MBA Admissions All-in Services Reviews

To start with some general context, I predominantly have an engineering background and am currently in consulting. I started the application process with zero background info/tips on b-school apps and felt totally at a loss. I pretty quickly realized I needed help and I spoke with several different consulting firms and actually didn't have a great start with SBC. My intro call was with Bill who I didn't quite connect with so I asked if Caryn had availability because I had read all her raving reviews. And man, am I glad I did. After speaking with Caryn I immediately knew I had found the perfect person. You can tell she is incredibly experienced and was able to immediately put my mind at ease as she took me through her overall process, what B-schools are looking for, what she thought about my candidacy and my profile, etc.

In terms of the general application process of working through brainstorming ideas, essay revisions, etc, Caryn simply could not have been better. She helped me shape my profile to highlight all the strengths I had and paid particular attention to make sure my application as a whole worked well together. One thing in particular I liked was that whenever I had ideas that weren’t the best, she would always provide the rationale for why and she could always tell if I felt comfortable with the decision or if we needed to talk through things a little more so I felt more confident. I quickly learned to trust her which led to offers from Wharton($$), Sloan, Booth, and Kellogg! It’s been incredible and I absolutely would not have gotten into these schools without her help! Also, once my offers came in I was in a bind on where to go because of some personal factors, but she had a long conversation with me and helped me work through where to pick which I’m really grateful for.

Overall, I highly highly recommend working with Caryn. She is the kindest, most down-to-earth person who gets incredible results!

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Words will never be enough to describe my experience with SBC, Esther, and Susan.

I decided to be thorough in my approach to finding a consultant, speaking to several companies. I was specifically looking for a company that was established (i.e. high success rates) and structured (i.e. clear process), yet had personalized attention (i.e. are there too many people?). I concluded that there were endless companies that fulfilled only one of the criteria, but only SBC was able to meet both of them.

The next step to my process was having an initial call with Esther, who "matches" you with a consultant given your profile and goals. Esther has this rare gift of being able to assess your profile in mere seconds. What I appreciated most was that Esther gave supportive yet objective advice. Remember, you do not want to spend time and money for nothing! Thanks, Esther!

Having been "matched" with my consultant, I then had the amazing opportunity to work with Susan. As a global citizen, I particularly admired Susan's widespread work experience from the U.S. (i.e. CBS) to European markets (i.e. LBS). From this experience alone, Susan has this "automatic" credential of being able to work with diverse applicants, ranging from traditional and non-traditional career paths, to various personalities, ages, and backgrounds. I know that's what I admired most about Susan!

The biggest insight -- aside from fantastic advice in every step of the process -- was Susan's ability to complement my weaknesses without ever me recognizing or surfacing them. I'm quite organized, yet there were times wherein I didn't realize I was lagging behind in certain aspects of the application process. I also have an infinite number of ideas and thoughts, resulting in sometimes over-complicating or confusing messaging. However, Susan was quick to point out rational solutions and more importantly, the rationale behind them. I was also extremely familiar with participating in school events, yet Susan is brilliant when it comes to knowing insider information into a school's communication method, frequency, and strategies.

Most importantly, Susan can look at things holistically when you're laser focused in the process. Firstly, I was dual pathing my test re-take and application process, resulting in juggling numerous priorities. With application deadlines creeping up, Susan surfaced a modified possible test strategy with me, ultimately allowing me to realize a target score. She was the last person who messaged me before entering the test center and the first person I texted upon seeing those numbers on screen. I was also juggling interview invites in very different locations, yet Susan emphasized an optimal way to ensure I could maximize the entire interview experience.

At the end of the day, this entire MBA application process is no doubt extremely stressful, overwhelming, and complex. It takes a true mentor, someone who has your best interest at heart, someone who's passionate about making a difference in others' lives, and an expert in the process to be with you every step of the way. Susan was all those things and more; she believed in my story and credentials when no one else did. Through her guidance, I received two offers (thus far) with scholarships, which I didn't even apply for or expect. Never in my wildest dreams did I think this was all possible. And, when I get on that graduation stage, I'll be thinking of how forever grateful I'll be because of Susan.

More power to SBC and Susan!

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Working with Stacy Blackman Consulting (SBC) was by far one of the best decisions I have made through the grueling application process. They were incredibly thorough with responding to my questions and concerns and assisting me with finding the best service options. Being a military candidate, I also received a discount.

For months, I struggled through a losing battle against the GMAT. Before I paid a dime, SBC scheduled an hour introduction call, l spoke to me about my background, and even recommended a list of schools that may be a good fit for me. They also recommended that I switch my focus to the GRE (in which the outcome was better than that of the GMAT). I was lucky enough to work with Margaret Strother as my primary consultant.

We held scheduled calls every other week, exchanged emails on a daily basis, and agreed on deliverable deadlines. She was incredibly thorough on her thought process and helped me phrase my story in ways I could not have imagined. She held me to very high standards and was not afraid to tell me my proposed approach within several essays wouldn't cut it. Most of my essays were completed in about 5 to 6 drafts.

