Jessica Shklar is an amazing advisor.

- She helped me elevate my story and application. I thought I knew it going in - but she helped me really interrogate my goals, arguments, and narrative. She never directed me on what to write - rather, her wealth of experience about the application process helped me identify what to emphasize and what was missing based on what each school is looking for. She sharpened and refined, helping me present to each school the best version of myself.

- Hugely effective use of time. She's incredibly efficient both in the hourly services, but also in writing editing. She didn't just elevate my work - she taught me how to be a crisper, more effective writer in general. Hard to overstate how important that is for business school applications.

- Most importantly, Jessica is a kind, thoughtful person and made me feel good about my candidacy. B-school apps are tough and there are lots of people ready to tell you why you won't get in or play down your goals and expectations for yourself. Though I wasn't confident about myself going in, Jessica helped me embrace my strengths and be confident in my overall candidacy. I actually think this is a necessary factor in being successful. Your consultant should be your cheerleader!

I will now be attending a top 5 b-school in the fall. So, so grateful for her support. Working with Jessica was the best investment I made this year and 100% confident it wouldn't have happened without her.

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I am so glad that I decided to work with Kate - she is fantastic! She was instrumental in helping me craft my story for my MBA applications. She took the time to truly understand my story - my career aspirations, professional experience, personal achievements, interests, and my personality. She started by having a consultation with me in which she provided very honest and direct feedback, which was critical to my decision about which programs to apply to. She is very knowledgable about the top MBA programs, so she could speak to my fit with each program and helped me craft my story for each application.

I was initially hesitant to work with a consultant because I did not want my voice to be lost in the crafting of a narrative or the editing process. However, Kate is very thoughtful about how she provides feedback. She helps guide you in the right direction, but she does not take away your unique voice. In fact, she helps you bring it out in your application in ways you may not have identified. She also does not push her opinions on you - she shares her suggestions, but lets you decide what is best for you.

One very important part of why I had such a great experience working with Kate is that she never made me feel like our time together - whether on the phone or in email - was ticking away without moving the needle forward. It goes without saying that purchasing consultative hours or a school package is a big financial investment, so you want to be confident that you're getting the most out of it. I absolutely felt that way with Kate.

In the end, I was admitted to my top choices! Thanks to Kate for all of her help!

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I had the pleasure of working with Jen on an hourly basis to help with my MBA applications. I first called Jen for the 30 minute free consultation in a total panic about my future (ha) to which she was not only helpful, but also a friend. Jen and I maximized our hourly services together and her strength was really noticeable in shaping my story into something each b-school I applied to would resonate with. Together we worked on a strategy for schools, essays and applications, and mock interviews. I come from a very technical background (geologist!) and Jen was able to translate my industry specific experiences and jargon into a relatable story for admissions.

Even on an hourly basis, I felt that Jen really knew my story inside and out, and was rooting for me the whole way. She fielded more than a few panicked phone calls/emails during the process (especially after my HBS interview!). But more than a consultant, I feel that Jen was a friend who had been through the process herself in the past, could understand the tough nature of it, and had my back the whole way through. She believed in me when I needed it most.

With Jen, I was invited to interview at 5/6 schools to which I applied, and ultimately was admitted at most of them. I've accepted my offer to attend HBS in the fall and truly couldn't have done it without her.

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Melissa was an invaluable resource for me throughout application process, from brainstorming how to tell my story, to helping me craft compelling essays, to helping me successfully navigate the waitlist process. She knows each school inside and out - I was blown away by her deep knowledge of what differentiates each program and what each admissions committee looks for as a result!

When reviewing my essays, Melissa provided specific feedback from the perspective of the AC, whether calling out an experience that I did not explain in enough detail or helping me narrow my focus in shorter essays. She also helped me recognize how highlighting specific elements of my story created a more powerful explanation for "why Kellogg."

When I was originally waitlisted at Kellogg, Melissa guided me through the difficult process, providing me with tactical next steps about how I should approach each waitlist update strategically and continue to express my interest. Her advice proved to be accurate and invaluable - I was successfully pulled off of the waitlist and admitted to my dream school!

The perfect balance of high level feedback on my story, detailed feedback on essay wording, and moral support through what can be a grueling process - I cannot recommend Melissa highly enough!

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As I prepared for the gauntlet that is the MBA application process, I weighed the option of enlisting the services of an MBA admissions consultant. These packages, or hourly services, are a significant investment. It's important to know what you want to achieve through hiring a consultant.

One way to practically ensure you will have a good experience with admissions consulting services would be to work with Melissa Blakeslee. Melissa was an outstanding partner to me throughout the admissions process and was a critical driver of my acceptance into an M7 program.

I feel it is common for top MBA applicants to believe in their own infallibility -- I myself fall into this trap at times -- so let me spell out specifically what value Melissa brought to my process:

-Melissa helped me clarify my goals: Conversations with Melissa helped me move beyond surface-level goals and drill down with specificity into what I really wanted, what schools would fit those goals, and how to spell those goals out with impact in admissions essays
-Melissa challenged me: Like I said, lots of top MBA applicants have had success in their careers and believe in their own infallibility to an extent. When you come to realize the quality of talent in the applicant pool, it becomes clearer how an admissions consultant who will push you to perfect your application in all aspects can be a competitive advantage. For me, Melissa struck the perfect blend of cheerleader and coach -- supportive of my progress but critical of my application where I needed it.
-Melissa has a keen eye toward storytelling -- Her past as a brand marketer is evident in her work. She has a natural ability as a storyteller. In my opening call with her, Melissa was able to pick out unique stories from my professional and personal past and perfectly flesh them out into ideas for compelling essays. Absolutely invaluable.

Beyond all this -- Melissa was timely, efficient, and flexible to work with. I highly recommend her and can't thank her enough for her role in helping me achieve this dream!

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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.

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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.

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Working with Heidi was a great experience all around. I knew my statistics were strong enough to get me into at least one of my target schools, but the final piece I needed was to strongly tell my story via essays, online applications, and short answer questions. Story telling is definitely not one of my strengths, but through phone conversations and feedback on the different drafts of my essays, Heidi got to know me very well and very effectively helped me strengthen the written portions of my applications.

Heidi was extremely prompt in responding to my emails with quick questions, as well as returning the multiple drafts of my essays.

I can happily say that I will be attending one of my target programs, and much of the credit belongs to Heidi’s assistance.

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I am happy to write this review about Nisha Trivedi. I used MBA Mission's alacarte hourly services, and used Nisha's gudidance to review and fine tune my resume, and to brainstorm and proof read essays.

Nisha was great, and provided accurate, and honest feedback. When I spoke to her for during our first 30 minute free consultation, I felt that she really made an effort to get to know me, my preferences, and needs.

She answered emails, and returned edited essays promptly. I also found the mock interviews I did with her to be immensely helpful in preparing for the real interview.

I am happy to share that with Nisha's assistance, I got accepted at all 4 of the top 25 universities I applied to. (Booth, Ross, Tepper, Kelley).

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I worked with Nisha Trivedi through my entire application process. I can honestly say I would not have been admitted to these schools without her help. She does a great job at helping you combine elements into a cohesive story that anyone can understand. She also takes the time to explain her thought process and provide options when selecting statements/stories. I would recommend Nisha to anyone in the process - she can pick up at any point, work with any personality (she's also worked with two of my friends), and help you deliver the best version for each school!

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