I can say with 100% certainty that I would not be going to a top 15 business school without the assistance from Square One Prep.

After my initial phone assessment, Kathryn, the company's owner, put into perspective both the challenges I had ahead of me in my application process and what her company could do to help me overcome those challenges. As a military applicant, I was unsure of where I stood relative to my peers. Kathryn explained to me the value that business schools place on military experience and encouraged me to apply to schools which I perceived to be beyond my grasp. After months of resume building, countless essay revisions and mock interviews, I admit that I was drained. But if you're serious about attending the best business school you can get into, that's exactly the feeling you want at the end of the process and is the mark of an great advisor that pushes you past your limit. With help from Square One Prep, I was able to secure a scholarship to every school I was accepted into, including a $40,000 scholarship at Johnson!

Read More

“My experience with Square One Prep far exceeded anything I could have hoped for. By the end of my first conversation with my consultant, I knew I had found the perfect admissions consultant – her optimism and positive energy were hopelessly contagious, she was genuine and sincere at heart, and her upfront feedback regarding my candidacy was sharper and more actionable than any I had ever received. I had already begun the Round 1 applications to my 5 schools of choice – HBS, Chicago Booth, Wharton, MIT, and Yale. Although I had only paid for a consultant’s help with HBS, she offered me advice for each of these schools when I asked. Her most special trait was that she cared a lot about me on a personal level – she believed in me as a person, not just as an applicant; she wanted to see me succeed not because she would share credit, but because she knew it would help fulfill my dreams. She celebrated my acceptance to HBS with as much the enthusiasm as my parents! I’m blessed to have crossed paths with Square One Prep and to now be heading to HBS in the fall!"

Read More

I can't thank Square One's team enough. I got into my top choice school - I applied to only one - HEC - and got a scholarship, even though I was a traditional IT applicant, from India no less, trying to make a bold career change with no grounding for it.

My advisor, Erik, was so attentive and sharp as was Square One's owner who reviewed my materials at the end to ensure they were as strong as possible. I was astounded by their focus on my success. As a team, they pushed me to learn about myself, express myself, and then articulate myself in ways through my application that marveled me.

I shopped a lot before selecting Square One. They weren't the least expensive, but they were most interested in listening to me and strategizing with me on my free call to help me think about my positioning. They also didn't time the call. I talked well over an hour with the owner and not once did she seem eager to end it. That level of service only increased once I signed on with them.

Read More

"Work with Square One Prep."

That is the best advice someone gave me before starting my application journey. I had shopped around and decided to go with them because of their professionalism and structure. It was definitely the right fit for me. They were instrumental in providing a structure, schedule and strategy to the process of putting my applications together. My consultant was invaluable in providing critical and very insightful feedback as well as pushing me to meet tight deadlines. Every single comment or insight my consultant gave to me was so on point; I truly believe it made me a stronger applicant. The invaluable advice went further than just the applications. A week before my HBS interview I had my mock interview and my consultant told me: "If you say this you won’t get in. You are not prepared”. Together we dissected my approach and she helped me realize that not only do you need to be a strong applicant, you also have to be able to concisely, confidently, and consistently portray that image. At the end, I ended up getting into Wharton-Lauder and Sloan with scholarships AND I got into my school of choice, HBS - with a scholarship. I couldn’t be happier!

Read More

In April this year, I was rejected by the only business school I applied to, without even being invited to interview. It almost destroyed my self-confidence. Full of anxiety, I decided to try one more time and hire a consultant to help me apply for the INSEAD January intake program.

Knowing little about Square One Prep, I had a conversation with the founder of the company over the phone. She immediately pointed out the potential reasons why I was rejected by the school. I felt her strong willingness to help me and she made me believe that I would succeed this time. So I appointed Square One Prep.

During my first meeting with my consultant, Manisha, she immediately proved how serious Square One Prep is about helping their clients. She was highly skillful and well organized. She pushed me very hard throughout the whole application process, in the right way, always questioning my essays and encouraging me when I felt exhausted. Sometimes, because of her effort, I felt like she was preparing her own application. She challenged me up to the deadline, even engaging the founder who put my new application through the wringer and pushed me even further.

The story has a happy ending - INSEAD offered me a seat in Fontainebleau. In two months I went from rejection to admission. It was a rough journey, one I would have been lost on without my tour guide – Square One Prep. Square One Prep not only helped me get the offer; they also changed the way I think. I now realize how far I can reach. Thank you. I fully recommend you in every way!

Read More

Hiring Square One Prep to help me get into my #1 choice, Wharton-Lauder, was the best decision I could have made. I also got into Kellogg and McDonough (I applied there as I really didn't think I had a shot at Kellogg and Wharton: I thought wrong thanks to Square One Prep).

