Gatehouse Admissions Consulting Reviews

I worked with Eric Hollowaty at mbaMission this fall to prepare my essays for two top business schools. In total, I purchased 5 hours of consulting services, and I was extremely satisfied with the results as I was recently admitted to my top choice school.

When I started the application process, I had a weak understanding and unclear idea of what I wanted to convey in my essays. In a very short time, Eric was able to help me brainstorm experiences to include and provide me with direction and advice on how I could incorporate these experiences into my essays to make them stick out.

Eric’s advice was critical to improving the quality of my essays, which in turn, contributed to my overall success in getting into school. I highly recommend his services!

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***LIZA WEALE is the most EFFECTIVE and EFFICIENT collaborator I have ever worked with!!!***
*SHE WILL HELP YOU CRAFT YOUR BEST PACKAGE POSSIBLE!*

I’m a 10 year veteran with a below 700 GMAT. I knew I would need to craft my best package possible in order to be competitive for R2 submissions. I applied to Kellogg (D), Wharton (A), and HBS (M). I began working on my applications around July and had already written my essays and resume by the time I approached Liza in October.

Even though I had engaged peers and alumni from all three schools to provide feedback on my essays and resume, I still felt uneasy with the feedback I received. My peers knew me well and had a military background – I felt I needed to engage someone with a keen eye and a different background. That’s when I reached out to MBAmission.

I got lucky by picking Liza Weale – after reading her background, she seemed like someone I would want to work with, a decision I don’t regret. She was able to relate to me, teach me new skills, keep me positive, and above all – provide an honest estimate of her services.

Liza Weale is a military brat (an endearing word to those that grew up traveling the country and world, base to base), so she had the perfect mix between knowing enough about the military to understand some context – but not enough to read past jargon. It was this balance that allowed her to provide hard hitting insight into my stories. If something made no sense – she’d give it to me straight. It really forced me to reflect on my stories in a way I could not have done on my own. This paid dividends when I interviewed at HBS. She is also extremely sharp and succinct. I had fears working over the phone – having done many teleconferences, I know what a waste of time they can turn out to be, but she was able to make every minute count. One phone call in my mind equated to 50 emails (be prepared to take copious notes when you call her!) Working with her opened my eyes to the caliber of professionals that I would potentially work with after earning an MBA. She was EXACTLY the kind of person I was seeking.

Liza Weale played the role of teacher. Regardless of the outcome of my application – I knew I was walking away from this experience a better writer. She opened my eyes to the “Show don’t Tell” technique of writing. This skill set has translated into my profession and has helped me teach others write better too.

Liza Weale played the role of a support network. Few of my friends could understand the stress I felt or odds I was up against. There were times when I doubted my own package – knowing that I was outside the median in almost every category tracked. She was always positive, over email and the phone – even when providing tough feedback. Her positive attitude never wavered and it helped crush any doubt that began to creep into my head.

Above all – Liza Weale is honest. I was willing to pay for the much more expensive deluxe service package. But after she had a chance to review my brainstorming document, essays, and resume, she recommended the hourly rate – recognizing I would not need hours and hours of her assistance. I do give myself credit – I had to play my part too – I was receptive to her insights and did the hard work of crafting and re-crafting my essays. She was acted as a rudder – providing steering direction toward my goals.

***COUNT YOURSELF LUCKY IF LIZAWEALE HAS AVAILABILTY TO HELP YOU!***
I am giving her name to all my friends who decide to pursue an MBA as well

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I am extremely happy I signed up for the Start to Finish package of mbaMission. I had an initial call with Hollis Kline in May’13 where she gave practical and specific feedback on my profile. Once I signed up for the package in Sep’13 I knew I had a strong consultant to bank on for any questions I would have (trust me, there were a lot). I couldn’t be happier as I got admission from a good B school in USA and am going to join the school this Fall 2014.
The best part I liked about mbaMission was the extremely professional and meticulous way the whole process is defined and followed. Hollis was particularly practical in her approach to admissions. She didn’t promise the stars; she helped me create the perfect stories from my life experiences to suit the schools of my fit and choice. The crux of the process was the initial brainstorming exercise we had which served as the base for essays. She drew a fine balance between aggression and caution while reviewing my list of schools and suggested the ideal mix. The application process is a marathon and I had myriad questions throughout the process and her response to my mails was always swift and helpful. I am grateful to her for her flexible and helpful approach during my hour of need. Thank you Hollis!
The only regret I have is not signing up for the package early in the admissions cycle. I strongly recommend the STF package of mbaMission for all aspiring MBA students out there. Good luck!

