Caryn

Consultant

Stacy Blackman Consulting

Illinois

United States

Net Promoter Score: 9

Consultant Bio

Caryn received her MBA from the Kellogg School of Management and her BBA from the University of Michigan, with distinction.Before working as an MBA application advisor, Caryn worked as an Admissions Officer for Kellogg where she read and evaluated written applicant essays and recommended admission to Kellogg. She also conducted numerous applicant interviews assessing candidate fit and future potential at Kellogg and beyond. Preceding her time at Kellogg, Caryn was a Senior Marketing Manager for Gatorade, leading Gatorade’s efforts to a variety of consumer targets. Concurrently, she co-led all of the Kellogg recruiting efforts for the PepsiCo Chicago office. Prior to receiving her MBA, Caryn worked in corporate finance and public accounting as well as obtained her CPA certification.Outside of SBC, Caryn sits on the North Shore Medical Research Junior Board of Children’s Memorial Hospital and is active in volunteering in her children’s schools. An avid reader, Caryn also enjoys Pilates, yoga and playing tennis, as well as spending time with her two young children.Caryn has an exceptional success rate and is particularly good at helping clients define ambiguous career goals and develop a personal story. She has assisted clients with every top business school around the globe.

Company Information

Since 2001, Stacy Blackman Consulting clients have been admitted to every top business school worldwide, often with merit scholarships. Stacy Blackman Consulting (SBC) delivers results, as shown through its record of the highest number of online reviews across multiple MBA admissions ranking and review sites. Our online track record includes #1 on MBAinsight, BeattheGMAT, ClearAdmit, and #1 out of 11 firms for our team caliber by PoetsandQuants.

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. We offer a high-touch, limited client-per-consultant experience.

Contact us to request a free MBA advising session with an SBC Principal. Just give us 15 minutes.

OUR TEAM

SBC is the only consulting firm in the industry who has on our team a complete panel of former MBA Admissions Officers from the top US programs and European programs. No other firm has this complete talent. 75% of our MBA consultant team hails from the top seven US MBA programs as MBA graduates and/or former MBA Admissions Officers, including from Harvard and Stanford. The SBC team has MBA expertise at every top school, has graduated from elite MBA programs and understands career paths in every industry, traditional and non-traditional.

Over 1/4 of SBC’s consultant panel is of minority background, and SBC has five consultants who identify as and specialize in LGBTQ+ applicants. This reflects the company’s mission to further diversity in the MBA applicant pool. No other established MBA admissions firm has a team that is as diverse.

OUR KNOWLEDGE

We know what’s going on, and we know it first. We have former Admissions Officers (AdCom) from every top MBA program who are informing us of the current internal program priorities, best practices, unusual dilemmas, successful essay strategies, and interview standards. We have tremendous insight as to what is currently keeping the AdCom up at night and what values they are looking for from their current students.

As one SBC client explained, “What really sets the SBC team apart, however, is the breadth and depth of knowledge; any time that my consultant and I were wondering how to approach a school’s application better, there were numerous former admissions officers from those schools that we could draw on.” Another client said, “I appreciated how the team uses all their former AdCom members to make sure you feel like you’ve put your best foot forward in the application process.”

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, who will be dedicated to understanding you authentically, creating a winning strategy, and defining your unique story for each school. Your primary consultant will be your creative and strategic guide, helping you to create materials that are provocative, informative, school-specific and ultimately effective in resonating with each of your target MBA programs.

Your primary consultant will engage in multiple iterations of brainstorming, development, outlining, and applied review across all MBA application touchpoints—resume, online application form, recommender letters, essays, short answers and more –to eliminate blindspots and optimize every detail so that your story shines and reflects deep knowledge of each of the MBA programs.

SBC also believes in checks and balances, as it has the Flight Test™ which is a complete review by a former AdCom. This structured feedback from a former AdCom mimics a real AdCom review and helps to ensure that a candidate’s application is most compelling to the target audience.

We also include free access to THE VAULT, SBC’s Resource Center with over two decades of sample essays, recommendations, resumes, school overviews, interview transcripts and more. A recent client shared, “The large SBC database was priceless, especially when understanding the differences between schools and when preparing for interviews.”

GET STARTED WITH SBC

SBC deeply values mentorship within its client engagements and limits the number of clients for each consultant. We engage with clients only after evaluating candidacy nuances and deciding that we could be successful together.

Our matchmaking process includes criteria such as track record with target schools, proficiency with your career path, demographics, interests and character qualities, and the consultant’s availability at the time you’re interested in engaging. You’ll be matched with a primary consultant who believes in your candidacy and who is truly excited to work with you. Some of our consultants have a sweet spot for non-traditional applicants while others excel with engineers. Just like you, our consultants’ backgrounds and perspectives are varied.

SBC offers a limited number of complimentary phone or email-based consultations weekly for inquiries who have been pre-screened by our tenured 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

A FORMER HBS ADMISSIONS OFFICER ON OUR SBC TEAM SHARED THAT MBA ADMISSIONS LOVE A GREAT STORY AND CLARIFIED:

“I believe it’s true that all people, and therefore all MBA admissions boards, love a great story. It’s a way to bring life to your application and show the realness of who you are during what can be a dry process.”

The majority of our clients select our All-In package because they recognize that the competitive admissions process requires an application set that is stellar and strategic on all levels. SBC’s  “All-In” engagement includes:

  • Personal Assessment & Critical Reflection. Your primary consultant will work to understand you through deeply-probing questions that reveal your authentic dimensions.

  • Your consultant will dig into the who, what, how and why that forms your story through our 360° Personal Orbit™. You will explore the key MBA acceptance triggers that will be central to crafting your personal story.

  • We will evaluate your school preferences and criteria and develop a school list according to reach, reasonable, or safer program choices that ensures you apply to programs that you’ll love attending.

  • We will cover career path guidance–selecting and optimizing your career goals to ensure they are ambitious, purposeful, and attainable– and also recommendation letter(s) guidance to support your story and reinforce your aptitude and potential.

  • You will receive a complete MBA Application Strategy written summary including your value proposition and career path evaluation, as well as deliverables and tasks with an Attack Plan & Timeline.

  • One AdCom Flight Test™ as described by a recent client: “After I had gotten the applications to a near-finished state, we shared my application with my flight tester, 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. 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.”

  • Up to three formats of interview coaching. Post-application consultation to work through issues such as interviews, waitlist and deferral strategy and school selection.

Hourly First Services

Start with 2-3 hours for the initial strategy work a la carte to test the waters, and you can then roll up into the purchase of an All-In package.

Hourly Services

Hourly services can include any or all of the below:

  • Initial Strategic Planning

  • Background Assessment & School Selection

  • Resume Review

  • Recommendation Counseling – selection, prep, review

  • Essay Review – one draft of set of essays

  • Waitlist Strategy & Communications

  • Ding Analysis

Contact us to request a free MBA advising session with an SBC Principal. Just give us 15 minutes.

