Alex

I was referred to Stacy Blackman by my mentor at work. In my initial consultation, I was told that 5 of out 6 programs I was interested in would be a stretch for me. I signed up for the 2-school package for HBS and Stanford GSB and selected Alex Liff as my consultant. Having been offered admissions to 4 out of the 6 programs, including HBS, I am very satisfied with the results.

The first and most valuable help that Alex provided was to read through my 21-page 360 assessment and work with me to identify and strategize on how to tell my story. Having come from a non-traditional background and not had the strongest academic credentials, I believe this proved to be critical to giving the admissions committees a glimpse into who I am.

I struggled a bit with the actual personal statement composition, especially with spelling out my motivation for the MBA. Alex tried hard to focus me on expressing my short-term and long-term goals. This ended up being difficult for me, and Alex was incredibly patient throughout the process.

What proved pivotal for me was the flight test. I received holistic feedback about my package and also some direction about leaning into my goals. Meg, a former Booth admissions officer, was also enthusiastic about some of my short answers. With this affirmation, I was able to reuse the themes and complete all 6 applications.

I applied in round 1, but was waitlisted by HBS. This meant another round of updates as well as some financial aid correspondence that Alex was patient to review and provide timely feedback. Having had the initial assessment of most of the schools being a reach, I would have appreciated more time with Alex and perhaps a little more guidance pulling the package together. Once the application season starts, it is easy for anxiety to set in. Alex was definitely the professional to see me through. The results speak for themselves, and I am thrilled with the outcome.

Alex was a very helpful consultant. I received an admit at one of my top choice schools (Duke), which might not have happened without his help. He is knowledgeable, responsive, and decisive. I believe he was most helpful to me in helping me craft my MBA story and determining which schools would be a good fit. Early on my MBA journey, I didn’t have a lot of answers. He helped point me in the right direction. Alex listened to my story and helped tie it into a compelling narrative that was ready for applications and interviews. He was also helpful in providing guidance to my recommenders and prepping me for interviews. He shared helpful feedback notes on some of my first few essays. His responsivness and proactive communication towards deadlines was greatly appreciated. It is a pricy service, but I believe it was worth it for me.

Alex was my primary partner in every step of the MBA admissions process and helped me secure MIT Sloan Fellows ’25 admit. Krithika from CareerLabs helped me identify MIT Sloan Fellows MBA program as a good fit for mid-career professionals seeking immersive MBA experience. My advice for MBA aspirants: If you can afford it, then hire consultants – definitely worth the investment.

From day one Alex was very patient and a calming influence throughout this nerve-racking admissions process. Alex’s guidance every step of the process was instrumental in my securing an MBA spot at my choice program. After an in-depth discussion, he developed the strategy for our approach. He helped me fine tune my essays and different aspects of my application. Alex’s technology experience was pivotal in effectively highlighting my achievements. The most significant benefit for me was the incredible interview prep – Alex conducted mock interview and then dissected each of my response with constructive criticism. His feedback helped me hone my ideas, to make the most of the half hour. It is no surprise that Alex has a 100% interview rate.

The fact that 20+ SBC candidates had each gotten into all 3 top MBA colleges the previous year boosted my confidence in SBC during this arduous process. At SBC in addition to Alex, a team of consultants helped me. This team-based influence and support started with Sarah my initial matchmaker at SBC. With Alex’s guidance, we packaged the application and went through a “flight test”- where a former MBA admissions officer evaluated my application and provided valuable feedback. I also found a lot of insight in their wiki database and timely email advice through their newsletters. I got some private GMAT tutoring from Anthony- their in house tutor as well.

The colleges look at what you have done as an indication of future contribution. The consultant is not a magic ride to admissions. You still have to get the GMAT/GRE score, experience and build a spectacular resume with tons of impact. You will be writing all the essays and the applications. But the consultant can help package your application and present a compelling narrative of your contribution and impact.

I had a tight round 1 deadline for a number of schools. Alex was available round the clock to help. I don’t think I would have made the essays I did without him that helped me receive admission into a number of m7 programs. He pushed me to produce essays I wouldn’t have been able to produce on my own-essays well outside my comfort zone. As importantly, he was always available if I had a nagging concern in relation to any aspect of my application and would go out of his way to ensure alleviate my concern. Thanks again for everything Alex!

Worked with Alex on my full time MBA applications and was blown away with his professional, candid and thoughtful perspective. Alex is a gifted writer and will help you craft the perfect essays, recommendation templates and resume. Really glad to have met him and the entire SBC team. The application process is an undertaking and having someone like Alex on your team will keep you on track and ensure you get across the best version of yourself to adcom. Alex is the best it gets!

