Strengths:

Personalization at every step — The guidance never felt cookie-cutter — everything reflected my goals and voice.

Would make the product better:

Mobile-friendly resource access — the Vault and document review hub are excellent, and making them easier to navigate on-the-go would be a great enhancement.

Working with Stacy Blackman Consulting — and especially Beth Tidmarsh — was truly the best decision I made during my MBA application journey.
From day one, Beth became my dedicated partner, coach, and biggest advocate. As a former Kellogg Admissions Officer, she had an incredible ability to translate my experiences into a cohesive and compelling story. Her insights into what Kellogg truly values were spot-on, and thanks to her guidance, I earned admission to Kellogg as well as Michigan Ross. Beth pushed me in all the right ways: she challenged my messaging when needed, boosted my confidence when imposter syndrome crept in, and always made me feel like she was fully invested in my success.
I also deeply appreciated the team-based model SBC brings. Sarah, who first matched me with Beth, took time to understand my goals, background, and working style so the fit was perfect. My flight tester (another former Admissions Officer!) provided an invaluable outside perspective and helped refine my application into a final version that truly resonated. On top of that, resources like SBC’s Vault database gave me access to successful essays, insights, and tactical tools I couldn’t find anywhere else.
Before choosing SBC, I explored several other MBA admissions consulting firms — including some of the popular competitors — and none came close to the level of personalization, strategic guidance, and warmth I found with SBC. I ultimately came in through a personal referral — and now I’m the one enthusiastically recommending SBC to others!
If you are serious about giving yourself the strongest shot at a top program, I cannot recommend Beth and the entire SBC team highly enough. They don’t just help you apply — they help you show up as the best version of yourself.

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Strengths:

Professionalism, knowledge about the MBA process, proven track record of success in getting applicants accepted, consultants who have been on the admissions boards of major business schools, and access to vast amounts of data on previous successful applicants

Would make the product better:

Difficult to think of anything that could be improved. Everyone with whom I spoke at SBC was extremely friendly, professional, and responsive, and the result was an admission to a top 2 business school with a scholarship.

Alex and I had a lengthy initial conversation where we went over my personal journey, professional experience, school, extracurriculars, and hobbies. With all of this information, he was immediately able to suggest a few coherent stories we could tell. Once we settled on one, he helped overhaul my resume, essays, personal statements, and videos to ensure that we were presenting a compelling, authentic, coherent story, and that all of my application materials were united and complementing each other. I knew immediately that I wanted to continue with him and invest in SBC's all-in package. We focused on Harvard, Wharton, and MIT, and through that we produced enough material for me to repurpose for all the other schools to which I applied.
Throughout the process, he was extremely responsive, friendly, detail-oriented and constantly pushed me to get my essays and resume just right. He wouldn't accept any of my application materials until he felt they were as good as possible.
Without Alex and SBC, I honestly don't believe I would have been admitted to any of the M7 programs, let alone a top 2 school with a generous scholarship. If you dream of going to a top business school, especially if you come from a non-traditional background (computer science) like myself, you won't make a better decision than enlisting the help of SBC. I already think it's some of the best money I've ever spent.

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Strengths:

All-in support to business school applications, application feedback, full review of applications before submitting, post-interview feedback, and more.

Would make the product better:

Honestly nothing really, I'd recommend this to anyone who wants tailored support to their application.

Working with Alex Liff at Stacy Blackman Consulting was the best decision I made during my MBA journey—his strategic insight and support helped me gain admission to HBS, MIT Sloan, CBS, and NYU Stern, where I received a full-ride scholarship. Alex was my partner throughout the application process. I believe his candid feedback helped me write my applications to talk about my strengths and articulate my thoughts in a way that admissions was tuned into. Having consistent check-in points with Alex made me feel confident throughout the process, and he answered all my (sometimes ridiculous) questions throughout the way.

SBC in general was extremely supportive. Having a flight tester - shoutout to Lisa - give a candid review of my applications before submitting helped me fine-tune my applications before pressing the submit button. I was able to submit with confidence that I was representing myself to the best of my abilities.

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I had Ashley as my consultant and got into Tuck, Booth with scholarship, and Sloan. Coming from a nontraditional background with a low math score I was extremely concerned and she really got me over the finish line. In particular, I 1000% credit her with my Sloan acceptance. She was patient and always responsive within 24 hours. I struggled a lot to define myself in the beginning and she helped me work through how to play to my strengths while acknowledging my weaknesses and positioning myself uniquely for each school. Although SBC can be expensive, I do think it was worth it.

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Strengths:

Experienced and Personalized Guidance, Commitment of the Counselor, Authenticity over Conformity, Comprehensive resources, Professionalism and Value

Would make the product better:

More clarity upfront about what's included in the "all-in" package. I think The Vault and Flight Test are huge selling points that a lot of applicants would be attracted to.

When I began exploring MBA consulting firms, I wasn’t sure if I needed one—let alone if the investment would be worth it. I had spent the first part of my career in biotech before transitioning into my family’s business, where I plan to return after my MBA. With a nontraditional background, I knew I needed to tell a story that was both authentic and compelling.

I found Stacy Blackman Consulting through Google and was impressed by their reputation, deep bench of former admissions officers, and extensive applicant resources. After an honest and helpful intro call with Sarah Tsai, I connected with several potential counselors and ultimately chose to work with Margaret Strother.

At first, I was skeptical of the all-in package, but those doubts quickly disappeared. Margaret was more than a consultant—she was a true thought partner. She helped me bring structure to my ideas and asked thoughtful questions that helped me dig deep and frame my story in a way that felt true to who I am. She was also consistently responsive and willing to bounce around ideas whenever I needed it.