Location: Illinois, United States

Phone: 866-667-8229

Email: info@StacyBlackman.com

Website: https://www.StacyBlackman.com

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P&Q Consultant Reviews

  • Caryn Was A Great Admissions Consultant!
    2 months ago
    I utilized Caryn's all-in support on two schools and supplemented this with multiple hourly sessions on other schools. Caryn helped me from the very start of the process of by helping to define my MBA story and recommending ways to bring my story to life. She provided tactical advice on my resumes, recommender packages, essays, etc. and helped me with a mock interview for Kellogg. I felt very prepared going into the admissions process because of her (also received additional help through mock interviews with Geri and Anthony for HBS and Wharton respectively). As a result of her support, I was able to receive admission into HBS, Wharton, Columbia, and Kellogg (also receiving full-tuition scholarships at Columbia and Kellogg). I would highly recommend her services!
    Class of 2026 Admit
    All reviews are independently verified by Poets&Quants staff.
  • Caryn Is An Amazing Consultant!!!
    11 months ago
    I had the pleasure of working with Caryn during my application process. She was amazing from the start. I knew going into this that the M7 was going to be a long shot (it is for everyone, but given my on-paper stats in particular, I knew every single element needed to be absolutely perfect to give myself the best possible shot). Caryn was always on top of ensuring that I kept all deadlines in mind - quite a challenge given multiple simultaneous apps along with full-time work. She would also tell things as they were (no sugarcoating!) because she knew I needed to hear them. During the interview prep, Caryn was instrumental in guiding me through being comfortable with the interview in a digital setting and ...
    Read the full review
    Class of 2025 Admit
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  • SBC Consultant + Package Review
    1 year ago
    I had the absolute pleasure of working with Caryn Altman during my MBA application process. I did the all-in package, and Caryn seamlessly navigated me through the entire process of my school selection, essays, interviews, and decision day. I applied to 8 schools and received 7 interviews, with acceptances to top schools with generous scholarships. I now have the luxury of choosing between two M7 schools. Caryn replies to emails promptly, is always there to lend either constructive criticism or her perspective, and truly keeps the client's best interest at the forefront. She is the guiding light throughout the chaotic application process and really understands what the adcomm boards are looking for in applicants. She's been featured in numerous articles and podcasts and is always ...
    Read the full review
    Class of 2023 Admit
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  • Thank You, Caryn!!!
    1 year ago
    10/10. I got the All-In package with Caryn Altman to tackle my list of target schools. Caryn was absolutely fantastic to work with. She really understands the application process on a granular level and helped me execute a strategy that highlighted my profile's best attributes. She was fantastic in identifying the spots of my application that were weak and really helped me focus on rethinking and improving those areas. Her wisdom and guidance, from essay editing to letter of recommendation support, were nothing short of stellar. With Caryn's support, I got accepted to Kellogg's (MMM program) and Chicago Booth with a scholarship. I am extremely thankful and truly grateful for Caryn and the entire SBC team!!
    Class of 2025 Admit
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  • Caryn Altman - Truly Exceptional!
    1 year ago
    I know it's extremely difficult choosing among all the different MBA consultants, but candidly, I don't think there's a better person to support you than Caryn. She made the daunting application, truly seamless. I knew immediately that we were a good personality match and that she would be easy to work with; what I didn't know was how sharp, thorough, and thoughtful she was on the end-to-end adcom process. As a generally disorganized person, she kept me motivated and on track. With her guidance and the SBC team, I was admitted to 4 top ten MBA programs with scholarships and a full ride.
    Class of 2023 Admit
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  • Amazing Experience Working With Caryn!
    1 year ago
    After having initial screenings with several other consulting firms, I picked SBC and specifically wanted to work with Caryn - am incredibly glad I made that decision! I was admitted to 3 of my top choice M7 schools thanks to Caryn helping me differentiate myself despite being in an over-represented minority pool with a cookie-cutter background. Right from the get go, Caryn was incredibly supportive and encouraging and invested time to truly understand my background and goals. She led me through the whole process seamlessly right from initial strategy discussions to school selection, essays, data form, and interviews - making sure I was bringing my best to each portion of the application. She brings tremendous experience and a deep understanding of how adcoms think and what ...
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    Class of 2025 Admit
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  • Caryn Helped Me Enjoy & Succeed At MBA Applications!
    2 years ago
    I could not have imagined that applying to business school would have been fun! And super successful! I worked with Caryn on my MBA applications to HBS, MIT, CBS, and Wharton - and was admitted to all four schools! Caryn and I started working together in April of the year I was applying (R1). Caryn led me throughout the way and ensured I was not overlooking any piece of my application or missing an opportunity to shine, pushing and encouraging me as needed. She has tremendous experience, both in the MBA industry as well as a consultant, and it showed! She provided a detailed preparation plan and timeline, which meant I was not overworked or overloaded and actually enjoyed the process (even with a very ...
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    Class of 2024 Admit
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  • Thank You, Caryn & SBC!!
    2 years ago
    I started working with Caryn from Stacy Blackman from the very beginning (early 2021) on the "all-in" package. My background is very untraditional which typically makes the application process a lot more difficult. When I reached out to SBC, Esther was kind enough to match me with Caryn and provided all the support needed for the onboarding process. My MBA application process had many ups and downs. However, with the continuous support, help, and guidance I got from Caryn, nothing was impossible! I applied to 4 of the M7 schools, got interview invites in 3m, and ultimately got accepted to Wharton and MIT Sloan. To say that Caryn is a superstar would be an understatement! Caryn helped me through every step of the process and spared ...
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    Class of 2024 Admit
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  • Amazing Experience With Caryn & SBC!
    2 years ago
    I really can't say enough good things about Caryn and the entire team at SBC! After researching a ton of different firms and speaking with more than a few other consultants, I started to have decision paralysis because everyone seemed so similar. What separated SBC for me, however, was the team-based approach they took to my application. From my very first screening call with Bill, my strategy sessions with Caryn, and the flight test/interview prep I took part in with other consultants, SBC gave me access to 4-5 MBA consultants / ex-admissions officers who all gave me unique perspectives and advice for improving my candidacy. Caryn in particular completely exceeded all of my expectations. Because I had a job with long hours, one of my ...
    Read the full review
    Class of 2024 Admit
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  • Caryn Altman - Absolutely Amazing!
    2 years ago
    Tl;dr: Caryn Altman is an expectational person to have on your team. I started in January 2021 with low test scores as a non-traditional candidate. After several people told me I was shooting way above my league, Caryn instilled a calm confidence. I was introduced to her by Ester, SBC’s consultant match-maker. Caryn took the time to get to know me as a person and helped me craft a business-school-worthy story. I ended up with admission to Tuck and Ross, my top choice, with the Forte Fellowship and a scholarship. I am convinced Caryn pulled nothing short of a miracle with me. I decided to go all-in with her after a two-hour introductory call where she took the time to get to know me and ...
    Read the full review
    Class of 2024 Admit
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  • Thank You, Caryn! Admitted To M7
    2 years ago
    After interviewing about a dozen MBA Admissions firms (including Fortuna, Admissionado, mbaMission, Personal MBA Coach, Ivy, and all other common firms), I had decided to go with SBC. I chose SBC because of its track record and the size of the firm. I highly advise others (if possible for your budget) to consider going with SBC. Bill was my first point of contact with SBC. He gave me a couple of SBC consultants' profiles to review. I thought Caryn would be a great fit for me. After my initial conversation with Caryn, I put down the deposit. Working with Caryn was great. She was always prompt to respond (under 24hrs), willing to jump on a quick phone call to discuss some strategic decisions, and provided great guidance ...
    Read the full review
    Class of 2024 Admit
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  • Caryn Altman (SBC) Helped Me Reach My Goals!
    2 years ago
    After talking to some of my friends at well-respected MBA programs, they kept mentioning Stacy Blackman Consulting as the best in the business! I had an initial conversation with Esther who matched me with Caryn - what a great matchmaker! From my initial strategy call with Caryn, she displayed care, passion, and honesty. We worked together to apply to 6 schools for R1 and her guidance helped me tell my store through the application process. Caryn provided me with exceptional advice for taking the GMAT/GRE, selecting the right schools to apply to in R1, and structuring each application to highlight the right experiences to the admissions boards. After many months of hard work, I was admitted to Kellogg (with a merit scholarship), Sloan, and Tuck! ...
