Like many MBA applicants, I didn't have a lot of free time to spend on my application so I needed someone that was going to be straight forward and help me to address some of my application concerns (atypical work background, poor law school performance). I did my due diligence and contacted several different consulting firms to see which I felt most comfortable with. SBC felt to me to be the most aligned with my needs.
I was paired with Beth and she was outstanding! She was direct about my opportunities within my application and very helpful in assisting me to craft my story in a way that tied my background together very well. By the end I felt very comfortable with my application, and after our conversations the interview was a breeze and I'm happy to say that I was accepted to my top choice.

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I was waitlisted at Fuqua this past application season, and hired SBC to develop a strategy to ultimately get accepted. SBC connected me with Stephanie Cohn, who used to work in the admissions office at Fuqua. She was incredibly knowledgeable about what Fuqua was looking for in me as a candidate, and provided invaluable guidance as to application updates and communications with the admissions team. Specifically, she pinpointed strengths in my candidacy that I hadn't adequately communicated to the adcom, and without her insight, I likely never would have known that these were communication weaknesses I could improve on.

In addition, she was very accommodating of my busy work schedule, and didn't object to scheduling 1-2 hour meetings in the evening. I can't say enough about Stephanie's expertise! I am enrolling at my dream school this fall, and I owe it all to her!

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I had good work experience and strong academics and gmat score, but executed my apps poorly. I was only waitlisted at 2 top 5 schools. I needed help and reached out to several firms and Esther from Stacy Blackman gave the most thoughtful response in which she advised me to work with experts, Jay Jacobs and Beth Tidmarsch. Both helped me strategize and deliver a series of communication to the schools which helped me get admitted. They gave insightful ideas and are responsive. I recommend you to work with Esther, Beth, and Jay who have helped me to attend a top MBA this fall.

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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 only applied to HBS and Stanford with a plan to reapply to a bigger group of schools if I did not get in anywhere. I drafted both applications on my own and was ready to submit in round 1. I shared my essays with an older colleague at my firm who had graduated from the GSB. He did not approve but didn’t have time to really guide me. He also was not sure exactly how to help me – he just strongly felt they were not ready, and he suggested I work with a consulting firm. So I researched firms and eventually hired Stacy Blackman for just two hours, thinking that they would review and quickly edit. After my consultant reviewed my essays he basically explained that the essays were well written and might get an “A” in an English class, but did not have the content that a top MBA program was looking for. I truly connected with my consultant, Margaret, and I took a leap of faith. I upgraded to a 2 school package and postponed to Round 2. We started from scratch brainstorming and completely redid the essays. The final product was something that I was so proud of and that I never could have done on my own. Margaret had incredible insight into what an adcomm looks for and how to take my experiences and present them in an interesting way. I AM GOING TO HBS!!! Thank you SBC. Thank you Margaret. It was a rewarding journey, I learned so much about myself and could not be happier with the investment and the results.

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I spent the month prior to signing up with Stacy Blackman Consulting Services not being able to sleep because I was so stressed out about the MBA application process. Once I started working with Margaret all the stress quickly faded away. She truly made it easy and even somewhat enjoyable to work on my applications. I have learned so much about the admissions process by working with Margaret-- she is definitely an expert at her craft. Even my resume, which I thought I had perfected after 10 drafts was completely revamped and improved. I was very impressed! Product turn-a-round was always timely and she asked pertinent questions to keep the ball rolling for essay/resume improvements. I purchased 10 hours and she was so efficient that we were able to finish essays for all 6 schools [Emory, WashU, GA Tech, Georgetown, USC (Southern Cal), and UGA] that I applied to. I was accepted to 4 of 6 and waitlisted at the other 2 (Georgetown & USC). Statistically speaking I did not have a high chance at some of these but I am excited to announce that I will be attending Emory University in the fall! I couldn't have done it without SBC and Margaret's help. Highly recommend!

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I conducted a lot of research on which consulting companies to use for this process. I was looking for top-notch quality in consultants, their experience and service. Stacy Blackman offers fantastic services, has a record of success, and most importantly, they matched me with the perfect consultant - Beth. I could not have asked for anyone better than her! She absolutely exceeded my expectations! She had a plan of attack within 30 min of our first phone call. She was very responsive (replied to my emails even when she was on vacation), highly experienced and a wonderful person. Not only she gave me specific, clear and effective guidance, but also she was very nice, personable and easy to chat with. During each step of the way Beth mentored me, she provided me with the perfect balance between my thoughts/decisions and her suggestions. I am extremely happy with their services, their support and Beth! For anyone looking for a consulting service during your MBA application journey, I would absolutely recommend them.

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I purchased a one-school All-in Package and was assigned to Paul as my consultant. The overall process was highly unstructured and is not at all similar to what was described in the advertising slides.

For instance, I was hoping to gain some insights from the 'Application Strategy Document' which supposed to point out my key strengths and weaknesses after our initial chat and background review. I needed to remind Paul for this and, when he sent it, the material turned out to be generic and not at all insightful. Moreover, about half of the template was not filled at all.

To be fair, Paul suggestion on the essay does help improve it. However, his communication style is extremely brief and did not spend time to expand on his thinking or help me understand the thinking of schools' admission team. I did not get a sense that he is dedicated to helping me get in.

I was able to compare SBC service with the feedback I received from others and improvements to my application I can achieve just by reading books and online material, and came to the above conclusion. Comparing to the improvements on my application, the money was not at all well spent at SBC.

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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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Thank you Caryn for your instrumental role in my admission to Kellogg!

Caryn's approach to consulting is structured and efficient, yet very clearly tailored to my specific situation. During one of our first calls, she helped my craft my overarching story in a way I had not thought of that ended up being very appealing to admissions committees. We were then able to move through the essays relatively quickly (at least in my opinion!) due to the clear process that Caryn outlined. If you work with Caryn, trust this process!!

Caryn had very quick turnaround with the essays and other application documents and her comments were always perceptive and highly relevant. She helped me express myself in a far more polished and adcom-friendly way while ensuring that my unique tone and style were preserved. This is not an easy task, but Caryn is a true pro!

Caryn brings prior adcom experience to the table and was an M7 graduate herself. These experiences, in addition to her discerning approach, were invaluable as we discussed strategy and approach. This was particularly valuable when I was working to gain admittance off of Kellogg's waitlist. Without her, I don't think I'd be moving to Evanston this fall.

As for communication, I felt as though Caryn was readily available and was always willing to hop on the phone or provide a speedy response over email. She's always a super friendly person which made working together easy and even fun.

In fact, we just finished up one of my favorite conversations of all time - celebrating my admissions into Kellogg!

Caryn is a top tier consultant, I feel very fortunate to have been able to work with her!

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