Stratus Admissions Counseling Hourly
Go with Donna!!!
- Teacher: Donna Baumann
- Recommended for —Verbal: No Math: No
- GMAT Scores —Before: N/A After: N/A
I was accepted into Kellogg Round 3 and without Donna, it would not have happened. I chose the hourly package, as I was in a few MBA prep programs, but without Donna, I would not have been accepted. Donna truly cared about me as an individual and not just a number. She was very candid, but warm at the same time. Her adcom experience is invaluable and she will give you the insights you need to improve your application. I felt very prepared for the video essay and my interview because of my time with her. She was so positive and encouraging it really helped to calm my nerves. I am forever thankful I chose to work with Donna.
Meridith/Stratus were Amazing!
- Teacher: Meridith Dennes
- Recommended for —Verbal: No Math: No
- GMAT Scores —Before: N/A After: N/A
I had the chance to work with Meridith/Stratus on my application for business school. I chose the 3 class package however only applied to one school - Stern, mainly because I knew I was going to go to a part time program in NYC, but also wanted to get the experience of networking/camaraderie. For the essay writing process, Meridith/Stratus had a very detailed rubric that they ask the candidate to fill out which forced me to dig deep into my past and why business school was right for me now. Through the process, Meridith was available around my schedule to help me formulate some of those reasons. She was able to extract details that I forgot I had, which later proved to be a crucial part of my essay. Given that it was only 500 words, I needed to make sure that my framework was concise, yet detailed enough to give the adcom color around why I was a great candidate. Meridith was able to keep me on point and paint a picture of my background that gave Stern the most transparent clarity into "why me". This rubrik took around 3-4 weeks to complete as there were 5-6 iterations and sections. While it seemed onerous at the time, it gave me the chance to extract the necessary details that eventually made it into my essay. I couldnt recommend Meridith any more highly than I do. I don't think that I couldve written the essay in a manner that was fit for Stern that wouldve put my best foot forward. This is partially because of the amount of details that are important that I didnt realize were. For anyone looking to apply - working with Meridith will position you to standout from other applicants in ways you didn't know were possible.
Purchased Course: Aug 6, 2019
I had the best experience with Emily!
- Teacher: Emily Moskowitz
- Recommended for —Verbal: No Math: No
- GMAT Scores —Before: N/A After: N/A
I worked with Emily in help preparing for my applications. I had already taken the GMAT, but needed serious help in terms of crafting my goals and articulating my story. The admissions process is extremely long and tiresome and I highly recommend having someone like Emily in your corner. When I first came to Emily, I was not confident in my goals or even my candidacy as an MBA applicant. Emily not only encouraged me that I was qualified to be applying but she also encouraged me to reach higher and that I was initially setting the bar too low for myself. Through Emily's continual support and countless revisions of essays, I was able to get into 4/5 of the schools I applied to and am more than thrilled to be attending Booth next year! What is most amazing about this is that Booth was not initially on my list of schools, but the more Emily learned about the more she thought I would love it there. I am beyond grateful to them for her help and highly recommend her service to anyone!
Purchased Course: Oct 10, 2018
Major: Mathematics
Country: Spain
Enthusiastically Recommend Stratus & Lisa Cummings
- Teacher: Lisa Cummings
- Recommended for —Verbal: No Math: No
- GMAT Scores —Before: N/A After: N/A
I finally signed up for the two schools package and was paired up with Lisa Cummings as my primary advisor. I could not be happier! Lisa went the extra mile to understand my background and goals, and ensured I presented my best self through the application package.
Lisa?s expertise and outstanding commitment were key to successfully navigate through Stratus sound methodology that supports the entire process - from school / program search to decision - and to take full advantage of the excellent support materials, including timelines and templates for essays.
The pieces of Stratus methodology that I valued the most are the introspection and the strategy exercises. They helped me uncover my own personal key background themes / strengths / motivations and define the best personal strategy to differentiate myself and put together a coherent and strong application.
