Testimonials: Had Weakness Achieved Dreams
Everyone’s got a weakness, or two, or …. A handful. We’ll be lovingly honest with you about yours, but we’ll never stop believing in your greatness, so you can discover your unique strengths and shine in applications while being authentic and true to yourself.
Best. Decision. Ever.
About three years ago, I was on this exact page reading these reviews. Although it was blatantly obvious that Angela was amazing from all the reviews, I also noticed that many of these reviewers had very strong profiles and ended up at schools that I could only dream of attending. My background was by no means a clear stand out for a top business school: sub 3.0 GPA, average GMAT, non-traditional work experience, etc. I pretty much felt that I had little to no chance with my profile regardless if I used an MBA consultant or not. I always wanted to go to business school but where I was in my career, it only made sense to go if it was top ranked school, which seems to be the case for a number of people nowadays. Nonetheless, I decided the worst that could happen was receiving politely crafted rejection emails on random mornings and the slightly funny thought that a whole bunch of Adcom people would never be able to get back the time that they wasted going through my application. So, I scheduled the free 30-minute consultation with Angela.
Best. Decision. Ever.
Within 5 minutes into the consultation, Angela cut me off and bluntly condemned my negative mindset. In the next 25 minutes, Angela completely reshaped my story, highlighted unique aspects that I completely glossed over, edited my resume, gave me a list of schools that I would be a good fit for, and created a detailed roadmap for me. I remember sitting on the couch thinking “Did this lady just hand me a brand new and somewhat reasonable 5-year plan? Okay then, I guess I’m going to business school!” By the end of the consultation, I also concluded that: 1. People who write reviews on Gmatclub actually tell the truth (I’ve been skeptical). 2 Angela was exactly who I needed to work with.
Fast-forward to present: Now I get to finally write one of these testimonials as a reviewer who be attending one of those dream schools, with a sizable scholarship too! I cannot express my gratitude for everything Angela has done for me and as many others have already said – I definitely could not have achieved this without Angela.
I don’t want to get into too much detail because I really hate and suck at writing, but there are just a couple of things that I wanted to share.
My journey to business school was quite rough. It ranged over two and half years and I would be completely lying if I told you the journey wasn’t the most exhausting, draining, and sometimes discouraging experience that I have ever gone through. I took the GMAT five times, wrote over a hundred essay drafts, enrolled in numerous supplemental classes, and got laid off from a job somewhere in-between.
Angela was literally the only person that gave me the type of confidence that I needed to keep pushing forward. Just knowing that she had my back every step of the way motivated me so much. She made it clear that she wouldn’t let me submit an application that wasn’t my best work and she also made sure that she put in her best work for me as well. I can't even count how many emails, calls, and Skype sessions we’ve had, each of which Angela gave her full attention, humor and all.
Yes, Angela is a master at story crafting. Yes, Angela knows exactly what each school wants. Yes, Angela keeps it real. Yes, Angela connects with people. Yes, Angela… [insert skill]. But as I am writing this, I realized that the two most valuable things that Angela did for me wasn’t what I would have thought in the beginning. The first – Angela asked all the tough questions that nobody asked me, many of which were extremely personal. The second – She truly and genuinely valued my passions and always reminded me to never waver from them. Both of these things not only shaped my application obviously, but it also allowed me to think deeply and meticulously and to be honest with myself. I was able to dial in on what was important, move on from disappointments, and perceive challenges as opportunities. While I embark on my next journey, Angela will be right there with me as I continue to put all of those lessons I learned from her into practice.
Angela is so much more than an MBA consultant. She is a mentor, motivator, life coach, career coach, friend, and just an overall marvelous wonderful person. Never in a million years would I have thought a person who I found on this page years ago would had such a profound impact on me and my career. Thank you Angela!!
CORNELL TECH MBA STUDENT ON POETS&QUANTS
Building your story -- not just editing your essay
I think it's safe to say that anyone seriously considering a top school is probably competent enough to write a decent essay (or two or three). With that in mind, it's tempting to unknowingly write off admissions consulting as an essay-editing service.
Admittedly, I too was unsure as to the value of hiring a consultant. It's not inexpensive, and it definitely adds a third party to an already complex and stressful journey. But I was fortunate to work with Angela Guido, whom I had known after having taken her GMAT and LSAT prep courses — and she really made a world of a difference in my applications.
Keep in mind, I was a less-than-ideal candidate: decent but not stellar GMAT, strong but not save-the-world-type work experience, white male from the ‘burbs. Oh, and a sub-3.0 undergrad GPA. The deck was stacked against me in some really big, important ways.
Angela's strength — which turned into my advantage — was to help me craft an entire narrative about myself. To uncover strengths that I didn't realize I had. To articulate the differences I had made in the lives of others. To really get to the heart of what challenges, motivates, and perplexes me. Angela helped me through a lot of introspection that enabled the true “”me”” to translate within my entire application “”suite”” — my resume (don't underestimate the importance of this!), essays, interviews, and more. I can barely recognize my initial drafts against my finished products, and I have her to thank for that.
