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I just want to give many thanks to William Chionis. I think he is amazing consultant and he does his job super professionally. It is really hard to underestimate his participate in my success. I got two out of two! Chicago Booth EMBA and LBS-Columbia GEMBA program are accepted me. I hesitated before take a consulting service as I was not sure that it worth for EMBA. I tried six different firms and consultants but he was seemed the best. It was one of the best choose in my life. His guideline changed my view not only on the application process but really helped me to develop my personal mid- and long-term strategy. His answers were always efficient and came very quickly. During the interviews, I felt very confident as adcoms asked exactly the same questions that we discussed. I just give them very impressive story of my life that you helped me to create. I will strongly recommend him to anyone who are looking for a top program.

I completely agree with trubnikov-d and I wanted to share my own review of working with SBC.

When I first started researching MBA admission consultants, I had no idea of how I would go about making my choice. After a couple of free consultations I was still undecided until I spoke with Esther Magna at Stacy Blackman. Instantly we made a connection, she didn't candy coat my weakness - BS from a state college, low GPA- rather she discussed the positives I had and how they should be promoted. Esther helped match me with my consultant Lisa Anderson. From the beginning Lisa was a great resource, very communicative and at times my own personal cheerleader. She helped guide me with school selection and was an adamant cheerleader for me through my three GMAT attempts.

I wrote all my own essays, but Lisa was there to not just help with grammar, but more importantly she kept me on task with what the question was asking. I have to admit that at times I strayed away from the question and she was extremely helpful in pointing me back in the right direction. Every time I sent her a draft she had it back to me in less than a day, usually I received back that same day.

I worked with her on applications to six schools. In the end I was wait listed at two schools and received admittance to the other four, all of which offered me scholarships. Three of the schools gave me merit aid that amounted to full tuition and fees in either scholarships or fellowships or a combination of both. The fourth school gave me half tuition Forte Fellowship. I know that without Lisa's and SBCs helping me to market myself to these schools I would not have received as many admission offers nor the substantial amount of financial aid that I was awarded. I highly recommend SBC; the amount of return is substantial for your investment.

I completely agree. I want to share my own experience with Bill Chionis.

I spoke to consultants from every major admissions consulting company and I was not very sure if they really understood my goals and how helpful they would be. The first time I spoke to Bill, I was completely blown away. Right from the very first call it was very clear that Bill really understood my short and long-term goals and how they aligned with my background. He was also very knowledgeable about my target programs, their class ratios and how someone from an overly represented demographic needs to differentiate himself without asking me to keep taking GMAT till I can get 760.

During my initial call when I discussed my target schools with Bill, he recommended that instead of applying to all 4 schools I should focus on the two of the top 10 schools which I was really excited about and given my background, GPA and GMAT he was very hopeful that I would get into one of them. With that advise I only purchased a two-school package instead of 4. I was not as certain that I would get into one of those two schools but Bill proved to be right as I got admitted to my top target school Haas.

Not only did Bill help me come up with application strategy but we went over 5 iterations of essays for first school which really ended up being 15 essays. He even spent time to review my final application before I submitted it. When it came time for my interview he gave me enough time till I felt that I was ready for it. He first spent an hour with me to go over how I should prepare and approach the interview and then he gave me two mock interviews.

Overall I am very glad that I worked with Bill and he truly is a guide. During the admissions process I learned things from Bill that would be helpful to me through out my professional life.

I lucked out when I was matched with Bridget at Stacy Blackman.

Over the many months we worked together, Bridget was honest, encouraging, and methodical in the way she supported me through the MBA admissions process. She made a commitment to review any admissions content I sent to her within 24 hours; she stayed true to that, and most of the time provided feedback to me within a few hours. When I hit writer's block, she coached me through it. When I needed motivating pep talks, she was right there with me on the phone. When my work schedule jammed up, she was always willing to meet with me, no matter how late or early it was.

Bridget was also critical to the high quality of my letters of recommendation. She interacted with my recommenders independently, preserving the confidentiality honor code and providing them feedback from a third party's point of view. As someone who could read all of my recommendations and essays--who also didn't know me prior to being matched with me--she had a holistic and impartial point of view. I believe that is a huge benefit of having a consultant. No coworker, friend, or family member could have offered the same expert, unbiased, and evaluative opinions that Bridget and Stacy Blackman Consulting offered to me.

