I had a very postitive experience working with Square One. Joey was supportive about my decision to apply to the two schools we discussed and I felt that he kept me on a good schedule for completing the necessary work.

Kathryn and Joey's insights into how my essays might be interpreted were also very helpful. They were a good team in advising on how to craft the most logical and compelling story for my background. We spent a lot of time bouncing ideas off of each other regarding anecdotes to include in my essays which I found useful. Additionally the intro call where we talked through the entire process and I told joey my story was crucial in helping me get a sense of the story direction I wanted to take.

I also appreciated how accessible and easy to reach they both were. I would recommend working with them both.

Read More

Square One Prep and especially Kathryn were instrumental in my success to get a top MBA (Harvard).
Before discussing with Kathryn, I did not really believe that I could stand a chance to get into a top MBA. By discussing several times with her even before we formally started working together, I started believing in myself and I got the confidence that I could aim for the top with Kathryn's support and guidance.
Kathryn was a great support throughout the application process, from the initial draft of the timeline all the way to the coaching for interviews.
She was fully dedicated to her mission and she made herself available whenever I needed her, even on a very short notice. Kathryn acted as a passionate coach and ensured that I met all the interim deadlines she set for me. Moreover she really helped me translate my experience to the best application possible and I do think that this was key in my success.
I deeply appreciated Kathryn’s honesty in her approach. She made sure that I understood that success would come from my hard work and that I was fully committed to get the best outcome.
Finally Kathryn is a nice and charming person and I enjoyed discussing with her even beyond the framework of the MBA applications.
Keep up the good work Kathryn!
Thank you for everything!

Read More

I used another well known consultant last year and the result was disastrous - all top schools rejected me. This year I worked with Kathryn and John and couldn't have made a better decision. I will be attending a top 5 school this fall! This is the best I could have hoped for coming from an over-represented background. From the first call with Kathryn, I knew she was different. The confidence she showed in me was unlike the consultants I spoke with.

I feel the most important part of the process is to determine your goals and why you need an MBA. Last year I did not spend enough time thinking about this and in fact the guidance I got from the consultant last year was the worst anyone could have given. The goals did not make sense at all and did not connect at all with my past. This year, we spent so much time thinking about my goals and connecting them with my past. My goals this year were ambitious and exciting at the same time and I think it made the difference.

Once my goals were set, we moved on to resume and essay writing. The resume I began with I thought was great but after working with Kathryn and John, the resume was totally transformed. I was focussing on stuff that did not matter to the adcoms. My consultant spent about 4 to 5 hours just talking to me about my background and the work I do. We then converted the content we had into bullet points and went through several iterations. The difference in the resume was day and night.

Many applicants including me think that the essays is a writing competition and so if you write great English you will get through. After working with Kathryn and John, I realized that the language isn't as important as it is made to be, the content is the meat of the essay. My essays this year were strong not just content-wise but language wise too and they still had my voice. We started by deciding the content of the essay and then mapped that to structure the essays. We then fleshed out the details and went through several iterations.

More importantly, Kathryn is really invested in your success. She really cares about you and will go the extra step to make you comfortable. As a re-applicant, it was hard for me to trust any advice initially given the bad experience last year. Kathryn got on the phone with me often in the initial stages and was patient throughout the process, something I really respect as I was not the easiest applicant to work with.

Overall, I ended up getting invitations to interview from 4 out of 5 top schools and got admitted to one of my dream schools. After last year's results, I thought I had no chance at these top schools, especially since I was coming from a over-represented background. But working with Square One Prep made all the difference. For anyone considering using Square One Prep, think about the investment as something that will increase your odds. If you are an Indian, the odds are against you and Square One Prep will give you the edge you need over others.

