Katharine Lewis Reviews

Thanks to Katy, I received admission at Wharton Lauder, Chicago Booth, Yale SOM, MIT Sloan, Dartmouth Tuck, and UVA Darden, and also received financial aid from most of those institutions!

Those are the results, but what stands out to me is the experience of working with Katy through this whole process. She has a remarkable career in the grad school consulting world and beyond. Thus, her instincts on where to apply, which schools may be a good fit, and how to go about this process are top-notch. When it came time to construct a narrative, I gave Katy a LOT of material to work with, and yet she expertly picked out the themes that she thought were most important and formative in my life and career, and helped me craft a sharper vision of the future I hoped to pursue. My goals are somewhat unconventional, and yet Katy encouraged me to pursue them.

As we started to write essays, she patiently edited each draft, no matter the scale of the changes I was making. What stood out to me here was her honest feedback, which I am beyond grateful for. Each time, she pushed me to be better, asking me to dig deeper and re-imagine essays when needed, even if I was up against a deadline. This meant that I could trust that Katy's feedback was always truthful, and that when she said an essay was good, I could believe her! The essays I finally submitted were truly the best work I could have submitted.

When it came to interview prep, she sent me materials for every school I was interviewing at, no matter whether I was working with her on the school or not. Her prep for me was incredibly accurate, and made sure I was ready to talk about my goals and my past eloquently.

This process, of applying to grad school, is not easy, but I am grateful that every time I asked Katy if we could chat through an issue I was having, she was ready to chat, and give me as much time as I needed.

Katy has become a friend and mentor, and I cannot recommend working with her highly enough.

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Congratulations! If you are reading this, that means you have hit the jackpot. Just knowing about Katy is like winning the lottery. Starting with a comprehensive brainstorming session, Katy started to unpack my candidacy, which as a non-traditional applicant was not easy! When I received interviews for every one of the schools I applied to, Katy prepared me for each one, giving me the confidence I needed. I actually genuinely enjoyed every interview! She helped me condense my story into a couple sentences that made sense and were exciting to talk about.
I initially met with Katy a full 18 months before I applied, and she advised me to wait a year before applying. If she tells you the same- do not ignore it, she knows what she is talking about!

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I honestly have Katy to thank for the amazing results as well as the smooth application process. I applied for the full-time MBA programs at Wharton, CBS, MIT Sloan, Booth, and Kellogg and was accepted to all of them with a generous scholarship package from MIT and Kellogg (~90% full tuition). I’m a Southeast Asian applicant who’s been working in the States.
I had initially talked to Katy a year before applying, and unlike the other consultants, she advised me to wait a year since it will make me a much stronger applicant. I appreciated her honesty and returned to her a year later and was very glad I took her recommendation.
Apart from her amazing credentials, I think what stood out to me was that she really cared about me as a person and not just a ‘client’. After our first brainstorming session I felt like she could see right through me (even though we just got to know each other) and really empathized with my story and who I was. To clarify, this meant that she was not only very supportive, but was also straightforward and firm with her feedback - she felt more like a mentor who had your back and wanted you to truly shine vs. just an MBA consultant. She always went above and beyond to make sure I felt my application was the best it could be. A few examples include doing last minute 2am back and forth edits for one of my MIT essay when I realized I wanted to add one more point before submitting (even though we had already finalized it days before), making time to do several mock interviews with me for the same school when I didn’t feel confident about it, and always trying to make time to go on calls just to talk about any worries/anxiety I had.
Because she put in the time and effort to make sure I personally felt good about my application, I was shocked at how level-headed and confident I felt throughout what could have been an extremely stressful process. I remember going into the decision weeks feeling that I had really done my best and even if I had one extra year, I wouldn’t have changed anything about it, and the results speak for itself!
Choosing Katy was one of the best decisions you can make in investing in your future!

