Meg

My work with Stacy Blackman and specifically my dedicated consultant Meg specifically was excellent. Meg was always quick to respond to my requests and really helped me secure admission and full scholarship to two M7 schools. She created a schedule at the beginning for me to stick by to ensure I got my applications in by my deadlines. For each essay/short answer I had, she helped me get a starting point and proposed ideas for what direction I should go down. She helped spur my original ideas to spin my story into something that would be attractive to business schools. She also would help me whenever I had questions about scholarships, choosing between schools, and more. Overall, Meg was wonderful to work with, and I would highly recommend her to everyone.

I cannot say enough positive things about working with Meg and the whole SBC team. I reached out in August and connected with Esther who helped me understand what GRE score I should be aiming for. Once I got that, she listened to my goals and thought Meg would be a match for me and she was right! My dream school was Booth and Meg’s insight as a former admissions offer there was invaluable not only for my crafting my narrative but also for examining the school and whether it would be a fit for me.

As someone who comes from a non-traditional background and didn’t know anyone who had completed the MBA application process, Meg was invaluable in walking me through every step and helping me understand what Admissions Committees were looking for. I did the all in package for 3 schools with Meg. I applied to 11 overall and was able to use a lot of the material that I developed with Meg’s guidance for my other 8 schools. One of SBC’s other consultants, Amy (former AdCom), performed a flight test on my materials where she helped point out some areas for growth in my application that I think really helped me succeed.

After my initial applications, Meg’s interview prep was phenomenal and fully prepared me for all 9 of my interviews. Additionally, when I received an invite for Wharton’s TBD I was given the opportunity to have a mock TBD with other applicants run by former Wharton AdCom who also works for SBC.

At the end of the process I received full rides from Olin, Mendoza, and Darden, scholarships of over 100k to Ross, Fuqua, Kellogg, and Booth, and an admit to Wharton.

I know this would not have been possible without Meg (and all of SBC’s) help and I highly, highly recommend them to anyone embarking on their MBA journey!

Meg was instrumental in my securing interviews with 4 M7 programmes and acceptance to Columbia Business School. As an international applicant from a non-traditional background, I really appreciated Meg’s faith and enthusiasm about my prospects from the beginning. She provided consistent guidance and insights both in crafting my story and drafting my essays, providing honest and rapid feedback which allowed me to perfect my application. After submission, Meg continued to provide plenty of support and conducted two mock interviews which were invaluable in my preparation.

Having spoken to friends who had used consultancy services and conducted significant research on various different offerings, SBC’s excellent reviews made it an easy choice. The broader SBC team (Esther as my initial contact and Lisa as my flight tester) were also incredibly helpful.

I would highly recommend Meg and SBC!

Working with Meg was an absolute game-changer in my Booth application process. She possessed not only a deep understanding of the school, but also had a genuine passion for helping me shine. She took time to get to know me and helped me craft essays that were not just compelling but also deeply authentic, reflecting my intent and who I am. Her knowledge about the school’s culture and expectations were invaluable and her feedback pushed me to refine my ideas.
Meg’s personalized approach and support were beyond my expectations and I could not have done it with her guidance!

Meg was an indispensable resource during my application and acceptance to Booth. She provided real-time feedback on my essays and gave me a study plan that motivated me. Meg had a wealth of knowledge about admissions. Meg’s guidance allowed me to highlight my strengths and show why I wanted to do an MBA. She encouraged me along the way and worked with me on a short application deadline in Round 3. I strongly recommend Meg as an MBA consultant.

My first application cycle I did not get any acceptances. I will be attending HBS this fall and it would not be possible without Meg. She encouraged me to be ambitious with my school choices and provided invaluable insight on the MBA application process. She was very generous and fair with her time and was my teammate through the whole process from developing an initial school list through interview season.

Meg’s feedback on my application was perfect. She cuts right through and challenges weaknesses in your application without compromising your voice and story. My MBA applications were authentically me but incredibly well thought out and polished thanks to the feedback I got from Meg.

