Coming from a generally overrepresented profile – management consulting, Asian American male, average undergrad GPA, and solid (but not especially high) GMAT – I wanted an admissions consultant that could help me to stand out. I chose Fortuna for the dedication of their consultants and depth of experience they brought. Most other admissions consulting firms simply connected me with recent graduates of MBA programs who were doing admissions consulting on the side (translate: very busy day jobs and limited availability), but Fortuna’s consultants were dedicated specialists with direct experience in the admissions offices. My focus was Wharton and I worked with Michel (Wharton alum, former Wharton Associate Director, former management consulting recruiter) and Judith (former Wharton Director) – I could not have asked for a better fit.

Throughout the process, Michel was super responsive and provided insight into not just the essays but my whole application, from recommenders to interviews to even the wording of each extracurricular activity description. She helped me to structure my story upfront and challenged me to really think hard about my writing by constantly pointing out things that were unconvincing, unnecessary, and/or unspecific. Over the three-month period working with me, Michel patiently talked me through every last question/concern floating around in my head, steering me away from pitfalls and fostering confidence in my decisions.

The perspective she (and Judith) provided from being on the other side of the table at Wharton was invaluable, and I would wholeheartedly recommend working with them. I successfully got into Wharton and am excited to start the program this year. Thank you Michel and the Fortuna team!

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White male from a non-target undergrad, with an average GPA, great GMAT. I first reached out to Fortuna to check if it was feasible for me to apply after only 2 years of work experience. They were encouraging and I decided to apply this year rather than next.

The best part about Fortuna is DEPTH. They have specialists in each area and school. I targeted Wharton and was able to work with a former Wharton alumn / Associate Director (Michel Belden) and Wharton Admissions Director (Judith Silverman Hodara). They ran a mock Team Based Discussion with other applicants which was extremely helpful. When I was waitlisted at Stanford I was able to work with a specialist on the GSB as well.

Michel was stellar: responsive, thorough, and insightful. She let me write my own application but steered me away from danger (she made sure I used two professional recs rather than one profession and one academic.) Working with her added structure to the process and fostered confidence in my decisions.

In the end, I was admitted to Wharton and could not be more excited. I applied a year early and got into one of the three best MBA programs in the world thanks in part to Fortuna. My only regret: that I didn't get the full package and use Fortuna for every school.

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Michel, Judith and the Fortuna team, helped me get into Anderson and wait-listed at Haas. The Fortuna team helped me at every step of the process and I would highly recommend working with them.

From a high level, Michel and Judith worked with me on a timeline to successfully apply round one 2016. I initially reached out to Fortuna in early 2015, but due to several prior commitments I was not able to apply until Round 1 2016. Despite this delayed timing, Michel and Judith started working with me in June 2015 on a game plan so that we could hit the ground running in 2016.

Michel and Judith referred me to an excellent GMAT tutor who helped me break the 700 mark. Fortuna's in-house resume expert got my resume into excellent shape. By the time essay questions got released, I was feeling very organized thanks to Fortuna.

To help me develop my story for applications, Michel and Judith put me through several exercises to hone in on my thesis. These exercises helped me flush out my story, and Michel and Judith challenged me at every step of the way to support my story with evidence. Michel and Judith were extremely responsive, and were always available via email, call and even text message. I was ready to submit my essays in advance of the deadlines, making it a stress free process.

When it came time for interviews, Michel and Judith helped me prepare by pointing me towards sample questions (shared by previous clients) and putting me through a mock interview. I felt very confident going into both interviews as a result.

Over the past 1.5 years, Michel and Judith have dedicated a lot of their time to helping me with the applications. Michel and Judith were truly invested in my success, and when we got the news they were the first people I called. If you are looking for a partner to guide you through the process and help you get into top-tier schools, Fortuna is the way to go.

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I worked with Michel and Judith from August to November, 2015.

I come from an industry with few college grads (even fewer MBAs), and had no existing network of b-school grads to tap for information. After taking the GMAT in May 2015 and conducting initial research, I decided I should reach out to admissions consultants to verify that I was taking myself in the right direction.

I went through 8 consultations, and Fortuna stood out immediately. I spoke with Judith Hodara (former Wharton admissions director) and told her my story. She listened and spoke about my candidacy with confidence and enthusiasm I didn’t get from other firms. I told her the schools I was interested in, and she very honestly gave me “her list” of schools that I should consider. Rather than just allowing me to say, “Hi, help me get in to ‘X’ b-school,” Fortuna focused on developing an MBA path I could thrive on, while maximizing opportunities to achieve my goals.

Judith and my admissions coach, Michel Belden (former Bain recruiter), lead me through a rigorous self-discovery process and provided advice rooted in their experience from the other side of the table – not speculation based on other clients’ outcomes. We put together a list of 7 awesome b-schools (five I had not previously considered) and identified three that we would work on for Round 1. These schools were not on my radar at all before I hired Fortuna. It was through their process, that I discovered my top choices for business school.

In preparing the applications, Michel kept me on schedule and provided excellent feedback that helped me develop and convey “my story” to the adcoms. Michel was extremely accessible. Fortuna is not an essay-editing service. Instead, I received feedback from the perspectives of an admissions director and management consulting recruiter. They simply helped identify the good, the bad, the unconvincing, the unnecessary, and the incomplete areas of my application. This advice was invaluable. Michel was there to coach me through networking events and interviews, and provided advice at every touch point of the application process – even if I just needed help calming my nerves.

Ultimately, I was admitted to my top choice business school. A top-10 program I had not even considered before working with Judith and Michel. Their expertise, process, and guidance is second to none. Regardless of my outcome, I would recommend Fortuna and Michel to future applicants. What you will learn working with Michel is completely transferable to any MBA application. Fortuna Admissions totally exceeded my expectations.

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