Kaneisha Grayson's Blog, page 18
January 25, 2020
Client Case Study: Xena
Originally considering a career as a forensic psychologist, Xena made the leap to law after getting the chance to intern for a local attorney through a high school internship program. Her one-year internship turned into a six-year job as she continued working for the law firm all the way through her undergraduate studies. She credits this work experience with getting her accepted to NYU, St. Thomas and Rutgers law schools and waitlisted at Stetson University Law School.
Dealing with medical issues, Xena took the LSAT twice, but was disappointed in her scores even after receiving medical accommodations for her second attempt. She knew she would need help getting into the schools she wanted to attend. The Art of Applying® taught her the difference between an academic resume and a job resume, helped her find a different approach to her personal statements and helped her look at the whole application process in a different light.
As a first-generation college graduate with Spanish-speaking parents, Xena was delighted that The Art of Applying® insisted that her mother join her for her Breakthrough Call, despite the language barrier. She recommends that all parents — especially those who don’t speak English — are included in clients’ Breakthrough Calls, because they bring their own life experience and their opinions matter. She even took time in her interview to send a special Spanish-language message to parents who are wondering if The Art of Applying® is right for their child.
Xena’s big plans for her future, include working with immigrant communities (inspired by her own father’s fight to stay in the United States) and the Innocence Project. Her positive attitude and hard work, along with the help of The Art of Applying®, got her to where she is today and we can’t wait to see the change she makes in the world!
Service: Application Accelerator®
Join Date: August 2018 | End Date: May 2019
Applicant Information
Age: 22GPA: 3.4 with honors LSAT: 140 (first attempt), 150 (second attempt)
Acceptances
Rutgers University Law School New York University Law School St. Thomas University Law School Stetson University Law School — Waitlisted Michigan State Law School
Scholarships
Rutgers University Law School: $9,000 per yearMichigan State Law School: $10,000 per yearSt. Thomas University Law School: $23,000 per yearNew York University Law School: $10,000 per year
Notable Quotes
On getting accepted to NYU School of Law, University of St. Thomas School of Law and Rutgers Law School, and waitlisted at Stetson University Law School:
“It feels like a big weight is off my shoulders… It definitely feels a lot better knowing I have choices… Before, I felt like I didn’t have a choice. It feels good to know I have a choice now.”
On getting accepted to three law schools despite her lower LSAT scores:
“What really helped me is pointing out something else other than my score. I am more than my score.”
Why job experience was an important part of her law school applications:
“Working for a lawyer for six-plus years since high school, having that background; I think that’s what really, really helped me.”
Her advice to fellow law school applicants who might be worried about their GPAs or LSAT scores:
“Work on your work experience, because a lot of law schools right now are actually giving more weight to that rather than your GPA or your LSAT score. They really want to know what type of real-world experience are you preparing yourself for?”
How she discovered The Art of Applying® and knew we could help her achieve her dreams:
“I was reading anything and everything I could about law schools… I stumbled upon The Art of Applying® and how you guys could help me as long as I give my 100 percent. You guys will be there to help me, you will be there, and you will support me getting into law school. Not just law school, but more specifically, a law school that I would really want to go to and where I could be happy.”
How The Art of Applying® — especially her consultant — played a pivotal role in her application process:
“I needed someone else’s opinion… Before meeting you guys, I was having a hard time thinking about personal statements… I had made a list [of personal statement ideas] when I started talking with my consultant. She made me think of things I didn’t even think about.”
How she felt about her Breakthrough Call and why it’s important to have parents join these calls:
“I had my Breakthrough Call…with my mom present. She doesn’t speak English. … [My Breakthrough Coach] asked me a lot of questions that I didn’t actually put into perspective at the beginning…. He asked me, ‘Where do you want to go to law school? Are you okay with leaving New Jersey?’ My mom had a lot of questions, and he was very helpful too.”
On people’s misunderstandings on how The Art of Applying® works:
“They think ‘let me just get with this company and they will do everything for me and they will get me into law school.’ … It’s important to understand that you have to help yourself.”
Her advice to clients who don’t want to include their parents on the Breakthrough Call because they don’t speak English:
“It’s important to bring your parents… I think they see things differently than we do because we’re younger… They’ve been through life already… There’s going to be things you’re not going to think about asking… Their opinion matters.”
What surprised her the most about working with The Art of Applying®:
“The relationship I built with my consultant. … It felt like I knew her already. She was wonderful and until this day, she’s very supportive. I feel comfortable letting her know what’s going on with my life.”
On her future career plans after she graduates from law school and why she’s choosing law:
“My main focus would be immigration, and I would also really, really love to work with the Innocence Project and the wrongfully convicted… Going into law for a lot of people, it might be monetary reasons, but for me it’s not like that.”
