I did a ton of research on different consultants and honestly wasn't that impressed with any of them until I found mbaMission / Angela. The first thing that stood out to me that I loved about her was her direct, candid, no sugarcoating approach. In a process as cumbersome, stressful, and important as business school applications, I wanted someone to be my partner in the process who could tell it to me straight so that I could best set my expectations and focus my efforts. Angela was exactly that and much more!

Working with her at the beginning of my application process to strategize my story and identify my differentiators was an incredible experience. She knew exactly what questions to ask, where to focus our time, and what aspects of my experience to dig deeper into in order to create something that was genuinely mine in a unique and compelling way. It should be noted here that I'm a management consultant so certainly didn't have "uniqueness" coming from my job experience.

From there, it was all about putting that story into words in a way that resonated with each school, and here again Angela was amazing! From brainstorming the best writing frameworks that could be used to answer each question, to editing tens of versions of my essays, Angela provided thoughtful, detailed, and personalized feedback each step of the way.

In short working with Angela is the best! She knows how to work with applicants in order to generate the type of self-reflection that is required in order to succeed in this process and knows how to combine that with her world class expertise in to create a final product that is compelling and genuine. Hire her!!!!!!!

Also, for some context, I worked with her to apply to Harvard, Stanford, Booth, and Wharton's Lauder dual degree program and ended up being admitted to Booth and Wharton / Lauder.

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After spending several weeks preparing my essays, I thought it would be a good idea to purchase an hour or two to make sure they were going in the right direction.

Even after many of my own revisions, Nisha helped me make the most out of my very restrictive word counts so that I could present myself in the best way possible.

By far the most important experience was that Nisha was able to get back to very quickly when I was approaching my deadlines, even though there was a 15 hour time difference between us. I felt that Nisha genuinely cared for me and wanted to make sure that she did everything she could to make sure that I succeeded.

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Katy helped me see the application process as an opportunity for structured self-reflection. There were two aspects to her coaching. First, she helped me understand what I value, where I want to go and what I have done so far. Katy facilitated that process through writing exercises and follow-up discussions. Second, she helped me create a narrative that communicated my story to an objective party and explained why business school is the obvious next step. Here, Katy supported me through the process by reviewing multiple drafts of my essay and helping me prepare for my interview.

Katy managed to remove much of the mystery surrounding the application process by helping me understand my motivations and how to effectively communicate them. Thanks to her support I was admitted to my top choice.

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I started with just one hour of service, thinking I would have an essay or two reviewed for structure just to calm my nerves about the process. Once I started with Nisha, I realized I was getting a lot more. She was able to dissect my own ideas in a way that I hadn't been able to see them. She really took the time to understand what I was trying to convey and had no problem pulling in other MBAmission consultants when she thought they might have a useful angle. She also did not hesitate to push me. She demanded perfection, yet supported my in a way that really just worked! I am certain that I would not be smiling with two acceptance letters at this point if it was not for her truly caring. I could go on about her ability and passion but I will just leave at this. Working with Nisha was the best decision I made through the whole MBA process!

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I had a fantastic experience working with Rachel Beck. She was easy to reach, and very clear about her expectations. To all those thinking about applying and using a consulting service, recognize that it will still be a lot of work. Ultimately, you are writing the essays. That said, Rachel did a great job of helping me organize my stories, thinking through how to structure the essays, and editing to make sure that I'm really putting my best foot forward. For me, it took out almost all of the uncertainty, and allowed me to focus on writing something that is impactful and meaningful. Totally worth it.

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I worked with Angela Guido at mbaMission and was admitted to my top choice M7 school.

Finding the right consultant was not an easy process for me and I suffered through bad consultants and advice (wasting tons of precious time) before learning about mbaMission and Angela Guido.

The #1 thing I can advise you to do is to not work with a consultant unless you feel 100% about the following: 1) comfortable with your consultant 2) that he/she understands who you are and what story you need to tell 3) that he/she actually BELIEVES in you and makes you feel good (while still being logical/realistic) about yourself and your chances at your choice schools.

I spoke to a bunch of consultants in the beginning that did not tick those boxes and then I spoke to Angela and everything instantly got better - she ticked each and every box.

mbaMission has you fill out a document that details every single story, accomplishment, job, and experience that you can think of that might be interesting or feature in your application process in some way. I appreciated that they encouraged me to say as much as I could and in doing so, I felt that I was able to really show Angela who I am.

From our first brainstorming conversation, I knew that she had read through and considered my thoughts and words carefully. She records the initial in depth conversations so that you can listen to them after and not worry about missing any of her thoughts or advice. I listened to the first recording with my parents and after listening, my mother immediately smiled and said to me, "Wow, she really gets you."

Is applying to business school stressful? Yes, it is. But is is 100% better when you have someone knowledgeable that you trust and someone who believes in you and is firmly in your corner and available throughout the process. For me, that person was Angela. Instead of feeling forlorn and depressed every time I looked at an application or essay, speaking to Angela actually made me feel better/more sure about things and helped keep me confident in my chances and abilities.