What set Margaret apart was her commitment to authenticity. I had worked with another consultant who tried to fit my story into a mold. Margaret did the opposite—she encouraged me to be real and different.

With her support, I was admitted to Stanford GSB, HBS, Kellogg (with a full scholarship), and Booth (with a partial scholarship).

SBC’s resources like the Vault and the “flight test” added even more value. Looking back, the experience was absolutely worth it. For anyone serious about top MBA programs, I can’t recommend Margaret—or SBC—highly enough.

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Dione Chen was my dedicated consultant inclusive of strategy, positioning, and career visioning, etc., She was incredibly helpful, especially in helping me think through my career vision before writing essays. Dione is extremely responsive (almost always replies within a few hours). I was admitted Round 1 to HBS, GSB and Wharton.
SBC has a team based influence and support: Esther as my matchmaker to a consultant; my flight tester, Amy, who is a former Admissions Officer etc; Anthony who facilitated the mock Wharton TBD discussion.
I selected SBC and Dione based on colleagues and friends who recommended SBC and Dione highly.

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Strengths:

Responsive, positive, and honest feedback. Having someone to turn to with any question made a huge difference. The Flight Test was a major reason I chose Stacy Blackman over three other firms I spoke with, and it did not disappoint.

I had an incredible experience working with Sherry from Stacy Blackman Consulting. She was responsive, positive, and honest, always providing constructive feedback while making the process enjoyable. With her guidance, I was admitted to HBS, Darden with a full ride, and Fuqua and McCombs with scholarships. She worked quickly, even under tight deadlines, and I always felt fully supported. Having someone to turn to with any question made a huge difference. Sherry was backed by a strong team, including the initial matchmaker, and an experienced former admissions officer who conducted my Flight Test. The Flight Test was a major reason I chose Stacy Blackman over three other firms I spoke with, and it did not disappoint. If I had to do it again, I’d choose Sherry every time. Highly recommend!

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Strengths:

High level of expertise; personalized approach; timing flexibility; invested in candidates success

Dawn was instrumental in helping me achieve the best possible results I could have hoped for, including acceptance to my dream school (HBS), Wharton, Kellogg, and Booth.
Dawn put in a great deal of time and effort to listen to my story and craft a unique application strategy that highlighted what I was able to offer to MBA programs. She has deep knowledge of the application processes of top schools, which brought valuable insights. Additionally, when personal circumstances required me to significantly shift my application timeline, Dawn was flexible to work with what I needed. I would not have achieved the same success without her partnership,

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I would like to extend my heartfelt gratitude to Alex Liff and Stacy Blackman Consulting for their unwavering support over the past six months with my business school applications. Their guidance was instrumental in securing my admission to The Wharton School, complete with a generous fellowship.

When I first reached out to SBC in July 2025, I had less than six weeks before the Round 1 deadlines. Although I had already taken the GMAT and given some thought to other components of my application, my demanding role at XXX consulting firm left me with little time to put pen to paper.

To meet the Round 1 deadlines, I required two key things: a structured approach to the application process with clear milestones and deadlines, and expert advice to rigorously review my written materials. The SBC team exceeded my expectations on both fronts.

Esther Magna, my intake coordinator, understood my needs perfectly and paired me with Alex Liff. I was also tasked with completing SBC's 360-degree personal reflection and critical assessment exercise, which involved answering ~35 detailed questions. Though time-consuming, this exercise allowed me to articulate everything from my leadership stories to my career goals to my thoughts on recommenders.

Alex then meticulously reviewed the 25 pages of content I had put together and helped me devise a strategy for each school, ensuring that my best stories were presented cohesively. This strategic approach enabled me to quickly produce high-quality drafts of my resume, essays, and other application materials. Alex's insightful feedback during our numerous iterations helped me further refine these materials.

One standout aspect of the SBC process was the "flight test," where Lisa Anderson, a former MBA Admissions Officer, reviewed one of my applications as an actual Admissions Officer would. Her feedback was invaluable in further fine-tuning my application.

SBC's support didn't end there. I was fortunate to receive multiple interview invitations, and SBC’s assistance with interview preparation was crucial. Anthony Penna, one of the original architects of Wharton's Team-Based Discussion (TBD), conducted a mock TBD with real candidates. His feedback highlighted key areas for improvement, significantly enhancing my performance in the actual TBD. Alex also conducted mock interviews for my other schools.

Ultimately, I was accepted into Wharton with a very generous fellowship, and I couldn't be more grateful to Alex and the entire SBC team for their help. If you are seeking guidance through the business school admissions process, I cannot recommend Alex and SBC highly enough.

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Dawn and the SBC team went above and beyond in every facet of the application process. When I started working with Dawn, I was unfamiliar with the MBA application process; I came from a non-traditional background, hadn't taken the GMAT yet, and wasn't sure about my future career goals or which schools would be good fits. Dawn's expertise and guidance were invaluable. She worked tirelessly to help craft my personal narrative, clarify my career goals, and do everything possible to leverage the strengths in my profile to create the most compelling and strategically-positioned applications possible. Dawn's knowledge of admissions trends and processes of the top MBA programs constantly shone through. Her essay guidance and frameworks were incredibly helpful, and her interview prep and mock interview ensured that I was as prepared as possible for my interviews.

SBC's Flight Test was also tremendously valuable. Amy provided actionable, detailed feedback on my application file, and the Flight Test experience added another layer of reassurance that my applications were as strong as possible.

I ended up being accepted to every school to which I applied, including Booth and Haas, with over $300,000 in combined scholarship offers, and I couldn't have done it without Dawn. I couldn't recommend Dawn and the SBC team more!

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