Her advice to someone who’s in a similar situation, but doubting that they will be accepted into their top school choices:
“Two weeks ago I was in your exact same position. Even with my background and how wonderful my application was… it’s still a scary process… Stay confident. Think positive more than anything.”
On how being a full-time working student can actually be a positive for law and grad school applicants:
“Maybe you felt like you could have done better if you didn’t have to work, but props to you because you had it harder, and you still graduated. That’s something that a lot of universities appreciate and they love to see that. A lot of things got in your way, but you still got it done.”
On her overall positive experience with The Art of Applying®:
“I don’t think I would have been able to do it without you guys.”
January 15, 2020
Client Case Study: Sarah
Sarah moved from Ghana to the United States to pursue a law degree, and successfully pursued law school. But, she knew that she wanted and needed more education to pursue her goals. She saw an LLM program in international law as particularly important to her dream of working for the United Nations or another international organization. She knew that she didn’t want to settle for what she’d done to date.
What she was able to learn in working with us, reinforcing her own research going into the program, was that she didn’t need to have a “stellar GPA,” as she put it, to succeed. She came to learn that it was all about the presentation.
“You don’t have to have a stellar GPA to be able to get into the schools,” she emphasized. “It’s how you present yourself to them. And if you think that you’re legit, and if you think that you’re capable, and if you think that you’re the real MVP, they will definitely think so, too.”
She honed in on a top-five LLM program, at George Washington University, that put a premium on an applicant’s individual story. She worked on her narrative diligently throughout the process, relaying her experience growing up in Ghana and tying that to her interest in advancing women’s rights. And even though she was prepared to write her essays, and did a lot of work on that front, we were able to provide guidance.
“I think it’s refreshing, when you have someone sign off on your work and say, hey, this is great, and this is what you should focus on and all that,” she noted, adding, of our process. “It’s helpful.”
She got accepted by GWU, got waitlisted at Emory University, and felt encouraged that she was able to move closer to her dream.
“The admissions office is not going to believe that you are great until you see yourself as great,” she says by way of encouragement. “And that’s one thing I’ve learned. And so you have to really believe that you can achieve what you want to achieve, you can achieve going into these great schools. Don’t sell yourself short. Don’t feel like you deserve the worst. Because you deserve the best … If your goal is to get into one of these schools, set that goal and go for it. Don’t let a low GPA or low standardized test scores stop you.”
Start Date: October 2017 | End Date: May 2018
Acceptances
George Washington University International & Comparative Law LLM Program
Attending
George Washington University International & Comparative Law LLM Program
Notable Quotes
Sarah knew that she didn’t want to settle on just her law degree.
“Part of my story is that sometimes you feel like because of your GPA and your scores, you feel like you can only take what you can get … and that’s how I felt with my law degree.”
Sarah knew that for the LLM program, it was all about the essays:
“You don’t have to have a stellar GPA to be able to get into the schools. It’s how you present yourself to them. And if you think that you’re legit, and if you think that you’re capable, and if you think that you’re the real MVP, they will definitely think so, too.”
Sarah learned about The Art of Applying® through a webinar that gave her hope:
“When I watched the webinar, that was the very first time I have ever heard that not having a stellar GPA — in fact, I thought, it was too good to be true — that [even though you didn’t have] a stellar GPA, that you can still get into these schools … I found myself compare myself to these people who got into great schools, and they seem to have these stellar GPAs. So it was encouraging to hear.”
Sarah learned self-belief as she went through the program and utilized it in her applications:
“The admissions office is not going to believe that you are great until you see yourself as great. And that’s one thing I’ve learned. And so you have to really believe that you can achieve what you want to achieve, you can achieve going into these great schools. Don’t sell yourself short. Don’t feel like you deserve the worst. Because you deserve the best … If your goal is to get into one of these schools, set that goal and go for it. Don’t let a low GPA or low standardized test scores stop you.”
Sarah found our editing input made her essay writing go better:
“I think it’s refreshing, when you have someone sign off on your work and say, hey, this is great, and this is what you should focus on and all that. It’s helpful.”
December 8, 2019
Client Case Study: Vida
After being accepted to NYU in 2015 but unable to attend due to finances, Vida knew she had to take a different approach to be accepted into the public policy graduate school of her dreams—and be able to pay for it.
“I couldn’t get an educational loan,” Vida explained. “I work in human rights, so they look at my credit [score], which was really low, obviously. And I come from a middle-class Indian family. We don’t have much money in [our] pocket, so I had to turn it down for financial reasons. I also learned a few things on my first application, which was my GRE scores are low and I need to improve my work experiences, which I have since then.”
Vida also had a gap in her work history which she knew would be a challenge to apply to graduate school again. She knew she had to do something differently, so she googled and found us here at The Art of Applying®. She subscribed to the blog for several years before she finally took a Breakthrough Call with a member of our team.
