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Stacy Blackman Consulting is a leading MBA admissions advisory with a proven track record of acceptances to the world’s top MBA programs. Year after year, our clients’ acceptance letters and scholarship awards speak for themselves. SBC is the preferred admissions consulting firm recommended by The Economist and has been awarded the Spectrum award for excellence in customer service.
Huge Help To My MBA Application Process
- Teacher:
- Recommended for —Verbal: No Math: No
- GMAT Scores —Before: N/A After: N/A
I had a very specific goal of only applying to the Wharton EMBA program and I decided to go with Amy because of her extensive experience with that program. She was structured, supportive, and always available to answer questions by text/email. We had multiple sessions per week and she was always able to provide actionable advice on my materials before each session. She not only helped me navigate my application process but also my sponsorship proposal process to my employer. Overall, she was a huge help and I would highly recommend her!
Got into my dream school with a scholarship thanks to SBC
- Teacher: Bill
- Recommended for —Verbal: No Math: No
- GMAT Scores —Before: N/A After: N/A
Bill was so helpful in helping me define my MBA goals and focusing on the program that was the best fit for me. Working with him helped me grow personally and professionally and I will be using this knowledge way beyond my MBA years. I was admitted to my top choice school with a great scholarship and best of all, I felt confident in the process thanks to the guidance and support I received along the way. Definitely worth every penny!
100% Recommend Amy!
- Teacher: Amy
- Recommended for —Verbal: No Math: No
- GMAT Scores —Before: N/A After: N/A
Amy was amazing to work with, and I’m super happy with my outcome. I was accepted to a top MBA program (my first choice) with over half my tuition covered by scholarship. Amy really got to know me and understood my background. She helped me whip my resume into tip top shape and clarified my post MBA goals. She also did interview prep, which made me feel relaxed and confident. Even though I attended an Ivy League school for undergrad, my GPA and GMAT left something to be desired. Amy helped me offset this by pushing me to highlight my work experience to best position myself as an applicant and offering insightful feedback on my essay. I appreciated Amy’s honesty, thoughtfulness, and responsiveness. She was an invaluable resource, and I felt much less stressed since I could ask her questions about the application process. I would definitely recommend working with Amy!
Colette Helped Make My Dreams Come True!
- Teacher: Colette
- Recommended for —Verbal: No Math: No
- GMAT Scores —Before: N/A After: N/A
Colette did a wonderful job providing strategic guidance, detailed insight, and was extremely time-efficient. I couldn't have dreamed of a better result and she played a big part in it. Highly recommended.
Purchased Course: Jun 30, 2020
100% Recommend Amy and the SBC Team!
- Teacher: Amy Bergrud
- Recommended for —Verbal: No Math: No
- GMAT Scores —Before: N/A After: N/A
Honestly, I don’t even know where to begin. I’m still in shock of my admit to my top choice program, UC Berkeley EWMBA! My story is unique — I have a very low undergrad GPA and thought I would never stand a chance. Once I mustered up enough courage to give part time b-school applications a try, I called SBC. I was connected to Sarah who gave me very honest and valuable advice. I took her advice to heart and started working on my weaknesses right away. Sarah matched me with Amy as my consultant and she was such a great fit from the start. Amy was so kind, supportive, and always gave me the reassurance I needed that my dreams of attending a top MBA program were possible with hard work and dedication. That was exactly what I needed whenever my doubts crept up in my head (and they crept up very often!). She encouraged me to take extra classes to combat my low GPA and to try the GRE instead of the GMAT. Her advice and feedback were so incredibly valuable and helpful. I was able to take 4 extra extension classes and do well on the GRE, especially the quant section. It amazes me how much progress I made with Amy when I reflect back on the process and where I started from. I’m incredibly proud of the application we were able to put together and Amy really helped me put a cohesive story together. She was able to tie in elements from my culture, my short term and long term goals, and my explanation for the low GPA into one cohesive application that also highlighted Haas’ defining leadership principles. Additionally, the flight test option that was included in my all-inclusive school package was also critical for me. Beth, who is a former Admissions officer at Kellogg, completed my flight test and provided great feedback for me to implement during my interview. It was also mentally reassuring to have that flight test be your one last check before submitting your application. All in all, I 100% recommend Amy and the rest of the team at SBC! If you have a big weakness in your profile, please don’t give up before you try. I’m so glad I pushed through the uncertainty and doubt. I could not be more excited to be attending Haas this year.
