Working with Donna Bauman was an excellent decision and helped me get into my dream school, Kellogg! From our initial consultation I knew she was going to give me the push I needed to get my application ready. I came to her less than 1 month before my application was due and she kept me on track, motivated, and calm through a normally very stressful process! She provided amazing advice on crafting my resume and essays – really challenging me to dig deep. Her experience as a Kellogg alum allowed her to provide spot-on information about the program and what they seek in applicants. She was extremely quick, providing feedback within hours, even on weekends. I can honestly say I would not have been successful without Donna’s help. Although the packages may seem a little expensive, I cannot speak highly enough of her and the support she provided during my MBA application process. 10/10 recommend!

I had a great time working with my consultant, Temi. She took the time to understand who I am based on my background and experiences both personal and professional before diving into essays and interview prep which I think was a fabulous approach. This rapport and the Stratus strategy/process helped me to build winning essays that landed me acceptance to my top choice in MBA program. I had a very busy schedule and very short turnaround time while applying for business school and Temi showed me so much patience, determination and attention to detail. I wanted to do better for myself but also as a result of her motivation. She put me in touch with many people from her Stratus team, including Susan Cera and Melisa Prevost, and past MBA candidates who gave tangible advice for my essays and interviews. I was 100% satisfied after every cent was spent on this package with no regrets. I would highly recommend working with Stratus and definitely with Temi!

I had reached out to Susan for a free consultation regarding my MBA application in April 2020. I wanted to aim for 3-4 school applications for the extended round 3 applications for a Fall of 2020 entry time frame, however, after some unexpected changes in my professional life, I expanded the number of applications to 9 schools with a determination to matriculate in 2020. I had only ~2 months to turnaround all these applications so I needed someone with great experience, empathy, and focus.  Within just 3 hours of working with Susan, I had a solid MBA goal and introspection strategy with a revised resume and the 1st draft of one essay done. Her introspection strategy extracted valuable insights from even the most minuscule experiences/interactions with colleagues and friends and was the basis of many of my essays. Susan also knew where my application weak points were and effectively helped me use the optional essay to address those points. Susan was prompt and EXTREMELY thorough in her feedback which comes from her experience in sitting on the admissions panel of a top business school. She greatly improved my technical writing while challenging me to go deeper into individual school offerings and how they would aid my career development. In the end, I ended up taking 15 hours of hourly consulting and I can confidently say, each and every hour was well worth the investment.  In addition to essays, Susan also reviewed my recommendation strategy and gave great feedback to my recommenders on how to be more specific to highlight my profile. I felt confident going into the interview, but Susan elevated my interview structure and responses to the next level.  In the end, with applications to 4 T-10 schools, 3 -T15 schools, and 2-T-20 schools, I am glad to say I got acceptances Fuqua, Tepper, Anderson, and Marshall and I will be matriculating at Fuqua (with merit scholarship) this fall!

At the beginning of my MBA journey I reached out to 3-5 consultants for the free consultations. My GMAT/GPA are slightly lower than the averages at the programs that I was targeting so finding someone that understood my story was crucial for me. Within the first 5 minutes of talking to Susan I knew she was the person I wanted to use. She took the time to understand my background and asked thoughtful questions to learn more – this was vastly different than my experience with other consultants who were just trying to put me into a pre-defined framework to craft my story. Susan felt more like a mentor who genuinely wanted me to succeed rather than a consultant who was focused on getting my business.  I ended up purchasing the one school package and using the ad-hoc/hourly service for essays on the other programs that I was applying to.   We first started on the “introspection” exercise which ends up serving as the basis to answer the most common questions: Why MBA, Why Now and Post-MBA Goals. Based on this information Susan helped me craft a strategy specific to each program that I was applying to. This not only helped with my essays but also with my informational chats with students and alumni. I come from a non-business background (engineering) and I felt very polished during my phone calls with students.  In addition to the introspection exercise, Susan helped me rework my resume, gave me multiple rounds of feedback on my essays, and helped me prepare for my interview. I even got positive feedback from the admissions committee regarding my interview and overall application. I was waitlisted at my top choice due to my GMAT score, but Susan helped me with my updates to the admissions committee (about 5-6 in total).  I used Susan for help on my essays on an hourly basis for two other programs. She was incredibly generous and upfront about what can be accomplished in the hours I purchased. We managed to do 2-3 drafts of my essays for each program within the 2 hours that I purchased.  I could not be happier with my experience with Susan, I would highly recommend her to anyone looking at applying to MBA programs in the future. I am headed to a Top 15 program this fall with a sub 3.2 GPA and sub 700 GMAT.

