MBA Admissions All-in Services Reviews

When I first started working with SBC, the whole business school application process was a complete mystery to me. I signed up for the comprehensive service, and Erin guided me every step of the way. She worked hard to get to know me and my strengths, and helped me formulate an application strategy that highlighted those strengths and downplayed my weaknesses (as Erin said herself- EVERY application has weaknesses). The process was grueling, but Erin was there every step of the way. Looking back at the “before” and “after” drafts of my essays, the difference is truly startling. She helped with everything from essay writing to interview prep to answering my most silly and inane questions. Thanks to Erin and the SBC team, I am headed to a top 5 school this fall! SBC is pricy for sure, but you definitely get what you pay for. Highly recommended.

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Hi GMATClubers. I have been a member now on GMAT Club for years. I relied heavily on the blogs, reviews, etc., in making my decision on whether to hire a consulting firm. I realized quickly that most applicants use consulting firms. Although my PE firm is MBA heavy, I wanted to make sure I had every advantage going into the application pool. Also, as an international applicant, I wasn't dialed into the US MBA culture. I spoke with the leading admissions firms out there, including MBA Exchange, MBA Mission and Stacy Blackman Consulting. Ultimately, I chose SBC because it was the only firm that new how to sell its own services in an enticing way. My initial conversation with Esther Magna was spot on. She was honest with me about my profile and demonstrated within minutes the value of their services. I liked that her style was tailored to my profile. Not a boilerplate sales pitch with statistics like the other firms. Esther matched me with Jessica for the engagement. I knew I would have additional reviews by others on the SBC team, so I would be well taken care of. After a 5 school engagement, and 100+ hours of work, I gained acceptance to 4 out of my 5 schools, including a one year scholarship to to CBS. My investment more than paid off. I recommend SBC 110%.

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I had an unbelievable experience using the SBC comprehensive package. I was a reapplicant (I used SBC the first time as well but I wasn’t as successful) and I am ecstatic to say that I have numerous options to choose from this year.
After my initial conversation with Esther, I was matched with Lindsay. She had already worked in Admissions at NYU (which was one of my target schools) so it was a perfect match. From the get go, Lindsay went above and beyond in all of our interactions. She was not only extremely responsive via email but she was willing to meet in person as well. She really wanted to hear my story and helped me tailor my essays for each specific school. She has such a deep knowledge of what each school wants to hear and it was a true pleasure to work with her. I could not have gone through this process without her.
As I started to receive interviews from schools, Lindsay deferred me to Bryan who was superb as well. He knew how hard I worked on getting into these schools and he was happy to have mock interview sessions over the phone several times. He really helped me deliver my story and reconfirm that I belong in these schools.
After all of this work I am happy to say that I received an offer from Yale, NYU Stern (full merit scholarship) and Wharton and that I will be attending Wharton this summer. Wharton has always been my dream school and there is no chance I could have been here without the help of Bryan and Lindsay.

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I am delighted to write this review for the comprehensive service rendered by SBC and Kevin. if one word could explain the team it’s their “Professionalism” that stands out.

Kevin was a great support, he spent quite sometime listening to my story..to a much further past, he was a great listener n then he gave some pointers like... 'this is what your essay should look like' and 'your resume should highlight these about you' .. Initially i was quite annoyed as ... i am the one who is paying and i am doing all the work too.

Eventually after 5-6 reviews my resume and essay took shape,and i saw the advantage of doing my own essay and resume, when you are the author,it makes you the person in command, which definitely helped during my interviews as details were queried.

I am so excited that i made it the first time, the risk that i took was to keep all eggs in the same basket (it has it merits too).

Thank you so much to SBC, Bill, Ester and Kevin, keep up the good work and I strongly recommend SBC to anyone seeking consulting service.

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I highly recommend SBC, especially Seher Khanna, for admission consultants for top MBA programs. With their support, I have been admitted to my dream school and waitlisted at another top program.
As an applicant with a non-traditional background and diverse experiences, I was concerned about the application process and wanted the assistance of professional to properly capture my story through the application materials. After our initial call, Esther Magna provided me with options for consultants that best matched my background and goals. Upon her recommendation, I chose to work with Seher.
Seher was particularly excellent at tailoring my personal narrative for each application. After our first two-hour discovery phone call, she was able to deeply understand aspects of my background and stories, and precisely identified strengths and potential weakness in my candidacy. Her insights on which examples highlighted my strengths were invaluable. She was also honest about which examples added little to my application. I applied for schools both in Round 1 and Round 2, and through this ten-month application process, Seher was always flexible and available. She also encouraged me when I was rejected and waitlisted from my target schools in Round 1.
SBC also provided another consultant, Denise, to conduct a Flight Test to provide another perspective for my application. Seher was comprehensive to the point of going out of her way to get another consultant to review my essay. I appreciate all of her support, patience, and guidance in helping me realize my dreams and could not recommend her more highly to any potential applicants!