I found this work to be not only helpful for the application but also for my future job search. I was assigned a strategy advisor as well to work on that piece with me and Lisa. My strategy advisor was Susan Cera who in my opinion did an excellent job not only with the strategy definition but also boosting my confidence.
Lisa also went the extra mile diligently and untiringly keeping my application package aligned to strategy, improving my writing, proofreading my essays and resume, coordinating additional proofreading by other experts, keeping the schedule to meet the deadlines, turning around work faster than committed to give me extra time for my own reviews and last but not least, giving me peace of mind throughout the process since I felt I was working in the right direction together with the best support there is.
I enthusiastically recommend Lisa Cummings and Stratus. I believe Lisa Cummings great empathy, commitment and expertise, and Stratus customer focus and sound methodology were key to my success.
Purchased Course: Jun 1, 2017
Major: Finance
Country: Russia
Great decision to go with Stratus, Donna, and Susan
- Teacher: Donna Bauman; Susan Cera
- Recommended for —Verbal: No Math: No
- GMAT Scores —Before: N/A After: N/A
Before choosing this company I have done quite a selection process of different admission consultants - Stratus stood out among all due to their sharp focus on helping me as their client and their extensive expertise.
During the whole process I have never second guessed my decision to go with them as Susan Cera and Donna Bauman did absolutely amazing job and, eventually, helped to get me admitted to Columbia Business School. As I said the process was long and, at times, tiring - Susan and Donna did absolutely fantastic job in helping me stay focused and advised extensively on different options and moves I should consider. I am beyond grateful to them for their help and highly recommend their service to anyone!
Purchased Course: Jun 6, 2018
Country: United Kingdom
Highly Recommend Stratus Consulting for MBA Admission
- Teacher: Jennifer Jackson
- Recommended for —Verbal: No Math: No
- GMAT Scores —Before: N/A After: N/A
Purchased Course: Sep 11, 2018
Major: Psychology
Country: United States
Great experience
- Teacher: Jennifer Jackson
- Recommended for —Verbal: No Math: No
- GMAT Scores —Before: N/A After: N/A
Purchased Course: Aug 12, 2017
Major: Psychology
Country: United Kingdom
Well Matched Advisor helped land my Dream MBA Program
- Teacher: Erik Hom
- Recommended for —Verbal: No Math: No
- GMAT Scores —Before: N/A After: N/A
Off the bat Erik was very good at laying the landscape of MBA programs and helped me understand the pros and cons of the schools I was looking at and some that I wasn't. It was very reassuring to have an expert view especially as a foreigner applying to B-schools in the US.
Erik gave great feedback on my essays which was very valuable and although the process was tough and from time to time I received critical feedback and sometimes email response time could be quicker but in the end I think it helped me craft better essays and Erik had a clear understanding of how to put my story across.
Possibly the most valuable thing that Erik gave which should also be considered was peace of mind. Sometimes I would get particularly anxious over a multitude of things but Erik was always willing to get on the phone and he was always funny and reassuring and really helped brighten up a difficult process.
Finally, I couldn't be happier with the end result. I got into my #1 program which was at MIT Sloan and I believe is the perfect place to take the next step before pursuing a career in technology. Right now I'm preparing to move to Cambridge and I'm very excited about starting my first year at Sloan soon!!
To give a fair review I will cover some of the negatives. The help from Stratus comes at a very steep price and depending on your situation you need to consider if its worth it.
Also, Stratus offered originally a very rigid structure on how to approach the application process. To be specific there were many exercises focused on kind of "discovering your story" which in my opinion were an unnecessary use of time when time was already a hugely limiting factor. That is not to say I don't understand why they have this process and that it has been helpful to others because I'm sure it has. In the end I switched to a more ad-hoc way of working and this was far better for myself and this is something you need to consider if you'd like to work with Stratus.
The other factor I'd like to say is that I had another adviser before Erik but it was a bad match and we did not work well together. However, Erik was great and I am very happy that I got to work with him as he helped me achieve something which will affect my entire career -and for that I'd say its worth the price!
