Working with Susan turned out to be the best decision I made during the application process. Given that I am an Indian male with a 307 GRE score and a 2.72 undergraduate GPA, I knew getting into any of the top programs would be difficult. The other issue was that, despite having an interesting professional background (I’m an ex-racing driver who worked exclusively in motorsport), I struggled to translate my value add to an MBA classroom through my essays. After a thorough review of my background and by scheduling a detailed call to understand what motivated me, Susan was able to help me intrinsically work out how I would contribute to the classroom as well as help me figure out how best I could use my MBA to make the career pivot I desired.
Susan also excelled at helping me tell my story. By taking the time to understand my motivation behind pursuing an MBA, we zeroed in on particular elements from my background that helped me put forth a series of strong and compelling essays.
After failing during the 2021-22 cycle my attitude toward the process was extremely negative. Susan did an outstanding job of helping me stay focused on the bigger picture, which was the first step toward submitting the best application we could. Despite my poor metrics, Susan did not discourage me from applying to the schools I desired, and she was extremely patient as we reworked our school selection on multiple occasions. We primarily focused on schools that had a predilection for data analytics, an area of focus that is crucial for both my long-term and short-term goals, and in the end decided to apply to one M7 and two schools in Britain, one of which was Cambridge Judge the school I will be attending.
Coming to the process itself, I won’t lie, some of Susan’s essay feedback was infuriating. This was mainly because I felt she wanted me to elaborate on obvious elements to me but in retrospect may not have been to the admissions committee. She was, however, always available to explain her comments on my essays, and her logic and reasoning were sound. A good example is Susan’s guidance on resume development, which while arduous in process, delivers excellent results. This approach was calming to me because it demonstrated that I had someone on my side who was extremely methodical and considerate, as well as someone who paid attention to even the smallest details, which makes such a big difference when applying to multiple schools.
Susan’s interview preparation is the final aspect that must be remarked on. Following a series of grueling mock interviews, my actual interview with a professor from Judge felt like a breeze. Furthermore, because of the comprehensive nature of these sessions, we had already discussed the majority of the questions posed to me, leaving no room for surprises during the actual interview.
Regardless of your background or metrics, I strongly recommend working with Susan because, from personal experience, she can help your application punch above its weight.
R.S. MBA Candidate, Judge Business School
Review first appeared on Poets & Quants