GMAT Club

Caryn (SBC) Reviews

Company: Stacy Blackman Consulting

Caryn worked as an Admissions Officer for Kellogg where she read and evaluated written applicant essays and recommended admission to Kellogg. She also conducted numerous applicant interviews assessing candidate fit and future potential at Kellogg and beyond. Caryn holds an MBA from the Kellogg School of Management.

Preceding her time at Kellogg, Caryn was a Senior Marketing Manager for Gatorade, leading Gatorade’s efforts to a variety of consumer targets. Concurrently, she co-led all of the Kellogg recruiting efforts for the PepsiCo Chicago office. Prior to receiving her MBA, Caryn worked in corporate finance and public accounting as well as obtained her CPA certification.

Outside of SBC, Caryn sits on the North Shore Medical Research Junior Board of Children’s Memorial Hospital and is active in volunteering in her children’s schools. An avid reader, Caryn also enjoys Pilates, yoga and playing tennis, as well as spending time with her two young children. Caryn has an exceptional success rate and is particularly good at helping clients define ambiguous career goals and develop a personal story.

And if Caryn looks a bit familiar, ask her what famous movie she (quickly) appeared in!

5.0 /5 Average Rating
Based on 74 reviews
February 23, 2024
redeye500

Joined: Oct 31, 2022

Posts: 0

Kudos: 0

Self-reported Score:
720 Q48 V40

Stress Free Process with Caryn From SBC

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Only have really positive things to say about Caryn and the whole Stacy Blackman team. From the very beginning, things were organized and set up to help applicants truly understand what their b-school story was. I remember at first feeling very worried about the process as I was coming from a fairly traditional finance background with a below average gmat score for my target / dream schools. Caryn was extremely helpful in helping me figure out my "why" and I fully believe it was one of the largest contributors to my success throughout the process.

I think many people question whether the price tag for consultants is worth it and I can fully say that if business school is a goal of yours and you have specific dream schools in mind, Caryn or anyone from the Stacy Blackman team is worth it. They keep you motivated, organized, prepared and so much more. I ended up applying to only CBS and Wharton, both reaches with my profile, and got accepted to both.

Thanks again Caryn and whole SBC team!

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January 28, 2024
amandatiab

Joined: Mar 05, 2020

Posts: 0

Kudos: 0

Great experience with Caryn

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I had a great experience with Caryn from SBC. She helped me from start to finish, helping me craft my MBA story and supported me from resume creation all the way to essays and interviews. With her help, I was able to get in to HBS, Wharton, Columbia, and Kellogg with full-tuition scholarships at Kellogg and Columbia. Outside of Caryn's support, I also received mock interviews for HBS with Geri and a mock group interview with Anthony for Wharton (both mocks with prior admissions officers at both schools). I felt prepared going into the interviews, and I owe much of my success to SBC.

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January 05, 2024
jaewkim96

Joined: Jan 05, 2024

Posts: 0

Kudos: 0

Amazing process and results

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Accepted to: Columbia Business School ($50K scholarship) and NYU Stern
Waitlisted at: Yale SOM and Cornell Johnson

Initial contact: Sarah was my initial contact at SBC who was helpful matching me with Caryn Altman, my primary partner and former MBA Admissions Officer. I was given a choice of two potential consultants to partner with along with their bios and reviews from prior clients. I went with Caryn given her prior experience working with applicants from similar backgrounds as mine (non-traditional applicant).

Ground work: After connecting with Caryn, we spent a lot of time working on the Career Goals and 360degree review documents which essentially serves as a period of introspection highlighting aspects of my background that could be used as fodder for the actual application. These documents proved to be extremely helpful and paid dividends later on in the process right up to my interview preparation. This also helped Caryn and I identify the angle we wanted to present my application.

Actual Process: Caryn and I had an initial call over phone and corresponded via email for the most part. She was very responsive and I was able to get great feedback throughout the entire process. Because I was applying to 7 schools I had a tight timeline - Caryn was instrumental in helping me manage this while working a full time job. Honestly, this was HUGE - having someone who has been on the other side of the table and knows exactly how to present your candidacy in the best possible way guide you through the essays, resume, and overall application saves you SO much time. Once we finished my first full application we sent it for a Flight Tester where another member of the SBC team reviewed my full application. I also had access to the Vault database that has an incredible amount of information on schools, potential interview questions (along with a mock interview platform that you have unlimited access to), and prior successful essays.

