Status: First-time applicant
Pre-MBA industry: Aerospace/Engineering
Years of experience at time of matriculation: 5
GMAT/GRE score: 750 (V: 42 Q: 50)
Undergraduate GPA: 3.35/4.00
Admitted to: Columbia, Darden
Like others, I scheduled free consultation calls with many admissions consultants. However, after speaking with Kathryn, the decision to choose Square One became very easy. She spent hours with me on the phone understanding my goals and guiding me a full year before I even started the application process.
I felt very confident going into application season and once I started working with my day-to-day advisor Matteo, it was abundantly clear I had made the right choice in choosing Square One.
Coming from a technical background, my writing skills were very rusty but Matteo patiently brainstormed essay ideas with me over many phone calls. Once I sent drafts for him to review, he would send me his thoughts the very next day. This ensured that I kept a smooth pace. More importantly, Matteo helped me write about my experiences from perspectives that would appeal to the admissions committees. Once I received interview invites, Matteo held several mock interviews over the phone. He challenged me during these sessions which allowed me to formulate more purposeful and concise responses. By the time I interviewed with schools, I was confident and well prepared.
In addition to the day-to-day support, the rest of the SOP team played a crucial role in my success. Wendy helped me craft a solid career narrative that I used as a guidepost throughout my application timeline. Bailey and Jenny created a timeline for me that kept track of deadlines, recommenders, and more. I was never in a rush to complete applications and importantly – was stress-free.
Throughout the process, Kathryn was always available when I needed her. She helped me put together a great list of schools to apply to and provided insight into the unique characteristics of each school. Her reviews of my essays and resume ensured they were exactly what the ad coms were looking for.
Going into the application process, I was anxious and not very confident of my chances getting into a top school. I was a young applicant and didn’t have the strongest GPA. I can now happily say I will be matriculating at my dream M7 school because of Square One’s guidance!