Purchased Course: Mar 25, 2019
Major: Finance
Country: Colombia
Empathy and Efficiency
- Teacher: Susan Cera
- Recommended for —Verbal: No Math: No
- GMAT Scores —Before: N/A After: N/A
Incredible working with Harold. Could not recommend more highly.
- Teacher: Harold Simansky
- Recommended for —Verbal: No Math: No
- GMAT Scores —Before: N/A After: N/A
I started working with Harold the June before Fall Round 1 deadlines. From the beginning he was great about taking the intimidating MBA application process and breaking it down into simple steps with an achievable timeline. Harold?s assistance in crafting my story and really honing in on my strengths and weaknesses and how they matched to my target schools set me up for success from the get go.
Harold?s impact on my application essays was extraordinary. Both in helping me with the big picture of the story I was trying to tell, and the final edits and tweaks to make the essay as specific to my target school as possible, his work was critical to my success.
Harold?s knowledge of top schools and what they are looking for in candidates in unparalleled, and this is most evident in his help with interview prep. I was invited to interview at three of the schools I applied to, and Harold was instrumental in my preparation, including offering mock interview practice.
Finally, I want to highlight the ease of working with Harold. He is always very prompt to respond to any question or request, and quick to review and provide feedback on essays. He takes great pride in his work, and truly gives person attention to all his clients.
I can confidently say that Harold?s services are worth every penny. I will be starting at my top choice MBA program this fall, and could not have done it without Harold.
Fantastic experience working with Harold! Highly recommend.
- Teacher: Harold Simansky
- Recommended for —Verbal: No Math: No
- GMAT Scores —Before: N/A After: N/A
From the start, I found Harold to be very insightful and his style to be very compatible with what I was looking for. I had taken the GMAT by the time we started working together, and was focused on the personal statement. I had a very clear idea of the part of my story that I wanted to tell in my application, but felt that my early attempts were not doing it justice. Harold helped me to pull everything together, not only for the essay itself, but also more broadly as I reflected on what my narrative had taught me. In the end, I was very proud of the personal statements I wrote, and felt confident they were genuine representations of me.
Throughout the process, Harold was extremely responsive. He had a very good balance of checking in when I had not reached out in a while, but understanding when I needed to work through things at my own pace. He was there whenever needed, from reviewing drafts to talking things out. Beyond the essays, he also provided me with advice on various other aspects of the application. The result was a successful set of Round 1 applications, with admissions to HBS and GSB, the two schools I applied to. I could not have asked for a better outcome, and I am thankful for Harold?s support throughout the process. I highly recommend working with him!
Purchased Course: Oct 17, 2017
Major: Economics
Country: United States
Working with Harold was the single best decision I made throughout my MBA application process.
- Teacher: Harold Simansky
- Recommended for —Verbal: No Math: No
- GMAT Scores —Before: N/A After: N/A
From the first call with him, I felt I had a team ?someone with deep industry knowledge and experience that would be rooting for me in every step of the process. And, as the months went by, his work surpassed my expectations in every possible way. Not only did he help me explore my background to craft my story, but he was able understand my motivations and goals, and help me connect all the points together with a level of clarity that I would have been able to achieve on my own.
I booked Stratus Admissions? 5-school deal because, after I spoke with him, I could not imagine doing any of my ?top choice? schools on my own. Harold and his team were so committed to my success, that they went above and beyond to help me with those schools as well as with reviewing my final essays for a few other schools. He always answered my emails in less than 24 hours and made me feel like every question was a valid one. Not only did he review versions of my outlines, drafts, and final essays, but he also gave me advice on how to handle school visits, he read over some of my ?thank you? emails, and was there to support me in absolutely any aspect I needed.
Additionally, Harold gave me valuable insights regarding common interview questions for all the schools where I interviewed, and made sure that I could conduct mock interviews with ?school-specific? experts from his team.