She explained, “It’s very people-centered and heart-centered. You’re concerned about each individual rather than the stats. That’s why I decided this is the consultant that I want to be partners with in my application [process].”
After Vida began the process of applying, working with our team of consultants inspired her to reach higher and apply to eight different schools.
She realized, “I can aim higher. I can totally aim for NYU, again, which is a difficult school, or with American University which is one of the top policy schools in the world and I honestly was not expecting to even get into AU at that time and the consultants [said] ‘no, we can get you in there. Do you want to get in there?” And I said, ‘well, if you can help me, then yes.’”
We did help her! The first school Vida was accepted to was American University.
“That’s why you would need a consultant to help you with your essays and your resumes,” Vida said. “Well, at least for me, I need a bunch of people who helped me see my vision and helped me share my vision so that I can actualize it.”
Vida said with the structure, strategy, and attention to telling her story, The Art of Applying gave her perspective and she was able to pursue her dreams. Our team was able to see her specific challenges and address them head-on.
When asked what she would tell someone like her, “I would say don’t worry about it, you know my scores are really low like 297. It’s just, no one will ever tell you to apply with those scores, but I did and I like the fact that [the consultant] was able to see [things] from my perspective, my problems, and where I see myself. They shared my vision. And that’s when I realized, yeah I’m doing the right thing by coming to your team.”
We are so glad that Vida came to our team and we were able to help her accomplish her goals. We can’t wait to see where graduate school takes her in life.
Service: Application Accelerator®
Join Date: August 2018 | End Date: May 2019
Applicant Information
IndianAge: 25Three years of work experience in Human Rights Undergraduate: Delhi University, Political Science, Honors GRE: 153V, 143Q
Acceptances
Georgetown UniversityGeorge Washington UniversityAmerican University New York University UCSD
Scholarships
UCSD: Full scholarshipGeorge Washington: Global Initiatives Scholarship: $18,000 and ESIA Tuition Fellowship: $18,000
Attending
UCSD
Notable Quotes
Despite low GRE scores, Vida was accepted to her dream school
“I have really low GRE scores. I got a 143 and a 145 in Quantitative and 154 in Verbal, which is really low for a lot of policy schools that I’m applying to. I have about three to four years of work experience, and I’m 25, so I’m still in the lower end of the classic route. But, as long as you peek in other areas or as long as you show the admissions committee that, ‘this is who I am as a person.’ Because they take a holistic approach. In India when you apply for graduate school or Ph.D., there’s usually an examination, they have to give. So you pass that, then you’re good. But in the US, they prefer to see you as a whole, who are you as a person. So if you’re able to tell the outcome that ‘this is who I am, and this is why I went to school, and this is why I fit into your school,’ I think that you’re good.”
Vida found her true self shined as she worked with us to develop her CV:
“My CV saw great improvement. I have never been good at writing CVs and I’ve never been good at listing down my accomplishments, because sometimes I feel like, ‘Oh, do I sound arrogant? Am I talking too much about myself? Or am I not selling myself enough?’ Like it’s either of the two extremes. So in my CV, I that’s where I see the most growth. My true self was really brought out with my accomplishments without sounding too arrogant.”
With refined essays and an improved application strategy, Vida was accepted to several top policy schools:“So, having been through the process in 2015, I knew that my essays were going to be a game-changer for me… A lot of schools, ask you a question, ‘Based on your experience, how would you answer this question?’ So for me, I have so many experiences. I don’t know which one to choose. I don’t know which one would be best to answer this particular question. So that’s where the consultants were a lot of help, they helped me understand like, ‘Oh, this experience is good. This is good, but not for this question, but for this other question.’ Well, so far, I’ve received acceptance into two schools and NYU has a really low acceptance rate, and I got in with a 297 score.”
Client Case Study: Tiru
Tiru has been a successful engineer in India for the past 14 years, both in the public and private sectors. He’s worked for Airbus and has been a deputy director in foreign trade for the Indian government. When he decided he wanted to further his skills and career, he took the plunge and applied to grad schools on his own. Admittedly, due to his work and hectic schedule, he didn’t put a lot of thought into the application process, assuming he would get accepted based solely on his high GPA and test scores.
After getting waitlisted by Harvard Kennedy and rejected by Princeton after his first time applying on his own, Tiru knew he would need to reevaluate his efforts before beginning the application process all over again. He began researching how to write better essays and discovered The Art of Applying® website thanks to a Google search. Impressed by our tips and advice, he began considering reaching out to The Art of Applying® team to help him with the application process.
After discussing this investment in his future with his wife, he decided to schedule his Breakthrough Call to see if it would be a good fit. He was a bit nervous about the possibility that it would be a “hard sell” type of call, but said, “It was not like that. It was a very, very frank discussion.” Thankfully, it was a match for everyone! And as Tiru so succinctly put it, working with us “was the perfect thing to do at that point in time.”