    Read the full review
    Class of 2024 Admit
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  • Cannot Beat Working With Caryn!!
    3 years ago
    I have definitely gotten the full experience with SBC and have been overwhelmed each step of the way. I worked with Caryn on my applications. Caryn is such a valuable resource when applying because she makes a very overwhelming process seem so simple. From our initial intro call, Caryn helped me layout an organized pre-application plan, advised me on recommenders and essay topics, collaborated on final essay and application versions, and answered any question that I had along the way. Caryn’s push to help me understand the “Why” of my application really made my application process smoother. It's easy to think that “Why” is an easy question but Caryn clearly lays out how important that one question is in your application, essays, and interviews. I ...
    Read the full review
    Class of 2023 Applicant
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  • Caryn / SBC - Highly Recommend!!
    3 years ago
    I worked with Caryn and SBC for the class of 2023 applications. Working with Caryn and the rest of the Stacy Blackman team/resources was an absolute pleasure and I found Caryn’s support indispensable as I navigated the challenging and intensive process. Ultimately, the decision paid off as I was accepted into Wharton, my top choice, as well as Booth and Kellogg! I kicked off my process in late June, which was a little late given my desire to submit all my applications for the Round 1 deadline. Caryn quickly designed a schedule that would push me appropriately to stay on pace. Early in the process, she helped me think through my story and application strategy to best differentiate me, especially with my background in an over-represented ...
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    Class of 2023 Admit
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  • Stacy Blackman Was Great! (Caryn Altman)
    3 years ago
    One of the best decisions I made during the MBA program application process was to work with Stacy Blackman Consulting, specifically, Caryn Altman. From the very beginning, it was all hands on deck. My emails were always returned within 24 - 48 hours, which was so important as I had so many questions in terms of timing, school selection, essay ideas, etc. I had decided to go with the All-In-Package, which for me made the most sense. Caryn’s insightful questions, ideas and general knowledge of the schools made it so much easier for me to focus on coming up with ‘my story’. Importantly, while it took several rounds of edits, etc. Caryn was always patient with my initial, verbose essay drafts, ...
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    Class of 2023 Admit
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  • Best MBA Consultant Ever
    3 years ago
    My dream came true and I was admitted to HBS and MIT after working with Caryn on 5 applications. I am from Brazil and this was a very challenging season, especially for international students, due to soaring applications and deferrals. I was very diligent on selecting my consultant, talking to other 3 top firms, but it was SBC that stood out for their expertise and service. Esther was my guide and matchmaker and took me step-by-step through the whole process. I ended up asking for Caryn directly because of her outstanding record as a U.S. top 10 consultant and background as a former admissions officer. Caryn's ability to synthesize a compelling story and tread throughout the whole application is invaluable. She can clearly show you your strengths and ...
    Read the full review
    Class of 2023 Admit
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  • Highly Recommend!
    3 years ago
    I was originally referred to Caryn through a friend who had a similar engineering background and applied last year. Caryn was so reassuring yet honest in her assessment during our initial call; I knew that she would be the right person to guide me through my MBA application process. I decided to go with the all-in package and applied to 5 schools, got interviews at 4, and was accepted with significant scholarships (>50%) at Kellogg, Ross, and Fuqua. I definitely could not have done this without Caryn’s help. She was instrumental in helping me figure out how to translate my technical background and experiences into applications in a way that would resonate with the admissions committee. Caryn was also very much an accountability partner for ...
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    Class of 2023 Admit
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  • Caryn is THE best!!
    4 years ago
    I was referred to Caryn, and I am beyond grateful. In our first conversation, I told her I only wanted to apply to my one dream school. She understood and really pushed me along the process. Coming from an untraditional background, I was concerned about my chances at a prominent MBA program. However, Caryn helped me every step of the way - from reviewing my resume, checking my application, proofreading my essays, and prepping me for my interviews. The most impactful part of the process was her ability to guide me to self-reflect on my past experience and my career goals. This allowed me to craft a strong narrative about myself for my essays. Today, I'm thrilled to have been admitted to my dream ...
    Read the full review
    Class of 2022 Admit
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  • I Love Caryn!!
    4 years ago
    What other emotion besides LOVE is there to describe the person responsible for my MMM Kellogg acceptance?! It's also an apt descriptor of her style.. well...tough love. Caryn is the coach, partner, and honest friend I needed to get through this process successfully. From our first meeting, I felt completely comfortable and – critically – completely understood. Caryn quickly made sense of my various interests, passions, and experiences, and helped to weave a compelling story from the disparate bits. She is immensely knowledgable and I benefitted from her expertise and insights throughout the process – often at unexpected moments. I could not imagine having worked with someone else... and I believe the outcome would have been different. For that, I will be ...
    Read the full review
    Class of 2020 Admit
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  • CARYN IS AMAZING!!
    4 years ago
    I found out about SBC through a referral, and after my initial consultation with Esther, I could tell SBC was going to be the right choice! I went for the all-in package and could not be happier with my choice! I was accepted into 3 of my 4 schools (the 4th was a waitlist), including HBS!! Something I never would have thought possible prior to going through this process. 
Caryn was amazing! She previously worked as an admissions officer and had tons of knowledge, not only on the program she had worked for but on all the schools I applied to. From the beginning, she took the time to genuinely understand me, my experiences, and my goals. She helped me figure out which schools ...
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    Class of 2022 Admit
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  • Caryn Is Great!!
    4 years ago
    Caryn was awesome! She really helped me shape my essays and prepare for my interview. I did not really understand what was expected in a good MBA application and Caryn really helped me put my best foot forward and get into the Kellogg Future Leaders Program with a Merit Scholarship. She was very nice and always very clear. Highly recommend!
    Class of 2024 Admit
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  • Caryn Is A Rockstar!
    4 years ago
    I am so exceptionally grateful to have had the experience this spring working with Caryn! I was originally planning to submit Fall 2021 R1, but with her encouragement was able to conquer the application process, remote testing, and other inbound hurdles that came with this year's extended rounds for the Fall 2020 incoming class. I was a very non-traditional candidate with a unique set of experiences and skillsets that I wanted to clearly convey in my application. With her consulting expertise, I was admitted to my first-choice school, Fuqua, with a large scholarship. I was also admitted to my 2nd and 3rd choice schools as well. I highly recommend Caryn for anyone curious about the MBA application process and looking to target top schools. She is a ...
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    Class of 2022 Admit
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  • Wharton ($$), Sloan, Booth, & Kellogg w/ Caryn!
    4 years ago
    Posted a similar review on the GMAT club as well. Want everyone to know how awesome Caryn is! To start with some general context, I predominantly have an engineering background and am currently in consulting. I started the application process with zero background info/tips on b-school apps and felt totally at a loss. I pretty quickly realized I needed help and I spoke with several different consulting firms and actually didn't have a great start with SBC. My intro call was with Bill who I didn't quite connect with so I asked if Caryn had availability because I had read all her raving reviews. And man, am I glad I did. After speaking with Caryn I immediately knew I had found the perfect person. You can ...
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    Class of 2022 Admit
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  • Excellent Experience With Caryn
    4 years ago
    I had the pleasure of working with Caryn throughout this past application cycle. After applying to five of the M7 schools, I was offered interviews at four and chose to interview at three. I ended up receiving significant scholarships from two of the schools and was waitlisted at the remaining program. Coming from an untraditional background, with issues such as gaps in my education history, I was concerned about my chances at a top MBA program. Caryn was incredibly supportive throughout the entire process, helping me be deeply introspective when refining my career goals and reflecting on my past experiences. By using her expertise as a former admissions officer, she then helped me craft my story in a way that best highlighted these experiences, fully showcasing ...
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    Class of 2022 Admit
