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Stacy Blackman Consulting

Stacy Blackman Comprehensive Services

Admissions Consulting

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4.99★
124 Stacy Blackman Consulting reviews
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- Strategic partnership on all application elements, planning to execution
- "All-In" services: unlimited time, no cap to hours
- Primary, dedicated partner to unlock your full potential
- Flight Test™ Review by Admissions Officers
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Joined: Sep 10, 2019
Purchased: Feb 8, 2019
College: Barnard College
Major: Economics
Industry: Retail/Wholesale and Trading
Country: United States
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I could not have done this without Christina!!

September 10, 2019
  • Teacher: Christina
I cannot say enough about Christina and SBC! She was my biggest advocate throughout the whole application process and believed in me from the start, making me feel confident in my ability to succeed in school.

Professional Aspects
--Before the all in package: I spoke with another consultant, Esther, about my candidacy and to determine who the best consultant to work with would be. Esther was extremely responsive and knowledgeable about the elements of a strong application. She immediately matched me with Christina (it was a perfect match in my opinion!).
--Christina: She has had lots of professional experience in retail and understood the challenges that I faced coming from that industry, which is a less common pre-MBA career. She also completed her MBA at Harvard and understood the rigor of applying to and attending a top program.
--Creating a ?brand? and application strategy: Christina quickly helped create a targeted application approach and helped me focus in on the programs that most aligned with my interests and personality. She was so helpful in getting an understanding of the MBA landscape. She also helped create an application that played to my strengths and offset my weaknesses in order to stand out among thousands of competitive applicants.
--Writing essays: Christina’s writing skills are top notch. In fact, I’m pretty sure my grammar and creative writing skills have improved after working with her. She helped me articulate my thoughts, create an outline, and polish my essays so they jumped off the page and reflected my personality.
--Interview prep: We prepped for one interview together and Christina was prepared with a list of questions that school had asked in recent years. After a mock interview, she gave thorough feedback for each question and helped make sure I was as polished and confident as possible going into the interview. She even went the extra mile and sent good luck messages leading up to the interview day!

Personal Aspects
--Christina truly cares about her clients and it shows. She and I frequently spent long hours on the phone weighing the pros and cons of various schools, discussing post-MBA career paths, editing essays, and prepping for interviews. She quickly became one of the first people I talked to about professional developments because of her positive and constructive feedback. She has been a huge force behind my personal and professional development through the application process - both supporting me and giving helpful feedback.
--Christina is full of positive encouragement, but she will also push you because she wants you to have the strongest application possible. I had a long list of things to do leading up to application submission. While I was stressed at times, Christina was always extremely encouraging and built my confidence.
--When choosing a consultant, I recommend thinking carefully about what it is that you are seeking help with. I was looking for someone to help guide me through the whole process, so I decided to go with SBC’s ?All In? package. I also wanted someone who understood my industry and the challenges that came with coming from a less common pre-MBA career. Finally, I wanted someone who I would get along well with and would help me grow throughout the application process. Christina was the perfect match in every single way. Our phone calls often went well beyond the application itself, and into areas of personal development. Christina goes above and beyond her responsibilities, and that is largely because she genuinely cares about her clients. She is exactly the kind of person you want in your corner throughout the application process!!
Joined: May 11, 2019
Purchased: Jul 9, 2018
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Sophisticated Mentors and Expert Service

May 11, 2019
  • Teacher: Joseph Siesholtz
Approaching the MBA Admissions process, I had an idea that the applications were rigorous and comprehensive, but I truly had no sense of the level of detail and management necessary to prepare the completed applications for each school. I was pivoting from a career as an independent film director and knew that proving my business and analytical ability would require additional support and guidance. In a quick google search, I found Stacy Blackman Consulting and after reading the reviews felt confident that they would be professional, thorough, and a great resource.

I was immediately paired with Joseph Siesholtz who shared an entertainment background. I cannot speak highly enough about Joey. He was an incredible mentor, highly supportive, and completely transparent. He helped me from the beginning of the process through the end. Definitely request him if you decide to go with their services.
- He emphasized the importance for me to prove my analytical skills through a high GMAT score, which I was able to accomplish with a 710.
- My inclination was to structure my essays so they conformed to more formal business writing. I wasn’t sure what was appropriate to share in the context of graduate admissions. However, Joey coerced me to be authentic and share a genuine personal story, which allowed for much more persuasive and honest storytelling.
- Joey was able to help me define my goals in more MBA-terms and develop concrete lists of roles and skills that I’d like to pursue out of b-school.
- He helped with interview preparation, making sure I presented an appropriate tone and clearly expressed my intentions.

Working with Stacy Blackman and specifically Joey was transformative in priming my mindset for b-school. Having sophisticated mentors guide you through the MBA process, especially if you come from an alternative background, is highly valuable. I received a full-scholarship to USC Marshall, a partial scholarship and admission into NYU for a dual-degree program (MBA from Stern and Master of Fine Arts in film from Tisch). Truly the best experience.
Joined: May 5, 2019
Purchased: Sep 24, 2018
Country: United States
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Phenomenal Experience

May 5, 2019
  • Teacher: Christina
When I first thought about applying to business school, I didn't think about using a consultant because I didn't realize how valuable they were (particularly given the cost). Now that I'm done with the entire process, I can confidently say that choosing SBC has been absolutely worth it. I could probably write a novel, but I'll try to keep it short and sweet.

I was paired with Christina, who is genuinely one of the most thoughtful, articulate, and hard-working people I have ever worked with. She went above and beyond to make sure that I put forth the best application by working with me on every aspect of my candidacy from pushing me to reach out to current MBA students to bolstering weaknesses on my resume to gathering insights from her friends regarding roles in different industries that interested me! For example, I intend to completely change both my industry and function post MBA, which is extremely risky, but Christina was able to lay out what the flaws would be in my candidacy from adcomm's perspective and how I could improve upon those flaws. She suggested that I find relevant consulting/outside-of-work experience in the industry I wanted to pursue, which ended up being an important part of my story. Without her deep insight into the application process and multiple pointers along the way, I probably would not have even received an interview. She was instrumental throughout the entire process, helping me choose the schools I wanted to apply to, giving essay tips, preparing for interviews, and even post-acceptance, providing helpful pointers before the school year starts.

I ended up applying to 3 schools - Wharton, Booth, and Columbia. I was accepted into all three and also received a scholarship from Booth. Christina is not only a terrific consultant but also an incredible mentor. I could not have asked for a better experience.
Joined: Apr 11, 2019
Purchased: Nov 18, 2018
College: Haverford College
Industry: Education
Country: United States
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Thank you SBC and Beth!!

April 11, 2019
  • Teacher: Beth Tidmarsh
I am 100% positive I would not have received the admits I did without Beth from Stacy Blackman Consulting. While I was worried about spending money on a consultant, it was 100% worth it in the grand scheme of things. I worked with Beth on Kellogg and Yale, and I was admitted to both. I was also able to transfer what we worked on to my Stern application (goals, resume, job descriptions, etc.) and was also admitted there with a scholarship.

I looked at five other larger and boutique consulting firms. I felt like many other consultants didn’t care much about who I was as a person/what drives me. Some encouraged me to craft a story they thought the admissions committee would want to hear (for example, one consultant told me to craft my goals around ed-tech because it is hot right now). Others said to me that the schools I was interested in were out of reach, and encouraged me to only apply to second and third-tier schools. It almost felt like other consultancies would make you doubt yourself to get you to buy their services.

SBC was the polar opposite. My first call was with Sarah Tsai, who listened carefully to my needs and matched me with Beth. Beth is a former admissions officer and has an acute knowledge of the way the process works. She was direct, highly intelligent, honest, communicative, nonjudgmental, and just overall lovely to work with. She broke down the application process into manageable chunks and helped keep me on track.

Beth took lots of time to consider who I was as a person and what drives me to help me in creating an authentic, but persuasive, application. SBC was very honest with me about my strengths and weaknesses, and carefully considered how we would leverage strengths and make admissions committees feel better about my shortcomings (quant background).

It was incredibly helpful to work with a firm that has so much admissions knowledge amongst its employees. Lisa (a former admissions officer) did a ?flight-test? of my application, and then I worked to revise it with feedback. I also did a mock-interview and got feedback before my real interviews. Finally, the SBC Wiki page is beneficial. I was able to read previous admits? essays and look at banks of interview questions that other students received to help myself prepare.

I went through 12 versions of my resume and over ten versions of my essays with Beth. SBC focuses on every little detail, down to each 100-character response on the apps.

THANK YOU SBC!!!!
Joined: Mar 22, 2019
Purchased: May 18, 2018
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Would Give Yvette 6 Stars if I Could!

