I really can't say enough good things about Caryn and the entire team at SBC! After researching a ton of different firms and speaking with more than a few other consultants, I started to have decision paralysis because everyone seemed so similar. What separated SBC for me, however, was the team-based approach they took to my application. From my very first screening call with Bill, my strategy sessions with Caryn, and the flight test / interview prep I took part in with other consultants, SBC gave me access to 4-5 MBA consultants / ex-admissions officers who all gave me unique perspectives and advice for improving my candidacy.

Caryn in particular completely exceeded all of my expectations. Because I had a job with long hours, one of my biggest concerns was how I'd get all my apps done in time but Caryn handles everything with a laser-focused efficiency that kept me on track and moving at a steady pace throughout the 6 months I worked with her. She was always responsive (within a day), gave clear/detailed instructions and comments, and even followed up with me whenever I got behind (which was often..). She also helped me take disparate parts of my resume and finance-heavy background and craft a narrative that clearly articulated my career transition goals and all-important why MBA response.

With Caryn's (and the whole SBC team's) help, I received admission to HBS, Wharton and Kellogg (with a scholarship) and I could not be more thrilled with the outcome! While hiring a consultant was a big investment, I knew that getting an MBA would be an ever bigger one so I wanted to make sure I gave myself the best possible chance of getting into my dream schools. I really don't think I could've gotten into the schools I did without Caryn's help and would highly recommend SBC to anyone who's considering applying.

Read More

I signed up for the all in package with Laura Nelson and was successfully admitted into LBS and UCLA. I signed up before finishing my GMAT and Laura was helpful throughout the process. Going through the brag sheet early in the process was very in depth and helpful and allowed us to craft the best story that was a great fit for each school I applied to. Laura was very resourceful and pushed me to find current students and alumni to talk to which was incredibly helpful to understanding each school. The SBC wiki has a ton of resources on the schools, application tips and essay samples. Laura did a great job of making every sentence count in my essays. Overall, she was very easy work with, available and efficient, and easy to be vulnerable with and run ideas by. She will keep it real with you which I appreciated. You will need to be proactive to get the most out of SBC, but this shouldn't be a problem for those motivated to have a succesful application and it pays off!

Read More

Why I decided to hire an MBA consultant:
Honestly, I was quite confident in my own profile, and really pondered on the idea of whether or not to hire an MBA consultant. After all, it’s thousand of additional dollars adding to the total cost of pursuing an MBA. I made the decision to hire a consultant because: 1) neither me nor anyone in my close circle had experience applying to a top US MBA program. I have no one to turn to to ask questions related to the application process; 2) I needed guidance to put everything into a format that tailors to top business schools.

Why SBC?
I interviewed a few (5-6) MBA consultants from different firms. My gut feeling tells me that some over-evaluated my profile and some under-evaluated my profile - I do not want to work with either, as they could be biased. I had an initial call with Bill from SBC - he was confident that I could get into one of the schools on my narrow list, but he also pointed out what I needed to work on based what I got. I really appreciate the confidence booster and the practicality of his advise.

Overall experience with SBC and some afterthoughts:
I had a very good experience with SBC. I was able to get into my dream school with a decent scholarship! Of course, this is largely made possible by my consultant, Kim, who was wonderful to work with. During the application, I also did a Flight Test with another consultant, who was also very professional and helpful.

Looking back, I’m so glad that I hired a consultant - the whole process was way more competitive and challenging than I ever thought. It’s not just about how good your profile is; what also matters is presenting it in a cohesive and persuasive way to business schools - and this definitely requires a third-person perspective during the application process.

Read More

If I were to share every detail about how truly invaluable SBC and Christine's help was, my review would be 10 pages long...

In summary, Christine is the best consultant you can ask for. She listens to your experiences, thinks critically, identifies those key interconnections, and helps you craft the most compelling narrative that will be your strongest asset when submitting your application. A lot of people go back and forth on investing in a consultant, but working with Christine was absolutely worth every penny - I wouldn't have been accepted to Columbia had it not been for her seasoned guidance and insight. She forces you to think outside of the box and is with you every step of the journey, from thinking through all pieces of your last 10+ years to writing up essays to interview prep. Christine ended up being my true partner and support system throughout the entire MBA application process.

I couldn't recommend Christine and SBC more!

Read More

I personally learned out about SBC through a few friends and decided to give them a shot after reading some of the positive reviews online. My business school application process spanned 6 months (the first 3 were at quite a leisurely pace, so realistically 3 active months) and I applied to two schools. SBC’s team-driven culture stood out to me from the beginning - for example, after reaching out on the SBC website, I was connected with Esther - my initial match maker - who eventually paired me with Carol P. As an all-in package client, SBC also gave me access to valuable resources on the wiki database, which housed a good number of essays and other reference material, and access to a flight test by Amy, a former admissions officer. Throughout the entire period, Carol’s wealth of experience and passion for helping others tell their stories certainly showed. She was a great sounding board for ideas and an invaluable source of advice. Carol was also very quick to respond whenever I had any questions, even in the days leading up to the submission deadline. Despite juggling numerous clients, she was able to recall specific nuances about my background/examples we spoke about and offered targeted suggestions to craft impactful essays. This ultimately helped me secure a spot at the Stanford GSB as a finance industry applicant from a non-feeder firm in Round 1. I have nothing but great things to say about Carol and the SBC team, and highly recommend business school applicants to consider them.

