Heading into the MBA application process I knew I had some gaps in my profile and could use all the help I could get. I spoke with all the top admissions consulting firms and ultimately settled on Square One Prep. I had an initial consultation with Kathryn to discuss my interest in pursuing an MBA. She was inquisitive, provided feedback on my candidacy, and addressed my concerns - employment gap, no professional managerial experience, and slightly below average GMAT. She walked me through their services and process. At no point did she pressure, make it feel like a sales pitch, or make me feel like I had no shot. Following the call, Bailey followed up with detailed information on their process as well as a sample application task timeline. What sold me was their structured team of experts and flexibility to add additional schools later in the process.

When I decided to partner with SOP, they connected me with two advisors, and both were great. It was a tough decision, but Kathryn helped me think through and narrow down my choice. I ultimately decided to work with Matteo Rattighieri. We held a kick off call where I comprehensively discussed my background and he educated me on the application journey and SOP process. Additionally, I had a call with Kathryn to go through school selection and my risk tolerance. I purchased the multi-school package and had SOP work with me on what I considered my "super reaches".

The first two items were the resume and career narrative. Matteo was very prompt with his responses and feedback. He provided numerous revisions and helped me better articulate my experiences. For the career narrative, Wendy drove this process, but Kathryn and Matteo were also involved, providing a dynamic balance. I was initially scattered and didn't have a defined goal, but the team helped me narrow it down and tie my interests with my background. The team asked the hard questions to make sure my story made sense and teased out details that connected the dots from start to finish. Afterwards they prepared me to confidently recite my goals. It was a lot of work, but at the end of the day it solidified my ability to articulate my story. The career narrative served as the base for short-term and long-term goals essays and interviews.

Next was recommendation preparation. SOP has a process that guided my recommenders to save time and filled in the pieces to my application puzzle.

After the LOR we got started on essays. SOP provided a collection of essays to familiarize me with the structure of essays that worked. Matteo was very quick to turn my drafts and provided additive edits and suggestions. He pushed me to connect the dots while retaining key elements and trimming the fat, which made my essays concise but compelling. After many iterations, leadership reviewed and provided comments to wrap it up.

I felt very confident in how my application came together. I was quick to turn drafts and Matteo was equally as quick to turn comments even when he was traveling. Throughout the process Bailey checked in to make sure I was satisfied and sent weekly schedules to make sure we remained on track.

Once the applications were submitted I was provided resources to start thinking about interviews. I waited until I heard back from schools before preparing. Matteo walked me through the interview process and core interview questions to prepare for as well as some curveball questions. During one mock interview, I wasn't in the zone, which Matteo noticed and duly suggested we reschedule. After our last mock I felt well prepared and agreed with Matteo that it was best to not overprepare and come off sounding recited.

Although my interviews went well I unfortunately didn't convert and had to push for R2. I added another super reach and we got to work on preparing materials in a fairly condensed timeline but we were able to utilize R1 materials as a framework. SOP kept rooting for my success along the way.

I was ultimately admitted into a school I considered a super reach. I don’t think I would have been able to tailor my application as strongly without their guidance. SOP kept me focused with their process and their service was well worth the value. I considered pursuing a top-level MBA a real stretch goal, but SOP helped me make it a reality. The entire application process was daunting but I’m glad to have had SOP by my side.

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Throughout my application process to graduation, the Square One Prep (SOP) team was an amazing and indispensable resource. If it hadn't been for their help and guidance, I'm certain that I would not have achieved the same application results. Specifically, Matteo Rattighieri was my advisor. He provided relevant, constructive input on all aspects of my application, from resume and essay composition to interview preparation and even waitlist strategy execution. He demonstrated outstanding attention to detail and helped me devise a personalized strategy that emphasized my application's strengths while minimizing its weaknesses.

Overall, by working with Matteo, Kathryn, and other SOP team-members, I felt fully supported throughout the application, especially as a candidate applying to multiple schools with rather tight, back-to-back deadlines. The SOP team-members were incredibly responsive and took my own application with as much dedication as they would their own. If you are applying to competitive programs, I highly recommend forming a partnership with the SOP team!

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It was an absolute pleasure working with Kathryn and the SOP team through the MBA application process!

