28,622Leland Reviews

I worked with Bill Chionis and he was able to help me get admission to the Wharton EMBA program. Going in, I was unsure of what Wharton was looking for in a candidate. Bill knew the admissions process inside and out and was able to really help me position myself for the school. The knowledge I gained during my time with Bill was not only applicable to my application, but will be very useful for future interviews and any other applications I may do!

You may have an amazing experience and earned your undergraduate degree from one of the top programs in the world, which I didn't, but without Bill's help you may not stand a chance. My name is Mohamed. I earned my B.A. degree with a major in Accounting from Jordan. I have a great work experience, however a low GPA. I was applying for Wharton Business School for Executives for 2021 entering Class. Application: Most of my work experience been in consulting, so I can definitely appreciate and distinguish exceptional service from an average service. Bill is just beyond exceptional. Whether you ask for Bill advise during the day, night, or weekend, he will always respond and respond quickly! There is not step that I took in the application process without his advice or review. He will always help with pleasure and will always always always add value and make suggestions. You will never feel he just wants to get you off his shoulder and move on. Essays: Bill took the time to though my background in details, laid out the plan and what to expect, provided detailed insight on each essay with examples, and helped me pick the best examples from my experience that will best tell my story. His final touches and suggestions to the essays were invaluable. After I finish each essay with him, I will roll my eyes and tell myself wow is that really my experience and essay!! Again, it is just how to articulate and present. Interview: Bill prepared me for the interview in two one-hour call. In the first call: Bill will go through what to expect and what the admission committee are looking for, he will hear you out responding to these questions, and will provide you with feedback and comments. Then, I went to practice and on the second call he will just make it like a real interview! He will provide you immediate feedback on each question and was great and how you can improve. The tactics and small hints and advises he provided me where crucial for my interview success. Again, in every interaction with Bill you will feel the added value! I always felt that Bill provided me with best advice to ensure that i get the best results. I really enjoyed working with Bill and not only he is an astute admission consultant but a great friend and mentor. Personally, Bill is the only admission consultant that I would ever use to apply for an Ivy League school! I will absolutely recommend working with Bill if you are planning your next successful school admission.

I cannot thank Bill enough for his assistance during my EMBA application journey. During our first call, he helped me set appropriate expectations and identify the programs I should consider. Bill provided invaluable help with my application essays and the interviews. The entire SBC team was also extremely supportive. I appreciated the team-based approach and received valuable feedback from my flight tester Amy. A friend highly recommended Bill to me, and I feel incredibly fortunate to have worked with him. Bill demonstrated an impressive knowledge of the programs and was a pleasure to work with. Thanks to his support, I was able to gain acceptance into my desired program-Wharton!

Betsy has the magic to find that needle in your pile of winding stories (that seemingly just, don’t, make sense – you think?) and to guide you to eventually shine through while keeping your profile’s authenticity, your story’s originality and your very own personality. Looking back at the past a few intense months that she and I worked together, I realized that what I’ve gained from her wealth of experience and expertise is far beyond receiving interviews from all H/S/W and eventually going to attend HBS: under her guidance, I was able to conduct a life audit of the past 20+ years of my personal and professional life, which helped me clear my mind and find the courage and the confidence that I needed to carry on my goals regardless of my admission results. An HBS MBA herself and an ex global investment banker on Wall Street and in Asia, coupled with her 10+ years in admission consulting, Betsy has the best credentials that no one else could match. Eagle-eyed, Betsy listened to my stories with patience and curiosity that made me feel heard and understood. On top of that, she has the intelligence to quickly grasp what I was trying to say and to distill from what I thought was nonsense the essence that could actually work in my favor. I miss her on-point critics, non-BS comments, tight deadlines and our intellectually stimulating discussions around the clock, but also the encouragement, trust, and belief that she placed in me throughout the entire process. I’m so grateful for and truly indebted to her. I now think of her as a friend that I wish I could have known earlier, and I hope that she feels the same way about me! 😉