Angela also kept me on track. I'm a serial procrastinator, and being accountable to an agreed-upon schedule ensured we had ample time to bounce ideas off one another, draft essays, and prepare for interviews. She was always available, whether by email (the easiest for both of us) or frequent calls. Even with what felt like dozens of items on my plate, she made my life easier by being a sort of “”advocate”” along my way.
In short, I emerged a far more confident applicant than I ever would have been without this help. And in the end, this humble 2.79-GPA-er was accepted to Ross and McCombs; waitlisted at Booth and Johnson; and will matriculate with nearly full scholarship at Kelley. I don't think any of this could have happened without Angela's guidance and support.
KELLEY MBA , JUNE 17, 2013 ON ADMISSIONS 411
Instrumental to my success
I am convinced that without Angela, I would not have seen even close to the same level of success in the business school application process.
I had a 3.6 GPA from a Top 15 undergrad institution, and a 690 on the GMAT. I applied to business school along with my fiance. We applied to 7 schools together: HBS, Stanford, Haas, Sloan, Tuck, Kellogg, and Booth. I also applied to Ross, but he didn't. I ended up getting into Tuck (both admitted), Booth (both), Kellogg (both), Ross and waitlisted at Sloan (both). After a long deliberation, we ended up selecting Kellogg.
Angela's guidance was amazing. She structured a process that forced me to be very disciplined and efficient in my work, but still confident and proud of the applications that I submitted. Furthermore, I felt like my essays were authentic representations of who I am; they felt very much mine. Angela helped me to achieve this by probing my thinking and helping me down what ultimately became an emotional journey. The best of example of this was my Stanford essay. While I did not get into Stanford, the process of writing the, “”what matters most to you and why”” essay helped me to process important people and events in my life in a way that made all of the subsequent essays that I wrote so much better. I guess you could say that there were my before Stanford essays and my post Stanford essays. My first few drafts felt disconnected and were a strange mix of intensity and saccharin. Angela suggested that I talk with friends and family and ask them what they think matters most to me and why. This resulted in a tearful conversation with my sister that gave me the “”aha”” moment that made my Stanford essay one of the most important things I have written in my lifetime.
In short, I felt Angela not only invested in my application process but also that she was invested in me as a person. I trusted her completely as a thought-partner — she managed to be objective and straightforward in her feedback, while also offering insights that I would not have identified on my own.
I still feel that I have not done Angela justice for how amazing she is. I will always be thankful for her guidance, not only because of the business school that I will be attending, but also because of the growth I experienced while working with her. Suffice it to say that I would absolutely recommend Angela as an admissions consultant!
BOOTH, TUCK, KELLOGG, AND ROSS ADMIT , MAY 22 | 2013 ON GMAT CLUB
Too Many Asian Male Engineers?
My biggest concern when I was applying for business schools was to differentiate myself from other Asian male engineers. I wanted to highlight my strengths in a unique way and Angela helped me do just that. I was very impressed by her knowledge in the application process and her honesty (no sugarcoating) helped me open up to her early on. We spent a lot of time brainstorming in the beginning and I learned more about myself to formulate a compelling story to overcome my average GMAT score to get into my top school. We got to know each other very well and she could easily spot where my friends and sibling made edits on my essays (she's good). I originally started with three schools but ended up adding one more, since I liked the progress we made as a team.
I highly recommend Angela and it was a great pleasure working with her during this crazy time. I don't think I could have applied to top 7 schools (submitted them a week before respective deadlines) without her help and guidance in how to manage my time.
BOOTH STUDENT, FEBRUARY 07 | 2017 ON GMAT CLUB
Angela Guido was a fantastic MBA coach.
When I first started my business school application, I felt like my accomplishments would never measure up to my competition. Angela helped me understand how I could tie my personal strengths with my accomplishments into one cohesive and inspiring story.
Angela positioned me to stand out in the sea of finance applicants received by business schools. I ended up getting into both Booth and Kellogg with scholarship. More importantly, I was able to move into a new career that I love. I can't thank Angela enough for all her wonderful support. Definitely reach out to Angela if you're looking for an awesome mba coach!
CHICAGO BOOTH AND KELLOGG ADMIT, APRIL 12 | 2015 ON GMAT CLUB
If you want to get in the best school - you need the best partner
Have you ever wanted something so badly that you promised yourself that you would do whatever it took to make it happen? I had a dream like that. I wanted to get an MBA from a top-notch school. I studied for months for my GMAT, and eventually reached my perfect score, but then I got stuck.
How do you tell your story to make admissions like you? Maybe, you ask your friends to read your story, and maybe they give you a stamp of approval or some constructive feedback, but you are applying to 5 schools, with 2-3 essays each, with 4-5 revisions per essay. How soon will your friends get bored with all your novels? I realized that I needed professional help, but with so many options, choosing a consultant was a project on its own. I read hundreds of reviews and testimonials, and Angela stood out from all of them. Her past clients’ reviews deeply resonated with me. Her intro video on MBA Mission page made me like her even more. I tried to schedule an intro call, but there was no availability for her on the website. I became Angela’s stalker. I found her personal email, and reached out to her directly. Luckily, she did have some availability and agreed to work with me.
