I found stratus at the MBA fair last year and so was able to compare prices and offerings. I got the package for 4 schools and it came with a free "Early Edge" package. In the early edge stage, it helped to be able to think about what types of promotions and experiences to pursue. I also appreciated always having someone to ask for advice about how to approach a admissions office in the early stage. I was in the unique situation where I had not yet taken my GMAT and Covid hit. So, I decided early May to apply last minute in late May. This was an extremely accelerated timeline and Temi was amazing about being there for me late at night to make sure that I was able to submit my apps on time. I applied to Kellogg and Columbia and was accepted at both without a GMAT score which means the essays she helped me with were a success. Grateful for the support!

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I had a great time working with my consultant, Temi. She took the time to understand who I am based on my background and experiences both personal and professional before diving into essays and interview prep which I think was a fabulous approach. This rapport and the Stratus strategy/process helped me to build winning essays that landed me acceptance to my top choice in MBA program. I had a very busy schedule and very short turnaround time while applying for business school and Temi showed me so much patience, determination and attention to detail. I wanted to do better for myself but also as a result of her motivation. She put me in touch with many people from her Stratus team, including Susan Cera and Melisa Prevost, and past MBA candidates who gave tangible advice for my essays and interviews. I was 100% satisfied after every cent was spent on this package with no regrets. I would highly recommend working with Stratus and definitely with Temi!

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I had the chance to work with Temi as a counselor at Stratus, and I can say that her help was critical to me ultimately getting into my dream top-10 school.

I found that her guidance through preparation of my materials and the subsequent formation of an application strategy gave crucial structure and nuance to developing my candidacy for grad school.

There were times where we disagreed on content to be included, and where I initially became frustrated by our differences in viewpoint and/or opinion. However, Temi did an excellent job of listening to my frustrations when we disagreed, and then presenting her case. More often than not, I agreed with her fully articulated viewpoint.

When all was over, we managed to complete 6 applications to top tier MBA programs, and I managed to get the result I wanted: a spot at an elite MBA program.

Thanks Temi, and thanks Stratus!

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I started using Stratus Consulting in Spring 2017 with the goal of applying by Fall 2017 for Round 1.

tl:dr Stratus was incredibly helpful. The introspection templates, essay feedback, and school guidance gave me insight into a process I was new to. Like anything, you get what you put in, and money isn't enough. But if you are really willing to work, Stratus will take that effort and focus it into a top application for your top schools. It worked here as I was recently admitted to the Stanford Graduate School of Business with an undergrad GPA below 3.0 and a GMAT score of 710.

More detail:
Stratus helped to frame my experiences in a way that not only helped me pick the best ones to share, but to craft my own goals/trends through them. Like most of you, I imagine, I am going to business school to make a specific move in my career. That move isn't coming from no where but has showed itself throughout my early career. That is easy to say but often very difficult to show in 250-750 word essays while also getting the tone, grammar, and writing style down. So firstly, Stratus was crucial in helping my instrospection process occur early and thoroughly.

Take that introspection and turning it into essays is difficult, however. Nonetheless, my Stratus advisor helped me do just that. We must have gone back and forth (I chose a package that had them help me with two schools, but ultimately I applied to 9) at least 10 times on each schools essays. She always provided helpful insight, guidance, and was not afraid to challenge my assumptions. Additionally, when the time was right, my Stratus POC gave my essays to others on her team to get additionally invaluable feedback.

For me, I tend to procrastinate and with work, personal life, and building a side business, I knew that if I didn't commit to an investment like Stratus, I would not be able to stick to a timeline to apply with high quality essays. I ultimately applied R2 (wanted/needed to get my GMAT score up) and Stratus stuck with me through the entire process. I highly recommend them to students who are ready to work, excited about business school (and other graduate schools, btw), and know they need a little fire to keep them going through the long haul.