Colette Was Great!
- Teacher: Colette
- Recommended for —Verbal: No Math: No
- GMAT Scores —Before: N/A After: N/A
I worked with Colette on an hourly basis to help me with my resume, essays, and interview prep for some top part-time programs and she was awesome! She provided timely, thoughtful, and insightful feedback, she clearly knew what she was talking about and it worked as I was admitted to both programs! I also really appreciated that even though I only hired her "by the hour" rather than a full school package, that she answered my questions even after our "time" was up! I would recommend working with Colette for sure!
Highly Recommend!
- Teacher:
- Recommended for —Verbal: No Math: No
- GMAT Scores —Before: N/A After: N/A
I had the opportunity to work with Colette for my MBA application. She was extremely helpful throughout the process. She coached me on my resume format and content and helped me think through the essay questions. She asked direct and thoughtful questions to guide me in telling my story in an efficient and captivating way. She was patient and provided great feedback in a timely manner. I feel very grateful for the opportunity work with Colette as she got me to a point at which I was proud to submit my application. She was an extremely valuable resource and I felt as if she was genuinely committed to my success. I would highly recommend working with Colette and the Stacy Blackman Consulting Team.
Flawless Strategy & Execution
- Teacher: Beth Tidmarsh
- Recommended for —Verbal: No Math: No
- GMAT Scores —Before: N/A After: N/A
I was extremely impressed with Beth and am so glad that she was my consultant. Beth's methodical process mandates that the candidate is as introspective as possible and this process yields significant dividends during the application. Being a true insider, Beth knows exactly how to frame both strengths and weaknesses. Beth was not only a valuable thought partner during the tactical execution stage of the application, but she is also masterful from a strategy perspective. The admissions process can seem random and like a black box, but Beth can decode the enigma. I would have written the same review whether I got into my dream school or not (I did!) because I was so impressed with Beth and the quality of application that she helped me put forth. I would 100% recommend her and not think twice.
Don't Know What I Would've Done Without Emily & SBC!
- Teacher:
- Recommended for —Verbal: No Math: No
- GMAT Scores —Before: N/A After: N/A
Like a lot of people, I was on the fence about hiring a consultant, but SBC came highly recommended by a friend. I'm so glad he did because I truly don't know how I would have fared without Emily and the SBC resources. Since I applied to mostly top 10 programs, I was concerned about my OK GPA and non-quant background. With Emily, I felt an immediate kinship. Amid the stress of the process, as well as the uncertainty of applying during the pandemic, she put me at ease and kept me abreast of insider admissions goings-on. As a writer herself, she was able to edit and fine-tune my overarching stories and essays. I have a strong verbal background, so I felt pretty confident in writing my essays, yet it soon became clear I needed someone to help speak AdComm’s language, while staying true to myself and my story. My resume also went through several rounds of edits -- I shudder to think I would have submitted my first draft in the absence of working with SBC! Emily was also super diligent. Although I know she has many other commitments in her personal life, as well as other clients, I felt like her main priority. She was quick to follow up with me, took a very proactive approach to our relationship, and kept me on track with deadlines. I ultimately applied to six programs (five of which are top 10 programs). I was invited to interview at five schools (the SBC interview prep resources were a HUGE help), accepted to two and waitlisted at two others. I just submitted my deposit at Sloan and couldn't be more thrilled.
Purchased Course: Oct 15, 2020
Major: Economics
Country: United States
Spectacular MBA Consultant
- Teacher: Beth Tidmarsh
- Recommended for —Verbal: No Math: No
- GMAT Scores —Before: N/A After: N/A
My experience with Beth was absolutely phenomenal. I went into the application process with a GMAT score and a general idea of the schools I wanted to apply to. Beth helped me pick my schools, shape my goals, and craft my unique story. She is great to work with and has an amazing depth of knowledge on all things MBA. I opted for an hourly package and was amazed by how diligently Beth used the hours to ensure I received maximum value. In the end, I was admitted to an M7 MBA program and could not be more pleased with the results. I would recommend Beth to anyone looking for an MBA admissions consultant.
