CLIENT COMMENTS"Working with Richard Stelzer was an integral part of my success in securing admission to Harvard Business School. Having so many essays to develop was an unusually challenging task, but Richard’s consulting skills made the process both manageable and highly efficient. His step-by-step, start-to-finish assistance was invaluable. He enabled me to see my life and accomplishments with a different and more informed perspective, and to discuss them in a way I could never have done without his help. Beyond his obvious talent with words and language, his intellect, insight, ingenuity, conscientiousness and commitment to doing high-level work impressed me throughout our meetings. His enthusiasm, energy, encouragement and sense of humor made our experience together quite pleasant. Also, as a result of working with Richard, I approached my interview at HBS with much greater confidence and performed better than would have otherwise been possible." "I have enjoyed a long and successful association with Richard Stelzer. We first worked together when I was applying to medical school. Thanks in part to Richard’s advice, I was accepted by numerous top programs and elected to attend UCLA. Years later, when I needed to develop a personal statement for medical residency programs, I again worked with Richard, with a similarly positive outcome. He seems to have the ability to pull a rabbit out of the hat, finding clever ways to solve the tough task of presenting oneself memorably." "Getting into INSEAD (France) and the London Business School with barely three years of work experience exceeded even my wildest expectations. Most applicants to these institutions have outstanding GMAT scores, academics and professional credentials. What gave me the edge was the help I got from Richard Stelzer with my personal statements. I approached him in a state of despair; I had worked on my essays for more than eight months and they were still substandard. I had spoken with others who claimed to offer consulting services similar to Richard’s but none impressed me as having anything close to his depth of knowledge, experience and grasp of the dimensions of the project at hand. Once I read his book and spoke with him on the phone, I knew that without question, he was the ideal choice. Working with Richard, I began to personalize my essays with important intimate details that made them stand out and come to life. The significance of my accomplishments came into sharp focus. What is more, these brainstorming sessions with Richard were the ultimate preparation for the admission interviews." "Reading Richard Stelzer’s book and later taking advantage of his consulting services were two of the smartest moves I made on my path to a career as a physician. His book helped me to write an essay that got me a multitude of medical school interviews, and admission to UC San Francisco, UCLA and Cornell, among others (I chose UCLA). When it came time to apply for my medical residency program, I didn’t want my accomplishments or personality to be diminished by a less-than-excellent personal statement. By then I had learned that Richard Stelzer was available on a consulting basis, so I spoke with him on the phone and made an appointment. Coming to him was one of the wisest decisions I ever made. Richard made the process so much smoother. He was very accommodating and easy to work with, and was almost like a therapist in delving into my personal history and providing me with insights into who I am (which was very helpful when I got into the interview process) and ideas for presenting myself effectively. The essay came out beautifully; it flowed and on just one page captured my essence. It was very distinctive, personal and powerful. It was well worth the money because I got the best result I could ever have hoped for. I was very pleased, very happy. The essay clearly set me apart from other candidates because I was granted interviews at every program to which I applied. Further, many of the interviewers began our meeting by making complimentary remarks about my essay, which naturally bolstered my confidence that much more. In the end, I was accepted into a highly competitive, double residency program in pediatrics and internal medicine. I myself now serve on an admissions committee that chooses new residents and so can personally attest to the importance of the personal statement in evaluating candidates." "With average grades and LSAT scores, I never dreamed of being accepted to top-tiered law schools such as Boalt, Georgetown, Northwestern, USC and UCLA. My brainstorming sessions with Richard Stelzer made the critical difference for me. His guidance and counseling were invaluable, not only to me but also to numerous others I have recommended him to." "I would strongly recommend the services of Richard Stelzer to anyone who is truly serious about creating a winning personal statement and an application that sets itself apart from most others. I was pleasantly surprised and impressed with the quality of Richard Stelzer’s work (his advice was instrumental in helping me secure admission to the MBA program at the University of Chicago)--so much so that I’ve continued to recommend his services to colleagues, friends and even my wife." "At the time I was preparing my law school applications, nearly all factors (LSAT score, GPA, extracurriculars, etc.) had been decided, except the personal statement. My numbers were on the brink of allowing me to get accepted into some of the highly-ranked schools. Accordingly, I felt a powerful personal statement had the potential to solidify my chances for acceptance into these schools. Richard Stelzer was essential in helping me prepare an effective personal statement. The most important thing Richard helped me with was figuring out what to write about. I had a lot of difficulty doing this on my own. Although I lacked an obvious life story (e.g., winning an Olympic gold medal, surviving a deadly disease, or growing up in poverty) to discuss in my statement, Richard tapped into a simple story that could be discussed in an interesting way. He was focused on the challenge of helping me tell the story in a way that would be interesting to readers with the burden of reading thousands of other statements. At the end of our meeting, I knew I would be sending the law schools a statement of which I was truly proud, and this was a huge relief. Undoubtedly, the personal statement I submitted gave me an important edge in the admissions process." "When I was applying to business school, I arranged to meet with Richard Stelzer. The process was very helpful to me, and I was accepted at the University of Chicago and Kellogg (I attended the latter). Richard took the time to understand what I wanted to convey. He asks the right questions, he really listens, and then he helps you present the information efficiently and in an entertaining, concise way. Perhaps the most important thing I gained from working with Richard was what I learned about myself, which was valuable generally and especially in the interview process. I recommend Richard’s services without hesitation to anyone serious about developing the best possible essays." "Earning an MBA at a Top 10 business school was one of the most important personal and professional accomplishments in my life. Having this credential on my resume was instrumental in my success in raising more than $50 million to start an investment fund just three years after graduating. Key to my acceptance into business school was presenting myself and my achievements effectively in the personal essays. Richard Stelzer’s writing suggestions and presentation methods were vital in helping me create a powerful and impressive set of essays. Richard’s the best!" The comments reproduced above reflect the experiences of the clients who are quoted. Not everyone has similar results. Nothing should be construed as guaranteeing any applicant admission to any graduate or professional program. |