MBA Admissions Consultants, Events, & Resources

Non-traditional applicant with a variety of different career experiences who received acceptances from all top programs.

Welcome to my profile! As a current MBA student at Harvard Business School and a former admissions representative, I have a deep understanding of what top business schools are looking for in applicants. My professional background includes significant experience in private equity and investment banking, having worked at firms like Blackstone and J.P. Morgan. I have also been actively involved in career advising, having served as a Peer Career Advisor at Boston College, where I conducted workshops and provided resume and cover letter critiques. I am passionate about helping aspiring MBA candidates craft compelling applications that highlight their unique strengths and experiences. Let's work together to make your MBA application stand out!

Hello and welcome! I hold dual Master’s degrees from the University of Oxford—an MBA and a Master’s in Public Policy—and a First Class Honours degree in Economics from the University of Cape Town. My academic and professional journey, including roles at McKinsey & Company and KPMG, has given me a deep understanding of competitive admissions processes and how to position candidates for success. Having personally navigated the demands of MBA applications (including how to achieve a top GMAT score) and co-founded a student chapter of Effective Altruism, I know how to craft compelling narratives that highlight unique strengths. Whether you’re refining your personal statement or building a targeted admissions strategy, I’m here to provide tailored guidance and actionable advice to help you achieve your MBA goals.

I am in my first year at Kellogg and can teach you the tricks that admissions committees are looking for. I will help you with your essays and resume, prep you for your interviews, and discuss your overall strategy and recommendations. I can also help you think about how you can position yourself for scholarships, and which you will be eligible for.

I’m Mercedes, an MBA admissions coach with a background from MIT and Bain and deferred admission to Stanford GSB and other top MBA programs. I help applicants develop clear, compelling application narratives rooted in their values, goals, and lived experiences. My clients have been admitted to top business schools including Stanford and MIT, with a particular specialization in Stanford’s MBA application and essays. My coaching style blends strategic storytelling with deep reflection, so your application stands out while still feeling true to who you are. Let’s work together to build an application you’re proud of.

Every person is unique, and I want to help you tell your story. My MBA clients have been admitted to Wharton (including Lauder), NYU, Berkeley, Columbia, Kellogg and more. As a former Kearney consultant and Wharton/Lauder admissions insider, I help candidates cut through the noise and present their authentic selves—because the best business leaders aren’t carbon copies. My approach blends 7+ years of management consulting rigor with hands-on recruiting and admissions experience. At Kearney, I led teams through complex transformations while honing my talent-spotting skills through recruiting efforts (turns out identifying great candidates isn’t so different from building high-performing consulting teams). And as a Wharton Admissions Fellow, I learned what really makes applications click (hint: it’s not just GMAT scores or fancy job titles). I strongly believe that diverse perspectives fuel innovation—a principle I now bring to my advisory work. As a Wharton Admissions Fellow and Lauder interviewer, I saw firsthand how powerful storytelling can bridge gaps in representation. I’m particularly passionate about helping underrepresented candidates navigate the MBA maze. Whether you’re switching industries, coming from a non-traditional background, or just don’t see yourself in those glossy MBA brochures, I’ll help you translate your unique experience into a compelling story. I am well-versed in global cultural immersion: I hold an MBA from Wharton and a Master of Arts in International Studies from Lauder, as well as Bachelor of Arts degrees in Communications and French from the University of Pennsylvania. Fluent in English, Mandarin, and French, I’ve seen how languages and identities shape leadership, and thus can help candidates turn their unique experiences into competitive advantages. Business schools need leaders who reflect the world—and I’m here to help you prove you belong in the room.

• Stanford GSB MBA Candidate – Class of 2027 • Coaching | Case prepped and mentored 30+ undergraduate and MBA students • Bain | Worked for Bain & Co. before school, focusing on retail and consumer case work • Startup | Grew wholesale for a men’s athleisure brand from $0 to $4M • Resumes | Edited 50+ resumes in undergrad and reviewed 200+ resumes as Bain recruiting lead • Speech & Writing | Wrote and delivered commencement speech for Miami University Farmer School of Business graduation ceremony • Interview Training | Trained as Bain interviewer to score case interviews and behavioral questions • GMAT / Test-taking | Scored in highest percentile of GMAT test-takers

I graduated from Stanford's MBA program at the GSB in June of 2023. I am a successful deferred MBA and traditional MBA coach with more than 15+ clients receiving acceptances at M7 programs. including GSB, HBS, Wharton, Kellogg, Booth, Columbia, and Sloan for both deferred and traditional MBA applications. I can help with school selection, resume review, essay and application support, interview preparation (including mock interviews), and any other part of your application you may need help with. At the Stanford Graduate School of Business I was an Arbuckle Fellow and actively involved in various leadership roles, including Co-President of the Sports Management Club, Co-Chair of the Sports Innovation Conference, and Social Committee member on student government. Prior to my MBA, I worked at BCG for 3 years, where I was promoted to the post-MBA role. I spent my undergrad years at the USC Marshall School of Business on a full tuition, merit based scholarship.

I work with MBA applicants who want a thoughtful partner in what can otherwise feel like a noisy, high-pressure process. Over the last few years, I’ve supported multiple candidates through their MBA applications by helping them slow down, make sense of their stories, and make choices that truly fit who they are and where they want to go. My role is less about “polishing” and more about helping people see their own journeys clearly and articulate them with confidence. I spent five years at Accenture Strategy as a management consultant, working across industries and functions. That experience shaped how I listen, ask questions, and adapt to people from very different professional and cultural backgrounds. Since then, I’ve worked closely with startups and venture capital firms, and recently co-founded Day 2 Studios, where we partner with early-stage founders on product and strategy. Being close to builders and decision-makers has kept me grounded in how careers actually evolve, not just how they look on paper. As a coach, I focus on clarity, honesty, and long-term alignment. I help applicants think through which schools make sense for them, what their applications should really say, and how to show up authentically in essays and interviews. My goal is for candidates to walk away not just with stronger applications, but with a clearer understanding of themselves and their next chapter.

Welcome to my profile! As a current JD candidate at Harvard Law School and a summa cum laude graduate from George Washington University, I bring a wealth of academic excellence and practical experience to my coaching. My professional journey includes roles at Capital One and Bates White, where I honed my analytical and strategic skills. I was accepted to several JD/MBA dual degree programs and have a deep understanding of what top law and business schools are looking for. Whether you need assistance with personal statements, resume building, or interview preparation, I'm here to guide you every step of the way and help you craft a compelling application that stands out. Reach out to start your journey to admissions success!