Embarking on my application journey was an initially daunting prospect, but Alex’s exceptional consulting services quickly alleviated my concerns. His distinctive trait is his patient approach. He spent time to understand my aspirations and strengths, facilitating deep self-reflection which allowed me to effectively portray my achievements and tailor a compelling narrative for my application.

Alex’s profound knowledge of the program to which I applied provided me with strategic insights that proved invaluable. His detailed understanding of the specific application requirements and expectations, coupled with consistent, clear communication, instilled confidence and ensured my application was both accurate and impactful.

Alex’s blend of personal understanding, strategic knowledge, and unwavering patience has truly enhanced my application experience. I would wholeheartedly recommend his services to any prospective applicant who is seeking thorough, personalized guidance in the competitive world of admissions.

Alex has been a great resource during applications. I was hesitant to use consulting assistance due to the high cost, but I think that it was worth it for keeping me on track and explaining the process. Alex is very responsive and will read your essays well into the night, even at crunch time, which I appreciated. He’s a talented writer and helps bring out the best content and cut fluff. Being budget-conscious, my overall process was: take notes from Adam Markus blog, 1 hour with Alex on essay topics and strategy, then writing and proofreading with 2 trusted friends, then 2-3 hours of back and forth proofreading with Alex, and finally 1 hour of miscellaneous work like resume, etc. I found that the overall value of consulting was logarithmic – invaluable at first and less relevant as the application becomes more polished and suggestions become more stylistic rather than practical. Overall, I think it was a worthwhile expense, because it reduced the stress of possibly missing something, and because it saved me time (whole process took less than two weeks).

I feel so lucky to have paired with Alex. Time and my low GMAT score were significant detriments, but Alex made it work since I got accepted to Kellogg! He is highly knowledgeable and helped me curate an application that overcame my low GMAT and highlighted my leadership skills and international experience. Alex was motivating and answered all my burning questions throughout the excruciatingly stressful process. He is also a phenomenal editor who helped me polish my essays. I truly believe he was instrumental in helping me overcome my low GMAT and tailoring a story to showcase that I’m more than just my GMAT score. My sincerest gratitude to Alex!

As a nontraditional applicant to business school (physician looking to make a career pivot), I was coming into the process with some knowledge, but knowing I may need someone with more expertise to help me stand out. I was fortunate to be paired with Alex, who went above and beyond to ensure my success.

From the outset, Alex’s attentiveness and straight-shooting approach were invaluable in helping me secure admission to some of the top business schools in the country, including Kellogg, Ross, McCombs, and Kenan-Flagler. His in-depth knowledge of the application process and his ability to communicate effectively made me feel confident and well-prepared every step of the way. He was able to filter things down on a granular level to highlight my strengths and background. We went over each essay in detail to tailor them specifically and I know they would not have been nearly as compelling without his help.

What sets Alex apart from other consultants is not only his expertise in the admissions process but also his genuine commitment to his clients. He was always extremely responsive to my questions and concerns, providing prompt and clear answers that addressed my needs. I never felt rushed or dismissed; instead, I felt like I had a true partner who cared about my success and was willing to go the extra mile to help me achieve it.

Even after our official consulting period had ended, Alex continued to follow up with me multiple times, assisting me in the crucial decision-making process of which school to choose. This level of dedication and personal involvement is rare to find in today’s fast-paced, results-driven world, and it speaks volumes about Alex’s character and his resolve to help his clients succeed. Ultimately I chose Michigan Ross, Go Blue!

I cannot recommend Alex highly enough as an MBA consultant for anyone seeking expert guidance and support in their business school journey. He is not only an attentive and responsive professional but also a genuine and compassionate individual who truly goes above and beyond to help his clients reach their goals. Thanks to Alex, I have the incredible opportunity to study at a top-tier business school and embark on a life-changing new chapter in my career.

Received admissions offer from Stanford. Alex is an amazing consultant. His guidance and advice was instrumental in helping me navigate the application process. He helped me shape my application strategy and put my best foot forward for the ad-com. The flight test was absolutely key in helping me see a 3rd person’s perspective on my application. I was also well prepared for the mock interview because of Alex.

Alex was extremely diligent and responsive. I am confident that I put the best application together that I possibly could have with his help. He is very responsive and I was able to submit applications weeks before they were due. He was always able to be realistic, while at the same time keeping me confident in my own abilities and candidacy.

