Hiring Melissa was easily the best decision I made during my MBA admissions cycle. She has one of the best backgrounds one could want in an admissions consultant - prev adcom director, MBA from an M7 and real-world industry experience. Pair that background up with superb communication skills, being authentic and unapologetically honest in every interaction, genuine caring for clients’ success, less than 24 hrs returns on drafts, and just being a really nice person to work with overall - what more could you ask? This deadly combination of traits makes Melissa the absolute no-brainer MBA-consultant choice.

I was late in the process and reached out to mbaMission only after R1 deadlines. I’m from an over-represented background, with avg GMAT (for my pool) and less than avg work exp. But right from my first call, Melissa was extremely positive about my candidature. I kept doubting my GMAT score multiple times, but while Melissa did suggest some options, she instilled confidence in me that since my score was at or above the avg scores for my target schools, I should focus more on my essays and overall profile strength. I took her advice and did not get a single rejection from the 6 schools I applied to in R2. I also got into both the M7’s I applied to and am headed to one of them this fall.

The way Melissa edits essays is just amazing. She didn’t spoon-feed or drastically change the story-content from her side, but rather used the knowledge she had about me from my profile and our brainstorming call, and transformed the essays into a strength for my overall profile. On multiple occasions, she not only nudged me to think harder about choosing a story, but also pushed me to dig deeper into the EQ aspects that one would have not thought about. She even helped me frame my answers succinctly to application form questions and work experience descriptions. When I got interview invites/decisions from all 6 schools, I informed Melissa even before I informed my closest family and friends - that was the level of trust and confidence I had in her. Even though I had 6 interviews lined up, Melissa went through specifically tailored interview prep for each school the week before, explaining what questions to expect, how to position myself for a particular curveball question, and what kind of aspects each school was looking at. This was tremendously helpful. And not to forget, Melissa was extremely flexible with so many reschedule requests - once in the middle of our interview prep call, my boss called for an impromptu meeting and Melissa was really nice to offer to reschedule the prep that we’d already begun that day! She is totally committed to ensuring your success and I do not regret one bit my decision to work with Melissa.

Within a period of 4-5 months, she went from being a complete stranger to being a close friend and advisor to talk to. Getting into my top choice school is a dream come true and I couldn’t have done this without help and guidance from Melissa. I wholeheartedly recommend Melissa as your admissions consultant. Trust me, you’ll thank me later!

Read More

I got in touch with Nisha and mbaMission at the end of November to start working on applications for Round 2 deadlines. Despite how late in the game I was, Nisha wasted no time getting me up to speed. She supported me through brainstorming each of the schools we worked on, reaching out to recommenders, and getting everything submitted on time. She helped me bring out stories about my experience that I didn't even know I had. I didn't fully realize how intensive interviewing for schools would be, but Nisha was with me every step of the way through that process as well. I was fortunate to be accepted to multiple schools, and there is no way I would have made it through this process without Nisha's support. Not only did she make sure I was fully prepared for and satisfied with each step, but also she helped give me the confidence that I could be successful in the application process. I highly recommend her and know that she will be just as invested in your journey!

Read More

I had considered pursuing an MBA for some time before embarking on the journey, so I had accumulated quite a bit of knowledge about the overall process and some of the specificities of the different schools I was applying to. However, my background and professional advancement made the pursuit of an MBA harder to justify, so I needed to aim high and be very on point in applying to the top US and European schools. Helen supported me through this ambitious goal.
Helen proved to be instrumental in my acceptance to one of my target schools. She helped survey my entire background and find gold nuggets where I would not have suspected. Her advice and thoughts were also very helpful in methodically building my story narrative and distilling the content in a clear and concise, yet impactful way. For example, it becomes very easy to try to stuff a lot content that appears meaningful and significant to oneself, when in fact putting the spotlight on fewer and targeted aspects is much more effective and compelling.
One of the great value-adds was that Helen will challenge your work in a constructive and polite way (i.e. no sugar coating or complacency): if what you're saying is weak, unclear or unconvincing, she will tell you and she will ask the right questions to help you improve or consider a better approach.
Beyond the essay drafting, Helen's knowledge and judgment were a reassuring force : from strategy to video-essays, to video interviews, to cv crafting and questionnaires, she provided reasoned advice and suggestions.
All in all, what made my experience with Helen so delightful is simply that she is passionate (from my very first conversation with her, she overflowed with positive energy!), dedicated, supportive and incredibly astute. A+

Read More

Krista was a tremendously supportive and encouraging influence throughout the whole admissions process. I started out targeting top 40 ranked programs, but Krista helped me realize that I really was capable of being more selective and aiming for top 15 schools. Krista was so consistent with her positivity and energy - this attitude tremendously reduced the stress that is inherent in the admissions process. From essays, to short answer questions, to interview prep Krista really pushed me to craft the most impactful, meaningful story possible. All of her feedback was clear and never She was always willing to answer even the most "in the weeds" questions that I had - there was never a "dumb" question. I highly recommend working with Krista for anyone who is looking to maximize their profile in the MBA admissions process. At the end of the day, I know that the materials and preparation that Krista helped me with were a huge difference maker in my admissions success. I would not have had the same result without her help! The whole experience with Krista and the mbaMission package definitely exceeded my expectations.

Read More

Coming in with no experience in the application to business school process, Krista was truly a savior. From our first phone call, she detailed everything that needed to be done, in the exact order that made the most sense. While Krista's professional skills were clearly top notch, it was her personality which made me so excited to work with her. Krista was truly invested in my career, interested in my experiences, and eager to learn as much about me as possible. She felt that by becoming closer on a personal level, she would be able to get the most out of me in my application, and this proved to be true, as in the end I was accepted into my first choice school. Our shared passion for international travel will definitely keep us in touch for years to come!

