I was very back and forth on hiring a consultant for quite a while - obviously, it is a financial commitment, but then again so is B-school! After speaking with a few consultants I was pleasantly surprised by mbaMission's honesty and integrity. I saw great reviews for Rachel Beck, so I requested to have her as my consultant.

I signed up for an hourly rate and I think this was the best decision for me. I felt confident in my writing abilities and felt that I mostly needed help with determining a direction for each of my essays. I was glad I had Rachel to help me with everything along the way, from responding quickly to questions to brainstorming essay concepts. Rachel was very knowledgeable about the application process and always had creative ideas when we spoke.

It was helpful for me to take thorough notes when I spoke with Rachel to refer back to later, and Rachel was always very direct about what tasks should be done between our conversations. The application process is long and tiring - don't underestimate it! You will have to put in a lot of time, but having a consultant can accelerate the process if you are committed.

I would highly recommend using Rachel Beck if you are interested in hiring a consultant!

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I had my 30 minute consultation with Rachel after reading her reviews, and knew right away that I wanted to work with her. I started my 4 school package with her about 6 months before the Round 1 deadlines. We walked through my stats and timeline and she helped me map out the next few months so that I would be on top of everything.

From our first brainstorming call, I could tell that Rachel knew so much about this process that I would never have figured out. Her experience in the industry is extremely helpful and she is able to make such a hectic process run so smoothly. Through that first call, Rachel helped me figure out my story and which areas of my application I should highlight in my essays. When it came to writing my essays, Rachel already knew me so well from the brainstorming call that we were both able to quickly and efficiently outline each essay. It got to the point where Rachel would suggest using examples from my life that I hadn’t even thought of – a testament to how much Rachel works to get to know each of her clients. She is extremely punctual and often returned drafts back to me within 24 hours. She was my cheerleader throughout the entire process and I can confidently say that I would not have gotten into 3 business schools without her help. I cannot thank her enough for encouraging me and keeping a positive attitude when things did not look like they were going well. I highly recommend working with Rachel and mbaMission!

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I was originally reluctant to work with an admissions consultant because I consider myself a good writer and thought I could put together competitive applications without spending the money. After working with Rachel Beck at mbaMission for the past few months and getting into my dream school, I realize that her time is 100% worth the cost. Here's a brief list with a few of the many reasons I'd recommend Rachel to anyone hoping to get into a top-tier MBA program:

- She has years of experience navigating the admissions process and has a profound understanding of what adcoms like to see
- She's a highly skilled editor of essays, which can likely be attributed to her impressive background in journalism
- She's extremely organized and responsive
- She's very direct and always 100% honest (even when the truth may be hard to hear)

When I first started working with Rachel, I sent her an essay draft that I had been working on (which I thought was ready for submission at the time). Rachel didn't sugarcoat her feedback, and provided dozens of pointers that would help me improve the essay. Now when I look at that original draft versus the draft I wound up submitting, I realize that I never would've gotten into a top-tier program without her services. If youre a prospective student looking for an edge in applying to your dream school, Rachel is the consultant you're looking for.

Without Rachel, I wouldn't be going to my dream school this coming fall. The money spent for her time and assistance is the best investment I've ever made.

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I began working with Rachel after taking the GMAT twice and beginning the application process. I shopped around quite a bit (I spoke to 5 other consultants). Rachel was by far the most genuine - she has a way of being candid without being overly harsh.

Rachel was blunt upfront that she thought I needed to get my GMAT score higher to get into Columbia (my number one choice). But when I explained I wasn't willing to do that she didn't dwell and we immediately got to work doing all the other things we could to make my application as strong as possible.

I really liked Rachel's brainstorming method upfront. It seems like a lot of leg work but it forces you to really think through your narrative, and she helps you highlight things you might not have even thought were noteworthy.

Rachel also has great insight into what information the school actually want you to provide in your essays, which usually isn't exactly what the essay question actually asks.

Rachel always provided prompt responses and was very clear upfront about how to best work with her. My only regret is that I didn't start working with her earlier on in the process since I paid a flat fee.

In the end I got into Columbia, and I think it had a lot to do with the strong essays that Rachel helped me right. She is a journalist in training and she's an amazing editor. She also had great advice with other part of my app, like taking the HBX Core math course to boost my quant profile.