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  • Caryn Is Amazing!!
    4 years ago
    I worked with Caryn on my application for 2 schools, both of which were reach schools for me. She was amazing, she guided me through the whole process, kept me on track with all deadlines, and really helped me sculpt my story and brand. She was able to answer all my questions and really demystified the whole MBA application process. Also, she was incredibly attentive and responded very quickly. In addition to all the knowledge and guidance that Caryn provided, Stacy Blackman Consulting has a LOT of additional resources that are so helpful. Ultimately, I got into both programs and am very happy with my choice to partner with Caryn.
    Class of 2022 Admit
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  • Highly Recommend Caryn!
    4 years ago
    Knowing I wanted to employ a consultant in my MBA application process, I interviewed several firms and spoke with no less than 5 consultants before deciding on Caryn, who was highly ranked as a consultant already at the time. Working with Caryn, she was proactive, responsive, and I can tell her years of experience as an adcom officer lent her true expertise when it came to MBA admissions. Most importantly, she helped me to craft my story and explain my somewhat unorthodox post-MBA goals in a way that was both true to myself and worked well for the admissions process. It was upon her suggestion that I applied to the Lauder/Wharton joint program, which we realized was an extremely good fit given my background and future ...
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    Class of 2022 Admit
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  • Caryn is #1!
    4 years ago
    At the start of my MBA application journey, I had intro calls with consultants at many of the major firms (Fortuna, Veritas, SBC, etc.). The intro call with SBC was all I needed to realize that the firm struck the perfect balance between having unparalleled resources, an outstanding track record, and a genuine interest in my success. Instead of merely assigning me to a consultant based on my profile or target school, Bill gave me suggestions for SBC consultants who he thought would be a good fit for my working-style and application strategy more broadly. I had intro calls with numerous SBC consultants before choosing to work with Caryn Altman. I worked with Caryn on applications for five schools and ended up getting into four ...
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    Class of 2022 Admit
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  • Highly Recommended
    5 years ago
    I worked with Caryn a number of years ago when applying to 3 business schools. She was wonderful to work with. Caryn helped me not only with overall application messaging and essay writing but also with identifying the best-fit business school for me. She was incredibly helpful with essay editing - grammar, flow, storyline, etc. I was ultimately accepted to Columbia and Duke. I do not think I would have been as successful in the process without Caryn.
    Class of 2013 Admit
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  • Caryn's Feedback Was Key
    5 years ago
    I took Caryn's flight test service through Stacy Blackman Consulting and was thankful that she helped spot some areas where I could improve the content of my application. Caryn reviews your application just like a real admissions consultant would which means you'll get a candid review of where your strengths and weaknesses are, how to double down on your differentiators, and how to improve. Thanks to Caryn's flight test review, I'll be attending Wharton this fall :)
    Class of 2021 Admit
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  • Great For Critical Feedback!
    5 years ago
    I worked with Caryn a number of years ago when applying to 4 schools. She was helpful in ideating essay topics and sort of an overall message for my application- something that I found to be challenging as a broad consultant without some unique "wow" story about me. She also helped a ton in editing essays- far beyond just grammatical stuff, but truly pushing me to think about how each sentence would have an impact on the story, how to say things more concisely, etc. Definitely would recommend working with her! I ended up at HBS in the end.
    Class of 2015 Admit
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  • Fantastic
    5 years ago
    I applied to 4 top schools and Caryn was my guiding light through it all. She's incredibly meticulous charting out a plan, gives great feedback, and is very patient while calming anxieties and doubts that inevitably pop up during the stressful process. She was always so responsive and I always heard back from her within a day when I asked her a question. She demonstrates a level of confidence and faith in her clients through the process which is so important in retrospect and something I really appreciate as I placed so much trust in her. He knowledge of the schools and her feedback is really valuable as well.
    Class of 2015 Admit
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  • Can't Recommend Caryn Enough!!
    5 years ago
    Caryn was absolutely instrumental in my journey towards getting into Wharton and Kellogg! I decided in late September to apply to round two and shopped around several consulting firms before deciding on SBC due to the candidness & accessibility of their consultants. I decided to apply to 4 schools with Caryn, and she created a timeline that helped me stay accountable during the application process. Prior to working with Caryn, I had disconnected ideas of how my past experiences had shaped me, why I wanted to go to business school, and what I hoped to achieve post-MBA, but no real connections between the thoughts. Caryn helped me link all the different ideas together into a proper story for my applications and interviews. She provided prompt ...
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    Class of 2021 Admit
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  • Highly Recommend Caryn!
    5 years ago
    Caryn really took time to get to know me from the beginning and helped me craft a clear story for my application. Even though I'm sure she was juggling numerous clients, she was always responsive to my questions and quick with providing comments on my essays. Our mock interview was very helpful, and her feedback allowed me to go into my interviews with confidence. I highly recommend Caryn!
    Class of 2021 Admit
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  • You're Going To Want Caryn On Your Team
    5 years ago
    Working with Caryn has truly changed the course of my future; if I had hired another consultant, I would not have gotten into a top tier MBA program! Going into to this application cycle, I knew I had major weaknesses to mitigate. Caryn was there with me every step of the way; from GMAT re-takes to attempting the GRE, to suggesting additional coursework to take, to strategically editing essay drafts and finally sharing in my excitement when the admits started rolling in, I could not have gotten into school without her support and matter-of-fact feedback. I highly recommend Caryn to anyone who is dedicated to getting into a competitive MBA program and facing their weaknesses head-on to do so.
    Class of 2021 Admit
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  • Highly Recommend!
    5 years ago
    I can’t say enough about Caryn. She was my Yoda getting through the MBA application process. She’s clear and concise in her feedback and helps you to define the best version of yourself. Caryn is encouraging and supportive, but also realistic. If you want the best, hire Caryn.
    Class of 2017 Admit
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  • Great Experience!
    5 years ago
    Caryn was a wonderful consultant. I came from a non-traditional background (small unknown bank, difficult to explain experiences) and Caryn was able to help me tell my story! I couldn't have gone to Ross or transitioned careers without her!
    Class of 2015 Admit
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  • Best Experience With Caryn!
    5 years ago
    I worked with Caryn back in 2011 for R1 applications and she was already a rockstar back then! Her in-depth planning process made the entire application prep as seamless as possible. From the essays and references to the interview, she ensured I was not only well prepared but was constantly building the strongest 'story' I could present of myself. She was full of helpful comments and tips, and once accepted into school even helped connect me with future classmates! I'm so thankful to have found Caryn and could not recommend more!
    Class of 2014 Admit
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  • Flight Test Success!
    5 years ago
    SBC’s unique Flight Test provided differentiated insight and added even more value to their highly personalized service. My Flight Tester, Caryn, identified areas for improvement in my application that would have otherwise gone unaddressed. In addition to her thoughtful, candid and deliberate consultation, she provided actionable feedback that allowed me to tighten up my essays and short answers, strengthen my final product and gain admission to 3 of the 4 schools where I applied, including Wharton.
    Class of 2021 Admit
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  • Strongly Recommend Caryn
    5 years ago
    Caryn helped me prepare my successful Kellogg application back in 2011 and since then, I continue to recommend her to MBA applicants who approach me for advice. I found her coaching to be thoughtful, straightforward, and holistic; she was able to help me tell my story tangibly better than I had when I brought her the first drafts of my essays. Working with Caryn was awesome, her advice is worth every penny, and I would recommend her without reservation.
    Class of 2015 Admit
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  • Worthwhile Investment For Professionals
    5 years ago
    Caryn provided me a very efficient summary of Kellogg’s admissions process. I applied to only one school. I was able to contextualize my application and spend what little spare time I had to prepare the best possible application.
    Class of 2014 Admit
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  • Highly Recommend Caryn Altman
    5 years ago
