Applying to business school is a daunting task. Prior to beginning the process, I imagined it being very stressful. For this reason, I had put off applying for a couple of years. After taking the GMAT a few times and a getting a lower score than I had hoped, I was discouraged. I knew I really needed to be thoughtful in the way I crafted my application. My strength was my work experience and, in order to get accepted to a top program, I needed to tell my story well, highlighting my breadth of experience and unique qualities that would make me successful in business school.

This is why chose to work with Monica, and I'm so glad I made that decision! She was the perfect mix of being supportive and encouraging while being 100% honest. She was honest with me about the need to overcome my lower GMAT score, but was optimistic that I could get into a top MBA program.

From the early stages of creating the brainstorming document, she really took the time to understand my background and pinpoint the unique qualities and experiences I have compared to other candidates. She really celebrated the unique stories from my background and got me excited to push forward.

Some essays were more fluid for me to write, others took 7 or 8 versions. I was so confident, however, after each essay that I was able to highlight the best stories and demonstrate my strengths. She really went above and beyond to make sure my applications were strong.

In the end, what I thought would be a stressful experience actually turned out to be fun! As my stories came to life through the essays, and I gained confidence and greater clarity regarding why I was going to business school. I learned a ton about myself along the way. I truly wouldn't have had the success or positive experience without Monica's help.

Oh, I should also mention that ultimately getting accepted to Michigan, Chicago Booth, and Emory was pretty fun too!

Read More

I had a great experience working with John Sisk from mbaMission on my essays, resume and short answers. It was great to have a third party who really knows what he is doing and has no bias towards my writing/content. With his support, I was accepted into my top two schools (HBS and Columbia). I would highly recommend working with him.

(1) John pushed me. Each time that I thought I’d nailed it, he’d reply with insightful feedback, always asking why….why did I want to do X in my career, why does Y motivate me...He challenged me, pushing me to take each aspect of my essays to the next level, really examining my motivations and how they play into my overall story. He is an expert in the space and helped me to dig deeper to product essays I was really proud of.

(2) That said, he never stressed me out. He consistently offered great advice, stayed patient, kept me calm and on track, and helped me get my essays across the finish line. He was honest, straightforward and optimistic.

(3) I was late to the game and I wish I’d allowed for more time. John was always responsive, but 2 business day turnarounds can add up when you’re close to deadlines (and holiday breaks are upon you). We had a lot of essays going back and forth (and ended up wasting costly $$ b/c I was sending John multiple versions to review at a time due to the pending deadlines). Make sure to take this into account + reach out as early as possible.

(4) Before I began working with mbaMission, I spent a lot of time reading sample essays and brainstorming. I ended up overwhelmed and wasting time. I wish that I had reached out to John sooner in the process for his guidance in how to approach the essays and structure my thinking.

It was costly, but entirely worth the investment. To have an unbiased expert was invaluable

Read More

I absolutely loved working with Monica!

Applying to b-schools is a very long and grueling process, filled with a lot of uncertainty and ambiguity. It’s also one of the more competitive evaluations you can go through. Combining those two factors, I knew it would be worth getting some guidance and support.

I was recommended to mbaMission from my GMAT instructor (Manhattan Prep), whom I was very happy with. I scoured their website, reading the bios of each consultant, and decided Monica would be a great fit.

My dream school to attend was HBS… Monica is a graduate of HBS and deeply understood what the admissions committee was looking for. My background was in investment banking… before b-school, Monica was also a former investment banker so she understood the strengths and weaknesses of my experience/resume. My main concern with the application process (after getting through the GMAT) was crafting compelling essays… I hadn’t written essays like this since I applied to undergrad and saying I was a bit rusty is certainly an understatement. This was where Monica really shined. Monica helped me structure the writing process, working together to unpack my personal experiences and then weave the most compelling anecdotes into a cohesive story. As I’m sure many people feel at the outset, I didn’t think I had many fascinating stories to talk about in my essay, but after working together through a handful of versions, I came away incredibly happy with how my essays turned out. I give Monica a ton of credit for this!