Tiru’s favorite thing about working with The Art of Applying® was the process. His consultant “was there with me. She actually spent time to understand where I come from. … This process of understanding the client and knowing them before advising, that is not easily replicable elsewhere.”
Now, Tiru and his wife are excited for their big move to Chicago so that he can attend University of Chicago Harris MS in Computational Analysis and Public Policy with his $30,000 scholarship. We can’t wait to see what the future holds for Tiru!
Start Date: April 2018 | End Date: May 2019
Applicant Information
ReapplicantIndian career civil servantWorked in private and public sector for the last 14 years; 6 years private sector engineeringDeputy director in foreign trade for Indian governmentGPA: 3.9 Masters GPA: 4.33GRE: 164V, 169Q
Acceptances
University of Chicago Harris MSCAPP
Scholarships & Fellowships
Chicago Harris: $30,000
Notable Quotes
Tiru came to us at The Art of Applying® as a reapplicant determined to gain admission the second time around:
“I had applied last year to Harvard Kennedy and to Princeton. … Given my job and schedule that I have, I really could not focus much on the application process. … At Harvard Kennedy I got waitlisted and Princeton I got rejected. … That’s when I started thinking these schools needed much more than I’m actually thinking about the application process.”
Why working with us at The Art of Applying
®
was a worthwhile investment:
“It has been a fantastic journey for me because I discovered a lot of things that I probably would not have thought had I gotten in last year.”
Tiru encourages applicants to give themselves as much support as possible:
“Last year the results were very painful. … When you’re alone, you’re alone. … They’re really not there to help you out or guide you.”
“They [The Art of Applying® team] have worked with hundreds of candidates and they know exactly what the policy schools or any MBA school is looking for.”
Tiru appreciated having the support and guidance of The Art of Applying® team:
“You have somebody who is a friend who is there to always listen to you and say, ‘I think you should probably introspect and think about this a little bit more.’”
Tiru reflects on why he chose The Art of Applying®:
“It was the perfect thing to do at that point in time.”
At first, Tiru was hesitant about booking the Breakthrough Call, but he’s glad he did:
“My only fear was it should not be a hard sell kind of call where the person is trying to grab the client and say, ‘This is the place to come running.’ It was not like that. It was a very, very frank discussion.”
Tiru reflects on his favorite parts of working with The Art of Applying® team:
“The process. … [My consultant] was there with me. She actually spent time to understand where I come from. … This process of understanding the client and knowing them before advising, that is not easily replicable elsewhere.”
Tiru encourages others to take the first step with working with us at The Art of Applying®:
“Just take the Breakthrough Call. … You can get all your doubts removed in that call.”
December 4, 2019
Client Case Study: Rebecca
After working in finance for almost four years, “Rebecca” (not her real name) knew she wanted to attend business school to further her career and life goals. Despite struggling with low test scores, including several attempts at the GMAT before switching to the GRE, Rebecca didn’t give up and ended up getting into her top choices.
She knew she had a good story and idea for what she wanted to do post-business school, but she didn’t know how to tell her story in her application essays. Additionally, she needed guidance on when to switch to the GRE from the GMAT, which schools to apply to, and when to start visiting schools. She discovered The Art of Applying® during a Google search and reached out for help.
Rebecca then dedicated a year to studying and took her last GRE on the same day she submitted one of her business school applications.
Rebecca’s perseverance and dedication paid off with acceptances to two schools and a waitlist spot from a third! We can’t wait to see what she does next!
Service: Application Accelerator®
Join Date: July 2018 | End Date: May 2019
Applicant Information
Age: 26Worked in finance for almost four years
Acceptances
Dartmouth Tuck UVA DardenWaitlisted at Northwestern Kellogg
Scholarships
Half-tuition Merit Scholarship at Darden
Notable Quotes
With our guidance, Rebecca decided to switch from the GMAT to the GRE for her business school applications:
“My greatest weakness in my application was my test scores. … I struggled with the GMAT a few times and then switched to the GRE. I ended up submitting a few different GRE scores that eventually got me into my top choices.”
Rebecca sought out our help to craft her story to make it compelling to top business schools:
“I liked my story and thought I had a good idea for what I wanted to do after business school. I really knew that going to business school was going to be what I wanted to do. But I wasn’t sure how to craft that story. … I knew that I needed help.”
Despite imperfect grades and test scores, Rebecca was able to demonstrate her strong fit with Darden:
“It really was about my story and about the fit that I have with Darden that made them see that I was a great candidate for their program.”
The accountability, encouragement, and support we provided was crucial to Rebecca’s success:
“Having The Art of Applying® to help me along the way really gave me the confidence to not only keep going when the journey got a little bit tough … but to know that I was on the right track.”
