I originally chose Inspira Futures after a friend at HBS strongly recommended them. I'm so grateful for that decision, Inspira Futures really helped give my application a competitive edge. My GPA and GMAT scores were slightly below the average at all the top B schools. They helped me to overcome those gaps and articulate my story- immensely helping my essay, application, and interview. Our work paid off, and I was accepted to EVERY school that I applied to. I will be enrolling at HBS in the Fall, and I'm so grateful to Inspira Futures. I plan to recommend Inspira Futures to all of my friends applying to B school next year.

Not only would I not have gotten in to HBS without Helen's help, but I wouldn't even have applied!

I started with Helen after writing my GMAT. I had scored a 720 combined score and at that point started to think I might actually have what it takes to take a run at some of the top American schools. I came from a non-traditional stream of engineering and had a 3.3 GPA from a top Canadian university. Evaluating my own profile, I thought I had a legitimate shot at the top 10 MBA programs - but probably skewed towards the bottom of that group.

Enter Helen!

What originally drew me to working with Helen was her warmth. Frankly, I already knew the process was going to be a grind after studying for the GMAT for 4 months. As I started focusing on essays, the last thing I wanted was to work with someone that wasn't going to laugh through the pain with me. She was my first call, and I didn't bother interviewing anyone else. We got along fantastically as Helen helped me start thinking about target schools and the reasons for applying to each. This required quite a bit of research on my part. As a Canadian, I hadn't been exposed to a lot of American schools/programs before - and Helen was happy to give recommendations based on what I said I was looking for AND what she thought was best for me!

Working with Helen, what I began to realize is that all the numbers (that everyone always seems transfixed on) are really table stakes when you're applying to the top programs. Yes, you need a good GMAT. Yes, you need a decent GPA. Those are what get you past the initial sniff test and allow the adcom to take a legitimate look at your application.

We brainstormed, and discussed my background and experience in detail. At the same time we thought of strategies to explain it. Going through the process with HelenI began to realize what really set me apart was my history of leadership roles and having a tangible impact on my business. With that in mind, Helen recommended an application to HBS; I was initially reluctant. Reading profiles of successful HBS applicants online felt like reading stories about people who were soon to be canonized. Thankfully Helen knew what it would take. I trusted her and we went for it.

It took us about a month and a half to finalize the HBS essay. An iterative process, we went through countless versions - many of which looked very different than our finished product. It was a quest of sorts, to tell my story with an authentic voice that tried to get a few laughs along the way. She even fended off the last minute doubt after some critical feedback from a family member (brothers are the worst). In that time I added a few more schools to our list which officially consisted of HBS, Kellogg and Sloan.

From interview prep, to advice during the post interview crisis (yes more than one!), and then through the unbearable waiting period; Helen was with me the whole way. I got into HBS but would not have been got into without Helen's help.

Applying to school was by no means a fun process, but made all the more comfortable thanks to Grace. She was incredibly positive and encouraging, while keeping it real about my chances for each school I was looking at.

After the initial free 30min consultation, I ultimately decided I needed help with five applications. I found that this was enough for me, and (thanks to Grace's instruction) made sure to be extremely prepared for each call to maximize my time with her. I never felt like she was trying to sell me on extra schools or needlessly waste my time. Rather, I felt like she really took the time to get to know me and my story, and had my best interests in mind through the end.

I had a tough time deciding which stories to go with for the essays assigned, and an even harder time trying to figure out how to say anything meaningful with so little words! Grace was great at helping me dig deeper into the impactful pieces of my story while cutting out the fluff to get me to a quality finished product.

I was also really happy with her help on my resume. I thought I had an awesome draft to start, but quickly realized that a b-school resume is nothing like the resumes I had put together in the past. After reviewing my brainstorming doc, Grace helped me incorporate and expand upon aspects I didn't even realize would be attractive to an admissions committee.

