Dione

Working with Dione through the MBA admissions process exceeded all of my expectations. When deciding on an MBA consultancy, I knew that it was important to find someone who could provide real-life admissions experience and a personalized touch, as well as be accessible when I needed them most. Dione was all of these things and more. She truly took the time to understand how my professional experiences fit into the context of who I am as a person to help craft a strong “why MBA?” narrative and express what I could bring to a top program. As someone coming from Equity Research – a less common or well-known track within finance – I was worried about getting overlooked during the admissions process. However, Dione helped me flesh out what made me unique as a candidate and was also helpful in stress-testing my post-MBA goals. I also felt that the “flight test” process was differentiated – it not only provided valuable feedback but also gave me confidence that I was submitting the best possible application.

I applied to Harvard, Stanford, Wharton, and Sloan. With Dione’s help, I was admitted to all four schools and will be attending the GSB. Given Dione’s experience on the Minority Admissions Advisory Committee for Stanford GSB and ties to the school as an alum, she was particularly helpful with the notoriously most difficult Stanford essay: “What matters most to you, and why?” I would highly recommend Dione to anyone looking for an MBA consultant.

I engaged SBC and Dione as my MBA admissions consultant for an all-in package because I wanted to be sure to put my best foot forward for the top schools, especially coming from an overrepresented career (consulting + tech), educational (engineering at top state school w/ large b school pipeline), and demographic (Asian-American) backgrounds. I greatly appreciated the support throughout, and I was admitted to Wharton and Kellogg MMM and received an R2 deferral for HBS.

Dione was extremely knowledgeable about the application process and helped me in particular with:
1. Fleshing out my short-term and long-term career goals — I had specific industry areas, companies, and roles in mind already, but Dione pushed me to consider specific responsibilities within those roles and sharpen my reasons for why I had these goals
2. Incorporating smaller stories into my existing narrative: there were some stories I overlooked because I struggled to tangibly identify impact or because they didn’t seem fully relevant to my narrative (even the fact that I sing at piano bars), but Dione helped me identify and incorporate them (both into my essays and sometimes in the short answer questions where applicable), allowing me to paint a more interesting and compelling storyline
3. More broadly, choosing the best stories from my potential list, framing those stories up, and ordering them within the narrative to most strongly demonstrate my leadership specifically
4. Writing about my identity and diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) work. I specifically sought out Dione for her experience in this area. I didn’t have to explain DEI concepts as I would have to other consultants, and she was able to help me to convey my identity and DEI work in a way that was understandable to laypeople and that would resonate.
5. Adjusting my resume to be more targeted towards MBA applications specifically instead of just a job application

Although I initially found Sarah (the matchmaker) from my intro consultation to be very spiky and not easy to work with, I’m glad it didn’t deter me. The process with Dione was very smooth once I requested and was matched with her. I found her exceptionally responsive (often reviews + feedback within a few hours or same-day), and it was always easy to find time to speak over Zoom. Dione’s working style is very open/transparent and a bit stream-of-consciousness (which both Sarah and Dione called out before we began working together), but I found her candor and detailing of her thought process to mesh well with my personality. Dione was able to help me figure out not only the big questions but also the small questions as I iterated on my applications; I was incredibly thankful to have her as a thought partner.

Overall, I feel that most admissions consulting companies would have been relatively good options (including a few that were a little cheaper), but I ultimately went with SBC and am happy with my experience because:
1. Dedicated single point of contact with a consultant vs. multiple specialists (often with less MBA-specific experience) overseeing different parts of the process. Unlike some other companies, SBC also offered some network benefits since the consultants are able to speak with each other, and there’s the flight test with a former AdCom member independent from your consultant.
2. SBC consultants’ strong qualifications based on their educational and professional working experience; I also liked that they were dedicated specifically to MBA admissions as opposed to college admissions more broadly
3. Unlimited support time, which SBC offers but I believe some of the multi-specialist model companies do not
4. Straightforward pricing. Unlike most other companies, SBC didn’t have different tiers of pricing based on consultants or schools (e.g., HSW vs. rest). It also included interview practice for both traditional behavioral interviews and Wharton’s team-based interview without additional charge.