    Caryn worked with me as part of my applications to three MBA programs: HBS, Kellogg, and Anderson. Going with Caryn was one of the best decisions and investments I've ever made. My 5-star recommendation boils down to three things: she believed in me, she pushed me, and she knows this domain extremely well. Caryn's broad domain expertise was invaluable with school selection, she effectively coached me as I crafted my story, she helped me take my resume to the next level even when I thought it was done, and she provided super valuable feedback (strategic & tactical) as I crafted my essays. She pushed me to re-take the GMAT instilling confidence in me to take a 700 score even higher, which I did. I also ...
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    Class of 2014 Admit
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  • Constructive & Candid Feedback!!!
    5 years ago
    Caryn provided me with my Flight Test Review at SBC and her insight was invaluable she was able to draw on weaknesses in my application and provide guidance on how to mitigate. She was also able to give me insight on the quality of the application so I could gauge how far off I was before I could submit. Her review was integral in my application process and a value-added differentiator at SBC.
    Class of 2019 Admit
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  • Caryn Constructive
    5 years ago
    Caryn was the Flight Test reviewer for my successful application to HBS. At first, I was a little nervous to have a stranger read my essay and critique my resume, but Caryn's comments were thoughtful, constructive, and easy to understand. She not only opined on specific aspects of the application (resume, leadership qualities, essay, etc.) but also shared her broader impression of how the pieces fit together into a comprehensive story. Overall, the flight test was a very useful tool for fine-tuning my application and gave me the confidence I needed to put my best foot forward.
    Class of 2021 Admit
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  • Highly Recommend Caryn
    5 years ago
    I first started working with Caryn when I signed up for the MBA Process – Plan Ahead package. This option was very helpful since I didn’t know where I stood with the schools I was thinking about applying to. I knew I didn’t have the best background with a below average GPA among the top schools and a non-elite undergraduate degree so I was going to need as much help as possible. Caryn was able to determine what my strengths were and how I could address my weaknesses ahead of time while clarifying what schools would be a reach and where I would be competitive. Later on, I signed up for the All-in-package for four schools. I didn’t have any friends, co-workers, or family that ...
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    Class of 2021 Admit
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  • Highly Recommend Caryn Altman At SBC
    5 years ago
    I worked with Caryn on four applications for round 1 (HBS, Columbia, Wharton, Stanford) and had a phenomenal experience. First, Caryn was very effective and helpful in formulating my application strategy. She took the time to understand my background and my career goals and helped me package myself to create a compelling story for admissions committees. We spent a lot of time on this up front, which provided me with a clear direction for the whole process. Secondly, Caryn was very organized and responsive throughout the entire application process. Even though we worked on four apps, I never felt rushed or pressed for time because Caryn established a clear schedule and game-plan for finishing each piece of each application. She turned drafts around very quickly and ...
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    Class of 2021 Admit
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  • 100% Recommendation
    5 years ago
    I had an awesome experience in working with Caryn this past summer. I was applying to 6 schools for Round 1, and naturally was anxious to dive straight in and begin writing essays. She helped me take a step back and helped me craft a thoughtful story about what I’ve done, who I am, and who I want to be with respect to my career. Nailing this story upfront was invaluable, as I was able to consistently draw from it when writing essays all the way through interviews. The beginning of the essay portion was definitely a struggle for me, but Caryn was extremely helpful in going through no less than 10 drafts of my first essay to make sure we were getting off on ...
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    Class of 2021 Admit
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  • Amazing Experience... Highly Recommend
    5 years ago
    I worked with Caryn and SBC for class of 2021 applications and found working with her incredibly valuable. The decision to work together paid off as I was accepted to Wharton which was my top choice, as well as Kellogg and UNC. Caryn took the time to get to know me and my background first and then helped me craft the best possible story and application strategy based on my prior experiences and future goals. She then continued to provide tremendous value through all phases of the application process by providing candid and straightforward feedback and pushing me to produce my best work in my applications. After I submitted my applications, Caryn helped me prepare for the interviews and SBC also scheduled and conducted a mock ...
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    Class of 2021 Admit
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  • 5 School Applications
    5 years ago
    I worked with Caryn to apply R1 in 2017 after having unsuccessfully applied to five schools in the first round of the previous year. Caryn was on top of every detail and made sure that we stuck to our deadlines, which was critical applying to five programs no matter how far in advance we started our planning. She absolutely has a mind for this work and was able to position my experience to fit with each individual school. Most importantly though, she helped me think through where I had been and where I really wanted to go and that made my application all the more authentic and genuine. In the end, I got acceptances from Columbia, Booth, and an interview invite from Haas that I ...
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    Class of 2020 Admit
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  • Highly Recommend Caryn At StacyBlackman!!
    5 years ago
    This past year I worked with Caryn at StacyBlackman and was tremendously satisfied with the service I received. Her advice and guidance was extremely helpful throughout my entire application process and instrumental to my Wharton admission. As a candidate coming from an untraditional background I wanted to work with a consultant who would help me navigate the application process. After evaluating multiple firms and consultants I chose Caryn because of not only her previous adcom background and brand management career experience, but also because of how much she cared about my candidacy. While I spoke with other qualified consultants, she was the only one who I felt looked beyond our relationship being a business transaction and would be there to support me no matter what ...
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    Class of 2019 Admit
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  • Incredible Peace Of Mind!
    5 years ago
    I had the pleasure of working with Caryn as my Flight Test reviewer. It gave me incredible peace of mind to hear feedback from a professional who has actually reviewed applications as part of an admissions committee. It was also wildly helpful to hear feedback from someone who was reading my essays for the first time!
    Class of 2021 Admit
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  • Caryn Flight Test
    5 years ago
    Caryn served as my Flight Test reviewer. Caryn reviewed my application for ~20 mins (the same amount of time a member of the AdCom would spend on an application) and gave me and Beth (my consultant) some high-level, yet critical, feedback that we were able to incorporate into my applications before submitting. I appreciated the Flight Test review as it simulated an actual AdCom review and allowed for third-party feedback from an experienced MBA consultant!
    Class of 2021 Admit
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  • Awesome Experience!
    5 years ago
    I worked with Caryn and SBC for c/o 2021 applications and found the service incredibly valuable. The decision to work together paid off as I was accepted to Kellogg and Ross. As my consultant, Caryn was there to guide me through every step of the application process from honing my application strategy to interview prep. She is always straightforward and honest in her feedback and extremely responsive. Overall she was an incredible coach throughout the process, keeping me on track and calm through the pressure of the application process. She pushed me to do my best work and find my authentic, unique story. When I shared the good news with her it was awesome to hear how excited she was for me! I looked at other firms ...
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    Class of 2021 Admit
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  • Flight Test
    5 years ago
    The SBC flight test is a phenomenal service in that it provides an additional set of eyes from an experienced industry professional to review applications before final submissions. Caryn was able to assess my application and provide various tips for improvement in order to ensure I put my best foot forward before submitting the final version. She highlighted areas of my professional experience to strengthen what had not been fine-tuned enough. Often, after working on an application for so long and knowing your own story so well, it is easy to overlook certain areas of your candidacy that may be really unique. She ensured that I did not overlook any chance to show admissions committees my fullest potential. Thanks Caryn!
    Class of 2021 Admit
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  • Amazing Experience!
    5 years ago
    Caryn was amazing to work with! I am a young candidate with average/below average GPA and GMAT from a mid-level consulting firm, so had lots of reasons to doubt my chances at the top programs. Whenever I was over-thinking or too in my head, Caryn helped me to calm down and think clearly. She helped me bring out my unique story and non-traditional career goals. I was eventually admitted to Stanford GSB, Wharton, Booth, and Kellogg!!! I could not have gotten here without Caryn's patience and dedication, or without SBC's extensive resources! The SBC flight test helped identify holes in my application package and I was able to talk to Caryn and a Wharton team based interview expert to prepare for my interviews. ...