“Having everybody at The Art of Applying® to keep cheering for me and giving me advice when I was feeling really down was very helpful.”
Through her work with us, Rebecca’s application was so strong, Darden lured her to the school with a 50% tuition scholarship:
“It was a merit scholarship, so I didn’t apply for it. They looked at my application and thought that I was worthy of that money.”
“After finding out that not only did I get in, but they wanted me enough to help pay for school was the best feeling ever.”
Rebecca reminds her fellow applicants that they are more than a test score:
“Your scores are only one piece of the application.”
Our help was crucial in getting Rebecca to the oh-so-important interview stage of the application process so she could really shine:
“Once people met me and I was able to articulate my other strengths, it definitely helped.”
Rebecca encourages applicants to be mindful of whose advice they take:
“Try not to get bogged down by other people’s advice who might not know what they’re talking about.”
Rebecca’s advice for those of you experiencing overwhelm, confusion, and fatigue during the application process:
“Just keep going.”
November 28, 2019
Protected: Client Case Study: Liana
This content is password protected. To view it please enter your password below:
Password:
Client Case Study: Ling
Ling was one of those grad school candidates you had to get to know to really appreciate. Looking at just her GPA and GMAT score doesn’t give you the full picture.
She was certainly aware of this fact when she began the application process — her GPA was a 3.22 thanks to a few rough semesters, and her GMAT score was just a 660. She also had a big red flag on her record: She was in her school’s Honors Program and then was dismissed from it in her junior year.
But during school, she’d also amassed a lot of experience making her a more well-rounded applicant, including more than 500 hours of community service and two study abroad trips, all while working multiple jobs.
She found The Art of Applying®, found it to be a responsive group of people who could help her, and she committed to our Application Accelerator® program. During her Assessment Call, our team recommended that she apply to the Duke Master of Management Studies program — a 10-month graduate program designed for recent graduates looking to jump start their careers. After conducting further research, Duke’s MMS program became Ling’s first choice and what she considered to be her “reach” school.
As she notes, “I didn’t know how to pull the pieces together, and even something as simple as just getting organized, that was really big. Just having someone…to look it over… and mentor you through the process? That was really big.”
Ling worked with our team over many months, and was delighted when the acceptance letter from Duke arrived.
Start Date: July 2018 | End Date: May 2019
Applicant Information
22 years oldAttended City University of New YorkB.A. in Marketing GPA: 3.22GMAT: 660
Acceptances
Duke Fuqua School of Business Master of Management Studies Program
Attending
Duke Fuqua School of Business Master of Management Studies Program
Notable Quotes
Ling began to understand how we at The Art of Applying® care more about simply getting you signed up; we want to make sure you are financially prepared:
“It was surprising to me. Actually, as I was filling out the things that asked how will you fund this … I feel like most companies are not interested in how you will fund this [the fees of working with the company], it was more like, will you have the money, and if you have the money, okay we’re going to take it … the fact that my parents had to be there … I thought that was really great, because it shows getting into grad school is this whole experience, this whole process. It’s not just, ‘We’re going to give you the guidance and you’re going to do this.’ It’s a big thing, it’s more than just getting into school; this is your life.”
Ling was concerned about how to create a successful application:
“I really didn’t know how I was going to explain to colleges … I got kicked out [of the Honors Program]. So that was a big thing. The second big thing was just how to explain that I didn’t have any relevant work experience. I had internships, but they weren’t in marketing, so I didn’t know how to explain that. I didn’t know how to explain the fact that my GPA wasn’t over 3.5. Also, I think I understood what needed to be done; I just didn’t know how to go about it. I didn’t know how to pull the pieces together, and even something as simple as just getting organized, that was really big. Just having someone to help you to do the work and having someone to look it over … and mentor you through the process? That was really big.”
Ling was grateful to have the support of the community of other applicants that our program provides:
“There’s also the support system because I was the only one amongst my friends who were applying to business school at this time. So, it was really like, I’m by myself and I don’t know anyone else who’s going through this. So, just to build that community around you, I think that was also really, really huge.”
Our guidance helped Ling understand that she was more competitive for MMS programs than MBA programs:
“We started coming up with a plan, on what was the GMAT score that I should strive to reach for, what was going to help offset my failures, what to highlight in my applications, and then also something as simple as figuring out which schools to apply for. I remember originally coming into this, I was applying for a lot more like MBA programs rather than MMS programs, and that’s a big thing, because I didn’t really know the difference.”
Ling learned it was important to show up and put in the work if she wanted great results:
“They’re not there to write your essay. They’re there to help maybe fix up your wording, they’re there to help give you more direction, to tell you what you need to elaborate more on and what you need to take away. They will be there to help you maybe cut down your essay from 1000 words to 500. But ultimately, you are the one. You have to be the one to put in the work … I asked [my consultant] on my Breakthrough Call, who doesn’t succeed, who doesn’t get into schools, and he said, ‘The people who don’t do anything or expect us to do everything.’”