Each step of the application process has its challenges and Monica helped me stay organized and tackle each one diligently. I’m very grateful for her mentorship, work ethic, and undivided attention throughout the entire process. I’m happy to report that I was accepted to HBS and will be attending this fall.

I simply could not have done it without Monica!

Read More

Before I get into the review, a few items about myself:
1.) American who was born/raised in the Chicagoland area.
2.) I'm at a company that works with utilities and renewable energy developers across North America. My job function is a structural engineer.
3.) Undergrad GPA: 3.30, Masters GPA: 3.28
4.) GMAT: 750 (6.0 AWA, 7 IR, 50 Quant, 42 Verbal)
5.) I'm extremely involved with a structural engineers association and other engineering societies.

I'm a somewhat unorthodox candidate (given that I'm a structural engineer as opposed to a mechanical or electrical) who really needed help. While I knew that I wanted to get into business school, I wasn't quite certain I could do it by myself. So, I enlisted Monica to help me craft my story. As some here have echoed, she won't do the work for you. You will need to do the brainstorming and the writing of the essays. She will help you craft your story as well as edit the essays to really bring out the best person you can be so that the admissions staff sees a polished candidate.

I knew that I couldn't really articulate why I wanted to go to b-school and Monica helped me find the real reasons why I wanted to go. When I got done with the essays, she would tear them apart (in a good way) and ask all the questions to prod me towards finished and cohesive essays that presented a consistent narrative. She also looked at my weaknesses (relatively lower GPAs for undergrad and grad school) and we were able to be proactively address those in optional essays to go on the offensive instead being reactive. She also made certain that I understood the industries that I was going into, so that I had a clear idea of what I was talking about. Before I submitted my applications, she did a final review of my applications (after I had done it 3-4 times) to make certain I didn't miss anything. After I got interview requests from multiple schools, she helped me with interview prep so that I properly communicated what my passions were and how I felt I was going to be an asset to the schools that I applied to.

Bottom line, Monica helped me tremendously. She helped a seemingly hopeless structural engineer figure out what the next steps were so that I could get to where I needed to be. While the hourly rates were truthfully very highly, I felt as though it really helped me get to where I wanted to be and I wouldn't have done it any other way.

Read More

I really enjoyed working with Monica as I applied to b-school for the fall of 2017. After looking through a couple of consultants across a few different companies, I chose Monica given client testimonials online, her prior experience in banking/finance (my field), and the fact that she had earned her MBA at HBS (my #1 choice). I planned to be very efficient and focused as I applied, and accordingly chose to go with the hourly service to keep me on track.

Right off the bat, Monica's background came in very handy as we edited my resume, since she knew what industry jargon to cut out and how best to highlight my accomplishments / achievements in the workplace.

Regarding my essay, I thought I had a fairly good idea of what wanted to say and submitted my first draft. Monica sent back her first revision with very honest feedback, pointing that though my essay was fine for an initial draft, it lacked a cohesive message or theme to make it easy for the reader to understand my story. A bit discouraged, I called to discuss her feedback, and Monica calmed me down and let me know that we had a lot to work with and that we would be able to craft an essay that spoke to my strengths in a more cohesive manner. After discussing my background in some detail, we identified a theme that ran across different points in my life, and we put together a writing plan based on that theme.

With the more focused plan, the writing process became much more seamless. Monica returned all revisions promptly and really helped me to dig deep and refine the examples that drove home my points. Her warm personality came through in her comments, and she helped me feel relaxed and much more in control of the application process. Since I chose the hourly service, she also kept me regularly posted on how much time I had used up, so that I knew when to buy additional time or when to focus on self-editing instead.

