Sherry Holland

I had been building up to the MBA admissions process for a few years. I had initially embarked on attending law school but after many conversations and research, I decided to choose the route of attending an MBA program. Despite all my research, I was having a hard time weaving my narrative together. I was a non-traditional candidate (working on Capitol Hill) and I was coming from a largely non-quantitative background. Additionally, I also felt that at the time of my application, I would be on the older side of the age range for most schools. And lastly, while I had strung together a pretty consistent employment record, I had a work-experience gap earlier in my career. Needless to say, I wasn’t walking into the application filing period with a lot of confidence.

After researching several firms, I settled on Stacy Blackman. I was eventually connected to Sherry to have an initial one on one conversation so that she could learn a little more about my candidacy; I also took the opportunity to learn more about her track record and the types of applicants she had worked within the past.

One of the first things we did was an initial conversation in which we laid out the merits of my candidacy. It was helpful to put everything on paper with a thought partner like Sherry. She was thoughtful, objective, and encouraging. Additionally, it was clear to me that she had ample experience working with candidates such as myself who don’t hail from traditional finance/consulting backgrounds. One of the first things Sherry helped me with was to determine a list of schools that we both thought I would be a good fit at. Secondly, she helped me layout an effective approach for my essays, specifically getting me to think about “why” I was applying and “why” that specific school was a good fit for me. As I was going through a busy cycle at work, she was also extremely responsive and was able to help answer and at times debunk certain notions of how the admissions process worked. I also ended up taking the GRE one last time right before I applied. Sherry was also extremely encouraging through this process.

Ultimately, I applied to 6 schools (5 of which were in the top 15 according to the US News and World Report rankings). I received interviews at 5 out of the 6 schools. I was accepted at 2 schools and waitlisted at 2 more schools. I am extremely happy with where I will be matriculating.

For many navigating higher education this last year, COVID has brought many challenges. After receiving my acceptance offer, I thought it would be best to pursue a deferral given the uncertainty of how the pandemic would affect the academic experience during Fall 2020 and the upcoming winter. Sherry provided invaluable counsel in helping me to frame why I would be a good candidate for a deferral. After filing an application, I was eventually granted a successful deferral request to start in Fall 2021.

The whole process of applying to MBA programs can be daunting and nerve-racking. In my case, I knew that I wanted to make a career transition out of the public sector and I thought that the MBA route would be the best way to do that. With her firm grasp on the application process as a whole, she was able to pinpoint the merits of my candidacies and I think ultimately turn some of those components of my non-traditional background into areas of strength.

Only had 3 days to my interview when I approached Sherry. Right away she went the extra mile where we did sessions on the weekend and early morning (6am) to make sure I was prepared. It was my first interview of any kind in 10 years, so I was very nervous. Sherry prepared me the best way possible by guiding me through detailed steps and assisted me to structure my answers/explanations much better. She’s also very detail-oriented where she worked on my answers and made sure I emphasized/spent more time on my most important points. She also pinpointed my weaknesses and added my strengths (that I didn’t even realize). I had two other consultants before Sherry and really she is in a different class. She also genuinely cares that her clients do well by spending extra time outside the sessions to review your answers as well as giving you “homework”. Highly recommended!

I worked with Sherry for my round 1 applications. Sherry was extremely knowledgeable from the outset and helped coach me about where to apply, what to do over the summer, and analyzed my application and guided me on correcting my weaknesses and highlighting my strengths. She was personable, responsive, and always right on point. I already recommended her to a friend this year who also used her successfully.