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    Class of 2021 Admit
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  • Definitely Recommend
    5 years ago
    Caryn provided useful, concrete feedback as one of my consultants with SBC, which strengthened my application and ultimately helped me gain admission to Booth and Wharton. I'd highly recommend to anyone applying for business school who is considering using an admissions consultant.
    Jacob Morello
    MBA Class of 2021 Admit
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  • Great experience
    5 years ago
    I used Caryn for my admissions to Cornell and Michigan Ross c/o 2014. She took the time to understand the strengths and weakness of my candidacy. She was very responsive and collaborative. I can safely say I wouldn’t have been admitted to either school. I highly recommend Caryn for anyone looking at MBA. I finished the process with admissions to both schools and zero complaints about Caryn.
    Trevor Ronderos
    MBA
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  • Gets The Job Done!
    5 years ago
    I couldn't be happier with my decision to use SBC and Caryn for admissions consulting. She effectively guided me through every aspect of my admissions journey, her feedback and direction was thoughtful and informed, and she was a wonderful coach who helped challenge me to build a compelling application package. Engaging SBC and Caryn was a bet that paid off enormously, more than I could have hoped. 5 years after completing my MBA and I couldn't be happier with my career past, present, and future. So grateful for my decision to work with Caryn!
    David Bernardi
    MBA
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  • Wonderful coach and firm, would recommend highly
    6 years ago
    I applied to business school in Round II for admission to the Class of 2020, gaining acceptance to HBS, Wharton and Kellogg, with a waitlist at CBS, thanks to Caryn's extraordinary help and guidance. I am thrilled to be attending my dream school, HBS, this fall. Caryn, who worked at Kellogg's Admission office before starting her career as a consultant, was a great mentor through the application process from school selection to interview prep. She truly wanted to get to know who I am and ensure the career goals expressed in my application were clear and credible. Her judgment was excellent, and I found myself relying on her feedback more than that of friends and family early on. For someone with enormous nerves about "aiming ...
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    Class of 2020 Admit
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  • Caryn is excellent
    6 years ago
    I used Caryn Altman as an admissions consultant. She was brilliant! I would not have been as successful without her! Caryn was incredibly responsive. There were days where I would send her an essay and she got back to me twice with various rounds of edits. In addition to that, she was an incredibly valuable counselor for my overall business school application strategy approach. She was honest with me around what she thought was doable and did everything she could to help me achieve my goals! I would not hesitate to recommend her to anyone looking to solidify his or her status at a top business school.
    Class of 2018 Admit
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  • Responsive and thoughtful
    6 years ago
    Caryn was a great coach and helped me apply to HBS, GSB and Kellogg. I received a $100k scholarship at Kellogg which I think was largely due to Caryn’s help throughout the process. Caryn takes time to listen and understand your story to determine how to thoughtfully apply to each school and best position you as a candidate. She is a wonderful coach!
    Class of 2018 Admit
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  • 4/4 with Stacy Blackman Consulting
    6 years ago
    I would recommend Caryn Altman at SBC for applicants looking for the best way to showcase themselves to AdCom - I knew I was a good applicant, but needed the perspective and coaching on how to be a great applicant. I am so pleased with the guidance and support I got from Caryn that helped me get into the 4 schools I applied to - Booth, Kellogg, Fuqua, and Ross. Caryn really helped me craft my story, starting from a rocky start at undergrad to the crucial "why MBA, why now" questions. We started by nailing the resume, which is often overlooked by most applicants. This was extremely helpful to knock out within a few days of starting with Caryn so that I no longer ...
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    Class of 2017 Admit
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  • Work with Caryn
    6 years ago
    I was just another lost working professional hoping to make her way into an elite business school. As someone that attended undergrad and law school, I didn’t want to take on the extra cost of business school, unless it was one of the best. I did free consultations with other companies prior to choosing Stacy Blackman. The cost for a consultant wasn’t something I took lightly, and I wanted to make sure I was picking the best company for me. My consultations with other companies were very negative, judgmental or awkward. Additionally, I had to pick a specific person based on short profiles online. Overall, I was thinking I may just have to do this on my own. However, when I first contacted Stacy Blackman, I ...
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    - amluchetti@gmail.com
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  • Totally worth it!
    6 years ago
    I started working on my MBA applications quite early. I am an organized person and I had no doubt that I would be able to get all my applications together early, submitted for Round 1 without a hitch. But as I started to look at each of my schools, with all of their different requirements and essay questions, I instantly became overwhelmed. I got a 730 on my GMAT and thought that alone would get me in. But my career goals were not clear and I had no idea what to write about in my essays. I reached out to two MBA consulting firms and was immediately sold on Stacy Blackman. From day one, the consultants at Stacy Blackman made an effort to get to ...
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    Class of 2016 Admit
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  • Wonderful Experience with Caryn & SB
    6 years ago
    I had a great experience working with Caryn. She motivated me to do my best and be on top of my work. She provided timely reviews of all my essays and excellent interview prep (especially as I was a little last minute for round 2 and was applying to 4 schools with her). She is a straight-shooter and won't sugarcoat- which I greatly appreciated. She was with me throughout the whole process: from brain-storming stages to when I received my acceptance. As a non-traditional applicant with an average (at best) GPA, I don't think I would have gotten the results I did without Caryn. Thank you!
    Class of 2019 Admit
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  • I couldn't have done it without Caryn!
    6 years ago
    While I debated hiring a consulting company for a couple of months, I couldn’t be happier with my ultimate decision to do so. I now think I was wrong to view it as an expense since it’s really more of an investment in yourself. My consultant, Caryn (previous admissions experience at Kellogg), was amazing from start to finish. She was extremely dedicated and responsive, with a turnaround time of less than a day most of the time. Her help on my resume, essay mapping and editing, interviews and school selection was instrumental to my success and sanity. I was accepted to 3 of 4 schools (I withdrew from the last school prior to accepting their interview invitation), and ended up attending my top choice (Kellogg!) ...
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    Class of 2016 Admit
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  • Wonderful guidance through the entire process!
    6 years ago
    I reached out to StacyBlackman consulting because even though I had an above 700 GMAT score, I did not have a single idea where to start with my overall application. I was paired with Caryn and the first thing she did was put together an application plan for me based on the number of schools I was applying to. It was high level, but it served as my framework when I built myself a schedule. I was applying to 4 schools and on average would turn around a new draft every day/every other day. I really liked that she put so much stress on creating outlines before diving into the essay since it makes actually writing the essay so much easier. Caryn had amazing turn-around ...
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    - jz54
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  • Caryn and SB are great!
    6 years ago
    I am what some would call a nontraditional applicant. Going into business school, I will be 25 and will have 3 years of work experience. I have worked for a nonprofit and a family business in real estate. I also have different personal interests than most people applying to business school and have done my share of moving around. All this being said, from the moment I called Stacy Blackman, the staff were instrumental in putting my successes and achievements on paper and to life. Not only were they helpful, but they were honest, sincere, punctual, knowledgeable and resourceful. Specifically, I worked with Caryn Altman, a Kellogg graduate. Caryn takes her job very seriously. She treats your application as it is her own. Caryn would ...
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    - Daniel Pogoda
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  • SBC & Caryn made all the difference!
    6 years ago
    I was hesitant about using a consulting firm for business school applications because I was afraid of losing my personal voice and was nervous if the cost would be worth it. However, I nervously took the plunge, choosing SBC over other firms because they had a strong matching process and so many members of their team were former admissions officers with lots of experience coaching. At the end of the process I can honestly say this was the best money I have ever spent! Caryn and the whole SBC team have been incredibly valuable in the entire process. With SBC and Caryn’s coaching, I got interviews at HBS and was admitted to Wharton, Booth, Sloan and Kellogg with huge scholarships from 2/4 schools! Caryn is ...