No matter what, applying to bschool is work and you HAVE to put in the time and effort in your application and the GMAT if you want to succeed, but if I had to do it all over again, the only change I would make is signing up with Angela and mbaMission sooner.

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I have worked with Angela for close to a year, and will be attending MIT Sloan’s full time MBA program.

Angela is an exceptional storyteller, strategist and mentor. First, Angela was amazing in connecting my background and personal stories to my post b school dreams to create a compelling story. Through our interactive brainstorming sessions, we were able to craft a powerful story that served as a foundation to all my applications

Second, not only is Angela an amazing story teller, she is also a veteran in the MBA game. As you may know, there are a lot of false information online (and from your friends/colleagues) that can seriously misguide your application strategy. With Angela’s proven expertise, I was able to select the right programs that had the best fit with me, and strategically determine the application approach (e.g., App round decisions, timing, etc).

Third, Angela deeply cares about her clients. As you may know, b-school application is an intense, pressuring process – and it gets even worse if you have a job that requires you to work 80+ hours a week like me. Despite all the mornings, nights and weekends I put in I unfortunately faced rejections (and you will), and I seriously doubted myself. Getting through rejections was very difficult. However, Angela was there every step of the way, encouraging and mentoring me. I still remember when she told me that I am more than enough, and that everything will turn out just fine – and it did! She will be committed to the process as much as you are, as your cheerleader and friend.

I would highly recommend working with Angela to anybody applying to business schools. However, don’t forget - Angela alone will not save the world for you. The more you are committed and prepared, the more helpful you will find Angela. So do your homework, come prepared to maximize your learning from her!

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I worked with Krista throughout the MBA application process and was fortunate to have received offers from 4 schools, including my number one choice – HBS. Krista was instrumental throughout the whole process, and I am certain that I would not have succeeded without all her thoughtful and considered guidance. Before I go into specific examples, I should highlight the fact that Krista made the process far, far easier than it would have been had I gone it alone. Applying to several business schools is a stressful and laborious process – Krista recognises this and was there every step of the way encouraging and being supportive throughout.

Speaking to Krista right at the start of the process, I could tell that we would work well together. I could relate to her considerable experience within the financial services sector, and given that she has been an admissions committee member at a top ranked school she was able to leverage her experiences to help me present the best version of myself. Given her enthusiasm, it was clear that she is passionate about encouraging and helping others maximise their chances of being admitted to their target schools.

During the school selection process, Krista had some great insights – she walked me through what I needed to consider in order to carefully select the right set of schools for me, and gave me a framework for my thinking. This was followed by the brainstorming process – Krista really took the time to get to know me properly on a personal level. She impressed upon me the need to make a significant effort to think through all of my experiences to date. We then spent a great deal of time going through all of this in detail; Krista was adept at drawing out the key messages within my story that would really resonate with the relevant admissions committees. For example, I felt I had a range of disparate extra-curricular activities that didn’t really relate to each other; Krista’s years of experience as an admissions consultant were clearly evident, as she was prescient in her ability to weave together various examples in a thoughtful and coherent manner.

Drafting the essays and short answers was always going to be the toughest part of the process for me, however, Krista made it much less painful than it could have been. She helped me to organise my thinking and tailor my essay plans to reflect what I really wanted to say, something that is very easy to lose sight of when one is so close to the material. She helped my story stand out, and avoid the clichés; in my view, this is hard to do without the view of a seasoned professional. When it came to revising essay drafts, given that I am someone who tends to agonise over language and style, I could tell that she really put a lot of thought into every single question and revision that we discussed. It was this attitude – going the extra mile – that really sets Krista apart. For example, early in the admissions process I had mistakenly interpreted the eligibility criteria for one of my target schools such that I thought I was no longer eligible to apply. Despite not working on this particular school with me, Krista went out of her way to triple check whether or not I could apply and made sure to let me know that the eligibility criteria had been clarified and that I was indeed able to apply. I duly put together an application, and thanks to Krista’s quick thinking I was fortunate to go through that process and end up with an offer at the school.

Throughout the writing phase, it became apparent that Krista’s communication skills are really ‘on point’. It was always clear when I needed to deliver draft versions to her for comments, and when I would get them back. Indeed, she frequently returned materials to me ahead of our planned deadlines. Her attention to detail is exceptional; for example, when it came to the short answer questions, she was able to spot the inconsistencies that I would have certainly overlooked. Interview practice is another one of Krista’s specialties. She went above and beyond in making sure that I was properly prepared, providing me with lists of key questions, walking me through what the atmosphere would be like in the interview room, and role-playing the interview experience so that I felt as confident (as is possible!) when walking into my interviews.

I really am happy with the outcome – the opportunity to attend business school has been a huge long-term goal of mine, and I know I wouldn’t have got there without Krista. I would give the highest recommendation about Krista to anyone thinking of working with her. Thank you so much, Krista!

