Erika (SBC) Reviews

I can't say that I "enjoyed" the process, but Erika was an incredible resource throughout my MBA application process and I'm very happy with how my applications and admissions decisions turned out.

I hired SBC only about two months before the application deadlines, so I was very concerned that I wouldn't have time to get out high quality applications while still fulfilling my responsibilities at work.

Erika guided me through the whole process. We started with an initial kick off phone call and extensive 'about me' survey and then worked on drafting the essays and application fields.

For each, we’d iterate on an outline and then she would review and mark up my drafts. Some were really easy to get done and some took a lot of turns. Regardless, it felt like Erika was willing to stick with me through as many rounds of edits as it took.

There were a few key advantages of using Erika at SBC:
Quality of Writing - She is very skilled at projecting your authentic voice, but framing your story in a way that is much more concise and refined than you possibly sound in real life

Experience with the Applications - Erika knows what works and what doesn’t. She shot down many of my bad essay ideas along the way and shaped my overall applicant story into a compelling narrative

Speed - Working with Erika, you can churn out an essay per week, which is much faster than you could ever do on your own.

Overall, I was very happy with my experience working with Erika at SBC. She definitely won’t write the essays for you, but if you’re willing to put in the effort and work with her, you’ll be impressed with the results.

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I would like to give my two cents on the comprehensive package services by Stacy Blackman. I had the opportunity to work with Erika Olson as my consultant. I had signed up for a comprehensive package for two universities.

Let me give a brief background about myself. At the time of my application, I was working as a Performance Manager with Schlumberger Middle East SA. I was based out of Abu Dhabi. Prior to Abu Dhabi, I had worked in oil fields in Iraq for a year and a half. Being a female employee and working in geographically unstable locations such as Iraq in a male dominant industry such as Oil and Gas, might sound a fantastic outline for an essay for a B-School. Unfortunately, it is not. It is quite stereotypical to assume that and to be honest a bit cliche.

Yes, there are a lot of factors that the admission committee looks into prior to shortlisting you for an interview. Erika played a very big role in helping me to understand my strengths and making sure my profile stands out; she ensured my essays clearly highlight who I am, my traits and my qualities that I bring to the table. Some people work well with people who are very strategic and organized in their approach. If you are one of such person, then Erika can definitely help you bring out the best in you in your essays.

Having said that, I also strongly believe that while your consultant can help you bring out your strengths in your stories, it is important to sometimes stick to your gut feelings.

While working on my Essays with Erika, after 10 extensive and grueling versions of my essays I changed the approach of the story completely. I felt that even after 10 versions something was not clicking. That is when you expect your consultant to be patient and open to your point of view in spite of the long hours spent by her on your essays, fixing the minor details and the tone. This is exactly what I got from Erika. Although Erika disagreed with me on few things, she respected the fact that this was my essay in the end and I should feel comfortable while telling my stories.

Erika helped me with the comprehensive package for 2 universities - Kellogg and Haas. With the help of these 2 essays, I ended up applying to 7 universities and got an invite for the interview from 6 of them. I decided to work on my Harvard Business School Interview with Erika. Given her years of experience and expertise on this subject, she clearly knew what sort of questions to expect and prepared me well for the interview. I still remember her comment at the end of my mock interview - 'You are a rockstar and I am sure you'll do well'. Needless to say, I am joining HBS, my dream college this fall.

I am very thankful to Erika for her constant support and her confidence in me. This tiresome journey of getting through my dream B-School would not have been possible without her.

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I worked with Erika at SBC, had a fantastic experience, and recommend her with the fullest enthusiasm!

Despite feeling prepared, I wanted some support from an impartial but expert source to ensure my applications were strong. Erika provided hourly advice for my applications to 2 schools, and I couldn't be more thankful for her help. I was admitted to both schools and will be attending HBS in the fall.

There are many reasons why Erika was a huge help, but I found three things to be the most helpful.

1. She will save you time and keep you on track:
Having someone to be accountable to will inherently help you meet and keep deadlines. But Erika added value beyond this. First, she ensures very quick turnaround time and usually replied within 1-2 days. Second, she removed all wavering and second guessing from my process (e.g., giving me confidence that an essay idea was strong, saving me from wasting time debating other ideas).

2. She is both an expert in writing and in business school:
As an HBS grad, she understands the schools and the process. But she is also an expert writer. She knows what you need to do to have your writing be crisp, compelling, and effective. As someone who mostly writes in power point bullets these days, this was really helpful.

3. She knows your story, but is able to remain honest and impartial:
Erika quickly was able to learn my stories, work experiences, and strengths, advising me on which to draw upon in each application and interview. But she remained honest and impartial throughout. Erika wastes no time (and none of my $) in delivering direct feedback, and had no qualms in telling me to re-do a paragraph or start an essay over. These are characteristics you can't get from family or friends.

Finally, she was a blast to work with and I enjoyed getting to know her. Thanks again to Erika for the support!

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Stacy Blackman on a whole, and Erika in particular, provided tremendous service and help during my application process. I chose them after talking to a couple different firms because of the initial call I had with Erika (some similarities in backgrounds, understood my somewhat obscure / specialized finance job, comparable working styles) and the comprehensive nature of SBC's service.