Dione was my consultant and I highly recommend working with her. As a military applicant looking to transition into Product Management in tech, I had trouble connecting my life and work experiences and Dione was extremely helpful in pointing me in the right direction. She gave helpful advice on how to be specific where it counted (such as the impact of my work, what I wanted to do and to really nail down my short-term and long-term goals). The main challenge for me was taking my diverse military experience and positioning/explaining it in a way that was compelling and believable in my application and Dione was essential on that front. Dione was always honest when she felt I fell short of what I needed to do(not explaining something correctly in my application, not highlighting my work experiences better, or clarifying what my career goals/why MBA as it was definitely too vague in the beginning). What I also appreciated was that she was always available. Although there were many holidays during the time we were working together, she always responded promptly to any emails I sent her, and was more than happy to jump on a call when I needed to bounce some ideas around. I think that commitment/availability was crucial in streamlining my application process and helped me put my best foot forward.

From SBC, the flight test provided a good informed outside opinion on my application and helped me refine my application further. I also appreciated the mock Wharton TBD discussion with Anthony and the feedback that was provided afterward, as I believed it took some stress away from the actual TBD.

I only applied to 5 schools, was admitted to a HSW, and received a half-tuition scholarship at Haas. Happy with the result and glad to have worked with Dione and the SBC team.

I had an amazing experience working with Dione on my applications. Starting from the very beginning, she spent time building a thorough understanding of me as an individual and my ST/LT goals. Based on this initial assessment, she helped me craft tailored applications for the two M7 schools I applied to. This tailored approach was proven effective in landing me an offer from one of them and WL from the other program (top 3).

As a non-citizen Asian male (saturated demographic pool) coming from a non-feeder college and a non-standard career path, I’m very happy with the results. Dione played a pivotal role in helping me better position myself to stand out from other applicants with similar backgrounds. In particular, she talked through with me the pros and cons of various options I had when writing my essays and narrowed down the most effective ones for each of the programs. Her POV and candid feedback were super helpful given her nuanced understanding of what each of the schools was looking for, as well as her extensive experience in B-School application advisory.

I highly recommend Dione to future applicants who would like to position themselves as “compelling” applicants to any top MBA program!

The journey of working on my MBA application with Dione was as rewarding as the result – admittance by HBS. A few highlights:

1) throughout the process, Dione pushed me to do a lot of work to understand myself and my career drive. This was a valuable exercise even outside MBA application.

2) she helped me identify my personal narrative that was both authentic and unique and ensured this narrative carried through the whole application process: essays and interviews.

3) great advice on how to effectively communicate with people who can help me (e.g. recommenders, B-school alums)

Dione is simply 11/10. There is no other way to put it. I applied to 2 schools: Stanford GSB & Harvard HBS. With Dione’s guidance, I received offers from both. The proof is in the pudding.

I came to Dione with the ingredients (drafts, GMAT, rec letters) and Dione helped me take those drafts into a truly powerful application – telling my story in a way that was true to myself and compelling. We worked on my story arc together, diving deep into my experience and personal motivations. Working with Dione also helped me clarify personally why the business school was right for me.

Whenever anyone approaches me about my success in MBA applications – the first thing I do is send them to Dione. She is diligent, attentive, caring, and invested in you. Furthermore, she is flexible – from quick reviews of my post-HBS interview reflection in 24 hours to working right towards deadlines. You can work with Dione however works best for you – with structured shared goals or when you need that quick bit of advice on a question you are stuck on.

Being an international applicant, working with Dione was especially useful to understand how to craft and tell my story in a way that US business schools are looking for.

After my admissions, Dione continued to be on hand to help me think about the right school for me and apply for scholarship applications. I really couldn’t recommend Dione & SBS anymore.