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    Class of 2020 Admit
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  • Stacy Blackman well worth the investment
    6 years ago
    As a non-traditional MBA candidate with sights on business school since I was an undergraduate, I've researched all the schools. I just wasn't sure how to gain admission! I had the stats to shoot for the moon when it came to top schools, but didn't have many people I could ask to help with the nuances of the application process. I was paired with Caryn Altman at Stacy Blackman based on my background and goals, and could not have been more lucky. Caryn was phenomenal at helping me position myself in a way that was attractive to the schools I hoped to attend. She helped me take advantage of all the unique factors that made up my candidacy, and helped me form an application that ...
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    Class of 2017 Admit
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  • SBC - Caryn Altman is a Rockstar!
    6 years ago
    After working extensively with Caryn Altman of Stacey Blackman Consulting (SBC), I can honestly say that she went far above and beyond my expectations. I signed up for the ‘All-in-one’ package for 3 schools and specifically picked Caryn after reading other raving reviews about her ability to get students into their dream school and she did not disappoint! Of the four schools that I applied to, I was admitted to 3 (including my #1 choice) and waitlisted on 1 despite my low undergrad GPA and average GMAT (at best) for the top-tier schools that I was applying to. To be honest, I figured they were all reach schools when I initially started the application process however after Caryn helped me create my ‘brand,’ my confidence ...
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    - sduncan7911
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  • Great Professional Consulting Firm
    6 years ago
    I began researching firms after reviewing schools on my own for several months in mid-May. SBC was diligent in finding the right consultant for me regardless of my background. It was nice to see how even in the first steps, they were already on my side to succeed in applying to business school. After a couple of profiles and a few discussions, I eventually decided to work with Caryn through a comprehensive package. Caryn is very clear in her methods and writing process which was always comforting and reassured me that everything would be on task. She definitely pushes your writing style to the best it can be for each school and challenges your thinking when it comes to essay topics and brainstorming ideas. However, ...
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    Class of 2017 Admit
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  • 100K scholarship to top 5 MBA
    6 years ago
    Working with Caryn was great. She's provides honest feedback and is very efficient in reviewing and commenting on your essays (which for a type A person like me is IDEAL). I was nervous about my MBA prospects due to a lower than average undergrad GPA, but Caryn helped me to figure out ways to fill that gap and craft a story to showcase my successes since then.
    Class of 2018 Admit
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  • Great understanding of what I was looking for in an MBA
    6 years ago
    I was drawn to Stacy Blackman Consulting after extensive research, I wanted to work with a consulting firm that only took a few candidates and really focused on providing a personalized service. Stacy Blackman Consulting definitely falls into this category. Caryn was helped me to identify the things that I wanted from my MBA experience and from that we defined a plan. After this, she worked really hard to understand what my strengths were and designed my applications in a way to best showcase these strengths. We also worked on some weaknesses in my application and she came to very realistic recommendations for those. I would definitely recommend Stacy Blackman Consulting, specially Caryn,
    - Jefferson Li
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  • Scholarship @ Top 10 MBA because of Caryn
    6 years ago
    I had an excellent experience working with Caryn at Stacy Blackman Consulting and would 100% recommend her! I chose to work with SBC because of Caryn; her background aligned with my future goals and she seemed like the perfect fit for me. I am former college athlete (liberal arts major) with a high GMAT score, low GPA (3.3) and varied work experience. During our initial meetings, Caryn didn’t sugar coat the weaknesses in my application, but I left each meeting assured that she was as invested in my success as I was and we would create a competitive application that mitigated my weaknesses and accentuated my strengths. I was looking for a consultant to help me figure out my “story”. Caryn proved invaluable in this ...
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    - ceq2019
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  • Fantastic Experience with Caryn
    6 years ago
    After having initial conversations with 4 other admissions consulting firms, I ultimately decided to go with Stacey Blackman. This choice was driven by a great first conversation with Esther (the initial point of contact who coordinated multiple SBC services throughout the process), fantastic reviews/referrals/results from friends of mine who had used SBC, and great fit/reputation of Caryn Altman (ultimately the consultant I chose to work with throughout the process). The level of engagement throughout the application process was spectacular, and the breadth of experience that both Caryn as well as the broader SBC organization provided was second-to-none. Things I found to be particularly helpful: 1) Caryn kept me on track throughout the process. I was a little late to the game, and decided to try ...
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    - mike33019
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  • Fantastic experience working with Caryn and SBC!
    6 years ago
    I'm an international applicant with a decent GMAT score and work experience, but a very weak GPA (2.9), and with no strong extra curricular work to overcome that. I decided to use a consultant to help me understand the best way to craft a compelling application given some significant gaps on paper. After speaking to a few of the most established MBA Admission consulting firms, I decided to work with Caryn at SBC because I felt that both Caryn and Esther at SBC gave me the most realistic advice in our initial conversations, and did not try to sugar coat the potential difficulties I would face in my applications (I had targeted some fairly challenging schools for my stats). Working with Caryn was a breeze ...
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    Class of 2020 Admit
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  • Awesome
    6 years ago
    I did a 5 school all-in package with Caryn and it was worth every dime. I received acceptances from each school I applied to (a pleasant surprise for both of us, as all top 12!) and honestly don't think I'd be going anywhere had it not been for Caryn's amazing help and guidance throughout the process. Caryn was honest, supportive, and I can't recommend her enough.
    Class of 2020 Admit
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  • Large Scholarships at M7 Programs with Caryn & SBC
    6 years ago
    Investing in Stacy Blackman's comprehensive package was a wise decision, to say the least. I was admitted to two M7 MBA programs with significant scholarships. I do not believe that I would have been accepted to these programs without the help of Caryn and the SBC team, let alone with scholarships. Sure, I spent a lot of money on the comprehensive package and some family members thought I was crazy at first, but what I spent was less than 10% of the scholarship I was awarded and less than 5% of the total cost of business school (2-3% if you include lost wages). It was well worth it. From the start, the SBC team provided the structure, guidance, and strategy that I needed to gain ...
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    Class of 2019 Admit
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  • Excellent experience with Caryn
    6 years ago
    I worked with Caryn at Stacy Blackman on applications to Kellogg and Ross. I wanted to use a consultant because I made a career change one year before applying to school and was concerned about telling the appropriate story. I chose Caryn because she worked with two close friends of mine who were both admitted to their top choices (HBS). I immediately appreciated Caryn’s honest and knowledgeable feedback, as well as her awareness of resources. She helped me create a timeline for my GMAT prep and application process, which was incredibly helpful as we moved along. She was frank about my GMAT score and guided me toward the right resources when I was struggling to get my score up. We did a good amount of ...
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    Class of 2019 Admit
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  • Caryn - A Rockstar Consultant!
    6 years ago
    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 ...
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    Class of 2019 Admit
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  • Fantastic Experience with Caryn & Esther
    6 years ago
    After having initial conversations with 4 other admissions consulting firms, I ultimately decided to go with Stacey Blackman. This choice was driven by a great first conversation with Esther (the initial point of contact who coordinated multiple SBC services throughout the process), fantastic reviews/referrals/results from friends of mine (all got into their top choice schools) who had used SBC, and great fit/reputation of Caryn Altman (ultimately the consultant I chose to work with throughout the process). The level of engagement throughout the application process was spectacular, and the breadth of experience that both Caryn as well as the broader SBC organization provided me was second-to-none. Even though I was applying to a pretty large number of schools in a single round, and knew Caryn's particular ...
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    Class of 2020 Admit
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  • Well worth the investment
