Donna Bauman Reviews

Stratus Consulting overall offers amazing MBA admissions consulting services. I personally worked with Donna Bauman. Coming from an Indian male engineering background, I thought my chances at getting in an M7 school were pretty slim. However, Donna guided me in the right direction and helped me understand my motivation to go for an MBA. She gave me new perspectives which helped me build my story for my applications. From understanding the essay questions to preparing for interviews, Donna was there for me every step of the way. Another great aspect about Stratus admissions is that you will get inputs from multiple stakeholders which will help you mould your application for different colleges.

With Donna's help, I was able to get an admit into multiple M7 colleges, including my dream college - HBS. I understand making a choice of MBA admissions consultant can be a tough one, but honestly, you cannot go wrong with Stratus, especially Donna :)

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I had the distinct pleasure of working with Donna as my admissions consultant throughout the MBA application process, and I cannot speak highly enough of her invaluable guidance.

Donna's expertise, professionalism, and dedication were evident from our initial interactions. She possesses a deep understanding of the intricacies of MBA admissions, and her insights proved instrumental in shaping a compelling and authentic narrative for my application. Donna's commitment was evident in her meticulous approach to every aspect of the application, from refining essays to providing strategic advice on recommendation letters.

What truly sets Donna apart is her ability to draw out the unique aspects of an applicant's experiences and aspirations. She not only helped me articulate my achievements but also encouraged me to reflect on my journey, resulting in a more authentic and impactful application. Donna's keen eye for detail ensured that my application presented a cohesive and compelling story, a critical element in the competitive landscape of MBA admissions.

Her support extended beyond the technicalities of the application. Donna provided insightful advice on school selection, helping me tailor my choices to align with my career goals and personal aspirations. Her personalized approach, genuine enthusiasm, and unwavering support created a collaborative and motivating environment that made the challenging process more manageable.

I am thrilled to share that, with Donna's guidance, I received an acceptance offer from Wharton's MBA program. This outcome is a testament to Donna's exceptional abilities as an admissions consultant. I wholeheartedly recommend Donna Bauman to anyone embarking on the MBA application journey. Her dedication makes her an invaluable partner in achieving one's academic and professional aspirations.

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Donna is a fantastic resource to anyone seeking guidance and support in their MBA application journey. With her expertise, dedication, and personalized approach, Donna helped me secure an offer from one of the top MBA programs despite a below average GPA and test scores for those schools.

From our very first interaction, Donna displayed a genuine interest in helping me understand my aspirations, strengths, and weaknesses. Before starting any school-specific applications, we went through a rigorous process of understanding key aspects of my profile that I could highlight and organizing those components into an arsenal that I could draw from. Thanks to this kind of preparation, when it came time to writing essays, I was able to spend less time on coming up with ideas and more time thinking broadly about the narrative I wanted to communicate.

Throughout the admissions process, which can be more akin to a marathon than a sprint, Donna helped me create a strategy of regular communication with admissions committees and constantly developing areas of my application that may be viewed as weaknesses. The right strategy will elevate your candidacy above any one grade or score, and through consistent effort and willingness to improve your profile, you will stand out.

To anyone who believes that the right school is out of reach for them, I strongly recommend Donna and the team at Stratus as partners in the MBA admissions process. Donna stuck with me throughout the application cycle and I couldn’t be happier with the result!

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I had a really positive experience with Stratus admissions consultants. One of the key aspects was the availability of multiple experts to engage with throughout the process, in addition to my primary consultant. This added level of expertise and diverse perspectives enhanced guidance received and Stratus made sure to introduce me to an expert on their team that had experience with my target schools. I found Stratus to be flexible and accommodating, making their services not only valuable but also affordable. If you're seeking a dedicated team that genuinely invests in your success, I would definitely recommend considering Stratus for your admissions consulting needs.

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I wholeheartedly recommend Donna as an MBA admissions consultant. Throughout my application journey, Donna's expertise, dedication, and guidance were instrumental in shaping my success.

From the very beginning, Donna showcased her profound understanding of the MBA admissions landscape. She took the time to deeply understand my strengths, experiences, and aspirations, allowing her to best help me craft my tailored application strategy that truly highlighted my unique qualities and goals.

One of Donna's exceptional strengths is her meticulous attention to detail. She provided invaluable feedback on my approach to applications and essays, helping me refine my thoughts and strengthen my presentation with clarity and impact. I can’t thank Donna enough for her commitment to ensuring that my application best reflected my candidacy and goals.