Meg was fantastic. She helped me shape a nuanced and compelling story, and articulate the fundamental “why” behind my application in a way that an admissions officer could understand. She was also a great blend of supportive while holding me accountable to deadlines. I ended up getting into Wharton and Booth with a scholarship. Great experience all around.

Meg was fantastic! She really helped shepherd me through the MBA process and kept me on track and accountable as I navigated the demands of application writing while working. Wouldn’t of been able to do it without her! Got into Darden and Booth – her experiences and insight as a former Booth adcom were invaluable. She helped me leverage my strengths while addressing weaknesses. The Vault was a great resource from SBC and the flight test helped with fine tuning near the end.

Meg was my primary partner through my application process. From the beginning, she was enthusiastic and came in with a game plan. She very quickly identified the strengths in my story and helped me harness them through each application and iteration of essays. She also had a very clear understanding of the goals for each individual essay, making sure I molded my story accordingly. Rather than critiquing or trying to change things about my profile, Meg focused on the assets that made me unique. She responded swiftly to any questions I had, and was a true champion of my success at every milestone, all the way to my acceptances at Fuqua and Kellogg! The rest of the SBC team was very supportive, between Sarah, who matched me with Meg after learning about my background and goals, and Lisa (another former admissions officer), who conducted my flight test and provided a great birds-eye view of my candidacy before I hit submit. I chose SBC based on extensive online research, and this choice was instrumental in my success in this tedious process. There was so much I would not have known without Meg and the rest of the SBC team. Thank you for everything!!!

Meg and the whole SBC organization was a huge reason I was accepted to Chicago Booth. Coming from an engineering background I knew almost nothing about business school and left to my own devices my applications and essays would have been ridiculously insufficient. Early on, Meg asked the deep probing questions about my MBA motivations which she pulled from her past as a B-School adcom, which helped me not only present a strong case but also helped me put words to my previously unverbalized goals.

Throughout the application process Meg gave detailed, and sometimes harsh feedback, making sure the best aspects of myself were presented. This candid feedback helped me tremendously. Additionally, the resources the SBC community provides to applicants are unbelievably helpful and provided answers to many of my questions I couldn’t find online.

Overall, my experience was overwhelmingly positive. Despite being rejected by several of my top options early on and waitlisted at the others, Meg helped me craft updates and provided moral support while I waited. In the end I think her guidance gave me the edge I needed to be accepted to my top target school.

Looking back, I now know that working with Meg and SBC was the single most important decision I made during my MBA admissions journey. The team’s in-depth and candid expertise at every step of the process was instrumental in my admission to both Booth and Kellogg. It all started with my initial consultation with Sarah, who in a matter of minutes, assessed my candidacy and told me how she would go about crafting and positioning my narrative. It was easy to tell that she and SBC knew what they were doing. Then, it was Meg who really helped me unlock the potential of my application. With her expertise as a former MBA admissions officer, Meg was my primary partner and ultimate support system during the grueling application process. She spent a lot of time just getting to know me and my aspirations and really helped me to understand that my story was valuable. She enabled me to weave together all my life experiences and ambitions in a way that helped me craft essays that were uniquely me and uniquely powerful – essays that no doubt made a difference in gaining admission to Booth and Kellogg. In addition to Meg’s unwavering support, the SBC client database was immensely helpful with school-specific resources and sample essays. The vast information there was really a cherry on top of the breadth and depth of expertise that the whole SBC team provided. I would highly recommend Meg and the SBC team to anyone looking to take their MBA candidacy to the next level – I wouldn’t have found the success I did without them!

Meg was an incredible partner and supporter in my application journey. During our first call, I didn’t realize how much I had to offer until she asked some questions about topics I didn’t realize were relevant. She helped me understand my story was valuable and communicated that with my authentic voice. Beyond that, I got helpful information from the full SBC network of former admissions officers, and my flight tester provided valuable feedback with an impartial but experienced viewpoint. Despite coming from a fairly non-traditional background, I got interviews to 7 of the top 10 programs and acceptances from Tuck, Haas, and Kellogg. I highly recommend her to anyone looking for someone to listen to!

