As an Ivy League English major and son of a professional editor, I have had occasion to work with many editors over the years, and I can say unequivocally that my consultant at Square One Prep was the best yet. In fact, she wasn't just an editor; she was a strategist.

She helped me with applications to five schools that in total required over 20 essays. Our essay topic calls were colorful and made me dig deep. Her comments and questions on my drafts, combined with her deep knowledge of the admissions process and the schools themselves, pushed me to hone my message until, in each case, I was clearly articulating what I wanted to do with my MBA studies, why I would be successful in b-school and, most importantly, why I was a perfect fit for each target institution. I learned that it is about a lot more than showing fit through my profession and goals. My consultant's attention to detail, pulse on what committees are seeking, and excellent writing skills were immensely helpful. In the end, with each school, I put together a collection of essays that captured who I was as a person and told a compelling, memorable story. As a happy camper who is heading to my dream school, Stern, next year, I would recommend Square One Prep’s services to anyone determined to succeed with the application process.

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  I came across Square One Prep when I was looking around for an admissions consultant to help me through the application process, which was a bit of a mystery to me given my background as a medical doctor. I had no idea how to compete against the thousands of applicants who were from top consulting and financial firms and were surrounded by b-school alumni in their firms to look to as mentors. After speaking with all the top admissions consulting firms out there, I decided on Square One Prep.
        
My consultant employed a systematic approach to help me with my applications, and that structure gave me confidence. She helped me identify my strengths and then bring them to life in my essays, resume, and letters of recommendation, which would otherwise have been vague. During the entire process my consultant was always available (even after midnight), gave great feedback and offered candor, which I really valued even though it led me to start some essays over from scratch. She also helped me create and sustain a pace, and with my hectic on-call schedule that was no easy task. I had a wonderful experience, and would have said that even if I'd not gotten into a program, as I learned so much about myself, something I didn't expect even though my consultant told me that would likely happen. I got into both Wharton and Fuqua, and couldn't be happier.
        
I HIGHLY recommend Square One Prep to anyone applying to business school, especially if you aren't from a typical consulting or business background.

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Square One Prep was pivotal to my success. With an EXTREMELY tight timeline, I was concerned that I'd missed the R1 window. I started with only two weeks to prepare applications for 4 schools - HBS, Stanford, Wharton and Booth. In hindsight, that was a big mistake. I had talked with several consultancies when I still had about 3 months to work on my apps. I couldn't decide who to move forward with (or if I saw the value in working with them) and then got busy with work. A few firms stayed in touch with me, one of them being Square One Prep. Something about the owner's correspondence with me struck a chord. I felt like she actually cared about my success and worried that I was letting the R1 window pass me by. I liked that she also told me she felt I may be underestimating what the process takes and sent me application schedules - customized for me - so I could see how timelines were tightening. Her correspondence was personal, whereas the other firms' emails to me felt like boiler plate text. That is why I decided to work with Square One. I worked with them on two schools - Stanford and Booth. I thought HBS and Wharton were so straight-forward I could do them on my own.
Truthfully, if time hadn't become such an issue I would have done all the schools on my own. Because I was from Singapore, went to an Ivy League undergrad school, had done well, and was excelling in a management job with a world-class company in Japan where I'd learned the language on the job, I really thought every business school would want me. I didn't have the strongest GMAT score, but I thought everything else would more than make up for that.
I butted heads with Square One a lot because I was stubborn and uncomfortable with being introspective. Many things they urged me to do, I wouldn't - whether it was about following the schedule they put together for me, using different recommenders than I did, choosing different essay topics for Stanford than I did, talking about some of my work experiences differently on my resume, etc. Each and every time, they rolled with the punches. They dealt with me not following the schedule (I took two days off one week in I was so tired by how taxing the process was), they helped me with my LORs when both of my recommenders failed to take the endeavor seriously (getting LORs came down to the wire), they helped me make my Stanford essay ideas work even though they felt I should have explored other ideas, and they accepted it when I wouldn't change resume wording per their advice. I wasn't an easy client in the written app. work. I became a dream client once we got to the interview stage because by then I had developed humility and perspective about the process. All stuff that Square One tried to give me from the first day they talked to me.
Because Square One provided the structure, consistent guidance, and ability to adapt to my ever-changing needs and demands, I will be joining Chicago Booth with a merit-scholarship in hand!
Square One Prep was a terrific investment to say the least! I could kick myself for not working with them on all my schools and for being so resistant to their guidance. But I'm a big believer in not having regrets. Plus, again. I'm going to Booth with a scholarship!