I come from a State school, with a 3.2 UG GPA in Psychology, a Master's degree in HR with a 3.6. I am also a military reservist who works full time for a fortune 50 company in project management. My GRE verbal score was far below the school average but quant and writing right on the average. I applied to 6 schools, four of them within the top 15.

I was directly admitted to two programs and wait listed at another three. Margaret helped me navigate the WL process, together we were able to convert two of those WL status into admits!

Will be headed to UVA Darden in the fall! I wouldn't have been able to do it without Margaret and SBC. I would highly recommend, but be prepared to work hard and stay resilient until the end!

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When looking for an admissions consulting firm, I wanted to be challenged and to be held accountable. I got that feeling immediately from my consultation. My resume was torn up and critiqued in a very real way. I was not just told, "You have a great GMAT score, you'll do great". It was what I wanted.

I was paired with Laura, and she was absolutely fantastic. She was very reachable, and we met at least every other week throughout the process. Her feedback was very useful and honest, which helped me bring my essays and story to the level needed. She was also willing to hear feedback, as I contradicted her feedback at one point based on a blog post from the Tuck adcomm. In the end, I felt that I was supported in a way that enabled me to show my truest self. The Flight Test, a defining feature of the application, highlighted some weaknesses that we were able to tactically address. I am very thankful for Lisa, who conducted this flight test. I ultimately was accepted to Ross, Tuck, and LBS while being rejected from Sloan. Results with which I am very happy.

I did not make use of other services that SBC provides such as their liaisons and other points of contact, but they appeared very nice from whenever I spoke with them.

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I had the pleasure of working with Caryn throughout this past application cycle. After applying to five of the M7 schools, I was offered interviews at four and chose to interview at three. I ended up receiving significant scholarships from two of the schools and was waitlisted at the remaining program. Coming from an untraditional background, with issues such as gaps in my education history, I was concerned about my chances at a top MBA program.

Caryn was incredibly supportive throughout the entire process, helping me be deeply introspective when refining my career goals and reflecting on my past experiences. By using her expertise as a former admissions officer, she then helped me craft my story in a way that best highlighted these experiences, fully showcasing what I would bring to an MBA class while meeting the nuance required for each unique essay prompt across the various schools. In addition to Caryn, I received great support from the entire SBC staff and was grateful for the database of application resources SBC has available.

Prior to starting my MBA admissions process, I spent a considerable amount of time researching different admissions consultants. Ultimately, I felt that Stacy Blackman’s comprehensive services, proven track record, and robust roster of former adcoms would help me put forth the best applications possible. I could not be happier with my decision, and I would highly recommend Caryn and SBC to anyone considering the services of an admissions consultant during the MBA admissions journey.

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I highly recommend Stacy Blackman Consulting. I worked with Lisa, who is a former MBA admissions officer, and I honestly do not think I would have made it through the long and complicated admissions process without her help. Lisa is amazing – she has a lot of knowledge / insight into the admissions process, having been an admissions officer prior to joining SBC. I enjoyed working with Lisa so much, as she is very friendly, incredibly knowledgeable, and super quick to respond. I had a lot of questions during the process and Lisa was able to answer everything, usually responding to me that same day. With Lisa’s help, I was admitted to my top choice schools (even my reach schools!), almost all with scholarship money (including one full ride).

In addition to Lisa, there is a lot of support from the entire team at SBC. My flight tester, Caryn, who is also a former admissions officer, gave me helpful feedback on my application. Basically, everyone at SCB has some sort of background in MBA admissions, which makes the admissions process as a candidate much easier to navigate. Everyone I worked with at SBC was great, so you cannot go wrong when choosing SBC for such a stressful / important process, like MBA admissions!

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Beth Tidmarsh is a FANTASTIC consultant and I couldn’t have asked for a better one! With her help, I was admitted to 5 of the 6 T10 schools I applied to; moreover, I received SCHOLARSHIP OFFERS FROM EVERY SINGLE SCHOOL ranging from 1/3 tuition to full tuition plus stipend! She also helped me strategically select which schools to apply to with her, so that I could carry over essays and other application materials to other programs on my own. As you will see below, Beth is far more than JUST a consultant, she is someone that truly cares about the people that she works with and truly desires that they be successful.

I decided to use an admissions consultant after applying unsuccessfully on my own a couple of years ago. I interviewed 4 top admissions consultancies (as ranked by P&Q) before ultimately selecting Stacy Blackman Consulting (SBC). I selected SBC because of the open and friendly nature of the people I chatted with as well as the responsiveness of everyone I spoke with (which I didn’t get from all the companies/individuals I connected with). From the opening call, SBC made it clear that they wanted to get to know me and I felt an immediate kinship with Sarah Tsai. From there, she introduced me to Beth Tidmarsh—whom I also connected with very well—and the rest is history.

