I had applied for MBA previously and was rejected. I am 32 so on the higher side for FT MBA, have already been in a leadership role at a big automotive firm for a few years and was transitioning into running my own startup fulltime. However, I just had this itch for wanting a FT MBA and decided a month or two before the deadlines last year that I wanted to give it a shot again. MBA has been a lifelong dream for me and I just had to pursue an MBA.
Before I go down the memory lane, thanks to Melissa and her hard work I have received admit at a top B school with scholarship in a year that has been incredibly difficult for applicants especially international applicants given the deferrals from previous year.
I had talked to Mandira at Fortuna a while ago and had gotten a good feeling about Fortuna (positive first impression). After reaching out to Mandira again, she asked me to work with Melissa and Judith (director).
Melissa was very friendly and was always available. She really understood what really mattered to me and what made my story different and unique. Every now and then she would bring up points to use from my story which I was overlooking or feeling weren’t important. She is so much more than just an admissions consultant. She is one of those few people you would want to stay connected with forever.
Melissa and Judith worked great as a tag team. They helped me formulate my strategy for applications, narrow down on schools, write essay and applications and prep for interviews, and all the other gazillion things that go along with the process.
Because I was so late in the game, I was often worried about finishing my applications by the deadline but Melissa always pleasantly surprised me by her wealth of knowledge and by pulling us out of tight spots. As I was behind on my school research Melissa helped narrow down the resources for me at the particular schools. Even though we were in a time crunch, Melissa never skimped on the quality of work. We wrote and re-wrote until the essays and answers felt perfect.
Another aspect that I would like to mention about Fortuna is that they work great as a team in how they distribute the tasks and manage the applications as a project management task.
I would highly recommend Melissa to anyone applying for MBA. She made the journey from beginning to end (an offer) really enjoyable.

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When I started thinking about Business School, I knew having the right coach would be essential. Coming from an engineering background and having non-traditional goals post-MBA, I needed someone who could highlight specific traits in my application and help me craft my story. Due diligence and research led to countless calls with consultants, but I never found the right fit - until I talked to Melissa.

From our very first engagement, Melissa prompted me in ways that made me reflect more and understand myself better - a reflection that ultimately led to acceptance offers from Top US and European schools. Despite an extremely competitive application cycle, Melissa’s continual support, approachable character and candor feedback kept me motivated, engaged and on-point.

If you’re set on business school, make sure to get guidance not just from someone who can craft your story, but from someone who can help you understand yourself better - Melissa is that person.

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I recently received acceptance to my dream MBA program, CBS, and I would highly recommend Melissa and the Fortuna team for their help and support throughout the MBA admission process. Melissa brought an energetic, positive approach and really provided 360 degree support in helping me craft the story I wanted to present to the Admissions committee, essay guidance, mock interview support, helping to build and structure my resume, and give me the confidence I have the support of a professional who knows the MBA admissions process inside and out. I also want to highlight the instrumental guidance Melissa provided, which was instrumental in helping me navigate the sometimes opaque and nuanced admissions process. Thank you Melissa!

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Melissa is, without a doubt, a rockstar of the admissions consultants out there, and I have nothing but excellent words to say about my experience working with her.
In only a week, Melissa turned my CV and Essays upside down. She was extremely focused and committed to polishing every detail of my application in such a short time. She always believed in the potential of my candidacy from the very beginning and was always supportive. Even after our official guidance ended, she stuck by my side, guiding me and never letting me go until she knew I got into my dream school. And even at that moment, she was there to celebrate the conquer with side me.
I reflected on my strengths and weaknesses in a way that I've never done before! Melissa's commitment, devotion, and care throughout the whole process were truly unique. Feeling the support of a person who is 8 hours away from me, always available to answer my e-mails, is something I will never forget.
Working with Melissa and Fortuna was the best decision that I made and was a key to turning my dream school into a reality. Thank you, Melissa!

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Melissa is undoubtably the best admissions consultant out there and I have nothing but A+++ words to say about my experience working with Melissa and the entire Fortuna team. Hire her now!!