Like many people applying for an MBA, I was concerned that there was nothing special about my profile and I wouldn’t be able to stand out to the universities. Thanks to Susan and the Stratus team, I not only received multiple acceptances from top 20 schools, but scholarships as well. It was more than I could have ever hoped for, especially as a Round 3+ candidate.   Susan changed my entire perspective on the MBA process. From her I learned that the events in my life weren’t as important the lessons I had gleaned from them. I started to look at even supposedly insignificant events in a different light. This coupled with Susan’s insightful questions helped me create a strong narrative around my drivers for pursuing an MBA and my post-MBA goals.   Susan’s grasp of my personality combined with her deep knowledge of the different MBA programs made her an excellent advisor at every stage. Her feedback was instrumental in ensuring my essays communicated my qualities and plans effectively. She iterated on the drafts with me until I felt good about what I turned in. If I was having trouble finding any information on universities, she was able to suggest programs or activities I might have missed in my research.   I really appreciated Susan's thoroughness and promptness during the review process. I had been talking to her on and off for sometime, but when I decided to apply, I only had one month to turn around 5 applications. Susan gave me the confidence to meet those deadlines and hustled with me through the entire process.  She did a mock session with me before each interview and gave me feedback to better articulate my responses and boost my confidence. Once I received offers, she was quick to jump on a call and help me weigh the pros and cons. Having been on the admissions side herself, she was also able to help me communicate with the different schools during this time.   I’m now thrilled to be attending Berkeley-Haas.  I couldn’t have asked for a better counselor than Susan. She is kind and empathetic but not afraid to give you the tough love you need to reach your potential. She went above and beyond and was truly with me till the end, cheering me on. I’m so grateful and I couldn't have done it without her. I highly recommend her and the Stratus team!

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.

I came into the MBA process looking to make a career change. I applied during R2. The story I wanted to convey was kind of nebulous and I had a hard time definitively describing why exactly I was making the career change and was pursuing an MBA. Jennifer quickly helped me construct and clear and compelling narrative. The team at Stratus really was thorough with helping edit my essays and they all came out remarkably polished. I could not recommend Jennifer enough as with her help on a 2 school package, I got into both schools with scholarships! I don’t think I would have gotten the scholarship without their guidance throughout the application process – from the interview prep to the essay corrections, to the overall brainstorming sessions to construct the application narrative. My sister who went through the MBA application process with the Stacy Blackman firm and remarked that Stratus was much more accessible, responsive, and had more resources than what she got. Overall I could not be more thrilled with my choice of Jennifer and Stratus, and with the scholarship, it was an investment that paid huge dividends!

When I decided last minute to apply for schools this year, I talked to a number of consultants before finding Susan. After the initial consult, I knew that Susan would go the extra mile to really listen to my story and find ways to bring out the best aspects of it.  As part of a multi-school package, we worked together to outline important milestones and distill my motivations down to their key elements. Her guidance was crucial to putting together a compelling narrative and bridging the gap between the career I was coming from and my plans for the future. Her insight was thoughtful, articulate, and measured; she'll tell it like it is.  When it came time to put the application together, Susan and the Stratus team were prompt to deliver feedback on resumes, essay drafts, and overall strategy. She will work with you endlessly until you have something you'd be proud to submit. Every base was covered, from developing realistic post-MBA goals to advice in approaching your recommenders to live interview prep. The result - In addition to Yale and Kellogg, I was admitted to Booth, my dream school, with scholarship! Though it's easy to speculate on the outcome without a consultant, I'm confident that Susan and Stratus were the difference maker when it came to the scholarship.  In Susan you will find a warm and generous counselor, a trusted voice throughout the process, and a champion in your corner who will help you put forth the best application possible. She is highly recommended!