I am writing to share a phenomenal review of my time working with the Stacey Blackman Consulting team, specifically with my consultant Alex Liff.

After evaluating multiple consulting groups online, I came to the SBC team in January for an initial MBA Candidacy assessment. I felt that their team offered the most robust resources, experienced consultants, and a breadth of professional backgrounds/experiences. Given that I was early in the process (applying for R1 that September), Esther provided a succinct, realistic evaluation of my profile/stats and provided some suggestions of where I could work to improve my profile in the coming months to strengthen my candidacy for the top programs that I was targeting. She was also frank about the fact that I came from ORM, a competitive applicant pool to set realistic expectations. After the profile evaluation, I diligently worked to address my profile weaknesses and retook the GRE that moved me from the average to the top range of my target school’s class.

With a strengthened profile, I reconnected with Esther in May to discuss the next step of finding a consultant to prepare for the R1 application deadlines. We reconnected for an in-depth interview over the phone where she gathered the inputs to intentionally connect me with a consultant on their team. She assessed my background and post-MBA interests, ultimately connecting me with Alex Liff. Next was the fit interviews. I’ll add that the SBC team really emphasizes fit with your assigned consultant, so I would highly recommend not taking this step of the process lightly as it is critical that you connect with your consultant whom you will spend hours working alongside. Given Alex’s aligned background, mutual interest, and wealth of knowledge about the application process, I felt like I had won the lottery from our initial fit interviews! Therefore, I signed up for the all-in package for my two dream schools: HBS & GSB.

Alex & I hit the ground running that week, and he shared several helpful SBC proprietary resources to kick off my application journey. We started very broadly by discussing and writing up all of my life experiences to date. Even if it felt like a tangential detail or irrelevant to applying to grad school, I bought into the exercise of starting to put pen to paper. This introspective process lead some key themes to emerge from my life’s experiences, and Alex helped to validate them as themes that would spark the intrigue of an Adcom. At the start, I remember feeling very vulnerable and uncertain of what I put to paper, but Alex was tremendously reassuring and supportive in helping bring my story to light. From there, I spent very intentional time connecting my lived experiences together in a few first-draft essays. With every draft (15+), Alex provided seamless, timely feedback that allowed me to continue my momentum. Throughout the process, he was extremely communicative, available, and honest. I found that these are the three most important attributes that a candidate can find in a consultant!

SBC offers a tremendous team-based approach to setting up their applicants for success. After I had gotten the applications to a near-finished state, Alex shared my application with my flight tester, Lisa, who was a former MBA admissions officer, to offer a fresh perspective of my entire package. This review was unique and insightful because the reviewer reviews the file in the same way as an admissions officer. An admissions committee member spends, on average, less than 20 minutes reviewing a file in full. The Flight Test provides insight into how the application stands up under the realistic, unbiased scrutiny of an adcom member versus intensely in the details as your admission’s consultant. Thus, I found the perspective and feedback additive to my overall drafting process.

Ultimately, Alex was a fantastic sounding board helping me bring to light a holistic picture of my lived experiences and allowing them come to life in a coherent application. His excitement when I was accepted to the programs of my dreams was genuinely felt, and I feel so fortunate to have had the opportunity to work with someone who believed in me. I don’t feel that I would have had the confidence to be so vulnerable in my application about the things I shared without Alex instilling confidence by rooting for me along the way. SBC’s additional resources were also a HUGE time saver throughout the process, as I did not need to do as much in-depth research into every program I applied to, as it was already all there in their wiki. In summary, I cannot recommend Alex or my experience with the SBC team enough to future applicants, and I am tremendously grateful for the chapter that lies ahead! You will be in good hands.

I bought an all-in consulting package from SBC to apply to a Sloan Fellows type of program (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sloan_Fellows). Alex was my main partner in choosing the right strategy for mid-career professionals and executing it for my applications. Thanks to Alex, I was able to submit three applications in a very short time (about a month) and was admitted to 2 out of 3 programs. Although we had an 11-hour time difference, we were able to perfectly and efficiently interact online like in a ping pong game – one full iteration every day and the reply the next morning; thus keeping our progress at a constant fast pace. I have chosen MIT SFMBA 2024 program and would like to strongly recommend Alex to mid-career candidates.

Received an admissions offer from GSB/HBS, as well as MIT. Alex was fantastic in helping me navigate the entire process. I can’t thank him enough.

It’s very difficult to know where to begin when starting the MBA application process. Alex was great at helping me figure out how to weave together my (very) non-traditional experiences and develop a compelling narrative.