I initially engaged Sherry to assist me with applying in Fall 2020 for admission in Fall 2021 in December 2019. I was referred to Sherry by a friend who had used her previously to guide his MBA admissions. But, in late March, with the onset of COVID and the downturn in the energy industry, I found myself shifting into overdrive to file in the last rounds at 5 schools. As an operations geologist, it became apparent that my Company would lay down its rigs by the end of the second quarter and I would be laid off. Although my primary job was to steer wellbores, I had developed an interest and a body of work using analytics to streamline workflows, save money, and enhance company operations driving my desire to change industries. Given that my MBA goal was to shift to Data Analytics in the Technology industry, I felt strongly that it was imperative that I make the last round deadlines to avoid having the reduction in force confuse what I was trying to achieve-shifting from the energy to the tech industry. Sherry spent time on the phone with me reviewing my questions about accelerating my applications and then didn’t blink when we moved from a reasonably paced approach to my graduate school apps to overdrive. Sherry gave me a frank assessment of my profile including input that I needed to really hit it out of the park on my GRE and take MBA Math to make up for a lower than preferable GPA from my undergraduate studies. She helped me refine my list, gave me strong input and rapid turnaround on my essays, and how to position my story and was patient through multiple essay iterations as I found my voice. The flight test confirmed that I was in a good position as long as my GRE score came in at the level that I was achieving in practice. Although I had technical problems with the first at home GRE, Sherry provided positive feedback about what I was going to be able to achieve if my second at home GRE was at the level we knew I could achieve. And she was as pumped as I was when I hit the GRE goal I had set. I was invited to interview at all of the schools I applied to-in fact, one school reached out to schedule an interview that evening-that says a lot about how the application was received. In the end, Sherry’s interview prep was very useful and she even proposed brushing up one more time before my final interview given the lapse in time since I had prepared with her. Although I am waiting on a final decision from one school, I have been accepted at 3 of the 5 schools I applied to. Of the 3 at which I have been accepted, I received a full-tuition and living stipend package at one and substantial scholarships at 2 of the others-when most of the Adcoms were indicating on their webinars that there was no money left to award. I am looking forward to starting The University of Texas at Austin MBA program this fall. Hook ’em!

In May-June 2019, I talked to a few other consultants before deciding to work with Sherry – the one big reason for that was her objective analysis of my previous applications (I had applied to a few schools in 2017 without a consultant and had gotten rejected then). She focused on my weaknesses right from that first call and gave me workable ways to strengthen them.

She was also very encouraging throughout the process and provided constant support. Her work ethic is inspiring (prompt reply on essay drafts; objective feedback focused on what the different adcomms want; interview preps even at the last minute – though I would advise against that; constant encouragement). I got through 2 of the 3 schools that I applied to and was waitlist-ed in the 3rd and I am very grateful to her for working with me to achieve these great results!

Thrilled and humbled to be admitted to multiple schools, including Duke Fuqua with an unexpected scholarship! If you are an international student dreaming to get into a T15 MBA program in the US, but new to the daunting MBA application process, then look no further than reaching out to Stacy Blackman Consulting. Also, if Duke Fuqua is high on your list, then you should really work with Sherry Holland, who is a former MBA Admissions Officer at Fuqua.

I started looking for MBA admission consultants after I have taken my GMAT. Not only was my score below the average of the schools I was aiming for, but also, I did not have a clear personal branding strategy to make my application competitive. I was also lacking outside of work involvements. In short, my profile had a number of gaps, but I was convinced that this was the right time for me to get an MBA. That was when a reliable friend referred SBC to me from her delightful and fruitful past experience. I did my due diligence first, talking to several other admission consultants (mbaMission, Admissionado, Aringo, and Fortuna), but it was clear to me that SBC was the one who was genuinely interested to learn about my stories and most passionate to help me achieve my goals.