Read More

When I started my B school Application I had only 4 weeks time before the dDeadlines.   And I thought it would be prudent to take help of an aAdmissions consultant.   I contacted all the top aAdmissions consultants and most of them took their own sweet time getting back to me and when we talked they said they had set streams of processes that took a certain amount of time, no and were taking their own sweet time.  I needed a consultant who is nimble fast and caters to the individual needs of the client rather than one type fits all. - Assembly line type of consultation Then I called Squareoneprep after seeing some amazing Reviews about Kathryn on Gmatclub.

Most of the Free consults lasted for 30 min and everyone agreed with my story and said you I have a great story and chances to make it into your my dream school.  I always felt something amiss when I heard that. They were all too fast with their assessment. WBut when I talked to Kathryn (the talk went on for more than 80 min) she was very outright and critical of my story.  She said your my story is the same run of the mill story told by every other Indian B school applicant and pushed me to tell her what I REALLY want to do. She sensed I was holding back. 
Then I stated the real intention of my planing to join B schoolwhat I sincerely want to do with my life which and she told was the one which will work really well for megot excited for me, immediately helping me think through why I need B school and why this is the much stronger narrative. She took in great details of the game changing projtect I had done in India with all the figures statistics and results ( I still feel even my B school real interviews didn't ask so many questions). She learned so much about me, and after doing so she  
Then she suggested that I need to look into Harvard Kennedy school also along with the B Schools I was looking at.  I never thought I couldan make it to Harvard but Kathryn's suggestion made me look into it and I took the Decision to apply for HKs along with other B schools 
to it, Then she suggested I take work with Julia Kurnik as consultant foron my applications as she was HKS and MIT and Wharton graduate.  
I was apprehensive about taking using the same consultant for all my 3 school applications.  
But Kathryn knew what she was doing.
and then I started working with Julia 
Julia is one of the most patient understanding and genuine persons whopeople I will have ever meet.   She has great CV which we can only dream off.   She is an entrepreneur and innovation prize winner in MIT.   But she is so humble. I cherished working with her. and it was such a pleasure working on my applications with her . I always used to go intoften felto self doubt but Julia always kept my spirits up by saying I have a great CV and story to tell. S 
But she never overpromised but always cautioned me to be prepared for any eventuality as I was applying for only the Top 3 B schools. S
She spent lot of time understanding my rResume, my work, and My extracurricular activities, my life and my story. We had very little time to prepare my applications. But she gave me a detailed timeline to show me how we would get everything done. Even when I had personal issues that got in the way,
We had very less time 
SOP gave me a timeline 
But I had some personal issues lot of travel in midst that short time 
But Julia always persisted in getting the work done on time with me. In fact we finished all the applications well before the deadline. My resume had to be mMade into many versions of one page two page three page for different schools.  She did it with aplomb.
And tThe highlight of our application was the way she turned helped me with my essays.  I can say Sshe metamorphosed them from a caterpillar into beautiful butterfly. That is the biggest strength of Julia. Kathryn's inputs for my essays was also very crucial. She has an eye of a a business school Adcom and looks at the essays very critically. Her inputs gave me incisive inputs to change my essays and make them very powerful and strong 
Letter of recommendations was another well guided process. Julia gave me all the questions of LOR of B schools categorized into subject wise. This made it very easy for my Recommenders to write the LORs. Or else gGetting some highly placed people with so little time to write LORs for 4 schools is not a easy task. My LORs also came out well due to this process. And then we submitted the applications. Till I got the results I was very apprehensive and Julia always soothed my nerves. saying you will make it  Then I got my first interview call. The mock interview and the inputs about interview wereas so good that I didn't have any issue in doing my actual interview well.  

The most important feedback I want to give is that SOP always responded in any time of the day or week. I always think Kathyrn virtually never sleeps. And Julia has gone out of her way to respond to me calls and queries even the ones which were outside the purview of our contract. It shows the genuinine concern they have for their clients. Once she had a car break down in middle of the highway but still she didnt miss our call. And this is inspite of the fact that we had 12 hours time difference

Today I got into my dream schools, HKS and Sloan, and SOP has played a great role in achieving my dream.  