March 22, 2019
  • Teacher: Yvette
When I decided to apply to business schools I was very skeptical about investing in a consultant, but working with Yvette was 110% worth it. Before meeting Yvette I had screened a few consultants from various companies and felt they either tried to sugar-coat things or were skewed toward traditional backgrounds. Yvette was exceptional at striking a balance between being an upbeat cheerleader and a no-BS coach. For example, I was very hesitant to re-take my standardized tests because I felt defeated and believed I was just a terrible test-taker; however, Yvette helped me make an informed decision about the upside of giving it another shot and shared useful test-taking strategies. With more motivation and courage than I would have had on my own, I retook the test and ended up boosting my score substantially. Yvette also identified with my non-traditional background and helped me spin that as a positive attribute throughout my application. Moreover, the level of attention I was given far exceeded my expectations. Yvette was very generous with her time ? both in our verbal discussions and in the effort she poured into every round of edits. Her thoughtful advice and constant encouragement took my application to the next level and I was ultimately admitted to my top school, HBS (which is also Yvette’s alma mater). Yvette made every step of the rigorous process feel manageable and I cannot say enough positive things about her!
Joined: Feb 16, 2019
Purchased: May 26, 2018
Country: United States
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Totally Worth It -- Thank You Keauna!

February 17, 2019
  • Teacher: Keauna
I worked with Keauna and applied to 8 schools. Although I only worked with her on applications for two schools (it is expensive) I used all of her help/suggestions on the remaining 6 schools so my success in these schools is definitely a result of our work together.

I had an initial free call with Lisa, who paired me with Keauna who does a lot of work with nontraditional applicants. If you are one, I highly suggest working with her! Even in the short consulting call I felt like SBC had a wealth of knowledge and experience and that their services would be money well spent. I chose SBC because they were very straightforward and to the point -- I didn't feel like they were sugar coating anything in order to get me to sign up for their services.

Coming from a nontraditional background, Keauna helped me figure out a cohesive way to tell the story of my career path thus far and why I wanted to get an MBA. Once I got interview offers she also helped me prepare for the interviews. Our mock interview made me feel much more prepared and comfortable going into the real thing.

I was accepted to 5 schools and declined to interview at a 6th. I received two full scholarships, both at top 10 schools. I also received a 50% scholarship at another top 10 school and a 75% scholarship at a top 15 school.

Keanua was always available throughout the process for both the big things like reviewing essays but also smaller, random questions I had along the way. She was also there to talk through which school I ultimately chose to attend. I really felt like Keanua cared about me as a person throughout the process and was genuinely happy for me and my acceptances. Thanks to her I will be attending a top 10 MBA program with a full scholarship in the fall!
Joined: Jan 17, 2019
Purchased: May 15, 2018
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Christina is the best!

February 4, 2019
  • Teacher: Christina
After having calls with most of the major consulting firms, I decided to work with Christina from SBC. Most of the other consultants I had met always told me how I was going to get into every top school right from the beginning without having an understanding of my profile. Christina was the only one to immediately point out specific key strengths as well as potential weaknesses and ideas to address them, as well as being realistic about my opportunities. This was exactly what I was looking for.
Working with Christina proved to be a pleasure from the start. Two words that come to mind when thinking about her are ORGANIZATION and DETAILS. Her approach is very structured, comprehensive and well thought-out, and her ability to focus on even the smallest details, strong points, and potential flaws is overwhelming (in a good way of course!). If there is ANY possibility any part of your application might have a positive or negative effect on your assessment she WILL find it, point it out and work with you to highlight or address it. Relentlessly.
On top of this, Christina has an especial ability to retain every single piece of information you provide and bring it up and find ways to use it (even after a very long time). She really tries to get to know you as best as possible and might even bring up a story or a small detail you told her months ago and hadn’t even thought of yourself to help you prove an important point in your essays or interviews! She really takes your application more seriously than you do...
Her understanding of all schools is mind-blowing (although she went to HBS I honestly think she has attended every MBA program), and she will use this knowledge to point out those parts of you that best fit each school and will explain how and why they are a good fit, providing really valuable advice. This is very helpful to understand what schools you should target too.
Personally (having even met her in person) she is an extremely nice and respectful person, and everything about her is completely genuine. She really cares for you and will do everything she can to maximize your opportunities. If you want to truly give your MBA applications your best shot, she is the only option!
I got accepted into my top 2 schools: HBS and Wharton/Lauder. I cannot recommend her services enough, I would give her 6 out of 5 stars!
Joined: Jan 24, 2019
Purchased: Jun 30, 2018
College: Duke University
Major: Political Science
Industry: Investment Management
Country: United States
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Phenomenal experience!!

January 24, 2019
  • Teacher: Beth Tidmarsh
Beth provided a necessary steadiness throughout this entire process. She kept me on track and organized, so that I could focus on strengthening my portrayal of my candidacy. Her insightful guidance throughout this entire process made her an integral part of my support system and I truly could not have done it without her! Her time, patience, understanding, and extreme organization helped relieve much of the anxiety and stress that often comes up when pursuing a journey like getting an MBA!

Beth armed me with a strong basis of knowledge, confidence, and a realistic understanding of how to navigate this tricky process. I am beyond grateful for her thoughtfulness and the genuine care she put into supporting me and my candidacy. Her constant check-ins and words of support helped propel me successfully through this process. Thank you, Beth!
Joined: Jan 13, 2019
Purchased: Oct 12, 2017
Major: Economics
Industry: Retailing/Wholesaling
Country: United States
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YES YES AND YES!

January 13, 2019
  • Teacher: Beth Tidmarsh
If you are at all like I was a year ago ? reading this thread and thinking ? is it worth it? THE ANSWER IS YES. Stop reading and go book Stacy Blackman Consulting now. SBC was invaluable in enabling me get into my dream school.
One thing is for sure in the application process -- you are going to have A LOT of questions. Maybe even doubts or concerns. Stacy Blackman Consulting will have the answers that you can TRUST and answers that are tailored to fit your INDIVIDUAL needs/skills/circumstance. This will make all the difference in enabling you to present yourself confidently, efficiently, and effectively in your written applications and in person interviews. I was amazed by how much my consultant, Beth Tidmarsh, brought out the best in me. I have to say if you are lucky enough to work with Beth, you have hit the jackpot. Beth was nothing short of a dream. She was relentless, professional, effective, insightful, supportive, meticulous, responsive, and worked her tail off to teach me how to put my best foot forward. I truly felt like I had superwoman on my side through this process ? there to save the day if I needed her, but all the while coaching me on how to fly on my own!
In summary, go sign up for SBC and don’t look back. Their guidance is worth every penny. When you get that acceptance call from your dream school admissions, you will be so happy you did!!
Joined: Jan 10, 2019
Purchased: Apr 20, 2018
Major: Economics
Industry: Investment Management
Country: United States
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Exceeded Expectations!

January 10, 2019
  • Teacher: Maureen
I cannot express how grateful I am for Maureen and Stacy Blackman. With the help, support, and resources of Maureen and Stacy Blackman, I found great success in my MBA applications. I was accepted to Tuck, Ross, and Fuqua, my top choices!

From my initial consultation with Sarah Tsai, I received customized and tailored advice from Stacy Blackman. Sarah matched me with Maureen based on my background and goals, and it was a great fit! Maureen took the time to really get to know my background, experiences, and goals, and worked with me to create a schedule and application plan. When I fell behind schedule due to disappointing GMAT scores, she helped and motivated me to stay on track and ensure that I ultimately met my round one deadlines. From the beginning, she set clear expectations and made me aware of my weaknesses. This allowed me to acknowledge and address these weaknesses in my application. Most significantly, I had a low GMAT quant score. While I felt discouraged, Maureen pushed me to retake the test multiple times, and even consider the GRE. She encouraged me to take advantage of all possible opportunities to ensure I submitted my best possible application.

Maureen and I worked on countless resume, essay, and email drafts. Because she really understood my experiences and goals, she helped me to create unique and personalized essays. She consistently emailed me back drafts the same day with strong edits and ideas. I emailed her daily with questions and concerns and she never failed to respond in a timely and thorough manner. Maureen was invested in my success throughout the whole process. She provided insight into the particular programs that I was applying to and helped me to differentiate my applications. She followed up with me after each interview and event that I attended. I am so incredibly grateful for Maureen and Stacy Blackman.
Joined: Dec 28, 2018
Purchased: Apr 28, 2018
Country: United States
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Great Investment

December 28, 2018
  • Teacher: Beth Tidmarsh
I worked with Beth on my applications for Kellogg/MMM and Tuck. I was accepted to both with scholarship at Kellogg!! I also applied to Darden and Yale. While I didn't work with Beth on those schools, I was able to transfer a lot of what we worked on for Kellogg and Tuck to the Darden and Yale apps. Throughout the process Beth checked in with me on how my apps for Darden and Yale were going, and I could bounce some essay ideas off her as well. I could tell she really cared about my success in all my applications. I was also accepted into both those schools- with a scholarship at Darden!