Furthermore, Donna's expertise in navigating the waitlist process at my top-choice program was amazing. Her guidance on how to effectively communicate my continued interest and commitment to the admissions committee was truly invaluable and help.

In conclusion, Donna’s expertise, attention to detail, and genuine dedication to her clients' success make her an exceptional resource. With Donna's guidance, I not only crafted a strong application strategy and essays but also successfully navigated the challenging waitlist process, ultimately securing acceptance to my top-choice MBA program. I am immensely grateful for her invaluable support throughout the process.

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I am very grateful for Donna's support and guidance. I absolutely could not have done this without her assistance. I truly appreciate Stratus' structured approach to writing essays and ensuring that I am appropriately following the timeline to submit my essays in a timely manner.

They made sure that I followed my choice of school's theme so that I had the best shot of getting an admit. And, they helped me save a lot of time when structuring themes to tackle the essay prompts head on!

The editing of my essays was great too! The grammar and spell checking polished my ideas.

I was admitted to an M7 with a healthy merit scholarship!

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When I started my process, I was unsure on if I even wanted to apply, let alone where I should apply or what my post-MBA goals were. Donna helped me tremendously through providing school insight, focusing my professional goals, and curating a cohesive personal story. She was also incredibly flexible with my unpredictable work schedule and was able to tailor a structured deliverable timeline around what worked for me. The process can be incredibly daunting and stressful and having a cheerleader and guiding hand like Donna in your corner is so important! She played a pivotal role in my acceptance to multiple schools, and I am very grateful. Thank you, Donna!

Stratus overall is a helpful network, especially if you are applying to several schools or are unsure of how many/which programs you intend to apply to. They have a review process and network that leverages individuals' specific knowledge on programs, even if your counselor may not be an expert for the specific school.

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I worked with Donna over the past year to prepare for MBA applications. Her advice was invaluable to crafting the right story blending my personal background and career interests.

I had a series of difficult life events occur during my application process and she was extremely empathetic and understanding, helping to coach me through this time as it related to even beyond my MBA applications. Donna is extremely caring and will take the time to help you in the process, she often provided career advice and interview help even beyond what was required. She was also able to connect me with some of her former students to help me prep for interviews once invited.

Due to working with Donna I was admitted to two M7 programs despite having a GMAT score below their averages, this would not have been possible without her support and guidance.

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I was first introduced to Donna, having worked with Charles at GMAT Ninja – and he had only positive things to say about her. I scheduled calls with several other consultants but was instantly drawn to Donna, not only because of our shared athletic backgrounds but also because she didn’t ask the traditional, cookie cutter questions that every other consultant had asked me. It seemed personalized from the start, and it was her style all the way through. Donna informed me that her process would be very therapeutic, and she was right – I learned more things about myself in my few months working with her than I did in the prior 5 years.

Time was not on my side as I had less than 2 months to get all my MBA applications submitted, but she was fully on-board. I apologized for making her work overtime as there were many weekends or late nights where I would be receiving her edits, but it spoke volumes to her level of commitment – she was always punctual. If you had a look at my first essay drafts vs. my final submission, it’s hard to believe that it was the same person writing it – she really brought out the best in me.

Donna really knows the ins-and outs of the admission process, from the essay themes that resonate with the respective programs’ admission officers to the consistent interview questions that I would receive. She was even able to connect me with some of her former students at my target schools, who were able to share their interview experience and helped me brainstorm essay ideas. The best part about Donna was her story-telling ability - she could make the average story sound like a best-selling novel.

Finally – Stratus had no shortage of resources on all the renowned, global schools. So not only do you get to work with Donna, but also her incredible team of proofreaders, target school reviewers and application strategists. Thank you, Donna, for helping gain acceptance to Columbia Business School. You really have changed my life as you have done to countless other individuals.

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Donna’s approach to storytelling, beginning with a systematic review of my personal experiences and followed with introspection on these experiences’ impacts on my life trajectory and goals, struck me immediately after I began working with her. I revisited many memories I hadn’t paid attention to for a while, and with her advice, I tailored my essays to the unique characteristics of each school. Her in-depth feedback and strategies to help me convey as many important aspects of my stories as I could were instrumental to my success.

I was also impressed by Donna’s empathy and personal touch – her unbiased evaluation of my strengths and weaknesses and how each school aligned with my long-term goals made me confident that I would thrive anywhere I ended up applying. She also gently reminded me of deadlines and helped me stay on top of the application process, from test-taking to school research to essay-writing, which was plenty to juggle along with a full-time job. As a whole, I found her very enthusiastic, encouraging, and responsive, and I highly recommend her. Thanks again for your help, Donna!

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