Jessica molded me, a somewhat qualified applicant, into an extraordinary candidate
- Teacher: Jessica Sinnarajah
- Recommended for —Verbal: No Math: No
- GMAT Scores —Before: N/A After: N/A
Jessica was instrumental in my admission to all but one program, including two 100% scholarships. I began by requesting assistance on essays, but I knew she was the right consultant when she challenged (respectfully) my decision-making, preparedness, and story. From there, we were able to carefully craft my story and essays for each school. I can't thank Jessica enough!
Purchased Course: Feb 24, 2021
Major: Biology
Country: United States
SBC is an Exceptional Firm with Exceptional Consultants
- Teacher: Amy
- Recommended for —Verbal: No Math: No
- GMAT Scores —Before: N/A After: N/A
Upon contacting SBC, I was matched with Amy to work on my Wharton application. I cannot express how thankful I am to have worked with a consultant as talented and attentive as Amy. She excels in her capability to revise and polish one’s work, coach and explain exactly what the school is looking for, and in giving feedback in a timely and efficient manner, making her a true triple threat. Her friendliness during the process was greatly appreciated and was only outshined by her honest and thoughtful revisions. I firmly believe that I could neither have made my essay as polished nor made it as quickly had it not been for Amy’s help. Her rate is a bargain for the service that she provides in peace of mind alone. It is with great pleasure that I recommend Amy wholly and without reservation.
Purchased Course: Nov 22, 2020
Major: Engineering
Country: United Kingdom
The best decision for the MBA application journey
- Teacher: Christine
- Recommended for —Verbal: No Math: No
- GMAT Scores —Before: N/A After: N/A
I was on the higher side of experience from the average experience of full-time MBA course and was also rejected from two of the b-schools. It was then that I was searching for guidance and to understand what is going wrong in my application. I found SBC and had my first call with Christine. It was eye opening. She not only guided me in focusing on the right schools but also helped me to come out with my best version. I instantly connected with her like a friend, very comfortable in sharing my fears, my doubts and she was always there to support. We went through multiple versions of my essays, refining and fine tuning them till both of us were satisfied. She made sure I write and re-write all my essays and CV, asked very intriguing and thoughtful questions which helped me to realize that from my own experience there is so much I can contribute and bring to the table. She also arranged a mock interview before my two rounds of interviews at HEC. At the end, it was all worth the effort and hard work when I got admitted to HEC. I was ecstatic and I knew Christine too was waiting with bated breath and she was constantly encouraging me with her positivity. I cannot thank Christine enough for all the inputs, support, guidance and encouragement that she has given. Thank you once again.
Wonderful experience!
- Teacher: Stephanie Cohn
- Recommended for —Verbal: No Math: No
- GMAT Scores —Before: N/A After: N/A
Working with Stephanie has been enlightening and seamless. After rejection in the 2020 admissions cycle, I knew I had to reassess my application. A friend recommended working with an admissions consultant and after thorough research, I chose to work with SBC. My first interaction with Stephanie consisted of honest and valuable feedback. I was facing an uphill battle; an untraditional background and blemishes in my undergrad studies. I shared my story and through her guidance, I developed a cohesive narrative and a linear strategy. From there she made school recommendations, resume edits, and numerous essay reviews. Throughout the process I also found myself reaching out to her frequently to touch base or ask minor questions. As the first person in my family to pursue an MBA, I lacked the “insider” info or the support from someone who has been in the trenches. Stephanie served as my go-to, she contextualized everything and provided me with the lens of the adcom. My work with Stephanie transformed my candidacy and restored my confidence in the application process. The pride she takes in her work, attention to detail, and responsiveness are unmatched. With Stephanie’s help, I received interview invitations from every school, with early admission into one and pending decisions from others. Not only is Stephanie’s craft and knowledge exceptional, but her support and kindness make her an ideal consultant. I would fully endorse Stephanie and the SBC group to any prospective MBA candidate!