From the start, Melissa invested a lot of time to get to know me, to understand my grad school goals, and to learn about all of my past work/life experiences so that we could shape the best narrative possible for my application. Throughout the entire process (from initial calls to essay prep to mock interviews), Melissa was extremely thorough, always had my best interest in mind, was very responsive, and provided honest and direct feedback, all while making you feel confident, supported, and motivated. Melissa truly wants you to succeed as much as you do.

Melissa also has unwavering belief in her clients, and she will stick by your side to help you get to your top B school, no matter how long it takes. Trust me… it took me over a year to get an application worthy GMAT score and Melissa was providing guidance and cheering me on the entire time.

Working with Melissa was the best decision that I made, leading up to applying to grad school and she was the key in turning my dream school into a reality. Thank you, Melissa!

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If you’ve come across Melissa through your due diligence, then you’ll have likely already read that she is one of the best admissions consultants in the market. If you haven’t done much due diligence yet, then let me tell you why I think Melissa IS the best admissions consultant in the market:

I was very thorough in my initial search of consultants, turning over every rock under the admissions consultant sun. I decided to move forward with Melissa for a few reasons. First, she offered the richest insights into the schools I was targeting, as they related to my profile and interests. Second, she provided me with a clear picture of what it would take for me to be in a good position to gain acceptance to my target schools. Third, her insights are based in her vast experience as a former admissions committee member of a top program and also from her experience of working with countless hopefuls like myself. Lastly, and most importantly, I decided to work with Melissa because of a referral from someone, who I really trust, who was confident that working with Melissa would see me get the school acceptance that I was working so hard towards.

My profile: a lofty goal of getting accepted to a top MBA program, a low GMAT score (50 points less than average score for program), several career changes within 10 years that included a five month backpacking trip, a non-target undergrad with a low GPA, a few years older than the class’ age average, and I was on a tight timeline. Oh yeah, my partner was also applying to the same MBA, so I had to somehow weave that into my story, too.

As you can tell, I didn’t need a consultant - I needed a miracle. Luckily, Melissa was just that.

Without Melissa, I would have surely struggled to weave my winding career choices into a strong and cohesive story. She went the extra mile(s) to see it through. Melissa’s support was unwavering and vital in helping me accomplish my goal: acceptance to a top MBA school.

Melissa’s approach is equal parts science and art. First, she uses a tried and true process that will get your full story on paper. Next, she provides a touch of genius that helps you highlight your traits/strengths/weaknesses that will help you stand out. The end result is a concise, unique, and noticeable narrative that the admissions committee NEEDS to see from your profile in order for you to overcome the very low odds of getting an interview. Simply, she is dialed into a frequency for preparing admissions applications that is remarkable – hard stop.

Above all, Melissa wants to see you succeed as much as you want to see yourself succeed.

In sum, Melissa has earned her stellar reputation from helping prospective students reach the highest of MBA heights; you’ll be very fortunate and grateful to have the opportunity to work with her.

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I can't thank Melissa enough to make my dream of going to INSEAD come true! Working with Melissa is extremely insightful, inspiring, yet painless because she brings years of experiences, top-notch expertise, and absolutely amazing work ethic and professionalism.

First, Melissa listens. You may think that you just have a great conversation with a friend, but after the conversation, she can strategically turn your talking points into suggested key themes for the essays that fit into schools' selection criteria seamlessly.

Second, Melissa can quickly understand your strengths and weaknesses and customize her way of working with you accordingly. With limited word counts for the application, she knows clearly what stories can show your best qualities, what stories to cut/or how to make them more concise. She makes sure that what you want to convey and what makes you stand out nicely show in your essays in a way that's written in your own tone and that touches the readers/adcom naturally.

Moreover, Melissa gently pushes you. She's so experienced in the application process that she knows when to do what makes the process most efficient and effective. She always gently reminded me of the timing and the key elements in the application package. Even with a very tight deadline, I was able to turn around my INSEAD application in less than 2 weeks and CBS and GSB's application in a week. This all can happen because Melissa got back to me VERY quickly, and don't waste time on things wouldn't work in the final product.

