With Andy’s help, I was recently admitted to several top programs including Stanford GSB. I do not think I would have been able to accomplish this without Andy’s expert guidance, not to mention the sense of calm and positivity he delivered throughout my application process. Andy’s feedback was extremely detailed, and I never got the sense that he was providing cookie-cutter advice. He does not use templates during the advisory process, but rather provides thoughtful and challenging feedback that helped my application develop into a unique and comprehensive expression of my candidacy. He never re-wrote any of my materials which guaranteed that my genuine voice could shine through in my applications.

A couple of things that I can’t thank Andy for enough were his suggestion that I apply to two programs that I had previously not considered—and how generous he was with his time helping me prep for interviews. Responsiveness and reliability were stellar working with Andy. I also want to add that I purchased a 2 school package with SBC. This allowed me the peace of mind to work with Andy as much as I needed without having to worry about “the clock.”

If I had to do it again, I would pick Andy. I look forward to the opportunity to refer him to my peers and friends.

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I don't know where to begin. I was accepted to my first choice school, Yale SOM - a dream that I never thought possible and that would never have BEEN possible without Stacy Blackman Consulting.

As a very unusual candidate, I knew that I needed the comprehensive package to have any shot. From my first communication with Esther Magna over a year before I applied, I felt that SBC differed from all of the other admissions consulting companies I was speaking with. Esther was forthright about my strengths and weaknesses and laid out clear advice in our free 30 minute call, and I felt that her assessment was more realistic than that of anyone else with whom I'd spoken.

I cannot speak more highly of Sherry, my consultant. I wouldn't have made it through this process without her. She is so knowledgeable, perceptive, thoughtful, and clear - she helped me conceive a strategy and then held my hand and cheered me on every step of the way. She is extraordinarily responsive over email and would always give me a time frame in which she would get back to me. From helping me plot a timeline and stick with it, to guiding me through writing my essays, to preparing me for my interview and advising on my communication with the Admissions Committee, she helped me navigate every step of the process. Sherry asked incisive, challenging questions that made me think hard about who I am and what I want - and enabled me to convey those things to the Admissions Committee in a coherent and compelling way. Sherry couldn't have been more helpful with my essay - she was honest about the ways in which she thought that it could and should be better and more true to me, and so when I finally got it right after many drafts, I knew that her praise was entirely genuine.

Caryn, my Flight Tester, was fantastic. She was honest about anything that she perceived as unclear and had very actionable suggestions, which was critical at that point in the process and made me feel confident when I submitted my application.

After submitting my application I quickly had to turn to the video questions, and SBC's video platform is excellent. I submitted practice video question responses to Bill Chionis for review, and he gave tremendously thoughtful, detailed feedback that I found hugely helpful and was able to implement when I actually completed the video questions. This same video platform was fantastic when I was preparing for my interview, but I found the questions that Sherry asked me to prepare and our mock interview to be the most essential to what I thought was a very good interview.

I cannot adequately express my gratitude to the entire SBC team. I could never have done this without you all - you changed my life!

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Hiring SBC was the smartest move I made while applying to b-school. I worked with an incredible consultant, Chris, who made all the difference for me. Chris has been consulting for many years and knew exactly how to tweak my stories so that they were more authentic and strategic. The difference was clear to me very quickly and I ended up increasing to a full three school package. I actually really enjoyed working with Chris - he is smart, funny and helped me to get real. He never made me feel like I was pestering him even though I am sure I was - there were a few times where I freaked out about small details and could not decide which path to take. He was my voice of reason. Additionally, within my three school package, my application was reviewed by another consultant who came from Kellogg Admissions. This was valuable because she identified a few details that we needed to refine. At the end of the day, I am going to Kellogg and my only regret - that Chris cannot come along....My before and after essays, resume, application form, rec letters etc are striking. The difference is clear. I gained so much from this partnership with the SBC team and am eternally grateful!

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I am very happy I took the plunge to opt for a comprehensive package with SBC - I was very hesitant about the price tag but can say that it was very well worth it! I applied to two schools during R2 and got into both, including my top choice, Stanford GSB.

I came across SBC from Poets & Quants, and because I was starting the application process very late, I didn't shop around much. I had an initial call with Bill, which I honestly did not feel good about - it was a bit cold, impersonal, and rushed, but I decided to go ahead and look at the consultant profiles he sent. I chose Jen Vargo because I liked that she went to Stanford and similar to me studied engineering in undergrad. I had an initial call with Jen and was sold! She was smart, nice, & efficient, and I really appreciated her honestly on some of my questions.

Throughout the course of 4 weeks Jen helped me pull together two applications. We hit the ground running with her strategy- I thought she was spot on with the strengths to highlight (which she gathered after just one phone call!). She also helped me brainstorm essay ideas when I was having terrible writer's block. And I think her edits made all the difference - the essay contents were fundamentally mine, but her edits really pulled them all together.