Anyone applying to business school should feel confident having Grace and Inspira Futures in their corner.

I will be joining Columbia Business School for FT MBA. I owe my success to team Inspira Futures. I can confidently say with no iota of doubt that I would not have got this admit without their support and guidance.

My GMAT is 720(Q50 V37) and I have 10-year work experience in oil and gas industry. I used to work for one of the leading oilfield services providers and I have worked worldwide offshore in various setups (read remote environments with limited connectivity). My consultant supported me through my unpredictable work travel plans and serious network issues and remained as an immense source of encouragement and positivity. She was always an email or a call away, which helped me keep my application process on track.

This particularly was more relevant in my case as I come from a non-traditional background and not many of my peers/friends have done/applied for MBA. She helped me craft my story in such a way that I was able to present my candidacy in the best possible manner. Having said this, I would not shy away from mentioning that crafting part is not a one-day or a week job at Inspira Futures. When I started working with her, I had a very detailed introspection, which was formally documented. This was the most challenging part for me.

The constant struggle to decide or judge which achievement is good or not good enough for MBA applications was challenging. Fortunately, I had her by my side. She NEVER decided anything for me. She NEVER wrote for me. Instead, she made me THINK. This was not very obvious to me sometimes but as I progressed through the other steps of the application process (writing essays, admission interviews), I realized the importance of introspection. Having done all the thinking and brainstorming upfront, I became very adept at crafting my story and presenting my thoughts in a concise and effective manner in essays and later during mock and real admission interviews.

My introspection document became my reference to pick my stories/themes. The strategists at Inspira Futures help you revisit your life experiences and accomplishments and discover yourself, albeit from the MBA-application-angle. With a very detailed introspection by my side, I had a meeting with my counselor. She brought in her expertise, helped me distill my thoughts and pick the best themes from my personal and professional journey to be presented and highlighted in application essays.

The team Inspira Futures genuinely wanted me to succeed. This was very evident in every interaction and engagement I had with the team. She always ensured that I have the best resources to craft and present my application material. In addition to the access to other school-specific consultants at Inspira Futures, she also brought in her latest knowledge about various other schools that I was targeting. This knowledge came in from attending various MBA conferences, sharing experiences of other successful Inspira Futures clients. But most importantly, her positive and upbeat attitude helped me withstand the demanding journey.

I was admitted to the Ross School of Business & a few others to which I applied, thanks to Inspira's help.

I worked with a wonderful admissions consultant who patiently mentored me and taught me the intricacies of the MBA admissions process. In my opinion, her most outstanding professional attribute is her ability to consistently refine and improve my applications essays (no matter how well-written they appear at first), yet allow me to stay genuine and maintain my own voice and sense of humor. Moreover, her detailed and thorough mock interviews prepared me to walk into any admissions interview with complete confidence.

One other thing I remember about her was that when she knew I was ready, she advised against any further unnecessary hourly services, even though that would've meant more fees for her. I respect her integrity & recommend her without reservation.

I got into HBS!!! Choosing Inspira Futures and Gabriel as my admissions consultant was the best decision I've made for my application - looking back I don't regret it for a second.
I had prepared for the GMAT myself but I knew that essay writing and in general selling myself was my weakest skill. Moreover, I decided to apply to only three (!) top business school and I definitely wanted to give it the best possible chance of success. Gabriel is the best professional coach I've ever worked with - not only does his coaching helped me to submit a great application and get admitted, but it had a tremendous impact on my whole professional career. I learnt how to craft a compelling cover letter and build a strong business case in no time!
I work within a top professional services business and yet Inspira Futures impressed me with the top-notch quality of every bit of their work and the completely flawless service delivery. Writing wasn't an easy thing for me but Gabriel was restless and didn't stop pushing me to perfection. When I was stuck, he was always finding a way to foster my inspiration - I wouldn't have make it without his help.