Once you finish with application work I started prepping for interviews. I thought my mock interview with Caryn was very helpful because it gave me a sense of what my actual interview was going to be like, and she also gave me a full list of feedback items I could improve on. I interviewed for Cornell, NYU, Yale, and Columbia and I felt very well prepared for them.

Overall, I am not only so so happy with my results but also happy about the smooth process that the SBC team provided.

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January 06, 2023
reachvivek

Joined: Jan 08, 2021

Posts: 0

Kudos: 0

Verified GMAT Classic score:
760 Q50 V42

Amazing experience working with Caryn!

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After having initial screenings with several other consulting firms, I picked SBC and specifically wanted to work with Caryn – am incredibly glad I made that decision! I was admitted to 3 of my top choice M7 schools thanks to Caryn helping me differentiate myself despite being in an over-represented minority pool with a cookie-cutter background.

Right from the get go, Caryn was incredibly supportive and encouraging and invested time to truly understand my background and goals. She led me through the whole process seamlessly right from initial strategy discussions to school selection, essays, data form, and interviews – making sure I was bringing my best to each portion of the application. She brings tremendous experience and a deep understanding of how adcoms think and what they are looking for – which helps craft a compelling application. She is also very transparent and direct with reliably quick turnaround times of ~24 hours!

Looking back, I 100% made the right decision in working with Caryn and would highly recommend in a heartbeat!

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December 30, 2022
samsherman

Joined: Oct 07, 2020

Posts: 0

Kudos: 0

Verified GMAT Classic score:
750 Q50 V41 (Online)

Thank You Caryn!!!

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10/10

Bill was my initial contact at SBC and I ended up going with the All-In package with Caryn Altman to tackle my list of target schools.

Caryn was absolutely fantastic to work with. She really understands the application process on a granular level and helped me execute a strategy that highlighted my profile's best attributes. She was fantastic in identifying the spots of my application that were weak and really helped me focus on rethinking and improving those areas. Her wisdom and guidance, from essay editing to letter of recommendation support, was nothing short of stellar.

Caryn is largely responsible for my acceptances at Kellogg (MMM program) and Chicago Booth with scholarship. In addition, quick shoutout to Beth, my flight test consultant, who provided valuable insight as well.

I have ZERO regrets with choosing SBC for my MBA applications and am truly grateful for Caryn's and the firm's support!!

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January 14, 2022
Harshinic1

Joined: Nov 02, 2018

Posts: 0

Kudos: 0

Verified GMAT Classic score:
760 Q49 V45

Amazing experience with Caryn Altman and SBC!

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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.

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February 15, 2021
dspiritos

Joined: Jun 10, 2020

Posts: 0

Kudos: 0

Verified GMAT Classic score:
750 Q49 V44

Caryn / SBC - Highly Recommend!!

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I worked with Caryn and SBC for class of 2023 applications. Working with Caryn and the rest of the Stacy Blackman team / resources was an absolute pleasure and I found Caryn’s support indispensable as I navigated the challenging and intensive process. Ultimately, the decision paid off as I was accepted into Wharton, my top choice, as well as Booth and Kellogg!
I kicked off my process in late June, which was a little late given my desire to submit all my applications for the Round 1 deadline. Caryn quickly designed a schedule that would push me appropriately to stay on pace. Early in the process, she helped me think through my story and application strategy to best differentiate me, especially with my background in an over-represented group (male in finance). Caryn was incredibly responsive in iterating essay drafts and helping position myself in the best possible light. Post-essay process, SBC offered a flight test to review my overall application, which provided a tangible review of my materials and overall candidate profile from one of the other consultants, Lisa. Upon receiving interview invites, I conducted interview prep with Caryn and, for Wharton, attended a virtual, team-based discussion mock interview hosted by SBC. Overall, SBC offers all of the resources that one would need through the process.
I originally reached out to Stacy Blackman and discussed my background with Esther. Once I solidified my plans to apply to business school, I requested Caryn and Esther connected me with her directly. My brother used Caryn and Stacy Blackman with his successful MBA application process a couple years ago, so it was a natural selection for me. I also received recommendations from a few others at my company who went through the process, and many of them had used Stacy Blackman. Overall, Caryn’s experience as a former MBA Admissions Officer and her expertise in advising clients was evident. I’m very happy with my decision and would highly recommend Caryn and Stacy Blackman to anyone looking to succeed in the MBA admissions process.

