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Product mbaMission School Package
Consultant Jeremy Shinewald
Jeremy is an outstanding consultant. He's thoughtful, razor-sharp, and most of all, honest.
I'm a re-applicant. I applied for 2017 intake to three top business schools, and got no interviews. One year later, with Jeremy's continued guidance, I applied to four top business schools and was admitted to three, including Harvard and Stanford. If this wasn't enough, I also received significant five-figure fellowship offers from both HBS and the GSB, which greatly exceeded my investment with mbaMission. Now that's ROI.
Jeremy is not cheap; yet he's still under priced.
I wholehearted recommend Jeremy for candidates who want a thought-partner through the application, and need an edge to get into the top schools. He helped at every step: from our 20+ page brainstorming document, through to scholarship applications, and everything in between. Of note, Jeremy is particularly gifted at distilling big ideas into dense, "speedy English". With each draft of my application, I saw significant improvement.
I've referred my closest friends and colleagues to Jeremy, and they too now see why I won't stop singing Jeremy's praises.
Product mbaMission School Package
Consultant Jessica Shklar
I was on the fence about these consultancies generally. I studied/took the GMAT on my own and, confident in my own story, felt I could do the same with essays/applications. Ultimately I decided to go for it as I connected well with Jessica on our initial consultation and didn't want to miss out on a leg up other applicants may have.
I'm glad I did. Without Jessica's guidance, I would have produced a much weaker application. If you really nail a question - she's there to help smooth out the details. If you miss on one, she won't hold back; she'll let you know you have to throw it away and start over. And she's right. Working with Jessica gave me confidence in taking risks with my essays that I otherwise wouldn't have taken. She was there every step of the way, using all the resources available to her (including other consultants at the firm whose expertise was helpful in specific scenarios) to make sure your application is the best it possibly can be.
Don't skip out on this crucial tool during the application process. Relative to the amount of money you'll spend on your MBA in it's entirety, a consultant fee is a drop in the bucket.
Product mbaMission Hourly Services
Consultant Jessica Shklar
I worked with Jessica for the R1 Class of 2020 application cycle. She helped me immensely, particularly with my career essay - how to make it not feel contrived, how to showcase my background as a "nontraditional" applicant. There were lots of things I wouldn't know to do that I ended up doing because of Jessica's guidance. More than this, Jessica always made me feel that my unique voice could be heard while also fitting into the "box" of what these essays could and should look like. Her editing was extremely helpful, particularly around shortening essays as necessary. Having her as a reliable and trustworthy partner in the essay writing process made me cognizant of time management leading up to deadlines. Jessica came to me through a referral from a previous client and I would absolutely recommend her to any of my friends applying.
Product mbaMission School Package
Consultant Susan Kaplan
I went into the application process unsure of whether or not I wanted to spend the money on an expensive admissions consultant with the financial burden of business school on the horizon. One 30 minute (free) consultation with Susan was more than enough to convince me that my applications would be significantly more well-rounded with her help. As a non-traditional (engineering) candidate not surrounded by many top level MBA graduates, Susan’s experience navigating the whole process was an absolute difference maker in my application.
The documents that mbaMission provides to get student’s backgrounds are very through, but Susan took the time to really get to know me more than just my profile and my test scores, and was able to even suggest how some of my stories could fit into essays even when I didn’t immediately see the fit. She was also able to quickly identify areas where I was weak (post-MBA goals) and spent the necessary time helping me nail those down. Throughout the whole process, it would have been very easy for her to say that my materials were “good enough” and move on to helping another client, but I am convinced that Susan does not have those two words in her vocabulary. She will not let you settle for “good enough”. Even on your 7th revision of an essay, if there is one sentence that might be able to be tweaked just a little, she will provide that feedback.
I must have sent Susan 40 drafts of different essays, resumes, recommendation letters, etc., and never once did she miss her promised 2 day deadline. While she does take 1 week off in the fall for vacation, she still reviews materials and met every deadline even through that time period. She is also always available for a quick phone meeting if you need one, and will push you in all the right directions. In other words, while I am sure she helps a good number of applicants, I never once felt that I was being short changed in anyway so that she could help another client or bring on more volume.
She was also really helpful in the interview prep and especially preparing for the Video Essay that some schools required. I was very hesitant about the video essay, but after a session with Susan, I left very confident in my game plan.
If you are hoping for someone to actually do the hard part of writing your essays, or for a cheerleader through the process, don’t hire Susan. If you are looking for someone who will always push you to submit the very best materials and application possible and provide candid feedback (She will tell you in your first meeting that you have your friends and family to tell you how great you are, she will tell you what you need to hear) that will add to your application, look no further than Susan Kaplan.
With Susan’s help, I ended up on the waitlist at a Top-5 program, and accepted at a top-10 school with a significant scholarship, where I will enrolling for my MBA this fall. I would (and have) highly recommend Susan to anyone starting on the process.
Product mbaMission School Package
Consultant Rachel Beck
Rachel was instrumental in my admission to Wharton and Columbia. I was applying to MBA programs while based in the Middle East and traveling globally, and Rachel was incredibly responsive and flexible to my timing needs. I also had a unique story to communicate to MBA programs and Rachel was adept at helping me craft it effectively in a way that would really speak to AdComs. Rachel gives you 110% of her focus in every step of the application, from brainstorming essay ideas to prepping for interviews to choosing between acceptances. I truly don't think I would have been accepted to my top programs if it wasn't for Rachel. She makes a very stressful process manageable and makes it her priority to set you up for the most successful outcome possible.