Inspira is a fantastic consulting group and I would highly recommend them to anyone thinking about getting their MBA! My application counselor was an incredible resource and added significant value to my applications. I bought the comprehensive package and would absolutely say it was the right move. She helped guide me through the full process, from my introspection exercises to thoughtfully creating a story around my MBA journey and finally helping me prepare for interviews. She was extremely responsive and went above and beyond to make sure she got back to me quickly when we were bumping up against application deadlines. Most importantly, I could tell that she was genuinely excited for me when I finally got the call that I had been accepted at Columbia!

I worked with Inspira Futures over the course of three months during my application prep for Columbia. My admissions consultant was able to provide insight into the CBS admissions process and how best to tailor my story to make me stand out. Her advice and feedback was also instrumental in helping me write a coherent and focused essay that highlighted the strengths of my application and mitigate my weaknesses. She was also very accommodating and flexible in scheduling meetings or quick chats. I'm extremely pleased with how the process went. I got accepted at CBS. I would wholeheartedly recommend Inspira Futures.

I decided to apply for MBA late in June, and to make the GMAT that I took 5 years ago count, I had to go for round 1, which left me with only 2-3 months to complete the whole thing. I talked to several friends who had MBA experience, and figured hiring a consultant would be very helpful in my case.

I did not know where to start, so I googled. After completing several free consulting sessions, it was almost no brainer to go with Inspira Futures. The big firms are super good at marketing, followed up warmly with you, but at the end, you were just one among hundreds of clients. With Inspira, it was pretty simple, what you see is what you get. I was connected to Gabriel and I liked that he was very straightforward with the pros and cons in my profile after initial review, and he has had a lot of success with top 10 programs which are definitely my targets.

Throughout the process, Gabriel was very responsive. He's working really hard and I have seen him replying to my messages anytime of the day. The promised turnaround is 24 hours but was usually much sooner that. He never shy away from honest opinions, but at the same time was receptive to ideas. At the end of the day, I know it was the essay and I need to own it, but Gabriel has definitely provided a lot of valuable advice, from how to tell a story, to which word to choose.

When it comes to mock interview, he has a great network and was able to find interviewers that actually went to the school that I applied for.

I was very satisfied with the results. I applied for 2 top ten programs that I like and got offers from both - Wharton and Booth. Without Gabriel's help, I'm not sure I could pull all these off in such a compressed timeline. His dedicated and personal approach definitely made a big difference!

When I started the application process, I admit that I was skeptical about consultants. I'm extremely organized and have been told I'm a strong writer - so I was confident I could do everything on my own, without cutting a big check. One of my best friends worked with Yasmin a few years ago, did very well in the application process and encouraged me to at least do the 30 min session with Inspira - after all, it was free. My friend had nothing but positive feedback about Yasmin and raved about the experience working with her. I really trust her so went ahead with the call, but still thought it would be a sales pitch. I couldn't have been more wrong.

Julie had reviewed my resume and responses to Inspira's questionnaire thoroughly before our call and after giving a brief introduction, turned it over to me to use the remaining 28 mins how I saw fit. I came with a bunch of questions and frankly, concerns, and Julie was direct, honest and encouraging in her answers. It was far from a sales pitch. I walked away with a feeling that I should reconsider working with Inspira and ended up deciding to do the start to finish package for the 4 schools to which I was applying.

Throughout the process, Yasmin was my biggest supporter, provider of constructive feedback, motivator and at times, therapist. Her knowledge of the process and each school's quirks was clear but perhaps more importantly, she really got to know me and therefore could help me strategize and determine how to position my best self in each piece of the application.