Bridget's experience working within admissions committees, studying as an alumna of a top MBA program, and being a meticulous written and verbal communicator made her an extremely important part of my admissions process. I highly recommend anyone who gets the opportunity to partner with her to accept before someone else takes her.

I had decided to apply for INSEAD MBA but I had very little time for my application as my GMAT was also scheduled around the same time. I did an intense research to choose the right admission consultant and almost everyone recommended Stacy Blackman Consulting (SBC). I signed up for it and thank God I did. The most difficult part of an MBA application is to stay focussed especially when time is a constrain and SBC ensures that you are.

Carol Grayson was my consultant at Stacy Blackman. Her prior experience as a member of admission committee at INSEAD was very helpful for me to understand how a Business School outside the US had a different approach and perspective. She helped me to choose the right words, right stories from my experience and then structure the entire application as a whole. I agree with others that the number of drafts of an essay can easily go to 15 or more, but every single update makes it a lot better. This also shows how patient and committed the SBC consultants are because it is extremely difficult to make little improvements in almost perfect essays to make them absolutely perfect.

SBC uses a very organised approach and the entire application process is divided into intuitive and logical steps. Using this step by step approach allows you to build a strong application in an efficient manner. Perhaps this is the reason why everyone (including me now, yes I got into the only B-School I applied to) recommends Stacy Blackman Consulting.

I had decided to apply for INSEAD MBA but I had very little time for my application as my GMAT was also scheduled around the same time. I did an intense research to choose the right admission consultant and almost everyone recommended Stacy Blackman Consulting (SBC). I signed up for it and thank God I did. The most difficult part of an MBA application is to stay focussed especially when time is a constrain and SBC ensures that you are.

Carol Grayson was my consultant at Stacy Blackman. Her prior experience as a member of admission committee at INSEAD was very helpful for me to understand how a Business School outside the US had a different approach and perspective. She helped me to choose the right words, right stories from my experience and then structure the entire application as a whole. I agree with others that the number of drafts of an essay can easily go to 15 or more, but every single update makes it a lot better. This also shows how patient and committed the SBC consultants are because it is extremely difficult to make little improvements in almost perfect essays to make them absolutely perfect.

SBC uses a very organised approach and the entire application process is divided into intuitive and logical steps. Using this step by step approach allows you to build a strong application in an efficient manner. Perhaps this is the reason why everyone (including me now, yes I got into the only B-School I applied to) recommends Stacy Blackman Consulting.

I had a very positive experience with Stacy Blackman. I found them to be professional, realistic, and overall a real support - they injected an element of rigor into how I approached my essays and applications. I don't think I could have done it without them!

I was paired up with Aliceson Robinson who had a similar background to me. After our initial conversation, I felt we were a good match - she understood me and motivations in a way others had not (I had done a few initial conversations with other admissions consultancies).

Aliceson was fantastic and was a pleasure to work with. I felt that she took the time to know the details of 'me' and because she knows the application process so well and the schools I was applying to, she could provide insights that benefitted my application. She reviewed my first set of essays countless times (and would remind me the "the next set of essays [would] be easier"...which they were!) and really helped me get through those humps when I thought I couldn't possibly do anything more to my essays - she always came back with good ideas which help me make immediate improvements.

The guides and online resources that SBC has are extensive, those helped a lot when I was starting to write as there are sample essays, essay tips for each school, etc. I also appreciated the social media review that came with the comprehensive package - Paul helped develop a Social Review Strategy which I found was very useful (for not just the application process but for my professional career too!).

In general, applying to business school is a very stressful process (especially if you are working). SBC helped me get through this in matching me with the right person and providing great resources. Very grateful and satisfied in my choice to use them!

I got into my dream school, Columbia Business School, and got an interview at my second choice, INSEAD, although I didn't move forward with the interview/application as my heart is set on CBS!!

My last two cents - If you are like me and have been considering whether admissions consultancy is worth the price tag...I would say it was totally worth it. If you really want to go to business school and you have a busy schedule like me (or even if you just have no idea about how to go about applying), SBC will be a tremendous help in keeping you in check and supporting you through the process.

I've also had great experiences with SBC. I worked with Jed Sturman on my application to Tuck.

Jed and I hit it off right away. Being an engineer and a consultant myself, I was looking for my admissions consultant to be professional, organized, methodical and to show clear value-add for every dollar. Jed met all my expectations and helped me keep my applications on-track. Jed's insightful advice on which of my experiences to draw-on probably saved me hours of re-drafts.