Lastly, Melissa would encourage you while giving you very honest feedback when necessary. She makes sure that you stay true to yourself in your essays without having the pressure in trying to write what the adcom wants to read.

I can't be happier that I got into INSEAD in the last round (even with not competitive scores) and also CBS/LBS with scholarship. Thanks to Melissa that I'm heading to France and Singapore to experience my MBA adventure in a few months!

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My MBA journey started with a free consultation call to many international MBA consultants. Being an Indian male engineer with an avg GMAT score, none of the consultants made me feel confident that I could make it to my dream school INSEAD. To many of them, INSEAD was not within reach and I was recommended to have a package for 4-5 schools.
And then I had a call with Matt from Fortuna. We had an hour discussion and within few minutes, he highlighted the skills that I have to secure a place in Fontainebleau. He was so confident in my profile and was so optimistic towards my dream, not for a second he made me feel that INSEAD was not in reach. That confidence I got from the call with Matt changed my outlook and made me so optimistic. It made me realize that MBA is way beyond the GMAT test and I could leverage the strong professional and leadership experience I have and turn that into a sparkling application.
Then, I got lined with Melissa, and I can’t say enough about her as a coach. She is encyclopedia for INSEAD. She knows exactly what the school is looking for. She has focussed only on my strengths throughout the process. Though the stories and achievements were mine, but the way she displayed those in the application made a real difference. She is very honest, and at all times she provided her genuine feedback and support. I was intrigued with her knowledge of INSEAD admission process. She took my mock interview and my actual interview was the replica of the mock. I can say for certain that if INSEAD is your dream school, then Melissa is a no-brainer.
Lastly, I would highly recommend Fortuna Admissions to the prospective applicants if you are looking for a consultant to go in your dream school. Fortuna has all the ingredients to make your dream true! Right from the consultation call to the final review of your application from the director is an amazing journey that one would like to be a part of.

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At first, I reached out to Stacy Blackman consulting for a free consult. My test scores were borderline, and I didn’t come from a traditional background or company that produces many MBAs to top b-schools. I specifically asked the consultant about one top-5 program in particular, hoping they could help “handicap” my odds at acceptance. Sadly, I was told point blank I’d be better off looking at tier 2 schools. That experience left me feeling dejected, questioning whether I even had a shot at my dream school…

Enter Fortuna! My initial discussion with Matt Symonds was slated to take hour but we ended up chatting for around two! He assured me that not only did I have a shot, but that I was a strong candidate. I could tell that to Fortuna, I wasn’t just a set of numbers to be plugged into some arbitrary formula that would decide whether or not I was a good candidate, but rather a unique individual with a story to tell.

Matt lined me up w/ Melissa, and I can’t say enough about her as a coach. Melissa is a Rockstar! She has this amazing ability to be brutally open and honest in a way that helps you peel back the inconsequential and focus on your core strengths and abilities, highlighting who you truly are. She was extremely thorough in gathering all the data and helped me realize that specific experiences, and aspects of my background that I thought were insignificant would really resonate with the adcom. In all honesty, if you don’t end up hiring her as an admissions consultant consider hiring her as a life coach, she’s that good!

Long story short, I was accepted to my dream program, and I’m positive that Melissa and the team at Fortuna played an integral part in making it happen!

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Deeply knowledgeable on the business school admissions process, Melissa provided me with some very detailed and constructive feedback on how to best showcase my professional accomplishments in my essays & resume, and stand-out to the admissions committee. She also helped structure my essays to highlight my key personal achievements and put forth a well-balanced view of my personality; ultimately helping me make it to the interview shortlist. Subsequently she also provided me with a lot of resources and guidance on how best to prepare for the interview, and present myself on the day.
Extremely professional in her work, Melissa was always quick to get back with her reviews without compromising on the quality of her inputs, yet being very friendly and extremely approachable at all times. It was an absolute pleasure working with her, and can only offer my highest levels of recommendation for her work. I will always be grateful to her for helping me get admitted into my dream b-school.

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