My profile is far from perfect. I did not go to an Ivy League undergrad, and I do not work for McKinsey. I immigrated to America, so half of my life needed a lot of explanation. I have gaps in my resume. I had little volunteer experience. My recommenders did not have MBAs, nor had they ever written MBA recommendations before. Yet Angela did not seem to notice any of the negatives, she made me focus on the positives. She made me see my own story in a different light. I thought about my current position, where she made me think about the length of my journey.
Before I submitted my first application, I knew that purchasing this service was one of the best investments I had made in my life. I got more than I bargained for – a new sense of pride and confidence.
Yesterday I attended an admitted students event at an M7 school. I still cannot believe that I was accepted. There is no doubt in my mind that I wouldn’t be able to achieve such a great result without Angela.
COLUMBIA, DECEMBER 10, 2017 ON GMAT CLUB
Great support yields great results!
Angela Guido was my consultant and with her help I was able to get into my top choice business schools despite my 650 GMAT score. I was upset after I did not do as well as I had wanted on the GMAT but with Angela’s help I was able to put together a very strong application. Angela had faith in me and my ability to get into the schools I wanted despite not doing as well as I had wanted on the GMAT. She supported me, believed in me and pushed me to dig deeper to pull out the aspects of myself and my candidacy that I wanted to shine through and that would make me stand out. Angela is extremely knowledgeable in the process and was able to offer advice to me about aspects of the process and my candidacy that I would not have otherwise known. I HIGHLY RECOMMEND Angela!!!!!
DUKE STUDENT FEBRUARY 20, 2010 ON ADMISSIONS 411
I HIGHLY RECOMMEND ANGELA GUIDO!
My Background:
– Born in Central Asia, but got my undergrad in the US.
– 3.9 GPA in college
– Worked in public accounting and finance
– 4+ years of work experience
Experience working with Angela:
My biggest concern with my school selection was my GMAT score as I scored in the 730-740 range in my GMATPrep practice exams, but only got a 690 on my first actual exam. Angela encouraged me to retake the exam for the 2nd time, and my score improved to 700, which was still nowhere near the range of my practice exams. Then again, Angela encouraged me to retake the exam for the 3rd time, and my score improved to 710. Due to my school selection, Angela encouraged me to retake the GMAT exam the 4th and 5th time since there was time before my deadlines. She wanted to help me make sure I put my best application forward. Furthermore, Angela believes that retaking the GMAT generally does not hurt, but instead shows perseverance.
My overall experience with Angela was great. Angela was always prepared and knew every single detail in my personal story. She also seemed to be very personally vested in my success – this by far was the most important aspect of our relationship! Angela sincerely believed in me and my story, and because of that she was able to help me frame the challenges I faced in my life in the most inspiring terms/ways in my essays. Furthermore, Angela not only encouraged me to do my best but also pushed me a little more yet again, resulting in a very polished final product with which I was extremely happy.
As a result, we put together my application in record time (you wouldn’t even believe how fast!!) Once I received an interview invite, I was again pressed for time with my schedule, and Angela was so nice as to accommodate to my schedule and carve out some of her time over the weekend to conduct my mock interview. In the end, thanks to Angela’s help and guidance, I was admitted to my dream school – Berkley Haas! It wouldn’t have been possible without Angela. I am forever indebted to her, and would HIGHLY RECOMMEND her to anyone applying to business schools!
Thank you, Angela!
HAAS MBA, JULY 25 | 2016 ON GMAT CLUB
It would not have been possible without Angela
I applied to 3 schools in 2012 and was promptly rejected. These schools were, Yale, Booth and Columbia. Luckily for me I decided to avail the services of an admissions consultant and chose Angela Guido. Important thing was that nothing much changed between my applications (my work experience and GMAT scores were pretty much the same). Angela was quick to point out the weaknesses in my applications. Right from the one hour free session with her I knew what was wrong. I applied to 5 schools in the next cycle. This time around I got into Duke and got waitlisted at Johnson and Kellogg. I was also invited to interview at Wharton but could not make it. Booth was the only school where I did not get an interview. I did at least 4 versions of each essay for each school and Angela was very patient with me. Angela's greatest strength is to understand a candidate's background even better then the candidate. This enables her to link a candidate with the target school and provide context to the applications. I will recommend Angela anyday. Thank you Angela.
DUKE MBA, JANUARY 19 | 2014 ON GMAT CLUB
Angela is the best!!!
Angela is incredible! I cannot thank her enough for all the assistance she had provided with my NYU Stern application. My deadline was May 15th. I started in late March and finished everything in less than two months. I would never have done this myself as I was also working full time and preparing for the GMAT in these two months. Angela was very patient, she worked with my schedule and helped me in every possible way.