The business school application process is stressful and surprisingly emotional. You’re trying to condense your professional accomplishments into a short essay and resume while simultaneously communicating who you are on a very personal level. I knew I needed help, and Megan was the perfect match. From day one, Megan was ready for anything, and that was quite a lot in my case. From calls when I hit a wall writing to editing minor details in the 11th hour, Megan was there to help. In the end, it was obvious that Megan has a unique talent for appreciating candidates for their uniqueness and enabling them to weave an intricate tapestry of who they are in the minimal space your application permits. Her ability to connect the dots of my story is undoubtedly what made me fortunate enough to be admitted to Stanford, Harvard, and Wharton.

In addition to Megan’s support, the entire SBC team was incredibly supportive. From my first call with Sarah, I could tell that SBC did things differently as she immediately told me how she thought about my candidacy, what she would change about my resume, and how she would try to craft my narrative. The online SBC library was also extremely useful for tailoring each application to the specific school. What really sets the SBC team apart, however, is the breadth and depth of knowledge; any time that Megan 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. In particular, my flight test was specifically conducted by an ex-admissions officer from the school that was my top choice, offering me the opportunity to get school-specific insights that I likely wouldn’t have gotten elsewhere.

Thank you Megan and SBC, I couldn’t have done it without you!

I had an amazing MBA application experience thanks to Meg and SBC. When I first contacted Esther, she was very communicative, quick to respond, and so helpful in kickstarting the process. Esther got to know me and matched me perfectly with my primary consultant and former MBA adcomm, Meg. We clicked instantly on our first call, and she quickly understood my strengths and themes I could leverage through the materials in my applications. Meg helped me plan out my MBA application process, including a very detailed schedule with due dates for drafts, and helped me clearly write my personal and unique story. She made me feel at ease throughout. Meg was incredibly supportive and gave me so much confidence in everything I was working on. She was my cheerleader when at times I was feeling doubt. She made me believe in my story and my candidacy.

SBC provided me with an incredible support system. Not only was Meg so knowledgeable in every aspect of the process, reviewed my drafts as many times as needed, and gave feedback promptly, but I also had the support and feedback of two other former adcomms, Beth and Anthony. Beth was my flight tester and a second set of eyes who reviewed my application of choice and gave me great feedback. Anthony helped me with my Wharton mock interview and gave me great points to improve on during the real interview. All in all, SBC had an amazing team of former adcomms to help me every step of the way.

I was able to get into three out of the four schools I applied to: Wharton, Booth and Kellogg, and with significant scholarships. I would recommend SBC and Meg to anyone looking for a supportive team. Thank you, Meg, for being a remarkable consultant!

Meg was an incredible asset in achieving success in applying to MBA programs.

Frustrated with my current consultants who lacked the professional experience on the other side of the table as adcomm staff, I set out to interview several different consultants. After several calls, I knew that SBC was the right fit for me. Sarah was my first introduction to SBC and she was informative, communicative, and understanding. Most of all, I clicked with her better than with any of the other staff from competitive firms.

SBC selects a partner based on industry, interests, and target schools. Basically, they understand you and so I was matched with Meg. Again, I clicked immediately. SBC just seems to have great people! We went through the discovery process and their structured approach and expertise gave me the support and the insight in order to be able to go through the application cycle intentionally.

Throughout the process, Meg provided guidance and suggestions which allowed me to determine the best program to achieve my goals. Once the programs were determined, we set about planning and crafting every element of the application to create a very thoughtful, robust, and compelling package.

Meg was always thoughtful, inquisitive, supportive, and prepared and always available to bounce ideas, squash self-doubt, or anything else that happens during the process. Her experience as an adcomm, her passion for the process, and her commitment to learning about the applicant in order to help them craft their best package was definitely unparalleled.