I'm still a little in shock that I was accepted everywhere, and I know I couldn't have done it without Beth. We went through countless revisions of my essays and resume, and even a few rounds on the short answer questions. Also invaluable was the peace of mind I got from working with her-any question I had I knew I could email her about and get a fast response.

I had vetted multiple other consulting firms but ended up choosing SBC because on my consultation call with Esther she was realistic about my weaknesses (a 50th percentile quant score on the GMAT and not a strong undergrad/work quant background) without trying to "scare" me. She also was able to deliver value instantly by accurately teasing out my strengths in 30 minutes. I knew that if I could get that much out of a consultation call the full service would be worth it- and it was!
Joined: Dec 27, 2018
Purchased: Aug 13, 2018
Country: Afghanistan
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Could Not Have Been Happier

December 27, 2018
  • Teacher: Amy Bergrud
From the moment I first contacted Stacy Blackman and was received by Bill, I knew I was in for invaluable advice from day one. I had this whole plan in my head for my story and how I was going to approach my MBA applications, and Bill told me straight up what was wrong with it and why it wouldn't fly in reality, and from my experiences since, I have seen why I was wrong in the first place.

After agreeing to take part in the service, I was matched with Amy and she was nothing but fantastic from the start. I could easily tell that she put actual care into crafting my story and putting together everything to make myself look more appealing to each school. She was incredibly responsive and helpful at every step of the way, from helping edit my essays, to helping me arrange my resume and accomplishments in the best way possible, and there is no way I could have ended up landing the offer of a lifetime I did without the help and support from Amy and Stacy Blackman.

In addition, the flight test from Beth really helped my confidence level in choosing the schools that I targetted, and let me focus on doing well at the interviews knowing my profile was good enough for those schools.

I would highly recommend the service to anyone who is serious about their future!
Joined: Nov 8, 2018
Purchased: Jul 25, 2018
Country: United States
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Couldn't have done it without SBC

November 9, 2018
  • Teacher: Erin Barry
I am so glad I was able to work with Erin, who used to be an admissions officer at CBS. I applied to CBS and Wharton, and I ended up getting into CBS for ED and withdrew my application for Wharton, where I also received an interview invite due to Erin's help.

I spoke with several consultants and ultimately felt that SBC was the right fit for me. I had my intro call with Esther and she was very enthusiastic and encouraging, even though I felt nervous about my untraditional background and not having done as many extracurricular activities as some other applicants.

I truly couldn't have done it without Erin's guidance. My essays went through several edits and in the end, they were completely different from where they started and so much better. My background is a little bit untraditional and Erin was able to help me turn that into a strength. Because Erin used to be on the admissions committee at CBS, she knew what they were looking for and helped me make my application a lot more focused. The Flight Test with Beth was also super helpful, and allowed me to make some final and important edits to my essays.

I would highly recommend SBC!
Joined: Jul 12, 2018
Purchased: Jun 5, 2017
Country: United States
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Outstanding Investment

July 22, 2018
  • Teacher: Amy Bergrud
I utilized Stacy Blackman Consulting, (I chose the All-In package), and it was one of the best investments I've ever made! Not only did I get into both schools I applied to, but I got into my dream school, USC Marshall School of Business, (with a scholarship). I worked with Amy for over a year and she gave me lots of practical advice on how to strengthen my application.

For me, writing the application essays was the most challenging part. Amy's advice on how to both approach the essays and her help with the over half a dozen revisions we did was invaluable. She also motivated and helped drive me to do my best on every aspect of the application, including improving my GMAT score and adding extracurriculars. The flight test, which is offered by Stacy Blackman Consulting, (in which other consultants review your application and essays) is another excellent example of how effective their approach is.

The application process is really a journey and it's important to start early. I would highly recommend Amy and Stacy Blackman Consulting as their expertise and track record speaks for itself. I truly believe that my applications wouldn't have been as successful as they were without their help. Again, I'd highly recommend their service!
Joined: Jul 9, 2018
Purchased: Sep 13, 2017
Country: Singapore
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Admission Consulting Services

July 9, 2018
  • Teacher: Julie Gordon Shipley
Julie worked with me through my business school applications. She helped me with planning my application strategy , all my essays from the first draft to the final product. She also helped me with my interview preparation with a couple of mock interviews.

Julie's guidance and patience really helped me clarify my career goals and dig deeper to be able to write with conviction and clarity on my short-term and long term goals. All her feedback definitely helped me make my essays stronger and her consistent encouragement helped me stay motivated until we were both absolutely certain that it was the best possible version of my essay before submitting it.

I wholeheartedly recommend Julie and I would not have been able to get admitted at my dream school LBS without her.
Joined: May 18, 2018
Purchased: Mar 21, 2017
College: University of Virginia
Major: Engineering
Industry: Military
Country: United States
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Worth every penny and then some: SBC and specifically working with Erika Olson

May 18, 2018
  • Teacher: Erika Olson
I chose to work with Stacy Blackman, and specifically Erika Olson, because of a recommendation from one of my good friends from ROTC. I spoke with all of the major MBA admission consulting firms, and chose Stacy Blackman based off of my experience of my friend and the insights from my intro call with Bill Chionis and Erika. I went to a UVA undergrad and majored in engineering with a 3.4 GPA and a 720 GMAT (50Q/37V), and I spent four years in the Army as an engineer officer. I applied to six schools (HBS, Wharton, Booth, Tuck, Darden and Sloan), received interviews at all of them and was admitted to all of them except for HBS. I also received scholarships from Booth, Tuck and Darden. I ultimately chose to attend Sloan. As a military applicant, I did have the know how to craft my own resume, as well as decide what experiences were best to put forward in my essays and interviews. With the All-In package, I knew I would be ridding my application of any military jargon that would confuse non-military folks on the ADCOM (just about all of them) and that the product that I was putting forward to schools would give me the best chance at acceptance. Erika was extraordinarily helpful throughout the entire process. She pushed me to develop the best resume, essays, etc. for each of my applications. Without her help and the rest of the Stacy Blackman team, I undoubtably would not have seen the same results that I did. Because I chose the All-In package I was able to practice my team-based Wharton interview with Caryn Altman, a former member of the Wharton ADCOM, and other SBC clients preparing for their Wharton interviews. The experience and feedback were invaluable to have before I stepped into the actual interview. The prep interview allowed me to go in much better prepared than my fellow interviewers within my group...and I did not see more than 1 of the other 5 at admitted students weekend. All in all, Erika Olson is the best you can do as far as MBA consultants. I would sign up with her 100 times out of 100 again. She goes extremely quickly too. If you want to book her, you need to start thinking March or April of the year of applications to have her as your consultant for Round 1 applications. I've recommended her to all of my military and non-military friends, and if you are serious about going to business school and want to have the best chance of admittance...sign up with SBC and request Erika Olson if at all possible.
Joined: May 6, 2018
Purchased: May 2, 2017
College: ITAM
Major: Economics
Industry: Consulting
Country: Mexico
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The best resource for a Latin American Re applicant to Top-tier MBA programs in US

May 6, 2018
  • Teacher: Stephanie Cohn
As a Latin American re applicant candidate to top business schools in the US, I found the assistance and support from SBC to be extremely valuable. Since the beginning of the process, I was matched with a true counselor that understood very well my personal story and that helped me define the best route for strengthening my candidacy. Stephanie has been the best consultant, who has helped me polish a concise, clear and powerful pitch for Admissions. With her support and Rebekah (former admissions officer as Stephanie) who provided an excellent flight test before submitting my materials, I was admitted at Duke, IESE and currently waitlisted at Tuck. I can confidently say that SBC team is absolutely professional as they provide every resource needed for creating your best application. In this long process of applying to Business School, the support & guidance of former Admission Officers and counselors is critical, as they understand very well the process, and will support you in a comprehensive way, giving you the confidence to do the best of the process.

Thanks for everything SBC!!
Joined: May 6, 2018
Purchased: Jun 20, 2017
College: University of Cambridge
Major: Mathematics
Industry: Investment Banking
Country: United Kingdom
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Excellent all-round support from the Stacy Blackman team

May 6, 2018
  • Teacher: Shaifali Aggarwal
I worked closely with Shaifali Aggarwal, Esther Magna and Caryn Altman over the course of several months. I am an international student from a Finance background, so had to work hard to craft a unique and compelling story. Shaifali was my primary contact. She was always approachable and responsive. Working with her on my essays was great and very productive, and her comments on my latest drafts were always helpful and allowed me to hone in on the key points the admissions committee are looking for.