With Angela's assistance, all my essays shaped up really well. She also helped me with my resume, work history, achievements and every other aspect of the application. With her assistance I was able to present myself at my best.
The initial brainstorming session was excellent. Angela pushed me to think out of the box to come with great ideas for my essays. She helped me to extract the hidden qualities in me which I never thought existed. Also she guided me to edit the essays and point out the mistakes. Being from a technical background my essays were initially looking very technical. She helped me to correct it in a way by avoiding all the jargons so that it look friendly to the adcom.
Because of my short timeframe I received a low GMAT score, a little below the mid 600s, which was not enough being an over represented demopgrahic, but i still decided to apply with the score. I'm proud to say that I got admitted in Stern even with the low score! I'm starting school this fall 🙂 The main reason for this is because of the other aspects of my application, especially my three essays, for which I will give the full credit to Angela. She is very open and appreciates the good work but at the same time points out things that needs improvement.
If you are really serious in getting in to a business school and you don't have enough time to do your research/study for months and months, it is good to seek some professional help. You will be amazed to see how much difference it makes especially with somebody like Angela.
NYU STERN ADMIT, JULY 21 | 2013 ON GMAT CLUB
Angela is the guiding light
I highly recommend Angela Guido. She is the one lead me through the whole application process. My low GPA was one of the main weakness I have with top b-school applications. Angela spent tremendous time in helping me to rethink and restructure my goals and get a better sense of my school choice, my purposes and my future career paths. As a joint program (JD-MBA) applicant, I need to strike the right balance between my needs towards legal and business education. Angela is able to coach me on what the adcoms are looking for, give me advice not only by individual essays editing, but also every details including recommendations and package balance. I'm able to get interviewed by every school I chose and get to my top choice with Kellogg. Angela really been very helpful in making me shine!!! I would not be getting my top choices without her help.
KELLOGG, JANUARY 7, 2010 ON ADMISSIONS 411
Super Angela!
I used Angela Guido for my application to Kellogg, Booth and Wharton, and she was a great help! Not only is she friendly, patient and easy to talk to, she is highly organized and gets to the point. I really liked how she helped me outline all my essays before I actually sat down and wrote them. It really gave me a good starting point. Also, Angela made sure that I covered all my strengths across my essays, recommendations and resume. I did not work for a big name firm or travel to hundreds of different countries before I applied, but with Angela's help, I was able to craft myself into a competitive applicant—even with only a 700 GMAT score, which was at the lower end of the schools I applied to. I got into Kellogg and Booth (with scholarship), and was waitlisted at Wharton. All in all, Angela was a great help and super fun to talk to. Highly recommend her!
BOOTH AND KELLOGG ADMIT ON ADMISSIONS 411
Angela = success!
I could not have made it through the application process successfully without the guidance of Angela Guido. As background, I was a longshot candidate, with no prior business experience and average metrics. Angela's guidance regarding the GMAT, the application process in general, application essays, and interviews was fantastic. Her guidance allowed me to craft my application and essays in in order to frame my experiences and highlight my strengths, in such a way that I would not have been able to accomplish on my own. Her background, which I believe includes time as a screenwriter, helped me focus my essays to create a consistent narrative and get to the core of what I would be able to contribute to an MBA program as well as how I will utilize my degree in the future. I am admittedly not the most self reflective person, which is a requirement of most MBA application essays, and her advice allowed me to get a better sense of myself.
MCCOMBS MBA, ON ADMISSIONS 411
Review (Angela Guido)
I opted for the start to finish package with Angela Guido and I have to say, it is the best decision I’ve ever made. I had a relatively high, well balanced GMAT score, but a GPA that was well under the average for any reputable MBA program. In addition to this hurdle, I had a large employment gap on my resume.
Angela is a true story teller, and was an enormous help in working with me to craft my own personal story into nine compelling essays. She was an enormous support when working through the self-reflection process that each application requires, ensuring that my own strength of character and personality would shine through.
I would equate working with Angela to going to a great tailor. You can own a designer suit, but it doesn’t matter unless it’s been properly fit. Angela really helped me to brainstorm creative ways to approach each application by asking the right questions and providing thoughtful feedback. I was uncomfortable when one of the schools I applied to offered the opportunity to submit a creative presentation in lieu of an essay. My instincts told me to take the safer route and just submit a standard essay, but Angela pushed me to take a crack at the presentation, and with her guidance, it became something that I was quite proud of.
Angela was diligent, thorough and always responsive. I really appreciated her honesty and perfectionism, sometimes blunt but necessary. If something wasn’t working, she would tell me, and then work tirelessly to make sure it reached a point where she felt it was the best it could be.
She is very knowledgeable and has great instincts about each program. Resultantly, she was able to provide advice as to when to stretch the limits and when to be more conservative depending on school and essay prompt.
I was ultimately admitted to Booth, Columbia and Wharton. I never thought in a million years I would ever get into a top ten school, let alone three, and I know this is a direct result of Angela’s partnership.
