Ashley

Ashley was absolutely instrumental in getting me into Sloan, Tuck, and Booth with quite a large scholarship. Coming from a nontraditional background with a low math score, I was worried about the application process and at times struggled to define myself. She was always available and responsive within 24 hours. She helped me define myself, worked through endless rounds of essay drafts with me, and finally helped me practice interviewing. She is extremely sharp and doesn’t hold back, which is exactly what I needed. I also had an extremely positive flight test experience and highly recommend SBC.

Ashley was instrumental in my MBA admissions journey, helping me translate my military career into a compelling and impactful resume. Her guidance in shaping my essays ensured my story resonated authentically with admissions committees. Her mock interviews were spot-on, building my confidence and refining my delivery. Ashley’s expertise and personalized approach were critical to my acceptance at Stanford GSB and HBS. I couldn’t have done it without her!

Ashley did a fantastic job guiding me through the entire process. I reached out to her with less than 8 weeks left until applications and she was instrumental in helping me craft my essays in a particularly competitive round. When it came to other aspects of the interview like interviews, she was always able to point me in the right direction with resources. I’m thrilled with my results – I got into Wharton and NYU Stern with very generous fellowships, and into Columbia Business School as well!!

As a European applicant, I was looking for an experienced consultant who could advise me throughout the admissions process.
I initially got interested in Stacy Blackman Consulting by listening to their podcast B-Schooled, which I highly recommend. It holds a vast amount of valuable information and you can listen to it on all major podcast apps.

I then purchased an All-in package from Stacy Blackman Consulting once I was ready to apply and was matched with Ashley as my primary consultant. Ashley is a former HBS Admissions Officer and has extensive experience which she shares through actionable advice. Her support was extremely valuable in me gaining admission! She helped me think through my application, communicate my background, experiences, and goals in a clear and compelling manner, and prepare for the interview.

Beyond Ashley being a fantastic consultant, SBC also provides valuable team based support. I was supported by Esther during the initial matchmaking, who paid special attention to ensuring good fit between my application goals and my consultant’s background. I then also had a flight tester, Amy, who is a former Admissions Officer, and who reviewed the final draft of my application before I hit submit. This was a valuable “last test” of my application by someone who could look at it with fresh eyes as they had not been with me throughout the entire preparation process.

Overall, I highly recommend working with Ashley and SBC!

Because Ashley worked in HBS admissions, she shared incredible insights on how to prepare and helped me anticipate the curve ball questions the interviewer would ask me. Without her help, I would not have passed the interviews. But thanks to her expertise, she helped me prepare for the range and surprise questions in the interview. Her help was invaluable and worth every single penny. Not only did her prep help me with HBS, it also helped me gain admittance to GSB. I recommend Ashley without hesitation.

Ashley was diligent, responsive, professional, and incredibly knowledgeable about the HBS application process. I can’t say enough good things. My favorite part about working with Ashley is that she genuinely wanted my own voice to shine through. She didn’t give me templates, or essay frameworks, because she was convinced that it would result in a bland, unoriginal essay. Instead, she guided me to help me craft a strong narrative that still felt very personal. Thanks, Ashley!

Ashley helped me with all aspects of my HBS application but her help on the essay was most impactful. She brings deep insight into the HBS AdCom’s perspective and process. She also took significant time to learn about me as an individual and to help me articulate my personal story. I find writing self-reflective essays challenging and could not have done it successfully without Ashley’s help. She was always quick to review drafts and provide comments and revisions. Finally, her interview prep including off-the-shelf materials and mock sessions was excellent. I can’t recommend Ashley highly enough.

Ashley was wonderful with every step of the process, but in particular, I’d like to mention her help with the essay sections. Completing many different essays becomes tiresome, but she worked with me relentlessly, bringing a fresh perspective and critical view to each one. From the idea stage to the final stage, her essay help was crucial in my acceptance to several top 20 MBA programs.

I was skeptical of hiring a consultant at first, due to the cost and a desire to preserve my own voice. Although, after drafting everything I still wanted a reality check. I contacted SBC looking for a Flight Test for my HBS application. Ashley reviewed the entire submission thoroughly and paid special attention to my resume. She provided excellent tips across several revisions–the result was a concise, good-looking one-pager. Couldn’t be happier! On our hour-long phone call, she really honed in on the essay. She provided specific feedback about where to cut and what to add. This outside perspective allowed me to tailor my materials while keeping my voice; I clicked submit with confidence and got the offer! Highly recommended to anyone, even if it’s just for a last-minute Flight Test!

Ashley helped me both review my essay content through the eyes of a former HBS Admissions Board Member, as well as to mock interview. Her mock was the most challenging of any of my practice interviews, but I really think that it prepared me well for what was to come on interview day. Ashley was always friendly, supportive, and willing to work around my busy work schedule – I cannot thank her and the SBC team enough!

I worked with Ashley for my HBS mock interview. Ashley is absolutely amazing and has a lot of experience in HBS interviews. She sent me this very detailed email explaining the HBS interview structure before our mock session. During the session, she really helped me to organize my responses to interview questions more clearly and understand the unique interview format of HBS better. I felt so much more confident and prepared after having a 1:1 mock interview with her. I’d highly recommend working with her!