Alex spent a significant amount of 1-on-1 time helping me with my applications, and preparing me to succeed in a flight test with Caryn (a former MBA admissions officer). Alex is highly dedicated. He answered all my (sometimes anxiety-driven) questions on calls, and even took the time to set up an additional reviewer, Christine, to provide some additional insights and feedback for my final GSB essay. Overall, Alex is a consummate professional, as well as a great strategic advisor, partner, mentor, and friend in the (often stressful) admissions process. I highly recommend Alex and could not have gotten into GSB or HBS without his help. Alex is an amazing consultant, and truly changed my life.

I was also highly impressed with SBC throughout my application process. I was originally introduced to Alex by Sarah, who was my initial matchmaker at SBC. Sarah was very attentive and listened to my goals, and then recommended Alex based on our conversation. Alex was the perfect fit for me, and really had great insights about applying to GSB/HBS in particular.

Picking an admissions consulting firm can be a daunting financial decision, but selecting SBC was an excellent decision — they connect you with the right consultant for you, have lots of internal resources to help you with all aspects of the application process (obtaining recommendation letters, etc.), and have an established process/methodology + demonstrated track-record to achieve success in applying. I can’t recommend SBC enough if you’re an applicant that needs help getting started and strategic guidance throughout the entire admissions process.

Wharton and Kellogg admit. I had a fantastic time working with Alex. Not being too familiar with the ins and outs of MBA applications, Alex was super helpful in providing the initial guidance I needed to put together competitive packages for my top schools. Throughout the process, he provided very thoughtful and actionable feedback that truly helped me get my applications to where they needed to be. Alex was extremely responsive, flexible, and timely with his feedback. It was a pleasure working with Alex and the SBC team, and I would recommend him without hesitation to anyone looking for a no-bullshit, top-tier consultant.

Alex is the best! I still cannot believe I got an admit to the Stanford MSx program. Without Alex, I do not think I would have gotten there. From the beginning, he went through my background, experiences, and stories and advised me on how to be strategic. I also got Alex’s help with reviewing my recommendation letter and even my recommender spoke highly of Alex. He did many decent editing on my essays and my recommendation letter. When I received the interview, Alex also helped me with mock interview prep and gave me detailed feedback. He is very patient and he knows what he is doing!

I would highly recommend Alex and SBC!!

It is difficult for me to imagine what the state of my applications would be without the help of Alex and all the resources that Stacy Blackman gives applicants access to. Alex was most beneficial in the most important aspect of the application, crafting the story. Alex was collaborative in brainstorming sessions and provided objective and necessary feedback, continuing the discussion until we both felt confident. Alex’s feedback on essay drafts was also very constructive. again, necessary in order to ensure an encompassing message was being told within the character limits. I applied to a large number of schools and Alex’s organized and strategic mindset helped us meticulously work through each application and ensure we were tracking to meet deadlines. When interviews came around, Alex provided me with a scouting report for each school and conducted mock interviews which helped me come relaxed and prepared on the day of the interviews. I would highly recommend Alex to anyone applying to MBA schools as he is extremely knowledgeable of the application process, especially when it comes to tailoring essays to different schools/audiences, and he is a “straight shooter” that will be honest and upfront because he knows what is needed for success in this process. Thanks, Alex!

Just received an offer from Kellogg!! I simply can’t wait to share how much I appreciate the support from Alex and SBC!
My experience with SBC started with Sarah who demonstrated deep insights into the admission process. She was also able to point out a few areas that I need to work on in our very first meeting. Based on my personal background and target schools, she recommended Alex.
In addition to being professional on application, Alex is a strategic, organized, and super responsive mentor. Working with him has been more than pleasant and beneficial. He guided me to set up the overall game plan and timeline, provided insider prospectives on my profile, and most importantly, helped me stand out among other candidates of some extremely competitive programs. His vast experience with past cases over the years also gave me unique angles to view certain challenges, and he went beyond expectation to answer any of my questions. Needless to mention, Alex has amazing editing skills and did a fantastic job translating my engineering achievements into the language of business.
I would also thank Caryn for the flight test, an assessment with a former admission officer. Based on her feedback, I was able to work with Alex to address some of the concerns that might be raised during the actual admission procedure.
Overall, I would highly recommend Alex and SBC!!!

