Testimonial Detail

Client from: United States
Status: First-time applicant
Pre-MBA industry: Technology Consulting
Years of experience at time of matriculation: 4
GMAT/GRE score: 765 (V:90 Q:90 DI:84)
Undergraduate GPA: 3.89/4.00
Admitted to: Columbia, Goizueta, Kellogg
Scholarship(s): $394,000
Service Type: Premium

WRITTEN RUGHT AFTER SECURING OFFERS:


From the bottom of my heart, thank you all so much! I started this journey two and a half years ago, and another admissions coach that I talked to told me I’d never get an M7 in my life. That’s when I talked to Kathryn, and she talked to me for almost 2 hours, and since then all of you believed in me, coached me, and mentored me. And Lara – thank you for putting up with all of my questions, my impatience, my random revamp drafts in the middle of the night!! At some points I thought I could never end up at this point now, and you told me to believe in myself, and coached me through every step to get the job done, and now we got here!! Your guidance, mentorship, and tough love were all instrumental to get this.

Now I need to figure out what to do – which is a much more fun conversation to have 🙂

Sincerely, my heartfelt thank you to each and every one of you! And Lara, thank you for being an amazing coach, mentor, and when times got tough, a friend I could talk to. I spent years and years thinking I didn’t have what it takes to get into an M7 or Ivy League or prestigious spot, and now it’s in my hand!

WRITTEN AFTER SOME REFLECTION:

I had an outstanding experience working with Square One Prep, and I cannot recommend them highly enough. Early in my MBA journey, I was told by multiple people that an M7 school would likely be out of reach given my background. Through Square One Prep’s guidance, that narrative was completely rewritten. I finished the process with two M7 admissions and over $300K in merit-based scholarships, which made pursuing an MBA financially realistic and deeply meaningful.

What truly set Square One Prep apart was the depth of care and time they invested in understanding me as a person before ever working on applications. My introductory call with Kathryn lasted over two hours and focused entirely on who I am, how I think, and what motivates me. Similarly, Lara spent nearly four hours with me at the beginning of our engagement to deeply understand my background, experiences, values, and long-term goals. That upfront investment made the entire process smoother and more effective – we developed a shared understanding early, which allowed our later work to be highly efficient, thoughtful, and aligned.

The career narrative work with Horatiu in the lead was a true team effort and was simply excellent. Square One Prep helped me craft a clear, authentic story that balanced my highly quantitative background with leadership, emotional intelligence, and long-term purpose. This narrative became the foundation not only for my applications, but also for my networking conversations and broader career thinking. The team pushed me to start early, hold a high bar, and leave ample time for reflection, iteration, and polish.

Throughout the process, the experience felt like a genuine partnership rather than a transactional service. Any time I wanted to talk through strategy, pressure-test ideas, or iterate on drafts, the team was available. There were countless conversations, multiple rounds of revisions, and a consistent sense that they were fully invested in my success. Just as importantly, I will never forget the positive, respectful, and empowering way I was treated from start to finish. 

Square One Prep played a pivotal role in one of the most important decisions of my life. I am deeply grateful for the experience, the results, and the people behind it, and I would recommend them without hesitation to anyone serious about pursuing a top MBA program. 

Lara told me that by the end of this process, it’s not about the admissions, it’s about developing yourself and producing an application and realizing you have a story you should be proud of. I’m absolutely proud of my story, and proud of what I put forth to these schools, and I feel I’m walking out both professionally and personally a stronger person than before.