Amy

Consultant

Stacy Blackman Consulting

United States

Net Promoter Score: 10.00

Consultant Bio

Amy received her MBA from UCLA – The Anderson School (top 10% of her class) and her BS in Accounting from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. Amy was a part of the admissions committee for the Fully Employed MBA program at UCLA – The Anderson School for four years. In that capacity she evaluated more than 300 applications for the program. In addition to her MBA admissions consulting work Amy has also worked as the Assistant Vice President of Development for Raleigh Enterprises, a privately held real estate development and management company. In that role she served as Director of Finance and Marketing for the Wine Division. Amy also has international experience, having worked abroad for two years in a management development program for a natural resources company.

Company Information

The trailblazer in MBA admissions consulting is the team at Stacy Blackman Consulting (SBC). No other firm has demonstrated not only staying power for over two decades but also built a top-tier team of consultants with bios that would impress even the most discerning MBA applicant. Their real-world MBA admissions committee expertise enables SBC consultants to assess client applications with the seasoned insight of those who’ve served on the admissions teams at the world’s most competitive schools. The firm proudly boasts over two dozen former admissions committee members from every top MBA program, the highest number of any firm, as Poets&Quants highlighted in, Bragging Rights: This MBA Admissions Consulting Firm Boasts The Most Former M7 Adcoms. SBC’s online track record includes being ranked as the #1 MBA admissions firm on MBAinsight, ClearAdmit, CollegeConsensus, ExamStrategist, and BeattheGMAT. 

OUR TEAM

SBC is the only consulting firm in the industry that has a complete panel of former MBA Admissions Officers from the top U.S. and international programs on our team. No other firm offers such comprehensive expertise. Seventy-five percent of our MBA consultant team are graduates and/or former Admissions Officers from the top seven U.S. MBA programs, including Harvard and Stanford. The SBC team has MBA expertise across all top U.S. and international schools, with graduates from elite MBA programs who understand career paths in both traditional and non-traditional industries. We provide a high-touch, personalized experience, with each consultant working with no more than eight clients per round, ensuring they focus on applicants whose profiles they are truly passionate about.

OUR MODEL

The SBC System™ has eight core modules and is the most robust of all firms. SBC offers unlimited time with a carefully selected primary consultant, allowing for full accountability and dedication.  A candidate’s identity and character are best captured when one consultant is fully responsible for their success. We begin with meticulous matchmaking before we begin an engagement or accept payment. We recommend a primary consultant only after evaluating your candidacy strength and differentiating qualities; we respect your investment and the trust you place in us. 

SBC also believes in a system of checks and balances, which is why we offer the Flight Test—a comprehensive review by a former Admissions Officer (AdCom). This structured feedback mimics a real AdCom review, helping to ensure that a candidate’s application is as compelling as possible to the target audience. We also provide free access to the Vault, our database of successful essays, interview questions, and online guides.

OUR KNOWLEDGE

SBC’s reach, contacts, and connections work together to benefit our clients. We are always ahead of the curve, with firsthand knowledge of what’s happening. Our team includes former Admissions Officers (AdCom) from every top MBA program, who keep us informed about current internal priorities. We have deep insight into what is currently challenging the AdCom and the values they are seeking in their students. 

GET STARTED WITH SBC

SBC deeply values mentorship in its client engagements and limits the number of clients assigned to each consultant. We work with clients only after assessing the nuances of their candidacy and determining that we can achieve success together. SBC offers a limited number of complimentary phone or email consultations each week for inquiries pre-screened by our experienced team. 

Contact us today to request a free MBA Advising Session with an SBC Principal.

Menu of Services and Associated Costs

The SBC All-In Service

The majority of our clients choose our All-In package because they understand that the competitive admissions process demands a stellar and strategic application at every level. Essays, interviews, school visits, recommendation letters, and resumes are all guided by an integrated strategy, managed through our All-In service by one dedicated and accountable consultant.

SBC’s All-In Service includes 8 modules:

1)  The SBC System™ begins with meticulous matchmaking before we begin an engagement or accept payment. 

