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Product Stacy Blackman Consulting MBA Admissions All-in Services
Consultant Christina (SBC)
If you are reading this review, you are probably like me one year ago, weighing the merits vs costs of getting admissions consulting services from SBC. Here's some information I hope would help you make that decision:
-How do you feel about the All-in service?
Christina and team provided a wealth of support, and more importantly feedback customised to your profile. For example, the Flight Test allows me to submit an application to former Admissions Officer, Caryn, for evaluation. Extremely useful for me to see what are the strengths and weaknesses of my candidacy.
-How do you find the SBC consultant?
It is like training with an elite Olympics coach for MBA application.
I am very fortunate to have Christina as my consultant. Incredibly dedicated and energetic, she gives her 120% to put together the best application. She provided many insights into the schools I was applying to, which came in handy at critical parts of my interviews.
-How was the consulting process like?
I have looked up various firms, and eventually decided on SBC based on recommendation of my friend who is in Stanford now.
The initial discussion was based on my candidate's profile and SBC then matched me with Christina. The we began to review all application material in earnest to craft a complete information package for schools.
When the list of schools are finalised, Christina and the SBC team was able to provide school-specific advice and interview prep.
SBC also has a amazing wiki that is a treasure trove of information to MBA applicants.
Product Stacy Blackman Consulting MBA Admissions All-in Services
Consultant Christina (SBC)
I worked with Christina Fu at SBC, using their all-in service for 4 schools. I ended up getting into my dream program, Wharton/Lauder and honestly could not have done it without Christina and the SBC team.
When I was looking for a consultant, I had an initial call with Christina and her coaching style really clicked with me. As someone with a non-traditional background (have worked in finance, tech and non-profit!) I was nervous at first, but Christina took an interest in my story and was genuinely excited to help me craft a b-school narrative. She is someone who truly cares about her clients, and I felt like I could trust her judgment throughout the application process.
Christina is not afraid to push you to do better, and constantly challenged me to improve my applications, whether it was retaking the GMAT or doing a 5th draft of an essay – Christina will not sleep until the every last detail of your application is perfect! Her feedback during the application process was invaluable – when we did a mock interview, she provided detailed, page-long notes for every Q&A we practiced which really helped me refine my answers. Moreover, Christina was a great sounding board for all aspects of the application process. I often had doubts about who to choose for my recommenders, how to frame certain job title changes etc – Christina listened carefully to all my qualms and helped me double down on things that were actually important, and forget about things that were non-essential. Even though SBC’s price tag is hefty, I felt like this peace of mind was worth it!
Lastly, I wanted to commend SBC’s team based approach. Even though Christina was my primary consultant, I valued the support I received from my flight tester who was a former Wharton adcom, and the extra ad hoc hours I spent mock interviewing with another ex-adcom. SBC provides unparalleled admissions officer intelligence, and I felt like I was in really good hands throughout the process.
Product Stacy Blackman Consulting MBA Admissions Hourly Services
Consultant Christina (SBC)
I honestly went back and forth for a while before deciding to use an admissions consulting service for my MBA applications, but I am so glad I did! Christina was a pleasure to work with and if I could do the process over again (which I definitely don't want to), I would definitely work with her on a comprehensive basis rather than on an hourly basis because I truly came to depend on her for support and guidance. Beyond just helping me with big items like my essays or recommender selections, she also took the time to guide me on the smaller, open-ended response sections of the applications.
Though we worked together on an hourly basis, she was extremely generous with her time. When I scheduled a one-hour interview prep session with her prior to my interviews with HBS and Kellogg, she stayed on the phone with me for a total of 3 hours, to make sure I felt calm, positive, prepared, and excited rather than anxious about my interview. She was more than just an admissions consultant, she was a great emotional and moral support to me throughout the process, and someone I hope to keep in touch with in the future.
Applied: HBS, Wharton, Kellogg
Interviewed: HBS, Wharton, Kellogg
Accepted: Wharton with the Joseph Wharton Fellowship and Kellogg with the Forte Foundation Scholarship
Product Stacy Blackman Consulting MBA Admissions All-in Services
Consultant Christina (SBC)
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.
1. 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:
a. 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.
b. 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.
c. 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.
d. 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!
2. I also want to take this opportunity to thank the rest of the SBC team - Esther, who I had the pleasure to have an introductory call with and who paired me with Christina, and Lisa, my flight tester, she reviewed my CBS application, which was one of the very few applications she gave a perfect score on! Thank you so much for boosting my confidence!
3. When selecting a consulting firm, I compared SBC and mbaMission. I was immediately sold on Esther’s candidness. She precisely pointed out areas that I was lacking and recommended that I apply one year later (which I did), even if it meant one fewer client for SBC. The conversation with her made me feel that she genuinely cared about my development, a quality that was substantiated by the year-long partnership with Christina and interactions with the rest of the SBC team.
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!
