Donna made a huge difference in my application journey. She was very thorough with her suggestions and straightforward when she felt like my story wasn’t strong enough. She pushed me to think deeper in my past experiences and made personalized suggestions on which schools/programs are the best fit for me and my career goals. I ended up getting into a very unique M7 program that I am thrilled to be attending in a few months!!
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.
I absolutely loved working with Donna as my admissions consultant throughout my MBA application process. I did a free consultation with a number of consultants/organizations before speaking with Donna, and I couldn’t be happier that I chose to proceed with Stratus and specifically Donna. 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. I also knew that I would likely be spending hours with my admissions consultant and Donna’s positivity, knowledge, and commitment to her client’s made this an easy decision.
I started the MBA application process relatively early, so it was amazing to work with Donna well before essay questions were released, as she helped me explore my past experiences to determine my key goals and how those aligned with different MBA programs. I wouldn’t have thought to relate one of my college internships to my dream job post-MBA without her, in order to articulate a strong story in my applications. Together, we created a strategy, refined ‘my story’, worked on multiple iterations of my essays/resume, and prepared for interviews. Throughout this process, Donna was extremely responsive, shared amazing guidance but allowed all words/stories to remain authentically ‘me’, and answered the many, many questions that I had with deep expertise and knowledge in all things MBA. Donna also encouraged me to apply to top-tier programs that I thought were beyond my reach and provided consistent encouragement when I felt worried/stressed.
With Donna’s guidance from an end-to-end perspective, I got into 3 M7 programs (Booth, Kellogg, and Columbia) and all 5 of the other schools that I interviewed for (Yale, Tuck, Fuqua, Stern, and Cornell), including multiple scholarships, and I couldn’t be happier. If you are looking for an admissions consultant, you cannot go wrong with Donna and Stratus.
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.
Donna, my primary consultant, was absolutely wonderful. She encouraged my desire to apply to several M7 dream schools despite my lackluster GRE scores, and she guided me on how to handle some very difficult roadblocks that occurred during my application process including getting laid off. What sets Donna apart is her unwavering commitment to her clients’ success. She was always available to answer questions, provide encouragement during stressful moments, and offer strategic advice, even with my 6-hour time zone difference.
The results speak for themselves – with Donna’s guidance, I received offers from multiple top-tier MBA programs, including one with a scholarship. For anyone considering MBA admissions consulting, I wholeheartedly recommend Donna Bauman and Stratus Admissions Counseling. The investment in their services is truly an investment in your future, providing you with not just expert guidance, but also a supportive partner committed to your success.
Donna is an amazing admissions counselor, and went above and beyond to support me as I navigated the MBA application process. From the very beginning, she was warm, kind, and expressed a genuine interest in getting to know me and my career goals.
We spent several sessions on introspection activities that helped me identify and articulate how my past career experiences, skills, and strengths made me a competitive applicant for business school. From these activities, I was able to refine my career goals, and develop a strong application strategy. As well, the exercises helped me brainstorm various experiences I could discuss in my essays and made my writing process much more organized and succinct.
Donna conducted multiple reviews of my essays and short answers responses, providing essential feedback on areas I could improve and significant areas to highlight. She provided a thorough resume review and held mock interview sessions with me to practice and prep. Donna always gave me constructive feedback and was an invaluable resource. She was very responsive, and reviewed my essay drafts and answered any questions I had in a timely manner. Whenever I had doubts or concerns about a weak component of my application, she was empathetic and helped me reframe/strategize how I could address any weaknesses and improve.
Through her guidance, I was accepted to multiple schools with scholarship offers. Thank you Donna, I’m incredibly thankful I had the opportunity to work with you!
I had the distinct pleasure of working with Donna as my admissions consultant throughout the MBA application process, and I cannot speak highly enough of her invaluable guidance.
Donna’s expertise, professionalism, and dedication were evident from our initial interactions. She possesses a deep understanding of the intricacies of MBA admissions, and her insights proved instrumental in shaping a compelling and authentic narrative for my application. Donna’s commitment was evident in her meticulous approach to every aspect of the application, from refining essays to providing strategic advice on recommendation letters.
