Susan is a fantastic consultant and an incredible person. Right from the start, Susan took the time to learn as much as possible about my professional and personal life, helping me highlight aspects of my life that I didn’t even realize distinguished me from other applicants. She helped me piece together an application that I was extremely proud of for four programs, all of which I received interview invites for (and three of which were M7s). I am now extremely fortunate to say that I am heading to Kellogg this fall.

Susan will push you, but once interview invites come out, and later final decisions, you won’t be saying, “Darn, I wish Susan took it easy on me”, you’ll be saying, “Thank God Susan didn’t take it easy on me.” Trust me, when things get close to the deadline and you’re feeling the pressure, you don’t want someone who is going to let you settle. Susan will make sure you put your best application together because that’s just how she operates. She has immense passion for her work and truly cares about her clients. I think Susan was happier for me when I got engaged and then later married than some of my friends.

Susan’s help in preparing me for interviews was also exceptional. I tend to drone on and on when I provide anecdotes for behavioral questions, and Susan helped me nail down my stories to highlight actions that demonstrated my key skillset to supplement my written application. I remember panicking before I had my HBS interview, but she went above and beyond to make sure that I was ready and felt confident going into each interview. After the process was all said and done I told Susan, “I would’ve been screwed without you.” I would not be in the position I’m in now without her support. I cannot recommend Susan enough!

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Susan has the admission process figured out and can advise step-by-step to produce a highly competitive and compelling application.

I thought I had a "good", but not "great" GRE score and was worried about applying to the most competitive business schools. I decided to work with Susan, who's experience and knowledge on what makes a great application and what admissions committees want to see, elevated my application to compete with the most competitive programs, despite an average GRE score. What I appreciated most was her formulaic process to preparing applications that was easy to manage while also working 70+ hours a week and traveling for work. Without her guidance, I'm not sure I would have been able to manage multiple applications, essays, or produce nearly the quality of essays I was able to prepare.

During the interview prep, Susan's mock interviews were nearly identical to what I experienced from many top 10 programs (incl. Wharton's TBD). I felt extremely confident during all my admission interviews with her prep.

Lastly, I signed on to work with Susan on two start-to-finish packages, but two weeks from the application deadline, I added on a third school. Only with Susan's help, even on an accelerated timeline, I was successfully accepted to all three programs - Wharton, Kellogg and Tuck (w/ scholarship).

Looking back at my finished applications, there is no way I could have prepared as competitive of applications without Susan's help. Her guidance and insights definitely made the difference and I could not recommend her more!

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Susan is the consultant who teaches you how to do it, which is more than what to do. She gave me direct feedback and pointed out what I did not get. My whole understanding/skills were improved so much in the process.

I did not have the idea of applying to an MBA program until 6 months ago. Susan went through my background file and understood who I am. From the outside angle, she gives me the strengths I should leverage - you know, people may not understand themselves fully (at least, I am a person who needs that comment). She also helped me plan the time and prioritize things. Finally, I could meet all the deadlines and get into a M7 school that fits my personality.

Moreover, she also gives me great feedback for interviews. At that time, she knew me well, and she was able to point out some areas I should improve my communication style. I was able to correct this and clicked with my interviewer.

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I worked with Susan on 2 schools during round 1 applications. I did the Start-to-Finish Package and thought it was well worth it! I was extremely impressed by how Susan personalized the start-to-finish package for each school, and did not simply reuse aspects from the first school we completed.

Susan did a thorough deep dive into my background to help me craft the best stories for the schools I was applying to. She helped me identify my strengths that aligned well to each schools values, and helped me craft these strengths into strong stories that both highlighted my experiences and spoke well to the admissions committees. When it came time for interviews, Susan provided invaluable feedback in how I should visually present myself and best verbalize my accomplishments.

Throughout the entire application process, Susan is completely open and honest in her feedback. She is extremely meticulous and will keep turning content with you until it is absolutely perfect.

Without Susan's help I would not have written nearly as strong applications, would have had a difficult time staying on track for round 1 deadlines, and likely would not have gotten into my goal schools. I would highly recommend her services to anyone looking for an mba admissions consultant!

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If you’re reading this review, you’re probably asking yourself the same two questions that I did: Is it really worth thousands of dollars to hire an MBA consultant? And if so, is Susan Kaplan the right consultant to hire? I will do my best to answer both of those questions.

As some background…

I was born and raised in a small, Midwest town in the United States. I attended a good (not great) public university, where I played a Division-1 sport and graduated with a 3.9 GPA. I turned pro after college and played for two years at the minor league level. I then spent six months as an investment banking analyst at a reputable “middle market” firm. I scored 700 on the GMAT (48 quant) and I applied to HBS and Tuck, two schools that were at the top of my range.

1. Is it really worth thousands of dollars to hire an MBA consultant?

The harsh reality is that every individual that gets into a top MBA program inevitably takes that seat from someone else. The process is highly competitive, and preparation is everything. It is also binary – you either get in or you don’t – so the reality is that outcomes determine whether hiring a consultant was money well spent. I looked at it this way: Whether a consultant provided me with 50% or 1% improvement during this process, that could very well be the difference between whether I was admitted and not. I wanted my best chance at success, leaving no stone unturned, so I hired Susan as my consultant from start to finish for both programs.

