A Life Changing Decision

There are few decisions in life that are truly life changing, that help you learn about yourself, discover new opportunities, and vault toward your potential. Working with Rebecca at Menlo Coaching was my life changing decision, and I could not feel more grateful for the experience nor more excited about my future prospects.

Rebecca brings a personalized touch to the experience rather than pushing you through the gauntlet of an application checklist. She takes time to get to know you, and from our first conversation, Rebecca’s empathetic and thoughtful disposition put me at ease and encouraged me to open up and tackle difficult but important topics. Her feedback was always frank and direct, and it was a relief to be able to get straight to the point in a process that requires the applicant to be extremely honest with him or herself. Rebecca went above and beyond in every aspect, and I came away from this process not only with 7 Round 1 applications I was immensely proud of and admission to my top school, but also with a deeper understanding of myself and my goals. I could go on and on, but I will instead summarize just a few key areas below.

Essay Feedback:
- Kicked off the process by encouraging me to do a free-write of my life story, which was invaluable later on when addressing specific questions in essay prompts or short answers
- Helped me approach essay prompts from the lense of the admissions reader, so that my message was communicated clearly, precisely, and emphatically
- Asked insightful questions to extract or discover deeper meaning to what I was trying to say
- Never compromised quality, even if it meant patiently answering my questions or providing feedback repeatedly on the same short sentence
- Never compromised my identity, guiding me to craft essays that were the purest expression of myself

Networking Connections and Guidance:
- Provided guidance on how to get the most out of networking events and school visits, which can be overwhelming with so many people to talk to and a day jam packed with programming
- Introduced me to past clients at my target schools, current clients in industries that interested me, and more senior professionals that had successfully navigated a similar path to the one I had in mind

Wealth of Resources:
- Connected me with a body language coach, since an interview is not all about words
- Provided countless informational videos covering every topic related to MBA programs, career opportunities, and the application process
- Organized a clear and thoughtful approach with a calendar and to do list available online
- Encouraged collaboration with her other current clients, creating a network of peers we could rely on for school visit reports and interview feedback
- Facilitated 3 mock interviews, with opportunities for more if I needed them

Personalized Approach:
- Brought a customized approach, not cookie cutter at all. I applied with my partner, so Rebecca tailored her approach to consider both of our goals and likely outcomes
- Helped me and my partner negotiate offers with schools
- Was literally always available and responsive. I was concerned the time zones would be a problem, but it is actually an advantage for US clients since she always had lots of feedback for me when I woke up in the mornings
- Accommodated my busy work schedule and helped me create a plan that took advantage of my mornings and late evenings
- Helped me navigate a difficult political situation that arose while networking with alumni
- Gave me peace of mind knowing that an experienced professional was guiding me through the very involved and often overwhelming process of applying to top MBA programs

If you are looking for an MBA admissions coach who will elevate your applications, guide you through the process, and help you realize your potential, look no further than Rebecca at Menlo Coaching. I guarantee you will also have a life changing experience.

Read More

The structured program that Rebecca and her colleagues at Menlo Coaching employ is truly unparalleled. It is comprehensive - from school selection to mock interviews - and intensive - unlimited touchpoints and essay drafts with hours set aside to hear your personal story. Rebecca's ability to connect with her clients and overwhelming interest and dedication in your applications make me grateful to have worked with her, got me several amazing offers, and made me so thankful I chose Rebecca and Menlo.

1. The program uses a project management tool to track the numerous elements of the application. Rebecca kept me on schedule even when I got bogged down at work and was working 80 hour weeks. I don't believe I would have been able to get through the process without this.

2. Rebecca took a genuine interest in hearing my personal story - asking and listening from my childhood to present - and left no stone unturned. She is incredibly approachable and easily got to the core of my story. This made me feel confident that I was "authentically me" in my essays.

3. Rebecca is a talented writer and REALLY pushed me with my essays. She did several iterations for content - pushing me to pull narratives and examples - and then several iterations for word count, syntax, grammar, etc. I learned so much in the process that I've taken with me and applied since.