With my much improved essay and resume, I submitted my HBS application and was invited for an interview some weeks later. To prepare, I scheduled a mock session with Monica. Since HBS interviews are customized for each applicant, Monica had read my application and tailored my practice interview to mimic the real thing, instead of asking run-of-the-mill questions. Her feedback on my responses helped me feel better prepared for interview day, and ultimately, some of the questions we practiced came up during my actual interview! This is a testament to how well she understands the admissions process.

For the good news: I was admitted to HBS in December, and can attest to the important role that Monica played in getting me there! I am excited to be enrolling this fall, and appreciate all of her hard work in helping me get my application to where it needed to be. I truly recommend her services for applicants looking for a warm, honest, experienced consultant who's in their corner!

Read More

While deliberating whether to apply to b-schools last summer/fall, I decided to reach out to a few MBA consulting firms to test the waters and gauge my likelihood.

My initial call with mbaMission was actually with another consultant, but realized after the call that she only available in a few weeks. With the hopes of starting the application process sooner, I enquired mbaMission for consultants who were immediately available. Of the options given, I decided to go with Monica based on good reviews I read about online.

Right from our first brainstorming call, I knew that I had made the right decision. I felt comfortable breaking out of my introverted shell, and share with her everything and anything on my mind. It was clear that she had done her homework as well - she asked me very detailed follow-up questions based on the brainstorming questionnaire I had filled out prior to the meeting, and often referenced even the most minute things I had written on there to provide advice / suggestions. It was through her that I was able to fully introspect on myself - my values, aspirations, accomplishments and even failures. These provided me a strong ground to source my stories as I went on to write my essays.

Initially I was going to go for a 2-school package only, but as I got to further appreciate Monica's expertise and effectiveness as a sounding board, I decided to use her for all of my remaining 3 schools as well. Over a little more than 3 months, we had very frequent calls in addition to the back-and-forth emails with edits. I was especially impressed with how Monica could let me know when something didn't seem right to her, without making me feel offended. Her constructive feedback was always delivered in a direct and genuine manner.

I applied to a total of five M7 schools in R1 with Monica's support, and was invited to interview from Wharton, Sloan and CBS. I was ultimately accepted at Wharton (with $$) and Sloan (withdrew application from CBS).

I highly recommend Monica to anyone who's thinking of applying to b-schools. She will not only be a great advisor but also a friend to emotionally support you through the process.

Read More

Selecting the appropriate consultant is not an easy task. Some of you may have the luck to get someone refer a good consultant; but for others, you will have to select someone blindly.
In my case, I was lucky to know about Monica thanks to a friend of mine, who highly recommended me to contact her. He basically told me he got admitted to his top choice thanks to her. So, I trusted him and reached to Monica.
It is important to add that I had a low GMAT (640), so I knew I was starting the process with a disadvantage.
After having the free 30min consultation with Monica, I knew she was the perfect consultant I needed. First, she encouraged me to apply, regardless of my low score, but she made clear that I needed to have an outstanding application to offset the GMAT score. But she was confident we could achieve this if I dedicated time and effort. I accepted the challenge!
As you probably know, the application process is complex and time consuming. You are required to elaborate several essays, short answers, update your resume, elaborate on extra-curricular activities, etc. Basically you need to think carefully every answer. If you first think about it, you might get overwhelmed, overthinking what to say or write, and may be at risk to prepare an application without the proper structure or guidance.
Thanks to Monica, she helped me to straighten my thoughts, brainstorm, dig deeper not only in my professional life, but also in my personal one. This helped getting to know more about myself. She also managed to extract more interesting anecdotes, challenges, that I initially thought weren´t relevant to the essays. Another very favorable point is that her previous experience in HSB admissions helped me understand the viewpoint of the person from the admissions office who would read my application. So, my application ended up like a holistic description of myself. I can even say that she basically ended up knowing me more than some of my family members.
Another favorable aspect is that she helped me prepare with mock interviews which really helped me to loose nervousness, prepare myself, and know which kind of typical questions I would be asked during the actual interview. Thanks to this, I felt confident and when ended my interviews, I felt great!
In retrospect, I can personally affirm that I enjoyed the whole process. I think this should be the whole point, in order to happily dedicate a considerable amount of time, without getting overwhelmed or frustrated.
In the end, I got admitted to the top schools I applied: GSB and Wharton! A dream come true, that I can assure you; it would have never happened if I had not been coached by Monica.
Thank you Monica for everything!

