I come from a technical atypical background with a lower than average GPA for M7 schools without anyone in my friends/family circle having pursued an MBA. Naturally, I the MBA admissions process was a big mystery to me so I decided to look into admissions consultants. I talked to a few but stopped the process the day I first chatted with Susan Cera from Stratus Admissions. We immediately clicked because of having similar backgrounds and more importantly because Susan seemed very down to earth and was also very honest with her assessment of my overall profile. Once I took care of the GMAT in May, off we went with our journey. Btw, Susan said she will be my biggest cheerleader throughout the day I signed up with Stratus and that could not be more true.

For the first half of the summer Susan and I met every other week and would discuss in detail my background, my stories, the big defining moments of my life and Susan would provide constructive feedback throughout these take home introspection assignments. I could tell the team at Stratus over the years have put in a lot of work by looking at the activities and questions Susan would ask me about my background. By July we essentially had crafted and narrowed down my personalized MBA strategy - essentially the why MBA, why now but tailored to me. This included an overview of some key stories, themes and arcs that I would highlight in my essays.

At this point Susan introduced Melissa from the Stratus team to take a look at my story and provide an unbiased and fresh perspective. Melissa pointed out a few areas for us to focus on moving forward.

Next came in resume building and honestly, words cannot describe how pivotal Susan was in this. Due to my technical background I essentially had to do a complete makeover and Susan's skill, or should I say, art, came in to the rescue. I could tell Susan gives in her 100% because she was not satisfied until the finished results meets her high standards.

Finally, when it came to essay writing Susan worked tirelessly with me to provide ideas, tips, and overall strategies that I should employ when writing my drafts. Her feedbacks were spot on, and more importantly if at anytime I'd get stuck during the essay writing process she would promptly hop on a quick call to help me get unstuck. Once the interviews started rolling in, she helped me prep up for those using a combination of mock interviews, themes/arcs to talk about and the do's and don't of interviews tailored to each specific school.

I applied to 6 T20 programs in Round 1, got into 2 T20s with $$, WL at 1 T10, and got into one of my top choice M7 with some $. Do not think any of this would be possible without Susan. I'm glad I went with Stratus and I'm glad I got to know Susan and what a kind, warm, wonderful and amazingly talented person she is. I would 100% recommend Stratus/Susan to anyone exploring admissions consultants.

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I worked with Stratus over the summer through their MBA Strategy package. I would 1000% recommend Susan (and Stratus) for anyone who's looking for additional support during the application process. Susan and I worked over the summer to hone in on my "why" and how best to communicate my application story. Susan is incredibly thoughtful in her feedback and has a knack for guiding you along the process for distilling your story into its truest form. She was my biggest cheerleader throughout the process (and fielded more than one panicked email), including after my package concluded and I moved on to writing my essays. Without a doubt, my application was better for having worked with Stratus and 4 admits (including two M7s with $$) confirmed it. She is such a blessing to have in your corner during the craziness of MBA applications. You won't regret going with Stratus!

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I decided to work with Susan after consulting with a few different firms/consultants. Susan really understood my background (engineering/tech industry) and goals, and she cared about helping me put my best foot forward in the MBA admissions process. I worked with Susan on the four school package and was admitted to one of my top choice programs!

I started working with Susan a couple of years ago, but I ultimately decided to defer applying until this past year. Picking things back up with Susan was extremely easy - she remembered me and what we had worked on before. Susan was super helpful and supportive throughout the entire process, from helping me uncover my story to practicing mock interviews until I felt comfortable. Her feedback on my MBA resume was especially helpful - I’ve even incorporated her feedback into my professional resume!

Susan always listened patiently, especially when I was feeling unsure or unmotivated and needed a pep talk, and she promptly gave feedback on deliverables and replied to all of my questions. I highly recommend her if you want to work with a consultant who cares about you as a person - she will help you achieve your goals!

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My experience with Susan Cera has been amazing and was a game-changer in my applications.

I do not have the best raw stats, but I felt I had a good background and story for wanting to do an MBA. Susan helped me visualize and translate that story into something tangible that admission officers could understand. She worked closely with me to understand my goals post-MBA and long-term while working with my previous experience to understand how to best convey my unique message to admission committees. Working with Susan and Stratus helped my story come to life and enhance my application to get me to several interviews and acceptances.

The MBA process is complicated and there are many little details that go unnoticed by the typical person that may be going through the process alone. It makes a significant difference having a trusted advisor guiding you along the way. Working with Susan for several months, I felt much more confident and prepared in my applications, interviews, and communications with admission officers. One unique differentiator about Stratus is that you are able to work with several different people across their entire team (e.g. certain interviews with schools – you can prep with another admissions consultant that has specific expertise with that particular program).

I highly recommend Susan for anyone throughout the MBA application cycle!

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I thank my lucky stars every day that I met Susan, while I was reaching out to multiple admissions consultants reviewed in forums. Susan was the only one who saw potential in my profile, connected with me at a human level and gave me hope, whilst everyone else just gave me their opinions and were marketing to me.