From the very start, Beth was happy to work with me as much or as little as I wanted. We communicated frequently via email but, whenever I asked if we could have a call instead, she was happy to accommodate, always responding to me promptly and making herself available if something urgent came up. Beth was invaluable as a coach and confidant and I would even go so far as to call her a friend (as we still keep in touch even now that my application/decision process is over). If I missed a self-imposed deadline, Beth would send me a note checking in on me but would do so in a way that was supportive and encouraging. This helped me immeasurably. Applying to MBA programs is hard and applying to six programs is almost overwhelming, but Beth helped keep me on track and take things one day at a time, focusing on individual steps and putting together an achievable timeline which we reviewed regularly. In fact, I liked working with Beth so much that I occasionally found myself staying up late to complete a portion of my application just because I didn’t want to disappoint her. (Who wouldn’t want that kind of encouragement?!) One of Beth’s greatest attributes is her ability to help you weave your story and to feel confident that you belong in the programs you are applying to, giving you the confidence to excel in interviews and other interactions with the schools you apply to.

Beth took a genuine interest in me as an individual and helped me to select schools whose culture truly resonated with me and that met my other criteria including significant scholarship opportunities and strong ties to MBB consulting. Her previous experience as Director of Admissions for Kellogg’s Full Time MBA program was quite apparent as she helped me to (1) understand how schools thought about different facets of my application (2) consider the content of my essays and short answer questions from a holistic perspective (3) craft “my story” and prepare for each school’s unique interview process and (4) negotiate scholarship offers following admission. Beth frequently corresponded with other consultants at SBC and even occasionally asked them to review different components of my application if she felt that I could benefit from an outside opinion, which I also found to be a great asset while crafting my unique applications to each school. In conclusion, I highly recommend both Beth Tidmarsh and SBC!

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I cannot say enough positive things about working with Stacy Blackman and Lisa Anderson. I chose SBC as I felt that I connected with the mission of Stacy Blackman and I liked how personalized the advice was. I worked with Lisa Anderson throughout my entire MBA application process and she was an excellent resource for me. Lisa brings tremendous expertise to the process and is incredibly knowledgeable about a variety of top MBA programs. Lisa had excellent ideas and helped me brainstorm my list of MBA schools. Lisa helped me broaden my search and had exceptional suggestions as far as to what to look for in a program. Once I narrowed my MBA search, Lisa was a great partner in providing advice on resume tips, interview prep, and ways to finesse my essays. I ended up receiving acceptances from all 5 programs I applied to and received 3 scholarship opportunities. I highly recommend working with Lisa Anderson if you’re interested in applying to a top MBA program as you will not be disappointed.

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I do not have enough words to express my gratitude towards Yvette. If I can assure you something, it’s that without her help I would not have been able to get into 3 top 5 schools. No chance! As an international student in tech, with lower than average GMAT (690), I had to differentiate myself from other candidates and demonstrate I could excel in the classroom. With Yvette’s All-In package, I was able accomplish this and complete near perfect applications. I strongly recommend Yvette for the following reasons:

- Helps you develop your own story, and always pushes you to come up with more questions, forcing you do dig deeper into motivations, decisions, and aspirations. I started being so generic, and she helped me come up with an application that was exactly who I am. This helped me differentiate myself from others in tech, banking, minorities, etc
- Interviews: Interview prep with Yvette starts since day 0 when you’re shaping your story (All-In package). It all builds up to get an interview and Ace it. In addition, Yvette has lots of materials and tips for Interviews. My firs mock with her was horrible, but she coached me to communicate better and more concisely.
- ALWAYS willing to help and always straight forward and brutally honest! Yvette won’t necessarily tell you what you want hear, but she’ll tell you everything you need to come up with your best possible application.

Yvette really goes out of her way to help you come up with your best possible application. She is an incredible person who’ll help you from day 0 up until admission decisions.

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I highly recommend Bill Chionis’ exceptional services to anyone looking for an experienced, considerate, enthusiastic, and efficient guide to the MBA application process.
I applied to the Wharton EMBA program and successfully got admitted with Bill’s help. I conducted more than 8 calls with other highly ranked consulting firms prior to signing up for the All-In Package with Bill.
Bill’s approach stood out because it was crisp and straight-to-the-point. Given his experience, he knew how to navigate the application process (i.e., the key parts that we needed to hit in order to craft a competitive application).
Following Bill’s advice (and putting in the work) will get you results. For example, we only had to do minor modifications to my draft application after we submitted it for a FlightTest with former admissions committee members (from Rice and Wharton) that were a part of the Stacy Blackman team. Bill intimately knows how admissions committee's evaluate applications.
Wharton was the only school that I applied for and my admission to the program is an undeniably clear validation of Bill’s approach (i.e., application strategy). Bill is highly passionate about working with candidates and that’s exactly what you want when looking for an advisor that’s dedicated to helping you create the best application. Appreciate all the help Bill!

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