CHICAGO BOOTH, WHARTON AND COLUMBIA BUSINESS SCHOOL ADMIT, DECEMBER 21 | 2014 ON GMAT CLUB
The Business of Sex
I’m a porn star. Well, technically an adult fetish model, producer, and community leader. But to anyone reading an application or resume, I’m a porn star. By day I also run my own small business in education, but it’s my other “adult” interests that were obviously my biggest concern, and obstacle in applying to business school.
Before starting the application process, I made the decision that I was going to choose to be “out” during the entire process. I didn’t want to lie to get in, and I didn’t want to live a lie at school, in constant fear of being discovered– especially when the thing I was hiding was something I’m actually quite proud of. So I decided I was going to need help, and was hoping to find someone brave enough and bold enough to take me on as a client.
I started my journey with MBA mission through the free consultation. I chose Susan, and sent in my stats and resume, and crossed my fingers. Susan smartly decided to send my information to a few other consultants to get their opinions and insights to better help her with our first conversation. And it was at that time that Angela responded by saying essentially, “this girl seems awesome, and if she wants to hire us, I want to work with her!”
When Susan told me that another consultant had said that, I was thrilled. I felt so confident and hopeful knowing that the person I was going to be working with was not only not going to judge me and the choices I’ve made, but also was going to work hard to champion me, and was as motivated as I was to help me succeed and reach my full potential. She knew what she was up against, and she wanted the challenge.
I can say with all honesty and complete sincerity that if it weren’t for Angela, I would not have gotten in to any business school most likely, let alone my top choice (a top 15 program) with a prestigious fellowship, and a full ride to my third choice school. She was there for me during the entire process in ways that really exceeded her job description. From working holidays and extra “hand holding,” to a face to face conversation in a coffee shop about my future that I’m rather certain changed my life, Angela was there for me, pushing me to be and to do better.
Brilliantly, Angela made me take the GMAT. I had a strong score on the GRE, and had intended on simply using that score. But Angela thought it was important that I didn’t give anyone any reason to doubt my abilities, and she felt confident that I would do well on the test. So with some prodding, and some guidance on prep, I took the test, and scored a 750, which I know lent credibility to my overall application and allowed me to put my best foot forward. I didn’t want to take the test, but listening to her on that was one of the best decisions I’ve made.
Angela also worked exceptionally hard to help me write my optional essay. We decided early on that that would be the place I explained my life—who I am and the choices that I’ve made. It was always a big ask. I needed to strike the perfect tone; the just right balance of being proud but not defensive, and understanding but not apologetic. We did over a dozen drafts of that essay, and Angela sent versions around to other consultants, getting second, third, and fourth opinions from people who didn’t know me as well to make sure that we hit that tone. In the end, those 250 words are some of the best “I’ve” ever written.
Personally, Angela is one of my favorite people ever. She’s witty and smart, passionate and opinionated, and she’s fun to talk to and be around. She worked hard for me and made me want to work harder for her. She believed in me when not very many people would have, and was prouder when I got in than just about anyone else.
I’m beyond thankful to have gone on this journey with Angela, and wouldn’t want to have done it with anyone else. Together what we achieved is pretty close to miraculous, and at the end of it, I’m thrilled to have worked with someone who I now like to consider a friend.
TOP 15 MBA ADMIT, APRIL 03 | 2014, ON GMATCLUB
Angela Guido comprehensive prep
After researching a few different companies and interviewing 3 different consultants, I did not hesitate to work with Angela, and I still consider hiring her as one of the best things I did to prepare for the long process of applying to business school. She is upbeat, down to earth, kind, and the type of person who will tell it like it is and tell it how you need to hear it. Now that the process is over, I would definitely go back and choose her again in a heartbeat.
I am a non-traditional applicant- first of all, I am a 38 year old mother. The stats for my admission to any top tier school were not good just based upon this fact alone. I am also military (I had a long commitment). My extracurriculars were nothing spectacular and my college GPA was 3.3. I did, however, have a 740 GMAT, so I decided that maybe a school or two may overlook my faults if I could sell myself correctly, and this is where Angela came in.
I knew that I would give this one shot- no reapplying next year, so I wanted to make it count. I bought the 5 school comprehensive package and with her advice, I decided to apply to MIT, Yale, HBS, Kellogg, and Foster (U of Washington). Here are a few of thoughts about my experience with Angela:
- I am an extremely private person, yet I felt completely comfortable sharing things with Angela that even some of my closest friends don’t know. Not only is she not judgmental, but I also felt that in sharing certain things with her, she was able to understand me as a total person, which was key when helping me craft compelling narratives.
- She was ALWAYS on time and NEVER missed a deadline or phone call. Ever. She was always prepared for the call.
- I am not by nature a procrastinator, so I did not hire her to help me stay on track. I hired her because she knows what she is doing. She did not disappoint.
- I had one minor recommender-related crisis that occurred half way through the process that I freaked out about. Angela was on the phone with me almost immediately and talked me down off the ledge and gave me some much-needed direction.