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My admission would absolutely not have been possible without Liza. Liza was not simply a consultant that plugged in when needed, but a thought partner that worked with me every step of the way. Her holistic approach helped me create an application that encompassed my most pertinent professional and personal experiences and allowed me to tell my story.

Beginning with a brainstorming session, Liza asked the probing questions necessary to get a true sense of who I was and what I had to offer. This in turn lay the foundation for our work moving forward. With every school’s application, Liza would draw pieces from our initial brainstorm that she felt best addressed the objectives of each application question. Once we began diving into the outlining and drafting stages of the essays, Liza provided very detailed notes as well as high-level feedback to guide my thinking. One of the main advantages of working with Liza and MBA Mission in general was that this feedback was not always a product of one person’s thinking, but rather the community of consultants at the company. If we came across an obstacle during the writing process, Liza would reach out to colleagues who had experienced a similar situation with a client of their own. It was never a matter of providing a quick-fix, but rather conducting the due-diligence to arrive at the most appropriate solution. Liza’s working style turned out to be very beneficial as well, as she would continuously urge me to push back on her suggestions rather than accepting them verbatim. This in turn created a dialogue that helped me craft a better strategy for tackling the questions at hand and ultimately a clearer story.

Liza’s assistance went beyond the multiple essay drafts though. She worked closely with my recommenders to help create letters that highlighted traits deemed most important by my target schools. She helped me build a resume that showcased my leadership abilities rather than a compilation of projects I had been involved with. She conducted mock interviews via Skype and helped me prepare in a fashion that allowed me to respond confidently using my own words and ideas rather than spouting a set of rehearsed responses. She even reviewed my short answer responses to make sure that I was taking full advantage of the application’s real estate. And she did all of this while managing a timeline to make sure that I met each school’s application deadline.

In short, Liza and MBA Mission were one of the best investments I’ve ever made and I would highly recommend the service and Liza in particular to anyone who is serious about receiving that coveted letter from the school of their choice.

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The value proposition of mbaMission was readily apparent to me. I liked the structure of regular, accountable feedback intervals, clearly established expectations, and a focus uniquely tailored to my business school goals.

Right from our first 30-minute discussion, Liza wowed me with her engagement and excitement about my short and long term plans. It was not a sales pitch whatsoever, and she was clearly committed to my success. This level of dedication, and the sense that Liza truly cared not only about my success through the application but also about my longer term career goals was what made working with Liza such a joy.

I ended up signing up for the four school complete start to finish package. Liza was with me every step of the way. She coached me through late-submissions from my recommenders, a last minute change on which schools I applied to, and iteration upon iteration of my essays, resume, and short answer. There were late night emails, notes of encouragement during my HBS interview day ("it's supposed to feel challenging - it's HBS!"), countless phone calls and quick status updates. She was my closest confidant through the application process.

Her feedback was on point, and empathetic. I experienced such tremendous personal growth through Liza's coaching and support. This was not something that I expected out of the process, and speaks volumes to the depths Liza goes to in order to understand her clients. When we were not getting to the core of one of my essays, we spent an early Saturday morning working through the story and rehashing the outline at the eleventh hour before the submission. Above and beyond does not even begin to describe Liza.

The greatest part about working with Liza was I could be my authentic self. I submitted applications which were a very polished version of me, but a truly honest story of who I am and my leadership journey. Liza kept me grounded as well. Hours before I was due to hear back from HBS and Stanford GSB, she sent me an email saying "this cannot and will not define you." Of course, our tune was a bit different once I was accepted to both programs and Wharton a week later.