I worked with Melisa Prevost from Stratus consulting on essays for seven different MBA programs and I can say without a doubt I would not have gotten through the process without her. Melisa was incredibly thoughtful when reviewing my essays and provided such great insight into exactly what should be highlighted for each program. She helped me balance telling my own story and weaving in elements specific to each school. She was a fantastic partner and always available to hop on the phone if I had any questions or needed to chat through an idea. When it came time for interviews she helped me to identify the stories in my essays that I could use for behavioral questions as well as brainstormed new ways to highlight my strengths through the interview. I will definitely be recommending Melisa and Stratus to any of my friends or colleagues that go through this process in the future!

After taking the GMAT at the beginning of September, I decided to move up my MBA time-frame a year and apply R2 for Class of 2022. Surfing through various sites, I scheduled a couple of free consults. The first was with the associate of a popular admissions consultant. I am happy with direct feedback and tough love, but referring to their clients as 'kids' turned me off massively and soured the idea of an admissions consultant altogether. However, I had already lined up my consult call with Susan and figured it was in my interest to speak with her. Oh my god. What a difference. Susan and I clicked on SO many different things and we flew way over the scheduled 30 minutes. The moment that call ended I knew if I were to use a consultant, it would be Susan. I ended up going with the 4-school package to diversify my options, but targeted Fuqua from the get-go (another plus for Susan given her wealth of experience in admissions there.)  My undergraduate was in a foreign language, and I've worked in sales (not very strategy / corporate business-savvy role or group of people) in Asia. Zero healthcare experience, despite that being my target industry post-grad. Susan had me lay out all of my stories from birth to present, highlighting overarching stories to keep in mind throughout the entire process. While Susan was my main point of contact, Jennifer Jackson (another Stratus consultant - fantastic too btw) also popped in to give an unbiased opinion. Ultimately we nailed stories down to clearly show why a move into healthcare is logical for me.  Alongside the above, we made a robust resume, pulling on my work-stories, tweaking to highlight any sort of leadership (formal or informal).   Tackling essays was very structured. I connected with students (often times Susan connecting me with previous clients at my target schools) to get info on each school. Using those notes and my own research, I created templates for each essay. Templates got a couple of edits from Susan, and a final look-over from Jennifer. The actual essay drafts were then super easy to write. Having the foundation of the outline, it was easy to knock out the writing. Susan was super fast with her edits, all of which I accepted without hesitation as she knew (and knows) my voice. Any questions I had on edits we talked it out quickly and efficiently. All essays were read over a school-specific advisor, who often gave very helpful insight that I used to tweak each essay. Finally, essays got proofed by a formal third party and were ready to submit.  With the bulk of the application done, Susan looked over my final applications and caught any stupid mistakes I may have made.   The comprehensive process for multiple schools helped me also tackle other schools confidently. Interviews began rolling in. Susan provided me a list of practice questions, compiled by all of the Stratus consultants. She took the time to do mock interviews with me, giving really helpful feedback (especially given I had to do Skype interviews from Asia.)   End result? I got into Fuqua, my dream school, with a merit-based scholarship coming in at just under half tuition. Thinking things through objectively at the moment, but everything is looking to come up Duke in the end. Without Susan, Jennifer, and the rest of the Stratus team behind the scenes, I would not have achieved this result.  Anyone looking to use an MBA consultant, I highly recommend the Stratus team, and especially Susan. 

I met Emily at an MBA event and had a 30 minute consultation with her. I then worked with Emily over the course of several months leading up to round 1 of the admissions process. Having completed the GMAT, I worked with Emily solely on crafting my resume and essays. Emily was extremely responsive and gave very detailed feedback on each round of essays I shared with her. She was knowledgeable about what AdCom was looking for and helped me refine my messaging. I would recommend working with Emily!

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.