Read More

I was initially quite hesitant about working with admissions consultants, because of the cost involved. Looking back now, I am extremely glad that I finally decided to do it! I am so grateful for the opportunity I got to work with Krista as I went through my MBA application process. My dream of getting into a top school for an MBA would not have come true if not for her.

Right from the beginning - as we went through my profile to decide the rights schools to apply - till then end - when I was preparing for the interview - Krista has been a great coach and mentor, guiding me in every step of the way.

While I was having second thoughts about applying to one of M7 b-schools, Krista gave me the confidence to go for it. She was able to identify my strengths that made me a good fit - something that I had not seen in myself until then.

I ended up really enjoying the whole admission process. The background memo I filled in for myself was the first step. She pushed me to really think about the motives behind my actions - we were then able to discuss and finalize what I really wanted to share with the adcoms. Thanks to her approach, I truly understood myself a bit better after the process!

Overall, Krista is a great consultant to work with and I would strongly recommend her to future applicants.

Read More

Before I worked with Krista, I was really floundering with the MBA admissions process. I had applied to a single top program days during round 1, and got denied before the interview stage in late October. I was distressed and upset; looking at the calendar, I only had 60 days to put together another round of applications (and this time, to more than one school, eek!!)

Fortunately, I found Krista; I had heard of MBA Mission through their school guides, and was impressed by the thoroughness and quality of their writing. I spent an afternoon watching the brief video profiles that MBA Mission has on all of their consultants. When I came across Krista, I knew we would be a great fit. My MBA goals were to stay in finance, and end up in a midwestern city. Krista had done just that in her own MBA journey, and after our free consultative call, I knew that I wanted to work with her over the next few months.

Krista sets herself apart from other tutors, coaches, and consultants by building trust and understanding with her clients, before applicants write any essays, resumes, or video scripts. She has the among the highest EQ of any professional I have worked with. This lends itself to an application experience that will actually be an exercise in self-reflection and professional development; yes, in the end you will have an admissions letter to a target program after working with Krista. But you will also be prepared to tackle your actual MBA with sharpened writing, argumentative, and reasoning skills, alongside conviction and agency that you are prepared to make an impact in your chosen industry and community post-MBA.

Yes, applying for an MBA is daunting. But Krista is a terrific editor, meets all deadlines and agreed upon turn-around times, and will thoroughly prepare you for any interviews, giving applicants a toolkit to face an obtuse and sometimes arduous application process. I would wholeheartedly recommend her to MBA candidates; I have already passed her name along to two applicants in the MBA cycle.

Read More

I am an Asian male with a mediocre GPA and never worked nor studied oversee. Before reaching out to mbaMission, I targeted several top 30 (global) schools but was unconfident of my profile. Result: I got admitted to 2 top-15 schools with a total scholarship value of 5x my initial consulting full-package fee.

Here how Krista helped:
1. She learned in detail about my early days and professional life, paying attention to many anecdotes that cumulatively shaped who I am. The events were there, but Krista kept pushing me to go deeper and to reveal the impacts they had on my personality. The second-order reflection was truly meaningful for me, as I even felt more understanding about myself and my future objectives.

2. She helped analyze the essay questions and outlined suitable structures with relevant "raw data" so that I can put in my words more easily (this is a really hard process when I did it before independently). Then she advised me to streamline the essay and keep the core portion (the wording limit is there and I always find my initial drafts 1.5-2x longer).

3. For the interview, Krista walked me through "newbie" to "robot" and then "natural" stage, which made me felt really confident being myself on the "super day".

The best part of this whole process was that I felt Krista was both a close friend and an attentive mentor who even understands me more than I do. I even missed her frequent emails and correspondence when the applications were settled.

I honestly think that the Start-to-Finish package with Krista (and mbaMission) was one of the 2 best value-for-money investments that I have ever made.

Read More

Nisha was incredible to work with- she helped me craft a cohesive story and highlight my experience in a way that I would not have thought of. Her comments were always clear and pushed my thinking forward, and she responded to my emails within 24 hours. She always had a positive demeanor and approached the work with a motivational attitude. As a candidate without a traditional business background, she helped me position my skills in a way that was favorable in the eyes of the admissions committee. Working with her also kept me on track and helped me finish my apps in a timely manner. I definitely recommend working with her!

Read More

I did the Start-to-Finish Package for two schools with Susan, Stanford and Harvard. Coming from an engineering background and as an applicant to deferred MBA programs, I was unsure of how to approach the MBA admissions process and wanted to be sure to convey my story authentically. Ultimately, I was admitted at Stanford and, as a result, did not apply to Harvard.

Susan is able to identify your greatest strengths as a candidate, and enables you to craft an application that truly shines with these characteristics. She is completely honest and meticulous with you throughout the essay editing process instead of taking the easy route and approving of your essays once they’re in “good enough” shape.

I came to Susan for help with my applications only 2 months before the deadline, and even with our condensed timeframe I was able to take the GMAT, construct my essays, and polish them to a great quality. There were times even 2 weeks before the deadline (due to my condensed 2 month timeline) where I was not sure my drafts would come together, yet I was able to secure admission to my dream MBA program, Stanford GSB.

Needless to say, I highly recommend Susan. To any applicants who work with her in the future who are on a similarly condensed timeframe, I offer two pieces of advice: 1) Especially if you are not sure of an essay draft, send your edits back to Susan within one business day. Susan will always give in-depth comments to help you progress through a rough patch in the editing process. 2) Leave double the amount of time you think you need for the essay editing process. Susan is extremely thorough, and you will want to take advantage of it!

Read More