Having Angela as a consultant did not mean less work for me- on the contrary, it probably resulted in more. I had anywhere from 3-6 drafts on each essay, but as a result, my applications were WAY better than they would have been had I not been working with her. There are so many ways to screw up an essay, and I probably would have if left to my own devices.
I ended up receiving a full scholarship to Yale and a $40K scholarship to Foster. I was offered an interview to both MIT and HBS. All in all, not too shabby for someone with my stats! I probably would not have gotten into Yale at all or Foster with such a large scholarship without Angela. Working with her just made the process… well, better. It was nice not to have to bug my friends to read my essays and I liked having a totally unbiased opinion. I looked forward to our brainstorming sessions and I felt like she really got me. All in all, I would do the same exact thing and hire Angela again if I had to re-do this process (which I don’t, thank goodness!).
YALE SCHOLARSHIP ADMIT, JANUARY 7, 2016 ON GMAT CLUB
MISSION ACCOMPLISHED!
Aged 31,and having taken the GMAT more than 6 times with a final score at middle 600s, I took the decision to hire an admission consultant rather easily despite the huge cost of taking a 6school pack.
I conducted my market search, and spoke to many consultants through the 30minutes free consultation. Most of them discouraged me to apply to a top MBA program due to my “difficult” profile.
Well, not so many consultants have studied philosophy at Yale -thus have mastered the art of rhetoric – and graduated from a top MBA program –thus knowing what it takes to get in-. Angela believed in my profile and encouraged me not only to follow my school selection but also to apply to more competitive ones.
We had a great cooperation… and I assure you that I am a difficult – and stubborn – client!
Angela helped me sell my-self in a more “sexy” way, something really hard for a hyper analytical finance guy like me. She helped me see the experiences that really make me unique – things I didn’t think were important. What I liked most, was that she did not copied-pasted success stories from previous clients but shaped our strategy on my background and future goals. Because I was a finance manager in a large company, I had acquired an austere way of expression, which many time mistakenly sound like arrogance. Occasionally, we fought because I was trying to make myself sound like what the schools wanted, but Angela argued that it was not true to who I am. She always won the arguments. Angela transformed my story telling…but without changing a thing from what I wanted to say! Moreover I liked the fact that she was a true professional. Many times she reviewed my essays prior to deadline giving me more space to ameliorate my job.
But most importantly, I love Angela because she is a “motivation” machine. She taught me the art of self-exploration and the digging out of my strong parts -the most difficult part of MBA essays writing- and………… BE MYSELF!!
I finally got in 4 out of my 6 MBA programs (all in top 15) selection and most importantly to my dream school…with scholarship!
Ps. In the schools that I did not get in…I did not have the time to follow her advice to the letter…Do the math!
DUKE MBA STUDENT, MAY 3, 2013 ON ADMISSIONS 411
Accomplished What I Thought was Impossible!
I was recommended by a family member to utilize Angela's expertise and services and I can honestly say that this was one of the best decisions I made through my MBA application process! I was aiming at the top 20 MBA schools. I was skeptical of my chances of getting in because I didn't necessarily have a “”wow”” factor. I went to a Big 10 school, graduated with a double major in Accounting and Finance with about a 3.3 GPA, had about 3 years of work experience at the time I applied, and received a low 700 score on my GMAT. As I understand, this fits the criteria of several other individuals applying every year for an MBA. But when I started working with Angela, she could identify my strengths and weaknesses and develop a story that I didn't even know existed to help me stand out in my applications. She has a unique talent of being able to hone in on one's experiences and formulate them into a interesting and compelling story. One of Angela’s most important strengths I appreciated was that she was very straight forward – there was no BS and her expectations were always very clear. If you wrote something bad, she'll tell you. If you were slacking in completing your deliverables, she'll tell you. On the flip side, if you wrote something that she really liked, she'll tell you. This was extremely valuable as I was applying to 5 schools in Round 1. I didn't have time for someone to “ease the pain” if I wrote a bad essay – I needed the blunt truth right away, and Angela was willing to do that. Overall, my experience with Angela was much more than I expected! She assisted with creating my story, the essays, the online application, and even the interviews. Because of her, I was admitted to 3 out of the 5 schools I applied to – Ross, UCLA, and Booth! Last words – I HIGHLY RECOMMEND HER!
BOOTH ADMIT, MARCH 2 2017 ON GMAT CLUB
Angel's tough love is a great fit for me: no BS, lots of good ideas
As a part of Forte's 2015 MBALaunch class, for women preparing to apply to business school, Angela is ever-present. She's the main speaker on at least 6 webinars during the 10-month program, and covers some of the most important material: how to think about the whole MBA application process; how to determine which schools are a good fit; how to tell your story via your resume and your essays; how to communicate your career goals clearly. Angela is clearly having fun, all the while being very candid about her own experience and the mistakes she made. It's hard not to feel like she's definitely on your team and rooting for you, real solace during the long slog of applications. She provides a raft of free, awesome content on her Career Protocol blog, too!