Overall, I am happy with my decision regardless of what school I got into, but certainly ecstatic that I was afforded this opportunity to attend Stanford. My advice: if you are going to commit to this process, go all in. Commit. The worst feeling you will have from this process (worse than the long GMAT hours of studying) is realizing at the end of it that you could have done something more. Don't let that happen. Act now, organize, and make 2018 your year to do this! Good luck!

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I had a fantastic experience working with Temitope Abereoje and John Buckingham (both HBS alumni), and was accepted at HBS, Wharton and Booth. Temi was my day to day contact, working closely with me on drafting my story, translating that into essays, and going over resume and interview preparation. John was the senior adviser and provided feedback on final versions of my essays as well as interview prep.

Highlights from my experience:
- Greatly appreciated Temi’s turnaround time and detailed feedback on my essay drafts, and any questions I had. Due to work demands I often didn’t have as long a lead time as suggested, but she still managed to review my work under tight timelines and provided clear suggestions that I really think notably improved my story / overall application
- One time I had an urgent question late at night and she made herself available immediately at 10pm to speak on the phone with me – that’s how helpful she was
- Most memorable part was how kind, thoughtful and funny she was – it felt like I was talking with a friend, she’d been through the process herself. E.g., when it came to interview prep, she helped identify subtle gesture and wording changes I should work on to strike the right impression
- John was also invaluable in providing honest, school-specific advice and improving the direction of my essays and confidence entering the interviews

Consultants may not be for everyone – I do have friends successful in their admissions process who only asked for advice and essay reviews from family, friends and bosses, but for me, it was definitely worth it to have professionals as a sounding board as it removed a significant amount of stress and uncertainty from the process. I would highly recommend Temi and John.

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My overall experience with Stratus Prep was extremely positive, and while there are definitely flaws in the process, the company gets five stars from me because I absolutely would not be in the same place I am now without them.

A bit of background - I signed up for the 4 school MBA package (I chose 4 schools because they guaranteed that if I was rejected from all 4, they would work with me in Round 2 to re-apply). Before applying, my main reason for choosing to have a company guide me through the app process was my low GPA - I wanted guidance as to how to alleviate that. Stratus Prep, and specifically my counselor Temi, did a whole lot more than tell me how to make a good application with one less-than-stellar piece of the puzzle.

The beginning of the process for me with Stratus Prep was stressful. My initial assigned counselor told me during my first call that I would not get into a top tier school and should look at 'B level' programs. She told me I was over a year out from applying, and to get in touch with her in 6 months. I shrugged her off, and luckily, a month later, was told she was no longer with the company and was assigned a new counselor.

The second counselor I was assigned to was an older gentlemen who, while nice and helpful, seemed a bit out of touch with the application process. We had two initial phone calls and then planned a face-to-face meeting. I was skeptical about his ability to really get me where I wanted to be. Two weeks later, I received yet another email that my counselor was no longer with the company and a new one would be assigned to me.

My frustration grew and I complained to Shawn directly. He promised he would assign me a third, and final, counselor - Temi. She turned out to be heaven-sent. She was encouraging, thoughtful, helpful, and responsive. She offered advice without being pushy, and supported me both when I wanted to laugh and wanted to cry. The thought exercises and all the stuff they make you fill out that you don't want to will be worth it at the end of the day, no matter how inconsequential it may seem at the getgo. Trust me on this. Temi guided me in the right direction without putting words in my mouth, led me to write essays that I was proud of, and, at the end of the day, helped me turn in outstanding applications that I would have never been able to put together on my own.

I ended up applying to three schools, all Top Ten programs, and was accepted to two and waitlisted at one.

A final word - The most integral part of the whole package is definitely the consultant you are paired with. My biggest piece of advice to you, should you choose Stratus Prep, is to be vocal about finding a good counselor. If you don't vibe with someone, ask for someone else. If your counselor isn't responsive, ask for someone else. Once you find the right person to work with, Stratus Prep will prove itself to be more than worth its price.

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