In the beginning, I was anxious and just wanted to get started on the essays but Yasmin reminded me that I needed to be patient with the step by step process she laid out. I was skeptical once again, but listened. She was right -- the brainstorming process could not have been more important. I spent that first weekend answering the many questions she provided. The result was 15+ pages about all aspects of my life, past experiences, values and personality. The self-reflective process and probing questions that Yasmin asked after reading the document became the starting place for my essay topics. Yasmin helped me to see how my accomplishments were just that - accomplishments. And as we went along, her comments in each draft were pointed and pushed me to articulate a specific point more clearly in the next version. The robust and honest dialogue we had was so valuable as I tried to show the admissions offices what I am all about.

Yasmin kept me organized & accountable and made the overwhelming application process seem less daunting as we tackled each essay/task step by step. I tend to overanalyze and as such, tweaked the wording or sentence structure of my essays frequently - Yasmin was patient and truly wanted me to feel 100% confident with the end result. After many iterations, she finally helped me to let go and press the submit button, knowing I really did put my best foot forward. It didn't stop there - she was there to prepare me for my video essay and interviews, and served as a sounding board as I made my final decision.

In addition, Yasmin was there when things didn't go so smoothly. First, I had a few bumps in the road with my recommenders. Yasmin calmed me down and offered constructive suggestions given the circumstances to get to a positive outcome. Second, one of my interviews went poorly and Yasmin made herself available on a Friday evening and early Saturday morning to help me bounce back. She never made me feel rushed on our phone conversations (which always went over our allotted time), answered my frequent emails quickly and thoroughly, and helped me put things in perspective while waiting for and hearing the results.

Now that I have a few acceptances under my belt and am thrilled with where I'll spend the next few years, I look back and realize that partnering with Yasmin was worth every penny I spent. Yasmin goes above and beyond, is truly invested in her clients, and is someone you want on your side as you take this next step. While I already miss seeing Yasmin's name in my inbox

I am headed to Stanford to do my MBA!

I worked with Inspira Futures for a comprehensive 5 school package during R1 process. My experience was excellent across the board beginning with my initial consultation with Susan all the way through my final wait-list notification nearly a year later. I set my sights high on 5 top schools and with the help of Inspira, gained admission to Wharton.

Susan and her team were heavily involved in my process and they all provided valuable guidance. As my day-day contact, Susan was responsive, constructive and really easy to talk to. I'd like to particularly emphasize the responsive piece as a huge value add because during a stressful admissions process the last thing I would've wanted was another obstacle to completing applications. Whether it was a quick question regarding recommendations, a draft of an essay, or a random musing, Susan provided a thoughtful, timely response. Her feedback helped me organize the key points on my essays and applications overall.

I was also particularly impressed with Inspira's Wharton interview prep process. Wharton is unique in its group/case interview format so I thought it would be unrealistic to do a true 'mock' interview. I was mistaken, however, as Inspira organized a conference call of my peers (fellow Inspira clients at the Wharton interview stage) to mimic the experience. The mock interview put me at ease going in. What could've been a daunting process was a breeze with the prep.

Finally, I was floored by the continued dedication by Inspira Futures to my success in the process. Wharton is a great result that I'm proud of, but I was waitlisted at another top school that I slightly preferred. From December to May, Susan continued their responsiveness to my various needs and questions on my waitlist process. Waitlists are a long shot/crap shoot and and it didn't ultimately work out. However, I feel with the continued help of Inspira, I put my best foot forward. They easily could've stepped back once I'd gained admission to Wharton, but they never wavered in their support.

I was accepted into Kellogg Round 3 and without Inspira, it would not have happened. I chose the hourly package, but without my counselor, I would not have been accepted. She truly cared about me as an individual and not just a number. She was very candid, but warm at the same time. Her adcom experience is invaluable and she will give you the insights you need to improve your application. I felt very prepared for the video essay and my interview because of my time with her. She was so positive and encouraging it really helped to calm my nerves. I am forever thankful I chose to work with Inspira as I got into Yale and Duke Fuqua. Well worth the investment.

