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Product mbaMission School Package
Consultant Debbie Choy
I had Debbie Choy working with me for my application, we filed 3 applications together. Didn't get into any of the colleges. The experience was fruitful enough for me to learn what these guys do and then crack a college on my own but the package for Debbie is way too expensive for internationals. The advice I received was templated advice. Maybe get one school package and then figure things out on your own. Not worth the money. I would suggest not to engage MBA mission consultants if you are an Indian. They don't care much about you even if you don't get in. My consultant didn't even follow up post I was put on the waitlist or offered to help me with more schools which many consulting services do (Free of charge) if you don't get into the schools you worked with them on.
Product mbaMission School Package
I hate writing reviews but this felt like such a scam that I feel like I have to help future MBA applicants feel informed by what they are signing up for. I want to be fair by giving the good and the bad, but ultimately you're going to be paying $5,000 not for "consulting" or "expertise" but for some broad-brush edits that would be indistinguishable from (or inferior to) the help you would get from a colleague or friend.
I worked with Debbie Choy on the introduction and brainstorming session. Style-wise, it felt like I was on the clock all the time and she is quite good at ending discussions. The content of the brainstorming session was perplexing as we focused a lot on high school things that weren't really relevant to the MBA application or the essays. Lastly, I was hoping to get a lot of candid feedback from an admissions perspective but it felt like pulling teeth to get answers to basic questions like what schools would be competitive. On the plus side, some of the materials she shared were relevant and helpful.
I ended up working with John Sisk for the essay portion. The positives were that the revisions were very timely and the first round of feedback was fantastic to get in the right direction. After that, however, each subsequent revision felt pretty low-effort, with unanswered questions, grammar mistakes, and generic template-like feedback. At the end the essay had all the soul written out of it and felt more like a "list" than any individual behind the story. Schools stress the important of being authentic but the result read more like a husk of a product.
At the end I'm not really sure what I paid for. My guess is that these guys are too busy or too successful and don't really put the time into your individual application. The timeliness and initial direction were nice (maybe consider their hourly) but I wouldn't recommend against anything beyond that.
Best of luck in your applications!
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Product mbaMission School Package
I bought a multi-school comprehensive package with MBAmission for thousands in the four-digits. The editing services were delivered professionally and always on time - which is the most positive thing I can say about my experience.
The writing help was marginal and they gave no particularly helpful or unique framing - they only gave me marginal edits that I could have asked any friend to help with. The interview preparation was absolutely useless, and always cut off exactly after 30 minutes. Again, something I could have asked a friend to do for me.
The company operates *very* much as if it is being paid by the minute with you. They will deliver on what they promise you, but absolutely nothing more.
Product mbaMission School Package
Consultant Julie-Anne Heafey
I had heard good things about mbaMission from online reviews but, unfortunately, my experience feel drastically short of expectations.
1) There were one or two instances of my essay reviews coming back with obvious errors. For example, I got feedback from my consultant and their draft had a repeated sentence. For the cost of this service I expect consultants to avoid such basic mistakes.
2) As round 1 deadlines approached I noticed that the feedback I was getting was increasingly minimal (accounting for the fact that essay quality increases with time). There was a couple instances when I only got a one sentence response
3) I also noticed that there was a lot of back and forth with the consultant's own advice. I would write A and they would ask me to write B; a little while later they would ask me to scrap B and write A again
Overall I was better off than I would have been had I not gone with a consultant but I definitely don't feel like I got my money's worth. The ideas I got from my consultant were okay at best. Additionally, I noticed a drastic drop in quality as application deadlines approached. I'm assuming the consultants here are overstaffed and couldn't keep up with the workload.
I recommend using a different service; I've heard great things about Expartus from my peers.
Product mbaMission School Package
Consultant Jessica Shklar
I used the Complete Package for one school with Jessica and really regretted buying that. I chose her because of all the amazing reviews posted here, but now I doubted how many of the reviews really came from real happy clients. I got dinged with no interview for the school I had her help with the application, but I got nearly full scholarship for the school I built the application myself. Both schools are top schools so it is somehow fair enough to compare. For anyone intends to use Jessica's service, please really consider my experience with her:
PROs:
- On-time turnaround
- Helpful with 1-2 first review of the essay
CONs:
- I received far less customized advice than I expected from a ~$5K package. For example, when I send the application form (not the essay), I will received the reviewed document with most of the revisions related to wording or grammar. But those wording and grammar revisions will not help me get admitted. It should be the advice such as with all the information I gave her about me, which info I should or should not choose to put in the application. Or if I showed myself as an entrepreneur, I should be aware that the valuation of my start-up is the key for the school to judge, etc. I never got her advice on the important details to make my application become a stronger one even after I tried to ask several times. All I could get was just revisions on essay, but the essay I wrote myself got me nearly full scholarship anyway so that kind of support from her was really not that helpful for me. I was very disappointed that her service is just similar to or even worse than what I got from my friends' help.