Alex is fantastic. Even after doing my own research, it was difficult to know where to begin. Alex helped me get everything on the table so that I could start constructing my story for the AdComs. He was extremely helpful in establishing a timeline to keep me on track and accountable. He’s also extremely familiar with how the AdCom of each school thinks and what they’re looking for, which helped me to uniquely tailor my essays for each school. He was a great sounding board for ideas as I was starting to write my essays, and helped tremendously as I sharpened and refined the final product. By the end, the quality of my application was far beyond what I would have been capable of producing alone.

After interviewing multiple different consultants as I started my MBA process, I was underwhelmed at what I had found. Then I met Alex. Alex was kind, attentive, eloquent, and immediately got to work in our intro call at pulling the important parts out of my story. In a few short meetings, I had done more in terms of forming my story than I could have ever done alone. As applications started, Alex was with me (and I mean really with me) through every step of the way. When I got interviews at both Stanford and Harvard, he organized separate mock interviews for each even though he was not required.

I’ll be honest, applying to an MBA program is brutally hard and your consultant won’t do all the work for you. But if you want a consultant who is the cream of the crop and will do all he can to elevate your application to the next level, go with Alex!

When you are looking for an MBA consulting firm, you want one that has a reputation that draws on the caliber of its consultants and has the expertise and experience across the schools that you are interested to apply to.

SBC demonstrated that from the beginning to me. Just speaking with Sarah for thirty minutes, she was able to provide insights and bring her expertise to bear on my application. SBC also stood out from other firms in that they cater to candidates coming in from every stage of the application process. In my case, they were willing to partner and go “all-in” with me even though I had only three weeks remaining for the R2 deadlines.

I worked with Alex L as my SBC consultant and I could not have asked for a better MBA consultant. Alex is one of the most professional individuals I have the pleasure of working with over my 12-year career. He was personally invested throughout the whole process and brought his considerable skills and expertise in each step of the application. His partnership helped to showcase my accomplishments and my personal story to its fullest. Even then, just by working with him, I was able to improve on my personal communication skills and bring that back to how I communicate at work and at a personal level.

Alex was a partner whom I could completely trust and rely on throughout the application process. He was responsive and would usually reply within a few hours. He worked with me on the deadlines and was available whenever I needed him. He added a personal touch as well, checking in on me and my recovery when I fell sick during the application process. Thinking back, I’m just floored by the level of effort and passion he brought in every stage of the application. Based on his dedication, I know it is not just a job to him, but a role where he is personally invested to help you achieve your goals. Alex is someone whom I am honored to partner with and hope to continue a friendship with even after my application process.

I applied to the Stanford GSB MSx program and it was a moonshot for me given how challenging it is to enter the program and how I had only three weeks to prepare the application, obtain letters of recommendation, and study for the GRE. Yet, with Alex’s help, I was able to overcome all these and obtain an admissions offer from the Stanford GSB. Thank you, Alex!

Alex is an excellent MBA consultant. He is an attentive, responsive, honest, reliable and talented writer.

I decided to apply to an unusually wide range (~10) of schools within a few weeks of the R1 deadlines. Given my limited budget and the number of schools I was applying to, I asked him to help primarily with my essays (as opposed to the full package). Alex was very understanding and helped me develop a plan that fit within my budget and timeline. At every point in the process, I felt that he prioritized my applications and made himself readily available. He knows the Admissions process thoroughly and helped me develop a narrative around my personal and professional life to highlight all of my unique attributes. He is also an excellent writer and helped me adjust my writing style to get all of my key points across more clearly and efficiently.

As a testament to his excellent guidance, I was accepted into my top choice program (after being waitlisted and subsequently denied the year prior)!

Highly recommend.

I had initially reached out to Alex for essay support and was pleased to find that he was an attentive, knowledgable consultant. I came to him with what I felt were relatively solid drafts, and he helped me hone in on my strongest “key points.” He gave me quite a bit of advice about how to craft my essays with respect to word limits, as well as information on each school’s general admissions process. Additionally, he followed up with me afterward and offered very earnest and sincere congratulations when he found out I had been accepted to every program I had applied to.

Going into the MBA application process, I was struggling to synthesize the different experiences of my professional and personal life into a cohesive and natural story.
Alex stepped in and was extremely helpful in helping me build my story. We went through an exhaustive list of experiences and brainstormed on whether each experience deserved some essay “real estate”. More importantly, Alex helped me uncover some experiences that I originally thought were unimportant, that turned out to be a powerful, core element of my essay story. Alex also helped me understand how admission officers think, which in turn helped me tailor the language of my essays and application for an admission officer reader, and ensure that I didn’t go on irrelevant tangents.
Overall, I was very satisfied with the experience and recommend the consultant to any prospective MBA candidate – the investment is well worth it.