SBC’s exceptional service lies within their team-based influence and support during the entire process, from start to finish. My first contact was with Esther, who provided honest and realistic expectations that I needed but was willing to carefully listen to my stories and aspirations. I still remember when Esther told me that she knew who the ideal primary consultant for me would be, and until this day, I am really glad that she was able to pair me with Sherry. Sherry is simply the best! She was professional, understanding, and incredibly supportive throughout the daunting and hectic MBA application process. Though I struggled a lot with the first draft of my essays and was extremely nervous heading into the interviews, Sherry made sure that I was well prepared and confident to face those challenges. I learned a lot from Sherry and she really helped me grow both professionally and personally in many ways that I did not expect before. I still could not believe that I received interview invites from all the schools that I applied to! Along the way, I also had access to a client liaison, Bill, and also received a really helpful flight test feedback from Lisa. Essentially, a lot of admissions officer intelligence in-house ready to support you any time.

Overall, I am super grateful that I made the right decision to work with Sherry and SBC team. I am excited about the results and where I am today, and I realize that I could not achieve all this without the guidance and support from Sherry and SBC team. I highly recommend that you work with SBC too!

Before finding Sherry I had a few intro calls with different firms that left me feeling anxious and unsettled about my business school prospects. My intro calls with Sarah and Sherry were entirely different. Sherry was realistic about my weaknesses and quickly put together a strategy for my application process. Sherry’s feedback was prompt, comprehensive, and always encouraging. Beyond Sherry’s support, I also benefitted from the SBC network through the ‘flight test’ and group interview simulations, which made me even more confident as an applicant. I have admitted to my top choice program with a substantial scholarship thanks to Sherry and the team, and I am so grateful!

After talking to several admissions consultants (Personal MBA Coach, Veritas Prep, Aringo, Accepted), I decided to work with Stacy Blackman for my round 2 MBA applications due to the initial consulting session as well as the unbelievable online reviews it has in multiple respected sites. After my consultation with Bill Chionis, I asked if I could be matched up with Sherry Holland as she was a former member of the admissions team at one of my target schools.

From our very first phone call to all the other communications we had throughout the process, I just want to emphasize how great it was working with Sherry. She guided me through a step by step process on how to conquer the very stressful process of applying to business schools. Every question I had and everything I needed to know, she was always there to guide me. She knew what the admissions team will specifically look for and also advised me on what I can improve on before submitting my apps (GMAT & Quant Class). Sherry was very responsive and engaged and although I’m sure she was working with other clients at the same time, she really made it feel that my applications had her undivided attention. She was very supportive but also honest, and with this dynamic, we were able to create strong applications and a solid interview plan for all my target schools. I decided to go for the all-in-one package and without it, I can confidently say that I wouldn’t be where I am today. I can’t recommend it enough! With this package, not only did I get Sherry’s world-class consulting, but I also received a flight test from Lisa Anderson (this is when I started to realize that I had a great chance with my target schools) and all the invaluable resources that they provide to their clients (Wiki guide, school guides, interview preparation).

All in all, I applied to 5 top 15 schools and was admitted to all of them. In addition, I received scholarship offers from all but one and equipped with that, Sherry was able to successfully help me negotiate my scholarship with my top school and increased my scholarship to 50%

Thank you again to the whole SBC team, especially Sherry, for helping me achieve my goal of attending a top tier MBA program!

Sherry went through my apps with a fine-toothed comb and barely missed a detail. She was honest about pieces of my app that were not great, rather than glossing over them as another consultant had done. Moreover, she helped me navigate the tricky balance of over-sharing vs. not being personal enough. Admitted to HBS, Wharton and Sloan R1!

I began my MBA application journey in 2018. In 2018 I set out on my own and ended up not getting in anywhere, and got dinged with no interview at my first choice.

I decided to give applications another shot and I decided I would enlist the help of a consultant this go around. After doing some research I settled on SBC. From my initial contact with the SBC team, everything was great.

I was used SBC for the all-in package and also recruited their help finding a tutor to improve my GRE score. The third-party tutor they first paired me with was not a good fit, and as soon as I mentioned this to Esther they worked diligently to pair me with a better fit and even comped the hours I had used with the first tutor, I really appreciated that. The next tutor I had was amazing, if you need tutoring through SBC, ask for Phoebe.