Working with Meg was exceptionally rewarding resulting in a process of self discovery which I would certainly recommend and do again. Ultimately, it culminated in an acceptance to Booth and CBS.

Meg was an incredible help and I couldn’t have gotten into Booth without her. In the beginning, I had some preconceived notions of what I “should” present or how I “should” look on paper. After showing some of my drafts and speaking with Meg on the phone, she strategized an alternative approach and thoroughly explained her reasoning – erasing all of my preconceived notions and putting me at ease with the new strategy. I use the phrase “putting me at ease” because, for me, it was a daunting task to change my initial approach. After all, this is the most important application of my professional life. But this is why Meg is great. She not only brings her incredible expertise but a way to communicate that expertise that doesn’t leave you in the dark. She not only analyzed my essay but also helped me with supplemental explanations regarding my professional and academic career. In the end, I was completely satisfied with my application and I felt confident that Meg truly helped me put my best foot forward. Retaining Meg for her services felt like I was investing in myself and it certainly paid off.

I was able to get into my dream school, MIT, thanks to all the support and guidance Meg and SBC offered (the podcast series couldn’t be more helpful). In particular, I wouldn’t have succeeded without Meg’s highly valuable adcom experience, her commitment as a passionate coach, and her talent for helping others develop their own authentic stories.

I truly appreciated how responsive and straightforward Meg was when my essays needed serious improvement. The perspective and feedback from Meg constantly pushed me to think deeper about what I wanted to show about myself in my narratives. The first mock interview I had with Meg was a real life saver – it helped me fix my biggest problem with being too prepared or even scripted in an interview; the second one was a huge confidence booster for me. I would not have been able to do so well in my actual interview without either session with Meg. Last but not least, although I only used hourly service up till my application was submitted, after I got admitted, Meg continued to help me navigate the scholarship negotiation process as well as pick the school best for me before my dream school took me off the waitlist!

I am genuinely grateful for having such a supportive partner who always believed in me and motivated me along the at-times stressful and difficult journey. Thank you, Meg! Anyone would be lucky to have you as their admissions consultant.

From the very first phone call I had with Meg, I knew that she was going to be the greatest support and guide through the application process. She is warm, caring, and has an incredible amount of knowledge and insight into admissions and the application process. Meg knows exactly what happens when someone looks through your application, and how to best tell an applicant’s story. More than anything, Meg gave me the confidence I needed to really go after my dream school. She consistently reassured me that my story had value and encouraged me to just tell it.

I started my applications in August for Round 2, so I knew I needed to be focused and organized in the process and Meg was incredible in building out a plan and working with me to ensure that every part of my application was thoughtful and prepared. I had absolutely no idea what I was doing. I didn’t know a lot about the process or have a lot of people to guide me, but as soon as I met Meg, I felt that I had everything I needed and would be able to get everything done. She was an exceptional editor and I trusted her entirely to edit my essays and responses. I was nervous about a lot in my application, my GPA, GMAT, and career history, but with Meg’s guidance, I knew that there was a reason and purpose to every component of my application, and was confident that my application would be more than just a bunch of statistics.

I got into every school I applied to, including my top choice, HBS. There is not a doubt in my mind that I would not have been this successful without Meg. I have absolutely nothing but incredible things to say about Meg and know that anyone who works with her is incredibly lucky to have such an exceptional consultant on your team.

I reached out to Stacy Blackman during my application season due to its strong track record and reputation within its industry, and I could not be more pleased! I had an initial consultation call with Sarah who matched me with Meg. Meg was super supportive and had full confidence in my candidacy from the beginning. She encouraged me to apply to all the schools I was interested in. As a younger applicant who was unsure whether I could be admitted to a top program and unfamiliar with the application process, this meant everything to me!

Meg was super responsive to all my questions about my schools and application process, no matter how silly some of them were. Most importantly, I always felt I had full creative freedom over my story, and Meg was there to guide me in the right direction and polish my application to be the best it can be. During my interview prep, she was straightforward and thoughtful in her feedback.

