Research MBA Programs

When I began my business school application process, I was skeptical of both my chances of getting admitted to a top program, as well as what (if anything) an admissions consultant could do to help. Due to my low original GMAT attempt, and college GPA, I decided that it would at least be good to peruse the market and shop around to get a feel for what an admissions consultant could bring to the table.

After spending about 2 weeks talking to 6 different firms, I finally spoke with Esther from Stacy Blackman Consulting (SBC). Besides informing me of SBC's superior services, I was impressed with how Esther had taken the time before we got on the phone to really analyze and understand my background, as well as my goals and objectives (something other firms had done half-heartedly). Just based off of our initial conversation, I could tell that SBC was the spot for me and that they had clearly specialized in getting 'dreamers' ,like myself, into top MBA programs. After our initial discussion, Esther set me up with Meredith, because we had similar backgrounds and post-MBA goals. After speaking with both of these ladies, I was sold, and knew that if I had a shot at getting into a top program, SBC was going to be a big reason why.

Meredith was AMAZING, from start to finish! I really leaned on her throughout the process, and time and time again, she was able to help me through whatever issue I faced. After looking back on our 6 months of working together, I broke down what I feel were the biggest advantages of both Meredith and SBC below (in no particular order):

1. Developing my story: In my research of business school, I knew that this was going to be important, but I had no idea how difficult it could be, especially without any experience in doing so. From day 1, Meredith worked with me to develop a concise and compelling story that she knew would appeal to ad-comms and rang true with my actual experiences and career objectives. In addition, as I mentioned, when we first started working together, I did have some weaknesses in my profile (mostly related to my academic and GMAT performances). Meredith knew how to develop my story to focus on my positive work experience and leadership qualities, while also addressing my academic deficiencies. Once we were able to develop this story, it was a lot easier to complete the subsequent school applications.

2. Content (Resume & Essays): As evidenced by this review, I am not the most concise writer in the world! I am an extremely excitable and outgoing person, with a lot to say, but unfortunately, that needs to be tamed when applying to b-school, given essay word limits and the limited amount of time and space you have to convey your messages. Meredith helped me (tirelessly) to not only help me improve my writing skills, but also to structure my resume and essays in compelling ways that she knew would appeal to the ad-comms. I was quick about incorporating her suggestions and feedback, and she was just as receptive often getting me iterations of my essays in the same day! Knowing how responsive Meredith was, gave me the confidence that we would have the time to submit the strongest application possible to each school.

3. Application Strategy: After Meredith initially assessed my profile, she targeted specific areas that I would want to reinforce prior to hitting 'submit' on my applications. In particular, she encouraged me to continue to improve my GMAT, until I got a score (on the 3rd try) that she knew would help me get admitted to my target schools, and she also pointed out additional coursework and volunteer opportunities that she knew would make my profile more competitive. In addition, she was always willing to lend a hand when I was assessing which schools to apply to (and in which round / priority), and she leveraged SBC's extensive network if there was ever a question about a school that she could not answer. Without Meredith helping me develop my application strategy, I would have been lost.

4. Confidence: Finally, and I think maybe most importantly, both Esther and Meredith instilled confidence in me and my goals from day 1. Based on my initial profile, other admissions firms were skeptical of my chances to get admitted to any program in the Top 25. Instead of focusing on the negative, SBC always encouraged me and focused on my potential, while being honest that there were areas of my profile that I needed to address. They assured me that if I worked hard enough to do so, by partnering with them, I could achieve my goal of admission to a top 10 program (which I would have never even considered prior to our engagement). It was so refreshing to work with people who believed in me, and I truly feel that had an effect on my outlook throughout the entire process. Rather than being skeptical of my chances, I had a partner throughout the entire process, who pushed me even higher than I thought I could go, which I feel really came across in my interviews and applications, ultimately helping me gain admission to my top choice school.

Overall, investing in an admissions consultant is a personal decision, but I would agree with some of the generic reviews that I read prior to hiring Meredith and SBC - the price of the consultant is small compared to the reward associated with getting into the school of your choice, and I can honestly say that, with the wealth of knowledge, experiences and positive culture associated with SBC, there isn't a better firm in the marketplace today.