The entire MBA application process was scary and overwhelming to me; I came from a non-traditional background and I didn't see myself as a strong MBA candidate. I was struggling with my GMAT score and knew I had to compensate with the rest of my application. However, this was difficult to do when I lacked the confidence to emphasize my skills in my resume and essays. In my head I would downplay my accomplishments and couldn't really find what was “special” about me in reviewing my resume and professional experience.

With this in mind, I decided to sign up for mbaMission's services to help me with the process. It seemed like a good investment from reading other's reviews and knowing that there was one specific school that I was interested in. I knew that it would also help keep me on track with editing/writing my essays and help me avoid submitting my applications last minute.

I had an initial phone consult with Liza Weale and found her to be extremely friendly and encouraging; I already felt more confident about myself after speaking to her for 30 minutes. Her friendliness did not mean she was not direct with me; she told me where I needed to improve and how I needed to adjust my thinking. After filling out a basic questionnaire of my accomplishments and descriptions of my work and personal experiences, Liza helped me find a common thread/theme that would set me apart from other applicants. If it had not been for Liza I would have been blind to these positive experiences and traits.

I went through several drafts of each of my essays. As many other reviewers have said- mbaMission's consultants do not write your essay for you; you have to put in the work yourself. What they will do is help you think differently about what you are trying to say and make sure you think about what you're writing from the perspective of AdComm. Throughout the essay writing process Liza was always prompt and thorough in her advice. I often had follow up or random questions, and I never hesitated to reach out to her for advice; I never once felt that she was annoyed or impatient with me.

Once I received an interview invitation, Liza conducted a mock interview with me. She was extremely honest with her feedback and I felt well prepared before my interview.

Overall, I can say that working with Liza was the best decision I made in the MBA application process. It was one of the most worthwhile investments I have made- not only for the edge I gained with my application, but for the encouragement, support and confidence she gave me (and the confidence is really a long term benefit). I felt like she was my biggest cheerleader throughout the process; whenever I felt down or discouraged, she was there to support me and keep me positive. It was also her encouragement that made me attempt the GMAT one more time- resulting in a significantly higher score than my previous attempts (and more in line with my practice scores) and likely my acceptance into my first choice MBA program.

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I was admitted into the Berkeley Haas full-time MBA program (class of 2015) with the help of Liza from mbaMission. I sought out a consultant because I was worried about a less-than-stellar history of extracurricular activities, although I felt that the rest of my profile was competitive.

From the moment I signed up for my free profile consultation, I found mbaMission to be far more responsive than the other admissions consultant firms I contacted, both big and small. Daniel (who conducted my initial profile review) and Liza (who became my consultant) always got back to me within 24 hours with responses to any questions I had.

Upon deciding to hire mbaMission for a one-school package, Liza initially helped me construct my detailed profile, including a set of unifying themes that would come to define my personal brand throughout the application. She had a knack for quickly recognizing which of my stories and anecdotes offered the most compelling framework for each essay response. When I had difficulty getting started on the ‘greatest accomplishment’ essay, she understood my profile intimately enough to suggest that I incorporate a particular, recent anecdote from my work experience – and it did not take me long to see that she was right. Throughout the entire application process, she continually provided professional, straightforward, and honest feedback and advice. Liza never let me get away with finalizing an essay before it was perfect. On the other hand, she simultaneously managed to be encouraging, personable, and warm. Although I got a slightly late start on my application (I didn’t start working with Liza until less than three months prior to the application due date), she kept me focused and made sure I knew exactly what I needed to do in order to reach the finish line on time.

Overall, my experience was positive and I would recommend Liza for anyone applying to b-school. While it is conceivable that I could have been accepted to Haas without the guidance of a consultant, Liza and mbaMission made the application process much more transparent and navigable than if I had gone it alone, saving me considerable time (due to fewer re-starts and less re-work on my essays) while giving me the confidence that I had submitted the strongest application possible given my profile. At worst it was an insurance policy and at best it was the difference between a ding and being accepted. Well worth the investment.

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After considered applying to business school for several years, I finally made the decision to apply last summer. Wanting to give myself every advantage possible, I looked to enlist the help of an MBA consultant.

I met Liza during my 30-minute free consultation with MBA Mission and immediately knew that she would be a great fit for my application process. From the get go, Liza had an array of thoughtful comments tailored to my specific background and target schools. She immediately spotted “themes” in my work experience, such as an ability to create systems/infrastructure, which I had not identified on my own. On top of that, her supportive and enthusiastic attitude made it clear that she was 100% invested in my success. I immediately signed up for two start-to-finish packages (GSB and Sloan) and later added two more (HBS and Haas).