Purchased Course: May 19, 2020
Amazing experience
- Teacher: Joey
- Recommended for —Verbal: No Math: No
- GMAT Scores —Before: N/A After: N/A
My journey towards an MBA is long and winding (ca. 3 years), but working with Joey at SBC finally resulted in my acceptance to my first choice program (M7). As an older international applicant with a non-traditional background, I was nervous about the experience at first. One should not underestimate the amount of work that goes into this process. I worked with Joey at SBC on two occasions - once on an hourly basis, once as part of the “All-in” service. If in doubt, definitely go for the latter. My first attempt resulted in a ding - lesson learned is that one cannot complete three sets of apps in a few weeks, although Joey’s help was immense every step of the way. Despite the odds, we arrived at a quality final deliverable. Although a major setback, Joey took the time to go through a post-mortem and we devised a new strategy. I signed up for the “all-in” service, which meant that we could spend a lot more time going over the application materials and strategy. It’s hard work for everyone involved, but in particular, for Joey. He was also immensely helpful in helping me prepare for my Zoom interview. An incredibly useful tool that SBC offers is the “flight test” of the application, which helps to uncover any last-minute mistakes (yes, I had a typo on my resume). A few weeks ago, I received my acceptance letter from my first choice school. What did I learn from all of this? 1. Get a consultant. Especially get a consultant if your background is non-traditional. 2. Take the time to get to know the person you are working with. Joey was an absolute delight - he knows his stuff, challenges bs where he sees it, and having worked with him over the course of a year, he was the #1 champion for my candidacy. This is important! 3. SBC knows what they are doing. I spent some time looking at different firms but landed on SBC quite early on. They are responsive, they do not take you on as a client if they don’t think you have a chance. No false promises - it’s a thoroughly professional approach throughout. 4. MBA admissions is a difficult game with both incredible lows and highs. With that being said, I am convinced that I could not have done this without the guidance of Joey (my consultant), Esther (our matchmaker), and the rest of the SBC team. I am so grateful for all their help!
Successful Deferred Admissions Applicant
- Teacher: Erin Barry
- Recommended for —Verbal: No Math: No
- GMAT Scores —Before: N/A After: N/A
I cannot speak highly enough of Erin and the Stacy Blackman team. I applied to two MBA deferred enrollment programs, and I was accepted to both thanks to detailed insight from Erin. I am a candidate with a sub 700 GMAT score, and I sincerely believed my score would hold me back from admission at top schools. Erin helped me perfectly craft my narrative and show my quantitative skillsets in other areas of the application than the test score. Erin helped me hurdle this challenge with great insight into my essays, helping me creatively articulate my interests and skillsets to the admissions teams. Erin is honest, insightful, and always available. I cannot thank her enough and sincerely recommend her as a consultant. I am so excited to be attending my top choice school in a few short years!
Purchased Course: May 22, 2020
Highly Recommend
- Teacher: Colette Armes
- Recommended for —Verbal: No Math: No
- GMAT Scores —Before: N/A After: N/A
I had the opportunity to work with Colette for my MBA application. She was extremely helpful throughout the process. She coached me on my resume format and content and helped me think through the essay questions. She asked direct and thoughtful questions to guide me in telling my story in an efficient and captivating way. She was patient and provided great feedback in a timely manner. I feel very grateful for the opportunity work with Colette as she got me to a point at which I was proud to submit my application. She was an extremely valuable resource and I felt as if she was genuinely committed to my success. I would highly recommend working with Colette and the Stacy Blackman Consulting Team.
Purchased Course: Feb 18, 2020
Country: United Kingdom
A great consultancy service which know's exactly what it takes!