Sherry from the start was great. As a non-traditional applicant with very little exposure to the business world she helped me navigate presenting my strengths and communicating my story in a meaningful way on the application. The guidance Sherry gave totally changed how I approached and thought about my applications. In the end, it paid off. I was accepted to multiple schools, and three offered me merit-based scholarships, including my first choice school that didn’t even interview me the year before! I would also like to add that Sherry really does care about your outcome, she answered any question I had through the process and even volunteered to review some stuff for schools I had not even contract SBC to help me work on.

I had a wonderful experience working with Sherry for several MBA applications in 2019. Coming from a very rough application season in 2018, where I was dinged from all 3 schools I applied to without an interview, I knew I needed assistance with my applications the next go-around. My initial contact was Esther Magna who I had spoken to earlier prior to my 2018 applications who immediately reached out. She was very understanding of my situation to not want to apply in Round 2 of the 2018 Application Season and offered me honest feedback about my candidacy. It was this forthrightness that made me choose Stacy Blackman Consulting. I was then paired with Sherry and she immediately put together a strategy for Round 1 for 2019.

Sherry looked through my applications and determined what should be fixed and what should be highlighted to make me stand out.

I am an international engineer, and Sherry really helped me bring my applications to life by identifying aspects of my story which I had initially felt were inconsequential but really helped me stand out from the rest. In the same vein, she identified aspects of my profile that I thought were really important but actually hurt the quality of my applications.

I went for the all-in package for 4 schools and though it was grueling, Sherry took the anxiety out of all of it and even made it fun! Through the multiple iterations of essays and mock interviews, Sherry really went above and beyond for me.

The team-based approach at SBC really helped me shine as I had the benefit of a flight test from another consultant, Beth Tidmarsh (who is a former admissions officer as well), who reviewed all aspects of my application with fresh eyes and gave insights into how it could be improved even further.

In the end, I was admitted to 3 schools out of the 4 I applied for – Tuck, Kellogg, and Fuqua. All with a significant merit scholarship. Without a doubt, I know I would not have achieved such fantastic results without Sherry’s dedication. I highly recommend her!

I worked with Sherry for several schools, which we selected after a holistic review of my profile. She made suggestions based on her in-depth knowledge of the MBA programs at top schools. From the beginning, she was very practical and thoughtful in her approach, guiding me to play to my strengths. Not only did we work on my strengths, but also I refined my weaknesses based on her recommendations. She encouraged me through multiple iterations of essays until both of us were satisfied with the end result. When I secured an interview from my top choice reach school, she conducted a thorough mock interview, ensuring that we leave no stone unturned. I landed the admit spot at my top choice school and I’m convinced that Sherry was instrumental in the entire process. I wholeheartedly recommend her!!

I had a great experience working with Sherry to prepare multiple Round 1 applications in 2019. I specifically chose to work with Sherry because of her experience as a former admissions officer at Fuqua/Duke. Following our initial kickoff call, it was clear that she knew her stuff and I was reassured in my decision to work with SBC. The company takes a team-based approach to help clients. In addition to my consultant, parts of my application were reviewed by another former MBA admissions officer during the “flight test” phase and my resume was reviewed by another member of SBC as a helpful second-set of eyes.

Sherry helped me select several MBA programs that aligned with my interests/goals and provided me with candid and actionable feedback on my strengths and weaknesses. Sherry provided timely feedback (within 48 hours response time) on resume structure/content, essay brainstorming, and any other application questions. In a relatively short time-frame, she helped me prepare a strong Round 1 application and even took time out of her weekend to conduct a one-on-one mock interview with me.

In December, I received the good news that I had been accepted to a top program (with merit scholarship)! I couldn’t be more excited and I appreciate Sherry’s assistance and flexibility in helping me finalize a successful series of Round 1 applications.

