I'm so happy that I chose to use a consultant for my MBA admissions process and that I chose SBC! I contacted several firms before closing SBC (some larger firms similar to SBC and other more boutique firms with 1-3 consultants) and was most drawn to the overall process of SBC's "All-In" package. It all seemed (and ended up being) very well thought out and effective and I liked the idea of working with a large firm made of formed AdComs from several schools.

In terms of the actual experience, I found that the "All-In" package structure helped me to stay on track, and there were several occasions when my consultant leveraged the experience of others at the firm to help us make decisions about specific schools.

Since I began my process in January, I was lucky enough to be matched with Caryn Altman who I cannot say enough good things about! Right from the start she gave me an honest opinion of my strengths and weaknesses, recommended some steps I could take immediately to improve my process (e.g. taking an online Math for Management course since my GPA was lower) and was genuinely invested in getting the best outcome possible. During the ~1 year I worked with Caryn, she helped keep me on track through stressful times at work or personally. It was immensely helpful to have someone to remind me that I could take a couple of days off from essays/prep and who could re-calibrate my deadlines accordingly. Conversely, when I had more free time, Caryn was extremely responsive and expedient with feedback so I was able to get ahead of schedule.

Caryn's feedback on my essays was invaluable - I really cannot stress this enough. She was honest and not afraid to tell me that an idea I had was just not working or was coming across the wrong way. It was also extremely helpful to have access to SBC's "Vault" of past anonymized school-specific essays as reference (this was also helpful for interview prep!).

Finally, Caryn really went above and beyond for me, providing advice on school-specific networking, reviewing emails to connections, answering random questions, and giving me her honest thoughts when I was stressed about one thing or another.

I am so thrilled to have been accepted to 4/5 of my schools (3 acceptances with $$$) and I could not have done it without Caryn and SBC! Don't hesitate if you are considering it yourself!

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I only have excellent things to say about Caryn and Stacy Blackman Consulting (SBC). As a result of my work with Caryn, I was accepted into Wharton, Kellogg, Booth, Columbia, Tuck, and Stern (with large scholarships from Kellogg, Booth, Columbia, and Stern). Every part of the Stacy Blackman process was extremely thoughtful. I had calls with SBC (based on a referral from a co-worker) and Menlo Coaching and was impressed by my conversation with Esther from SBC. She was very attentive and seemed to understand my personality, academic and professional experiences, and goals very quickly. By the end of the call, she already had a consultant (Caryn) in mind, who she claimed was a perfect fit. And she was right!

Caryn was very meticulous throughout the entire application process. We began by brainstorming my leadership experiences, zeroing in on my career goals, and discussing personal experiences that have shaped who I am today. All of this thorough brainstorming was worth the upfront investment as the aforementioned topics became the pillars of my essays. Caryn is extremely organized, which made the stressful process of MBA applications as efficient as it could be. Caryn always provided clear deadlines (I had a timeline of weekly deadlines from April through September), which allowed me to meet all of my application deadlines without rushing. Caryn also provided very clear and detailed feedback on my essays and application form answers. I always felt like Caryn was focusing on every word and she wouldn’t give her stamp of approval until we both agreed that the essays were perfect. There were definitely times where I felt good about an essay, but Caryn pushed back as she knew I could do better. And I’m glad that she did, as the revisions always led to essays that I felt even more confident in, especially given her years of admissions committee experience. Caryn’s response time also impressed me as I truly felt like I was the only applicant that she was working with. She promises to provide feedback within 48 hours, but it was often the case that if I sent her something in the morning, she would have it back to me by that night – this was really valuable as I never had to waste a day in the busy application process. Finally, Caryn was simply an extremely pleasant person to work with and I am so thankful that I had the chance to work with her.