4. Ultimately, the greatest impact Rebecca & Menlo had is that I have NO regrets or doubts with my applications. I submitted something better than I could have imagined and have great results to show for it - including scholarships (even a full ride + stipend at Top 15 school) that I never anticipated. I prepared with mock interviews and even mock conversations and felt confident that I did my absolute best with every interaction with schools. I know that I submitted the best applications I possibly could. And that is invaluable.

Read More

Rebecca truly went above and beyond in helping me get into my dream school.

A few of the many things that Rebecca did that stood out to me are:

1) She set a very detailed plan for me to help accommodate my work schedule. I knew I was going to be extremely busy at work during the summer so she helped me get ahead, especially doing my due diligence with all of programs I was interested in. All of the extra effort up front made the work later on a LOT easier.

2) Rebecca had multiple calls (one of which was two hours long) with me to improve her understanding of my personal story. She showed genuine interest and was empathetic. She used that information to help me bring in key moments from my life into my application in a way that didn't make the essays sound like pity stories, something I was concerned about.

3) The application process can be quite stressful. Even after you're done applying, it's easy to become anxious while you wait for interview invites and/or decisions. Rebecca was like a friend and supported me through the emotional ups and downs.

4) Rebecca's feedback on my essays was super helpful. She never compromised on quality, even if it meant that we'd have many rounds of review.

5) Regarding interview prep, Rebecca didn't use a cookie cutter approach towards my preparation. She knew that I'd be a strong interviewer so she focused my preparation around specific areas. The goal wasn't to have sufficient responses. The goal was to have exceptional responses to each and every potential question.

Read More

Rebecca helped me get into my no.1 choice. She was professional, patient and compassionate. She genuinely cares about her client and is a great pleasure to work with. I really appreciate Rebecca's guidance and support that made my application process more manageable and less stressful. I would highly recommend her to anyone looking for top notch MBA coaching.

Rebecca gave very thoughtful comments and asked good questions that lead me find new angles and connect the dots. She also gave excellent advices on writing styles. I made multiple iterations of my essays and each time her response time was exceptional, sometimes even at nights and during weekends. Her dedication was a life saver especially when deadlines were approaching.

One time, Rebecca came out of her way to schedule an extra meeting with me to share her personal experience with prioritizing an important deadline, and convinced me to make a trade-off between work and application preparation when it became absolutely necessary. I'm really glad that I followed her advice because it would not have worked the other way around given my extensive work hours.

In addition, Menlo's platform and processes are also exceptional. I found Basecamp to be very intuitive and user-friendly. Alice and Rebecca held a joint call to brainstorm creative ideas for a video essay, and Alice and David helped to give second opinions when needed. Overall I feel extremely supported and well prepared for the essays and interviews.

Read More

I cannot stress enough how grateful I am for Rebecca and Menlo Coaching. I am going to my dream school, Wharton, with scholarship money, and I could not have done it without her. When I first started thinking about business school, I never thought I would get the results I did. Out of the 6 schools I applied to, I got in five, with a full scholarship at Booth, another full scholarship, one partial scholarship, and I was waitlisted at the other school.

After working with her on my applications, I also have a much better understanding of myself, my story and my goals. When I first started thinking about applying, I talked to a few applications consultants before settling on Rebecca and Menlo. I have a non-traditional work background, and while many consultants told me that weakened my chances to get in the schools I wanted to, Rebecca immediately saw it as a strength. From our first intro call, I knew I wanted her and the whole Menlo team on my side. I was blown away by Rebecca’s level of engagement with my application from the start. Unlike other consultants I spoke to when I first talked to Menlo, I never felt like it was a sales pitch. Instead, I felt a genuine willingness to listen to me, gather insight on my story, and offer candid feedback on my career goals, my candidacy, and the process.

From selecting schools and networking with current students and alumni to helping me craft my story and reviewing my essays, prepping me for interviews and finally helping me negotiate scholarship money, Rebecca was by my side every step of the application process. She leaves nothing to chance, she was incredibly thorough and on top of everything that was going on with my applications. She encouraged me to visit and network heavily with the schools (which turned out to be a huge game changer) and set up calls before my visits or coffee chats to discuss strategies and how to make the most out of them. Even though I went with the 3 schools package and applied to 3 other schools on my own, Rebecca knew what was going on with all of my applications, and helped me choose which schools made the most sense to have her more involved from start to finish. For the other 3, Rebecca still offered invaluable advice on networking, bounced off some ideas for essays and application strategies, and helped with the interview prep when the time came. In short, I felt extremely supported, whether it was a school I was “officially” working on with her or not. In addition, I really loved that my recommenders were able to work with her. One of my recommenders had never written a letter of recommendation before and he told me that he really enjoyed her guidance. It also ensured that while I didn’t have access to the content of my letters, Rebecca was on top of it, making sure my application was well rounded and truly the best possible.

