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Product Stacy Blackman Consulting MBA Admissions All-in Services
Consultant Carol (SBC)
I was for a while not sure I wanted to invest in a consultant, but I am so happy that I did. My consultant Carol had such a strong hold on what the admissions committee's were looking for and was able to help me craft my application in a way that best told a story as well as highlighted my best attributes. I am so grateful for the all-in process and the speed with which everyone at SBC got back to me. The service felt bespoke and personalized, and it was very helpful to have a constant open resource to work with. I looked at a few other consulting agencies but couldn't be happier with my choice. I got in to my top 2 schools!
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Product Stacy Blackman Consulting MBA Admissions All-in Services
Consultant Dawn (SBC)
Before starting my MBA application, I spoke to at least 10 admission consultants. Stacy Blackman stood out to me because of consistently good reviews and also because I felt they were very straightforward while analyzing my profile.
I worked with Dawn Clare, who is one of their senior consultants. Dawn has a very high admit record for whoever works with her on a 4 school package.
My experience with her was extremely positive. I felt so comfortable discussing all my personal stories with her. Dawn has a strategic bent of mind to use the stories and help form strong narrative for the essays. She helped me distinguish my profile which was specially important given I come from an overcrowded background (Finance / India). Her way of working with the candidates is very interesting. She makes the process so smooth - I was able to work on my essays in a very stress free manner compared to my colleagues who used other consultants and were overwhelmed with the process most of the times.
I would STRONGLY suggest anyone to work with her. For me, it was a completely worthwhile investment.
I would be going to Columbia Business School next fall - thanks to Dawn!!
Product Stacy Blackman Consulting MBA Admissions All-in Services
Consultant Kimberly (SBC)
I had little to no understanding of the mba application process and Kimberly helped me every single step of the way. We had very thorough calls on what was expected, detailed outlines on what was to be done by what date, and I could email her whenever I was confused, stressed, or in need of any form of help. There were many times when I emailed her at night and she would respond; Kim is just on it! She is friendly, understanding, and has many insights into what each school expects. She knows what they want. I did the all-in package with Kim for two schools: Booth and Kellogg. I chose Booth with scholarship.
Absolutely could not have done it without Kim. She broke the whole process down so that I could tackle each portion in manageable pieces. She explained what the adcoms were looking for in each section. She was supportive even when I had my doubts. Thank you Kim!!
Product Stacy Blackman Consulting MBA Admissions All-in Services
Consultant Alex - SBC
As a candidate who failed to secure an interview from any of the schools I applied to last year, I came to SBC with my confidence historically low. Bill, as my "match maker", patiently listened to my story and stringently paired me with the outstanding consultant Alex Liff. Bill is also flexible in making the consulting / payment plans specialized to my needs. Definitely appreciate that.
Working with Alex is a smooth, demanding, and satisfactory experience.
He encouraged me and helped me stand out among the over-representative candidate pool. Needless to praise his skills of writing and editing, I was impressed by his extraordinary humbleness and decisiveness. He patiently and stringently collected as much information as he can to help me solve all sorts of difficulties during the process. When facing a dilemma, Alex would not hesitate to tell me his true thought and help me make a decision substantiated with abundant experiences and past cases. There was no politics working with Alex and the entire process was efficient and effective. I would recommend Alex to every candidate, especially to those who face dilemmas and need plans tailored to tackle them. Alex will give you peace of mind during the daunting MBA application process.
Lastly, I would highly recommend the "Flight Test", an unique opportunity to receive valuable and fresh feedback. The test allowed Alex and me to step back and listen to feedback from other consultant (Lisa worked on mine), who had no interaction with me and was able to pin-point multiple issues that Alex and I would never think of.
All in all, appreciate the hard work from the team!
Product Stacy Blackman Consulting MBA Admissions All-in Services
Consultant Margaret (SBC)
I'm an international applicant who is over 30 and comes from a non-feeder industry (non-IB or consulting). Before signing up to work with SBC, I also had calls with several other firms (Admissionado, Personal MBA Coach, Fortuna, among others). I decided to work with Margaret and cannot recommed her more highly. She knows all of top MBA programs inside out, doesn't "market" herself, and always tells it as it is. During our initial call, unlike several other consultants, she didn't encourage me to include schools outside of T10 in my application package and advised that I apply to just 3-4 schools, focusing on quality of the stuff that I do (others recommended that I go for 6-8 schools). I added two more schools to the initial package of four in December as I still had time.
The results of my work with Margaret exceeded my expectations. Out of six schools I applied to (5 with Margaret, 1 on my own, for which one Margaret still gave me insights), I received interview invites at five (four of them M7 schools!). I got admitted at Wharton, Booth, and Yale, and received some scholarship $ too! All of this in a year of COVID-19 with a surge in applications. Margaret's guidance was instrumental in securing these admits.
If you're hesitating over who to work with the way I did, think no more and just go with Margaret. She knows what schools are looking for, has a clear process in place, and has an answer to ANY question or concern you might have. Margaret is wise and has a great sense of humor, and this makes working with her a great pleasure. Special thanks to the rest of the SBC team I interacted with - Bill, my initial matchmaker, Beth, my flighttester, Toni, Tina, Esther.. Highly recommend!