Erika gave critical feedback on all aspects of my application, but was most felt on the essays. Her style of being highly encouraging, but also very direct on what needs work or how something is coming across was perfect for my personality and work habits. She was very timely with responses and draft feedback and made sure to keep me on schedule for the busy timeline we had laid out in the summer (multiple applications due in September). Overall, Erika definitely exceeded my expectations.

The Flight Test from SBC, where you submit entire application a few weeks before due date and get a fresh set of eyes on it, was very beneficial for me. Some of the feedback from that led to rather substantial changes in my essays / application to get more clarity around my story and experience.

I would strongly recommend Erika and Stacy Blackman. You will get very hands on, meaningful and helpful feedback on every step of the process.

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The MBA application process is no joke, and being a strong candidate is just not enough. That's where Stacy Blackman Consulting comes in. The team was phenomenal in setting me up with the resources I needed to turn my raw material into the most compelling application possible.

My consultant (Erika) was a treasure. She was a pleasure to work with throughout the entire process- professional, honest, and funny. Her incredible experience with the admissions process helped me identify my strongest features and turn them into a tight narrative that was complemented by each piece of my application. In the end, the products I finished with were on a completely new and higher level than I would have even considered possible.

Looking forward to starting class at Harvard in the fall!

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I worked with Erika at SBC and was admitted to both of my target schools in Round 1! I spoke with many services before selecting SBC for their honesty, professionalism, and straight-forward advice. Most importantly, I felt comfortable with Erika and sharing my perceived strengths and weaknesses. The business school application process can feel like a black hole that you're stuck in for upwards of half a year. Not only do you need someone with years of tangible experience and best practices to help you position your resume, essays and recommendation letters in the best light, but you also need someone who understands the full weight of the process to keep you above water. Throughout the application process, Erika was not only a fantastic consultant but a cheerleader and friend I could always trust would be in my corner.

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I first reached out to Stacy Blackman Consulting after receiving a recommendation from a previous business school applicant. At that point I knew I wanted to attend business school but was unsure whether I should hold off another year before applying. As an MBA applicant, I come from a non-traditional working background and felt that my liberal arts education and lack of strong quantitative coursework might hurt my admission chances. I spoke to a few other consulting companies but felt that Stacy Blackman offered me the most honest and personalized advice. When I determined I was going to apply and use Stacy Blackman Consulting, they paired me with a consultant who they felt would best fit my needs, and that was Erika Olson.

From the get-go, Erika assured me that I had a strong story for my application, despite me not seeing it in the beginning. She took the time to get to know me and really understand my background and future goals. I started the application process late in the cycle, but Erika immediately gave me a schedule of tasks and deadlines for each school which I followed closely. When it came time for essays, I loved that Erika wanted me to put my story in my own words. All of her comments and edits never took away my voice, so my essays truly felt like my own. Erika was always quick to respond, even when I would email her with panicked questions five times a day. Even down to the nitty gritty details of my application, Erika made sure that all of my application was the best version it could be.

I applied to three top business schools and was accepted to two of them. I am thrilled to be attending a top MBA program in the fall and am confident that I would not be where I am without the help of Erika. I would highly recommend her to anyone considering applying to business school, especially if you have a non-traditional background.

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I highly recommend using Stacy Blackman Consulting, if you're considering applying to B school. I chose SBC because my husband used them when he applied to B school a couple of years ago, and told me to not even consider using any other firm, because they were simply the best!

I had the pleasure of working with Erika Olson- and am excited to say that I will be enrolling in Stanford's MBA program this fall. I found Erika's guidance through the application process invaluable. When I initially contacted SBC in September, I hadn't even given the GMAT (bad idea!), but Erika was a calm and clear guiding voice through the fairly intense application process.

When it came to writing the essays, Erika helped me think through the personal/professional choices I had made- as well as articulate in a clear and engaging way WHY I had made these choices, and what really drove me. I also appreciated her honesty and very quick response times through the process. Her feedback on my CV and application form (don't underestimated how important this component is!) was also very helpful.

Erika always managed to make the process fun. Her experience of guiding a myriad of students apply to the top B schools definitely shone through. I'm happy to say I was invited to interview with all of the 4 schools I applied to- and while I didn't get into all of them- am SO happy and grateful to get into my top choice. I can't wait to move to the West Coast- thank you so much Erika and the SBC team.

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Initially, I never considered hiring a consultant for the MBA application process. Being from a management consulting background with plenty of alumni contacts and strong senior support from my firm, why would I need one? At the end of this process, however, I was certainly glad I made the investment.

I applied to six schools and enlisted Erika's support for two of them, including Booth where I am pleased to be starting this coming fall.

Erika provided great and timely service to all of requests and helped me stay on track and on-target through the process. She provided great insight into what admissions committees look for and was able to bring a good level of school-specific knowledge as well. Overall, however, I found her greatest value-adds were as follows:

1) Erika was not afraid to tell me that I was wrong; she pushed me to course correct drastically midway through my Booth application, and while that was a difficult pill to swallow at the time, it undoubtedly paid off.

2) Erika did a great job managing my recommenders; she provided them key insights into what admissions committees look for and helped provide feedback I would not have been comfortable giving myself. This is something that benefited all my applications - not just the two I formally enlisted Erika's help with.

Beyond my personal experience with Erika, SBC's online wiki of resources was extremely helpful, and my now fiancee also leveraged a different SBC consultant and had great results (she, too, will be starting at Booth this fall).

Overall, I highly recommend Erika and SBC.

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