Susan and Stratus have a proven and time tested process to bring out the best in you. Every question asked by Susan is very deliberate during the brainstorming process to bring out your true personality, vision, successes and your growth areas. It's quite incredible how well put together and elaborate their pre-work is which leads into the applications.

Susan was there for me every step of the way, pushed me to get the best out of me, gave me tough love when needed, motivated me and cheered for my success at every turn ! Susan did not accept anything less than extraordinary from me on any essay, resume or application requirement. Let me repeat this again, " Susan did not accept anything less than extraordinary from me ! " she guided me with her deep experience to get me there. Her attention to detail is mind blowing.

The interview prep process was very thoughtful and tailored. Susan gave me feedback and pointers to improve before every interview. We even had multiple sessions as needed. I truly feel we travelled a fantastic journey together.

If you're reading this review, let me tell you this, it might be hard for you to truly hear a person you've never met. Stop your search and place your faith with Susan ! This will be one of the best decisions you make, which will transform your life. I am in awe of Susan and her team. Today Susan is more than a consultant who worked with me, she is my close friend. I never imagined I would be accepted to not one, but two ivy league EMBA programs, Columbia and Yale.

I will never forget the moment I called Susan to tell her I was accepted at Columbia Business School. Susan and Stratus are not just admissions consultants, they are changing the business landscape by helping candidates realize their dreams to change the world !

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Susan and the rest of the Stratus Admissions team were instrumental in helping me identify my strengths and shape my narrative for business school. When you begin working with Susan, she takes you through several introspection exercises, which alone are worth the interaction and are tremendously helpful in creating your unique story. Susan and Co. also bring in-depth knowledge of the individual characteristics of each school to ensure you find the right program for you. Additionally, Stratus deploys a team effort. While Susan was my main counselor, she brought in many of her colleagues at various stages of the application to get a fresh set of eyes. Susan also connected me with some of her old clients at the schools I was interested in, providing me an opportunity to learn even more about the various schools. I fully recommend working with Susan as she helped me better understand myself and, just as importantly, get into my top choice program.

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Susan is an excellent consultant!! I highly recommend her for anyone who is applying to MBA programs. I started working with her in the spring of 2020 with the plan to apply that fall. First, before applications, we worked on short- and long-term goals and took a deep dive into my strengths in order to begin to shape my story. We brainstormed schools that would be the best fit for me and she introduced me to students and/or alums that I could talk to about their experience. She then guided me through the entire application process, including essays, videos, recommendations, interviews (with mock interviews), etc. I found her to be extremely relatable, professional, knowledgeable, and engaging. Susan always has a positive attitude which is very refreshing as the application process can be very daunting. I cannot thank Susan enough for helping me get into my dream school and first choice, Wharton, in addition to my other top choice, MIT Sloan. There is no doubt in my mind that hiring Susan was the right decision and I have already strongly recommended her to family and friends.

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I used an hourly package to apply to 3 schools. Susan worked with me to effectively craft my unique story into a compelling desire to pursue an MBA (I am a musician by night and a strategy consultant by day — my post-MBA goals lie in bridging that gap). I had the story in my head, but Susan took my essays from ok to great. She brought out passion, specifics (that I had long forgotten), and detailed knowledge about the nuances of each school to help me tailor each application. She was also incredibly efficient with the limited time we had, turning each iteration of my essays around quickly -- sometimes within hours.

End result: 3 for 3 on acceptances (one M7 and two T15’s), plus a substantial merit fellowship option. She has also continued to coach me on negotiation strategies post-acceptances. 10/10 recommend!

Stats: GMAT 730, GPA 3.85, STEM undergrad

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It was always a goal of mine to go back and get my MBA and at first, thought I could go the cheap route and do it on my own. Big mistake. I ended up getting rejected from my top schools but I was determined, and decided to go for it the next year. I was introduced to Susan through multiple friends who had used her in the past and raved about their experience. Truthfully, the cost was a bit daunting at first but after our first meeting I could tell that Susan new exactly what she was doing. From her own experience of applying and getting into business school, coupled with her immense knowledge from working in admissions at Fuqua for over a decade, she brought insight that I could have gotten from few other sources. She was incredibly thoughtful but pushed me to think about what I really wanted and how to craft my story from my past and where I wanted to end up. I had a terrible GPA and decent GRE scores, so it was an uphill battle from the start, but I ended up being accepted to all the schools that had rejected me the previous year. Can’t thank Susan enough for all her hard work and dedication throughout the process – it sure paid dividends in the long run.

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Susan helped me get into my top choice M7. The first thing that stood out to me is that she's really fun, but also no-nonsense! She knows her stuff... you can tell she comes from the admissions world and has the expertise to steer you toward the key fundamentals that really make a difference.

I spoke with several consultants before going with Susan... they all seemed to try to sell me on their magnificent writing or deep expertise on a school... but what was compelling to me is that Susan gives you what most consultants can't: the experience of having worked in admissions. She knows how adcom ticks and can help you craft a compelling story that adcom will understand.

I used an hourly package with Susan and found it to be a great value... she was transparent and efficient, very responsive, and impressively available. She'll be your #1 fan throughout the process, and will give you the confidence that you're turning in the strongest possible application.

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