    6 years ago
    After having been dinged from all the schools I applied to for the class of 2019, I knew that I wanted to use an admissions consultant when reapplying for the class of 2020. After evaluating several options, I decided to go with SBC for a couple reasons: their track record and my initial conversation with Caryn Altman. Caryn was upfront with me and did not sugarcoat things - when telling her which schools I wanted to apply to, she said that they would be stretch schools for me, but did not discourage me from applying. Luckily for me, I got a head start working with Caryn, signing up in early 2017. Caryn and I hit the ground running; within weeks, my resume had taken shape ...
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    - S yai
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  • Maximize your potential of getting into a top MBA program!
    6 years ago
    One of the best decisions I made throughout the MBA application process was the decision to work with Caryn of Stacy Blackman Consulting. Caryn, a former Kellogg Admissions officer, was an invaluable resource to me throughout the application process. She was vital in formulating my strategy that I presented to all schools regarding my future career aspirations. Additionally, she helped me revamp both my resume and my interview responses to specifically fit the business school process. One of her great qualities as an admissions consultant is her ability to communicate. I never had any worries about not hearing her answers to my questions or seeing her edits to my essays in a timely fashion. Her email responses were thorough, and her edits always went above ...
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    - niy a
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  • Great experience working with Caryn
    6 years ago
    I am very happy with my decision to work with Caryn and SBC on my (successful!) application to an M7 program. Caryn's experience in admissions was apparent from the first time we spoke. She was interested in getting to know my story and helped me craft a narrative to consistently communicate this via my application. The detailed timeline Caryn provided helped me stay on schedule while managing work and other priorities. With that said, Caryn expected my full engagement as we worked through numerous drafts of the application. She was very good at providing timely feedback, which again helped me better manage my time. One very helpful part of the process was the mock interview. Practicing in front of a mirror, or with friends/family will ...
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    - Flan 1177
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  • Wouldn't have gotten into school without SBC!
    6 years ago
    I had the pleasure of being paired with Caryn Altman and truly know I wouldn't have gotten into two top schools (Booth & Kellogg) without her support, patience, project management skills, and ability to see how my application worked as a whole. I worked with her on 3 schools and applied to another two on my own using some of the same strategies I developed with her. Start to finish SBC was a great investment from my initial point of contact, to my flight tester (Beth who is a former adcom), to additional folks who provided a second opinion on essays for me when Caryn and I disagreed (not often!). SBC is absolutely the way to go if you're thinking about working with a consulting ...
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    - R P
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  • Extremely stressful reapplication led to awesome outcome with Caryn's help
    6 years ago
    I applied to four top B-schools in 2016, on my own, and was dinged from all of them without interview. After this difficult outcome, I decided to investigate consulting services to get an idea of how my application could be improved the following year. I spoke to a few other services, including the MBA Exchange and mbaMission. In the end, I decided to go with Stacy Blackman because of how helpful my free consultation call with Bill Chionis was. I did a ding analysis with Caryn Altman. Her feedback was so direct and actionable that I decided to do an all-in package with her for a number of schools. Throughout the daunting process, Caryn's expertise and support was extremely valuable. Caryn was efficient, direct, friendly, ...
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    - VI Y
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  • Caryn at Stacy Blackman
    6 years ago
    I worked with Caryn to apply R1 in 2017 after having unsuccessfully applied to five schools in the first round of the previous year. Caryn was on top of every detail and made sure that we stuck to our deadlines, which was critical applying to five programs no matter how far in advance we started our planning. She absolutely has a mind for this work and was able to position my experience to fit with each individual school. Most importantly though, she helped me think through where I had been and where I really wanted to go and that made my application all the more authentic and genuine. In the end, I got acceptances from Columbia, Booth, and an interview invite from Haas that I ...
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    Class of 2020 Admit
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  • Caryn at SBC
    6 years ago
    I signed up with SBC with only three months to my first deadline. I was nervous about timing but they assured that they would not cause the delays and would give fast turnarounds. Caryn and I worked on a system so that she could review while I worked and the opposite - there was no downtime for me. She was very responsive, and I always had her support even though different time zones. Caryn's reviews went far beyond a grammatical error or re-wording of things. She got to know me very well and was very strict. Sometimes the feedback was tough. She taught me to give many examples and not answer in just a general way. There were two essays in particular that she felt ...
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    Class of 2020 Admit
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  • Caryn and Adcom review= invaluable
    6 years ago
    I went to SBC after two friends had a very positive experience. In fairness, I was sold on their references so did not really explore other options. No matter - I am completely happy with my selection. I was very cautious at first because it was such a big investment. I found it hard to comprehend how I could get my money's worth. But the process really helps streamline your application journey in such a smart way. I worked hard and put it a lot of hours (so did my consultant Caryn). We went through all of the steps of exploring my entire background, determining strengths and weaknesses, coming up with great examples and then applying all of the stories across my various applications. As ...
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    - gcald
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  • Caryn Altman (SBC)
    8 years ago
    I applied to four schools round 1 for this past year and used Caryn at Stacy Blackman Consulting. In short, she was fantastic. I felt as though she was extremely invested in my success, was very strategic and always steered by in the right direction. She was also very available and communicative. She always responded to my emails and was willing to hop on the phone when I asked her to. I got into two top schools and was wait-listed at a third. I feel really good about how the process ended up and am confident I would not have gotten to where I am without Caryn's support. I would (and already have) recommend her to anyone looking for comprehensive consulting services for top MBA ...
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    Class of 2018 Admit
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  • Working with Caryn and SBC
    8 years ago
    I worked with Caryn on a three school All-In Package and she helped me through the entire b-school process. I was accepted into all three programs and offered a full-year academic scholarship from one! Being relatively young, I really didn't know what I was getting myself into and would have been really lost without her help. Also facing a low score from my first GMAT which I took in college, she helped me create a strategy for how to go about handling re-taking standardized tests. She also provided me with advice about how to fill in some of the potential gaps she saw in my application e.g. extracurriculars before the application season started. When it came to the applications and essays themselves, Caryn helped me ...
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    - izziewragg@gmail.com
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  • Caryn and SBC
    8 years ago
    I worked with Caryn through a three school All-In Package and I also had Caryn edit my fourth application on an hourly basis. I was accepted to three of these schools and waitlisted at the fourth (all top 7 programs). I will be heading to my top choice, Wharton, this fall. As someone with fairly typical background and a low GPA, I knew I needed every advantage possible if I wanted to be admitted into any of top schools. After interviewing four different admissions consulting companies, I decided to use SBC because of their established track record and breadth of offerings beyond the essay help (the flight test, the practice interviews, the sample essays, etc.,). I chose to work with Caryn in particular because of ...
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    - danfmichel@gmail.com
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  • Highly Recommend Caryn and Stacy Blackman
    8 years ago
    Caryn from SBC guided me through the whole Bschool application process from the beginning to the end. Without her help, I am not sure I could get such great results. I was a re-applicant this year. I worked with another consulting firm last year and got all the Dings. The consultant at that firm was not patient and the service was not at the same level with SBC at all. Caryn is very nice, patient but also a very professional consultant who knows what's going on in the application world. I trust all her advice and she clearly pointed to me every single detail of the application. I was born and raised in China and came to U.S. for college. My written English was bad ...
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    - liguanrong11@gmail.com
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