Overall, Meg was a crucial part of my MBA journey. With her help, I was able to secure admission at Wharton, Kellogg (100K scholarship), Tuck (120K scholarship), and Cornell (full-ride). Even after I got admitted, Meg provided me advice on how to navigate my offers and pick the school best for me.

If you want someone who 100% believes in you and gives you the exact tips/advice you need to succeed, I highly recommend working with Stacy Blackman and Meg.

When I started the application process, I reached out to several coaching companies, but Meg and SBC ended up being the clear standout. I was matched by Sarah with Meg after an initial consultation call, and it was clearly a great match. From the first call, Meg exuded confidence, knowledge and encouragement – all things that I was in need of during the process. Unlike other firms I talked with, Meg believed in me from the start, and encouraged me to apply to all the schools I had my heart set on (other firms discouraged me from applying to the schools I ended up getting into).

She also was straightforward and practical, which was crucial to my success in the process. Just as one example, she suggested I retake the GRE and raise my score to be a more competitive applicant, and with her help and SBC GRE tutoring, I was able to reach the score she recommended. She also coached me through my interviews and went above and beyond by soliciting outside input from colleagues as well. With her help, I entered the interviews fully prepped.

Throughout the entire process, Meg instilled confidence in me, while providing me practical tips/advice that were crucial to my success. With her help, I was admitted to Sloan, Kellogg, Booth and Stern, with scholarships from all of the schools. Even after being admitted, she helped me navigate my scholarship negotiations, and helped me more than double my scholarship funds.

Overall, all I can say is that if you are looking for someone that will not only motivate you and be your biggest cheerleader, but also provide you with practical, crucial advice during the process, Meg is the perfect coach for you!

I can’t speak highly enough about my experience working with Meg and the rest of the SBC team during my MBA application process. Looking back on everything, I really don’t think the success I had, getting accepted to all my top choices (Wharton, Booth, Kellogg), would’ve been possible without them.

When I signed up with SBC, I didn’t realize how challenging it would be to put together 7 well-done MBA applications in a 2-month span, all while managing a taxing investment banking workload in parallel. At the start, Meg put together an incredibly detailed plan of action, which was invaluable in holding me accountable for the goal I had set. But any great project manager can do this. Where Meg really wowed me in the beginning, was her thoughtful understanding of my strengths/weaknesses and strongest positioning angles. The MBA application process requires an incredible depth of personal introspection, and Meg constantly pushed me to dig deeper. For this, I am extremely grateful. Her encouragement not only unlocked the most compelling essays I could put forth but sincerely helped me learn about myself on a personal level.

Over the months of working with Meg, I can say she was truly a wonderful advisor to have in my corner. She was extremely attentive and responsive throughout, she gave highly instructive and honest feedback, and perhaps most helpful of all she was a consummate advocate and hype woman for me.

Beyond Meg’s impact, the rest of the SBC team was also highly invaluable. I had indicated to SBC early on that Wharton was my top choice. The Wharton-specific feedback I received from my application flight tester was instrumental in optimizing my application, but I think where I really distinguished my application was in my performance in the Wharton team-based discussion interview format. With the SBC-organized mock Wharton TBD under my belt, I can confidently say I demonstrated a level of preparation and excellence in my actual Wharton TBD several days later that really distinguished me from other applicants. I left the TBD interview feeling that if only one applicant from the group was going to be admitted, it had to be me.

I look back on the outcome of my MBA application process with a ton of pride. I really was able to put my best foot forward across the board, and I know Meg and SBC really enabled me to do so. From the bottom of my heart, I am so thankful to them for this.