I particularly want to highlight Jed and the SBC team's performance during crunch time. In the 3 week period before applications were due, Jed went above and beyond. Jed came through multiple times by turning around essay reviews and providing advice at all hours of the day. I don't think my essays would have been reflective of my best work without his help during this particularly busy period.

I had an excellent experience with Stacy Blackman- both with the company itself and my consultant, Carol Grayson. I cannot overstate my satisfaction with the firm and with Carol!


I got in touch with Stacy Blackman in the beginning of my application process- after I had taken the GREs and decided to move forward with B-school, but before I meaningfully researched schools and application processes. I didn't know anyone with personal experience with the company, but it was consistently listed as a top five b-school consulting firm. I was immediately impressed by the Stacy Blackman staffs' professionalism and this was consistent throughout the process. After I submitted basic profile information, I was connected with a representative within 24 hours. My conversation with the initial contact (Christina Woo) was substantive; she had already analyzed my basic strengths and weaknesses, assessed my profile, and suggested a Carol Grayson as a consultant match given my personal objectives and work style. I specifically appreciated Christina's honesty- she was able to immediately highlight my strengths but provided an honest appraisal of the issues that needed to be addressed. I was reassured that my money would be well spent with Stacy Blackman.

Carol Grayson was an excellent fit and she worked with me on applications for HBS, Wharton, and CBS. Carol is a wonderful application partner- she provides straightforward and constructive feedback while remaining supportive during a stressful process. Similar to the rest of the Stacy Blackman team, Carol's professionalism was outstanding. Carol is extremely knowledgeable about how the schools consider candidates and how they view applications. Carol made herself available at non-traditional hours to accommodate my schedule (weekends, holiday weekends, and early mornings) and was prepared before each conversation so our discussions were fulsome and productive and efficient. She always responded in a timely fashion was in touch about any potential delays or disruptions (none occurred, she was always on time). I am most appreciative of Carol's assistance in translating the schools' specific questions into concrete essay prompts that were more conducive to a 500-word writing exercise. She offered a high level view of the broader objective of the questions, suggested an overarching essay structure, and suggested topics highlighting details from my personal and professional life. Carol's comments were insightful- she did not focus on nonessential details, but really pushed me to devise a compelling story and express myself in a clear an interesting way. I was always confident that my final product would be excellent as Carol would not settle for less!

In addition to her help on essays and applications, Carol was willing to read my submissions for the entire applications including resume, activities etc. Her consulting services are truly comprehensive.

Ultimately, with Carol's help and that of the Stacy Blackman team, I was admitted to all three schools! I credit Carol with much of my success in the process. I highly recommend SBC!

I have had an amazing experience with Stacy Blackman Consulting. At the beginning of my application process, I read reviews from various sites, and found that SBC was one of the highest-rated services. I decided to try out 3 different services by scheduling initial calls with them. I was most impressed by how thoughtful my initial conversation with SBC went. The person I talked to initially was able to identify different connections between various elements in my life like I had never thought of before and make some concrete suggestions on potential directions of my application right from the very first call.

SBC then matched me with Paul Kang who shared many of my interests. I worked with Paul Kang on my applications to two of the top schools (H/S/W). In our first call, Paul asked many thought-provoking questions to get me to think beyond the surface level. After the first call, he managed to get me to question many of the assumptions I had made about myself, my career direction, and my applications. Throughout the process, Paul was incredibly supportive and always responsive. The final products were definitely reflective of who I am but in a much deeper level than I had anticipated. I got admitted to both of these top schools, thanks to Paul & SBC. I highly recommend SBC to anyone serious about having solid, thoughtful bschool applications.

Agree completely with everyone here and couldn't have been more happy with my experience with Stacy Blackman Consulting.

As I began the process of applying to b-school, I was initially very unsure about whether or not to work with an admissions consultant, not knowing if it were necessary or worth the cost. After discussions with many firms, ultimately I chose to work with Caryn Altman from Stacy Blackman Consulting and she was absolutely fantastic, I couldn't have been more pleased with the decision, far exceeded my expectations and well worth the cost.