I can say with certainty I would not have delivered such an
exceptional admissions package with a flawless acceptance rate without Liza's feedback and support. She was a joy to work with, and worth every penny.

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After having worked hard for a few years, I knew that I wanted to put my best foot forward when applying to business school. Liza Weale at mbaMission helped me achieve this goal, and I wholeheartedly recommend her to other MBA applicants. You really won’t go wrong – with Liza’s top-notch feedback and unwavering support, you can be assured that you will have the confidence needed to produce a high quality application.

During my mbaMission free consulting session with Liza, I was struck by her enthusiasm for my accomplishments, as well as by her thoughtful comments on how I could further strengthen my profile. In a session with another company, the consultant tried to highlight how I was not a ‘rockstar’ and how it would have been more preferable if some of my experiences had been slightly different. I was appreciative of how Liza focused on what I had already achieved, and feel that her previous experiences in consulting and marketing helped her think creatively about how to shape my profile without sacrificing its integrity.

As I delved deeper into the lengthy, daunting application process, I was even more grateful to have Liza as my ‘constant’ – whether selecting schools, editing my resume, brainstorming for essays, briefing recommenders, or even deciding between schools after I was accepted. Despite a busy application season, Liza was always prompt in providing feedback and available to meet outside of my work hours. During the brainstorming process, she pushed me to come up with more examples by asking probing questions. In the process, Liza got a thorough understanding of my background and motivations, and I uncovered stories that I had initially overlooked as minor points!

Liza’s patience shined through during the essay writing process. She encouraged me to screen multiple ideas and even look at the same story from multiple angles before producing my outline and essay draft. Although I struggled initially, Liza’s encouragement and guidance helped me get out of my comfort zone and powerfully show (rather than tell) my story. Draft after draft (believe me, there were many), she provided candid, detailed feedback such that I was able to craft essays that not only highlighted my strengths, but that I was comfortable with.

Working with Liza over the last several months has been an extremely rewarding experience, beyond just the acceptances to top MBA programs. Liza enriched my overall self-reflection process and helped me build a strong sense of confidence that I will carry with me as I begin business school this year.

-Tuck & Sloan Admit

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I am writing this review to make sure others know that mbaMission's Start-to-Finish MBA application service was well worth the investment.

I purchased and enrolled in a two-school package through mbaMission and could not have been happier with the decision. I worked extensively with Hollis Kline and do not believe I would have been accepted to my #1 school without her guidance. Over the course of two months she helped me to completely restructure my resume and finalize (through 7-8 versions in between) six essays for my two applications. Reading some of the first drafts of the essays after acceptance to my first-choice program was comical. They each had come so far in their structure and content. Not only did she make sure every word count, Hollis was able to help craft a great story that led the adcom through all the personal events in my life that made me a great candidate.

I will offer a word of caution, just hiring a professional consultant will not guarantee acceptance to your dream school. The application process is very tough and no single consultant will be able to write the essays/resume for you. It takes a substantial amount of work on the applicant's part - both in brainstorming and developing a working relationship with the consultant. But if willing to give the effort necessary, I couldn't see why you wouldn't reach out to someone such as Hollis.

The biggest step in mbaMission's process is completing a 30 page document with basically outlines your entire life story and why you NEED to go to B-school. After completing this document, Hollis was able to pinpoint the best stories to present to the adcom. This is what I was most impressed with. We had never met in person, but it seemed as if we had known each other for years and knew exactly was most important in my life and what would work best in an application essay.

In closing, it is very simple - if you want to give yourself a leg up on the competition and the best shot in attending your dream school, reach out a speak to Hollis. You won't regret it.

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Liza’s input on my resume and essay outlines was pivotal. I received third-round offers from HBS and Kellogg last year. I am confident that I would have received the same outcome without her input. She helped me to construct my resume and essays to succinctly highlight attributes recruiters value and provide with well-supported, quantitative examples. She was extremely respectful of our limited time. I was amazed with the quality and breadth of feedback she consistently provided in a short period.