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At first I wondered if Square One Prep, which came recommended by a friend who worked with them the year before and got into HBS, Wharton, and Kellogg, was worth my hard-earned money. In retrospect, working with Square One Prep was invaluable. From my very first conversation with Kathryn, the firm's owner, to my very last, working with them made all the difference for both my applications and my sanity. It was as if SOP shined a flashlight down a dark passageway and then guided me to safety. My anxiety for the daunting and opaque application process disappeared because I knew I was in good hands. It meant a lot due to how much conflicting information is out there on the blogs and forums.
The support I received allowed me to focus on the important things, like being myself rather than second-guessing myself. Kathryn encouraged me to talk about topics that I never would have considered appropriate for b-school applications, but in retrospect I am so happy I did talk about because I now see myself and some experiences in my life very differently, more maturely. I also think that talking about the personal experiences I did helped set me apart from the competition. One topic was particularly difficult to open up about. But Kathryn made me feel comfortable going to places in my head that I didn't even go to with my family or girl friend.
Kathryn was also incredibly accommodating, working around my i) hectic work schedule (that sometimes meant we did calls after midnight) and ii) personal vacation which was unplanned and meant Kathryn had to work with me in a VERY rushed manner upon my return to ensure I made my deadlines. It was hard work, but Square One Prep enabled me to put my best foot forward. In fact, they wouldn't let me do anything less, even if that meant going through ten iterations on an essay or doing a mock interview 2-3 times to make sure I was ready. I should add that I was interviewing when Hurricane Sandy hit the Northeast. When Square One Prep's office and Kathryn's apartment lost power for days (like most of NYC), Kathryn still found places to give me two 2-hour+ mock interviews over the phone so I wouldn't have to do my HBS interview cold. That's dedication.

I am happy to share that, thanks to the help from SOP, I was accepted into two top-5 schools, including my #1 choice, HBS. Even with a lackluster GPA in college and no extracurricular activities since college, I got into my dream school. Money well spent!

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"When I began the b-school process I was working 80 hours weeks and had less than two months to finish taking the GMAT exam and knock out my applications for round 1; to say I was stressed and overwhelmed would be an understatement. Fortunately a colleague of mine had just finished his time at Stanford GSB and strongly recommended that I work with his consultant, Square One Prep. After speaking with Square One's owner I was blown away by her years of experience and wealth of knowledge, but most importantly, I felt like she truly cared about my individual success and that I wasn't just another client.
I partnered with her specifically, and she immediately relieved some of my anxiety by getting me organized through setting a work schedule that we executed against. As we began working together I soon realized her strength was her ability to guide my writing such that I would be presenting my story and candidacy in the most effective way possible without altering my voice or message. Additionally, her honesty was an invaluable tool for improving my applications; she did not hesitate to tell me when something was weak and needed fixing. Her "on-the-ball" mentality and impressive responsiveness kept me honest and focused.
The final results speak for themselves; I received admission to Stanford GSB, my top choice, as well as admission to another great school with a sizeable fellowship. I am positive that without Square One's help, none of that would have been remotely possible."

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I am so grateful I found Square One Prep. I knew I was a strong candidate for top schools - but so is everyone else that applies! My advisor worked very closely with me to elevate my story and highlight a unique theme throughout every element of my applications in a way that made me distinct and truly competitive. She always told me what I needed to hear, even if it wasn't what I wanted to hear. She even told me when she thought I was ready to work on some schools' applications without her to save a little money! Her personal touch, unwavering honesty and genuine desire to see me succeed made the entire process of applying - as well as the process now of preparing to matriculate in the Fall (with a $100,000 scholarship, woohoo!) - surprisingly enjoyable. I would look forward to our calls because her thoroughly dedicated coaching helped me reflect personally and uncover so much more confidence than I knew I had. My recommenders were also so impressed with how easy she made the experience for them that they wanted to hire Square One for their kids applying to undergrad!

