Stacy Blackman Review

I did work with Bill at Stacy Blackman - excellent experience. Also worked with Sherri, Amy and Lisa for different aspects of the app (flight test etc) All excellent. Will send more info in PM.
I really was happy with my experience so will try to give a more detailed overview here. I have worked with two firms in the past and so I have some persoective. My experience with Stacy Blackman was great. I was burnt from prior experiences so when I signed up I wanted to work with two consultants not one. Which is what I did - I actually purchased 2 different packages and worked with two consultants who were pretty different from each other but both very strong (Bill as mentioned above and also Sherri). Both had a lot of experience, adcomm experience, and really took time with me. During the time close to deadlines I felt like I was in constant communication with them. they have something called a flight test which I thought was really helpful. A totally separate consultant reviewed my entire file and gave feedback in a different way from an admissions committee perspective. I had a client liaison named Amy who was very nice and helpful though I have to admit I did not use her as much as I could have (that was my choice). She did review a couple of essays near the end, but by then everything was prettty complete so not a ton of feedback.
I felt very supported and I knew I was in good hands. I have been admitted to USC and LBS and my dream reach school Wharton. That is half of my schools. I was reapplying to Wharton and also HBS and Haas. I did not get into HBS or Haas.
The feedback was very timely, response times were good. I felt that they were detail oriented as well as helped with my strategy up front. We did some things that were very different from my approach first time around and it paid off. I was very overwhelmed in the beginning and Bill especially had a way of breaking it down and making things simpler and more digestable. I also used the online center for reference - it was a nice tool.
Finally, my interview prep was awesome. I cannot tell you how much of a difference that made for me. They definitely knew what the schools were looking for and gave me great prep sessions.
Kind of all over the map here but just trying to think of details to add...I think that's it - hope it helps. If you have specific questions I can answer but you might want to PM me so I am sure to see it.

by dibblebun

StacyB - was to the point and good/efficient/on time but pricey for me - I didn't feel like price for 1 school package was competitive enough for me. and didn't want to pay so much money for 5 schools.

by simmy818

I got a free consultation from stacy blackman, which went ok. she gave me some good tips but i decided not to go with her cause i didn't really feel like we connected and i was a little worried about all the negative reviews of them online.

by bpengage

I used Stacy Blackman consulting and spent $6000 (for 6 schools). I re-used the essays for 2-3 other schools. Unfortunately, I did not even get a single invite out of 8-9 schools. I had originally also discussed the schools I wanted to apply to. I guess it depends which consultant you use from which consulting company. I know it is not a money guarantee program but after I told Stacy Blackman as to what had happened, she said they would give me a discount the next time I use them.....are you freaking serious???....It is good to do a business while you benefit everybody and you are fair. She can help whoever she wants but this one experience was pathetic and I would never recommend the company to anybody specially for the price it charges and the lack of courtesy.

by balboa

Wow just had a call with Lisa Westlake at Stacy Blackman - she was late to the call and then she mixed up my profile with someone else's... which was ok, i mean, people make mistakes. she did offer some solid comments about interviews and what each school might focus on etc.
And then it just kinda became a boring sales pitch when i asked about the consultant pairing process etc. i also asked what's the maximum number of clients each consultant takes on (something i'm very concerned about), and she gave some vague answer like "for some consultants the max is 2, for others its 20"... C'MON. I'm a consultant myself and I say things like that to my clients all the time, and i fully understand how quality is usually compromised simply because of workload (because it happens to me too!!!).
I guess i do prefer the boutique firms i've spoken to so far...