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I highly, highly recommend Angela! I completed three schools with Angela (Kellogg, Booth, and Wharton) and two on my own (Sloan and HBS) during the Round 1 cycle this year. I was admitted to Booth and Kellogg, and waitlisted/denied from the rest. I was incredibly pleased with these results, and I'm very excited to be heading to Booth in the fall.

Angela's guidance throughout the process was crucial. Angela helped me craft a compelling narrative that highlighted the strong and unique aspects of my background. And although I came from a heavily represented pool, Angela helped my personality shine through my essays and interviews.

Angela was incredibly forthright throughout the process. When the first draft of one of my Kellogg essays wasn't resonating, she advised me to pick another story entirely rather than to try to polish my draft. It was tough to swallow that I'd need to re-write the entire essay, but it was absolutely the right call in the end. She was honest when my ideas were flat, and incredibly enthusiastic when they were compelling!

I did a ton of research before selecting a consultant. I spoke to about a dozen MBA application consultants before picking mbaMission and Angela.

The core differentiators of MBA Mission were:
a. Full time staff - some companies hire their consultants on a part-time basis, so any time they spend with you is time against their full time jobs. MBA Mission hires only full-time consultants. Consulting is their job, and they know it well.
b. Scale and experience - mbaMission is one of the larger companies. They help thousands of applicants per year, so they know what's working and what's not.
c. Ability to pick a consultant - with many other companies, it's not clear which consultant you'll end up working with. 99% of your work is with the consultant - and there's a ton of variety in the caliber and experience of consultants - so I didn't want to leave the pairing to chance.

Anglea's core differentiators were:
a. Angela has been advising MBA applicants for years, and she offers both an amazing framework to present your stories and an abundance of real-world experience with the gritty details of applications.
b. She runs a separate career advising website and is incredibly entrepreneurial about the entire process - she is genuinely interested in helping candidates convey the most authentic version of themselves

In closing - pick Angela! I'd make the decision to go with her again in a heartbeat.

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If you’re thinking twice about working with Angela, my advice is to stop thinking and go for it!

Because I was a “non-traditional” applicant who started a nonprofit, I didn’t have a network of friends, colleagues, or mentors who had been through the MBA application process and who I could lean on for essay brainstorming/editing, interview prep, and just general moral support throughout the ups and downs of the process.

At the same time, I knew that exact non-traditional background was what made me a potentially unique and compelling candidate for business school. So initially, I was hesitant about working with an admissions consultant because I didn’t want to lose/dilute that and was afraid to be boxed into a cookie-cutter applicant.

Last summer, when I was first exploring the idea of working with a consultant, I set up free consultations with three MBA admissions consulting firms, including mbaMission. My first two calls with the other firms (shall not to be named) were very disheartening. Without taking the time to listen or understand my background/story (they cut me off several times as I was speaking and made assumptions with very little basis), they essentially would not consider working with me because they thought I wasn’t a strong applicant due to the fact that I didn’t work at a big-name company (I started a nonprofit) and I was still in the process of taking the GMAT (and my practice scores were sub-par at the time.)

My conversation with Angela could not have been more different. She was energetic and optimistic but pragmatic and honest/frank––especially with my practice GMAT scores. But unlike the others, she took the time to ask questions and listen to my story. She didn’t write me off immediately and believed in my potential. (With her encouragement to push through and some one-on-one private GMAT tutoring with a test prep company, I eventually scored a 700+ right.)

With Angela/mbaMission, I ended up purchasing a 4-school package and applied to 3 other schools on my own during R1. I know 7 schools in R1 sounds crazy, but I had no idea what my chances were of getting into a top MBA program, so I didn’t want to put all my eggs in one basket. By the time I had worked on 4 schools with Angela, the applications for the other three schools were a total breeze.

I cannot say enough good things about working with Angela. She is an incredible storyteller, but best part was that every single word in my essays was my own work and my own thoughts. If you’re looking for someone to do the work for you, Angela is not the person. She is a partner and facilitator in the process. She will take as much time as you need to help brainstorm essays, develop essay skeletons, and give you specific feedback to make your essays more compelling/cohesive, but at the end of the day, the essays will be a product of your own work––work that you’ll really be proud of! By the time I got to the interview stage, I had spent so much time thinking, reflecting, and talking through my story with Angela that the interviews ended up being effortless. I knew my story inside out and why business school was the perfect next step for me, so I was able to convey that with authentic/genuine enthusiasm to my interviewers, which I think ended up shining through.

Of the 7 schools I applied to (all top 10-12), I ended up getting admitting to 5 programs with almost $280K in scholarships, including a full-tuition scholarship to a M7 school! It’s truly unbelievable to not only be on the other side of the application process, but also have the opportunity to choose between these programs. I cannot thank Angela enough for her unwavering enthusiasm and partnership throughout the process. My brother is thinking about business school and, when he’s ready, I’ll be giving him my strongest sisterly advice to work with Angela as well :)

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