Read More

The short version: I got into NYU Stern and got a full scholarship – about $150,000. It just feels unreal: looking back, I'm so glad I decided to contact Kathryn and Square One Prep. I wouldn't have gotten in without their help (see below for more details).

The longer version: before getting in touch with Square One Prep, I had already tried doing a couple of applications on my own and gotten rejected. Over several months, I had put in dozens of hours into my applications, looked through different MBA-related message boards for tips, etc. It was rough when I got rejected from both schools, so I decided to get help.

I didn't get started with Square One Prep until the end of November—and I was aiming to submit my application by the start of January. Adding to these challenges: I was already busy with a full and part time job, and prepping to get married the following month. It was probably the most stressful time in my life, and I didn't know if I'd be able to finish my application materials in time.

But despite the crazy schedule, Kathryn and my advisor rose to the challenge: They helped me get everything done on time, but more importantly, while putting together an awesome application. (That said, I encourage anyone thinking about Square One to contact them earlier and just see what you think. If you're already deeper into the process like I was, it's not the end of the world—but I know for myself, having extra time would have let me put more time into the application and made the process a lot less stressful!).

Square One was great in helping plan out work (I'm pretty disorganized in general). But for me it was the resume and essays – the two parts of my previous applications where I thought I had done pretty well – that really drove home how much stronger my new application had become with their help. Job-wise, I felt like I didn't really have many "accomplishments" to speak of, but my advisor helped me draw out details and points I hadn't thought of and put them together in one comprehensive and coherent document.

I have a pretty odd employment background too (switched from academia to freelance to marketing), so figuring out how to weave that into a coherent narrative and hit on the right themes within my essays was invaluable. On a micro level in my essays, Square One's feedback – from the flow of ideas, to grammar, to cadence – was great too. Having worked as an editor, I've seen lots of good and bad writing over the years... but when it comes to improving your own work it really helps to get feedback from others who truly know their stuff.

Both Kathryn and my advisor were very generous with their time, and helped me clarify a lot of questions and fuzzy areas outside the application itself: looking at why/if NYU Stern program was the best fit for me, weighing alternate schools I hadn't considered, etc. They were great with answering my many miscellaneous questions too. Even though I had done a lot of research online over the previous year, there's just so much vague and contradictory advice out there about schools, GMAT prep, essays, and so on. (If you're doing that research now, I feel your pain). The peace of mind I got from being able to ask my advisor questions point blank and get clear, thoughtful answers was just invaluable.

If it's not clear by now, working with Square One was absolutely the right choice for me. I'm also glad I did the comprehensive services package. I'm not what the "average" applicant looks like, but I'm not rich... I have assume that for many other people too, it's not easy to come up with thousands of dollars for a service like this. But the level of support, guidance and expertise I got made it 100% worth it. Square One helped make my application so much stronger, and it made all the difference in the world.

Read More

As an individual from a science background hoping to transition into the business world, a top MBA seemed the clear choice. What was perhaps less apparent was the route to entry. Indeed with CV's, multiple essays, recommendations and detailed written applications the process was daunting to say the least. Square One Prep, and Kathryn more specifically were truly invaluable in guiding through this process and achieving success.

Kathryn provided a rigorous, systematic approach to tackle the application. She truly got to know me as an individual - beyond the numbers, and in the process enabled me to find and express my voice throughout each and every essay. Further unlike many admissions consultants Kathryn genuinely cares for her clients, and was available day and night for advice and support!

With her help I achieved admission to my top choice business school and could not be more grateful. If your contemplating the use of Square One Prep, pull the trigger and go for it - I guarantee you won't regret it!

Read More

I am thankful to have worked with Kathryn and John because the MBA application process is an arduous process. The time and effort they took to help shape my story and career narrative speaks to how much they care about their clients.

My free consultation call with Kathryn, the founder, demonstrated how Square One Prep does not rush with potential clients but are committed to building a partnership. She even recommended the best pricing service for the schools I selected to save me money.