I was referred to SBC by a friend/former colleague. I was connected with Dione as my consultant and could not be more pleased with my experience. She is a kind and knowledgeable individual and mentor who genuinely wants to help her clients succeed. I highly recommend her to anyone and still keep in touch with her to this day!

Below are my highlights of Dione:
– Very clearly knowledgeable in the MBA application process and top programs.
– Quick responder to emails and questions; works on the weekends (which not all consultants do). I’m a perfectionist and ask a lot of questions and Dione always took the time to answer my questions with care and thought.
– Extremely patient and willing to iterate many many times on essay drafts. Dione and I probably iterated ~10-13 times on my career goals essay, to ensure it is as “perfect” as can be. I appreciate that she puts equal effort into her feedback for each iteration.
– Helped me craft my “story” to ensure that my desired career path is both aspirational and achievable.
– Understands how to highlight strong points and mitigate potential weaknesses in an application.

I ended up being admitted to my top school (CBS) and received the highest scholarship amount (granted to only 2 students per class). I strongly feel I could not have received this without Dione, as she helped me highlight strong points of my background. I purchased a 5-school comprehensive package but decided to drop the 4 remaining schools – and I still strongly feel that working with Dione was worth paying for the 5-school package.

Thank you, Dione!

I cannot sing Dione’s praises enough! In addition to be incredibly knowledgeable, effective, and responsive, Dione is thoughtful, encouraging, and dedicated. From day one, I knew Dione genuinely wanted to get to know me and was whole-heartedly invested in my success – both personally and professionally.

While I had expected to be hand-held throughout the process and being told what to do, instead, Dione challenged me to be introspective and applications/essays that were true to me. Beyond being a consultant, Dione served as a mentor and my biggest cheerleader. I truly felt like she believed in me, my abilities, and my success from the get-go, and simply guided me to present my authentic, true self in my applications.

SBC’s process was thorough, detailed, and personalized. I had access to Dione 24/7 where I was provided incredibly insightful and actionable feedback, with each iteration pushing me to dig deeper. I found the initial assessment with Esther where she got to know me and matched with Dione, pre-writing exercises that provided clarity in defining my personal “brand” and examples of when I’ve lived those values, and flight test with Beth, especially valuable.

All that said, I am beyond thrilled with my results: admittance to UCLA Anderson with a full ride, Yale SOM with a Dean’s scholarship of $80K, and Northwestern Kellogg with $60K. I will be matriculating to Kellogg, and I could not be happier, and I owe this success in large part to Dione and SBC. I will be referring all my colleagues, friends, and family to SBC. And I genuinely hope (and expect!) that Dione will be a life-long mentor and friend!

Result: 1 admit (MIT) and 2 rejections.
Review: I was referred by a friend to SBC and was paired with Dione as my dedicated consultant for the All-In partnership. It has been a pleasant experience working with Dione thru the stressful application process and here are a few things I’d love to highlight:
1. Quick Response: Dione is super fast in responding to any questions I have, reviewing my materials and providing comments, generally within 24 hours. Her efficiency significantly elevated our productivity of the entire application process.
2. Experienced: Dione has strong experience in both MBA and college applications and her advice on resume revision, essay theme selection, recommender communication, supporting material preparation, interview, etc. was not only pinpointed but also actionable.
3. Comprehensive support: In addition to Dione as my dedicated consultant, I also had Esther as my initial guide + matchmaker, and Kim, who is a former Admissions Officer helped review my application package as a flight tester. Moreover, SBC provided a detailed knowledge base with a vast amount of information by schools as well as InterviewStream, an online platform that helped me prepare for virtual interviews. This 360-degree team-based approach really allowed SBC to provide all the support you may need during the MBA application process.

I had a great experience using the SBC comprehensive package. I was referred to SBC by a former colleague who matriculated at a T10 MBA program with a scholarship. While I was looking at consulting firms, I was already impressed during my initial introductory call with Esther and her evaluation of my profile’s strengths and weaknesses. After my initial conversation with Esther, I was matched with Dione as my dedicated admissions consultant.

