“Susan was instrumental in my successful Harvard Business School application. Her attention to detail and deep understanding of the admissions process were invaluable. She consistently identified areas for improvement I would have missed, significantly strengthening my application. What truly set Susan apart was her supportive nature and approachability. She provided encouragement during stressful times and celebrated my progress, making the entire process more manageable. Her expertise in presenting candidates’ strengths effectively gave me a competitive edge. I’m confident that without Susan’s guidance, my admission to HBS wouldn’t have been possible. For anyone aiming for a top business school, I highly recommend Susan’s services.
Her support was transformative in my application journey and played a crucial role in my success”

“Susan is one of the kindest people I know, and I’m so grateful I had the chance to work with her. She pushed me to work hard and find stories from my life I wouldn’t have otherwise connected. She was also generous with her time and always responsive to my many many many messages. She was also realistic and never set unrealistic expectations for me, while also simultaneously being kind. I’d highly highly recommend anyone considering an MBA to work with her.”

“Susan was absolutely critical in my application process, and I’m grateful to have worked with her. What makes Susan particularly helpful was the combination of her understanding of the school, her structured approach when working with applicants, and her strong work ethic. However, what makes Susan a great FIT for applicants were her empathy and ability to connect deeply with applicants. While this trait may not sound important, successful MBA applications tend to be very personal, so having that connection here plays a major role. From day one, Susan always pushed for my success. To people who are trying to get into grad school, I cannot recommend her enough! If you put in the work, the results are highly likely to follow.”

“I had the pleasure of working with Susan and was incredibly impressed by her professionalism and dedication. I am based in India and despite the time difference, she was always easy to coordinate with, making the process seamless and stress-free. Susan really took out the time to understand my work and background so as to personalise and curate my application in a way that ensured my achievements stood out. She responded promptly to even the smallest queries and guided me through interview prep until I felt fully confident. Her exceptional support was invaluable, and I highly recommend her to anyone seeking top-notch educational guidance.”

“Susan is phenomenal! She is strategic, structured and honest. She always gave thoughtful constructive feedback, and never hesitated to challenge me. She pushed me to think deeply about my goals and aspirations, and then helped me articulate them in the best way possible. Susan is also extremely patient and caring! When I told her I’m nervous about the interviews, she willingly offered to have mock interviews with me every other day...till we ran out of questions! Thank you Susan couldn’t have done it without you!”

“Susan gave me the boost needed to stand out in the sea of strong applicants and helped me focus on achieving incremental milestones while I balanced the never-ending demands of my job. Results matter – I got in Early Decision to a M7 program and withdrew my applications to two other M7 programs where I had already received interviews. I cannot recommend Susan highly enough, as she has made an immense impact in the trajectory of my professional career and in my personal growth. I could not have achieved this same level of success without Susan’s warm personality and wisdom in my corner.”

“Working with Susan is what made the painful MBA applications process a pleasant experience. I would look forward to our meetings to which she would bring thoughtful and encouraging feedback that helped mold my application. She is unparalleled at what she does - she takes the time and effort to get to know clients beyond the surface and asks questions that guide deeper reflection resulting in her clients putting their best foot forward. I was inspired by her extensive knowledge, hard work, and dedication. Susan has taught me so much even beyond the realm of business school applications. She is the kind of person that when she commits to something, she gives it her all.”

“Susan’s vast experience in dealing with students from across the world and across many years, combined with her acute sense of empathy, helped me bring the best version of myself and kept me sane and focused!”

“Susan took me through the admissions process with exceptional expertise, dedication, and patience! From planning campus visits and shortlisting schools to identifying my unique strengths and prepping for interviews, she was with me every step of the way. She went above and beyond her admissions consulting role and was truly invested in my success, guiding me in career decisions even in the year leading up to applications. I was also very impressed by her extensive knowledge of US business schools. ”

“Working with Susan was an absolute pleasure. Her guidance and insight with the MBA application process is unparalleled. In addition, she is caring, thoughtful and extremely flexible. I attribute a large part of my success in the admission process to Susan.”

“I am so thrilled to share this news with you, and I cannot express my gratitude enough for all that you have done for me. Throughout the application process, you were there for me every step of the way. You took the time to get to know me, understand my strengths, and guide me in the right direction. You believed in me when I doubted myself, and you never gave up on me, even when the road ahead seemed daunting. You went above and beyond your role as a counselor, and I am forever grateful!!! I am honored to have had the privilege to work with such a dedicated counselor, and I know that I could not have achieved this milestone without your support. You know what they say, ‘When life gives you lemons, make lemonade.’ Well, thanks to you, I’ll be making lemonade in Harvard’s dining halls!”