To be honest, I could keep going forever, but will just summarize it in three main points: (1) Harold was not just my admissions consultant, but he actually became sort of a best friend/therapist to help me deal with the stress of the process and push me forward. (2) He has an incredible amount of experience and knows all the top schools thoroughly, so he is able to give his clients the insights and actionable feedback that helps them craft their best story, and (3) he is so invested in your success, that he will be flexible in every way he can and will work with you to make sure you achieve the best outcome, not matter the circumstances.
Anyone out there trying to work with an admissions consultant, DEFINITELY speak with Harold!
Purchased Course: Oct 10, 2018
Major: Finance
Country: United States
I loved working with Harold!
- Teacher: Harold, Donna
- Recommended for —Verbal: No Math: No
- GMAT Scores —Before: N/A After: N/A
I also loved working with Stratus as a whole. Their process was incredibly helpful in thinking through my career trajectory and understanding what I was looking for in my MBA experience. Additionally, the depth of resources that Stratus had to offer was extremely helpful in getting my application right. Being able to receive extra reviews from school specialists and interview prep from alumni was amazing. Great to feel like you have a whole team behind you!
Purchased Course: Nov 13, 2018
Thank you Stratus
- Teacher: Donna Bauman
- Recommended for —Verbal: No Math: No
- GMAT Scores —Before: N/A After: N/A
Before writing about Stratus, I?ll say it?s important to know what you?re looking to get out of an MBA consultant. I began the process with Stratus with only 40 days until round 2 submission, so not only was I looking for guidance on school selection, application strategy, resume and essay review, and interview prep, I also needed a project manager of sorts to clearly lay out deadlines and allow me to use the little non-working time I had most efficiently. I had talked to several consultants and it was clear that Stratus had the full package. When I first talked to Donna I knew we would work well together (while the Stratus process is great, your relationship and ability to work with your individual consultant is the most important piece).
As far as value add goes, I can?t praise Stratus, Donna and Cartha enough. The introspective application strategy is something that contributed greatly to my essays and I would not have gotten there on my own. By connecting me with former clients and knowing where my strengths played best, Donna helped inform my school selection. My professional resume was turned upside down into a great MBA resume. The school specific essay review, interview guides and mock interviews were dead on. And apart from their own gain from my success, they were truly rooting for me throughout the process.
To speak to results, I applied to 4 top 10 programs, was admitted to 3, waitlisted at 1. Even if I started months earlier and had a wide network of recent MBAs, I?m not sure I would have produced the same quality of applications.
Purchased Course: Nov 9, 2018
MBA Consultant Review
- Teacher: Rachel Nelson, Donna Bauman
- Recommended for —Verbal: No Math: No
- GMAT Scores —Before: N/A After: N/A
Purchased Course: Aug 21, 2018
Major: Economics
Country: Canada
AWESOME experience working with Samantha Merton of Stratus Prep
- Teacher: Samantha Merton
- Recommended for —Verbal: No Math: No
- GMAT Scores —Before: N/A After: N/A
Regardless of how good you are at writing essays/ high GPA & GMAT/ etc. trust me a 5 hour counselling package from a top MBA counselling firm such as Stratus does not guarantee but can significantly increase your probability of admission. The amount you will spend vs. the ROI of getting into a top school is intangible. I must also thank my friend Tanwee for highly and I mean highly recommending Samantha Merton of Stratus Prep.
My MBA applications would not be anywhere near as strong without Samantha?s input. She really enabled me to dig deep and table my best personal/professional story. She also knew a great deal about what each specific school was looking for in a candidate. I can safely say that my 8 hours with her has made me better at expressing my ideas/thoughts concisely and has made me a stronger writer overall which will pay dividends beyond the MBA application process.