Dione was an incredibly experienced and dedicated admissions consultant. Her expertise shone during our first few calls where we started working together to craft my application strategy and career vision. Throughout the application process, she was extremely responsive and provided feedback on my resume, essays and revisions, and other materials within 24 hours. I also appreciated the team-based approach that SBC took, e.g., Kim, a former Admissions Officer at Booth, conducted a flight test of my application before submission, and Anthony, a former Admissions Officer at Wharton, helped conduct a mock team-based discussion in preparation for my Wharton interview

With Dione and the rest of the SBC team’s support, I was accepted to two M7 schools, Wharton and Sloan with significant scholarship offerings from both schools. I would strongly recommend the Dione and SBC for anyone with the goal of being admitted to a top business school!

With only a month until applications in January, I was under extreme pressure: I had to retake the GRE, write new essay drafts, and compile my application. The SBC team and Dione, especially, helped me focus my efforts to make the maximum impact with little time. In the end, I was fortunate to be admitted to my top choice program: Harvard’s dual-degree MBA and Masters in Biotechnology. Altogether I was accepted to 2 out of 3 schools to which I applied (all top 10) and received a substantial scholarship at one.

I was a re-applicant and decided to go with the SBC team after doing research on different consultant groups. I was attracted to SBC based on its roster of top MBA coaches, its impressive rate of client acceptance to top-tier institutions, Reddit reviews (of course), and its marketing which emphasized applicant character—this is an element that was important for me to convey. Moreover, I appreciated that SBC evaluated if you were a fit and then found the right coach that wanted to work with you. I wanted someone interested in me and the story I had to tell.

The process from the beginning was prompt and efficient. In one day, I submitted my preliminary materials (resume, essay drafts), was matched with Dione who expressed interest in working with me, and met with her. She hit the ground running to assess my strategy, my weaknesses, and most importantly, my story. She wasn’t about small talk. She asked penetrating questions about who I was, what was my history, and what I wanted to do with my life. Through each of these dimensions, she prompted me to reflect on “Why” and tie those answers to my applications. It was baring and bold, but in a matter of hours, Dione knew more about me than many of my closest friends. “Leave no stone unturned,” she says.

Throughout the process, Dione was prompt (oftentimes 1-2 hours turnaround time) and very detail-oriented. She encouraged me to clarify my story and communicate it clearly, providing an accountability partner with whom I could bounce ideas. This was particularly helpful for me as I was a nontraditional applicant working at a biotech startup in Silicon Valley. Completing my applications was intense; working with Dione made it efficient and surprisingly cathartic as I learned more about myself through the process. Thank you, Dione, and thank you, SBC.

Advice for future clients: Although I’m not one to rewrite the past, if I was to go through the process again, I would engage SBC earlier for once-monthly calls during the application ramp-up stage. This would help guide my strategy, tying up responsibilities, and alleviate a lot of the last-minute stress! Start early!

I approached Dione with one target program in mind at my dream school in the USA – however as an international applying to a US advanced degree program, I knew it would be a tough and competitive process at an already highly selective school. I was also applying in one of the last rounds so I knew it was not going to be easy.

First off, Dione is very knowledgeable when it comes to the application process and the evaluation of candidates thanks to her background. She gave me candid feedback throughout the entire process and was my sounding board in drafting and articulating my story. She also asks very thoughtful questions to guide you in the right direction; for example, her feedback on my essays contained some of the most comprehensive comments I’ve ever received, down to even the smallest detail about my past work experience – however, this is exactly what you need to produce a high caliber application. She would also send me notes after our sessions so I knew what to focus on immediately after our calls.

Most importantly and what I think was the real key to my successful application is that Dione tells you the honest truth. I understand that the truth is not always what people want to hear but this is exactly why you need an admissions consultant like Dione as this was essential to avoid potential pitfalls in the application process. As you can imagine, each session was extremely efficient, productive, and filled with value-adding advice.