Stacy Blackman has a long and solid track in making MBA candidates successful, and there is no wonder why considering the quality of its people. Being an experienced professional, international applicant, business advisor, and coach myself, finding the right EMBA consulting match for me was a challenge. But when I first exchanged with Meg from Stacy Blackman, I could immediately tell that she was like no other and that she deserved my trust. Yes, Meg had the huge Ad Comms experience at my target school, Chicago Booth. But what makes her unique is a rare combination of extreme professionalism, acute knowledge, emotional intelligence, and unlimited dedication and attention. She challenged me, pushed me to my limits, helped me enlarge my perspectives, and motivated me when I needed it the most. She believed in me, and she proved it at every moment. I got admitted to the EMBA program at Chicago Booth and I could not have done it without Meg. Beyond the EMBA application process and admission, Meg has also left positive marks on me leading me to longer term self reflection, that’s an invaluable gift. I thank Stacy Blackman, Esther, and all the team for their hard work and support, and to Meg I say: “keep shining”. I wish all the best to future applicants, and for those who decided to work with Stacy Blackman and Meg, be ensured you made your first right decision towards making your dreams true.

I cannot speak more highly of working with Stacy Blackman Consulting, particularly Meg and Sarah. I first decided to work with an MBA consultant because I felt like there were so many directions I could take my applications, but I didn’t have the time to spend hours on Google trying to find the correct approach. I specifically chose to work with SBC compared to other consultants I interviewed for two reasons: 1. The team’s collaborative working style and breadth and depth of experience working on Ad Comms at top programs gave me the confidence that they knew what they were talking about across all programs, and 2. They told me WHY I needed to do certain things so I was bought into the progress and truly felt like I earned my admits. I am delighted that I was accepted to Kellogg, Tuck with an 80% tuition scholarship, and Fuqua with a 100% tuition scholarship. Working with this team was absolutely worth the investment and was a delight!

From the start, Meg and the rest of the SBC team were dedicated and gracious advisors in my business school application process. It was recommended that I work with Meg thanks to her experience as a former Booth AdComm. That being said, Meg dedicated herself to not only my Booth application, but all of my applications. We worked through each part of the application process from story ideation to resume and essays and beyond to waitlist processes. Meg provided formative and actionable feedback each step of the way. I couldn’t have done it without Meg!

To begin, I want to thank the entire SBC team, especially Sarah and Meg. I had a very good experience working with the entire SBC team. After being waitlisted and rejected for one school, I decided to evaluate my entire application with SBC to understand the areas of improvement in my application. I decided to go for Booth as it was my dream school. I recall Sarah mentioned Meg was her recommended choice to work with considering my experience and being a previous Booth adcom. Initially, I had one phone conversation with Meg and she gave overall feedback and what to focus on in my application and essays. Once we started off with evaluating my essays, Meg helped me understand how to tie the essays together, giving my story life. Next, my resume was too dense or packed. Meg was very direct on what to have and what not to have in the resume. I still remember she mentioned ‘my career progression wasn’t showing as it should. Additionally, she helped me identify a gap, which I did not consider in my earlier applications. What I enjoyed the most working with Meg was her quick turnaround time and the direct feedback. Meg helped me realize my edge over other applicants. Also, I did have an interview session with Meg over the phone and zoom, helping me boost my confidence. Meg would tell me what she liked about my response and where to improve. I realized it was the trust we developed over the short period that helped me ace the interview. Overall, I had an amazing experience with Meg and I would recommend Meg to prospective Booth candidates.

I did research on several consulting firms and interviewed several different consultants but was never really sold. I looked into Stacy Blackman and really like the idea that almost all of the consultants have prior experience working on admissions boards for the top schools I wanted to apply to. Meg was the last consultant I interviewed and I immediately connected with her. Since day one she genuinely cared for my success and was incredibly empathetic and easy to talk to. She made me feel comfortable opening up to her and I really appreciated her candid advice on my chances of getting into certain schools and how to consider reevaluating my application strategy. Once Meg and I kicked things off she was always incredibly professional, knowledgeable about the entire application process, and readily available whenever I needed her. She helped me craft out my story and determine which strengths to showcase on my apps and she kept me organized and able to complete everything well ahead of Round 1 Deadlines. I must have emailed her a million questions but she answered every single one and she was always available for a phone call to talk me off the ledge when my mind was racing. She was so encouraging and supportive the entire way through and I could hear how excited she was for me every time we spoke. It felt amazing knowing I had a true expert like her in my corner to help me throughout this process. In the end, I was extended an offer from CBS and was able to turn my dreams into a reality, but I definitely could not have done it without her guidance. Meg is simply the best!