Ling reflected positively on choosing The Art of Applying®: “I think that if you do end up choosing The Art of Applying®, you’re in very, very good hands, because you’re actually with a company that cares about you, and it’s more than just about the transaction.”
November 21, 2019
Client Case Study: Mauro
As an economist with 23 years of experience, Mauro was determined to take his career to the next level by attending Harvard Kennedy School. “I had to put together an application that highlighted why I wanted to change careers, or change from the private sector to giving another focus of attention, which is more on the government side and more on the social side,” Mauro said.
Mauro said he wanted to be an agent of change for his country, Mexico, and he knew that the skills he could learn at Harvard would help him return home and be this change. Many people told Mauro he should apply to numerous schools in order to reach his full potential — but he knew where he wanted to be: Harvard Kennedy School.
As a referral from a friend, Mauro found out about The Art of Applying®. He did his own research about the accomplishments of clients and the team. He decided working with us was the best strategy for him to fulfill his goals.
“I think that [my research] gave me the insight that you were in the best position to help. And second, In the first interview call [Breakthrough Call] that I had with your team, I found out that they asked the right questions and they really get to know me and they told me that they were in a position to help me get the most out of my application,” Mauro said.
For Mauro, The Art of Applying® was not only a great resource to fulfill his grad school dreams, but he knew our program, Application Accelerator®, would help him stay accountable. Mauro shared, “[I am] a full-time employee with lots of traveling and lots of commitments and lots of deadlines and so forth. What I really wanted was a structured program that would help me meet deadlines.”
Mauro believes working with us at The Art of Applying® in our Application Accelerator® is truly an investment worth making. “It’s completely up to you to be successful... if you’re admitted to The Art of Applying®, then the likelihood of success is really high and you want to get your money’s worth.”
And indeed, Mauro did get his money’s worth!
Mauro was accepted to Harvard Kennedy School’s Mid-Career MPA program as a Mason Fellow. He plans to attend HKS and then return to Mexico to give back to his country. Mauro said, “I’m very happy to have been admitted. I look forward to being an agent of change in my country, and if I can do anything for other people, I am more than willing to do it.”
We are delighted to have been a part of Mauro’s journey from being an economist in the private sector in Mexico to attending his dream school, so that he can have the impact he is committed to making.
Start Date: September 2018 | End Date: May 2019
Applicant Information
44 years oldMexican School: Monterrey Institute of Technology
Acceptances
Harvard Kennedy School
Attending
Harvard Kennedy School MC/MPA Mason Fellows
Notable Quotes
Mauro appreciated our help in making his case as an applicant from the private sector:
“One of the major requirements was to have past experience. So I have over 23 years of experience working at CEMEX, a building materials company. And I had to put together an application that highlighted why I wanted to change careers or change from the private sector to giving another focus of attention, which is more on the government side and more on the social side if you will. So that was really helpful. And then what else can I tell you? I’m an economist by profession. I have an MBA and I really wanted to get an MPA, but I wanted to make sure that it was a mid-career program.”
Mauro came to us as a referral and felt we were the best professionals to help him achieve his goals:
“I did some research on your accomplishments. I found out that it was the best mechanism for me to really fulfill their compelling applications… It was a referral, I did my homework. And I realized that when at first many people told me, ‘You should apply to maybe three, four, or five schools to get your possibilities higher of acceptance, but I really wanted to get into this specific program. So I took the decision to apply only to this program, which I know is not the best thing, but having said that, I took the decision because you [Kaneisha] are from Harvard, both from Kennedy School and also from the Business School. And I think that that gave me the insight that you were in the best position to help. And second, in the first interview call [Breakthrough Call] that I had with your team, I found out that they asked the right questions and they really get to know me and they told me that they were in a position to help me get the most out of my application.”
Mauro appreciated that we got to know him during the Breakthrough Call, and then provided a plan, structure, and accountability in the Application Accelerator®:
“For me being a full-time employee with lots of traveling and lots of commitments and lots of deadlines and so forth, what I really wanted was a structured program that would help me meet deadlines and make sure that along the way. I remember my first call was on the fourth of September and the deadline for me was on the third of December. So I realized that I had maybe three months to put together this application, but while I was traveling, while I was working, while I was doing lots of stuff. So what really appealed to me was the discipline that I had to put together in order for the application. And I have to meet deadlines, I have to send things for revision for comments and most importantly the feedback that I got was really, really helpful and in terms of, ‘This is not really necessary….You haven’t spoken about this.’ So in …the first call [Breakthrough Call], they get to know you. And then from there, they can see what’s the best way that they can help you.”