But don't be deceived: she keeps it real, and will give it to you straight if you're being delusional or if your resume needs some serious work. I signed up for a free 30-min consultation, and she is just the same one-on-one as she is on a webinar destined for 500 people: generous, enthusiastic, authentic, and unsparing in her constructive criticism.
The Forte program has been amazing for a number of reasons: the accountability, the support, the community of Launchers, the access to Admissions staff and insider knowledge about schools. Angela is a crucial part of the package.
*note that I have not yet applied or been admitted to any business schools, but gmatclub seems to require that I enter a school in order to post this review!*
EXECUTIVE MBA ADMIT , AUGUST 17 | 2016 ON GMAT CLUB (CLAIRE VEUTHEY)
Very Thoughtful Feedback with your Best Interest at Heart
Despite reading many bschool application prep books, I was surprised to find even more information and such thoughtful feedback on my application. Coming from an IB-background, I thought I was a number among my peers; however, with the help of this program, I was able to set myself apart. Angela gave me critical but thoughtful feedback on my essay answers and my resume. Also, I was able to gauge whether my answers were sufficient to the question or too overboard/extreme. The overall experience was quick, high impact and worth the dollars I spent. As a result, I received interviews at every school I applied and, eventually, got into my top choice school.
TOP 10 MBA ADMIT, APRIL 30 | 2014 ON GMAT CLUB
Angela Rocks!!
I didn’t think I would get to write this, but I was recently accepted to my dream MBA program at Columbia and I could not have done it without Angela.
I’ve wanted to go to Columbia Business School for a long time but only decided in January to apply this year. By then, I had already missed the first two deadlines which put me in the infamously dreaded “round 3” within Columbia’s rolling admission process. Moreover, although I had good academics and work experience, my GMAT score was on the lower end of the spectrum. I had the story and the passion, but given my GMAT and timing, I knew that I would need the best help I can get.
I remembered meeting Angela during the Forte’s MBALaunch program over a year ago and loved her presentation. I decided to reach out to her specifically after speaking to almost a dozen other consultants (Stacey Blackman, Admit Advantage, Veritas, Accepted.com, MBA Admit, etc.), some of whom basically told me that I would be better off waiting until early decision next year to apply. I knew my chances were very slim but despite the naysayers, my mind was made up to give absolute my best shot and apply this year. Angela managed my expectations but ultimately said “let’s do this, and don’t look back.”
For the next two months, she became my compass, guide, coach, and friend through the entire process. We brainstormed strategically to craft my application in a way that was distinctively unique and true to me. It wasn’t easy and it was a ton of work; there were a lot edits and going back to the drawing board but Angela guided me through every single aspect of my story. She called me out on parts of my essays that were just not good enough and told me start over. I didn’t want just a good application; I wanted the most outstanding application that I can put together and Angela was on the same page with me every step of the way. Even when I disagreed with her feedback, we would get on the phone and talk it through in order to get to a point where we both felt confident on the approach. Applying to business school ended up being one of the most challenging experiences in my life. There were moments when I wanted to just give up and wait until early decision next year but Angela helped me push forward through her awesome pep talks. Her straightforwardness coupled with her genuine determination to see me succeed was incredibly refreshing.
By the time I clicked “submit” near the end of February, I knew I was extremely proud and happy with my application no matter what the outcome. Still, given the statistics of my chances, I kept my hopes in check.
Two weeks later, I almost fell out of chair when I received the invitation to interview. Angela was ecstatic for me and prepped me right away; her advice helped me to have a terrific interview. The final wait was agonizing, but amazingly, I got THE call within two weeks. Against the odds, we did it. I’m so glad to have swung for the fences this year, and Angela was absolutely the best coach to have on my side.
Here’s to our incredible “Hail Mary pass,” Angela (FTW!!)
COLUMBIA BUSINESS SCHOOL ADMIT, APRIL 21 | 2015 ON GMAT CLUB
Under Angela's guidance, I exceeded my expectations
I worked with Angela Guido and I could not have imagined how helpful she was going to be! Angela made me take a hard look at my goals and rethink some of my goals which allowed me to put my strongest foot forward. She was able to listen and hear what I was saying and ask questions that helped me get a better sense of myself and my future. This was critical to the success of my application because I had to overcome the hurdle of my 650 GMAT score. She pointed out where I needed to expand on points a reader outside my industry, or not familiar with my company, would not know which helped me make my application more compelling and relatable. Angela was there for me and pushed me. She was invaluable and with her guidance and feedback I exceeded my expectations!
WHARTON ADMIT, MARCH 2, 2010 ON GMAT CLUB
MBA Consultant Review - Angela Guido (AKA the rockstar)
Two years ago I started thinking about applying to business school and it seems like a very far away dream. I met Angela through a workshop she gave for the Forte MBA Launch, and I was amazed by her positive energy and ability to make something very complex like storytelling seem so simple. I decided to have her as my MBA Admissions Consultant.