Product Stacy Blackman Consulting MBA Admissions All-in Services
Consultant Yvette (SBC)
Yvette was great in the process - helping me understand the different parts of the application and understanding the nuances of each school. I was referred to her by a former colleagued who spoke highly of Yvette, and I am so glad I decided to work with her! She gave me frank feedback and was not afraid to voice her opinions.
In addition, the team based aspect of the Stacy Blackman experience, where another consultant looks at your application is really helpful. Yvette also pivoted quickly after the additional feedback which helped me see my application from a different lens. I would highly recommend working with both Yvette and Stacy Blackman.
Product Stacy Blackman Consulting MBA Admissions All-in Services
Consultant Emily (SBC)
Like many folks, I was on the fence about hiring a consultant, but SBC came highly recommended by a friend. I'm so glad he did because I truly don't know how I would have fared without Emily and the SBC resources. Since I applied to mostly top 10 programs, I was concerned about my OK GPA and non-quant background. With Emily, I felt an immediate kinship. Amid the stress of the process, as well as the uncertainty of applying during the pandemic, she put me at ease and kept me abreast of insider admissions goings-on. As a writer herself, she was able to edit and fine-tune my overarching stories and essays. I have a strong verbal background, so I felt pretty confident in writing my essays, yet it soon became clear I needed someone to help speak AdComm’s language, while staying true to myself and my story. My resume also went through several rounds of edits -- I shudder to think I would have submitted my first draft in the absence of working with SBC! Emily was also super diligent. Although I know she has many other commitments in her personal life, as well as other clients, I felt like her main priority. She was quick to follow up with me, took a very proactive approach to our relationship, and kept me on track with deadlines. I ultimately applied to six programs (five of which are top 10 programs). I was invited to interview at five schools (the SBC interview prep resources were a HUGE help), accepted to two and waitlisted at two others. I just submitted my deposit at Sloan and couldn't be more thrilled.
Product Stacy Blackman Consulting MBA Admissions All-in Services
Consultant Caryn (SBC)
I worked with Caryn and SBC for class of 2023 applications. Working with Caryn and the rest of the Stacy Blackman team / resources was an absolute pleasure and I found Caryn’s support indispensable as I navigated the challenging and intensive process. Ultimately, the decision paid off as I was accepted into Wharton, my top choice, as well as Booth and Kellogg!
I kicked off my process in late June, which was a little late given my desire to submit all my applications for the Round 1 deadline. Caryn quickly designed a schedule that would push me appropriately to stay on pace. Early in the process, she helped me think through my story and application strategy to best differentiate me, especially with my background in an over-represented group (male in finance). Caryn was incredibly responsive in iterating essay drafts and helping position myself in the best possible light. Post-essay process, SBC offered a flight test to review my overall application, which provided a tangible review of my materials and overall candidate profile from one of the other consultants, Lisa. Upon receiving interview invites, I conducted interview prep with Caryn and, for Wharton, attended a virtual, team-based discussion mock interview hosted by SBC. Overall, SBC offers all of the resources that one would need through the process.
I originally reached out to Stacy Blackman and discussed my background with Esther. Once I solidified my plans to apply to business school, I requested Caryn and Esther connected me with her directly. My brother used Caryn and Stacy Blackman with his successful MBA application process a couple years ago, so it was a natural selection for me. I also received recommendations from a few others at my company who went through the process, and many of them had used Stacy Blackman. Overall, Caryn’s experience as a former MBA Admissions Officer and her expertise in advising clients was evident. I’m very happy with my decision and would highly recommend Caryn and Stacy Blackman to anyone looking to succeed in the MBA admissions process.
Product Stacy Blackman Consulting MBA Admissions All-in Services
Consultant Caryn (SBC)
One of the best decisions I made during the MBA program application process was to work with Stacy Blackman Consulting, specifically, Caryn Altman. From the very beginning, it was all hands on deck. My emails were always returned within 24 - 48 hours, which was so important as I had so many questions in terms of timing, school selection, essay ideas, etc. I had decided to go with the All-In-Package, which for me made the most sense. Caryn’s insightful questions, ideas and general knowledge of the schools made it so much easier for me to focus on coming up with ‘my story’. Importantly, while it took several rounds of edits, etc. Caryn was always patient with my initial, verbose essay drafts, helping me to determine the important ideas as I worked to craft final essays which best answered the questions asked and also conveyed who I am as an individual. Given that applying to business schools can be a stressful process, it was so helpful to know that I had someone of Caryn’s caliber in my corner. The results speak for themselves, I was accepted to Wharton, Kellogg, Tuck, and Ross with multiple scholarships including 2 full-rides. I also was able to work with multiple members of the Stacy Blackman Staff including Esther, always very responsive to questions, and others to do my ‘flight tests’ and practice for interviews, including a mock team-based interview to prepare for different schools. I strongly recommend working with Caryn and the Stacy Blackman Team!
Product Stacy Blackman Consulting MBA Admissions All-in Services
Consultant Margaret (SBC)
I purchased the all-in package for two schools, Wharton and CBS, and I'm so glad that I did. My consultant, Margaret, was with me every step of the way during the application process. From instructing me how to research schools I was interested in, editing essays, and reviewing my resume, Margaret was an essential resource for me. My applications were 10x stronger than they would have been on my own. I got into my dream school, Wharton, and was invited to interview at CBS ( I ended up declining as I had already been accepted to Wharton). This company really knows what they are doing! I recommend it to anyone who wants an extra push in the grueling b-school process.