Overall, I would definitely spend the money to work with Rachel again. She was instrumental in me getting into the business school I really wanted to go to.

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I initially was matched with Rachel during MBA Mission's free 30 minute consultation. She was extremely helpful at helping me develop a strategy to go about tackling the application process and I felt that her expertise would be vital to writing strong essays.

I worked with Rachel on an hourly basis where she assisted with everything from Resume formatting, topic generation, and essay editing for a number of different programs. She was always on-time in providing back updates or ideas and was excellent at pushing me to take the next step in my essays.

At the end of the day Rachel was extremely helpful and worth every penny. I owe her a great deal for successfully getting into some of my top choice schools.

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I started working with Rachel 15 months before submitting my application. In the beginning, we scheduled a kick-off call in which I told her about my background and why I thought I wanted to get an MBA. Upon analyzing my documents, she gave me a detailed roadmap. For example, as my undergraduate GPA was low, she recommended that I take summer courses. She thought that I lacked volunteer work and suggested that I try to find ways to give back to the community and my previous schools.

In parallel, we started working on my essays. I enjoyed the structure which she provided. We would brainstorm on the phone and then I would send bullets of my notes. After a few revisions, we would have polished essays. We worked on my resume and she provided me tips on how to approach people who would write me recommendations. In addition, we prepared for the interview.

I am now finished with the first semester of the program and a few of the first semester courses, such as Executive Leadership and Leadership and Organizational Change, required me to work on personal development plans. My previous work with Rachel became the foundation of these plans. What started out as an MBA application gave me the opportunity to take a strategic look at my career and personal life. I highly recommend Rachel as she has a unique talent to see through a person's core and reveal that in the application. As a bonus, during this process, you also have a chance to learn about what matters to you in life.

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I had never used a consultant before applying to business school, but given my position as an untraditional candidate, I am not sure I would have gained entry to Columbia Business School without the expertise of Rachel Beck at mbaMission.

Despite Rachel's own standing as an alum of CBS, she knows a tremendous amount about the business school industry at large and was extremely deft at reading my own potentiality as an applicant from that first free consultation.

Before this experience, I had stereotyped consultants on being generalists under the guise of being experts, but Rachel learned my background more than any mentor even had. Even though she knew Columbia as a former student and as a consultant, she familiarized herself with minutiae of with the school's budding social enterprise club and leadership programs--two areas I was interested in.

Even though I used the "a la carte" services via mbaMission, Rachel answered my every impromptu question about the process--going beyond her job description and the services I was entitled for--and almost always she would respond within a 24 hour period to boot.

I primarily used Rachel as a consultant for honing my resume and essays, but she was instrumental in helping me prepare for informal interviews with staff and my official interview for Columbia. She was thoughtful in tailoring her responses to any question or situation for me Mollie as a candidate--I cannot emphasize this enough.

As stressful as this process is, Rachel helped me manage my own mental headspace and timeline.
Like others below, I recommend reaching out to Rachel in the early spring before your application is due. As a writer, I struggled with the composition of my written components--I was often too emotional and close to the subjects I was writing about and I was very attached to Columbia; I could not always see my deliverables objectively and that's where Rachel came in--she did not dismiss any part of my story or argument, but she helped me with an economy of language, she helped me with the "so what." We did about 7 drafts for each product and though it was humbling, I have never been prouder of an application in its completion. Speaking candidly, she can be blunt in her criticism of one's writing, but trust me: she's on the money.

In sum, Rachel Beck was a true part of my application to business school and she is part of my success in getting in.

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Whether you think you need a consultant or not, everyone, and I mean everyone, should at least have a free consultation. There is no special formula to guarantee admission, but having someone with experience is invaluable. I truly believe that Rachel and I put together my best possible candidacy.

This isn't Rachel's first rodeo and mbaMission definitely takes notes on attributes, application approaches and experiences that has made past candidates successful - so when Rachel makes a suggestion, it comes with insight and knowledge that only someone with experience can provide. It's OK to disagree with Rachel and she is very open to your opinion, but at the same time trust her.

The application process is a marathon, not a sprint, and you two are a team. Rachel takes time to fully digest your life story - from childhood to the time of your candidacy - in order to highlight themes, interesting facts and other strong points. In order for you two to be successful at putting together your best application, the appropriate time is needed for the process to work. Rachel maintains constant communication throughout the process to help guide you as you construct your application(s).