The Menlo approach to the application process is incredibly effective. Their in-depth, hands-on and holistic approach has amazed me. While the application process seems daunting, they break it down into smaller modules and make it manageable. There are videos explaining each part of the process, accompanied by assignments that hold you accountable and on track to deliver while forcing you to think really hard about your goals. And this is all before the essay writing! On our kickoff call, Rebecca and I spent a couple of hours on the phone diving deep into my story. She patiently listened, offered her perspective on some of the challenges I’ve faced and was able to extract key themes and defining moments from my life, that not only helped shaped my essays but also helped me develop a deeper understanding of myself. It felt more like a therapy session than brainstorming for essays. In the end, every essay reflected who I am, and Rebecca was able to get the best version out of me. I was also very impressed with her responsiveness; every edit usually took less than 24hs to turn around.

One of my favorite things about working with Menlo is that you get to work with a whole team of professionals. And they are truly the best in the game, not just as professionals, but also genuinely great people. David jumped in at different stages of the process and offered me invaluable career advice and introduced me to people in the industry, and later helped me choose which school to attend and negotiate scholarship money. I now feel a lot more confident in my MBA plan (and beyond). Alice also helped me with a particularly challenging personal essay. When it was time to prep for the interviews, I was able to work with a communications coach who helped me with public speaking, techniques to relax, articulate my speech and voice (and it was also a fun experience).

On a personal level, working with Rebecca helped take a lot of anxiety out of the process. Rebecca really goes above and beyond for her clients, and I could tell she cared and was genuinely rooting for me. Working with her felt like a partnership, and I trust her completely. One time, when deadlines were approaching (and since I applied in Round 2, so were the holidays) and I was feeling extremely anxious and unsure about the application, Rebecca went out of her way to schedule a call to talk me through it. I always felt like I was her only client, even though she had many others because that’s how dedicated and responsive she was. She is also the kind of person that you just really want to be friends with.

Working with Rebecca and the Menlo team was easily the best decision I’ve made, and I can’t recommend them enough. As stressful as it was, I actually enjoyed the application process and look back at it fondly, as strange as it might sound, and that is all because of Rebecca. Her and Menlo were fundamental in making my dream school a reality and helped me grow professionally and personally. With Menlo, you get what you give. So, if you are truly committed to your application, willing to work insanely hard and make sacrifices, then so are they, they will reciprocate the commitment and hard work and the results will follow!

Read More

I highly recommend Rebecca Anderson at Menlo Coaching. Rebecca is extremely knowledgeable, strategic and meticulous. She had the expertise and experience to identify my unique value proposition and really took the time to help me craft my applications so that my personal and professional qualities shined through. In an environment where the top business schools have thousands of qualified applicants, standing out from pack is imperative. Rebecca expertly crafted my story in a way that helped the admissions committees see me as the unique individual that I am, and all that I had to offer! In addition, she pushed me to network with the admissions officers to give me an extra edge on top of other applicants. Most importantly, I could tell that Rebecca truly cared about my applications, going above and beyond to help me reach my goals. For instance, she reviewed my choices for recommenders and was able to confidently tell me why I should reach out to and go with others that I hadn't considered. This turned out to be the right approach due to my unique situation, and was something I wasn't able to identify myself. With Rebecca's help, I was able to get admitted to 3/3 of the MBA programs that I applied to, including my stretch school. Additionally, I received scholarship money, which is rare for part-time and executive programs. Once I received my offers, Rebecca continued to be involved, helping me with my communication strategy to negotiate decision dates and offers. I can't recommend her enough. You only get to go through an MBA program once, so make sure you're not short changing yourself by not working with someone like Rebecca.

Read More