I am glad to have chose John as my advisor. John took the time to address my questions and concerns and made himself available to me - he did not hesitate to talk over the phone. I appreciated his creative writing background and even-keeled personality. Kathryn's extensive knowledge and strategic advice were invaluable to my narrative and school selection. Despite a gap in my resume, they helped me get into two great schools.

I would recommend starting the process as soon as possible. Think about your story - what's driving you to get a MBA and what career field you want to get into. Good luck to future applicants!

Read More

I was initially hesitant to use an admissions consultant, but after speaking with Kathryn I knew it was the right move. Unlike other consultants who use free consultation calls as a means to sell their services, Kathryn used the intro call to get to know me and provide thought provoking insight into my candidacy. After speaking with with a couple of Square One Prep consultants, I decided to go with Joey Siesholtz. To be clear, Joey was my main point of contact at Square One while Kathryn provided a second set of eyes and comments on all of my essays.

The rationale for selecting Square One Prep is quite simple:

They make the process manageable: The personalized schedule Kathryn and Joey made for me was invaluable throughout the process. If you’re like me and are working full-time while applying to school, the personalized schedule is an extremely helpful tool that helps ensure you’re on track to meet application deadlines. The personalized schedule also breaks down each application into manageable workloads.

They push you to dig deep: If you’re coming from a traditional background like me (e.g., finance), it’s extremely important to highlight the qualities and experiences that set you apart from the rest of the herd. Both Joey's and Kathryn’s rare ability to ask the right questions will help you do just that. I came away from our 3+ hour assessment call with tons of ideas on how to differentiate myself from the rest of my finance peers.

They are experts: If you’re like me and struggle to truly understand what admissions committees are looking for in applications, you’ll benefit from having seasoned veterans in your corner. Both Kathryn and Joey are extremely knowledgeable about all that goes into applying to b-school.

They are always available: When they say they’re available 24/7, they mean it.

For all of the reasons mentioned above, I highly recommend Square One Prep to any applicant trying to get into a top school. I can say without hesitation, I wouldn’t have been admitted to a top MBA program if it weren’t for the help of Kathryn and Joey!

Read More

I interviewed several admissions consultants and Kathryn immediately stood out for how much time she took to get to know me and the insightful questions she asked in our initial call. These questions (describe one of your happiest moments/describe one of your saddest moments) were key in setting the tone for the self-reflection that informed my business school application process. She also gave me the confidence to apply for my dream school, HBS, with her frank assessment.

I worked with Melissa on applications to Wharton and HBS. Melissa gave thoughtful feedback and kept me on track despite illness/crazy work. Melissa was instrumental in helping me clarify my story and reason for applying to business school through the MANY drafts we did of my Wharton essays. I am not an inexperienced writer, but her feedback and revisions made my essays truly shine and took them to the next level.

The thing that stood out to me most about Square One was their care. I decided not to apply to Lauder very late (mid-Dec - after finalizing my essays!), and both Kathryn and Melissa took time to understand my thought process and for me to feel 100% comfortable in my decision even though this meant completely revising my application for Wharton.

I'll be attending HBS in the Fall and am very grateful to Kathryn and Melissa for their help in getting me there.

Read More

Square One Prep was very helpful and a great resource throughout the application process. I started working with them in November and they helped me get together 6 applications for round 2 deadlines; which I wasn’t even sure was possible. During my introductory call with Kathryn, she pointed out some holes in career story and how I might struggle with a 690 GMAT score. These were useful, necessary things for me to hear.

I worked with Anya throughout the process and she was great. We got along very well and she was on call for me 24/7 during those 2 months. She helped me craft great stories for my essays, radically improved my resume with a lot more detail and always provided useful comments. By the time interviews came around, I felt confident and very prepared.

I ended up getting into 2 of the 6 schools with substantial scholarships, and being waitlisted at 2 others. I was very happy with the result and am eager to start in August. I know that I could not have completed all of the applications with such diligence without Kathryn and Anya’s help.

Read More