Hiring Yvette and Stacy Blackman Consulting was one of the best decisions I made during my MBA application process. With Yvette and team's help, I was fortunate enough to be admitted to all three programs where I applied (HBS, Wharton, and Sloan).

I started "interviewing" different consulting firms and reaching out to friends for their recommendations. I was by FAR most impressed by the Stacy Blackman team. From my first call with Sarah, I knew that they were experts in the process and had the resources and experience to advise me well. They introduced me to two different consultants (matched based off the schools I was interested in and my career path); However, after talking to Yvette, I knew she was who I wanted to work with as my primary consultant.

Yvette and I started working together right after July 4th and began talking regularly to get my applications pulled together for round 1. Yvette played the role of therapist, editor, and strategist, helping me synthesize my experiences into tightly written / direct narratives. She also helped me completely rework my resume to fit the MBA application.

Applying to business school can be stressful, but I felt so lucky to have Yvette and team to turn to. At one point, when I felt we hit a roadblock on one of my essays, Yvette wisely looped in another consultant (Andy) who was able to serve as an unbiased set of eyes and provide additional valuable feedback. The Flight Test with a former admissions officer at one of my target schools, helped me feel confident about the package of materials that I put together.

When it came time for interviews, Yvette stepped up once again. We prepped together and even did a fully in-character mock interview. This certainly helped craft the "sound bites" for my interviews and gave me a lot of confidence.

The business school application process is a TON of work, but having an admissions consultant can help keep you on track and provide expert advice from their experience. I viewed hiring an admissions consultant as an investment and I feel like I got an amazing return --- I will be heading to HBS in the fall!

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I had pretty set post MBA goals and as such knew what core schools I wanted to apply to, so I knew that working with an admissions consultant would be vital in helping me get into the schools I was targeting. I reached out to a few admissions consulting companies and immediately felt at ease after talking with Esther who then paired me with Amy, who has a wonderful track record of placing applicants into the schools I was targeting.

Amy was nothing short of wonderful. She was honest and forthright but always polite and respectful of my perspective. I remember, after giving some feedback on my initial set of essays, I didn't feel comfortable with one of the edits and after explaining my rationale, not only did she support my reasoning, she also got another consultant's feedback on that specific part of the essay during my flight-test.

Amy also pushed me to be proactive and constantly doing things that would improve my application during the "waiting" period of the application cycle - such as reaching out to currents students, alumni and conducting informational calls, all of which have not only helped me during the admissions process but have helped me in preparation for b-school. You cannot go wrong with SBC and because of Amy and the rest of the team I will be attending a top 15 b-school!

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I worked with Erika at SBC for R1 for HBS and Stanford GSB Class of 2020. The overall process was great and I was admitted to both. It started with a conversation and document that pulled out the best stories I had to offer. It was a very holistic process where Erika provided support and motivation throughout. She was very candid throughout, not hesitating to tell me if a story was not helpful. She was always extremely responsive and the communication was great. She helped guide me throughout the process and in my professional life too. I bounced a couple of career questions off of her and she was very helpful. The flight test offered by SBC was also very helpful as it put my application in front of a real former admissions officer and gave a second opinion of my application.

Once interview season came around, Erika helped me tremendously with what to expect and interview prep questions. Even after the decisions came in, she was very helpful with thoughts about which school to pick and how to consider the question.

I highly recommend Erika as she is a great resource and very personal also. A pleasure to work with but also highly effective.

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If you are reading this review, you are probably like me one year ago, weighing the merits vs costs of getting admissions consulting services from SBC. Here's some information I hope would help you make that decision:

-How do you feel about the All-in service?
Christina and team provided a wealth of support, and more importantly feedback customised to your profile. For example, the Flight Test allows me to submit an application to former Admissions Officer, Caryn, for evaluation. Extremely useful for me to see what are the strengths and weaknesses of my candidacy.

-How do you find the SBC consultant?
It is like training with an elite Olympics coach for MBA application.
I am very fortunate to have Christina as my consultant. Incredibly dedicated and energetic, she gives her 120% to put together the best application. She provided many insights into the schools I was applying to, which came in handy at critical parts of my interviews.

-How was the consulting process like?
I have looked up various firms, and eventually decided on SBC based on recommendation of my friend who is in Stanford now.

The initial discussion was based on my candidate's profile and SBC then matched me with Christina. The we began to review all application material in earnest to craft a complete information package for schools.
When the list of schools are finalised, Christina and the SBC team was able to provide school-specific advice and interview prep.

SBC also has a amazing wiki that is a treasure trove of information to MBA applicants.