Interview preparation in general is awkward. No matter how bad you want cancel the Skype interview prep with Rachel, fight through it. Nailing the actual interview with the school is so important and there is a fine line between sounding like a robot - and having automated responses - and being well-versed in the practice of interviews. Rachel provides great advice on how to structure responses (yes, even the order for sub-bullets of a response) to help the response flow smoothly or tease future responses, which may help guide the interview in your favor.

Highly recommend reaching out to Rachel if you're new to the MBA application process. Also, starting the application process in April or May will help. You will be surprised how fast spots fill and how detailed this process will be. Most likely you will be working full-time through it all, so allow time for Rachel to do her work and try not submit a first draft a week before the deadline. Rachel and I had 10+ drafts on everything. I think the results from my applications are objective proof of the time and care that the team, Rachel and I, put into everything.

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Summary: Rachel helped me gain admittance to my dream school, Wharton! If you are contemplating the benefits of using a consultant, I would tell you to stop thinking about it and begin working with Rachel. Without Rachel's guidance and encouragement - I would not have even applied to my first choice school.

My Story: As I began the application process for MBA programs, I had a few friends suggest that I look to leverage an admissions consultant. Skeptical at first, but figured I had nothing to lose by a conversation, I scheduled two free 30 minute sessions; one with a competitor company and another with Rachel. As I was pleased with my first conversation with a competitor, I had high expectations before I got on the phone with Rachel. From the first 5 minutes of my conversation with Rachel, I knew she was the person I wanted to work with. Not only was Rachel familiar with the information I supplied before my consult - she came with recommendations and suggestions - something I did not expect from a free session. I thought my GMAT score would limit me on gaining acceptance to a top-tier program, but with Rachel's encouragement, I immediately began working with Rachel on my application and essays to Wharton.

Throughout the process, Rachel was my cheerleader, mentor, and personal coach. Rachel was extremely timely on providing thoughtful, candid feedback (in a good way) and challenged me to present my "best self" in my application. Rachel has a brilliant approach to storytelling and creating a coherent narrative. Rachel took the stress out of the application process for me and helped me achieve my goal of gaining acceptance to a top-tier MBA program.

I cannot thank Rachel enough for encouraging me to apply to my dream school, guiding me throughout the entire process, and helping me gain acceptance. Rachel exceeded every expectation I had and I would highly recommend Rachel to anyone who is considering applying to business school.

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Personal background: International applicant, Female, BB IBD, liberal undergrad, low GMAT(720, which is a weakness compared to the Asian pool), Re-applicant (first tried in R2'2017 but failed), Accomplished a few work and non-work initiatives between R2'2017 to R1'2018 and also got a stronger endorsement from current / previous supervisors

School package - worked on 3 schools (Booth-reapplicant; Wharton-reapplicant; Columbia-Early decision) with Rachel

Rachel is very helpful and patient in helping me go through the application process in 2017. After the "disaster" in the R2'2017, Rachel helped me regain the self-confidence and reshape a better appearance before the AdCom.
Just like what I've done in investment banking, there are a few investment highlights that you should choose Rachel as your admission consultant.

- Efficient and effective working pattern: Rachel is very punctual on turnaround time, which is less than 24 hours. She always uses efficient tools to track our back-and-forth edits and comments; also she is very helpful in addressing any application-related issues and ideas that came into my mind.

- Professional writing as an ex-reporter: As an intl. applicant whose mother tongue is not English, I was worried about my writing. Rachel helped me a lot on this part - she would help rephrase my ideas into a more succinct and native way.

- Great communicator in brainstorming session: Rachel is very proactive in expressing her ideas and comments which she concluded from my prior experiences. I have to admit that applicants sometimes would neglect those shining points which are very valuable from an Adcom's perspective. Rachel is very helpful in giving me guidance to "plunge deeper" into myself.

After initial setback / ding from Columbia Early Decision, Rachel assured me to remain confident and carry out the plan. I feel grateful that our joint efforts finally won me the ticket to four bschools - Kellogg, Berkeley Haas, INSEAD, and Darden. I have decided to go to Kellogg!

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