I should also mention that Stacy Blackman have a multitude of written materials for each school, as well as an online databank with past interview questions. These resources should not be underestimated, and are extremely useful.

Once a good draft of my application was ready, this was sent for a "flight test" with Caryn Altman, who is herself a former AdCom member. She reviewed my application in the same was as she did in real life, and her feedback was also invaluable. Finally, I had some practice interview sessions with Shaifali, which helped me perfect my interview technique and present myself in the best way.

I am pleased to say that I've secured a place at Wharton, my preferred school. I am delighted to be starting there later this year. I would like to thank the entire team at Stacy Blackman for their help over the last few months, and would unequivocally recommend their services to anyone who is serious about their business school applications.
Joined: May 5, 2018
Purchased: Nov 27, 2017
Country: United States
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Yvette is a gem! 2 full rides, 3 acceptances!

May 5, 2018
  • Teacher: Yvette Romero
I am so beyond ecstatic at the results of my partnership with Yvette and the SBC team! I decided on SBC after reading many outstanding reviews and seeing the results of a friend who used SBC. I was matched based on my nontraditional background with Yvette Romero, a true gem!, and my main consultant who helped me identify target schools, refine my voice through my essays, and ace the interviews. Yvette was thoughtful, encouraging, and incisively realistic while making me laugh through an otherwise stressful process. Throughout our partnership, she asked me questions that highlighted aspects of my profile that I would have never considered to be special. Her advice on how to frame my applications to appeal to adcomm revealed deep insight into the admissions process, and as a result, even small tweaks to my application felt like home runs. Her deep knowledge of MBA admissions ultimately empowered me with a road map to strategically navigate those long months.

What felt most critical to me in our partnership and something that I will always be thankful for is that Yvette gave me the confidence I needed to overcome a low GPA. She taught me how to truly and unabashedly tell my unique story and highlight my strengths. She is a gifted listener and story teller, and she imbues you with these same qualities- asking the right questions until you arrive at the key story for your application to showcase. And because she is truly invested in your success and believes that you deserve your own best work, she will work painstakingly with you until you get it right! I am so proud when I read my essays and think on my interviews, because they feel like "me". Yvette really helped my essence shine.

I received THREE acceptances from top schools, including TWO FULL SCHOLARSHIPS - one from a reach school I hadn't considered until Yvette told me to go for it! As someone with a nonprofit background and the hurdle of a low GPA, I know the price looks a little steep but it is an incredibly worthwhile investment that will pay dividends! I am thrilled to be attending a top business school in the fall and regret nothing about my SBC experience. I cannot recommend Yvette enough. She pushed me to work hard, be honest, and be proud of what I had accomplished. I have loved working with her, and if you make the wonderful decision to do the same, I know you will, too!
Joined: Nov 1, 2017
Purchased: Jul 12, 2017
College: University of Chicago
Major: Economics
Industry: Commercial Banking
Country: Korea, Republic of
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Thank You Christine and SBC!

May 1, 2018
  • Teacher: Christine
I worked with Christine Hawkins on 3 applications. Acceptance with a substantial fellowship + need-based aid to my top choice Columbia Business School and interview invite to Wharton would not have been possible without Christine’s and the SBC team’s amazing dedication (both 2Y full-time; withdrew from Wharton and Stern due to Columbia ED).
Even before the process started, I could tell by Esther's (principal manager) enthusiasm and commitment to me to make sure that I was matched with just the right consultant for me, that I had chosen the right company.

I was a female applicant from an increasingly competitive pool, was educated from a US college with mediocre grades, with no off-the-page leadership or community experiences (oh yes, and no GMAT score yet). During what could have been anxious and unsettling times, Christine was a counselor, confidence booster when I was down with unexpected CFA and GMAT test results, and was an honest critique of all my deliverables in the best sense of the term. Christine would lead me to pull out certain ideas, but would never go ahead and write essays FOR me (for many good reasons); when something seemed off to both of us but neither of us could quite put a finger on it, she steered me toward looking in other arsenals of my anecdotes and experiences (which until that point I didn’t know I had or could turn to!) and pulling essay ideas from there.

Christine's comments on my deliverables always came under 48 hours turnaround (though she is not obligated to work so by all means), and I was amazed by her willingness to go above and beyond her call of duty--for example, encouraging me to network with alumni in my area to see if they could submit sideletters for me, and offering to put in extra mock interview sessions. Also, Lisa Anderson's Flight Test put me at east and gave me that much-needed extra boost of confidence as I prepared to hit ?submit? for my first choice & anchor school, Columbia. Bill Chionis, my client liaison, was also extremely supportive in keeping me updated of all the different options for application review and his birds-eye-view of the entire process. All of this careful attention to each of my applications as if they were their own will definitely lead me to recommend Christine & the SBC's comprehensive package to friends who are current MBA-hopefuls.
Joined: Apr 30, 2018
Purchased: Nov 6, 2017
College: University of Pennsylvania
Major: Political Science
Industry: Consulting
Country: United States
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Wharton Round 2 Admit w/ Scholarship

April 30, 2018
  • Teacher: Meghan Ellis
I had a wonderful experience with SBC - receiving the all-in services for my Wharton Round 2 Application. From the outset, my diagnostic and initial conversations with Esther (onboarding) were incredibly helpful and informative. That conversation led to my decision to go with SBC instead of other firms I was speaking with (Veritas, Ivy).

From there I moved to work directly with Meghan, my dedicated consultant. As a former Wharton admissions officer, she was able to provide differentiated advice and guidance to support my Wharton application. She helped me think through my story and highlight the most impactful aspects of my professional and extracurricular experiences.

Equally important, was the mock team-based discussion preparation session that Meghan held for myself and five other candidates who received interview invitations for the Wharton Round 2 Interviews.

Meghan's candor in reviewing my application and in assessing my mock TBD performance informed my approach and strategy on interview day. I had no issues with any aspect of the service.
Joined: Mar 29, 2018
Purchased: Feb 7, 2017
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All-In Services Review with Erika of SBC

April 29, 2018
  • Teacher: Erika
I considered Stacy Blackman, Veritas, and MBA Mission before choosing an all-in package. I read extensively online and held phone screens with each before making my selection. After applying during the R1, I am incredibly glad that I chose Stacy Blackman. I highly recommend SBC’s all-in package and specifically have wonderful things to say about Erika.



One of the primary reasons I was initially drawn to SBC is because they let you choose your own advisor, who you work with across all schools/applications, while the advisor will thoughtfully bring-in school-specific experts when necessary. By the time you decide to apply to b-school, your job experiences, grades, and extra curriculars are all set, so the advisor’s primary goal is to help you craft your story.



Besides her impressive background, I chose Erika because one of her previous reviewers had said that she was not afraid to ?tell you when you are wrong.? Throughout the process, Erika was beyond candid, letting me know when something was great or making me start from scratch when knew it wouldn’t work. Erika was always reachable and patient, often responding within hours of my countless emails, day and night. Besides having a fantastic eye for helping to craft a narrative around your unique story, she was also very good at keeping me calm and helping me prioritize during an incredibly stressful process.



Erika takes the time to get to know you as a person ? asking questions that go beyond what is typical ? to make sure your whole life’s story is captured throughout the applications in a way that is impressive and not redundant. The entire time I worked with Erika, I felt like I was her only client ? and I felt like she was as emotionally invested in my outcome as I was. I come from an Ivy League undergraduate school with a well-known job and a high GMAT score, so I was especially focused on finding someone to help me figure out how to make my applications standout. There is no doubt in my mind that Erika was a huge factor in my outcome. After applying to seven schools in R1, I am happy to report that I was admitted to both Kellogg and Sloan. I could not have asked for a better partner in this process.
Joined: Apr 26, 2018
Purchased: Feb 24, 2017
College: Rice University
Major: Economics
Industry: Consulting
Country: United States
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Great from start to finish. Highly recommend DC!

April 26, 2018
  • Teacher: DC
I initially received a free consultation from Sarah who gave me some helpful pointers on timeline and my overall narrative. I decided to go 'all-in' for six schools because I knew I wanted to transition from my current career. From there, an SBC rep set up chats with several admissions consultants and I found someone who was a perfect fit. My opinion at the time (and today) is that an admissions consultant pays for itself in terms of admissions scholarships or simply increased lifetime earnings potential.

DC was an incredible and professional consultant throughout the entire application process. First, she walked through my life story and got a feel for what really made me ?tick?. Next, she helped me develop a strategic plan for my application and we began the arduous process of developing applications for six elite MBA programs.

When I sent DC my drafts, she would always be quick and thorough with reviews. In fact, I found myself hoping (to no avail) that she might take a bit longer so that I could procrastinate. She has a wealth of experience in marketing and communications, so she understood how to focus my messaging. She helped highlight elements of my personal narrative that I had overlooked but that others would find interesting.