by svalik

My essays were just not turning out how I pictured them in my mind...the words just did not match up with my thoughts/background/expression of myself. I did my research and decided to go with Stacy Blackman. I know they have gotten a bad rap on this blog but this is honest to God my 100% experience.
I started working with one of their consultants and immediately clicked...they picked out the things I should highlight, the things I needed to explore more, and the things I needed to address as weaknesses.... I was skeptical at first...BUT every conversation we had I felt my essays got better... let me be clear, they do not write your essays for you, but help you find your voice....which I needed. All communications were timely, professional, and very insightful. Example....My main consultant did not have an area of expertise in the one area I was inquiring about, so they brought in another consultant who did...very selfless and turned about to be very informative.
All in all, it was an expensive engagement.... BUT I was dinged from my safe school, my mid range school, and accepted into my reach school after going 0/2...which is a top 3 MBA program....But I think the caricature SB got earlier in this blog was from someone who had a bad experience....and I wanted to share a positive experience.
Just remember...consultants can't help you with GPA, Resume, GMAT, EC's, Personality, etc...but they can help you find your voice and put your best foot forward.
I wish all of you the best, I just went through the year long process of applying and heading to B-School next year...so I know what you are going through, I wish you the best, and God bless.

by Pslam344

After to speaking with the different consultants, I decided to go with Stacy Blackman Consultants because the woman I spoke to was so helpful and eager to answer my questions. I asked a million stupid questions, and she walked me through the process from beginning to end. She also had reviewed my resume and info before the call so she had a whole detailed breakdown of how she saw my applications going. She also gave me great advice in that first phone call, so even if I had gone with another company, I would have walked away with something! But I did end up going with Stacy Blackman, and ended up loving my consultant. They matched me with her because of her background the similarity to my own, and we really connected. If you are thinking about consultants, call a few and compare, but I think you'll agree with me that Stacy Blackman is a step above the others! Just my 2 cents...

by bizbizbiz

Just wanna add my own experience with Stacy Blackman consultant services, she is awesome and specially if you can't believe on it you can simply purchase one of her essay guides cheap at low was $40/each , which available for most of top US b-school, and yourself can judge about it. I think it worth to evaluate her abilities before spending loads of dollars on each MBA admission consultant services.

by amirdubai1982

I am not finished yet but I have had a wonderful experience with Stacy Blackman Consulting. This was my second time applying - last time I used another firm. This time has been smooth right from the start - I got what I signed up for and I am now receiving interviews so have a lot of confidence that I put together a great application. It was a big investment up front but after that I have had so many people to support me and such expert guidance - it's been great. I have really enjoyed working with my consultant and the whole team there.

by dibblebun

The second time I was planning to go it alone but on a friend's suggestion bought some hours from Stacy Blackman Consulting. Had a spectacular (and finally successful) experience, and ended up transferring to a full package. Am not a "sure thing" type of applicant (low GPA, reapplying), I know that, but ended up with results I am ecstatic about and felt that I received A+ service all the way through.

by shawdaff

I spoke with Lisa at SBC for the free call and thought she did a great job answering all my questions. She was very experienced and gave me honest and constructive feedback about my experiences and what I needed to work on. She was also very knowledgeable about each school's programs and cultures. I like how the company matches people with consultants before they pay. The only issue is the cost for comprehensive, so I'm planning to use them to help with my essays.

by srini1981

Overall very good. My consultant was fantastic but I felt I needed to push the information out of her. Feedback was good but I felt my unique profile wasn't valued as much; they didn't see my potential. I was told I probably wouldn't get into Ross or Tuck. Considering my admit into HEC and my recent interview request from Ross I see that as a mistake.

by jc456

I used Stacy Blackman and have been super happy with them. I do, however, think that the price tag is over the top (around $5K for a two school package) and I think that is a bit egregious... but, after I got over the price I really enjoyed having the peace of mind knowing that any questions I have about the dumbest stuff will get answered really quickly. This is very valuable to me as my work hours can be quite erratic, and I just don't have time to figure a lot of small stuff out on my own time.
It's good to have a "coach" to really push you when you're writing essays, etc., and to make sure that you're checking all the boxes throughout the app process. I feel like SBC has helped me put my best foot forward in my apps.
That said, I haven't gotten in anywhere yet so we shall see in mid December if SBC was TRULY worth it...

by washingtondc627