As soon as we began the application process, I knew that working with Liza had been a wise choice. My first brainstorming session started as a general get-to-know-you session, but it was immediately clear that Liza genuinely wanted to understand my personality and behavior. With each experience we discussed she would ask probing questions such as, “How did you respond? Why did you do that?” Through this session, I felt that Liza gained valuable insight into my personality, motivations, and behaviors. With this insight, Liza helped me identify trends in my work history and hone in on my most compelling stories based on each schools profile. In later sessions, Liza acted as a sounding board for my ideas, ensuring that I did not waste time writing essays about less-than-stellar subjects.

This up-front work truly paid off as we entered the essay writing stage. With general themes already identified for each application, I was able to jump into essay outlining without any problem. Throughout the MANY iterations of my essays, Liza’s feedback was impeccably on-point complete with thoughtful questions, insightful suggestions, and a laser focus on the big picture. She asked pointed questions that helped me focus on salient information and she also has an amazing ability to identify and eliminate non-essential details. Once my essays were boiled down to the core story, Liza demonstrated her very impressive ability to cut words through creative editing. Throughout the process I felt that Liza, really went above and beyond as I often received comments back well before the 48-hour response time had lapsed and, on top of that, I would get random emails saying things like, “While I was out for a run, I had an epiphany regarding your essay….” This extra effort really made me feel as if she had my best interest in mind and was truly invested in my success. At the end of the process, I felt that my essays retained my individuality and read as my voice, but were more focused and polished than they would have been otherwise…thanks to Liza.

Liza was also hugely helpful with the remainder of my applications helping me concentrate on achievements in my resume, choose words thoughtfully in my short answers, and present myself succinctly in my interview. Finally, after six long months of the grueling application process, I was accepted to three programs (HBS, Sloan, and Haas) and could not be happier about choosing to work with Liza during the process. In fact, Liza has continued to go above and beyond since I have received my acceptance letters helping me through the school selection process, even going as far as to write an email with some questions/self-exploration questions to ask myself while I make my decision.

If you are considering using an MBA admission consultant, I would highly recommend Liza. She helped me demonstrate the best version of me through my applications and not a pre-packaged idea of what business schools want. I am super pleased with my experience with Liza and, I think, the results speak for themselves.

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When I had my free consultation with mbaMission, I was on the fence about working with the company in the future. To be candid, my initial (free trial) consultant and I didn’t click. She was tough and to the point, and I knew I needed a cheerleader. A quick chat with the founder informed me that I was able to be matched with the consultant best suited to my style for powering through seven (yes, seven) MBA applications to top 20 programs. When I told him I wanted a cheerleader; someone who would constantly encourage me with the power of positive energy, he immediately said “You need Liza!”

He could not have been more right. Liza is upbeat, peppy, realistic, and encouraging. Her tone is always cheerful and bright, powering through long calls discussing every accomplishment and story I have from my undergrad, career and personal life. I work long hours, and she was always able to accommodate my schedule by meeting at 7:30 or 8:00 am, in the evenings, or on weekends. She helped me pick my stories and truly unearth the key points from each, all the while providing both positive and constructive feedback. When Liza sends comments back on essays, she’ll also include little notes like “love this part” or “great point!” That’s just the kind of person she is. Her 48-hour-or-less turnaround time was impeccable, powering me through three round one applications and almost four round two applications.

When I received interview invites, her mock interviews truly prepared me for the real thing. She wasn’t afraid to tell me where I needed to improve and study up, highlighting how to ace a “why xyz school” question after I completely bombed the question in our mock interview.

When I was dinged from my first school, I emailed Liza in a panic: “Do I need to apply to some lower ranked schools for safety? Am I going to get in anywhere?” Liza talked me down, reassuring me that I would get in somewhere, while still researching some additional safety school options, should I choose to go that route. Her overall knowledge of the MBA programs helped solidify my school list, despite my constantly changing thoughts, and made me feel confident in my ability to be admitted to a top school .

With Liza’s help, I was able to gain admittance to a top five program and a top fifteen program (with a full ride!) during round one, halting the additional applications I was working on.

Liza even helped me when I was on the fence between the two options, gathering information from her coworkers about how to approach gently negotiating for scholarship money and having calls with me to weigh my options. She advised me to look at recruiting data at both schools, and to think of the bigger financial picture post-MBA than just the cost of the MBA itself.

Almost a year after I started studying for the GMAT, I submitted my deposit for a top 5 MBA program. I could not have done it without Liza’s help; hiring her is so much more than hiring a consultant. It’s a true investment in your future.

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