I was impressed to find that Stacy Blackman has wiki pages that include school-specific content about culture, academics, sample essays, interview questions, etc. for every major MBA program.

In addition, she is very kind and is always helpful even with tight deadlines. My applications would have been far more time-consuming and much less focused without her guidance.

Prior my first interview, DC gave me a mock interview. She shared some honest feedback that I really needed to hear; she is always polite but will never withhold feedback that might help an applicant.

In the end ? of my six elite target schools ? I was admitted to four and am currently waitlisted at one. I received 2 full tuition scholarships and a sizeable scholarship from another program. I have decided to go to MIT Sloan School of Management, and I couldn’t be happier! Thanks DC!
Joined: Apr 10, 2016
Purchased: Mar 25, 2017
College: University of Florida
Major: Finance
Industry: Commercial Banking
Country: United States
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Sherry Holland: Caring & Knowledgeable Consultant

April 21, 2018
  • Teacher: Sherry Holland
Sherry was a great resource for my MBA applications. She was very timely and had invaluable knowledge of both the application and admissions processes from her days on a prestigious school's admissions committee and her experience as an admissions consultant.

Although Sherry helped me in each stage of the admissions process, I wish she would've explained to me that some MBA scholarships are negotiable. This is something that I had no idea about and a simple email to a school, at the right time, could have increased my scholarship reward.

With that being said, I firmly believe that Sherry provided me with the best opportunity to position myself for each of the four schools that I applied to. I could not have done as well in the admissions process without her.
Joined: Apr 17, 2018
Purchased: Dec 19, 2017
Country: United States
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Bill Chionis - A Guiding Light

April 17, 2018
  • Teacher: Bill Chionis
From the initial phone call to the wonderful news of getting into all 3 school choices (Columbia, NYU, & Cornell), the team at Stacy Blackman have been nothing but supportive.

After my thorough research of multiple consulting agencies I knew that SBC was the best, but the team seriously blew my expectations out of the water. My timeline of 3 months would have been considered impossible by some standards, but the team was up for the challenge and Bill Chionis was a positive guiding light throughout the entire process. Even when the combined pressures of the application process, studying for the EA test, and my professional career were getting to me, Bill was always there to cheer me on and provide sage advice.

Some advice of my own for any prospective SBC client -- Listen and follow their advice. They know what they are doing and only have your best interest in mind!!! If you follow through and deliver on the outlined plan of action, there really isn't much room (in my mind) for failure.

I can't thank Bill and the SBC team enough, I truly don't know what the outcome would have been without their guidance!
Joined: Mar 20, 2018
Purchased: Aug 21, 2017
College: West Point
Major: Chemical Engineering
Industry: Military
Country: United States
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Highly Recommend! Could not have had a better experience!

March 20, 2018
  • Teacher: Danielle
I opted for the "All-In" service offered by Stacey Blackman and was paired with Danielle. Going into the process I knew very little on what business schools were looking for. Throughout the entire process Danielle was instrumental in shaping my story and ensuring that I put my best foot forward. She not only ensured that my essays were perfect but she took the time to adequately prepare me for the multiple interviews as well. I can honestly say that without her I would have never received a scholarship to my top school of choice! I cannot recommend her or Stacey Blackman highly enough.
Joined: Oct 16, 2014
Purchased: Apr 13, 2016
College: Cornell
Major: Management/Business Administration
Industry: Internet Development Services
Country: United States
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7 Stars For Sherry!

March 19, 2018
  • Teacher: Sherry
Yes, I know I can't rate Sherry seven stars, but consider this. The Burj Al Arab is unofficially known as the only seven star hotel in the world. This means people know unparalleled service when they see it, especially when it's above any industry-wide standard.

How is this relevant? Simple. Sherry went WAY above and beyond any reasonable expectation to help prepare me for the whole process --from essays, to receiving an acceptance into an Ivy League program. Just as the Burj Al Arab staff goes to great lengths to ensure their clients are taking care of at all cost, so to does Sherry in her pursuit to obtaining a yes for her clients! Not only did I obtain a yes from my target school, but in a program I thought was way outside of my reach.

A little about me:
-Former military -- 12 years
-Enlisted
-Military Special Operations community
-Government Contractor
-B.S and MA from oldest private military college in the country
-Husband
-Father to four children
-Late 30's when applied
-WAY nontraditional applicant (can't stress that enough!)

Sherry was very patient with me. She saw ability when I didn't realize it was there.

As we worked through the process, she knew when to push and when to let me think. She did all of this through emails and phone calls, which itself is a pretty tough thing to do. I can't say this enough -- Sherry was absolutely amazing!

Why You Should Consider Working With Sherry

It's simple. Just because you might consider yourself a nontraditional candidate for 'xyz' prestigious university doesn't mean you should not set your bar high. I truly thought there was no way I would ever be accepted into the program I was admitted, but Sherry knew I had all of the keys.

Do yourself a favor and reach out to Sherry. The admission process is changing every year as universities seek ways to deliver innovative content. What worked last year may not work this year. You need someone who understands this and knows how to navigate the rapidly changing process. Sherry has deep knowledge of the admission process and as a result stays ahead of the industry curve. She helped me reduce my admission learning curve by months! In my busy life, that is priceless.

She's passionate, kind, thoughtful, and extremely talented at what she does. You'll love working with Sherry and will grow throughout the process. I know I did!
Joined: Feb 7, 2018
Purchased: Jul 19, 2017
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Pleasure to work with Shaifali

February 28, 2018
  • Teacher: Shaifali Aggarwal
I want to thank Stacy Blackman Consulting, specifically Shaifali Aggarwal, for helping me through the application process and working with me to figure out how I could put my best foot forward in all of my applications. Shaifali not only helped me figure out which programs would be the best fit for me, but also helped me comb through my past experiences to extract the ones which could be used to reflect my personality and passions. She understood that the application was both a means to explain how and MBA would help me reach my career goals, and also how my experiences could be an asset in the classroom as well.

When I originally started on my business school journey, I was originally skeptical about getting assistance from a consultant, but after talking to a friend who had used SBC and heard about his positive experience, I decided that working with SBC was the way to go. SBC has so many incredible resources and such a supportive staff, many of whom have direct experience on the admission's committees at top schools in the country. I am so glad that I chose to work with SBC and I am now happy to say that I will be attending HBS in the fall and can't wait for the next step in my journey.

Again, thank you SBC and Shaifali and I hope this convinces others to follow suit and work with SBC to put their best feet forward as well.
Joined: Feb 21, 2018
Purchased: Jul 11, 2018
College: Georgetown
Major: Finance
Industry: High Technology/Electronics
Country: United States
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SBC got me into Wharton!

February 21, 2018
  • Teacher: DC
SBC was an absolute pleasure to work with. When I started doing research on various consultancies, I imagined working with a consultant who would simply take a few looks at my essays and give me brief feedback via email. Esther and team made sure this was not the case.

My coach, DC, went above and beyond. She took a clear interest in me and my narrative and worked closely with me to make sure that my story was not only coherent (tying together my disparate professional and personal experiences), but also that it would ring true to my aspirations and simultaneously align with what each school was looking for.

Additionally, DC was refreshingly critical and gave me a "real" outlook on how my application would be viewed given my career to date and my background as a South Asian American male. She was also incredibly responsive - I honestly don't know how she could provide so much depth in her feedback on such quick turnarounds.

Beyond, my one-on-one coaching, SBC also provided opportunities for a mock team interview for Wharton and an individual analysis on performance. This was incredibly helpful.

I'm so lucky to have been paired up with DC (and the SBC team) and could not have imagined a better experience. If you have a chance to work with SBC, and DC specifically, there really shouldn't be any hesitation. Totally worth it. Thank you DC for all of your guidance and for helping me get into Wharton (and an interview at GSB)!
Joined: Mar 9, 2017
Purchased: Jul 12, 2017
Country: United States
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Fantastic experience with Caryn & Esther

February 5, 2018
  • Teacher: Caryn & Esther
After having initial conversations with 4 other admissions consulting firms, I ultimately decided to go with Stacey Blackman. This choice was driven by a great first conversation with Esther (the initial point of contact who coordinated multiple SBC services throughout the process), fantastic reviews/referrals/results from friends of mine (all got into their top choice schools) who had used SBC, and great fit/reputation of Caryn Altman (ultimately the consultant I chose to work with throughout the process).