Think of the process as a gruelling boxing match that lasts 12 rounds. Having her always in my corner as a coach throughout this marathon was hands down one of the best decisions I have made. The speed at which she responded to my emails every time (even during holidays!) really made my life easier and allowed me to meet my target deadlines. I got interviews from all 3 schools I applied to ? INSEAD, LBS and IESE. The mock interview I did with her also prepared me comprehensively for the actual interviews at these schools. She helped me with content, pacing, tone, brevity, etc. With one last INSEAD interview to go, I am well prepared stepping in for Round 12. She is a true professional and it has been an absolute pleasure working with her. She went above and beyond my expectations. I do not think I can ever thank Samantha enough for all her help!
Purchased Course: Aug 15, 2018
Major: Mechanical Engineering
Great coaching experience that kept me on track and focused on the right story
- Teacher: Lisa Cummings
- Recommended for —Verbal: No Math: No
- GMAT Scores —Before: N/A After: N/A
Purchased Course: Jul 29, 2018
Terrific experience with Jennifer Jackson of Stratus
- Teacher: Jennifer Jackson
- Recommended for —Verbal: No Math: No
- GMAT Scores —Before: N/A After: N/A
First, I appreciated that Jennifer could adapt her approach to clients of all readiness levels. As mentioned, I came to Jennifer having already completed a fair amount of preparation. Instead of making me rewrite my thoughts in her templates or follow her usual process, Jennifer got to know me through the materials that I had already put together myself. Her adaptiveness saved me time and ensured that I got what I was seeking out of our sessions together.
Second, I enjoyed the advantages that came from Jennifer?s membership in the larger Stratus organization. As a few examples: Jennifer shared guidance from the most knowledgeable individuals in her network. She set up a Wharton practice group interview, led by another Stratus employee, alongside other applicants from Stratus?s clients. And I received encouraging emails from both Jennifer and Susan Cera, head of Stratus, as I went along. I believe that these advantages are distinct to organizations, as opposed to independent advisors.
Third and most important: Even as an applicant who had already done some preparation, I benefitted from Jennifer?s advice. As a sounding board for my ideas, Jennifer helped me to identify my most compelling stories, recognize areas where I could add depth, and cut color commentary. She also pointed out stylistic areas to improve in my interviewing style, and our practice boosted my confidence.
All in all, it was a pleasure working with Jennifer and Stratus. I would recommend them both to clients at any stage in the business school application process. (And I was ultimately accepted at two of the top five U.S. MBA programs first-round.)
Purchased Course: Jun 20, 2018
Major: English
Country: Canada
Best investment and truly cares about your success
- Teacher: Donna Bauman
- Recommended for —Verbal: No Math: No
- GMAT Scores —Before: N/A After: N/A
Amazing experience with Donna and the Stratus team. Super fast response time and always on top of things. I got into several dream schools with combined scholarships that made over 2000% return on my investment. Heading to a top 10 school. Good luck!!
Great experience working with Stratus!
- Teacher: Josh, Mariya
- Recommended for —Verbal: No Math: No
- GMAT Scores —Before: N/A After: N/A
Purchased Course: Jan 25, 2018
Major: Business
Country: United States
No MBA consultant can possibly be better than Susan
- Teacher: Susan Cera
- Recommended for —Verbal: No Math: No
- GMAT Scores —Before: N/A After: N/A
Thanks to Stratus, I have reflected on my unique career and life goals in such detail that I have gone from having a vague idea about what I want to do to knowing concrete plans that I am so excited to pursue. They also helped me figure out what my resume gaps were and find ways to address the gaps. The result has been me getting more involved with the community, creating one of the most rewarding experiences I have had in recent years.
Susan is brilliant. I don?t have a bad word to say about her. She is kind, but honest. If you want to give this process 110%, Susan is the one for you. She takes the phrase ?going above and beyond? to the next level. We chatted all the time and she was always available to help, whatever the question may be. She has been an incredible guiding light for me in this process and did her job perfectly. I couldn?t recommend her higher and am so grateful I found her.
Stratus, Susan, and Donna are awesome!