Jaime's coaching and essay comments helped me gain admission into the Booth, Haas, and Stern MBA programs. I leave very impressed with Inspira Futures, including my initial 30 minute consultation with Julie. I chose to go with Jaime because his background aligned with my goals in pursuing an MBA. From the beginning, Jaime offered me very direct and detailed advice.

He pushed me to quickly network with current students at all the schools I applied to, which was invaluable, and helped me brainstorm my approach. I started the process later than is advisable, but Jaime told me exactly the themes I needed to communicate in my application and essays. He helped me brainstorm my strategy for approaching writers of my letters of recommendation and prepare for interviews. In the essays, he did not tell me what to write, but instead coached me on what I needed to get across (proven leadership experience, fit with the programs, etc). Jaime worked with me to bring out the very best of my story. His comments challenged me to either think more critically about an element of my story, explicitly make a link I wasn't making, or edit out unnecessary detail. The final applications encapsulated an excellent summary of me and my value proposition to the programs.

Jaime was very efficient with time. I feel like I received a great value, and found his help invaluable in gaining admission to two programs - Stern and Hass. Jaime also helped me learn how to sell myself better, which I think was crucial.

I started using Inspira Futures with the goal of applying for Round 1.

Inspira Futures was incredibly helpful. The introspection templates, essay feedback, and school guidance gave me insight into a process I was new to. Like anything, you get what you put in, and money isn't enough. But if you are really willing to work, Inspira Futures will take that effort and focus it into a top application for your top schools. It worked here as I was recently admitted to the Stanford Graduate School of Business with an undergrad GPA below 3.0 and a GMAT score of 710.

More detail:

Inspira Futures helped to frame my experiences in a way that not only helped me pick the best ones to share, but to craft my own goals/trends through them. Like most of you, I imagine, I am going to business school to make a specific move in my career. That move isn't coming from no where but has showed itself throughout my early career. That is easy to say but often very difficult to show in 250-750 word essays while also getting the tone, grammar, and writing style down. So firstly, Inspira Futures was crucial in helping my instrospection process occur early and thoroughly.

Take that introspection and turning it into essays is difficult, however. Nonetheless, my Inspira Futures advisor helped me do just that. We must have gone back and forth (I chose a package that had them help me with two schools, but ultimately I applied to 7) at least 10 times on each schools essays. She always provided helpful insight, guidance, and was not afraid to challenge my assumptions. Additionally, when the time was right, my Inspira counselor gave my essays to others on her team to get additionally invaluable feedback.

For me, I tend to procrastinate and with work, personal life, and building a side business, I knew that if I didn't commit to an investment like Inspira Futures, I would not be able to stick to a timeline to apply with high quality essays. I ultimately applied R2 (wanted/needed to get my GMAT score up) and Inspira stuck with me through the entire process. I highly recommend them to students who are ready to work, excited about business school (and other graduate schools, btw), and know they need a little fire to keep them going through the long haul.

Overall, I am happy with my decision regardless of what school I got into, but certainly ecstatic that I was afforded this opportunity to attend Stanford. My advice: if you are going to commit to this process, go all in. Commit.

My Profile:
Southeast Asian; Male; 3.60 GPA (Law LLB); 730 GMAT (Q48 V42); 5 years as a construction lawyer; currently, counsel at a hyper-growth real estate / hospitality company.
Admitted to Class of 2021 at MIT Sloan (with Fellowship)

Having dreamed of pursuing an MBA for a number of years, I reached out to a close friend of mine that was admitted to CBS to learn more about his experience with the application process. He gave me a resounding recommendation of Jasmine's services and was so sure that Jasmine made THE difference in getting into his dream school! His words were difficult to ignore - I started working with Jasmine over 1 year ago and have never looked back!

While the past year was absolutely brutal as I had to juggle a new job together with applying to 6 schools, having Jasmine by my "side" to encourage and urge me on at every step of the way kept me on track! She has been a friend, confidante, career coach, consultant, cheerleader, taskmaster and support system all rolled into one. I had the benefit of connecting with Jasmine a few months in advance of actually starting work on the applications, and she gave me invaluable advice to make career decisions that ultimately shaped my profile for the MBA applications.