- No point using the complete package which is a big investment. I found the helpful thing she gave is mostly about 2 first reviews for my essay. For other tasks in the process, I was very disappointed. My mock interview with her is only 20 min long (and I can only have one mock interview with that package). Her comments for that was something like I did well already, no need for much improvement. That kind of comment was terrible, seriously I did not spend ~$5K for that. I found out that the mock interviews I had with other MBA students were extremely far more helpful and customized to my case than from her.
In general, I found that Jessica's service was totally not worth my investment. If you intend to choose her because of all the flattering reviews here, please be more skeptical.
Product mbaMission School Package
Consultant Krista Nannery
I signed up for a two-school package and I don't think it was worth it.
My main concerns were a.) a low undergrad GPA (I had a high grad school GPA and high GMAT) b.) I'm a few years over the average 3) I'm coming from a non-traditional industry, with a promotion system and titles that probably aren't familiar to them. I don't feel like she helped me showcase these in any way that was different than what I would have done.
My consultant walked me through essay outlines (which took about 30 min per essay), which wasn't where I needed help. Once I had essay drafts, she made a few superficial edits, but that was it. She gave me almost no guidance at all on my optional essay, which is what I was worried about. I don't feel like I ended up with an application that highlighted my strengths.
I paid over $5,000 and think I would have saved a ton of money going with an hourly package. I would estimate my consultant spent 10-15 hours total with me. Most of the services I got, I didn't really need. Most of the services I did need, I didn't get. I really don't understand what I paid for. I felt like most of the service were application guides that I could have bought or downloaded for free from the MBA mission store.
Anyway, I ended up getting dinged from both schools without interviews.
Well said, I can't agree more, better yet an essay editing service will do the same but will cost way less .
Product mbaMission MBA Student Services
Consultant Katharine Lewis
I hired mbaMission for a 2-school package and I don't feel like I received the full value I paid for. My consultant was helpful in crafting my initial story but after that, the edits were much more superficial. I ended up asking a close friend to read my essays, and he provided the type of valuable feedback I was seeking from my admission consultant.
If the services were cheaper, then I don't think it would have been as big of an issue but for the thousands of dollars I paid for, I was expecting a lot more substantive feedback. I know it may sound like I am unhappy with mbaMission's services because I was not admitted to the 2 schools I applied for but that is definitely not the case. Even if I was admitted, my opinions on the value of the service I paid for would have remained the same.
Would you be willing to share more about your experience? Please message me - thanks!
I am sorry, and actually somewhat surprised, to learn that you were unhappy with our work together. The MBA application process is always challenging, and you seemed to understand and accept the possibility of disappointment despite our efforts. As you said to me once in an email, “This application was my best foot forward. No worries though, everything happens for a reason.” I never got the impression that you felt your needs were not being met, and if I had, I would have certainly been happy to offer additional assistance.
I care deeply about all my applicant clients and do my utmost to increase their chances of success, so I am equally disappointed when things do not work out in their favor. You targeted very selective schools, and unfortunately, the reality is that sometimes—and especially in highly competitive seasons—even objectively deserving candidates are denied a spot.
Your description of my advice as templated is also surprising. Although we began with a common brainstorming document, we certainly never use templates. You and I worked with your unique creative inputs, and your submissions were tailored to your personal life experiences and professional goals. During our process, I helped you outline essays for your three target schools, revised each essay no less than six times, finessed your resume, supported your recommenders, and prepped you for interviews, including providing feedback on your Kellogg and Booth video essays. My records also show that we worked together extensively on your waitlist materials. I was always ready to promptly answer any application-related questions you might have and even extended my support beyond my traditional responsibilities to advise you when you were deciding between job offers!
I wish you the best in the future and hope that if you choose to reapply one day, you will find success.
Sincerely,
Debbie