She was also very responsive - I would email her work products in the late evening and I'd have a response in my inbox by the time I woke up. We primarily communicated via email, but she was also willing to talk to me in the evenings after work.

All in all it was very easy to work with Jen. My only source of stress was when I was about to click "Submit" because I didn't have a good sense of if my application was any good. My fault because I chose competitive schools to apply to and never asked for any feedback, and Jen did not give much unsolicited positive reinforcement during the process (but better than giving false hopes!)...so if I were to do it over again I would've asked her for her opinion earlier in the process! But as I mentioned the end result was fantastic, and I wholly recommend Jen Vargo & SBC.

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Throughout the process, Stacy Blackman was able to: a) expertly select the proper consultant, b) walk me through the admissions process generally, c) mold my non-traditional background into a compelling and relatable admissions profile, and d) answer any questions I had (even the most minute) at any point during the process. I had an incredibly specific story but one that posed a lot of potential issues during the application process, but SBC, and my consultant, truly provided me an unparalleled (and comforting) level of care that put me at ease. I was blown away by my consultant's attention to detail, knowledge of the process, and most of all, excitement over my specific candidacy. I also recommend SBC's flight test package for anybody who can afford it. I cannot recommend SBC enough!

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I worked with Lisa Anderson at SB during the round 1 application cycle and the experience with SB and Lisa could not have been better. The company itself is professional and responsive - staff was quick to put me in touch with a few consultants and always responded immediately when services were needed.

As for Lisa - I am convinced that I would not have been nearly as successful in this process without her help and guidance. Lisa took the time to listen to me, develop a plan, and make sure we stuck to that plan throughout the process. My essays and applications were polished and represented me in the way that I wanted. Lisa's ability to be genuinely invested in the process and willing to help in any way possible is truly invaluable as this process can be long and grueling. She was/is always there to talk through ideas, keep you on track, and be a support line when needed. If you are so lucky to work with Lisa, you will be forever grateful.

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Applying for a top MBA program can be quite intimidating, especially if you have a non-traditional background. Cassia helped me make sense of the whole process through her insightful coaching and positive attitude. Not only did she work with me on polishing my story in straightforward fashion but she gave me invaluable tips into how to approach each part of my application. I can without a doubt recommend Cassia if you are thinking about applying for an MBA program. She is a hard-working and caring individual who will take the time to help you build the best application possible. I am excited of starting Columbia’s MBA program this fall.

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Unlike a lot of people applying to business school, I knew almost no one who had ever attended an MBA program. I started researching online to gather information and ended up spending many (too many) hours reading through forums, blogs and school websites. I finally decided to hire a consultant to help me. In the end I chose Stacy Blackman Consulting because they have a great reviews and have been around for a long time. I felt safe with their team and also protected by the fact that they have several people who would all be helping me in different ways. I am very happy with my choice. The minute I signed on was like a miracle. All of a sudden I had someone helping me through. Jessica (formerly with Haas and Darden Admissions Office) guided me with complete confidence every step of the process. My resume, school forms, essays of course, interviews and other aspects such as setting up visits to the schools and contacting people at the schools. Although many people consider a consultant to be optional, for me is was essential - I honestly do not know how I could have done this without Jessica's help and complete patience and thoroughness. The SB resources such as the Admissions review of my full application were fantastic.
I am so excited I am going to Darden in the Fall. Thanks you Jessica and Stacy Blackman Consulting.

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I opted for a comprehensive 3 school package and applied to Fuqua, Anderson and McCombs with Ryan's help. Initially, I was not sure about which schools I should apply to, given my preferences and profile. Ryan heard every bit of my story very carefully and asked certain intelligent questions. Then suggested a mix of schools into which I could certainly get accepted this year. After school selection, we started with various components of the application. Ryan laid out a complete application plan with set milestones , which I referred to, every now and then to be able to submit my applications on time. I must say the application plan was very detailed and well structured. The best thing about Ryan is that he knows exactly which story to highlight or what to say in any essay. This really helped me focus on the right content and draft a great story for myself. I absolutely loved his suggestions and edits, which were crisp and to the point. He also helped me rephrase my sentences in a way that produced the wow effect. Overall, with Ryan's structured approach, precise suggestions, and flexible working style, I got interview invites from all schools that I applied to, and I am finally joining Duke. Thanks Ryan!

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I am from a overrepresented applicant pool and my GPA and work experience were average. So I knew, I needed some help to differentiate myself. I spoke to several admission consultants and decide to go with SBC because of their overall professionalism. I worked with Kevin Rockmael. He helped me decide what stories to tell and what aspects of the stories to focus on. He was always prompt with his responses and helped me stick to my schedule. His insight into the admissions process and his ability to create a clean narrative helped me a lot. SBC's flight test is awesome because, it gives you a real adcom's perspective on your essays. With all this help, I was able to get into a top 15 program with a scholarship. This was a great investment into my future.

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