Status: First-time applicant
Pre-MBA industry: Private Equity
Years of experience at time of matriculation: 5
GMAT/GRE score: N/A
Undergraduate GPA: 3.75/4.00
Admitted to: Kellogg
I went into b-school applications with more knowledge on the process than the average applicant. My fiancé has recently applied to several schools, using an alternative consultant (larger firm than SOP). Based on her experience, I was hesitant to work with a consultant. I observed a cookie-cutter essay formation process, a lack of attention to detail, and over engineered writing help that made her essays seem artificial to her.
But, I also recognized the value of someone keeping my story, and timeline, on track. So when it came time to vet consulting firms, I dedicated real time and resources to finding the right fit and personalities that would work for me.
From the first discussion with Kathryn, I knew SOP was the right fit. Where other consulting firm discussions were highly formal and limited in time, our initial discussion lasted over an hour – with her probing on my background – increasing my confidence as an applicant while challenging my story. Kathryn and her team then allowed me to vet my day-to-day advisor, and I found a great fit in Gary. Gary was able to pull my story out of me, polish it, then put it on paper – perfectly tying back to my resume, extracurriculars, and goals. Each piece of my application felt synced, with reasoning behind each step I made. It was a highly productive and intrinsic experience.
I had a very positive experience in what is usually a stressful process. I actually looked forward to writing about my path, and with the mock interview provided by SOP and synced application package – I felt highly confident entering interviews. The SOP team will make the process something to look forward to and that positivity and confidence comes through in essays – the proof is in their results. I consider the SOP team friends and would refer them to anyone applying to b-school.