The level of engagement throughout the application process was spectacular, and the breadth of experience that both Caryn as well as the broader SBC organization provided me was second-to-none. Even though I was applying to a pretty large number of schools in a single round, and knew Caryn's particular involvement/experience with Kellogg, I was given great, specific advice on how to approach and execute stellar applications to each individual school I w as applying to (including Kellogg).The specific tips I received from Caryn were spectacular and not only instilled a great sense of confidence in me prior to submission/interviews, but undoubtedly impacted the quality of each of my applications.

Things I found to be particularly helpful: 1) Caryn kept me on track throughout the process. I was a little late to the game, and decided to try and fit 5 schools (all M7) into R1. Caryn ensured that we were both on top of our deadlines, and never throughout the process did I need to question whether I'd miss any deadlines or have anything but the highest quality application. 2) I had a below average undergrad-GPA at all the schools I was applying to. After reviewing my transcript in detail with Caryn, we were able to come up with a concise, honest, authentic, and compelling strategy to address this in my additional essays. Honestly, I think this was one of the strongest pieces in my application, and I definitely would not have k nown how to approach this without Caryn's advice and support. 3) The interview assistance (both for one-on-one as well as group interview) was fantastic. I felt not only much more prepared compared to other candidates (the questions asked during the mock interviews were extremely close to those in the actual interview), but much more confident going in.

I am thrilled with the results, and ultimately got into multiple top business schools, including my top choice school!
Joined: Feb 4, 2018
Purchased: Jul 1, 2017
College: Emory University
Major: Finance
Industry: Investment Banking
Country: United States
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The Value of Working with an MBA Consultant

February 4, 2018
  • Teacher: CP Tseng
I worked with CP Tseng at Stacy Blackman Consulting ("SBC") on 3 schools (Booth, Wharton, and Columbia all via R1) and got interview invite from all of them. I was admitted to Booth with scholarship.

CP was very thorough in her review and her advice was very on point and made a huge difference in the way I portrayed myself in my essays. I had preliminary writings in the summer that I thought would make great application essays. Looking back, I couldn't be happier that I took the advice from CP vs. using those writings as they didn't hit any of the key points the AdCom would be looking for in an essay. Yes, there are universal things that you have to address as an applicant. Just like you need to speak a certain language to communicate with someone. You have to speak the "language" that the admin people understand.

For those of you who question the value of hiring a consultant for your applications, reach out to SBC and schedule a free chat with one of their consultants. You will be surprised at how much work you need to put into an application and how much time you could save yourself by working with a SBC consultant. As a banking analyst spending 15+ hours/day in the office, I found CP's help extremely valuable. The biggest nightmare for me would be not knowing what to work on or working on things that are not important. CP's comments were always clear, timely and specific. By the time I got home, I could use a very productive 2-3 hour to address her comments and send back a new version. Even I had crazy work schedule, I did not feel overwhelmed in the application process because I always know what to do and how to get it done.

The biggest concern for me as an applicant was time and uncertainty. SBC really helped me use my time wisely and reduced the level of uncertainty significantly. By the time I submitted my application, I was comfortable because I had worked on 20+ versions with CP and someone else on her team who used to work as an admin officer had also reviewed it.

The last thing I would add to this review is that you eventually will need to manage your own application. Getting a consultant doesn't mean that you can sit back and relax. Instead of having them reach out to you (and they will) with feedback, you should be proactive. Getting your drafts done earlier than later and taking every opportunity to get your questions answered either on the call or via email are very important strategies to take. The consultants often have multiple clients and they take requests based on the time of receipt. If you could get a new version done in less than 2 days, don't wait for 3 days. The more feedback you can get, the more value you can get from your service.

Last but not least, getting extra help from a consultant doesn't change your fundamental strengths and weaknesses as an applicant. That's why the kick-off call, which is part of the all-service is important. It is an opportunity to discuss your school choice with your consultant so that the two of you can work towards a goal that is realistic and achievable.
Joined: Jan 21, 2018
Purchased: Jun 28, 2017
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HBS Admit

January 21, 2018
  • Teacher: Shaifali Aggarwal
1) Working on my application with Shaifali was great! Right from the get go she helped identify my strengths and qualities I should focus on in my application. Initially, I considered applying to HBS as a stretch target as I often hear that Asian engineers have a much harder time getting into HBS. With Shaifali's help, this we certainly proved them wrong!

2) SBC's team based influence and support certainly helped me refine my application: Esther as my initial SBC contact, and Caryn, who is a former Admissions Officer, as my flight tester, etc. Plenty of admissions officer intelligence in-house which certainly helped polish my application.

3) I spoke to a few other firms but found that SBC was more enthusiastic to help me with my application. The key winner was that SBC showed that they had successful experience working with applicants with my background.
Joined: Jan 20, 2018
Purchased: Apr 29, 2017
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Thank you Christine & SBC

January 20, 2018
  • Teacher: Christine H.
Summary

I can strongly recommend SBC and especially Christine based on my business school application experience. As a result of her excellent work and support I got accepted into Columbia Business School and Chicago Booth.

About me / whom this might help:

I am European ( international applicant) with a background in Tech, working as management consultant. Working and traveling a lot and having very little experience with business school applications, I decided to hire a consultant to help me shape my story so that I would be able to differentiate myself from the mass of management consultants and to communicate that story in the language of the Admission team while being as efficient as possible (due to my daily workload).

In retrospect, SBC and especially Christine not only met but exceeded my expectations by far.

Why SBC

I chose SBC because I believe that SBC has an edge over many other admission consultancies due to its very strong marketing position. By not only hiring a consultant but also the back office / expertise of the entire firm, SBC knows exactly how to position your profile for your respective target school (because they have it done a thousand times before). Through this rich expertise and track record my initial contact, Esther, knew in a heartbeat what I was missing in my application and which consultant ( in my case Christine) could support me the best. However, I not only got a perfect match but also access to a lot of reading material, past essays, interview preparation software as well as to Lisa, who was a former Admission Officer and who evaluated my application package from a neutral perspective before I finally submitted it. I believe the best analogy to my thinking is: If you need a surgery and you can chose between a general surgeon and a medical firm that has a specialist for each type of surgery, including yours, who will most likely be prepared for all eventualities?

Why Christine

I believe Christine excels in almost any position including that of an admission consultant. This is because Christine has a very rare combination of an extremely high intellectual capacity, genuity and work ethics. She knows exactly what to do which is reflected in her very clear instructions and in the fact that she never fell behind any deadline, but usually always delivered early over our 6 months. The best example for that is when I decided last minute (48h prior to the deadline) due to a change in my calendar to also apply to Booth. Despite having many other applications, less than 48 hours and not a signed contract for my forth school (yet), Christine was up for the challenge resulting not only in two very intense days with very little sleep for the both of us, but also in an admit from Booth.

While I would have already been more than pleased at this point, there is much more I gained from our interactions and from Christine herself. By preparing my applications, I not only improved my written English, but also learnt how to best position myself in a job interview, by knowing how to best demonstrate my various strengths and capabilities in combination with what sets me apart from others. I believe this is noteworthy, because my work with Christine would still have been fruitful for me, even if I did not gain any acceptance letter.

However, what I loved most about our interactions was that Christine made the application process fun. By finding the right balance between application related and other topics and by making sure that I progressed while allowing me to learn from the process, I truly enjoyed working with Christine. In fact, I was not relieved, but said when I realized that I was done with the application process.
Joined: Jan 9, 2018
Purchased: Jan 20, 2016
Country: United States
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Maximize your potential of getting into a top MBA program!

January 9, 2018
  • Teacher: Caryn Altman
One of the best decisions I made throughout the MBA application process was the decision to work with Caryn of Stacy Blackman Consulting.

Caryn, a former Kellogg Admissions officer, was an invaluable resource to me throughout the application process. She was vital in formulating my strategy that I presented to all schools regarding my future career aspirations. Additionally, she helped me revamp both my resume and my interview responses to specifically fit the business school process.

One of her great qualities as an admissions consultant is her ability to communicate. I never had any worries about not hearing her answers to my questions or seeing her edits to my essays in a timely fashion. Her email responses were thorough, and her edits always went above and beyond. Additionally, at any critical juncture (or whenever I felt I needed guidance), she was willing to jump on a phone call. She maintained this same diligence throughout the waitlist process. When working with Caryn, it is important to reciprocate her communication style and be organized / diligent.

I believe that I maximized my potential to get into a top MBA program by working with Caryn!
Joined: Jan 9, 2018
Purchased: Jan 18, 2017
College: University of Maryland
Major: Business
Industry: Consulting
Country: United States
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Well worth the investment

January 9, 2018
  • Teacher: Caryn Altman
After having been dinged from all the schools I applied to for the class of 2019, I knew that I wanted to use an admissions consultant when reapplying for the class of 2020. After evaluating several options, I decided to go with SBC for a couple reasons: their track record and my initial conversation with Caryn Altman.