2) Personal Assessment & Critical Reflection. Your primary consultant will work to understand you authentically along multiple dimensions and create a strategy reflecting what MBA programs are looking for. Your consultant will dig into the who, what, how and why that forms your story through our 360° Personal Orbit ™. 

3) We’ll develop a winning personal MBA Application Strategy that answers clearly, “Why should I accept this applicant over the other ones who look equally qualified on paper?” 

4) Personal branding is crucial for making your MBA application stand out, and admissions teams love a well-crafted story. Your consultant will help you develop a compelling and cohesive narrative that ties together every aspect of your application—resume, essays, recommendations, and more—tailored to meet each school’s unique expectations.

5) Your success is driven by a collaborative SBC team effort. Your primary consultant taps into a network of former admissions officers and experts for additional insights and you receive exclusive access to The Vault, a comprehensive resource center with decades of application materials. 

6) Before submitting your MBA application, ensure it’s flawless with our Flight Test™, where a former admissions officer reviews your entire package with fresh eyes. 

7) Take the stress out of interviewing with one-on-one prep with your primary consultant and group prep sessions led by former admissions officers. 

8) Our support doesn’t stop once your application is submitted; we continue to assist you in navigating admissions decisions, waitlists, and deferral letters until you accept an offer. 

Hourly First Services

Start with 2-3 hours of initial strategy work à la carte to test the waters, and then you can upgrade to an All-In package. 

Contact us today to request a free MBA Advising Session with an SBC Principal.