When I started researching MBA consultants, I spoke with several, but Kathryn’s expertise on the subject was apparent, right from the very beginning. From school selection to defining my goals and crafting the essays, SOP provided outstanding resources every step of the way. I started out with a vague idea about my goals, but Wendy helped me gain immense clarity on my career narrative, while Bailey ensured I stuck to my timelines. My advisor Matteo helped me come up with the strongest content on my essays, even when it meant working on several iterations, so we could achieve the best version possible. Kathryn was always available every step of the way, guiding me through moments of self doubt and pushing me to reach for the stars.

The most remarkable thing about working with SOP is the level of commitment the team exhibits towards your application, almost as if it’s their own admission they’re working towards. I cannot thank the SOP team enough for helping me gain admission into one of my dream schools with scholarship!

I truly recommend SOP wholeheartedly to all wanting the best from their application process!

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Thanks the Square One Prep team (Matteo, Kathryn, Wendy and Bailey) so much for helping me get into my dream school! I believe MBA will be a life changing experience for me and SOP plays the most important part in this application process. I'm a re-applicant and SOP is the key to help me rebuild my confidence.

Thanks Matteo, who spent great amount of time, kept revising and refining my version again and again.

Thanks Kathryn, who's always critical and popping out the key questions for me to think about and work on.

Though the application process is definitely a tiring process, I'm so lucky that I have SOP to accompany me along the way! I'm not alone!

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Like others, I scheduled free consultation calls with many admissions consultants. However, after speaking with Kathryn, the decision to choose Square One became very easy. She spent hours with me on the phone understanding my goals and guiding me a full year before I even started the application process.

I felt very confident going into application season and once I started working with my day-to-day advisor Matteo, it was abundantly clear I had made the right choice in choosing Square One.

Coming from a technical background, my writing skills were very rusty but Matteo patiently brainstormed essay ideas with me over many phone calls. Once I sent drafts for him to review, he would send me his thoughts the very next day. This ensured that I kept a smooth pace. More importantly, Matteo helped me write about my experiences from perspectives that would appeal to the admissions committees. Once I received interview invites, Matteo held several mock interviews over the phone. He challenged me during these sessions which allowed me to formulate more purposeful and concise responses. By the time I interviewed with schools, I was confident and well prepared.

In addition to the day-to-day support, the rest of the SOP team played a crucial role in my success. Wendy helped me craft a solid career narrative that I used as a guidepost throughout my application timeline. Bailey and Jenny created a timeline for me that kept track of deadlines, recommenders, and more. I was never in a rush to complete applications and importantly - was stress-free.

Throughout the process, Kathryn was always available when I needed her. She helped me put together a great list of schools to apply to and provided insight into the unique characteristics of each school. Her reviews of my essays and resume ensured they were exactly what the ad coms were looking for.

Initially, I was anxious and not very confident of my chances getting into a top school. I was a young applicant and didn’t have the strongest GPA. I can now happily say I will be matriculating at my dream M7 school because of Square One’s guidance!

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Working with Square One was the best decision I made in my part-time MBA application journey. I prepared my own application for Kellogg and was denied. For my Booth application, I decided to work with a consultant and talked to a few before deciding to work with Square One. There are two main reasons why I chose Square One. First, Kathryn (the founder) spent more than an hour with me on the phone for the initial free consultation and shared excellent insight and experiences. Other Admission Prep companies had 20- or 30-minute time slots and strictly held to them – they were also not that generous in sharing information/strategies like Kathryn had done. I got the vibe that Square One would go above and beyond for me and they did. Second, Kathryn is very pragmatic and logical. She won’t hesitate to point out weaknesses in your application. Other companies I talked to were very salesy – seemed like they were just after my business.

Once I got on-board, I was extremely impressed by the schedule Square One created for me. They had planned out each week with specific activities. I only had 30 days till application deadline and this schedule played a crucial role in the application preparation. Bailey is also great to work with – she sent frequent reminders to ensure everything was proceeding as scheduled.

At Square One, I decided to work with Matteo – I simply cannot compliment Matteo enough. Matteo is very knowledgeable, extremely friendly to work with, and a person with excellent strategies and insight. His communication was excellent throughout. Whenever I felt stuck, I found Matteo to be very supportive and available, even on the weekends. He’s a guy who’ll go above and beyond for you – if I had to do this all over again, I’d only do it with Matteo.