Dione provides very quick feedback and worked really hard to help me put my best application forward. She is extremely committed and I felt like she went over and above her remit. I am happy to say my application was successful and I am beyond grateful to Dione for all her help as it would not have been possible without her. I would absolutely recommend Dione to anyone and especially international applicants who really do need someone with her level of knowledge and expertise when it comes to US business schools and admissions.

I highly recommend Dione with SBC for MBA applications if you are looking for a resourceful, timely, and professional consultant who will push you to think and give you the best shot in your application. When I was ready to apply for MBA, I found out SBC would give me the best shot from Poets&Quants and reached out to SBC matchmaker Esther, who paired me up with Dione after a 15-min intro call. I quickly discovered Dione was the right consultant for my situation, and she became my dedicated MBA consultant for strategy, positioning, and career visioning.

I had a very tight timeframe for R1 applications, and Dione was very responsive and effective at the same time. She first helped me narrow down to a list of few schools that best meet my needs and background and then drew up a game plan in terms of the sequence and how to tackle each school. Through various questions, personality tests, conversations, and reflections, Dione helped me figure out a short-term and long-term goal that fits my interests and makes sense for the schools. Within a couple of weeks of intense back-and-forth with many e-mails, we were able to draft a compelling story for the essay questions that are true to me and unique to each school. Another senior consultant from SBC Caryn was also able to jump in and help with one of my applications for a comprehensive flight test that gave me additional color and improved my applications. Given the tight timeline, Dione worked extremely hard and responded to my questions and essay drafts tirelessly with turnaround time, often less than an hour, and responded late into the evenings. Throughout the application, Dione pointed out the areas I need to prioritize and encouraged me to push forward. Even though I have signed up for the comprehensive package, I felt Dione was very generous with her time and provided feedback on numerous drafts for each of the essays, even at a late-stage, to make sure my wording was perfect.

With Dione’s support, I’m lucky to be admitted by Dartmouth Tuck. I will recommend Dione to anybody with a traditional background or a diverse interest and interested in a top MBA program.

I reached out to Esther only a few months before Round 1 applications were due while I was actually in the process of working with another consulting firm – which I was quite unsatisfied with. I was initially skeptical about switching over to SBC as I had already invested so much money and time with the other consultant, but I am SO HAPPY that I ultimately decided to go for it.

Dione was able to quickly understand my background, my story, and my future goals in order to help me craft a compelling application. She was incredible to brainstorm with and was always available to run through ideas or to answer my (many) questions. She helped me edit all of my essays up until I felt they were truly exceptional, and she was fantastic as keeping these concise, to the point, but still genuine and authentic. I was truly impressed with her work and extremely confident with my applications.

Before deciding to go forward with SBC, I had initial talks with numerous other consulting firms. SBC stood out because of the matchmaking process, the entire team’s efforts toward your final application (through their helpful flight test), and their resources. I received interviews at 5 of the 6 schools I had applied for, and the SBC interview resources helped tremendously with my interview preparation.

In addition, I’d like to add that the team at SBC was genuinely so kind and it really felt like they were on my side in this process. I had lots of ups and downs while applying (personally and professionally!) and Dione and the team continued to be there to cheer me on and push me forward. I ultimately got accepted to my dream school and cannot recommend Dione and SBC enough!

I reached out to Esther over two years ago to get the SBC team’s perspective on my competitiveness for HBS. While most consulting firms are quick to bring on any potential client, the SBC team stood out as different in this early phase; Esther noted that I would have a much stronger profile if I gained an additional year of experience at my current job. In the intervening year, she continued to reach out with support and guidance, ultimately coming to understand my strengths/weaknesses/aspirations quite well. This hard work upfront then helped Esther to match me with the ideal consultant for my goals: Dione.

