admissions consultant, she helped me realize I could tackle the infamous “what matters most” essay and get admitted to Stanford GSB, for that I am eternally grateful. Thank you.

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When I first began my search for a consultant, I was surprised at how many 5-star reviews Liza had. Now that my journey's complete, I can confirm that she really is an incredible consultant and partner in the admissions process. Comparing my own experience to those of my friends who worked with other people, I can definitively say Liza provided the best guidance. Searching for a good consultant is a huge shot in the dark, but finding a good one can really make a difference and for that reason, I cant recommend Liza enough.

A couple things I really enjoyed about my experience:

1) Liza is extremely organized: she makes sure to set timelines, is very reliable on turnarounds, and kept me organized through the process
2) She knows A LOT: I could really see how experienced she was during brainstorming / knew the answers to every question I had
3) She is positive: this means A LOT when you are feeling super stressed or the first couple turns of your essay feel like they suck - Liza provides the encouragement and confidence you need to succeed

My background is in finance and media corp strategy. Thanks to Liza, i got into a top 3 school. I really couldn't have don't it without her!

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