Sherry and SBC have all the resources and skills necessary to prepare any MBA applicant and decipher the challenging process of applying to business school. I highly recommend Sherry and SBC to anyone interested in applying to a top MBA program.

I am very grateful for the support of Sherry and the entire SBC team. From my original free consultation with Sarah which gave me the confidence to pursue MBA programs to my flight tester who gave me a second set of eyes on the application in the way, a real reader would the entire SBC team supported me along the way. Sherry provided valuable insight and helped keep me on schedule. Her experience working on an AdCom allowed her to answer my most specific questions. She helped me see my essays through to their best state and helped with my mock interview. After working with Sherry on the 3 School All-In package I was admitted to all 3 schools I applied to; Kellogg, Tuck, and Fuqua.

Sherry was a pleasure to work with. She knows how to craft a story that will help you get accepted into your reach schools. She helped me get admitted to my top 2 programs. She has a great sense of which programs look for which kinds of characteristics and helps applicants craft their applications to demonstrate those characteristics. Without hesitation, I would suggest Sherry as an MBA consultant.

I was waitlisted at a top-tier full-time MBA program and Sherry was invaluable in helping me navigate the process. She knew the right messages to send to adcom and helped me develop an effective strategy resulting in my admittance to the program. She was efficient with my time, going above and beyond what I expected from an admissions consultant. I am confident that if I had hired her while completing my initial applications, I would have bypassed the waitlist in the first place. I highly recommend Sherry to any applicant seeking to gain an edge!

I honestly do not believe I would have been admitted to my top choice (top ivy league b-school) without Sherry’s guidance. From an application standpoint, I benefited most from her advice on my essays. She is to the point and strategic. I can share that what I submitted vs my initial draft changed so much and for the better. Lastly, Sherry gave me confidence when I doubted if I even had a chance. I applied in the last round with a non-traditional pre-MBA background and I knew that space was tight. In our first call, she gave me specific reasons that made me a compelling candidate. While we were clear on areas I needed to work on, her honesty and reasoning were hugely insightful from our first call.

When I approached SBC for consulting services, I was referred to Sherry. With her background as an adcom member, I wasn’t surprised by the insights she offered into the complex-looking admissions process. She was very easy to work with, always prompt to answer any questions or requests for appointment to discuss various deliverables. While I felt somewhat let down after my interview with Booth school, she lifted my spirits and worked with me on the interviews for other schools. In the end, I was able to get into one of my top target schools with help from Sherry. I would like to thank her for all the effort she had put in. Without that, I might not have made it.
An added advantage with Stacy Blackman consulting was that another consultant may be tapped to review the deliverables for one school just in case Sherry or anyone else missed something important.

It was a pleasure working with Sherry during the business school admissions process. As a former admissions officer, she offered insight from that experience that is difficult to get anywhere else. Her knowledge of the field of business schools and which ones would be a fit for my personal, professional, and academic backgrounds was unparalleled. Sherry’s insight and knowledge into the Fuqua admissions process were particularly valuable and I would highly highly recommend her if you are considering that school.

I worked with Sherry after my first application was unsuccessful. Sherry worked with my from initial brainstorming to providing guidance on my personal statements, and lastly on working through mock interviews. I had one specific school in mind, so that was the less stressful work, at the same time, I only had one school in mind so getting acceptance into that school was paramount. Sherry’s wise advice paid off. I received admission!

Sherry was recommended to me by a friend who she had helped with b school applications the year prior. My application wasn’t typical – I started late after R1 deadlines had already passed, and my work experience until that point was a bit spotty. Sherry understood the urgency of the situation and quickly helped me prioritize schools for R2 vs R3, gave candid advice on school selection, and was very patient in answering the many questions I asked of her during that phase. She then helped me navigate the challenge around my work ex and allowed me to focus in my application and in my interviews on my story. She was also very good at bringing the right stories into my essays and helped strengthen them through her thoughtful edits. Overall, I was able to land interviews with four of the seven schools I applied that year (all were top 10 or top 20) and eventually received two accepts (including one with scholarship) and one waitlist. I couldn’t recommend Sherry highly enough!