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I applied to four schools round 1 for this past year and used Caryn Altman at Stacy Blackman Consulting. In short, she was fantastic. I felt as though she was extremely invested in my success, was very strategic and always steered by in the right direction. She was also very available and communicative. She always responded to my emails and was willing to hop on the phone when I asked her to.

I got into two top schools and was wait-listed at a third. I feel really good about how the process ended up and am confident I would not have gotten to where I am without Caryn's support. I would (and already have) recommend her to anyone looking for comprehensive consulting services for top MBA programs.

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I purchased SBC’s comprehensive package with Jennifer Vargo, and I couldn’t be happier with the experience!

After my initial 2-hour phone conversation with Jen, she was able to help me identify important life experiences that I could write about – stories that I didn’t think was all that important. Jen was also extremely responsive, and always responded within 24 hours (sometimes at 4am in the morning!) What I really appreciated was Jen’s patience and her honest feedback, as she would at times tell me that my essay theme didn’t work or that I should try using a different example to better convey my point, and I would start over and re-write the entire essay. I had two different drafts for one of my schools (each highlighting a different personal experience), and Jen and I disagreed on which version was better. Instead of just letting me pick one, she went out of her way and asked another colleague within SBC for a third opinion. This again shows the level of dedication that Jen has to make sure that you feel the most confident with your final work. After countless versions and drafts, I was very happy with my final essays because I think they really represented who I am. I am happy to say that I got my top choice at HBS!

Aside from Jen, all the staff members at SBC were amazing! Everyone was extremely helpful and I felt that I had more than what I needed to prepare for all my essays and interviews (such as the complimentary SBC guides, the flight test, and their interview questions vault). I highly recommend SBC and Jennifer – especially if you’re looking to apply for highly competitive, top tier schools.

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Stacy Blackman was recommended to me by a friend when I was feeling lost in the beginning to the whole process. I reached out and was matched with Jessica and we instantly clicked. Her background and personality complemented mine and I couldn't imagine having worked with anyone else (even though I'm sure all of the other consultants are wonderful). I was a little worried that the distance would make it tough to connect and truly get valuable feedback, but I was very wrong. From the beginning, Jessica helped me craft my story, highlight my strengths, and realize what I needed to focus on in my application. She was always available to me and guided me through updating my resume, editing my essays countless times, and preparing for the interview. She gave me so much perspective and provided feedback in a way that did not belittle me, but really allowed me to realize important updates that needed to be made. I honestly do not think I would be in the position that I am in (two for two, making a decision between Kellogg and Booth) had it not been for Jessica and Stacy Blackman. I cannot stress enough how valuable and helpful it was for me - it is definitely worth it to invest in a consultant through Stacy Blackman, as the alternative is to run the risk of an unfavorable outcome after a very draining process.

If you are even considering it, definitely choose Stacy Blackman. I am so so happy that I did!

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Fighting for a spot in the top MBA program is a tough process-mentally and physically. Coming from a non-traditional background, I lack confidence in myself, wondering how I could stand out among thousands of applicants and show the best of me. I am glad to say that my consultant CP Tseng from SBC and the team greatly facilitated this process and helped me focus my energy on working on the right things instead of worrying about what I couldn’t change.

As an international applicant, at first I struggled to tell my story right. From essays to interviews, CP continuously gave me guidance and inspired me to reflect on my experience, identify my virtues and transform scattered ideas into a vivid story that I hope the admission team to know about me. While most of the time I kept making progress with CP’s professional help, I sometimes got stressful and started to doubt on myself, CP kept me on track not only by encouraging me but also by providing cool-headed, constructive feedback. Personally, I think the technical and emotional supports are equally valuable in this service. After all, the admission process could be very subjective and you may need to move on under uncertainties.

Finally, I chose SBC because I trust someone who themselves had successfully been through this process and assisted many people through this process. I highly recommend this all-star team and as I told my brilliant consultant CP, “thank you for making my dream come true”.

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I worked with Jen Vargo from Stacy Blackman Consulting, and I had a fantastic experience!

I am a non-traditional applicant on the less experienced side (will have 3 years of work experience going into business school), and my undergraduate GPA was not great (3.1). I was very overwhelmed by the application process, but Jen and SBC made the entire process very smooth and straightforward for me. From my first phone call, I felt that the SBC team did a great job at helping me craft my story.

Jen is extremely professional, experienced, and patient. She took the time to understand me as an applicant and as a person. She gave me honest feedback about my essays and helped me with interview preparations. She was extremely responsive - I would send her ideas or essay drafts before bed, and receive feedback from her in the morning. She helped me prepare for a "Flight Test" - where another consultant reviewed my comprehensive application as if an AdCom member would. But most importantly, she was confident in my candidacy and my application, even during times when I felt extremely stressed.

Thanks to Jen and SBC, I am headed to my top choice, Booth, this fall. I highly recommend Jen and Stacy Blackman Consulting!

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