Since 2006, we have helped thousands of MBA applicants from more than 50 countries gain admission to their target business schools—and earn millions of dollars in merit scholarships—with our unique team-based, personalized approach. Our dedicated team of experienced MBA admissions counselors is there every step of the way to help YOU as an applicant.
Just as business school admissions committees will read your application multiple times, our staff of highly skilled admissions counselors, the majority of whom are former admissions committee members, will repeatedly review and provide feedback on your application materials throughout the process. We not only pair you with a dedicated Admissions Counselor who will coach, mentor, and guide you—we also connect you with an admissions strategist, school-specific reviewers, and a proofreader who provide additional support.
Our team members combine decades of wisdom and experience with profound insights on how admissions committees think. Having relevant information and critical work experience means our team understands the hard work and the nuances involved in pursuing a higher-education degree. As alumni of top-ranked business schools, we can also speak to the challenges of and offer introspection about the business school application process. Our expertise will help you find schools that will be the best fit for your career goals.
Whether you’re looking to revise your application essays, receive guidance on articulating your goals, update your resume, or prepare for your interview, our counselors will be by your side throughout your admissions journey. They can identify and help mitigate weaknesses in your profile, all while keeping you motivated during the sometimes grueling application process.
We at Stratus invest in your MBA application goals like no other admissions consulting firm. If you are working with us on four or more business school applications in Round 1 and are not accepted to any of those programs, we will support your applications to two more schools in Round 2—at no additional cost to you! That’s how committed we are to your success.
Our team-based, personalized approach to MBA admissions counseling has helped young professionals gain admission to all of the top-ranked business schools worldwide, including Harvard Business School, the Stanford Graduate School of Business, UPenn Wharton, MIT Sloan, Columbia Business School, and INSEAD, as well as dozens of others.
At Stratus, we take our clients’ success seriously, and it shows! With a 83 Net Promoter Score, our clients are fiercely loyal and highly satisfied with our services. We are proud of our hundreds of five-star reviews on Google, GMAT Club, and Poets&Quants from past clients. In addition, in 2024 Stratus was named the #1 medium-sized MBA admissions consulting firm on Poets&Quants with an "eye-popping" 9.9/10 client satisfaction rate. Not only that, but our Director of MBA Admissions Counseling, Susan Cera, was named the top MBA admissions coach in 2021 and a top-five admissions coach in 2022 and 2023. Senior MBA Admissions Counselors Donna Bauman and Melisa Prevost have also been recognized with perfect 10/10 scores. We are not just consultants—we are leaders in our field.
Lisa was an absolute superstar through this entire process, and beyond. She not only did an amazing job of guiding me through voicing my own story, but helped me create an amazing application for school but also aiding me as I reflected on life and what I wanted from my future, all without being overly hands-on. I cannot thank her enough for everything.
Overall, Joe is the most responsible and dedicated admission consultant I have ever worked with. His expertise, commitment, and encouragement helped me put forth my best application. I highly recommend Joe Farr to anyone seeking expert guidance and support in their MBA application journey.
I applied to only one school with no backup plan, and Kelly was my secret weapon. She helped me tailor every part of my application and interview to successfully resonate with my target school. This means that she not only knew everything there was to know about admissions for my target school but also how to work with me to perfect my messaging. She was also friendly, responsive, candid, and just nice to work with.
The global coronavirus pandemic disrupted standardized testing, making it challenging for MBA applicants in some parts of the world to secure a seat in a testing center. As a result, test takers could also opt to take an online (at-home) version of the GMAT, GRE, and Executive Assessment (EA), but this was not an option for...
Early July is about two months before the first regular-decision MBA application deadlines. If you’re preparing to apply to business school, you’re likely pretty overwhelmed by all there is to do, but it helps to lay out the tasks in steps to keep all the moving parts together. Here are some things you should do...
UVA Darden MBA Application Essay Tips, 2025–2026 UVA Darden is looking to understand how you will collaborate with others to create impact as a Purpose Driven Leader through its application essays. And your past actions are the best indicators of your potential to make an impact in the future. Before you sit down and look...
Duke Fuqua Application Essay Tips, 2025–2026 Please note: All information is subject to change. Duke Fuqua’s 2025 application deadlines have been released, and although the school’s essay questions have not been officially announced as of 6/26/25, our trusted contacts within the Fuqua adcom have confirmed that the prompts will remain the same. Duke Fuqua presents its applicants with one of the most creative, and...
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!