Status: First-time applicant
Pre-MBA industry: Banking
Years of experience at time of matriculation: 8
GMAT/GRE score: 720 (V: 39 Q: 49)
Undergraduate GPA: 3.63/4.00
Admitted to: Columbia, Stanford, Wharton
Scholarship(s): $60,000
I started researching about admission consultancy firms in July and arranged consultation calls with a couple of companies. SOP stood out with Kathryn’s personalised approach. She patiently listened to my rationales for a MBA and provided honest feedback. Kathryn was unlike the other firms who conducted the calls robotically. This was also why I eventually chose SOP over other firms. The personal touch made all the differences.
I decided to work with Beth (my day-to-day consultant) quickly after our initial introduction call. During the call, Beth was very energetic and positive. She just seemed to me to be a very likeable person and I had a good feeling about the idea of working with her. Her professional background in impact investing was also proven to be very helpful in helping me craft my MBA application given our similar interests in the field.
I applied to schools in both R1 and R2. Over those 8 plus months, Beth remained professional yet was always supportive. Not only did she provide me with many great ideas for my essays, more importantly, she was a great listener and supporter who could always give me the confidence I much needed as I navigated my application processes. She was easy to talk to and always challenged me to reflect on my stories and motivations such that we could craft a thoughtful application.
Guidance and comments from Kathryn and the Leadership team were also instrumental as they have read hundreds of applications and could always provide insightful guidance on how I could approach my applications. Also, as English is not my native language, Beth and SOP’s help in polishing my essays was extremely helpful.
Many thanks to Kathryn, Beth and the SOP team for making my MBA journey possible. When I first started my application, I didn’t know what to expect. SOP helped me to tackle my application strategically in an organised, efficient and well-informed manner. I was able to navigate the journey with full confidence and focus my energy in crafting the application.
I was concerned about the costs of hiring an admission consultant at first but eventually decided that the money would be worth it if I could gain that peace of mind for my application. And I eventually got a meaningful fellowship that is way more than sufficient to cover the consultancy fees I paid!