About

About Stratus Admissions Counseling

Stratus has a proven record of success and a clear understanding of how to help you get into your target MBA programs and reach your career goals

Having served thousands of clients from more than 50 countries since 2006, we are proud of our application development methodology, knowing that it sets our clients up to submit their strongest possible applications. At Stratus, your Primary Counselor, MBA Strategist, School-Specific Reviewers, and Proofreaders will provide you with a full range of support and multiple sets of eyes on your application—an approach unmatched in our industry.

Our team-based, personalized approach to MBA admissions counseling has helped young professionals gain admission to all of the top-ranked business schools worldwide, including Harvard Business School, the Stanford Graduate School of Business, UPenn Wharton, MIT Sloan, Columbia Business School, and INSEAD, as well as every other top MBA program.

At Stratus, we take our clients’ success seriously, and it shows! With a 83 Net Promoter Score, our clients are fiercely loyal and highly satisfied with our services. We are proud of our hundreds of five-star reviews on Google, GMAT Club, and Poets&Quants from past clients. In addition, in 2024 Stratus was named the #1 medium-sized MBA admissions consulting firm on Poets&Quants with an “eye-popping” 9.9/10 client satisfaction rate. Not only that, but our Director of MBA Admissions Counseling, Susan Cera, was named the top MBA admissions coach by Poets&Quants in 2021 (with a perfect 10/10 client satisfaction rating) and a top admissions coach every year since. Senior MBA Admissions Counselor Donna Bauman has also topped the Poets&Quants list, and she and Melisa Prevost have been recognized with perfect 10/10 client satisfaction scores. We are not just consultants—we are leaders in our field.

250+

Five-Star Reviews on Google, GMAT Club, and Poets&Quants
83

Net Promoter Score
$40M

in Merit Scholarships since 2021
#1

Ranked Medium-Sized MBA Admissions Firm in 2024

Expert MBA Admissions Counselors Working Together for You

Our expert MBA admissions counselors are graduates of Harvard Business School, UPenn Wharton, Columbia Business School, Duke Fuqua, and other esteemed business schools. We are a true team, working together on all aspects of our clients’ applications. We believe that every applicant deserves a personalized approach that is efficiently developed and strategically tailored to make their applications stand out among the thousands of others from around the globe.

Your point of contact for the entire application process is your Primary Counselor, who starts by guiding you through a series of introspection and self-reflection activities to help you develop a personalized application strategy. Your MBA Strategist then reviews and pressure-tests your strategy to ensure you are well positioned for success before developing any application materials. Next, your Primary Counselor works directly with you on everything from brainstorming to essay development to interview preparation. A School-Specific Reviewer then conducts a “blind” review of your application materials—providing feedback on content, tone, and “fit” from the admissions committee’s perspective—and then a Proofreader checks your essays and resume for grammar and punctuation before you submit your application.

We are committed to helping every client present their best self to the admissions committees!

What Past Stratus Clients Have to Say About Our Team-Based Method

I was really impressed with Stratus’s team based approach and excited that my school choices, essays, etc. would be reviewed by Donna, a secondary strategist, school-specific reviewers, and proofreaders, allowing me to consolidate multiple perspectives before making decisions.

Stratus also provided second readers for my essays, which was invaluable. These second opinions mirrored the way applications get read in real life by the admissions officers, and challenged me to address any blind spots within my work.

The team-based approach Stratus has was also very unique and I feel supported throughout my experience. While Donna had been with me every step of my application journey, I was advised and motivated by Susan and a few other experienced consultants based on the schools I applied to.

The Stratus framework itself was highly structured and effective. The process moved from broad-strokes brainstorming to increasingly narrow and refined drafts, helping shape my narrative in a clear and compelling way. The team’s collective experience was evident throughout, as they provided insightful guidance and industry knowledge that strengthened my overall application.

Stratus’s process of having multiple eyes on each part of your application was invaluable, as it ensures your story and goals are cohesive. I ended up with several admits, all with scholarship - the investment in Stratus was certainly worth it!

After doing a free consultation with several MBA admissions consulting firms, I was immediately sold on working with Stratus because of their unique team approach using a primary consultant, a secondary strategist, school specific reviewers, and proofreaders in their comprehensive package.

The Stratus admissions process worked well for me. While Sophie was my main counselor, I also received additional support from another expert who helped me with career pathing and school selection. After writing each essay, Sophie would review a few drafts with me, and then the essay would be passed on to a school-specific reviewer and a proofreader. This process ensured that each essay received thoughtful feedback without becoming overly scrutinized.

Every Client Benefits from Stratus’s Team-First Approach

A Team Behind Every Client

When working on a comprehensive package, your Primary Counselor will coordinate with other counselors at key strategic checkpoints during the application process. We will pressure test your personal strategy before you dive into school research and essays. Our School-Specific Reviewers will conduct blind reads of your application materials and offer feedback from the perspective of an admissions committee member. Our Proofreaders are the last line of defense to correct punctuation and grammar.