When Donna and I started working together, I expected this to be a typical consultant-client relationship where I am provided with guidance and feedback on my applications. What I didn't expect was for me to learn so much about myself and gain significant clarity through our conversations.  Overall experience: It was evident to me that Donna has a breadth of knowledge on MBA schools and programs, and that she is committed to keeping herself up-to-date with school-specific information. I particularly appreciated her nuanced inputs and notes on outlines and essays, and the support I received at least very stage of the process, including brainstorming, mock video essay and interview sessions.   Donna not only encouraged and helped me reflect deeply and think critically about my strengths and goals, but also displayed genuine excitement about my journey so far. She would remember details that I had casually mentioned in our early brainstorming conversations, and help me connect the dots to bring out aspects of my story that even I had not thought to emphasize. She actively listened to what I had to say, made sure my voice wasn’t lost when she provided feedback and was truly committed to highlighting my unique story. Her attention to detail, positivity, honest feedback and authenticity made an overwhelming and daunting experience significantly easier (and even fun) to navigate!  Approach:  Stratus has truly nailed the MBA application process. Their introspective and methodical approach, that Donna facilitates perfectly, helps you create well thought-out and articulated applications that display your best self.   Communication:  I started working with Donna about a month before my first deadline, which meant I was on a fast track to ensure I complete all the stages and applications in time. Even with a time crunch, Donna did not leave any stone unturned. She was incredibly prompt, responsive and available whenever I needed her. I’m based in India and was unsure of how our communication would be because of time difference, but Donna always responded within 24 hours, worked around my schedule and accommodated urgent requests when needed.   I cannot recommend Donna and her team enough. In her, you will get an extremely knowledgeable consultant, an honest advisor, and a personal cheerleader. Under her guidance, I was accepted into Yale SOM, Haas & Fuqua (with Forté Fellowships and scholarships). If I had to do the MBA application process all over again, I would choose to work with Donna again in a heartbeat.

Donna was exactly what I needed during the grueling application process. She really challenged me to dive deep into introspection while taking me through the right exercises and questions that helped me create my MBA story. Not only was this incredibly helpful for crafting strong applications, but it’s also helped me hone in on areas I actually want to pursue in my career post-MBA. I had a general idea when I met Donna, but her guidance helped me gain clarity on my story and the path I want to take.

Background: Donna is a former MBA admissions officer at UNC Keenan-Flagler and MBA grad of Kellogg. Those two pieces of experience combined helps her give an invaluable insight into the MBA experience and a unique perspective to the application process. 

My experience: Donna and I began working together in mid summer 2019 and I was able to apply for R1. I was in the middle of a fall public accounting busy season, so the application process was a grind. Maybe one of the most helpful things Donna did for me was being flexible with my available time and promptly responding to questions and drafts that I sent her. She created a system of deadlines for me that took the structural aspect out of the equation so that I could focus on content, a HUGE plus. 

Coaching: Donna continuously kept me on track, both schedule wise and mentally/emotionally. The application process can be very draining. Having a coach there to lift you up when you feel down while also being stern enough to challenge you when you need it is crucial.  Results: I got into Foster (UW) and Anderson (UCLA). When taking into account acceptance and scholarships, there’s no question the investment with Donna and Stratus was worth it. More than anything, Donna helped me represent my best self in the applications, which is all you can ask.