Location: United States

Phone: 866-667-8229

Email: info@StacyBlackman.com

Website: https://www.StacyBlackman.com

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P&Q Consultant Reviews

  • Admitted To The 3 Programs I Applied To (McCombs, Fuqua & Anderson) 2 With Scholarship!
    1 year ago
    Amy was an amazing consultant to work with. As a LatAm applicant with a relatively low GRE score, she kept me motivated through these incredibly stressful journey and helped me focus on my key personal and professional strengths to portray in my applications, and also helped me select the MBA programs that made the best fit for me. I appreciated how direct and candid she was and how she helped me resolve all of my doubts and concerns in a clear and concise way. Her insights and experience from being a former admissions committee member were truly invaluable. Amy was always available to jump on a call at anytime to review my essays or discuss any topic regarding my applications. The SBC team was very ...
    Read the full review
    Class of 2025 Applicant
    All reviews are independently verified by Poets&Quants staff.
  • Accepted to first choice after being rejected year prior thanks to Amy!
    2 years ago
    Amy was the consummate professional right from the beginning. My biggest regret is not working with her sooner. Every single interaction I had with her was overwhelmingly positive, even when she was delivering candid feedback on my application. After just one phone call she could tell the type of applicant I was, and was very flexible in focusing on the areas that we both agreed would make the most impact as a re-applicant. She was generous with her time and always responded in a timely manner, especially as we approached various application deadlines. While my only goal was starting a FTMBA program in 2023 coming into it, I am starting at one of my top choices in just a few weeks with some scholarship ...
    Read the full review
    Class of 2025 Admit
    All reviews are independently verified by Poets&Quants staff.
  • Look No Further, Amy Can Take It From Here!
    3 years ago
    The primary hurdle I faced in my candidacy was a very low undergraduate GPA (<2.5). Furthermore, I had no close contacts who attended graduate school at all, let alone an MBA program. Lastly, I was a reapplicant who faced a previous denial after an interview. Amy not only gave me a detailed game plan to overcome the weaknesses in my candidacy, but she also guided me through the rest of the application process and answered all of my many many questions for her. She always had time to talk with me about my concerns and I always felt that I was in the hands of an expert. When it came time to prepare for my interview, I had no idea where to even begin, but ...
    Read the full review
    Class of 2024 Admit
    All reviews are independently verified by Poets&Quants staff.
  • Amy Rocks!
    4 years ago
    Amy is truly the best – she held my hand through the whole process and landed me admittance into two top programs! I came to Amy in need of a ton of guidance. I wasn’t sure which schools or programs would the best fit for me. Right out of the gate it was clear that Amy really cares about her clients. Amy took the time over numerous calls to get to know me personally and professionally, which uniquely enabled her to point me in the right direction and together were able to craft the best possible application. We landed on Exec. MBA programs – it was the right fit professionally, but admittance would be a challenge as I’m on the younger side (or even below ...
    Read the full review
    Class of 2023 Admit
    All reviews are independently verified by Poets&Quants staff.
  • Look No Further, Amy Is The BEST!!
    4 years ago
    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 ...
    Read the full review
    Class of 2024 Admit
    All reviews are independently verified by Poets&Quants staff.
  • 100% Recommend Amy!
    4 years ago
    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 ...
    Read the full review
    Class of 2023 Admit
    All reviews are independently verified by Poets&Quants staff.
  • Amy is the Best!
    5 years ago
    Coming across Stacy Blackman’s Youtube videos on effective MBA application strategy, being captivated and deciding to hire them, and working with Amy Bergrud have drastically changed the course of my life for the better. As I write this, I will be an Incoming MBA Candidate at The Robert H. Smith School of Business at University of Maryland. I owe this once in a lifetime opportunity due to working with Amy. Hiring Stacy Blackman Consulting and working with Amy was the best investment I ever made. My goal was attending graduate school in 2021, but due to Covid-19, I was forced to reprioritize my goals and apply to graduate schools at the last minute. To make matters worse, I did ...
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    Tom Sin
    Part-Time MBA Class of 2020 Admit
    All reviews are independently verified by Poets&Quants staff.
  • Amy Helped Me Land a Scholarship to My Top School!
    5 years ago
    Amy was an amazing resource for me during my application process. She went above and beyond to understand my story, and my post-MBA goals to present myself in the best way possible. I had a lot of ideas spinning in my head, and she helped me distill them to one or two overarching ideas to tell a clear, succinct, and impressive story. I not only got into my top target school but I was also awarded a scholarship. Her industry knowledge, and experience not only as a former admissions staff but also as a former MBA student, was incredibly helpful. She was genuinely engaged in my journey, and it showed during her time advising me, leading to an incredibly successful application!
    Class of 2023 Admit
    All reviews are independently verified by Poets&Quants staff.
  • Very Happy With Amy's Process & Results
    5 years ago
    I worked with Amy from SBC for all of my Round 1 B School Applications. Amy's proactive process and working sessions helped me tremendously throughout the process. Amy and I started working together 2 months before the applications were due. This proactive timeline really set the foundation for my successful applications. We spent the first month of our time together defining my MBA story and perfecting my resume. Not only did these help my applications themselves but this time spent on refining my professional identity was irreplaceable during my interviews. As I was in the middle 80% of test scores and on the lower end of GPAs for top 20 programs, Amy partnered with me to make sure I stood out in my essays and ...
    Read the full review
    Class of 2022 Admit
    All reviews are independently verified by Poets&Quants staff.
  • Very happy working with Amy
    8 years ago
    Amy was the ultimate professional. From the start, she took time to understand me, my background, my goals, and my why. You really get a sense throughout the process that she genuinely cares about you. From there, she planned efficiently and strategically to highlight your strengths, compensate your weaknesses, and most importantly help you craft your perfect story. I was an applicant with a below average undergraduate GPA and GMAT score for the schools I wanted, but Amy positioned me to be competitive among other strong applicants and eventually helped me get into the school I wanted. Amy is extremely approachable, and she keeps you accountable throughout the long process.
    - wudanny422@gmail.com
    All reviews are independently verified by Poets&Quants staff.
  • Extremely happy with Amy's services
    8 years ago
    Amy helped me with my essays and interviews to get into one of my dream schools. Given my less than stellar undergraduate GPA, Amy helped me position myself by highlighting my work and life experiences in the essays to stand out. The one trait that makes Amy a really good consultant is that she is takes the time to really understand your goals and personality which she then uses to bring out and highlight as selling points in your essays. Thx Amy for helping me secure admission to one of the top 10 Part-Time programs.
    - Felicity Fu
    All reviews are independently verified by Poets&Quants staff.