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Katy is phenomenal at what she does – I would highly recommend her if you are thinking about applying to top MBA programs. I worked with her for my round one applications and got accepted into the MS/MBA Biotechnology program at Harvard as well as the MBA programs at Stanford GSB, Wharton, and MIT Sloan. What stands out to me about working with Katy is her highly personalized approach and deep expertise in every aspect of the admissions process across schools and programs.

During our brainstorming session, Katy did an excellent job of guiding me to reflect on and weave together different elements of my life story to develop the outline of what would become my main essay for Harvard and Stanford. Then, we worked together on dozens of drafts of these essays. I have a penchant for writing a lot, and what I loved about working with Katy was the way in which he helped me whittle down words while keeping the essence of my voice and making my essays even more compelling. When I read my final essays, I was left feeling more inspired and motivated to pursue my dreams.

She did the same thing for the many short answer questions I had to complete, meticulously reviewing them and providing sage advice on how to harness them as an opportunity to bring to life my whole personality and range of experiences to the admissions committee. When I got invitations to interview, Katy prepared detailed mock interviews tailored for each school and did a stellar job of preparing me to feel confident and natural in all my interviews. Because of the coaching Katy provided me, I genuinely enjoyed all my interviews – I have never felt this way before.

Overall, I absolutely loved working with Katy. She is very smart, empathetic, kind, honest, strategic, and generous. In addition to being an exceptional MBA admissions consultant, Katy is a wonderful life counselor given all the wisdom she has amassed from working with so many accomplished clients and her rich and diverse career experiences (McKinsey, law, education, government) and educational background (Harvard JD/MBA).

My main advice to applicants who want to work with Katy – speak to her as soon as you start thinking about business school and start the application process very early. The more time you have to reflect on your story and aspirations, shore up your credentials, and work on preparing your applications, the better the outcomes you will achieve.

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Katharine Lewis is one of the finest mentors I have ever met, and one of the most effective – thanks to her, I’m going to Wharton!!!

When I reached out to Katy during my senior year of college, I was concerned about my Deferred MBA chances since I was going into an overrepresented career and had been told by many mentors to wait a few years before applying to B school if I wanted better odds of getting in. But Katy stood out among other consultants because she firmly believed that I stood a fighting chance, and that I should own my authentic story around my passion for pursuing affordable and accessible healthcare, as opposed to weaving or creating a narrative more “catered” to my ambitious list of schools. I worked with Katy to apply to 7 schools via their Deferred MBA programs – Wharton, Booth, Kellogg, Sloan, Columbia, HBS, and Stanford – and it is predominantly thanks to Katy that I got into the first 5 on that list, and had the glorious problem of having to pick from these incredible choices.

Right from brainstorming, Katy pushed me to dig deep and bring out my most authentic, raw stories around what drives me – and her “tough love”-esque commitment to sharing honest and clear feedback (as feedback should be delivered to be helpful), in combination with her enthusiastic encouragement and unwavering support throughout the process, make her the perfect person for the job. I lost count of how many essay drafts I sent Katy (it was easily 50+) – but she patiently edited and sent constructive, valuable feedback on every single one. Her extensive experience in the field of MBA admissions coupled with her analytical ability to distil nebulous, wordy thoughts into short and powerful depictions, often left me thinking “thank the gods I have Katy – there is no way I could have thought to write this in that way!”. When I received interview invites, even for the schools that were not in my “package” with her, Katy went out of her way to send me incredibly detailed interview prep material that ultimately helped me get into those schools too. And whenever I hit a major obstacle, was uncertain about something or downright nervous, I knew a phone call with Katy would instantly fix the issue and make me feel better – and it did, every single time. Now, after working for 2-5 years, I’ll be headed to Wharton – and I KNOW that Katy made all the difference. I’ll always be grateful to Katy for helping me get into B school, but also for being a mentor who I know I can turn to whenever I need sound advice. If you’re thinking of applying to a Deferred MBA program, you MUST speak to Katy – I’m convinced a counselor and mentor cannot possibly get much better than her!!