Dione and I began working together seven months before application deadlines. Having never worked with a consultant before, I was unsure what to expect—but was immediately impressed by Dione from the moment we met all the way through interview prep eight months later. Well before I started actually writing essays or contacting recommenders, Dione and I spent many hours discussing my overall strategy and positioning. Her guidance and input during this early phase proved critical to developing a cohesive story/framework for my application. And when I moved from big-picture planning to the nuts-and-bolts of the application (e.g., writing the essays), Dione proved just as helpful. A few of Dione’s differentiating strengths that I would like to highlight:
– Dione is extremely responsive. I continued to be amazed by how quickly she would email or call with input every time I sent her draft materials for review.
– Dione is a very strong writer. Given her background in marketing/communications, I believe Dione is perhaps better-qualified than many other consultants to support with essay edits.
– Dione deeply cared about my success. I feel that Dione came to know me very well—not just as an applicant, but as a person—and this helped to make me feel very genuinely supported throughout the process.

There are many other good things I could say about Dione and the SBC team. I would have been happy with my experience regardless of the application outcomes, but am particularly happy with the experience after being accepted to HBS. I would highly recommend SBC (and Dione specifically!) to anyone.

When I approached Dione for help, I had only 10 days until the deadline. I knew that it was an uphill task that needed an advisor who was well versed with Stanford GSB’s admission process and who would provide concrete guidance on how to improve my application. I can confidently say that Dione far exceeded these expectations and her guidance played a vital role in my admission.
During the entire process, Dione was extremely understanding and considerate. In order to help me with my expedited application timeline, she was extremely flexible in terms of reviewing any material sent and in arranging a call at a short notice.
She was also very efficient in terms of time utilization. In total I purchased three hours of service but was able to get my entire application including CV, additional optional answers reviewed twice, along with getting numerous other questions answered and was even able to get some best practices tips to share with my recommenders. As part of her feedback, Dione provided clear guidance on which sections to prioritize, how to craft the answers to make them more coherent to the reader, and how to structure my thought process so that I could communicate my career goals in a credible and compelling manner.
Overall, I would say that Dione is a true professional and it was an absolute pleasure to work with her on my application and I would recommend her to everyone applying to Stanford GSB.

I highly recommend working with Dione, who took the time to get to know me and provided tremendous support throughout my MBA application journey. Dione helped me understand the adcom’s perspective and provided thoughtful suggestions to improve my MBA candidacy. I greatly appreciated her clear communication, willingness to jump on the phone, and quick email responses throughout the process, which helped me feel supported and prepared. A few things I found particularly helpful: 1) identifying my ‘story’ – I found the reflection process challenging. Dione is a gifted storyteller and a great sounding board who helped me identify and connect the dots – my core values and career goals – to create a meaningful story. 2) articulating my story – Dione worked tirelessly, reviewing draft after draft until I was proud of my school essays. 3) navigating uncertainty – Dione helped me navigate the uncertainties and challenges of MBA admission, such as group interviews and waitlist management – uncertainties especially heightened with the pandemic. I was admitted to 2 schools (1 with scholarship), and later a third off the waitlist. Working with Dione, I have felt confident and prepared. I can count on her for candid feedback and genuine support. I am truly grateful for Dione.

Dione was incredibly helpful to me on my MBA journey for three key reasons.

First, Dione was incredibly knowledgable about all of the schools I was thinking of applying to. Not in a generic, “I have read the website” way, but in the more subtle, application-driven way. EX: Which schools valued humility vs. confidence in their essays and tone of writing? Which schools had strong programs in the career fields I was interested in? What schools valued community service vs. career leadership experience? The small things that set your application apart, and help you tailor an application to the MBA program.

Second, Dione is a great editor. She does not change your writing, but rather guides the thought process, and helps refine your thinking and message. I learned to better explain why I was applying to business school through working with Dione. This helped me in my applications, interviews, and also in rationalizing this career decision to myself and to my employer.

Finally, Dione, as with any consultant, was an impartial “judge.” A third party who I could run decisions by, who did not have context or history to sway them. She was my rational sounding board. As you move through the emotional chaos of applying to business school, it is important to have that type of resource.

I loved working with Dione and highly recommend her as a resource to anyone thinking of pursuing an MBA.