Mauro was impressed by the professionalism of our team and felt his investment was worthwhile:
“When I think like anything in life, this is an investment. I think that it is worth every penny. And I think that yes, you think maybe you find other places where you can find help, but at the end of the day, for me, is finding the best help. And that was what I found in The Art of Applying®. Honestly, I really was surprised by the professionalism of the whole thing. And the way they set you up on the way, and the way they coach you, and the way they helped me — it was second to none.”
“I have to speak very highly of every member of your team…and that is even from the people that help you connect, that help you with the website, that help you with the questions…even the consultants that help you… So I found myself very comfortable working with the whole team. And every time I reached out for help, there was someone there.”
Mauro went “all in” on his dream of attending Harvard Kennedy School:
“I mean, I have always had this thing about being an agent of change. And coming from a developing country myself and I realized that this particular program the Mason Fellow program was what was more suited for me. So I went all in, if you will, on this program and with your help and your advice.”
Our belief in Mauro’s success helped him feel even more confident in his application process:
“I just want to say that I mean obviously, this is an investment, one should see this as an investment, but their success rate is really high…I like the fact that you take the chance to admit people to whether or not you want to work with them because I think that once you are admitted [to the Application Accelerator®] — you have what it takes, and it’s completely up to you to be successful.…So my recommendation, my advice to people, is…if you’re admitted to The Art of Applying®, then the likelihood of success is really high.”
Mauro is eager to pay it forward and help others:
“I’m very happy to have been admitted. I look forward to being an agent of change in my country, and if I can do anything for other people I am more than willing to do it.”
November 14, 2019
Client Case Study: Kudzai
Kudzai was born in Zimbabwe, moved to the United States when she was three, and grew up in Evanston, Illinois, with Northwestern University in her life from an early age. When she was growing up, she would go to the school’s library to study. And even though she did her undergraduate work at DePaul University, she knew that someday, she’d be a Northwestern student.
She was also an entrepreneur from an early age, braiding hair and selling candy while still in elementary school, and upon graduating from DePaul, she made an early foray into brand managing, decided to pursue her love of making art, and then returned to brand management in the beauty industry while keeping her art career going.
When she determined that she wanted to get an MBA to further her professional aims, there was only one place she wanted to go: the Kellogg Executive MBA program at Northwestern. It made sense for a lot of reasons, including its application process, which favored real-life work experience, didn’t require a GMAT score as part of the package, and had a rolling deadline.
But it was still something that she needed to put her mind to, and she knew that she didn’t want to waste her opportunity at getting into Northwestern. She partnered with us at The Art of Applying®. She received valuable guidance from her Mindset Coach, and worked closely with her one-on-one Consultant. She drew upon the support of the Editing Specialists who also provided helpful feedback throughout her essay-writing process. Kudzai especially enjoyed working alongside the community of like-minded applicants inspiring her with their acceptances. At 35, she’s now attending her dream school, and feels so transformed by her experience that she’s hired a personal trainer in her quest to to continue investing in herself!
Start Date: January 2018 | End Date: October 2018
Applicant Information
35 years oldAttended DePaul University B.S. in MarketingGPA: 3.425
Acceptances
Northwestern Kellogg EMBA Program
Scholarships & Fellowships
$20,000 per year scholarship from Northwestern Kellogg
Attending
Northwestern Kellogg EMBA Program
Notable Quotes
Kudzai came to us as a referral from one of our prior clients:
“So, I had started applying to grad school, because I was just hitting a bump in the wall with my career and I knew that I needed to take a next step in getting my MBA … I knew that I wanted to go to Kellogg, that was the only school that I really wanted to go to. And so I reached out to some of my friends from college who I knew were in the MBA program and just had some questions for them about how the application process was, how long it took for them, scholarships, funding and things like that. And one of the young ladies, she did The Art of Applying® … she got accepted to the Booth School at the University of Chicago.”
Kudzai wanted our help completing the application process right the first time:
“I thought about the type of learner that I am, and when I’m doing something new, the type of support that I need, and just knowing that my friend went through the program, and she had a success story, I just felt that this is something that I need to invest in. And time is critical for me. I didn’t want to do this on my own … Some people do this on their own, fail, and then have to come back. I knew that I wanted to apply to Kellogg, and I didn’t want to continue, not to apply … then have to do it again next year. So I was just like, “Let me take the time and invest in myself.” And honestly, it was the best decision I could have made—not only from a professional standpoint, but also from a personal standpoint because I feel there was so many different emotional rollercoasters.”
Kudzai appreciated that our team held her accountable to her goals:
“Two weeks before the application’s final deadline was due, somebody from The Art of Applying® reached out to me and was like, ‘Hey, we noticed that you haven’t been writing on your essays and you haven’t been communicating. We just wanted to follow back up with you.’ And I appreciated that. Because then it just reminded me, I have to finish it. And I applied, and this is not ideal, but I applied the last round … and it was like 10 days of writing and rewriting that essay, and that 10 days, I was clear because I have had months to really reflect on … what is my story, why do I really want this MBA… The Art of Applying® just allowed for me to consolidate my thoughts because I was all over the place … and when you have 450 words, there’s only so much you can say.”
