GMAT Club

Sharon Joyce Reviews

Company: Fortuna Admissions

With over 25 years of experience in admissions and student affairs, Sharon is a seasoned professional in higher education who has been lauded for her innovative approaches in streamlining interview processes at multiple institutions and her efforts to create inclusive communities in graduate education. At UC Berkeley’s Haas School of Business, she served as the Associate Director of Admissions for the full-time program MBA program, while also collaborating on the overall strategic plan for Haas admissions as a member of the Senior Management team. While at Carnegie Mellon’s Tepper School of Business, she contributed to the success of the MBA program in a role that encompassed admissions and career services. Sharon received her BA from Chatham University and holds a doctoral degree in Administrative and Policy Studies in Higher Education from the University of Pittsburgh; her doctoral research was focused on first-generation college students and their rise into graduate programs. Sharon is also a Certified Coach in CliftonStrengths, and specializes in early stage planning with many of our Fortuna clients.

5.0 /5 Average Rating
Based on 54 reviews
May 11, 2021
adhiravishankar

Joined: Aug 01, 2020

Posts: 0

Kudos: 0

Exceptional

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Sharon Joyce is an exceptional mentor and consultant, going above and beyond my expectations. I enjoyed working with her thoroughly. Her greatest strength is pulling stories and experiences to enhance the essays for greater uniqueness in candidacy. Being in an over-represented group, I thought my candidacy was more prone to weakness than others, but she helped rectify those concerns. Furthermore, she had a unique perspective compared to others, which helped differentiate her from others from the very first consultation. She helped me navigate through the deadlines and the things to do with ease. I would recommend her in a heartbeat.

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May 10, 2021
Mbaonamission

Joined: Jun 05, 2020

Posts: 2

Kudos: 1

Verified GMAT Classic score:
700 Q47 V39

Great guidance

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I had the opportunity to work with Sharon Joyce for my MBA applications and it was a fantastic experience. When I started my MBA applications I had decided on the programs and schools, however I had a very analytical approach towards my essays and needed some help. From our very first call Sharon was warm and talking to her felt easy. She took the time to talk to me and understand my perspective and helped me think about my essays in a way that showcased my experiences which reflected my authentic self. She was efficient and super quick to respond to any questions. She helped me with essays and interviews for three schools with just the minimum hourly package. Thanks to her I got accepted to a top 10 part time MBA program with a scholarship! I highly recommend Fortuna Admissions. Their approach of consulting only for a handful of students is highly effective.

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April 09, 2021
oaa5053

Joined: Sep 24, 2020

Posts: 1

Kudos: 2

Above & Beyond!

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This application process has been an inspirational journey of self-reflection that made me truly think about who I was, who I am, and who I want to be. When I first had my first free consultation, I was lost. I did not know where I wanted to apply and which school suits me best. Matt showed a great deal of knowledge about the schools and quickly understood what I was looking for, and hence matched me with Sharon.
Sharon was not only an admission coach but also an emotional support system. She fostered an environment of trust, honesty, respect, and above all, faith! From our first preparation meeting, it was evident that she spent proper time in my strategy document and made sure she knew everything about me. She even made me take a CliftonStrength assessment to understand my strengths and weaknesses. Sharon pushed me to truly reflect on my past experiences and how they shaped me to become who I am today. She helped me truly present my personal brand in the best way possible and knew what each school was looking for. Because of her great attention to detail, she often reviewed my submissions multiple times before deadlines to ensure nothing slips through the cracks. When she wasn’t sure about something, she always levered Fortuna resources and availed all necessary experiences and knowledge from other coaches to help me prepare. During the interview preparation process, she absolutely went above and beyond! We must have done a dozen interviews because she genuinely wanted me to get admitted to my dream school.
Overall, I am 100% satisfied and would definitely recommend Sharon from Fortuna to everyone!

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March 22, 2021
dchicka

Joined: May 26, 2020

Posts: 0

Kudos: 0

Verified GMAT Classic score:
670 Q46 V36

Higly recommended MBA Coach

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I worked with Sharon on my HAAS EWMBA application through Fortuna using their Hourly services package. Sharon’s nuanced understanding of what the Ad com looks for in a candidate was extremely useful in building my application. She was very good at identifying my strengths and did an excellent job of crafting an application strategy around them. Her attention to detail is extremely impressive and is very easy to work with. We connected a month before the deadline and her focused work helped me complete my application with a week left. I highly recommend Sharon as a MBA coach to anyone.

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July 28, 2020
davisz2010

Joined: Oct 28, 2019

Posts: 6

Kudos: 1

Verified GMAT Classic score:
700 Q49 V36

Hourly Service Review

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highly recommend Sharon due to her ability to help me be more introspective in my essays and to find the right story/voice in my materials. I didn’t have a strong understanding of what business schools are looking for and Sharon was able to help fill that gap. With her phenomenal knowledge of the schools on my list, she helped me understand how my unique background aligned with the mission of the schools I was targeting and how to bring those stories out in my application essays and while on interviews. Please note I am an engineer by training, so not a storyteller by nature! Her continuous encouragement and positivity bolstered my confidence during the MBA application process and her prompt replies to me, whether over email or text, were appreciated during what is typically a stressful time. There were a few occasions when I urgently needed her assistance and she always responded in a timely manner, even when she was travelling. I appreciated the genuine care she placed on the success of my application and I am thrilled to have been admitted to a top program on the East Coast and was also awarded a generous scholarship.