What truly sets Donna apart is her ability to draw out the unique aspects of an applicant’s experiences and aspirations. She not only helped me articulate my achievements but also encouraged me to reflect on my journey, resulting in a more authentic and impactful application. Donna’s keen eye for detail ensured that my application presented a cohesive and compelling story, a critical element in the competitive landscape of MBA admissions.
Her support extended beyond the technicalities of the application. Donna provided insightful advice on school selection, helping me tailor my choices to align with my career goals and personal aspirations. Her personalized approach, genuine enthusiasm, and unwavering support created a collaborative and motivating environment that made the challenging process more manageable.
I am thrilled to share that, with Donna’s guidance, I received an acceptance offer from Wharton’s MBA program. This outcome is a testament to Donna’s exceptional abilities as an admissions consultant. I wholeheartedly recommend Donna Bauman to anyone embarking on the MBA application journey. Her dedication makes her an invaluable partner in achieving one’s academic and professional aspirations.
Coming from an Indian male engineering background, I was not sure if my story would really stand out in an uber competitive applicant pool. Donna was very reassuring and first off made me believe in myself. Donna has a lot of experience with respect to Indian applicants, having screened thousands of Indian applicants resumes. She helped me understand my motivation for doing an MBA much better which gave me a different perspective and helped me narrate my story with a lot more conviction. From helping build my essays to preparing for interviews, Donna was a pillar of support throughout the process. With Donna’s help, I was able to get admits to multiple M7 schools, most importantly, my dream school – HBS!!
Thank you for everything Donna, and for anyone reading this and trying to make a decision on selecting an MBA consultant, I can confidently say that you can trust Donna. This is an important decision, and you cannot go wrong with Donna, no matter what your background is.
I have a nontraditional background that to me, just seemed like life. Donna helped me see that each step I took was the best step I could’ve taken, and helped me reflect that across my essays. From brainstorming on strong points from my childhood to capturing my professional accomplishments, Donna helped me show the highlights of 20+ years. Not only that, Donna helped me refine points in my resume to better shape the narrative the reader got from the bullets.
Her partnership didn’t conclude when I submitted my applications. I shared with her my interview invites and she offered to help me prep. Her years of experience being an Admissions Officer and helping applicants similar to myself helped me connect on a deeper level with my interviewers. We had so much success together, that I had the great problem of weighing multiple offers with scholarships. Donna also helped me view my options from a different lense and ask key questions to different offices to fully grasp what each institution could offer me throughout the 2-year MBA program.
I would recommend Donna 11 times out of 10.
I had an exceptional experience working with Donna and the Stratus team throughout my MBA application journey. One of my favorite aspects of working with Donna was her unwavering support during an unexpected challenge. In the middle of the application process, I was laid off due to tech redundancies, and was worried this would derail the months of work I had put into my applications. Donna immediately reassured me, sharing that she had worked with other clients in similar situations whose MBA journeys were not negatively impacted. Beyond her role as a consultant, she went above and beyond by quickly connecting me with people in my intended post-MBA industry, helping me explore job opportunities and expand my network. Her empathy and proactive approach made a stressful situation feel far more manageable, and her reassurance helped me to land a new job in the tech industry, just 2 months after the layoff in a difficult job market.
From the start, Donna was clear that she would match my working pace. Whether I sent her multiple lengthy school drafts in a day or needed quick feedback, she was always incredibly responsive. Her comments were thoughtful and thorough, demonstrating her ability to understand the bigger picture of what I was trying to communicate. She never made edits just for the sake of it—it was clear she fully read through each draft and provided comments that were appropriate to the stage of the process, whether we were refining core themes or fine-tuning language.
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.
I highly recommend Donna and Stratus to anyone navigating the MBA application process. Their expertise, dedication, and genuine support made all the difference in helping me tell my story authentically and effectively.
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!