Caryn was upfront with me and did not sugarcoat things - when telling her which schools I wanted to apply to, she said that they would be stretch schools for me, but did not discourage me from applying.

Luckily for me, I got a head start working with Caryn, signing up in early 2017. Caryn and I hit the ground running; within weeks, my resume had taken shape and, per her suggestion, I became actively involved with a couple of charitable organizations around my hometown.

Caryn was always lightning quick to respond to my emails - whether they be essay draft reviews or random one-off questions, she was usually able to respond within hours. She really went above and beyond when it came to responsiveness.

Beyond working with Caryn, I benefited from working with SBC's other consultants for the flight test and mock group interview.

Ultimately, working with Caryn was great because I trusted her and benefited from her candidness in reviewing and talking about my essays and overall candidacy. All of the essays, resume, work, etc. was mine, but Caryn gave me the tools and advice needed to properly frame all of it into a successful MBA application!

In the end, I was admitted to two schools and am proud to be able to say that I am going to be at Booth (a school where I was dinged without interview last year) this fall!!
Joined: Jan 8, 2018
Purchased: Aug 4, 2017
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Offer to GSB - great support from SBC team!

January 8, 2018
  • Teacher: Christina Fu
Christina Fu was my primary source of contact from SBC and she was simply amazing on the support she provided me during my application to GSB. She is not only patient but also encouraging and always provides an interesting perspective to your application. A lof of times the effort she put into my application was such that it seemed she was more concerned than I was about my application. She is great!

Besides, the support provided by the entire SBC team was fantastic. From Esther's initial debrief, to the flight testers feedback (an experienced former Admissions Officer) to all the in-house admissions officer intelligence - everything was top notch. SBC is definitely top among leading MBA admissions consulting firms, I recommend them, specially Christina for all of those applying to a top 5 school and I wish you all good luck in your application process!
Joined: Jan 5, 2018
Purchased: Jan 28, 2017
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Shaifali & SBC

January 5, 2018
  • Teacher: Shaifali
1) As an applicant coming from a traditional finance background, I had concerns about my competitiveness in the application process. Through discussions with Shaifali, I was able to think of the best way to convey my unique story. She was there to provide advice when I needed it but also to let me work on my on pace. She provided very focused guidance, which I greatly appreciated.

2) In addition to Shaifali's help, I also benefited from the help of Esther (initial contact), Caryn (flight test reviewer), and others. Getting a variety of perspectives gave me comfort in my overall application strategy.

3) After speaking with several other firms, I decided on working with SBC due to its strong history of success and positive experience I had in my initial conversations with the firm.

Ultimately, I was admitted into HBS, Wharton, and Haas.
Joined: Jan 3, 2018
Purchased: Jul 25, 2017
Major: Finance
Industry: Investment Management
Country: United States
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Great experience with SBC

January 3, 2018
  • Teacher: Jessica
Choosing to sign up with Stacy Blackman to assist in my B-school applications was definitely the right decision. The perspective and guidance that my consultant was able to offer through the application process was invaluable. While I saw myself as an acceptable MBA candidate before hiring Stacy Blackman Consulting, my applications and essays would have not been anywhere close to the final product that my consultant worked with me to produce.

My consultant was Jessica and she was a great individual to work with during this time. Jessica put in considerable time to understand who I was, where I came from, and where I wanted to go, which then helped us to develop my completed profile and highlight my candidacy in the best way possible. We went through multiple rounds for each essay and my resume, getting a ton of feedback from Jessica that helped me to dig deeper within each draft. This led to the final drafts being a collection of refined ideas and themes that had been developed through hours of work between us. After we were through with this part of the preparation, we were then able to submit my total profile to their "flight-test", where a former MBA admissions officer is able to review your profile and provide any necessary feedback. Getting this final sign-off and feedback from a former admissions officer was a huge win and helps to give a high level of confidence when submitting applications. After submitting my application, we then moved to interview prep, which was another lifesaver during the overall process.

Overall, my experience with Stacy Blackman Consulting wasn't about filling out applications, writing essays, or resume edits. Instead, it was about how Jessica was able to work with me to make me a complete candidate that was able to holistically demonstrate who I am through each and every step of the way. All of this culminated with me being admitted to my target school, along with a notable scholarship.

If you are like me and want nothing less than your best application possible -- no regrets, no what if's -- , I highly recommend Stacy Blackman Consulting.
Joined: Jan 1, 2018
Purchased: Apr 28, 2017
Major: Economics
Industry: Private Equity
Country: United States
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Highly Recommend Dawn & SBC

January 1, 2018
  • Teacher: Dawn
I had a great experience working with Stacy Blackman and in particular, my consultant Dawn.

When looking for an admissions consultant, I wanted someone who was ethical and who could best help craft my story and position me for each school's unique criteria. I selected Dawn because it was clear she was a very intelligent, strategic thinker who would give me honest feedback.

While working together Dawn developed a very helpful strategic plan/assessment for my candidacy - a roadmap for mitigating my weaknesses and highlighting my strengths. As someone who is not naturally and consistently introspective, this was feedback was very helpful! I flipped back to this plan often while writing my essays.

In addition, Dawn's honesty and willingness to hold me accountable were important throughout the application process. During one stretch, I was so jammed at work that I was not able to write a quality essay, and instead sent Dawn a half-baked draft. Dawn held me accountable and told me to completely re-do the draft, which was definitely the honest feedback that I needed to submit the best application possible.

All in all, I had a very good experience and it led to a great outcome - I will be going to Wharton next year! Thanks Dawn!
Joined: Dec 25, 2017
Purchased: Mar 31, 2017
College: University of Michigan
Industry: High Technology/Electronics
Country: United States
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Awesome Experience with SBC

January 1, 2018
  • Teacher: DD Kane, Esther, Caryn
I highly recommend Stacy Blackman Consulting. My experience working with DD couldn't have been better. She always gave meaningful and insightful feedback that took my essays and resume to another level. I was skeptical about teaming up with a consulting firm at first, but I'm so happy that I did. With DD's expertise, I was able to fit my entire story into my applications in a natural and authentic way.

I couldn't have asked for a better consultant. Additionally, the whole SBC team was also great to work with. Esther took the time to really get to know me during the on boarding process, and Caryn's feedback on my Flight Test was quick and helpful.

I'm really glad that I chose SBC. With their help, I got into my top programs and received a few scholarships along the way.
Joined: Mar 9, 2013
Purchased: Dec 7, 2016
Major: Marketing
Industry: High Technology/Electronics
Country: United States
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Extremely stressful reapplication led to awesome outcome with Caryn's help

December 30, 2017
  • Teacher: Caryn
I applied to four top B-schools in 2016, on my own, and was dinged from all of them without interview. After this difficult outcome, I decided to investigate consulting services to get an idea of how my application could be improved the following year. I spoke to a few other services, including the MBA Exchange and mbaMission. In the end, I decided to go with Stacy Blackman because of how helpful my free consultation call with Bill Chionis was. I did a ding analysis with Caryn Altman. Her feedback was so direct and actionable that I decided to do an all-in package with her for a number of schools.

Throughout the daunting process, Caryn's expertise and support were extremely valuable. Caryn was efficient, direct, friendly, and supportive. I applied only to top 10 programs, and stubbornly didn't add any 'safety' schools to my list, despite my scary results from the previous year. When I asked Caryn what my chances were, she candidly told me that it would be a stretch for many of them. Despite the odds, Caryn worked with me to ensure that I had a solid application and that I could showcase myself in the best possible light. She laid out a strategy which allowed me to understand how all the different parts of my application worked to tell a cohesive story.

Some aspects to my admission that I had to overcome:
- I had a pretty low quant percentile on my GMAT, which I tried to mitigate with the GRE, but in the end I still couldn't get my score up to the average of my target schools.
- I had a nontraditional background for an MBA (start-up). I was aware this could give me a 'uniqueness' advantage, but without Caryn's help I struggled to highlight the leadership experiences I had.
- Lack of focus with respect to my long term goals and how my MBA would get me there.

The All-In Package is quite pricey, but if you feel lost with the application process, I'd say it's worth it (recall that I had come off four brutal dings!). Especially because of my test scores, we knew that the rest of my application, especially essays, had to really shine. I consider myself a strong writer, but even so, Caryn had tons of feedback on my essays and was always ready to do another draft. The mock interview gave me such a boost of confidence, and when I did my first real interview I was surprised by how similar the questions were. The flight test feedback that I got from Lisa Anderson was very helpful. Another benefit to the all-in was that I could ask Caryn any general MBA questions I had (ex. interview-related etiquette, what to do when I get a confusing email during the application process, etc).

I also did a mock interview with Erika Olson for HBS, which was excellent, and helped me prepare correctly for the unique HBS interview.