I had the pleasure to work with Sherry throughout the process and couldn’t give her a better rating. She specializes in military backgrounds and, as a veteran, she understood my story right away and curtailed it to make my applications shine.

Overall I applied to 5 schools, received interviews for all, and accepted to 4. I finished my MBA last year at a top 10 program and am currently working in Investment Banking for a large global firm in NYC. Life couldn’t be any better and I give a lot of credit to Sherry for where I am today.

Sherry helped me with my NYU Stern/Courant dual MBA/MFE application. I was accepted to both programs but chose to attend another program. Sherry was very easy to work with and provided great insights into the application process. She helped me choose topics from my professional and personal life that maximized my application portfolio. I really appreciated her professional perspective regarding my strengths and weaknesses and also her availability and promptness in responding to my many queries.

I would highly recommend Sherry as a resource to anyone looking for guidance and help with the B-School application process.

I started to work with Sherry after I submitted my R1 applications and was not getting the responses I was hoping for. we developed a go forward plan for R2, and as I ended up getting an interview for my choice school from R1, she graciously made time in her schedule to do a mock interview (we only had a few days in between getting the interview and the day of). Sherry was very supportive throughout the whole process, yet balanced that with honest feedback and thoughts. I am so grateful that I was able to work with her.

I had the pleasure of working with Sherry on my business school apps! As someone with a sub 3.0 GPA, I had no idea where to apply and what my odds were. Sherry helped me bring out my strengths and address my weaknesses. Furthermore, she worked as hard as I did. This parlayed into admission to a Top 10-15 school! I would recommend Sherry to anyone who is willing to put in the work and is receptive to constructive feedback!

I am writing to you from the C-Suite on the 14th floor of my fortune 500 company. This simply will not happen without Sherry’s help. Six years ago I applied to a top MBA program and got rejected because my essays did not reflect my accomplishments and because I tried too hard during the interview. I always struggled with writing, but with Sherry’s help, I got accepted to my #1 MBA program. From the first moment of interaction, Sherry became my Editor in Chief who edits my essays, took my content and created effective writing. Just by analyzing how Sherry transformed my stories to fabulous essays, I became more confident of my content and a better writer, not to mention the distinctive interview prep that Sherry offered which directly improved my interview skills. I can’t say enough about how much I learned from Sherry with every interaction. I am forever grateful!

At the outset of my MBA journey, I knew that wanted to attend a top 10 business school, but I wasn’t confident that I could independently craft my personal and professional experiences into a narrative that would resonate with the Admissions Committee. Following an extensive search of MBA Admissions Consulting firms, I finally landed on Sherry at SBC, and from day one she has been an absolute pleasure to work with throughout the entire application process! She truly took the time to help me craft a compelling and consistent story across all the elements of my application. At the end of the day, I was accepted to my top choice program (M7) and I could not be more excited! You’ll love working with Sherry and the SBC team, I know I did!

Sherry was very pleasant and friendly to work with through my application process. She provided honest and insightful feedback every step of the way and made sure that my application was reflective of who I am. I highly recommend Sherry!

I was lucky to work with Sherry for my MBA admissions. She is the best in the industry.

Rather than just asking me what to do, she helped me to channel my thoughts, provided me insights behind the admission process, and fine-tuned entire positioning. MBA admission is about positioning yourself as a dedicated MBA student (who can contribute to the rich learning experience of the class) and valued alumni (who can carry the ethos of the school to the future). Sherry helped me to create this powerful pitch for my preferred school and I feel lucky that I choose Sherry.

As someone coming from work in the non-profit sector, I was unsure about how to best navigate the application process. From our initial kick-off call through receiving several acceptances, Sherry provided excellent advice and feedback. She helped me uncover and highlight the key elements of my story, communicating what I would bring to different programs. Throughout the process, Sherry was incredibly responsive and transparent with me. I would highly recommend working with Sherry to anyone who is considering it.