“I had always heard great things about Susan from my siblings, and working with her was literally the best decision ever! With her unmatched guidance and invaluable support, I secured a spot at Kellogg, my top and only choice. Her insightful feedback, creative ideas, and organized approach made the process smooth and productive. Susan’s positivity, kindness, flexibility, and cooperation truly made a significant difference for me. I highly recommend her to anyone applying for a master’s program—she is genuinely the BEST!”

“Having had no prior experience of applying to a US university, I was fortunate to be introduced to Susan Smith as I began my MBA application. Susan provided significant clarity on the road ahead by systematically breaking down the process. This helped me pace myself. Despite having a large clientele, not once did she try to box my profile into a well-defined template. Instead she pushed me to dig deep into my own background, helped me identify what would truly make my application unique, and then enabled me to curate it in the best possible manner. By providing extremely frank opinions without assuming veto powers, Susan allows you to refine your application to the last detail, without ever leaving you feeling like it is being rubber stamped by anyone but you. Add to this the fact that she’s also just the loveliest person to speak to, and you really can’t complain!

Simply put, the joy of getting admitted into Business school was accompanied by a tinge of sadness at the thought of our collaboration having come to an end. I cannot recommend Susan’s expertise strongly enough to anyone harboring aspirations of a business school degree.”

“Working with Susan has been simply transformational for my MBA applications. She not only provided hands-on and extremely personalized guidance on school selection, crafting essays, and choosing recommenders, but also provided necessary direction to steer my application (and career) over a two-year period towards my long-term career goal.”

“Susan worked with me over an extended period of time as I graduated from college and contemplated the idea of graduate school. She was a crucial sounding board at every point of my career - as I moved geographies and as I shifted jobs. She was always available to provide advice on my career moves, which led to a fantastic working relationship as I looked towards graduate school. What I appreciated in particular about Susan was that she understood the business school application from the perspective of an international student. I applied to and was accepted at Harvard and Wharton (with a scholarship). My confidence in my application, interview skills, and narrative came from working with Susan. Thank you for making my dreams come true Susan!”

“I came into the college process not knowing what I wanted to study and unsure of which schools would be the best fit for me. Susan really took the time to get to know me to fully understand my goals and aspirations about college and helped me craft a balanced list that I was excited about. Furthermore, she eased my anxieties about the process and turned my uncertainty about academic paths into a positive component of my application. One of the most important parts of a college application is the essay writing, and I cannot emphasize enough how phenomenal Susan is at this part of the process. I would come into a meeting with some loose ideas, and by the end I would leave with a clear direction to take my writing in. She was instrumental in helping me present myself to colleges in the best light as a competitive applicant. I would not be at my dream school without Susan – she truly goes the extra mile.”

“Working with Susan was a unique experience. She helped me both find my inner voice and preserve it throughout my essay. I couldn’t have asked for better guidance on my personal statements. It was a pleasure to have Susan’s constant support throughout my senior year. Her sage advice and balanced suggestions were not only valuable, but also reassuring. She played a huge part in helping me get where I wanted to, while also somehow making me enjoy a process that people so rarely enjoy.”

“Because of Susan, I never really thought of the college applications process as a stressful one (in fact, I may even call it fun). Every session with her was like having a conversation with an old friend that allowed me to synthesize my thoughts, clarifying what exactly I should put down on paper. Susan made sure to be there to listen and guide but never influence, offering clear advice that never clouded my intentions. But ultimately, Susan gave me to confidence to believe I have ideas of value, and also helped me understand myself better as a person. (ALSO!! I got into my dream college!!!)”

““Working with Susan was, quite frankly, my favourite part of the university application process. Her invaluable feedback and help aside, I think what sets Susan apart as a counsellor is the personal time and attention she dedicates to her clients. She took the time to truly get to know me, which in the long run, allowed her to guide my essays in a way that genuinely reflected myself. From selecting schools, to correcting my hyphens and dashes, Susan was and continues to be only a text message away. She was honest, supportive, and never failed to make me smile. I can’t thank you enough, Susan! Don’t know what I would’ve done without you.””

“I remain immensely thankful to Susan for all of her help along the way, whether it be countless drafts or phone calls hours long, to not only help me become the proud Quaker I am today but an individual more confident in my writing skills and myself. ”

“Felt like extended family. Hugely supportive of my choices and provided frank advice. Great at helping me position my story, customizing it with some nuances for different colleges, preparing me for an interview. I had chosen an unusual major on which not much data was available. Starbound went well out of the way to get information, suggest pros and cons and help me with the decision. Very warm, attentive and fast, professional turnarounds with a great personal touch Got ED at my dream college! Thanks a ton Susan!”