Square One's coaching was priceless to me - I feel like I cannot express my gratitude enough!

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I began my business school application with much anxiety. Like many of my fellow applicants, I thought I had a compelling story, with my military background and entrepreneurial endeavors. However, on my first call with Square One Prep, my consultant made me realize that I needed to do much more in order to standout, not just apart from other applicants, but apart from the other military applicants. With my consultant's constant coaching, I dug deep and found a stronger inner voice and self-confidence, not to mention a common theme that bound all my isolated experiences into a unique, personable and heartfelt story. My consultant spent months working with me to help me find my way. Her honest feedback and suggestions were what really made the difference in my applications. Furthermore, I had a fairly unimpressive GMAT score, but with my consultant’s encouragement and support (which included study tips and was outside the bounds of our engagement), I took the exam one more time and raised my score significantly. Knowing that she was so invested in my success was invaluable. I started the process confused. I ended the process with clarity about who I am, what I want to do, and an invitation to matriculate at the one and only school I applied to - HBS!!!!
–client from: United States
–admitted to: HBS

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My consultant at Square One Prep (Kathryn) was excellent; the entire experience overall was very satisfying. Kathryn was very personable and patient with me, as well as very knowledgeable of the requirements for this type of application. She really made the experience smooth and as pleasant as possible, which was definitely appreciated.

I would certainly recommend this company (and Kathryn) as the fee was reasonable and the quality was certainly there. I was very happy with the process overall, and would recommend it to anyone who needs this type of consulting service -- especially for someone like me who has a GPA that may not be as high as he or she would like.

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I tested out a number of big-name consultants during my MBA admissions process before I hired Square One Prep, who was a clear stand out. First, my consultant had many years of experience in admissions consulting and offered rare knowledge of the inner-workings of admissions committees. Second, while it was on me to drive the process with other consultants, my consultant at Square One Prep was consistently one step ahead of me on my applications--it was encouraging and helped me sustain momentum. Third, she was also able to schedule around me, which made the process easier to manage alongside my demanding professional obligations. Fourth, her consistently thoughtful strategies made me feel like the weaker parts of my candidacy were surmountable. The entire time I felt as though my consultant was invested in my candidacy, a dynamic which was entirely absent in my relationships with other high-profile consultants. Her energy was infectious. I couldn’t more highly recommend Square One Prep. I'm off to Wharton in the Fall and in retrospect I realize that the price of their service is a bargain!

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I first called Square One Prep last Fall. I was referred by a friend who'd had success partnering with them. The owner was mighty impressive, and I wanted to sign up, but because the price tag was tough to swallow, I chose to partner with a less expensive group.
I worked with my consultant for three months, but never felt fully supported by them. Three weeks before I submitted my applications, concerned that my work was showing that lack of support, I reached out to Square One's owner. I really didn't know what my next step should be. The owner sensed that and offered to review my body of work - for free - and give me an honest assessment. She clearly spent several hours. When she walked me through all her comments, which took more than an hour, I probably should have been distraught by how much work I realized I had ahead of me. I instead felt a sense of relief because I finally felt like I had an expert at my side, guiding me. On the spot, I hired Square One and stopped working with my other consultant. Not once did I think about the new cost. Square One more than earned it. And I learned a lesson. With mba admissions consulting, what you pay for is what you get.
When I got offers from Columbia, Kellogg, and Wharton, my first call, each time, was to Square One because I knew that had I not worked with them I'd have gotten no offers. For something as important as an MBA, it's not worth compromising on anything, especially an admissions consultant. I got offers in the end, but I should have worked with Square One from the beginning! Thank you Square One!

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