I wasn’t initially planning to work with an admissions consultant. But when I met her at an MBA fair where she candidly critiqued my anonymous profile, I changed my mind! One of the most amazing things about Betsy is that she’s so genuinely interested in understanding what matters to you and what makes you unique. She believes in you and your story. And at the same time, she’s incredibly tough and precise in her feedback. I sent her an essay draft after having 7-8 friends tell me it was really well done. But she pushed me to read it from the perspective of someone who didn’t know me at all (like an admissions officer) and think about how it needed to change and improve. And it made a huge difference – I got into three top programs! Everyone should work with Betsy. From my experience, she was especially helpful to someone with a “traditional” background (banking, consulting, private equity), but ALSO great for someone with a “non-traditional” background, e.g. a public service/nonprofit bent. I know because I was both during the course of the application process when I switched jobs and she was a great fit in both cases 🙂 My experience is just one example of how she can take any application and make it meaningful and powerful. THANK YOU, BETSY!!

I had the best time working with Betsy and wholeheartedly recommend her to anyone I know. I did countless free 30-minute consultations with different consultants before deciding to work with Betsy. Right from the beginning, Betsy stood out because I could tell she was fully committed to getting to know me as a person and genuinely invested in my success. In particular, as an international student, I felt like Betsy really made the effort to understand my background and give appropriate feedback even in our initial free 30-minute call – unlike many other consultants who made comments that were tailored to US candidates (e.g., comments on GPA or extracurriculars, which were not part of my undergraduate experience). I believe this is because Betsy has experience working with very diverse candidates but also because she’s fundamentally a caring and empathetic person. During the process, Betsy was both a critic and a cheerleader. She challenged me when I became complacent on some of the “easy” essays and pushed me to do better, and she encouraged me when I felt totally overwhelmed and had self-doubt. Most importantly, she was (and is) a partner and friend. I have just started business school in my dream dual degree program and I still keep in touch with Betsy. I strongly recommend working with her because she’s the best! Perhaps the strongest indication of how much I trust in her is that even though I did not get into every school I applied, I have the full confidence that my applications were the absolute best they could be. I really could not have done it without Betsy, and I would choose to work with her every time!

Betsy was an amazing partner on my admissions journey. She was equal parts reassuring and pointed, and her candidness was exactly what I needed to make the best application I could. She was very willing to work with me and met me where I was at. I also appreciated how even though I didn't take a full package with her, she always went above and beyond to make sure that the application I submitted was the most polished one that told my true story in an interesting manner. Highly, highly recommend!

Betsy helped me most by telling me what I needed to hear. I came into the process with preconceived notions which Betsy quickly set me straight on. The result was admission to my top choice program. Thank you, Betsy!

After an extensive evaluation of the top admissions consultants including conversations with top contenders, talking with Betsy left me confident that she had the experience to navigate the grueling application process and she would even make it enjoyable! Although extremely accomplished, Betsy was easy to talk to, direct, and thought provoking. As a result of Betsy’s experience, I was accepted to 4 top schools with scholarship. Betsy made the process fun and relieved the immense amount of stress I felt. She allowed me to be my full self and really took the time to understand everything about me. She became a mentor and confidante. She provided invaluable guidance and feedback that allowed me to put my best self forward in my applications and interviews. Betsy challenged me to think deeper and self-reflect. She pushed me to complete those last applications that I didn’t think I had time left for. She did all of this with such ease and grace, allowing me to feel more comfortable and confident as I went through the process. Even after committing to my top-choice school, Betsy continues to stay in touch and offer support. I am so happy to have worked with Betsy and found a mentor and friend through it. I have no doubt Betsy and I will continue to keep in contact.

I talked with 10 admissions consultants before speaking with Betsy. I immediately knew that she was the one for me. Betsy is incredibly thoughtful, kind, and insightful. Unlike most consultants, I felt like she genuinely wanted to get know me, which was incredibly important when it came time to write essays. She helped draw out anecdotes and examples that really showcased what I brought to the table, both professionally and, more importantly, personally. I always left our discussions learning something new about myself, which made the essay writing process rewarding and speaks to her ability to draw out the best in people. I would not be at the school I am today without her expertise. Thank you Betsy!