- Teacher: Susan Cera
- Recommended for —Verbal: No Math: No
- GMAT Scores —Before: N/A After: N/A
In addition, Susan helped me craft a vision of who I am and what I want to accomplish, not just for two years in business school, but in my professional career. She asked strategic questions to bring out my true self. We developed a strong relationship and she took so much time to get to know me beyond simply my business school aspirations. She was personally invested in my success. She is also super connected with MBA students and officers. She connected me to at least one student at every school I was applying to.
Susan is also very ethical. She supported my recommenders and helped me provide them with guidance rather than simply writing the recommendations for my recommenders to submit. In essays, she provided feedback and questions and left the final decision making to me so my authentic-self shined.
From my first conversation, I knew Susan was the perfect person to help me present my best self to MBA admissions committees. She is passionate, knowledgeable, well-connected and ethical. While I am excited to be done with the admissions process, I will miss working with Susan, Donna, and the Stratus team. Susan and Donna are the best!
Donna's advice leads to interview call
- Teacher: Donna Bauman
- Recommended for —Verbal: No Math: No
- GMAT Scores —Before: N/A After: N/A
Donna also helped me prepare for my interview with specific tips and interview pattern for this school. Immensely thankful for her help !
A pleasure working with Donna
- Teacher: Donna Bauman
- Recommended for —Verbal: No Math: No
- GMAT Scores —Before: N/A After: N/A
I worked with Donna on my school selection, essays and resume. Compared to many other consultants that I have met, she showed intimate knowledge of most schools (gained through school visits) and advised me on possibilities of cracking a given school keeping in mind my post-MBA career ambitions. On essays, she helped shape a compelling story in a manner, which only an experienced consultant could have done. But most of all, the killer-punch was the resume. She helped me completely reshape my ?career-resume? to an ?MBA-resume?, which I felt was an important piece of constructive feedback.
Overall I highly recommend Donna and it was a pleasure working with her.
Fantastic experience working with Melisa at Stratus
- Teacher: Melisa Prevost
- Recommended for —Verbal: No Math: No
- GMAT Scores —Before: N/A After: N/A
Cartha is amazing!
- Teacher: Cartha
- Recommended for —Verbal: No Math: No
- GMAT Scores —Before: N/A After: N/A
Cartha really went above and beyond while she was working with me. It felt like she was fully dedicated to me and my applications. Cartha has been doing Admissions consulting for 10+ years I believe and it shows because she is so fantastic at what she does. 100% of her clients got into at least one school this year so that says a lot about how she works. She was very responsive and I could always count on hearing back from her very quickly.
Something that I really liked about the experience was that every time I thought my essays were perfect there was another person from Stratus who would read it and give comments to help me improve my essays. I didn?t even know it was possible to do that many versions of a single essay but it paid off 10 fold because I got into my dream school!
In addition to being a huge help with my essays she also helped to work with my recommenders to keep them on track and helped me with the interviews. She gave me many of the questions that I could expect at each school and did a practice run with me.
Cartha also helped me to understand the differences in the programs and would point me to some programs that I may not have known about.
Overall, even had I not gotten into any schools I know that Cartha did everything that she could to put me in the best light. It was clear that she really cared about my applications and even has kept in touch after I already enrolled in a school. I highly recommend Cartha and would hands down work with her if I were going through the process again.
Purchased Course: Oct 10, 2017
Major: Economics
Country: United States
Excellent Application Support
- Teacher: Temitope Abereoje
- Recommended for —Verbal: No Math: No
- GMAT Scores —Before: N/A After: N/A
I found that her guidance through preparation of my materials and the subsequent formation of an application strategy gave crucial structure and nuance to developing my candidacy for grad school.
There were times where we disagreed on content to be included, and where I initially became frustrated by our differences in viewpoint and/or opinion. However, Temi did an excellent job of listening to my frustrations when we disagreed, and then presenting her case. More often than not, I agreed with her fully articulated viewpoint.
When all was over, we managed to complete 6 applications to top tier MBA programs, and I managed to get the result I wanted: a spot at an elite MBA program.
Thanks Temi, and thanks Stratus!