Read More

After receiving my acceptance to HBS, I immediately sent a note to Dawn: "DAWN, WE DID IT!!!". I say "we" because I truly could not have rendered such a thoughtful and thorough application without Dawn's remarkable guidance. From the beginning of the written application through the conclusion of my interview, Dawn provided clear, actionable, and insightful guidance that I would have been completely lost without. I never thought I'd be the one to say this, but I actually enjoyed the application process as I learned more and more about myself in my sessions with Dawn. Dawn's greatest strength - amongst many - is her ability to look granularly at every single element of an application (literally, line by line of an essay if she needs to) while also taking a holistic approach to ensure a compelling story is told for the admissions committee. Her guidance is also a masterclass in keeping the application process moving and progressing: she always keeps you informed of timelines, what progress needs to be made, and why she is recommending certain edits. When I had my intro call with Dawn, there were a few minutes of pleasantries followed by a tactical discussion of how we would succeed - after those short moments, I knew Dawn was best-in-class. For anyone thinking about applying to business school, I have two pieces of advice: 1) hire an admissions consultant, and 2) make sure it's Dawn. Thank you again, Dawn, for all of your help, I could not be more grateful.

Read More

I had a great experience using the SBC comprehensive package. I was referred to SBC by a former colleague who matriculated at a T10 MBA program with scholarship. While I was looking at consulting firms, I was already impressed during my initial introductory call with Esther and her evaluation of my profile's strengths and weaknesses. After my initial conversation with Esther, I was matched with Dione as my dedicated admissions consultant.

Dione was an incredibly experienced and dedicated admissions consultant. Her expertise shone during our first few calls where we started working together to craft my application strategy and career vision. Throughout the application process, she was extremely responsive and provided feedback on my resume, essays and revisions, and other materials within 24 hours. I also appreciated the team-based approach that SBC took, e.g., Kim, a former Admissions Officer at Booth, conducted a flight test of my application before submission and Anthony, a former Admissions Officer at Wharton, helped conduct a mock team-based discussion in preparation for my Wharton interview

With Dione and the rest of the SBC team's support, I was accepted to two M7 schools, Wharton and Sloan with significant scholarship offerings from both schools. I would strongly recommend the Dione and SBC for anyone with the goal of being admitted to a top business school!

Read More

Just received an offer from Kellogg!! I simply can’t wait to share how much I appreciate the support from Alex and SBC!
My experience with SBC started with Sarah who demonstrated deep insights of the admission procedure. She was also able to point out a few areas that I need to work on in our very first meeting. Based on my personal background and target schools, she recommended Alex.
In addition to being professional on application, Alex is a strategic, organized and super responsive mentor. Working with him has been more than pleasant and beneficial. He guided me to set up the overall game plan and timeline, provided insider prospectives on my profile, and mostly importantly, helped me stand out among other candidates of some extremely competitive programs. His vast experience with past cases over the years also gave me unique angles to view certain challenges, and he went beyond expectation to answer of any of my questions. Needless to mention, Alex has amazing editing skills and did a fantastic job translating my engineering achievements into the language of business.
I would also thank Caryn for the flight test, an assessment with a former admission officer. Based on her feedbacks, I was able to work with Alex to address some of the concerns that might be raised during the actual admission procedure.
Overall, I would highly recommend Alex and SBC!!!

Read More

I was for a while not sure I wanted to invest in a consultant, but I am so happy that I did. My consultant Carol had such a strong hold on what the admissions committee's were looking for and was able to help me craft my application in a way that best told a story as well as highlighted my best attributes. I am so grateful for the all-in process and the speed with which everyone at SBC got back to me. The service felt bespoke and personalized, and it was very helpful to have a constant open resource to work with. I looked at a few other consulting agencies but couldn't be happier with my choice. I got in to my top 2 schools!

Read More

Before starting my MBA application, I spoke to at least 10 admission consultants. Stacy Blackman stood out to me because of consistently good reviews and also because I felt they were very straightforward while analyzing my profile.

I worked with Dawn Clare, who is one of their senior consultants. Dawn has a very high admit record for whoever works with her on a 4 school package.

My experience with her was extremely positive. I felt so comfortable discussing all my personal stories with her. Dawn has a strategic bent of mind to use the stories and help form strong narrative for the essays. She helped me distinguish my profile which was specially important given I come from an overcrowded background (Finance / India). Her way of working with the candidates is very interesting. She makes the process so smooth - I was able to work on my essays in a very stress free manner compared to my colleagues who used other consultants and were overwhelmed with the process most of the times.

I would STRONGLY suggest anyone to work with her. For me, it was a completely worthwhile investment.

I would be going to Columbia Business School next fall - thanks to Dawn!!

Read More