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July 27, 2020
Noobasaur

Joined: Jul 20, 2020

Posts: 0

Kudos: 0

A Top Notch Experience

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I had an exceptional experience working with Sharon Joyce and I highly recommend her as an admissions consultant.


Sharon and I began our work together in early 2020 with only months to go before the April submission deadline and a single Top-10 MBA program in my sights. Her deep knowledge about process and timing paid dividends from the start - within days of our first meeting she had prepared an action plan that made our ambitious goal seem not just achievable but downright reasonable.


As we executed on said plan, Sharon’s feedback was always thoughtful, well-informed, and refreshingly direct. She identified my strengths and weaknesses as a candidate and knew precisely how to showcase the former and “buttress” the latter, all while making authenticity a top priority. Each iteration of my application improved dramatically with Sharon’s input, even over the course of just a few weeks, and her guidance ultimately helped me achieve my goal: I applied to a single Top-10 school and was accepted into its Class of 2022.


Sharon provided all of the above help with extraordinary flexibility. Whether related to pricing, timing, or other logistical matters, Sharon was understanding, generous, and gracious. I am extremely thankful to have found Sharon and to have had her help throughout the process, and I recommend her enthusiastically.

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June 29, 2020
sanu92

Joined: Apr 01, 2019

Posts: 3

Kudos: 0

The mentor I needed

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I worked with Sharon on my Fall 2020 MBA applications and I highly recommend her. Since the beginning of my journey to enroll in a top program, I was very anxious about the process due to my lower undergraduate GPA. Sharon not only guided me through the process by developing a systematic plan of action, she also helped me gain confidence about my chances for admission. Looking back, the best decision I made for applying to b-school was partnering with Sharon - I couldn’t have done it without her help and support in the process. She was less of a consultant and more of a mentor to me - to not only guide me towards efficient ways of networking and crafting essays, but she also thoroughly prepared me for interviews and how to approach interacting with b-schools in a more sophisticated manner. She was extremely patient with me, understood my shortcomings deeply and then helped me recognize my strengths and taught me how to leverage them in applications and while on interviews. She has a very warm and welcoming personality and great experience as a Fortuna Coach. Those who have doubts about themselves and those who aspire to be successful MBA candidates should definitely talk to Sharon! She will work with him/her to bring out the best in their background/create the best positioning possible. I wish I could add 5 more stars to this rating because in working with Dr. Sharon Joyce, I found the mentor I desperately needed. Thanks a lot!

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June 27, 2020
elnino33

Joined: May 14, 2019

Posts: 0

Kudos: 0

Absolutely must-use B School consultant!

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I first worked with Sharon during the summer of 2019 and she helped me massively overcome hurdles I faced in the application process. Working with Sharon on the "early stage planning" MBA process aided me tremendously in strategizing my weaknesses and strengths in applying for full-time programs. Sharon's expertise with top programs, Clifton Strengths, and her ability to give sound and cogent advice make her a great consultant to work with!

Since working with her I've proudly applied to several top MBA programs (full-time) with confidence and am currently awaiting final decisions. If your certain you want to pursue an MBA however need help in the planning and strategizing piece I cannot recommend working with another consultant but Sharon!

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May 18, 2020
ldyer

Joined: Jun 05, 2019

Posts: 0

Kudos: 0

Verified GMAT Classic score:
680 Q44 V39

Hourly Consulting with Sharon from Fortuna

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I highly recommend working with Sharon on MBA applications, interviews, strategy, etc.

When I decided to purchase an hourly consulting package, I was expecting help with overall strategy and a few essay prompts. In the short time Sharon and I spent together, she helped me with my overall strategy, every single essay (for 5 schools!), and short answer questions. She even proofread 2 applications before I hit submit. Sharon was extremely conscious of my time and was transparent about how the hours were spent. She made the stressful process of business school applications more manageable and enjoyable.

I was invited to interview at 4 out the 5 schools I applied to. After 2 of the interviews, I decided to do an additional hour of interview prep with Sharon. I wish I had done the hour of prep in the beginning. One hour of prep with Sharon was more beneficial than days spent on my own.

In the end, I received admission offers (with scholarships!) from the 4 schools I interviewed at. I'm beyond thrilled! Even in this stage of the process, Sharon has continued to help me with my decision.

Overall, I highly recommend working with Sharon. She's honest, funny, and truly goes above and beyond to help her clients in any way she can.

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April 16, 2020
orangebroccoli

Joined: Jan 25, 2020

Posts: 0

Kudos: 0

Verified GMAT Classic score:
710 Q43 V44

So Grateful To Have Found Sharon!

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I am so grateful that I found Sharon early on in this process. Fortuna gave me a candid assessment of my chances at my target schools and then paired me with Sharon based on the schools I was applying to. From the first phone call, I knew I’d found a good match and that she GOT me, and we proceeded with hourly consulting after that. I appreciated that in every essay, short answer, interview prep session, etc., she helped me show myself to my full potential, rather than trying to make me out to be something different than I am. She’s organized, caring, funny, savvy, and will be your ultimate cheerleader during this process. She’s also efficient and would never waste your time or money, which is so important to me. I thrilled to be able to say that I was admitted to UCLA Anderson, NYU Stern, Yale SOM, and Northwestern Kellogg–all with at least $40k in scholarships at each. THANK YOU, Sharon, for helping me through this arduous process–I’m forever indebted to you!

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