I first spoke with Liza during a free thirty-minute consultation. Rather than giving me a company pitch, Liza used every minute to provide feedback on my resume. I was quite happy with my resume before the session. I had read the MBA guidebooks and followed their direction, but she highlighted many ways my resume could be improved. The personalized suggestions were invaluable. Prior to the meeting, I had not expected to hire her. After seeing how valuable her feedback was, I figured I would be silly not to engage her for a few hours to review my essays. I had put so much work into my applications; it was a small price to pay if it could make the difference and save me from having to go through the whole process again a year later.

I really appreciated her honesty. She did not try to sugarcoat my chances of getting interviews or scare me into working with her. She provided valuable advice on how we could use our time most effectively, what was necessary, and what was not.

I had made the mistake of contacting her close to the application deadline. Although I am sure she was busy helping many clients, she was respectful of my schedule and limited time. She went above and beyond to reply to me when I needed.

I never spoke with other admissions consultants, so I cannot compare, but I am skeptical that many could offer more value than Liza. Just try the free consultation and see for yourself.

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When I first began looking at the application process I was overwhelmed by the amount of work in front of me. I planned to work on my business school applications without the aid of an admissions consultant, but I decided to sign up for a free 30-minute consultation with Liza and mbaMission. I came into the meeting hoping for guidance on some tricky questions I was facing and I was blown away by how prepared, informative and fun to talk to Liza was. I decided then and there that I had to work with Liza and I couldn't be happier with that decision!!

I worked with Liza on three applications and I’m thrilled to be heading to my first choice (Columbia) in the fall! Throughout the entire process Liza was invaluable and in my corner, whether we were completely overhauling my resume, tweaking the 10th draft of an essay or thinking about the best way to answer short answer questions. Liza would regularly send me thoughts or suggestions even when I didn't ask her and having an expert to bounce difficult questions off was an amazing resource. After only a few weeks I really felt like we were a team.

Liza also wasn't afraid to challenge my thinking and really push me to improve my applications. I wrote what I believed to be a very strong essay and Liza showed me that I could much more effectively represent myself if I went in a different direction. When it came time to approach my recommenders Liza was so helpful in organizing my communication with them and making sure I got their full support, which turned out to be essential in my applications. And then when interviews came around, I was so prepared based on my work with Liza that I was completely comfortable and confident in what turned out to be an hour and a half interview that sealed my admission. I never could have been so effective if Liza hadn't known exactly what questions to be ready for and helped me thoughtfully answer them in a way that was true to who I am.

If I had it to do all over again I would work with Liza in a heartbeat. I have already recommended her to my close friends and couldn't imagine going through this process without her. She delivered in a big way for me both in terms of getting me through the grueling application process and also the great results!

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My experience with Eric Hollowaty was nothing short of EXCELLENT! After a friend recommended working with MBAmission, I spoke with Eric and decided to start by paying hourly for general advice and brainstorming. I quickly realized the value he was able to offer and purchased the start to finish packages. To truly get the most value from your package, I highly encourage applicants to begin working with consultants as soon as possible and leave as much time for brainstorming and essay revising as you can.

During our brainstorming, Eric genuinely wanted to get to know me and was able to point out strengths and weaknesses about myself I had not considered. Eric spoke to me about things both on and off my resume and encouraged me to include an extracurricular hobby I had not previously planned to – he was right, all of my interviews wanted to talk about it.

Eric was able to take an outside, objective view and offer invaluable advice on how to meaningfully tie my experiences together, which truly brought my application to life. I had initially planned to use similar essays for all of my schools, but Eric was able to advise me on the intricacies of each school and how I could address them in my essays – particularly for HBS, his alma mater. Eric was very honest and pointed out which lines on my resume were not substantive and what parts of my essay were just fluff.

Eric was also instrumental in helping my recommenders – (non-typical business school recommenders) – who were struggling to differentiate between valuable insight and just re-listing my resume.

More personally, Eric is a really nice and positive person who genuinely wants to help his clients.

In summary, I got into all four top-5 schools to which I applied, and I could not have done it without Eric’s help!

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