Product mbaMission School Package
Consultant Krista Nannery
I had a wonderful experience working with Krista Nannery on my applications. The business school application process is a stressful and sometimes lonely experience. Knowing that Krista was in my corner was the only part of this process that actually made things easier and less stressful.
Krista was able to understand my story in-depth and guide me to craft a cohesive narrative. For example, with essays, she helped me assess which stories both addressed the prompt and best illustrated my skill set and experience - and then she’d help me elevate that story in my own voice. Her objective perspective on my career and story was helpful in ensuring my application resonated to an unfamiliar audience (adcom) succinctly.
Beyond her coaching (and therapist-like counseling), she also ensured I stayed on track from a project-management perspective. She’d push me along when I was spinning for too long on an essay draft. There are so many pieces involved in crafting a compelling application and Krista helped me juggle it all.
Working with Krista was a terrific investment. I was accepted to 3 of the 4 schools I applied to, with a 50% scholarship to one of them. I advise my b-school interested friends that I wouldn’t have done the application process any other way.
Product mbaMission School Package
Consultant Susan Kaplan
I worked with Susan to prepare my school application, and I feel it was a great investment. With work, studying for the GMAT, and a quickly approaching deadline, I had limited time to put all the parts of my application together, and I did not want to waste any of it trying to figure out if I am approaching each step in the best possible way. I wanted to just focus on the content and delivery of each step: essays, resume, short answers, interview, and all the other small things that contribute to your overall application profile. Having Susan guide me throughout the process perfectly fit that goal.
I think many of the other reviews already cover her way of working with a client, but I will highlight what stands out. I did all the work, thinking, and writing of the actual content. Susan provided guidance on what a good application would say about an applicant and was able to look at my work and tell me if it’s achieving that goal or not. It also helps to have the outside perspective because you may think what you have written clearly states an idea, but in reality it doesn’t because you, the writer, “fill in” all the gaps subconsciously since it’s coming from your own mind. Susan, though, cannot do that and quickly points out what is not making sense, or you’ll notice if she got the wrong perspective from your work, indicating a rewrite or clarification is necessary.
The investment was challenging for me, but I am thinking long-term and believe it will pay off since I got into my target school (and more). Do I think a talented or experienced individual can put together a stellar application without a consultant? Definitely. Can someone find all the application guidance they need through internet sites and forums? Sure. But like any decision you make in life, you need to assess your circumstances and make a well thought-out choice. For my circumstances, it made perfect sense to work with Susan, and she did her part *very well*. I couldn’t have asked for someone better.
Product mbaMission School Package
Consultant John Sisk
I approached the MBA application process with a lot of confidence and focused most of my efforts on GMAT prep. It wasn’t until I actually got into the application process that I realized I needed guidance. I completed the free consultation at MBA Mission and realized that I didn’t know what I didn’t know.
I purchased five hours of time with John and we began working on four school applications but it wasn’t until I began writing these essays that I really figured out what I wanted to do post-MBA. This provided my essays with direction and purpose. Without John’s coaching, my essays were pretty vanilla. Now, whenever I write ANYTHING, I envision John’s comment bubbles popping up, telling me “I need more YOU.”
John was extremely patient and easy to work with throughout the process. This really minimized the amount of stress surrounding the entire application process. His guidance resulted in my admission to a top MBA program AND the #3 operations institute in the U.S.
I highly recommend John and mbaMission. Trust their guidance and you won’t be disappointed.
Product mbaMission School Package
Consultant Rachel Beck
I recently worked with Rachel on a 3 school package for Round 1 in the Fall of 2017. I would strongly recommend using Rachel for any candidate considering using an admissions consultant to guide you through the process.
Rachel made what is an extremely stressful and hectic process feel very seamless. From our first brainstorm call through submission of the applications, she helps you stay on top of all of your tasks, which can pile up as the process unfolds, while also making sure you are putting on the best impression for admission committees. For me, Rachel's guidance on the application essays was most critical. Where my essay's ended versus where they would have been had I had not worked with Rachel is truly night and day.
Now, candidates who plan to use a consultant should be aware that you still need to come prepared to work, and work hard. Rachel and other consultants can guide, navigate and keep you organized and on task, but you need to do the work.
I ended up getting into my top choice program and will be enrolling in the Fall of 2018. Surely, Rachel's help was a huge factor for my being admitted to my dream program.
Product mbaMission Hourly Services
Consultant John Sisk
John was a major contributor to my recent acceptance to a top 10 MBA program. A lot of candidates have the stories and experiences to be competitive, but sculpting those stories into concise personal statements and essays that directly respond to the criteria of various admissions committees is an art – one that John has mastered.
I engaged John on an hourly basis (purchased 5 hours through mbaMission). John was referred to me by a colleague who was admitted to a top 10 MBA program and credited John for his success. I had planned to apply to Booth and Kellogg.
John initially sent me a brainstorming document with questions to help generate ideas for essays, short answers, and interview prep. We then scheduled a phone call to discuss essay questions. John’s familiarity with these schools and admissions committees was immediately evident. He provided a framework for the essay responses that leveraged my professional and personal strengths. After drafting my essays, John provided feedback to improve certain aspects of my story and focus the story to directly respond to the essay prompts. John also reviewed my resume and short answer responses to focus on my achievements and clearly state my short and long term goals.
After successfully executing and submitting the applications, John and I spent our final 30 minutes prepping for interviews. John asked me general interview questions and again helped craft responses that were focused on why the specific MBA program would help my career progression.
To anyone considering applying to an MBA program – this initial investment to improve your application is negligible compared to the overall cost of an MBA. I strongly encourage you to make the investment and engage John.