Status: First-time applicant
Pre-MBA industry: Financial Analysis/Social Impact
Years of experience at time of matriculation: 5
GMAT/GRE score: 670 (V: 45 Q: 36)
Undergraduate GPA: 3.9, 3.6, 3.9/4.0 -attended 3 colleges
Career Gap: 3 months, 4 months
Admitted to: Foster, Kellogg (JD-MBA), McCombs, McDonough
Scholarship(s): $50,000
I cannot say enough good things about Square One Prep, and in particular, Amalia and Kathryn. Business school is a goal I’ve had for several years, but when it came time to execute, I found I was overwhelmed by the stakes, underwhelmed by my own accomplishments, and completely without focus.
From the very beginning, Kathryn and Amalia pushed me to celebrate my own unique story and to articulate my goals with confidence. When I put together a career narrative with all the “right” ingredients (logical/linear path, easily definable positions, etc.), both Kathryn and Amalia pushed back. They’d been listening so intently during our conversations, that they’d picked up on my real career goals — literally before I had! They encouraged me to create a plan that both made sense and truly resonated with who I was and wanted to be. We went back to the drawing board, and the resulting product was a set of goals that encapsulated all of my passion. I then got to carry this passion — my authentic story — into every essay and interview. This made my candidacy more compelling, but it was also personally empowering.
I received disappointing results early in the process, but Kathryn and Amalia were unphased. They were steadfast in their encouragement and confidence, and that determination made all the difference. They worked with me through a months-long waitlist process, while on vacation in Europe, and on Christmas Eve (and everyday in between!). They had a personal investment in every aspect of my application; I highly doubt other consulting firms can claim this. SOP went above and beyond.
While I only partnered with SOP for 3 schools, I credit them for my success across the board. My story is mine, but my ability to tell it with confidence and clarity…Kathryn and Amalia made that possible.
I’ll be attending Northwestern’s Kellogg School of Management in the fall (and Northwestern Pritzker School of Law – JD-MBA program). I’m thrilled! I wouldn’t have even applied to Kellogg if it weren’t for Kathryn and Amalia.