One of the Best Decision I have Ever Made
- Teacher: Donna
- Recommended for —Verbal: No Math: No
- GMAT Scores —Before: N/A After: N/A
During this journey, Donna was always super responsive, even during weekends and holiday seasons; the average turnaround time was around 12 hours. She managed to help me prepare seven high-quality applications within one month! She was also always thinking about what was best for me; I felt I was treated not as a client but as a friend and a family member. When things were not going as planned, she was there to encourage me and help me brainstorm new ways to improve my candidacy. When I was behind schedule, she was to push me so that we could move forward. When I was accepted by my dream school, she was there first to congratulate me. Nowadays when the application season is over, we still chat regularly to discuss my progress. I am extremely grateful for her dedication and commitment to my success.
I honestly think I could not achieve what I have achieved without the support from Donna and the entire Stratus team. I would recommend her to anybody I know who is interested in pursuing an MBA education!
Well Worth the Investment
- Teacher: Donna Bauman
- Recommended for —Verbal: No Math: No
- GMAT Scores —Before: N/A After: N/A
Since Donna and I had already been working together for a year through the Early Edge Package, we were in a great position to hit the ground running when essays and applications were released. Donna was very responsive, genuinely interested in my success and provided excellent, school-specific feedback. Her experience as a full-time MBA admissions officer prior to Stratus allowed Donna to provided expert advice on each application and guidance navigating the stressful application process.?
With Donna?s insight and the support of the entire Stratus team, I was admitted to my dream school and look forward to attending a Top 5 MBA program this year! If you are serious about attending an elite MBA program, starting with Stratus as early as possible will help achieve your goals!
Purchased Course: Feb 4, 2016
Major: Economics
Country: United States
Well Worth it
- Teacher: Susan Cera
- Recommended for —Verbal: No Math: No
- GMAT Scores —Before: N/A After: N/A
Fantastic experience working with Stratus!
- Teacher: Donna Bauman
- Recommended for —Verbal: No Math: No
- GMAT Scores —Before: N/A After: N/A
Donna and the Stratus team helped me overcome my low work experience to not only get admitted to 3 of the 4 schools I applied to but also receive scholarships to all of them.
Donna was easily accessible via email or phone and responded to my inquiries within a few hours. With her help, I was less stressed and was able to finish applications well before the deadline. Donna went above and beyond to help me not only with applications and school choices but also with interviews. She even took the time to meet me in person before an on-campus interview and coached me in person.
I had a fantastic experience with Donna and the rest of the Stratus team. They pushed me to dig deeper and present a story I was proud of. Donna was really invested in my applications and I am so grateful for her help. Overall, Stratus Prep exceeded my expectations and I would definitely recommend them, especially Donna to anyone who is applying for business school. I?m not sure I would have gotten in without her help.
Purchased Course: Dec 1, 2016
Very Responsive, Available, and Managed Expectations Well
- Teacher: Susan Cera
- Recommended for —Verbal: No Math: No
- GMAT Scores —Before: N/A After: N/A
- managing my expectations while being supportive
- helping with introspection and subsequently reviewing essays
- reaching goals both in terms of short term (application deadlines) and long term (school location preference, etc.)
Susan was very responsive to my emails and were happy to set up chats via phone or Skype whenever I needed it. Thanks Stratus!
Purchased Course: Jan 10, 2017
Major: Economics
Country: United States
Crucial to my success in getting into business school.
- Teacher: Susan Cera
- Recommended for —Verbal: No Math: No
- GMAT Scores —Before: N/A After: N/A
I had a wonderful experience working with Stratus.
- Teacher: Jennifer Jackson
- Recommended for —Verbal: No Math: No
- GMAT Scores —Before: N/A After: N/A
Jennifer worked with me to set a realistic timeline given the large number of schools I was planning to apply to and, while she was always flexible when work or life got in the way, was great about keeping me on track throughout the process. She was extremely responsive and knowledgeable about the programs I was applying to ? if I ever had a question about a program that she couldn?t answer, she would reach out to her peers at Stratus to help me get the needed information. I particularly recommend the comprehensive counseling package. Having the opportunity to receive structured feedback from multiple sources at Stratus, including my assigned senior strategist Susan Cera (who was also fantastic to work with!), a proofreader and a school-specific specialist for each program, ensured I was putting forth the best possible application.
