I worked with Christine Hawkins on 3 applications. Acceptance with a substantial fellowship to my top choice Columbia Business School and interview invite to Wharton would not have been possible without Christine’s and the SBC team’s amazing dedication (both 2Y full-time; withdrew from Wharton and Stern due to Columbia ED).
Even before the process started, I could tell by Esther's (principal manager) enthusiasm and commitment to me to make sure that I was matched with just the right consultant for me, that I had chosen the right company.

I was a female applicant from an increasingly competitive pool, was educated from a US college with mediocre grades, with no off-the-page leadership or community experiences (oh yes, and no GMAT score yet). During what could have been anxious and unsettling times, Christine was a counselor, confidence booster when I was down with unexpected CFA and GMAT test results, and was an honest critique of all my deliverables in the best sense of the term. Christine would lead me to pull out certain ideas, but would never go ahead and write essays FOR me (for many good reasons); when something seemed off to both of us but neither of us could quite put a finger on it, she steered me toward looking in other arsenals of my anecdotes and experiences (which until that point I didn’t know I had or could turn to!) and pulling essay ideas from there.

Christine's comments on my deliverables always came under 48 hours turnaround (though she is not obligated to work so by all means), and I was amazed by her willingness to go above and beyond her call of duty--for example, encouraging me to network with alumni in my area to see if they could submit sideletters for me, and offering to put in extra mock interview sessions. Also, Lisa Anderson's Flight Test put me at east and gave me that much-needed extra boost of confidence as I prepared to hit ‘submit’ for my first choice & anchor school, Columbia. Bill Chionis, my client liaison, was also extremely supportive in keeping me updated of all the different options for application review and his birds-eye-view of the entire process. All of this careful attention to each of my applications as if they were their own will definitely lead me to recommend Christine & the SBC's comprehensive package to friends who are current MBA-hopefuls.

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The service that Christine and Stacy Blackman Consulting offered me was totally unique and tailored to my needs. SBC team chose a consultant that would be best appropriate to my application, Christine, and offered me access to a platform full of resources to apply to the top MBA schools.
Christine helped through the entire process of application, from the GMAT to the interview, in a professional and a personal way. She always answered me in no more than one day and reviewed my essays as many times as I asked her. She gave me support on when to take the GMAT and TOEFL and which should be my goal score, on how to choose my recommenders, on how to build a strategy to explain my accomplishments and career goals on my essays and resumé, and on how to have a great interview.
Since I saw some of my friends' applications, I can affirm that there is no similar service in the country where I live, Brazil. Christine listened to my entire life story, scince childhood, and helped me build a strategy to explain on my application my life before and after the MBA (which helped me not only in my essays and interviews but also in my life). It ended up being not only a consulting process to my MBA application, but a life coach to better understand myself and my goals.
I only applied to Columbia and was accepted few weeks after I sent my application. I had SBC' support in every step of my application. Due to my tight schedule, I know that it would not have been possible to send it with such an outstanding quality without their tailored support.

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This is a special shout out not only to the entire team at Stacy Blackman Consulting, but especially to Christine Hawkins, my admissions consultant, who worked tirelessly with me over the course of several months.

Christine not only helped me pick out which schools to apply to in the limited time I had (I was applying for round 2!), but also saved my essays! She gave me excellent feedback, and I don't think I would have achieved what I did without her guidance. Her feedback was truly insightful, unbiased, and clear. She also steered me in the right direction, especially when I would get carried away with a particular experience or story in my essays. No matter how stressed I got, Christine was always there to help, and extremely prompt with her responses.

I think the biggest learning I got out of working with Stacy Blackman Consulting is that you get just enough of a push in the right direction, without losing your own ideas. They don't just help you write specific essays or answer individual application questions, they teach you how to think about and approach your applications as a whole.

In the end, I was able to apply to my top 5 schools in a limited window, and finally received two admits of which one also included a scholarship! Even though I was sitting thousands of miles away from my consultant, in another country, I never once felt like she was not there for me.

Thank you Christine for helping me realize my dreams, and not giving up on me!

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I am an American engineer working abroad with 6+ years of experience. I applied and was accepted to London Business School in Round 3.

Starting a little late in the season with a very hectic work schedule, I decided I wanted support through the MBA application process. Christine was incredibly flexible around my schedule and time zone challenges and was very prompt. She was encouraging but honest throughout the process and constantly challenged me to think through my motivations and personal story. At the conclusion of the whole process, I was fully satisfied with the journey and interactions I had with Christine. She has also been so kind as to continue to support questions as I prepare to move to London and begin the program.

I highly recommend Christine and SBC if you are looking for consulting help through the MBA process.

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