As I worked with Jasmine, it quickly became apparent that she always put her sincere best in getting to know me inside and out, and was fully invested in helping me to reach my goals. She manages to tease out the best ideas and best version of yourself, and she is extremely effective in helping you to bring YOUR stories to life through the essays. She is an expert communicator and leaves no stone unturned with her practical / honest advice - you will definitely feel assured that you have done your best with her guidance. With interview prep, she made sure that I was so prepared for every eventuality and provided nuanced tips for each school / interviewer. The actual interview was a breeze!

It is all thanks to Jasmine that I will be travelling halfway across the world to attend MIT Sloan this fall. I can't wait, and I can't speak highly enough of Jasmine's help in getting me there. Highly recommended!

I used an hourly package to apply to 5 schools. My strategist worked with me to effectively craft my unique story into a compelling desire to pursue an MBA (I am a musician by night and a strategy consultant by day — my post-MBA goals lie in bridging that gap). I had the story in my head, but she took my essays from ok to great. She brought out passion, specifics (that I had long forgotten), and detailed knowledge about the nuances of each school to help me tailor each application. She was also incredibly efficient with the limited time we had, turning each iteration of my essays around quickly -- sometimes within hours.

End result: 3 for 3 on acceptances (HBS, Tuck and MIT Sloan), plus a substantial merit fellowship option. She has also continued to coach me on negotiation strategies post-acceptances. 10/10 recommend!

Stats: GMAT 730, GPA 3.85, STEM undergrad

I really enjoyed how professional and timely the Inspira Futures team were. I contacted them a month before my deferred MBA applications were due and they scheduled everything right away and I was able to submit all of my applications on time with a thorough review. They were very personable and great to work with, they really took the time to understand my backgrounds and brought their years of experience to the work.

Would highly recommend choosing Inspira! They were instrumental in helping me get into Stanford.

Working with Inspira Futures was an excellent decision and helped me get into my dream school, Kellogg! From our kickoff consultation I knew she was going to give me the push I needed to get my application ready. I came to her less than 1 month before my application was due and she kept me on track, motivated, and calm through a normally very stressful process! She provided amazing advice on crafting my resume and essays - really challenging me to dig deep. Her experience allowed her to provide spot-on information about the program and what they seek in applicants. She was extremely quick, providing feedback within hours, even on weekends. I can honestly say I would not have been successful without her help. Although the packages may seem a little expensive, I cannot speak highly enough of her and the support she provided during my MBA application process. 10/10 recommend!

I am so grateful that I had the support of Inspira Futures throughout my exhausting application process. Before starting it, I thought I would be fine putting my applications together by myself, but after working with my consultant for just a few days, I realized that she was a total game-changer.

The personalized attention she provided and her detailed understanding of the intricacies of each school's application were crucial in helping me craft perfect applications. I can't stress enough how valuable and self-assuring it was that she was always available, even on short notice, to provide such thoughtful advice and critique my work. She brought out the best in me and it worked - I am ecstatic to be attending Booth and I know I would not have had such success without Inspira Futures!"

Inspira Futures helped frame my story and provided the advice I needed to not only gain admission, but receive a full scholarship to the MIT Sloan program.

In our early sessions, my counsellor quickly assessed my goals and helped me narrow down the field of schools to those that most aligned with my needs. She also gave me crucial advice when it came to developing an optimal application strategy (How many schools? Which rounds? Etc.) This was important because it allowed me to expend my energy more efficiently during the burdensome application process.

More importantly however, working with Inspira Futures gave me perspective on myself as a candidate and helped me develop my story. After a few conversations and working through several thinking aids I had developed a solid understanding of how to present myself in my applications. Armed with a clear perspective of myself and my story, my applications became relatively straightforward.