I cannot express how grateful I am for Maureen and Stacy Blackman. With the help, support, and resources of Maureen and Stacy Blackman, I found great success in my MBA applications. I was accepted to Tuck, Ross, and Fuqua, my top choices!

From my initial consultation with Sarah Tsai, I received customized and tailored advice from Stacy Blackman. Sarah matched me with Maureen based on my background and goals, and it was a great fit! Maureen took the time to really get to know my background, experiences, and goals, and worked with me to create a schedule and application plan. When I fell behind schedule due to disappointing GMAT scores, she helped and motivated me to stay on track and ensure that I ultimately met my round one deadlines. From the beginning, she set clear expectations and made me aware of my weaknesses. This allowed me to acknowledge and address these weaknesses in my application. Most significantly, I had a low GMAT quant score. While I felt discouraged, Maureen pushed me to retake the test multiple times, and even consider the GRE. She encouraged me to take advantage of all possible opportunities to ensure I submitted my best possible application.

Maureen and I worked on countless resume, essay, and email drafts. Because she really understood my experiences and goals, she helped me to create unique and personalized essays. She consistently emailed me back drafts the same day with strong edits and ideas. I emailed her daily with questions and concerns and she never failed to respond in a timely and thorough manner. Maureen was invested in my success throughout the whole process. She provided insight into the particular programs that I was applying to and helped me to differentiate my applications. She followed up with me after each interview and event that I attended. I am so incredibly grateful for Maureen and Stacy Blackman.

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At first hesitant to sign-up for the all-in service as an applicant getting going ~2 months before applications were due, I can't vouch enough for the value Beth provided during my MBA application mission.

Beth helped structure my story as a unique applicant (despite a traditional background), provided extensive edits throughout the essay writing process (and complete story revamps), managed my timeline to a T and made it possible to go 3/3 on M7 schools as a white male with a finance background (something that I believed had put me at a disadvantage). Beth provided realistic expectations, valuable insights based on her past experiences, and was incredibly timely throughout.

Her helpfulness as part of the all-in package for Kellogg resulted in me using some of her services (hourly) for Michigan and Wharton as well. Ultimately, I was accepted to all 3 schools, which significant merit scholarships to both 2 of the schools. I can't vouch for Beth enough

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After being dinged at H/S/W last year, I decided to use SBC first for ding analysis, and ultimately as a resource in reapplying this year. I did a good bit of research before selecting them and did so because (a) they have a large team, many of which were adcom members at top business schools and (b) they demonstrated significant expertise in each interaction I had with them.

While using an admissions consultant is a major investment, if you've decided you're going to pursue an MBA the incremental cost is relatively small, and the benefit is real in ensuring you have a shot at your dream schools. I worked with Meghan, a former Wharton adcom member who knew the ins and outs of the application process, beginning with a 2 hour kick-off discussion on my past experience, career goals, and potential schools. She helped me sift through my various professional and personal experiences to determine which are worth highlighting in essays as I crafted my narrative. She also gave me very tangible advice to strengthen my application, including re-taking the GMAT to aim for a higher quant score (which I wouldn't have done otherwise) and revisiting my LoR strategy.

We then went through 4-5 rounds of edits on my resume and each essay for the schools I was applying to. The improvement from my first draft to final copy was marked, and I have Meghan to thank for much of that. Your consultant won't write your essays, but she can offer invaluable perspective on how best to position your story to stand out. She put me at ease throughout the process and was very accessible.

One other differentiator worth calling out it SBC's wealth of resources available to clients. These include a free flight test for those who purchase an all-in package (which is a dry run at a profile evaluation), a number of resources for each school on strategy for essays and interviews, and other resources who are available as a second/third opinion when needed. This is a large, well-established group that clearly knows what they're doing.

I was admitted to Booth and Wharton first round (2/2 for the schools I worked with Meghan on), and attribute a good deal of my success to the guidance she provided. I'd recommend Meghan and SBC more broadly as an excellent resource for those serious about gaining admission to top business schools.

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As I started my MBA journey, I was very keen on hiring a consultant since I wasn't an "easy" candidate. I started researching and had conversations with at least 7-8 different companies before settling on SBC. Going into the process I was looking for a company that would not sugar coat things and would take a personal interest in me. Two things sold me on SBC:
1) An initial conversation with Esther Magna. She gave point blank and honest advice on my application, which is exactly what I was looking for. I was also struggling between which consultant, and Esther was incredibly transparent about who would fit my needs best
2) Lisa's persistence of exploring the why behind each question. I made a point to have a conversation with her before officially signing on, and she really helped ease my nerves. Also, I'd read solid reviews on Lisa being a great consultant for difficult candidates (by difficult, I mean applicants aiming for Top 10 with lower GMAT scores). She was fantastic throughout the process, and I could not be happier!

Ultimately, I had a great experience and got admitted to 3 of the 6 schools I applied to. Highly recommend SBC!

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Since my first contact with Bill regarding Stacy Blackman's services, I could tell right away that it would be a great increase to my MBA chances. I was told right away that the story that I had in my head was off and why it wouldn't fly with admissions at top schools, and from all the experience I've had since, I can definitely see why that was the case.