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My spouse and I were fortunate to work with Katy as our MBA admissions consultant. Our goal was to attend an M7 program and pursue an MBA together in the same city, and we achieved it!

From the beginning, Katy demonstrated a deep understanding of the MBA application process. I called her two years ago, and she spent over an hour speaking with me, way exceeding our allotted time. She quickly grasped my story and identified key themes. My spouse also had a pleasant consultation call with her. Katy sent each of us a thoughtful debrief, and I immediately knew I wanted to work with her. Despite still having over a year before applying to business school, Katy welcomed my numerous questions and provided thorough answers. She even advised trying the GRE if I struggled with the GMAT. Although switching from GMAT to GRE was challenging due to my prior investment, I’m grateful I made the move. I enjoyed studying for the GRE more, and my score, while not extraordinary, was sufficient for admission to the schools I applied to.

Katy is a highly sought-after consultant who only works with applicants she genuinely believes have a good chance at their desired schools. My spouse and I appreciated her honest feedback throughout the process and trusted her advice completely. Working with the same admissions consultant as your spouse makes it so much easier to create a cohesive story.

Katy worked closely with us from start to finish, thoroughly brainstorming ideas, refining essays, preparing for interviews, proofreading thank-you notes, and assisting with recommenders and scholarship applications. I went through 10+ drafts for almost all my essays, and Katy never discouraged me. She provided unwavering support and helped me refine my essays until I felt comfortable.

Katy’s assistance extended beyond application essays. She provided exceptional guidance and interview preparation. Mock interviews were instrumental in boosting our confidence. Thanks to Katy, none of my interviews were a surprise. I knew exactly how to approach them and had prepared for 90% of the questions asked. Katy provided a list of past questions, conducted mock interviews, and helped refine our answers to align with our true selves, making interview preparation effortless.

Additionally, Katy’s support and expertise were instrumental in securing strong recommendation letters. She guided all our recommenders, particularly those unfamiliar with writing recommendation letters for top MBA programs, to understand the letters’ importance. Katy helped us draft thorough memos highlighting our accomplishments, ensuring our recommendation letters showcased our full abilities. I truly believe my recommendation letters compensated for my less-than-stellar GRE scores.

Katy’s dedication to helping us secure scholarships exceeded our expectations. She willingly reviewed our scholarship essays, even months after I completed my business school applications. As a result, I received a full ride at Kellogg and scholarships from other M7 programs. My spouse also received a generous 40% scholarship from Kellogg. As a first-generation college graduate from a low-income background, the financial investment in a consultant felt extremely daunting. However, for fellow MBA hopefuls in similar circumstances, I assure you that a consultant like Katy is worth it.

Completing the application process has been a long-awaited dream, and we’re overjoyed to have achieved our goals and more. The MBA application journey demands a lot out of you, and having Katy by our side, someone truly committed to our success throughout the process, will pay dividends in the future. We were expecting to pay for our MBA at a sticker price, and I can’t believe I get to say that my spouse and I are going to Kellogg together and I get to go for free! We are immensely grateful to Katy. I wholeheartedly recommend Katharine Lewis to any aspiring MBA candidate seeking a knowledgeable, honest, dedicated, and results-driven admissions consultant. Good luck!

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When it comes to deferred MBA admissions, the competition is fierce, especially for candidates like me from India with a STEM background. I realized that to stand out, I needed the expertise of someone who truly knows the ins and outs of the MBA admissions world. After exploring various admission consultants, Katy stood out from the crowd. During our trial call, her thoroughness and understanding of my background, strengths, and weaknesses blew me away. My gut told me she was the right person to guide me through this journey, and boy, was I right!

Katy took the time to delve deep into my background, helping me uncover my true motivations and connecting the dots between my life experiences and choices. Together, we worked on multiple essay drafts, and her edits were nothing short of amazing. She possesses a nuanced understanding of what top MBA programs are looking for. Thanks to Katy, I became more confident in my writing and found clarity in expressing my thoughts, which was invaluable since English isn't my first language.