The business school application process is long and exhausting at times, but with Angela it became a lot easier. She gave me a lot of material to go through to help guide my decision on which business school I should apply to, and what a good GMAT score looked like for my profile. I ended up not getting a stelar GMAT score, but because of my overall story Angela made me feel confident that my application was strong enough as it was.
The best part about working with Angela was her ability to highlight the best pieces of my story in a way that I myself couldn't. Sometimes we accomplish something and we don't realize how big of an accomplishment it is until someone from the outside reinforces it, and that's exactly what Angela did. She helped me see my story with a different eye, and with that I was able to create a solid business school application that truly represented the best version of myself. I would not have been able to do so without Angela.
Before working with Angela, I had incredible fear about the interview process. I wasn't sure that what I had to say was enough. Angela and I had a few mock interview sessions in which she gave me great feedback and most of all made me feel confident enough to walk on interviews and not feel nervous at all. I was so confident on my story, and I knew so much about it that in the end I wasn't worried about doing well on the interview or not. I just wanted to be my best self, be true to my values, and let the process do what it's supposed to do.
With Angela's help, I was accepted at Booth, MIT Sloan, and Kellogg. Kellogg had always been my first choice, and I was lucky enough to also receive a Fellowship from them.
If you are considering Angela as a consultant for you, it's a no-brainer: DO IT and you won't regret!
KELLOGG MBA, JULY 09 | 2016 ON GMAT CLUB
Without her I would not be in school
Angela helped me extensively throughout the application process. She is a very realistic person and gives you her honest opinion right from the start, which I greatly appreciated.
I did not have a good enough GMAT score for McCombs. My GMAT was way below the average GMAT score of the entry class. However, with Angela's creative skills she aided the build up of my resume and application that got me my acceptance at the University of Texas at Austin.
Angela works very hard and expects the same amount of effort from her client. She cares a lot about the people she's working with and treats their work as if it were her own. She will continue to encourage you to rework your applications, essays and resume until it meets and exceeds the expectations of the admissions officers at any Business School.
I believe that without her input and help I would not have gotten my acceptance.
THANK YOU ANGELA!
ANONYMOUS, JANUARY 15 | 2013 ON GMAT CLUB
Application Strategy - Empathy and Honesty Got Me In!
Stats:
GMAT: 690 (40V/44Q)
GPA: 3.1
School: Stanford
Work: Telecom – Leadership Program + Corporate Strategy/BD
MBA Prep: Forte MBA Launch
Angela and I met through Forte MBA Launch, and she had done a few seminars on crafting your story. When I engaged her, I was just finalizing my school selections. Given my GPA/GMAT were so low, I knew I didn't hit the middle 80% GPA at pretty much any of the top 10 (my target schools) and was on the lower GMAT end with the 690. I was devastated and thought my goals were virtually unattainable. Angela's advice and encouragement helped me to believe it was possible.
I reached out to Angela, because she had such great insight and energy when she taught our courses. She and I discussed my MBA target schools choices (H/S/K/Tuck) and was very honest. She said that realistically I would need a higher GMAT for HBS/Stanford (which I was aware of) and recommended several great tutors, and then for Kellogg/Tuck I was competitive and would need to make sure to nail my story. What I appreciated about Angela's advice was she didn't shy away from the real talk I needed, but she did so in a way that she gave me options (recommended a few other schools where I would be competitive) and certainly gave me encouragement that I could get into at least one of my target schools.
I also spoke to several other MBA consulting firms – Stacy Blackman, Admit Advantage, and a few smaller private one-person shops – and all of them said target Duke, Ross and UCLA. I didn't want that, and they didn't give me any options for how to reach my goals.
Angela, on the other hand, really pulled through and made it an honest conversation. She was incredibly EMPATHETIC and PROBLEM SOLVED WITH ME! I cannot emphasize those two things enough. When I work with someone, I want them to feel that they are on the same team with me. Angela was on my team the whole time!
I am now proud to share I have been admitted to both Kellogg and Tuck, and I couldn't be more thrilled about the prospect of going back to school in the fall!!
Angela brought energy, a positive can-do attitude, and helped me believe in myself at a time when it felt like there was no chance for me to get into school. Angela's a rock star – you won't go wrong!
KELLOGG AND TUCK ADMIT, APRIL 02 | 2015 ON SURVEY
Angela is Absolutely Fabulous!
I worked with Angela Guido on my application to Booth, and she was absolutely fantastic. She was able to work the fact that I'm applying straight from undergrad to my advantage and to help me prove that I deserve and truly need to get an MBA now. I particularly appreciated that Angela left the actual essay writing and topic formation to me — she gave constructive criticism when needed, but she allowed my voice and story to come through naturally. She really helped me understand the idea of “”branding”” myself. Working with her specifically, and reading through all of her resources, allowed me to really grasp the concept of creating and effectively presenting my unique story. I think that Angela's unique background in screenwriting as well as her top notch MBA education at Chicago Booth particularly helped in this respect.
CHICAGO BOOTH MBA, NOVEMBER 11, 2009 ON ADMISSIONS 411