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February 02, 2021
cjsands95

Joined: Feb 02, 2021

Posts: 0

Kudos: 0

Stacy Blackman Review

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One of the best decisions I made during the MBA program application process was to work with Stacy Blackman Consulting, specifically, Caryn Altman. From the very beginning, it was all hands on deck. My emails were always returned within 24 - 48 hours, which was so important as I had so many questions in terms of timing, school selection, essay ideas, etc. I had decided to go with the All-In-Package, which for me made the most sense. Caryn’s insightful questions, ideas and general knowledge of the schools made it so much easier for me to focus on coming up with ‘my story’. Importantly, while it took several rounds of edits, etc. Caryn was always patient with my initial, verbose essay drafts, helping me to determine the important ideas as I worked to craft final essays which best answered the questions asked and also conveyed who I am as an individual. Given that applying to business schools can be a stressful process, it was so helpful to know that I had someone of Caryn’s caliber in my corner. The results speak for themselves, I was accepted to Wharton, Kellogg, Tuck, and Ross with multiple scholarships including 2 full-rides. I also was able to work with multiple members of the Stacy Blackman Staff including Esther, always very responsive to questions, and others to do my ‘flight tests’ and practice for interviews, including a mock team-based interview to prepare for different schools. I strongly recommend working with Caryn and the Stacy Blackman Team!

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February 02, 2021
danieltong

Joined: Mar 18, 2019

Posts: 0

Kudos: 5

Verified GMAT Classic score:
760 Q50 V41

Best MBA consulting firm

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My dream came true and I was admitted to HBS and MIT after working with Caryn on 5 applications.

I am from Brazil and this was a very challenging season, specially for international students, due to soaring applications and deferrals.

I was very diligent on selecting my consultant, talking to other 3 top firms, but it was SBC that stood out for their expertise and service. Esther was my guide and matchmaker and took me step-by-step through the whole process. I ended up asking for Caryn directly because of her outstanding record as a U.S. top 10 consultant and background as former admissions officer.

Caryn's ability to synthesize a compelling story and tread throughout the whole application is invaluable. She can clearly show you your strenghts and help mitigate your weaknesses. While the process is stressful, Caryn helped me gain confidence and reflect on my true motivations on pursuing an MBA. With all done, my flight tester was Lisa, which is also a former admissions officer and brought a fresh pair of eyes to the material, giving good insights on how to better communicate some ideas. And finally, the mock interviews were also great and prepared me very well for the real interviews.

I had a great experience with SBC and they offer the best service. If your dream is a top ten school, SBC is the right place.

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January 16, 2021
mmw8612

Joined: Jan 16, 2021

Posts: 0

Kudos: 0

Highly Recommend!

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I was originally referred to Caryn through a friend who had a similar engineering background and applied last year. Caryn was so reassuring yet honest in her assessment during our initial call; I knew that she would be the right person to guide me through my MBA application process. I decided to go with the all-in package and applied to 5 schools, got interviews at 4, and was accepted with significant scholarships (>50%) at Kellogg, Ross, and Fuqua.

I definitely could not have done this without Caryn’s help. She was instrumental in helping me figure out how to translate my technical background and experiences into applications in a way that would resonate with the admissions committee. Caryn was also very much an accountability partner for me, helping keep me on track in terms of timelines especially with all the craziness of the past year. She was always very prompt in her responses and went through several drafts with me, while keeping the essays and applications true to who I was as a person. In addition, the resources that SBC offers like the flight test, sample essays, and mock interviews were really important to helping at each step of the process. I could not recommend Caryn and SBC enough!

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25 Older and Non-Verified Reviews for Caryn (SBC)
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