Thanks to the help of Jennifer and the Stratus team, I was ultimately accepted to three top-10 programs and will be headed to my dream school this fall!
Purchased Course: Aug 8, 2017
A Needed Resource
- Teacher: Harold Simansky
- Recommended for —Verbal: No Math: No
- GMAT Scores —Before: N/A After: N/A
Highly Recommended!
- Teacher: Donna Bauman
- Recommended for —Verbal: No Math: No
- GMAT Scores —Before: N/A After: N/A
Purchased Course: Jun 2, 2017
Major: Hospitality Management
Country: United States
Stratus Admissions Counseling is Top Notch!
- Teacher: Susan, Jamie
- Recommended for —Verbal: No Math: No
- GMAT Scores —Before: N/A After: N/A
Purchased Course: Mar 16, 2018
Major: Agriculture
Country: United States
They will focus your motivation, efforts, and experience incredibly
- Teacher: Temitope Oluwayomi
- Recommended for —Verbal: No Math: No
- GMAT Scores —Before: N/A After: N/A
tl:dr Stratus was incredibly helpful. The introspection templates, essay feedback, and school guidance gave me insight into a process I was new to. Like anything, you get what you put in, and money isn't enough. But if you are really willing to work, Stratus will take that effort and focus it into a top application for your top schools. It worked here as I was recently admitted to the Stanford Graduate School of Business with an undergrad GPA below 3.0 and a GMAT score of 710.
More detail:
Stratus helped to frame my experiences in a way that not only helped me pick the best ones to share, but to craft my own goals/trends through them. Like most of you, I imagine, I am going to business school to make a specific move in my career. That move isn't coming from no where but has showed itself throughout my early career. That is easy to say but often very difficult to show in 250-750 word essays while also getting the tone, grammar, and writing style down. So firstly, Stratus was crucial in helping my instrospection process occur early and thoroughly.
Take that introspection and turning it into essays is difficult, however. Nonetheless, my Stratus advisor helped me do just that. We must have gone back and forth (I chose a package that had them help me with two schools, but ultimately I applied to 9) at least 10 times on each schools essays. She always provided helpful insight, guidance, and was not afraid to challenge my assumptions. Additionally, when the time was right, my Stratus POC gave my essays to others on her team to get additionally invaluable feedback.
For me, I tend to procrastinate and with work, personal life, and building a side business, I knew that if I didn't commit to an investment like Stratus, I would not be able to stick to a timeline to apply with high quality essays. I ultimately applied R2 (wanted/needed to get my GMAT score up) and Stratus stuck with me through the entire process. I highly recommend them to students who are ready to work, excited about business school (and other graduate schools, btw), and know they need a little fire to keep them going through the long haul.
Overal, I am happy with my decision regardless of what school I got into, but certainly ecstatic that I was afforded this opportunity to attend Stanford. My advice: if you are going to commit to this process, go all in. Commit. The worst feeling you will have from this process (worse than the long GMAT hours of studying) is realizing at the end of it that you could have done something more. Don't let that happen. Act now, organize, and make 2018 your year to do this! Good luck!
Purchased Course: Mar 31, 2017
Country: United States
Great Experience, Top Notch Employees, Personal Touch
- Teacher: Donna Bauman
- Recommended for —Verbal: No Math: No
- GMAT Scores —Before: N/A After: N/A
Application Fundamentals and Strategy/Comprehensive Package
- Teacher: Susan Cera, Harold Simansky
- Recommended for —Verbal: No Math: No
- GMAT Scores —Before: N/A After: N/A
A++ Service
- Teacher: Cartha
- Recommended for —Verbal: No Math: No
- GMAT Scores —Before: N/A After: N/A