I decided to hire SBC after a friend of mine (Wharton admit) said she had used them and so did several of her classmates. As a non traditional applicant (poor undergrad GPA), I felt I needed a consultant that could help me figure out how to highlight my strengths and address my weak areas. I delayed applying to business school for a long time because I was convinced I had to do more before I could apply to a top MBA program. After ONE conversation with Sarah, I knew SBC would be able to help me. I told Sarah that Booth was my top choice program and she assigned Meg as my primary consultant for her experience as a former Booth adcom member. Meg was instrumental in putting together a compelling application and I am so grateful I had the opportunity to work with her, and more importantly, get to know her. We went through my story, months of essay edits and each time, she knew exactly what I needed to do to improve my application. She was direct, clear and constructive with her feedback and more importantly, she believed in me, when I didn’t. She helped boost my confidence and helped me craft my story in a way that was both authentic and compelling. We worked with Beth on my flight test before submitting my final application and Beth solidified the months of work Meg and I had put into my application.

Sara Boehm Archer was also my private tutor, whom I worked with for months while studying for the GRE. She was incredible and exactly what I needed to help me come up with a game plan and hold me accountable.

I could not be more thankful to Meg, Sara and the entire SBC team for their support during this process.

Thanks to Meg, I am officially an MBA Candidate at Booth!!!!!

I went to SBC after I had already applied to a few schools and was worried that my application had not been received well. Meg ran through a ding analysis on one of those apps, and she was both critical and constructive. I really appreciated her straightforward approach to the analysis, which helped me identify significant weak points that needed addressing. I then reached out to her a second time for help on a few of my essays that needed the most work. During that process as well, she was extremely helpful with prompt, direct and clear feedback. While my first few applications did not earn interviews, every application after working with Meg received an interview invite. I just learned that I got into an M7 school and could not be more thrilled. Meg’s assistance was vital.

As an early career applicant who began the MBA admissions process relatively late, I knew I needed every advantage possible to have any chance of admission to a top-tier MBA program. I decided to reach out to SBC after being referred to the firm by a family friend, and I’m so glad I did!

After my initial consultation with Esther, I was paired with Meg, a former admissions committee member at Booth, one of my target schools. Simply put, there is nobody I would have rather had by my side throughout the admissions process. Meg’s job was to make sure that we put forward the best applications possible, and I have no doubt we succeeded in that endeavor. Every step of the way, I felt that Meg was unconditionally committed to my success, and her feedback on every part of my application — from essays to resume to interview prep — was invaluable.

Notably, I really appreciated Meg’s communication style, which is clear and direct without ever coming across as harsh or unnecessary. In fact, I found that many times Meg’s kindness, support and confidence in me kept me motivated to put 100% into every part of my application, even during times when I may have otherwise doubted my own abilities and chances of success. Trust me, Meg is the kind of teammate that you want to have on your side, and it was such a pleasure going through the process with her as we worked together toward a common goal.

I’m proud to say that with Meg’s help, I was able to earn admission to Kellogg and could not be more thrilled! In what turned out to be a historically competitive year, I am so grateful to have had Meg’s partnership and support, and truly believe that the value she added was essential to my acceptance.

In a very competitive year, I was looking for anything to gain an edge over other applicants. After reading lots of reviews here on P&Q and at GMATclub, I decided on Stacy Blackman’s hourly services and was placed with Meg, a former admissions officer at Booth. Meg was outrageously supportive and helped critique issues with my resume, application, and essay responses. She was extremely accessible and very prompt in answering emails. Her guidance led to my acceptance at the Cornell Johnson Graduate School of Management. I cannot thank Meg enough and highly recommend SBC to anyone looking to gain an edge in admissions!

Fully honest review here!