My consultant knows what the top business schools are looking for. Her insights into how to best market myself were thoughtful and intelligent, allowing me to play up my strengths and minimize my weaknesses, which included being an older applicant who had a major career shift that on the surface may not have made sense and a year long career gap that made me veryt nervous (but not my consutlant). She also provided a detailed timeline to make the process less stressful and ambiguous and was always available when I needed to talk about any issue---any. She pulled back the curtain and enabled me to feel confident as we navigated the process as a team. I definitely recommend hiring Square One Prep!

Read More

Last year I applied to Harvard Business School and was rejected. I had taken the GMAT seven times - never getting it where I wanted it. I didn't know what else I could do to improve my profile, but recognized that my approach wasn't working. I turned to Square One Prep for guidance. It was one of the best decisions I've ever made.

I am proud to say that I got offer from Wharton and Columbia, AND will be joining the HBS Class of 2016!

I couldn't have done it without Square One Prep. My consultant was an amazing resource - her knowledge, experience, and guidance through all aspects of the process enabled me to share my story in the most compelling manner. I learned how to craft my resume and essays to make me memorable to the admissions committee, and that is what made all the difference. Square One Prep has enabled me to attend the school of my dreams.

If you are serious about applying to business school, then look no further than Square One!"

Read More

Looking back, I cannot imagine applying to business school without Square One Prep. My advisor's advice, feedback and perspective served as the building blocks in my preparation. Every step of the way, her invaluable input increased my confidence, eased my concerns/anxiety and gave me the reassurance I needed. Her objective assessment of my strengths/weaknesses and guidance helped me shape my application, optimize productivity and manage my time effectively. What was terrific and comforting about my advisor was that she made me feel as if she was exclusively working for me, as she was remarkably accessible and responsive at all times of the day, night and week – she worked tremendously hard to ensure she made herself available. I am in a time zone that is 12 hours ahead of New York and yet that never hindered our communication. Additionally, her genuine desire to see me succeed spurred me on to work harder and create stronger pieces of work. Juggling a demanding job in investment banking while applying to schools was a real challenge and having a such a dedicated, knowledgeable coach encouraged me to invest the required amount of time and energy into perfecting my applications. Her affable nature and great communication skills in tandem with her sharp insights made it an absolute pleasure to work with her. She made my application process a smooth ride. She made getting into Wharton, my #1 choice, seem like a smooth ride too!

I would highly recommend Square One Prep to anyone who wants to get into a Top 3 school.

Read More

So fare I've gotten offers from Tuck, Sloan and Wharton and gotten full fellowships from both Tuck and Wharton. Not bad!

I can't thank Square One Prep enough for being by my side for months as we worked tirelessly on my applications in unpredictable spurts due to my hectic work schedule in banking. Even though I was in China and my consultant in the US, I never sensed the time difference between us. She was always available. She was always eager to help me go the extra distance to create distinct applications that would enable admissions committees to grasp who I am, and how I am unique despite being an Asian in financial services (investment banking).

Thank you!!!!

Read More

I was a re-applicant. I did my applications on my own last year and can honestly say that within 15 minutes of my free call with Square One, I knew things would be different this time around and wished I'd made the call to them last year. Last year I was arrogant. I'd gone to Harvard undergrad and had an interesting career thus far. Not the greatest GMAT score. But I am from a minority group and thought all that would make up for it. It didn't. And boy was I humbled. I was even more humbled when I talked with Square One. I was so impressed with how much I learned on my first call and how sincerely interested in my success the owner of the firm was. She was a straight shooter with me. It was unlike my other free calls with consulting firms where I felt like I was getting a car salesman job, like I was being told what everyone else is told. With Square One, I could tell the owner put real thought into my situation before talking to me. In fact, they were the ONLY firm who asked to see prior applications before my free call. Now I'll admit I worried that once I started work with my advisor, I would no longer feel like I was in great hands, that my advisor wouldn't measure up and impress me as much the owner did. Kathryn Lucas really is charismatic and knowledgeable. I would have been ok with a slight decrease in quality since her advisors don't own the company, and I can only speak for my personal advisor. He was just as great at Kathryn.

Simply put, Square One Prep's team was instrumental in my getting into Kellogg, UCLA, and Columbia. They helped me break down the application process into manageable steps and put together a narrative of my career path that reflected my strengths and aspirations. They pushed me when I needed it. They were upfront about potential weaknesses, always spot-on when I needed something tweaked in my essays, motivating, and always available when I needed to discuss an approach to my candidacy or just talk to get a new boost of energy. As a result of our work together, in addition to getting into three schools, I received a fellowship (full-tuition scholarship) at Columbia!"

Read More