Throughout the entire application process, Katy made me feel like more than just a client. She genuinely cared about my success and offered unwavering support, even though we communicated through emails and video calls across different time zones.

But it didn't stop there. Katy also went above and beyond in preparing me for my HBS interview. We conducted numerous mock interviews, and it was incredible how the very first question of the actual interview was something we had practiced. That moment of familiarity eased my nerves and made the interview experience remarkably smooth.

I got accepted into HBS 2+2, and I owe a tremendous amount of gratitude to Katy. Not only is she a brilliant mentor, but she has also become a great friend. If you're serious about putting your best foot forward and making your business school dreams come true, I wholeheartedly recommend Katy. She's the real deal!

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Giving a sporting analogy – if you aim to maximise your chances at world level competition, you need a professional coach. Katharine Lewis is not just a business school advisor. Katharine is that professional coach and, in my opinion, she is one of the best in the world.

I came to Katharine with a low GPA, unsure about the future and thinking that getting into a top 10 school would be highly unlikely. By the end of our cooperation, I was at the best shape of my life, knowing exactly what drives and motivates me, having a clear vision of where I want to be in the next 5-10 years and as a result presenting my best self to top business schools. Katharine, as a true coach, honestly identified my strengths and weakness, helped plan strict “training” schedule, set realistic targets and most importantly supported me at the times of failure. Furthermore, years of experience at the highest possible level allow her to understand what each individual school is looking for and thus help you structure your game plan accordingly.

The application process, just like training for the competition, is not always fun and is often demotivating, but Katharine understands her “athletes’” potential, believes in them and genuinely wants them to win. In my particular case, I retook GMAT 5 times and then got rejected from the first school I applied to. I was very close to giving up but Katharine reached out herself and proved to me that I could do better if I kept on going. As a result, I was accepted with scholarship to world’s top business school. To be honest, even more important than the eventual application success are the self-improvement and self-growth that occur through your work with Katharine. These translate into not just a successful business school application but personal growth in work and life in general. I would like to go as far as saying that this cooperation was a life changing experience and apart from advising working with Katharine to my friends, I will be trying to find new challenges on which to collaborate with Katharine again in the future.

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Katy was highly recommended to me by two close friends who are HBS students. She exceeded my expectations throughout every facet of the application process, and thanks to her help, I was accepted into my dream program, the MBA/MBA dual degree program at Wharton/Lauder, and even received a generous scholarship!

As someone with a non-traditional professional background, including a career gap and a salary decrease from moving to Latin America, I was concerned about communicating my narrative in a concise but effective way. From the first meeting, Katy seemed to understand me and through many conversations throughout the process helped craft every element of my application to highlight my fit with the program.

Without hesitation, I highly recommend Katy for anyone seeking help with their MBA application process.

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Katy was an absolute pleasure to work with! I began the application process with my sights set on Kellogg’s MMM program, although at the time I felt like I was having trouble synthesizing my post-college experiences into one cohesive story. Katy encouraged me to take a step back, think about my background and evaluate my motivations behind why I chose the jobs I worked in, the projects I took on, the extracurriculars I joined, and my post MBA goals. She then helped me identify the common threads that linked these different experiences and tell a story that showed a strong logical progression from one experience to the next, all while highlighting the most salient experiences for each program I applied to. Throughout the seemingly dozens of essay revisions I sent back to her, she consistently helped me sharpen what began as long (often disorganized) first drafts into crisp, concise essays which were clear in messaging and easy to follow. At the interview stage, our multiple hours of interview prep further helped me clarify my messaging, phrase my answers correctly and relax my attitude so that the interviews felt more like a conversation. She is razor-sharp, refreshingly candid, and a great advocate who is always in your corner. I can’t imagine how I would have gotten into the MMM program without her, and I can’t recommend her enough!

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