The admissions process so quickly becomes overwhelming and Caryn was critical throughout every step. I used the comprehensive package and she began working with me very early on to assess strengths and weaknesses, outline a plan for my application, ensure clear and concise messaging and make everything stand out in my story. It was far more than just essay assistance, her help was vital in all aspects of my applications. Caryn was always insightful in her guidance, very accessible and responsive to any requests, kept me focused and ahead of deadlines, and improved my applications way more than I ever thought possible.

Beyond Caryn, the other team members and support resources at Stacy Blackman were very helpful, from school guides to mock interview prep and the application test flight.

Overall a really great experience that improved my applications significantly. I would highly recommend the firm and Caryn to anyone applying to b-school. Was admitted to 3 of 4 schools (Wharton, Booth and Kellogg) and couldn't have been so successful without the help of Caryn and the team at Stacy Blackman.

Completely agree. As a non-traditional MBA candidate with sights on business school since I was an undergraduate, I've researched all the schools. I just wasn't sure how to gain admission!

I had the stats to shoot for the moon when it came to top schools, but didn't have many people I could ask to help with the nuances of the application process. I was paired with Caryn Altman at Stacy Blackman based on my background and goals, and could not have been more lucky.

Caryn was phenomenal at helping me position myself in a way that was attractive to the schools I hoped to attend. She helped me take advantage of all the unique factors that made up my candidacy, and helped me form an application that was true and consistent from top to bottom.

I give Caryn and the Stacy Blackman team a whole-hearted thank you, and believe she would be able to help many candidates in similar positions.

I was initially hesitant to engage a professional consultancy. I had planned to ask my friends for tips based on what they had learned from their own application processes. I ultimately invested in the comprehensive package with SBC after a current Wharton student told me that I risked putting myself at a disadvantage otherwise. This was great advice.

I was paired with Margaret Strother, a great match for my personality and work style-- in her words, we're both "hard-assed perfectionists." Margaret's help was invaluable every step of the way, from developing my story and polishing essays to tactical questions regarding recommenders and school-specific minutiae. She exchanged hundreds of emails of the summer and she reviewed scores of drafts of my various essays, always promptly and incisively. During the long interview season in the fall, she helped to coach me on my standard responses and generally prepare me to excel in interviews. After she discovered I love cooking (which featured in my applications) we even exchanged a few recipes.

With the comprehensive package, I also had access to a "flight test" of my application by a former MBA admissions committee member, and after I received an interview offer from Wharton, I was able to practice their unusual group interview with other SBC applicants over Skype. My real Wharton interview went almost exactly the way it did in the practice session, which helped me to stay calm and confident despite the unusual format.

Ultimately, I was accepted to Booth with a scholarship and to my dream program at Wharton. Based on that alone, I'd say SBC is well worth the investment as a way of reducing downside risk. But I'd endorse them even if I hadn't been as fortunate in what is ultimately a capricious and subjective process. SBC's consultants act as mentors and coaches, and when it matters Margaret can be as demanding as my former investment banking bosses. I gained valuable experience and I learned practical and tactical lessons about positioning myself as a candidate, which I will carry forward and apply to my post-MBA goals.

I worked with Caryn Altman at Stacy Blackman Consulting as a reapplicant to Wharton. I worked with another firm the year before and didn't even get an interview at Wharton. As such, I was meticulous in my search for an advisor as a reapplicant. In my search, I paid for ad hoc services from a couple of firms and did my due diligence with a few others, and Caryn stood out as the best.

Caryn delivered high quality work from the get-go. What stood out was when she respectfully challenged my opinions and persuaded me to follow her advice. The whole process was low stress, and I am thrilled with the results.

After speaking with various consultants, I decided to work with Caryn and selected a comprehensive package.

First on the comprehensive package. It is not a joke and truly takes the word comprehensive to heart. It covers all aspects of your application from strategy to selection to resume to interview prep and selecting offers. Even the silly 50 character questions in the application are covered. SBC has really invested in providing an excellent service that encompasses all areas of the application and it definitely gave me the confidence that I was submitting the best applications based on who I am. It also helped relieve some of the anxiety of preparing them.

Apart from the package, I really enjoyed working with Caryn. She was direct and honest about my application story but equally encouraging. She is very experienced and is very familiar with the admissions process. Her work schedule is reasonable and I was never concerned about her professionalism. (Apologies but when you pay a lot of money for admissions consulting, there is a fear that the investment may be more trouble than good). In either case, I was admitted to a couple of programs which is better than none. The success I had and the pleasant experience is a reflection of the great service that Caryn and SBC offers.