The MBA application process is haunting, there’s significant strategy and effort involved. Because of the resources that Square One provided me, and with Matteo’s help, I never felt any unease and was comfortably able to finish the entire application within 30 days. I must also commend their communication. Matteo/Kathryn/Bailey always got back to me within 24 hours – I never felt disconnected from them throughout the 30 days I worked with them. But there’s more: even after submitting the application and doing the interview, Matteo stayed in touch and kept checking up.

Lastly – there are cheaper Admission Consultants than Square One but don’t let the price dictate your decision. Square One truly is a company that will go above and beyond for you. My admission to Booth would not have been possible without Square One.

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I was ambitious and only went for M7 schools in round 1 even though I did not have the strongest gmat score and did not have an exceptional undergraduate gpa. At the end of my first call with Kathryn I can say that I had transparency into exactly how Square One would help & more importantly I felt that she was personally invested in my success - I didn’t feel that way about the other consultants I spoke with.

I was fortunate to have partnered up with Matteo Rattighieri (my advisor) who was very supportive and knowledgeable. He was quick to respond to me, ensured that I met deadlines and gave me constructive/helpful feedback. He had a great way of strengthening the way I present myself in my resume and essays without overpowering my voice.

When I was not able to get accepted into an M7 school the Square One team encouraged me to keep applying and ensured me that I belonged at a top business school. They stayed with me as I gave round 2 another shot, helping to review my essays and Matteo would hold interview prep calls with me which were more challenging than the real interviews - this helped me be relaxed and confident. Round 2 ended up being a success - I got accepted to all of the schools that I applied to and was even offered a scholarship. I cannot thank Kathryn, Matteo, Wendy & Bailey enough- they helped me fulfill my dream of going to an Ivy League business school.

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The entire Square One team has been great throughout the process including Kathryn, Wendy, and Bailey. They helped me craft every part of my application from my career narrative to through the actual applications and follow-ups. I spoke with a number of consultants and ended up with Square One because I never felt like I was being 'sold to' - they gave me a realistic assessment of my chances and I was lucky enough to be admitted to a number of the top MBA programs. I've recommended Square One to a couple of my friends also considering applying for an MBA - without them and their framework for success, I would have been much less disciplined and less successful throughout this process.

I'd like to give a special shout-out to Matteo, my day-to-day advisor. He's been a great resource and knew when to push and give me critical feedback and keep me on schedule. He was a great in providing feedback for my initial essay ideas and the interview process. I definitely appreciate all the time and effort he's put into my MBA journey and can't recommend him highly enough.

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If there is one thing I have learnt in the three years of applying to US B-schools is that, no one understands the application process and each school’s requirements as well as Squareone prep does. I was frustrated of not being able to land admission in a top school despite of having a 720 in my GMAT and considerable international experience.
My first call with Kathryn put me at ease and made me believe that I could get into a top school. Squareprep one totally changed my perspective and approach towards the application process. The process of developing a career narrative with Kathryn & Wendy in the most intense , thought provoking part of the application process. This process sets the tone of the entire application and helps you greatly in the school interviews.
My advisor, Matteo was patient, supportive and right kind of strict with me. He would respond back to me on very short notices. My work was very hectic during the applications and Matteo was very understanding of that and helped meet the deadlines despite of me signing up very close to the
deadlines. Kathryn and Matteo helped me review my earlier applications and find out my areas of improvement. I would recommend SOP to anyone who is nervous about the application process and wants put their best B-school application forward.

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Kathryn at SquareOne Prep came highly recommended from several colleagues who gained admittance at top business schools, and after completing my application process I now know why... she and her colleague Matteo were instrumental in helping me through the business school process.

Their expertise was instrumental in managing the deadlines for six schools, they helped improve my resume and cater it towards traits business schools are looking for to create a well rounded applicant package. They helped me find my voice and tell my story. They helped guide me through the decision process when faced with several competing offers.

Throughout the whole process they were extremely helpful and professional. Ultimately I received a full merit scholarship from one of my top schools and am so glad that I invested in expert advice from Kathryn and her team. Can not recommend enough.

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