I applied to seven schools in round 1, got interviews with four, and ultimately received offers of admission from two. I am happy to say that I will be at tending Harvard Business School next fall. It wouldn't have been possible without Caryn's assistance - thank you to Caryn and the rest of the SBC team!
Joined: Dec 27, 2017
Purchased: Jul 13, 2017
Country: United States
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I got into my dream school (CBS) with the help of Emily Lammers from SBC

December 27, 2017
  • Teacher: Emily Lammers
I had the privilege of working with Emily Lammers of SBC throughout my application process, and after receiving admission to my looong-shot dream school (CBS), I can't imagine having worked with anyone else.

After a close friend of mine had incredible success throughout his application process, utilizing the all-in package with SBC, I was sold on the firm. The next step was matching me up with a consultant who not only specialized in candidates with similar profiles to mine, but also candidates who had similar goals. This is where SBC really shines. The curated consultant selection process allows you to be paired up with a consultant who knows your industry, your schools, and how to tailor your story to help you achieve your goals. This is how I wound up working with Emily and receiving admission to my dream program, of which I wasn't even initially planning on applying to, but Emily convinced me was worthwhile.

From day one is was clear that Emily was committed to my success, and further, that she was passionate about the process in general. We reviewed every relevant aspect of my pre-MBA life in depth to further understand strengths, weaknesses, motives, and anecdotes that would support my applications to top programs. From there we developed our application strategy. Emily's knowledge of the nuances of particular programs and their applications processes allowed me to put my best foot forward for each application and to know how to highlight aspects of my profile that each individual school looks for in applicants. I genuinely can't speak highly enough about Emily and her guidance throughout the process. She was available and enthusiastic about responding to e-mails or phone calls at any time, and the level of detail she provided in reviewing and analyzing my essays was far beyond what I expected. She is a straight shooter and completely candid when providing feedback, which is a necessity when it comes to this process. Emily's ability to provide structure and flow to your story helps your essays shine, and prepares you incredibly well for the interview process. Further, Emily goes way beyond her duties with primary research and often times provided me with program information that was relevant to my career goals so that I could include it in my essays or interviews. Emily reads essays as though she is an AdCom member for each program, and provides highly specialized feedback. She was supportive when I felt overwhelmed, and pushed me when I was lazy. Lastly, Emily made this stressful process incredibly enjoyable and I oftentimes find myself missing the late nights of essay writing, frantic messages of concern, relief that comes with submitting the applications, and elation for interview invites and program acceptances.

We ended up securing interviews with all of my programs and received admission to CBS (we turned down the other interviews after hearing the news from CBS)....an investment well worth it no matter how you look at it. Emily is an absolute legend, and I credit her knowledge, guidance, and passion for the process with my admissions success. Do yourself a favor and ask for her services when you reach out to SBC...you will not be disappointed.
Joined: Dec 26, 2017
Purchased: Jan 27, 2017
College: UC San Diego
Major: Bio(medical) Engineering
Industry: Pharmaceuticals
Country: United States
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Experience was above & beyond expectation

December 26, 2017
  • Teacher: Christina Fu
I cannot thank Christina Fu and SBC enough on my admittance to Columbia Business School with a tremendous fellowship package! I come from a non-traditional background. With a demanding full-time job, extracurricular activities, GMAT-taking, and personal engagements, I knew I had little time to waste, so I was certain to hire someone to guide me in this process.
Christina is a HBS alumnus, she is extremely experienced working with professionals of a variety of industries. I have endless number of good things to say about her, but I will highlight a few below:
- Christina genuinely cares about her clients. I often find our phone conversations go beyond MBA applications. She is not only a MBA consultant to me, but also a career mentor and life coach. She would always guide me in strategic ways to encourage my growth, even in times when I lacked the confidence to do so.
- She knows exactly my strengths to highlight for each individual program. Her guidance has helped me tremendously in standing out amongst thousands of strong applications.
- Christina is also an excellent editor that made my essays alive with creative vocabulary usage and correct grammar. With the help of her brainstorming sessions, I never ran out of ideas to write about myself.
- Most importantly, I was able to establish a bond with Christina - I trust her in that she will put her best foot forward to help me with my applications. She has become a great friend and mentor to me and I am sure we will stay in touch through the years!
I am extremely thrilled to have chosen SBC as my admissions consulting firm and very grateful to have worked with Christina on such an unforgettable journey in life!
Joined: Oct 15, 2011
Purchased: Apr 8, 2017
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Admitted into Harvard Business School with a 680 GMAT score because of Carol Grayson (SBC).

December 17, 2017
  • Teacher: Carol Grayson
TL;DR: Given my 680 GMAT score, I wouldn't have been able to get admitted into Harvard Business School (my dream school) without the guidance of Carol Grayson from Stacy Blackman Consulting (SBC).

On Carol Grayson:
- Taught me how to tell my story to illustrate the type of impact I hope to achieve
- Has over 15 years of MBA admissions experience so she knows what is and isn't important across traditional and non-traditional profiles
- No BS, straight-to-the-point. A lot of tough love, but that helped me learn quickly so that I can craft the right story by myself in time for Round 1.
- Bonus: Provided emotional support every step of this grueling MBA application process (GMAT rewrites, late-night essay writing, interview prep/anxiety).

On SBC:
- Extremely patient with helping me find the right consultant (had to be matched a couple times to find Carol, which was the right fit for me)
- Despite a higher cost, I chose SBC over other leading admissions consulting firms like mbaMission and Veritas Prep because of Carol Grayson and the SBC team.
- When you work with SBC, you're working with the best team in the business. Special shout out to Esther (matching me with Carol) and Lisa (Flight-test expert reviewing my application before I submitted to HBS). SBC has actual former admissions officer intel in-house.

Just like pursuing your MBA, hiring an admissions consultant is an incredibly personal decision. For me, if I was willing to invest around $200,000 USD for my MBA, spending an extra $5,000 on the best MBA admissions consulting to maximize my odds was a no-brainer.
Joined: Nov 20, 2017
Purchased: Jan 13, 2017
College: St. Olaf College
Major: Economics
Industry: Consumer Products
Country: United States
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Fantastic! Cannot recommend highly enough

November 20, 2017
  • Teacher: Shaifali
Shaifali was fantastic with helping me prepare my application. She recognized the most effective angle for my application, helped me answer tons of small questions I had along the way, helped me forge a fantastic essay, and interview prep! She was always available, even when my questions weren't necessary and were probably a product of pre-application anxiety, and struck the perfect balance of honesty and kindness.

I cannot recommend working with Shaifali highly enough!
Joined: Oct 10, 2017
Purchased: Apr 28, 2017
College: Fundacao Getulio Vargas
Major: Business
Industry: Aerosp/Autom/Transp Equipment
Country: Brazil
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Completely outstanding

October 10, 2017
  • Teacher: Christine Howkins
The service that Christine and Stacy Blackmand Consulting offered me was totally unique and tailored to my needs. I had access to a platform full of resources to apply to the top MBA schools.
Christine helped through the entire process of application, from the GMAT to the interview, in a professional and a personal way. She gave me support on how to build a strategy to explain my accomplishments and career goals.
Since I saw some of my friends' applications, I can afirm that there is no similar service in Brazil.
I only applied to Columbia and was accepted 4 weeks after I sent my application.
Joined: Oct 3, 2017
Purchased: Jul 7, 2017
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HIGHLY recommend Stacy Blackman and Yvette Romero

October 4, 2017
  • Teacher: Yvette Romero
I am so glad that I decided to work with SBC and Yvette Romero on my MBA apps. I got accepted to my top choice school just three months after my initial call! The process started with a multi-hour call with my consultant, Yvette, to lay out my strategy for how I would approach my applications and what message I wanted to communicate about myself to admissions committees through my essays, resume, etc. I felt that by the end of our initial call, Yvette had a strong understanding of who I was and what I wanted to do, and thus, was able to help me throughout the process in defining and sharpening my story. As I started writing and compiling the various parts of my apps, many thoughts, ideas, and tweaks would come up that I would consider. Yvette was always readily available to discuss these and offer further insight. She was very honest with her feedback, and tough in a way that motivated to me make the right decisions and not just the easy ones. When I prepared for my interview, Yvette ran me through a mock and gave very effective constructive feedback that ultimately played a large part in my success during the real event.

Stacy Blackman's suite of tools and resources also was incredibly helpful during my process. The AdCom Flight Test (a mock admissions committee reviews your application before you send in the real thing) allowed me to identify and fix a few high-level things with my application that ad coms look out for. The interview resources were also very helpful, and the practice platform allowed me to prepare in a real-life type scenario.

I cannot stress enough how satisfied I am with Stacy Blackman. I would recommend this service, and specifically Yvette Romero, to anyone interested in applying.

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