I thought Meg did a great job. We worked together for about two months. She mainly offered me essay editing and resume editing. What I loved about Meg is that she gave thoroughly honest edits and was never afraid to tell me what she really thought. She really let my own voice shine, and gave me a lot of confidence in myself throughout the process. I liked that it was always my own voice and my own story, just polished up. And that’s exactly what SBC does- polishes you. They don’t write your essays for you, they just help you to explain any gaps in your story, make sure your essays are in tip-top shape, and pump you up for your interviews.

I had an excellent GMAT score, graduated summa cum laude, and was applying as a medical student with years of prior work experience, so I was decently confident that I was a good applicant- I used SBC because in 2020, I wanted to maximize my chances of getting in, and not leave anything to chance. Meg could have told me I was crazy, but she supported my decision to only apply to HBS, Wharton and GSB. I was ultimately accepted to Wharton. I had hoped to receive money, but I did not.

Overall, this was an extraordinarily challenging year and I am really pleased with my decision to work with Meg at SBC. I think she is incredibly responsive, kind, and genuine. It felt like working with a trusted friend. I could ALWAYS rely on her to get back to me quickly and tell me the truth. I will also say, I didn’t mind that SBC did not offer any sort of admissions guarantees or anything like that. I thought they were very realistic. I did some shopping around before I settled on HBC and heard some wild claims, and I also had admissions consultants who told me to apply to random schools that they had a personal interest in-SBC is not like that. I loved that Meg just met me where I was at and said this is what we’re doing, let’s go with it. And we got the job done! I’d definitely do it again.

My experience with SBC consulting is quite unique. I reached out to Bill Collins on July 2019, when I had a “well below average” GMAT score. Bill gave it to me straight, he advised me on focusing on the GMAT score and coming back with a higher score. That advice meant everything to me, because it showed that these guys care about the results, not the money. He could have easily accepted me and helped me apply, with a mediocre profile. Glad I heeded his advice. Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to get that score before round 2 deadline, so he advised me to come back on round 1 2020. I reached out again on May 2020 when I got a decent GRE score, still below average though. Bill took me on and connected me with Megan. That where things kicked off.

Before I begin, I have to bust this myth. A top-notch admission consultant wont do the work for you, on the contrary, they will do the bare minimum and make you do all the work. That is where the transformation happens. I was somewhat disappointed when I experienced that, I thought Meg was the typical admission consultant who takes on 100s of clients and just didn’t have the time to work with me. That was totally invalid. Meg was one of the most compassionate people I met in my life. She listened to every single story I had and constructed the best application strategy for me. Her response time is amazing, mostly within 24 hours, and never exceeds 48 hours. She encouraged me to keep working on my GRE score as it would boost my chances of admission. Fortunately, I was able to get an above average GRE score. Gladly I was interviewed by Chicago Booth and Harvard Business School, and finally admitted to HBS.

SBC offers the flight test where my application for one school gets reviewed by an ex-admission committee member. I chose my HBS application which was reviewed by Lisa. She provided a through analysis and review on the application and gave me some improvement opportunities.

Overall, SBC might be more expensive than other consultancies, and wouldn’t offer admission guarantee. But it’s well worth the money. The journey was extremely fun and transformational.

I worked with Meg as a waitlisted candidate to my dream school, UChicago Booth. Admittedly, prior to beginning the journey with SBC, I was nervous that I would lose my voice or be judged for where I was in the admissions process – however, those fears were immediately dispelled when I interacted with Meg for the first time. Her professionalism, commitment, and diligence were amazing attributes during my waitlist candidacy journey. When I shared success stories for other schools and applications, I truly felt a sense of shared accomplishment from someone who was also deeply invested in my outcomes. The genuine care and consideration Meg put into helping me clarify my story and amplifying my strengths made me more confident and secure in the process. I had a wonderful experience working with her, and believe due to her guidance, was able to put my best foot forward in navigating the waitlist. I would strongly recommend working with Meg to any MBA candidate!