- Teacher: Mark O'Brien
- Recommended for —Verbal: No Math: No
- GMAT Scores —Before: N/A After: N/A
Applying for the Weekend MBA at Imperial College London was not as strenuous in comparison to the admissions process for Ivy League B Schools, however I needed an MBA consultant who would be able to assist me in highlighting my story to the ad coms in the best way possible. After researching a few companies, I came across Stacy Blackman and I made an initial contact with Bill who specialises in Part time MBA consulting. After a brief chat and a profile review, he reassured me that my choice of school with my work experience was a doable project. He also provided me with a choice of working with Mark who is a UK based consultant and had experience of being in ad-coms of the top b schools here. I decided that as a UK student applying to a UK programme it would make sense to work with a consultant here. I had an initial chat with Mark who resonated Bill's views and advised me that my profile is definitely a good fit for Imperial. As I was only applying to 1 school, he recommended that I chose the Hourly service option and a few hours should be enough for me. . Due to his experience Mark greatly assisted me with the aspects of the application such as career planning questions, resume and personal statement to best highlight my story and my motivations for studying the MBA. His responses and comments were generally very quick and he was also open to additional questions. Mark also carried out mock interviews with me to give a realistic feel of how MBA interviews are which immensely prepared me for my interview at Imperial. All in all Mark was a great consultant in my application process and Stacey Blackman Consulting has been a pleasure to work with!
Joyce is AMAZING!!!
- Teacher: Joyce
- Recommended for —Verbal: No Math: No
- GMAT Scores —Before: N/A After: N/A
I was coming from an untraditional background and was doubtful that I could even get an interview at my top choices. Joyce helped me frame my experiences and application in a way that truly made me stand out, and showed my value to top MBA programs. She was so caring, yet honest about my weaknesses as an applicant, and helped me either turn them into strengths, or improve on them to create a powerful, unique application. She was an amazing resource with my resume review, helping me break down a complex job/industry for Admissions Officers. She helped me see how each part of my application would be perceived by an Admissions Officer, which was critical in framing my application, asking for recommendations, and even prepping for interviews. She was a God sent when it came to my story, showing me how to frame a cohesive story that was concise, yet fully showed every aspect of who I was and who I wanted to be. I came into our first call thinking that my essay was nearly done. She was honest, stating that other applicants may have the same essay. Over the course of our work together, she took a story that wasn’t very unique, and helped me turn it into a powerful one that showed how unique of an applicant I was, and how my experiences shaped me. She cared so much about my story that she would often email me with additional ideas outside of our calls! She was very attentive to the different schools that I was applying to, and truly helped me create the best application tailored to each of my top choices. I ended up getting into Wharton, GSB and HBS, and I could not have done it without the help of Joyce! When it came to making a decision on my schools, she was an AMAZING sounding board and really helped me solidify my choice. JOYCE IS AMAZING!
Purchased Course: Oct 10, 2019
Go with Yvette!
- Teacher: Yvette
- Recommended for —Verbal: No Math: No
- GMAT Scores —Before: N/A After: N/A
I was first introduced to SBC from a friend of mine who used SBC's service as well to get into my dream program - Wharton Lauder. She spoke very highly of the company, and after having a few calls with two other companies, I decided to go with SBC. I come from a very typical applicant pool that is nearly impossible to stand out unless there's a stellar GMAT score, which I did not have. When other companies were busy persuading me to lower my goals to mediocre schools, SBC's Sarah Tsai and Yvette Romero were the ONLY people who were honest YET believed in me and my potential. After the intro call with Sarah, I was quickly paired up with Yvette, who I must say was a match made in heaven. Yvette and I shared somewhat very similar background and that helped us to come up with possibly the best story I could narrate. Yvette was very quickly able to to pin-point my strengths and weaknesses (which is really amazing). Even when I couldn't quite put what I wanted to say in a sentence, she was able to catch the idea into a succinct sentence (I call it Yvette's magical moments). She was also never shy about giving the right feedback and applying that "tough love" to make sure I stay on track and focused. This, I must say, is the quality that you need from your consultant. You NEED someone who's brutally honest and will tell you the truth to help you get there - Yvette was the one for me. After numerous drafts (probably 7 or 8?) per essay, I was able to submit my applications to two schools and a half(?). While I was dinged from one of the schools I worked on (but it's the most competitive school out there, so I knew it was a long shot), I was invited to interview with both Wharton and Lauder. As I purchased the all-in package, Yvette and SBC's mock TBD helped me prep for my interviews, as well. These were very helpful because thanks to Yvette and SBC's mock TBD, I knew exactly what was expected from my Wharton interviews. Today, I heard back that I am admitted to both Wharton and Lauder with a bit of scholarships ($). Given the competitiveness of the program (