This is not a simple process that you can accomplish with little to no effort. A consultant will not complete your application for you. Quite honestly, it would be a mistake to approach it with that mindset, especially considering the financial commitment. If you have the means ($), have the foundation/resume to be competitive, and have the time and work ethic to fully commit to this process, you will absolutely benefit from working with an MBA consultant. If you are halfheartedly invested in the process, your money is better spent somewhere else because you are competing against a group of highly distinguished, fully committed applicants.

2. Is Susan Kaplan the right consultant to hire?

The short answer is, with conviction, YES. Susan was instrumental in helping me better understand the MBA application process, HBS and Tuck’s expectations, and how to best present my application to each program. Initially, we spent a significant amount of time identifying my post-MBA goals and which programs would be the best fit for me, both in terms of culture and career development. We then began to craft my story based on my experiences, tailoring this story to each program. We identified the best options for recommendation letters and then started preparing for my essays and additional responses.

Susan provided critical guidance and accountability throughout the entire application process. She provides direct, efficient feedback and is quick at responding to questions. She has “been there, done that” and, thus, makes sure you are prioritizing the appropriate tasks and staying on track with your set timeline. If you are looking for someone to coddle you, Susan should not be your first choice. If you are looking for someone who is passionate, responsive, accountable, and committed to doing what it takes to get you into your dream school, then you are in the right place. When you hit “Submit Application,” you will know that you have given yourself the best chance at success.

Final Review…

I truly believe I was able to put forth my highest quality application possible with Susan’s guidance and accountability. With that said, I look forward to attending my top choice, the Dartmouth Tuck School of Business, in the fall of 2023.

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Susan was instrumental in helping me gain admission to my top-choice schools. I opted for the Start-to-Finish package, and Susan provided me with invaluable guidance throughout the process.

From the outset, Susan invested considerable time in getting to know me and my background. She employed a strategic approach to identify my unique strengths and determine the target schools that would best suit my profile.

Susan was adept at crafting compelling narratives that were both creative and coherent. Her ability to distill complex ideas into clear, concise language proved especially valuable, given my tendency to be overly verbose.

With Susan's guidance, I was able to construct compelling arguments that demonstrated my suitability for each of the schools I applied to. Her keen eye for detail and honest, constructive feedback helped me refine my essays until they were polished and persuasive.

I was impressed by Susan's responsiveness and the quick turnaround time she provided for feedback. Her candid approach, while challenging at times, helped me to produce my best work.

In the end, Susan's coaching proved indispensable. Thanks to her efforts, I was admitted to Kellogg and Booth with generous scholarships and waitlisted at Sloan. I wholeheartedly recommend Susan to anyone seeking a thoughtful, caring coach to guide them through the admissions process.

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Choosing to work with mbaMission—and Susan particularly—was one of the best career decisions I could have made. She was extraordinarily helpful at every turn, and truly shepherded me through the entire process, from school selection, to deciding which round to apply in, to honing my narrative to build the strongest application possible, to the essays themselves. Thanks to Susan I was admitted to both of my target schools: Stern and Tuck.

The business school process is very much a case of "you don't know what you don't know"—there are so many components to consider and to make sure to get right. Susan was the consummate guide, helping me prioritize, keeping me on-schedule, and helping me think critically about how exactly an MBA would get me to where I want professionally, why each program was or wasn't a fit for me, why I was a fit/positive addition for those program(s), and how to communicate all of that in my essays and my resume.

I cannot recommend Susan highly enough!

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I did the Start-to-Finish Package for two schools with Susan, Kellogg and Ross. While my work experience and community involvement were strong, my GPA was average, and my test scores were on the lower end of the range. I wanted to work with an expert who could help craft my story to overcome any hesitations that an admissions committee would have about my candidacy.

Susan is able to guide you expertly through the process of finding your greatest strengths as a candidate and then piecing together a story about you, your schools, and the fit between the two. She is completely honest and meticulous with you throughout the ideation, essay writing, resume development, and interview process with a keen eye for detail in each component.

Without Susan's help, my applications would be much worse and I wouldn't have gotten into my dream school, Kellogg, let alone Ross as well.

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Coming from a military background, Susan was instrumental in helping me gain acceptance to my top choice MBA program. She not only helped me in crafting my essays and stories, but her process helped me reflect on myself, my experiences, my values, and my business school objectives. Her process has helped me succeed in multiple interviews with behavioral questions. My MBA application timeline was hectic with many work requirements, but she took the time to understand my schedule to help ensure I was always able to meet deadlines. Her feedback is always on time, actionable, and she was always available to talk about any feedback/questions. Susan pushes you from day one in a professional, direct way to help you achieve your goals and dreams. Susan is fully invested in her clients and with you every step of the way. I highly recommend Susan's services to anyone applying to an MBA program to gain acceptance and learn more about themselves. Susan genuinely wants you to succeed.

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I worked with Susan on 4 schools, targeting a Round 1 deadline (and only starting ~2 months ahead of deadlines). Susan was an incredible partner in guiding me through a daunting process.

Susan did a fantastic job in pushing me to put forth my best to really enhance my applications. She was always extremely punctual with her feedback on my essays and other deliverables. Her feedback would be tough at times, but it was exactly what I needed to really excel in the process. She was able to pair her knowledge on each of the programs with my story and background to help craft a great narrative for each of the schools I applied to. I really appreciated her effort to truly get to know me in order to provide the best personalized counseling for my process.

Finishing all of my applications in such a short time frame was difficult, and I know I wouldn't have been able to do it without Susan. But with her help, I was admitted to HBS, Wharton, Booth, and Kellogg. I am very grateful to have worked with Susan throughout this process, and I would highly recommend her to anyone looking for a consultant.

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