Read More

I loved working with Harold who provided me with assistance at every step of the way from helping me with structuring my essays to critiquing my cover letters.

He is a genuinely interested in making sure you go to the university that you want to and helps you make an informed decision. His greatest strength is his ability to create a conducive working environment that helped me open up to him and helped him understand what I really was looking for in an MBA program.He responds to your queries almost immediately and at the same time gives you ample time to work on your essays.

I would attribute my admission to Harold 100% and without him I know I would have had to struggle a lot more with my applications to get to where I am .

Read More

I worked with Dan on a 3 school package in the fall/winter of 2016-2017. From the very beginning Dan was extremely transparent and honest with his feedback and it really helped me to hone my voice and create strong, competitive applications. I was starting late, still needing to take the GMAT and apply, and with Dan's help and guidance it made it so much easier for me to get it all done. Dan gets back to you quickly, usually that day and always is looking our for the client first. I'm enrolling in one of my top picks! I'd recommend Dan to anyone wanting to apply to b school.

Read More

I decided to work with an admissions consultant mainly to (1) help me tell my overall story in the best way possible, and (2) keep me on track as I was applying to 6 schools all in Round 1. Overall, I was looking for support and a formalized structure to help me through what is by and large a pretty overwhelming process.

I purchased a two-school package and prioritized my top 2 schools of the 6 I applied to. Here are the primary ways that Monica helped me:

(1) Essay brainstorming and editing / refinement process: Going into the MBA admissions process, I knew the gist of what my story would be and had a lot of possible personal and work experiences to pull from. However, where Monica played a huge role was pushing my brainstorming process and lending her admissions expertise to determining the appropriate pairing of specific school essay prompts to the right stories. She also provided very on-point feedback -- through multiple rounds of essay edits -- to sharpen each essay so that it directly answered the prompt and very distinctly highlighted particular strengths or takeaways that would shine in an MBA admissions context (which is different from what most people think is typically "good essay" writing). She would call me out when my writing could be better, but my original voice and intent were never compromised. I believe that Monica really took my essays from good to great, and that was where her guidance helped me the most.

(2) Structure and guidance throughout the entire admissions process: Working with Monica as well as MBA Mission helped to provide a very clear structure and timeline through the entire process, from brainstorming --> essay writing --> interview prep --> post-interview strategy. In addition to the standard MBA Mission resources that you're given (which are all excellent), Monica provides her own tailored guides and supports. Interview prep was also great with Monica, since she delivered necessary feedback in a way that was warm and empathetic, yet still called out clearly what improvements could be made.

(3) Overall support and positive attitude: Throughout the entire process, Monica struck a great balance of providing guidance and insightful, firm recommendations while also maintaining positivity and serving as a supportive sounding board. It was important to me to work with someone whom I could trust and who I enjoyed working with, especially given how stressful the admissions process is. She felt more like a coach and thought partner as opposed to a consultant.

Result: I applied to 6 schools (all ranked in the top 12), interviewed at 5 and was accepted at all schools that I interviewed with, including the two that Monica helped me with. I will be starting at my dream school with a full scholarship in the fall and couldn't be more thrilled. For the other 4 schools that I did not work directly with Monica/MBA Mission on, I wrote slightly different essays but was able to translate overall concepts from Monica's essay feedback and her interview preparation to those programs as well.

Overall, I really enjoyed working with Monica. She was very thorough with her feedback, responsive to all of my emails and questions, and thoughtful about her edits and advice. I'm incredibly grateful to have worked with her through the admissions process.

Read More