In addition to Caryn, SBC had a variety of other helpful resources that I utilized. SBC had an extensive website that included essays of former applicants and useful information on each school. I had a flight test (review of my application from another SBC consultant) with Lisa, which provided an unbiased review of my application package. In addition, I really think that having a mock team-based discussion (i.e., mock Wharton interview) with Anthony from SBC gave me the perfect sense of how the real Wharton interview would go, which allowed me to perform well when the time came.

Overall, I cannot recommend SBC enough – they helped me not only reach, but surpass all of my business school application goals. Thank you, Caryn and the SBC team!

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I worked with Caryn through SBC’s “all-in” program, and I can’t recommend her and the team highly enough! Coming from a traditional “finance” background, I worked with Caryn to craft and refine my unique voice and story throughout my applications. Thanks to her guidance, I was fortunate to be admitted to both HBS and Wharton (w/ $).

SBC’s approach is highly organized and personalized from the outset. After being paired with Caryn through their “matchmaking” process, we engaged in several exercises designed to help me organize my experiences, articulate my “why,” and craft a compelling narrative. From the start, I knew Caryn and I would be a great fit. She’s a master of organization – something I needed as I tend to be a bit scatter-brained. With her structure and guidance, I never felt overwhelmed by the complex timelines and tasks involved in the application process. In addition, Caryn’s deep experience – both in admissions and as an SBC consultant – proved invaluable as a brainstorming partner as I developed my story and essays. Her candid, direct feedback pushed me to do my best, keeping me honest and ensuring my application was as strong as possible.

In addition to working with Caryn, I took advantage of SBC’s mid-summer flight test (a third-party review of my application) and received tailored interview prep for Wharton (with Anthony) and HBS (with Ashley). These sessions gave me helpful insights into the nuances of each interview, preparing me with a clear framework to attack interview prep and boosting my confidence. I felt fully supported by SBC’s team throughout the entire process, and I truly appreciated how invested the team was in helping me achieve the best outcome possible.

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SBC is an amazing MBA consulting organization that provides a multitude of services to help you reach your MBA goals. They have a holistic vetting process so that you are matched with your ideal consultant that really helps you stand out and highlight your strengths as an applicant. The organization takes a team-based approach with an initial match maker, an anonymous flight tester, that reviews your application and provides feedback, in addition to a ton of resources and data to help you through the process. I could not recommend them enough. They helped me gain admission to Darden and Ross (w/ scholarship) and I truly could not have done it without them.

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I worked with Caryn on 3 schools for round 1, and was fortunate enough to gain admission to both HBS and Stanford GSB. Caryn was my accountability partner throughout my process – she kept me on track, focused on what mattered most, and helped me craft my past experiences into a compelling story. I had a bit of a varied background in terms of my career to-date, and Caryn helped me package my experiences in a great way to demonstrate what I cared about most. She also helped me deliver the most impactful stories and anecdotes to use for my essays, which I think made all the difference for me for HBS and GSB.

I was able to take what I learned from my work with Caryn and apply it to my other schools, and ended up with acceptances from Kellogg (with $), Columbia, Stern, and Sloan (with $). Without Caryn's guidance, I don't think I would have gotten these results.

I also leveraged SBC's HBS and Wharton interview prep, which I found to be super helpful. It was a big investment, but I treated it as an investment in myself: I wanted to put my best foot forward, and it definitely paid off.

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Only have really positive things to say about Caryn and the whole Stacy Blackman team. From the very beginning, things were organized and set up to help applicants truly understand what their b-school story was. I remember at first feeling very worried about the process as I was coming from a fairly traditional finance background with a below average gmat score for my target / dream schools. Caryn was extremely helpful in helping me figure out my "why" and I fully believe it was one of the largest contributors to my success throughout the process.

I think many people question whether the price tag for consultants is worth it and I can fully say that if business school is a goal of yours and you have specific dream schools in mind, Caryn or anyone from the Stacy Blackman team is worth it. They keep you motivated, organized, prepared and so much more. I ended up applying to only CBS and Wharton, both reaches with my profile, and got accepted to both.

Thanks again Caryn and whole SBC team!