I signed up for the service and got matched up with Amy, and she was absolutely fantastic. The care and attention to detail she put into helping me fix up my resume, story and overall presentation of my applications was amazing and so appreciated. She was responsive, helpful, friendly and encouraging and definitely played a big part in helping me to get the offer of a lifetime!

Also, the Flight test administered by Beth was another big confidence boost, allowing me to focus on interviews knowing that my profile was strong enough for my target schools. I would recommend the service to anyone who is serious about their future!

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I was initially hesitant to hire a consultant, but decided to take a chance with Sherry after reading her online reviews. Going with Sherry ended up being the single best decision I made in the application process. She put all of my fears to rest and guided me through every step of the application process. Her extensive experience on an admissions staff helped inform her thoughtful input to my applications. In addition to Sherry, the Stacy Blackman team including Esther Magna, Beth Tidmarsh, and Lisa Anderson provided critical support and a variety of perspectives. I am grateful to all of them for help with my successful applications.

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Erika was instrumental to my success. Not only did she help me with positioning, but she also guided me during the stressful application process. Erika is a great editor and the revision process helped me clearly outline my strengths and show the adcoms why I was a great addition to the programs I applied to. Her expertise with the various programs also provided valuable insights into the interview process, and helped me nail my interviews. Erika truly cares about her applicants and wants to see them succeed. My expectations were exceeded and I could not recommend a consultant any higher than Erika!

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Stacy Blackman Consulting’s approach and team were outstanding, and I would highly recommend them to anyone considering business school. Specifically, I worked with Laura Nelson (laura@stacyblackman.com), and she was an incredible help through the entire process. I purchased the “All-In” package, and while it was a considerable investment, it was definitely money well spent.

My application was rushed, as I did not start applying until late January. Despite that, Laura and the rest of the SBC team worked with me from the very beginning to find the best fit schools and develop a strategy to navigate our short time span. Laura really helped me articulate my career aspirations and was also very effective at bringing to light and expanding on certain parts of my resume that would resonate with the admissions committee. Laura was very attentive, responsive, and knowledgeable, and I’m incredibly appreciative for all her hard work.

I ultimately applied to two top 7 schools, both of which were “reaches”, and I was admitted into one and waitlisted (unsuccessfully) at the other. There is no doubt that I would not have been as successful if not for Laura and SBC. Working with them was a great experience, and I’m confident that anyone else that hires them will feel the same way.

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I applied in Round II for admission to the Class of 2020, gaining acceptance to HBS, Wharton and Kellogg, with a waitlist at CBS, thanks to Caryn's extraordinary help and guidance. I am thrilled to be attending my dream school, HBS, this fall.

Caryn, who worked at Kellogg's Admission Office before starting her career as a consultant, was a great mentor through the application process from school selection to interview prep. She truly wanted to get to know who I am and ensure the career goals expressed in my application were clear and credible. Her judgment was excellent, and I found myself relying her feedback more than that of friends and family early on. For someone with enormous nerves about "aiming too high," the GMAT, essay-writing, and interviews - she was a guiding light! I also appreciated her quick rounds of feedback, including several in the days before applications were due. Overall-- I found her to be a warm, honest and incisive coach for the months we worked together.

I would also commend Stacy Blackman as a firm for their tremendous resources, above and beyond the consultant relationship. Esther Magna and the administrative team made on-boarding with the firm a breeze. The wiki was invaluable, especially for looking at past successful resumes and essays. The "flight test" with a top-business school alumni, in which your full application is read end-to-end, was a helpful exercise. And when interviews came, the access to a Wharton mock interview with other clients of the firm, special 1:1 coaching for HBS, practice interview with Caryn w/ feedback, and online practice tools were a lifesaver.

I think Stacy Blackman does not so much as "steer" your application as give you all the tools and answers to make you come through at your best. What I presented in my final applications was my voice and my experience, informed by the feedback and reactions of numerous ex-Admissions officers. It was clearer and more confident than what I would have written alone. For these reasons, I'd recommend SBC and Caryn in particular highly. Do not hesitate to request her when you give SBC a call!

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TLDR: SBC is a partnership that prepares you like no other consulting firm. From the moment I joined to the moment I received my acceptance to HBS, I know I sent my best application to each school because of my relationship and partnership with SBC and Margaret.

I started by reading reviews and calling several companies, looking for the best “fit” consulting firm. After several days of research, I narrowed my search to two consulting firms: SBC and mbaMission, setting up initial consultations with both firms. My stats were slightly under the ballpark for the M7 schools, but I thought I had a compelling story. It was important to have a consulting company help me hone my unique story, a difficult task with only 300-500 words per essay. After both conversations, I felt a strong connection with the team at SBC. They exuded confidence, and took a real look at my background during the initial consult (some firms provide only minimal advice during the free consultation). SBC provides several potential consultants, and you select the one that best suits you and your background. My consultant was Margaret, who helped me excel during the application process. She became a true partner very early on and helped me reach my near impossible dream of being admitted into HBS.

In every aspect of the application, from the intense research to the hundreds of edits, I saw tremendous growth in my essay writing and in my application package. Through SBC, I was able to shape a genuine narrative about my background and my future goals. On the day I received my HBS acceptance, I called my family and then immediately called Margaret, a testament to the strong partnership we developed during the application process.

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