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Sherry was a huge help throughout my whole application process. After picking out my target schools, thoroughly completing my resume with her help, and waiting on one final GMAT score, we dove head first into the applications. My first application was due only one and a half weeks from that point and Sherry made sure to keep me on track and help me produce a very strong application. From there on out, I completed 5 more applications in only 6-7 weeks and she was there every step of the way. I was working on very tight deadlines and Sherry was able to efficiently and effectively help me work through recommendations, essays, applications, and everything else that came my way. After sending out 6 strong applications and moving onto the interview portion of the process, Sherry continued to show her dedication and knowledge through this part of the application. At the end of the day, I got interviews at 5 of the 6 schools and was accepted to my top choice (top-15 program).

From start to finish Sherry was always diligent, focused and showed complete dedication to my success. Her extensive expierence and knowledge in every aspect of the MBA application proccess was always apparent, and I would not have gotten to where I am without her. I am very excited for what the future holds and Stacy Blackman Consulting, Bill Chonis (SBC Principal Consultant), and most importantly Sherry were a huge part of my acceptance to a top-15 business school.

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I opted for the "All-In" service offered by Stacey Blackman and was paired with Danielle. Going into the process I knew very little on what business schools were looking for. Throughout the entire process Danielle was instrumental in shaping my story and ensuring that I put my best foot forward. She not only ensured that my essays were perfect but she took the time to adequately prepare me for the multiple interviews as well. I can honestly say that without her I would have never received a scholarship to my top school of choice! I cannot recommend her or Stacey Blackman highly enough.

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I had an incredible experience with Margaret, and couldn't be more thrilled to be admitted to both Wharton and Kellogg (with scholarships)!

I researched several admissions consultancies and after speaking with Margaret, I knew immediately that she was the perfect fit. I opted for the 3-school all-in package. As a common applicant (male with consulting foundation), Margaret did a tremendous job helping me differentiate my story from the pack, providing candid feedback, and remaining incredibly responsive to any and all questions I had throughout the process. I never felt rushed on our calls together and she genuinely cared about getting to know me personally.

The additional SBC resources also provided invaluable admissions intel and allowed me to submit my applications with full confidence - from the Flight Test (full app read-through by a former adcom) to mock interview prep (Wharton TBD simulation moderated by a former adcom).

I couldn't have done it without them. Cheers to Margaret and the SBC team!

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I contacted SBC in late July 2017 to inquire about Admissions Consulting. Soon after, Bill called me and over a 20 minute conversation I was impressed by his deep and wide ranging knowledge of the process.

After I completed the GMAT on September 1, we signed on together for an All-in 2 school consulting package. Having only 6 weeks before R1 deadlines, Bill laid out the best plan forward and guided me through every step of the way. He never pressured me, but rather always had helpful insights to offer when I encountered difficulty. Bill efficiently coached me through a thorough and introspective evaluation process of my background, from which he helped me understand my strengths and weaknesses. This was not only essential to MBA applications, but will also help me during recruiting in Business school as well.

Overall, SBC and Bill offered me an unparalleled package that provided the tools necessary to build a successful application.

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Trust the process. That's what I kept telling myself when decided to re-apply to the top 2 business schools in the world. I knew even an interview was beyond a long shot after being dinged without an interview in 2016 Round 2 but after the previous year's rushed and half hearted submission, I was determined to give it my all.

I vetted both MBAMission and SBC and after my introductory call with Dawn I knew I had found my match. SBC's approach was more introspective, not formulaic, and was specific to who I was as an applicant and the experiences that had shaped me into who I was. I was indeed a unique candidate and Dawn had a unique approach that was tailored to me, my experiences and my story. Her in depth knowledge of both schools and their specific applications helped put me at ease and gave me confidence that I could get past the black box of admissions and get to the interview stage. Not only did I get interviews at both schools but I got offer letters from both as well. I would not have made it without her help and guidance.

I would highly recommend SBC to anyone who is considering applying for an MBA. The investment is well worth it.

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SBC was an absolute pleasure to work with. When I started doing research on various consultancies, I imagined working with a consultant who would simply take a few looks at my essays and give me brief feedback via email. Esther and team made sure this was not the case.

My coach, DC, went above and beyond. She took a clear interest in me and my narrative and worked closely with me to make sure that my story was not only coherent (tying together my disparate professional and personal experiences), but also that it would ring true to my aspirations and simultaneously align with what each school was looking for.

Additionally, DC was refreshingly critical and gave me a "real" outlook on how my application would be viewed given my career to date and my background as a South Asian American male. She was also incredibly responsive - I honestly don't know how she could provide so much depth in her feedback on such quick turnarounds.

Beyond, my one-on-one coaching, SBC also provided opportunities for a mock team interview for Wharton and an individual analysis on performance. This was incredibly helpful.

I'm so lucky to have been paired up with DC (and the SBC team) and could not have imagined a better experience. If you have a chance to work with SBC, and DC specifically, there really shouldn't be any hesitation. Totally worth it. Thank you DC for all of your guidance and for helping me get into Wharton (and an interview at GSB)!

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