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I had a great experience with Caryn from SBC. She helped me from start to finish, helping me craft my MBA story and supported me from resume creation all the way to essays and interviews. With her help, I was able to get in to HBS, Wharton, Columbia, and Kellogg with full-tuition scholarships at Kellogg and Columbia. Outside of Caryn's support, I also received mock interviews for HBS with Geri and a mock group interview with Anthony for Wharton (both mocks with prior admissions officers at both schools). I felt prepared going into the interviews, and I owe much of my success to SBC.

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Accepted to: Columbia Business School ($50K scholarship) and NYU Stern
Waitlisted at: Yale SOM and Cornell Johnson

Initial contact: Sarah was my initial contact at SBC who was helpful matching me with Caryn Altman, my primary partner and former MBA Admissions Officer. I was given a choice of two potential consultants to partner with along with their bios and reviews from prior clients. I went with Caryn given her prior experience working with applicants from similar backgrounds as mine (non-traditional applicant).

Ground work: After connecting with Caryn, we spent a lot of time working on the Career Goals and 360degree review documents which essentially serves as a period of introspection highlighting aspects of my background that could be used as fodder for the actual application. These documents proved to be extremely helpful and paid dividends later on in the process right up to my interview preparation. This also helped Caryn and I identify the angle we wanted to present my application.

Actual Process: Caryn and I had an initial call over phone and corresponded via email for the most part. She was very responsive and I was able to get great feedback throughout the entire process. Because I was applying to 7 schools I had a tight timeline - Caryn was instrumental in helping me manage this while working a full time job. Honestly, this was HUGE - having someone who has been on the other side of the table and knows exactly how to present your candidacy in the best possible way guide you through the essays, resume, and overall application saves you SO much time. Once we finished my first full application we sent it for a Flight Tester where another member of the SBC team reviewed my full application. I also had access to the Vault database that has an incredible amount of information on schools, potential interview questions (along with a mock interview platform that you have unlimited access to), and prior successful essays.

Once you finish with application work I started prepping for interviews. I thought my mock interview with Caryn was very helpful because it gave me a sense of what my actual interview was going to be like, and she also gave me a full list of feedback items I could improve on. I interviewed for Cornell, NYU, Yale, and Columbia and I felt very well prepared for them.

Overall, I am not only so so happy with my results but also happy about the smooth process that the SBC team provided.

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After having initial screenings with several other consulting firms, I picked SBC and specifically wanted to work with Caryn – am incredibly glad I made that decision! I was admitted to 3 of my top choice M7 schools thanks to Caryn helping me differentiate myself despite being in an over-represented minority pool with a cookie-cutter background.

Right from the get go, Caryn was incredibly supportive and encouraging and invested time to truly understand my background and goals. She led me through the whole process seamlessly right from initial strategy discussions to school selection, essays, data form, and interviews – making sure I was bringing my best to each portion of the application. She brings tremendous experience and a deep understanding of how adcoms think and what they are looking for – which helps craft a compelling application. She is also very transparent and direct with reliably quick turnaround times of ~24 hours!

Looking back, I 100% made the right decision in working with Caryn and would highly recommend in a heartbeat!

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10/10

Bill was my initial contact at SBC and I ended up going with the All-In package with Caryn Altman to tackle my list of target schools.

Caryn was absolutely fantastic to work with. She really understands the application process on a granular level and helped me execute a strategy that highlighted my profile's best attributes. She was fantastic in identifying the spots of my application that were weak and really helped me focus on rethinking and improving those areas. Her wisdom and guidance, from essay editing to letter of recommendation support, was nothing short of stellar.

Caryn is largely responsible for my acceptances at Kellogg (MMM program) and Chicago Booth with scholarship. In addition, quick shoutout to Beth, my flight test consultant, who provided valuable insight as well.

I have ZERO regrets with choosing SBC for my MBA applications and am truly grateful for Caryn's and the firm's support!!

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