We’re Constantly Improving

Our MBA admissions counseling team meets regularly to share best practices and stay up to date on industry trends. Our clients benefit from the shared insight of our counselors, who have gained decades of experience on admissions committees, served as admissions fellows, and conducted alumni interviews. As members of the Association of International Graduate Admissions Consultants (AIGAC), we have close relationships with top MBA programs, so we understand what admissions committees are looking for.

We’re Invested in YOU

Apply to four or more business schools in Round 1 with a Stratus admissions counselor, and get support for two additional business schools in Round 2 (at no additional cost) if your Round 1 applications are not successful. No other firm invests in your MBA goals like Stratus.

Meet the Stratus Admissions Team

Our team of thoughtful and experienced coaches are graduates of leading business schools as well as former admissions officers who have reviewed thousands of applications. We are mentors, advisors, and strategists. Most importantly, we are dedicated to YOUR success.

Meet Our Entire MBA Team

Frequently Asked Questions

Why should I hire an admissions counselor?

Getting an MBA is possibly one of the biggest investments of your life. As you ponder this $200K-plus investment, you are likely to realize that you cannot do something as important as this on your own. Although friends or colleagues might be able to help, rarely do they have enough expertise to increase your chances of acceptance to a top program (even if they are current students or alumni), and how much can you really bug them? That is why half of all MBA applicants use an admissions consultant, according to the Association of International Admissions Consultants (AIGAC). Given that the acceptance rates at most top programs hover around 15%, it’s a good idea to have an expert guide you. Click here for eight things to consider when selecting an MBA admissions counselor.

Why should I hire Stratus?

  • Stratus has a unique team-based approach to admissions consulting. Just as the admissions committee will conduct multiple reads of your application, our team of highly skilled admissions experts will repeatedly review your application materials and provide feedback throughout the process. Your Primary Counselor, Strategist, School-Specific Reviewers, and Proofreaders will provide you with a full range of support and multiple sets of eyes on your application—an approach unmatched in our industry.
  • Stratus invests in your MBA goals like no other firm, which is why we offer a Four-School Guarantee on our comprehensive MBA services. If you work with Stratus on a comprehensive package of four or more business schools in Round 1 and are not accepted to any of those MBA programs, we will support your applications to two more schools in Round 2—at no additional cost to you!
  • Stratus has helped over 3,000 applicants from more than 50 countries gain admission to their dream business schools—and earn millions of dollars in scholarship money.
  • Since we believe this is a deeply personal process, we work with business school applicants via email, phone calls, and video calls throughout the process.
  • All Stratus counselors keep up with the latest developments in business school admissions practices. As members of the Association of International Graduate Admissions Consultants (AIGAC), we have a close relationship with business schools and admissions staff, so we understand what the ideal applicant “looks” like for each school. Our team meets regularly to discuss admissions trends, our clients’ results, and new developments. And given our team-based approach, we are constantly talking to, emailing, and sharing information with each other.

Can you guarantee I will get into business school or law school?

As much as we wish we could guarantee acceptance for all our clients, the admissions process is subjective. However, with more than 16 years of experience helping thousands of applicants get into business school, we know what it takes to be successful, and we leverage our years of expertise to guide each of our clients through the process. To that end, for our comprehensive MBA admissions consulting clients, we offer a Four-School Guarantee. If you work with Stratus on a comprehensive package of four or more business schools in Round 1 and are not accepted to any of those MBA programs, we will support your applications to two more schools in Round 2—at no additional cost to you!

Who will I work with?

We are a team of thoughtful and experienced coaches who have graduated from leading business schools and have experience across a variety of functions, industries, and geographies. We are former admissions officers at esteemed MBA programs who have reviewed tens of thousands of applications. We are mentors, professional advisers, and strategists. We share our experience and knowledge with each other and with our clients. Most importantly, we are a team dedicated to your success.

Learn more about our MBA Admissions Counselors here.

What do you charge?

We offer a variety of admissions consulting services to fit any budget. Although many of our clients choose to work with us on comprehensive packages, where our counselors support you through the entire process for a flat fee, we do also offer hourly and other targeted admissions consulting services for those looking for advice and guidance on just one or two areas of their MBA application or for those in a time crunch.

View our MBA admissions consulting services here.

How long will I work with an admissions counselor?

Stratus Admissions Counselors work with applicants anywhere from just a few weeks to several months. We try our best to work on any timeline, but you should understand that the more time you have to work on your applications, the better. The majority of our comprehensive clients work with us for 8 months, developing their application strategy before brainstorming essay topics, outlining and writing essays, reworking resumes, choosing and coaching recommenders, and preparing for interviews.

How can I learn more about the admissions process?

Stratus’s MBA blog is full of information about the admissions process, including application essay tips, resume and short answer guidance, advice on recommendation letters, interview assistance, and so much more. Our free webinars are also a great way to learn more about various aspects of the application process; we offer them regularly. We also recommend that you explore the admissions section of your target schools’ web sites. Most schools also offer admissions blogs that provide information straight from admissions committee members.

Start Your MBA Admissions Consulting Journey with Stratus!

Learn how Stratus’s team approach can help you get accepted to your top-choice business schools. Start with a FREE consultation with one of our Admissions Counselors. Our team is ready to dive into your goals, answer your questions about your profile and the application process, and help you boost your appeal to admissions committees!

Start Now!