Kudzai appreciated having our entire team working by her side to help her achieve success:
“This is something that I’ve never done before. I didn’t have any close family members who I can talk to. I have friends who applied, but [they were] so busy. I mean, I reached out to them for conversations, and you can ask people about the school and their experiences. You know, maybe somebody will review your essay once, or give you some feedback but they’re not going to spend the time … that is really needed. And so I just felt The Art of Applying® would be really helpful … it really is a real team effort who helps you in this process … multiple people saw and had input in my application … I’m just really grateful to the whole experience because it truly changed me.”
Kudzai was encouraged and motivated by The Art of Applying® applicant community:
“Hearing success stories … just keeps you motivated … That person was able to do it, or … that person had some hurdles. Let me make sure that I can overcome those hurdles as well.”
“I’m a person of faith and it literally took every ounce of faith for me to finish this application process.”
November 5, 2019
Client Case Study: J’Taime
J’Taime has an incredibly personal story of resilience combined with a professional background that made her well suited to top policy and business school programs.
While in college, J’Taime experienced the devastating loss of her father as well as losing her new baby while in an intense Teach for America program in New Orleans’ Ninth Ward.
J’Taime describes herself as “surviving rather than thriving” through some of that adversity, but had always found ways to apply for scholarships and programs, keeping her eye on grad school as part of her goal to work with children and legislative policy in her nonprofit education calling.
She notes, “All these boxes that people assume you need to check off don’t actually have to be checked off—if you have a compelling story and you’re passionate.”
But she also recognized the value of The Art of Applying® when it finally became time for her to start the graduate school part of her life plan.
She poses a great question: “Yes, I could do this for myself … but how much more efficient could I be if I had a team helping?”
She thought she’d be leaning on our team primarily for help on her essays, but she soon found that the mindset coach was valuable, helping her overcome some personal adversity when she first started working with us. And despite battling “Imposter Syndrome” throughout the process, wondering if she should apply to a less competitive school, she ended up getting into multiple programs—and with lots of money to pay for it!
J’Taime’s success is so well deserved, and we are so proud of her!
Start Date: August 2018 | End Date: May 2019
Applicant Information
28 years oldAfrican-AmericanFirst-generation college studentSchool: Wake Forest UniversityMajor: SociologyGPA: 3.4GRE: 154V, 158Q, 4.5 AWA
Acceptances
University of Michigan Ford MPPUniversity of Michigan Ross MBAUniversity of Chicago Harris MPPDuke Sanford MPPGeorgetown McDonough MBAGeorgetown McCourt MPP
Scholarships & Fellowships
Michigan Ford: Rackham Master’s Award (Full Funding) + $21,084 living stipend + healthcare coverageMichigan Ross: Half Tuition totaling $69,000Chicago Harris: $30,000 per yearDuke Sanford: Helen F. “Sunny” Ladd Fellowship in Education Policy (Full Funding) + $22,500 living stipend + $4,000 graduate assistantshipGeorgetown McDonough: Consortium Fellowship (full funding)Georgetown McCourt: $7,500 per year
Attending
University of Michigan Ford MPP University of Michigan Ross MBA
Notable Quotes
“I was in awe … speechless. In going through this process, unfortunately, I had a lot of Imposter Syndrome. There are many times that I asked myself, “Am I aiming too high for the schools I’m applying to? Outside of one school, all the schools I applied to were Top Ten schools. Many times, I asked myself, do I need to apply for this program or that program just to make sure that I get in somewhere? So when I opened up that [acceptance] letter, I screamed.”
“Even though I had difficulties in undergrad, I still remained a high achiever; I still worked hard to live up to my potential. But because reality slapped me in my face multiple times after undergrad, and I had to shift from thriving to surviving, there are many moments where I felt as if I had built myself. So this has shown me that my story may not have been perfect, but it was my story and things happen for a reason. And I have a story to tell, and even though those difficult things happen, they have been motivating factors for me.”
Reflections on finding The Art of Applying® blog:
“I read every single article on the blog. I took notes on them. It was so helpful. And so what happens, [I thought] if the free information is that helpful…how helpful will the actual paid material be?”
“Yes, I could do this [application process] for myself … but how much more efficient could I be if I had a team helping?”
“Initially, I thought, oh, this is going to be great, because I need somebody to help me with these essays … I don’t know too much about how much I can change my GRE scores, but I definitely have control of the essays. But it was so much more than that. I remember … in my first consultant call, she gave me a roadmap to success within that first call … It was way more than just help with essays; it was a roadmap to help you with not feeling ‘this is too much or too overwhelming.’”