I felt extremely lost and overwhelmed when I first started the MBA application process. Although I had 6 months before Round 1 applications were due, I did not have my story down on what my career goals are and why I need an MBA nor did I know which programs were right for me, and I thought I did not have enough time to be able to submit strong applications by the Round 1 deadlines. I was hesitant at first to work with a consultant on my applications due to the cost, so I decided to try the MBA Application Fundamentals and Strategy package first. From day 1, Susan was there for me every step of the way and went above and beyond to provide me the guidance I needed throughout the process. She would give her honest opinion when she felt like I needed it most and she would give great advice whenever I asked yet she would also be hands off enough where I still had autonomy over my work pace and the story I wanted to tell. She broke down the process into smaller steps so it felt more manageable and seamless. She really took the time to get to know me as a person in order to understand what kind of application I wanted to put forward and which areas I would need to work on more. During the introspection process, she really challenged me to think deeper about the experiences I felt has shaped me into who I am. She took my past experiences and my initial thoughts on what my dream jobs could be, and was able to combine them and help me figure out my tangible post-MBA career goals while still staying true to who I am. During this process, she helped me craft my narrative on what key experiences have led me to where I am today, what my future career goals are and why I need an MBA, which programs are right for me, and who could potentially write my letters of recommendation. After this process, I had a clearer sense of how I want to present myself in my applications. I decided to stay with Susan and upgrade to the comprehensive package. Susan was extremely helpful in guiding me through the school research process, editing my resume to really highlight my accomplishments, outlining and writing my essays, and packaging my entire application in ways I probably couldn’t have done on my own. She also gave me advice on how to interact with admissions committee members, alumni, and current students of the schools I was applying to, and really helped me prepare for my interviews. Her guidance continues even beyond when you submit your last application or when you finish your last interview. She was always very responsive and flexible with my schedule throughout the entire process. She wouldn’t hesitant to hop on the phone whenever I needed help with navigating the waitlist, scholarship negotiation tactics, or weighing my options between different schools. Susan really goes the extra mile when you work with her. She was always open to connecting me with people she knew from the programs I was applying to in order for me to speak with them to learn more about those programs. I was able to get accepted into my top choice program (Kellogg) as well as my second choice (Ross) as a Forte Fellow. And I strongly believe that I really couldn’t have gotten this kind of outcome without Susan’s help. Susan is amazing and I can’t recommend her enough!!

I first met with Jennifer Jackson from the Stratus team at a prospective MBA conference in Washington DC about 6 weeks out from my first application deadline (round 1), and I'm so glad that I did. I stopped by the Stratus table and told her about my specific questions/concerns (particularly about being a nontraditional applicant and working for a small/lesser known company), and she answered my questions specifically and tactically in a way that instilled confidence in a potential professional relationship between us. Over the next several months, Jennifer and I worked together on an hourly basis (I think totaling between 5-10 hours in total, though I'm not exactly sure), which worked out phenomenally well because the two of us had identified specific areas so that I could use my allotted time wisely. I could go on about how helpful Jennifer was, but I think the most helpful areas/exercises related to crafting my story for business school in a compelling and succinct way. I had about a million ideas of how I could speak to my interests and experience, and she provided honest, constructive, digestible, and actionable feedback about which ideas were strong, and which I should cast aside. That front end diligence helped me to build a strong foundation from which the rest of my application materials launched, and I ended up getting into 4 of the 5 schools I applied to (all but Harvard, which was a longshot from the get-go. Additionally, well after my hours had "run out", I reached out to Jennifer to see if she was available to and interested in talking through my decision with me, and without hesitation she offered to get on the phone with me to talk things through. If you're dead set on business school and telling your story is one of your biggest concerns, would definitely recommend calling up Jennifer and the Stratus team. Couldn't be happier with the results!

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!

Before deciding to go with Donna, I spoke with 10 different admissions consultants. Through these conversations I realized that I needed to work with someone who really believed in my story and who could help me overcome some of the weaker parts of my application. After my initial chat with Donna, I could tell that she really cared about all her clients and I could trust her to guide me through my application process. Here are some of my takeaways from working with Donna:

Experience: Donna was able to leverage her admissions knowledge (from her time working as an MBA admissions officer) as she gave me feedback and comments on my essay. It helped me understand who my audience was and what their expectations are for perspective students. Additionally, I knew I could turn to Donna for any questions/ issues/ concerns I had throughout the process because I knew she has seen it all.

Professional: Donna was quick to respond to my emails, set regular deadlines, and went through my essays and applications with a high attention to detail. This professionalism helped establish trust right off the bat.

Coach/mentor: Donna was able to successfully guide me through the application process and understand what I was going through mentally during the application process because she once sat in my seat as a former MBA applicant. Her tips and advice were key to a successful application

My biggest Supporter: The application process can be an emotionally draining task and Donna was always there to cheer me up and give me the support I needed to get through it.

Results: Donna helped me put together an amazing application and it helped me get into Kellogg and Haas. I am very grateful for all her help and I would highly recommend her to anyone!