Sherry was incredible to work with through the entire application process and I highly recommend her services. She quickly assessed my resume, target schools, test scores, academic record, and work experience to create a highly personalized application strategy. In particular, Sherry’s essay guidance helped me showcase my character and career goals such. She overhauled my resume to emphasize transferable skills, which created an overall message that connected to my application essays. For the essays, I was surprised at how detailed and nuanced her feedback was while l ensuring I had ownership over the language to maintain my voice. The results were extraordinary; I was accepted to every school I applied to include my reach school (top-20) where I had comparatively below average GMAT and bottom 10% undergrad GPA. Highly recommended!

Sherry is absolutely amazing! I’ve worked with her for the past two years (year one was more of a trial year). She brings a wealth of knowledge, direction, and depth as you beginning and go through the application process. Sherry is a rock! I went from not having a clear idea as to my brand and how I wanted to showcase what I can offer a program. Sherry worked with me vigorously and gave me the tools and resources to reshape my candidacy. I love Sherry and due to her guidance, I have an opportunity to pursue a long time goal.

Thanks, Sherry!!!!

After my initial consult, I knew Sherry would go above and beyond in making sure I was successful in my MBA journey. As a traditional candidate with a tight timeline, Sherry was strategic and helped me highlight my key strengths while also addressing my weaknesses. She was always available on short notice, willing to reach out to her colleagues for their insights, and was supportive throughout the entire process. Doing a mock interview with her was also extremely helpful! I was ultimately admitted to a top 10 program – Sherry is still helping me work through the waitlist process at my dream school and for that, I am forever grateful. Anyone would be lucky to work with Sherry – she is accountable, passionate, and willing to be honest with her clients, which is truly necessary during this process.

Overall a charismatic, honest and extremely helpful advisor. Would not have been able to sell myself without her.

Just got the call that I was admitted to UNC today! Thank you!!!!

Sherry is the real deal when it comes to admissions consulting. You need a professional like her to keep you focused on developing a clear representation of your story to the schools. She’s been a saint during an insane process.

I’m so fortunate to work with Sherry. My stats weren’t great but she helped me develop a clear story of how I would add value to business school. She had a clear track for me to follow on how to work on what I can change and address any apparent weaknesses. She was very patient and she worked around my needs. Her prior experience as an admissions officer was invaluable to help me understand what goes into the decision process. It kept me relatively sane through the application submission, interviews, and waitlist.

If you are lucky enough to work with Sherry, do it. You will be so glad that you did.

Indian, Male, Technology; those three characteristics put me into the same bucket with millions of others applying to various top business schools around the world. Although I had a 700+ GMAT score, I had a relatively low GPA (engineering) that put me at a severe disadvantage relative to many other applicants.

Sherry worked with me to focus on the positives to construct an application that did not feature hackneyed essays that would bore the AdComm. She helped me realize those achievements I originally shrugged off as minor accomplishments were actually great brand builders that defined who I was and would appeal to the AdComm if marketed the correct way. I have no doubt that Sherry’s tireless efforts, expertise, and experience are a major contributing factor to my acceptance into a top MBA program!

Sherry was a lifesaver when it came to my MBA applications. As a candidate with a non-traditional background (US Army veteran), I didn’t know where to start when it came to applying to top MBA programs. From writing a polished resume to determine how I was going to answer the essay prompts, I struggled with how I was going to tell my “story”. That is where Sherry came in to help. Sherry was extremely helpful in coaching me through how to tell my story and ensuring all aspects of my application were aligned to strengthen my messaging to the adcom. Her feedback was incredibly timely and she made herself readily available if I ever needed to discuss any aspects of my application.

I could not recommend Sherry highly enough. She is professional, honest, and kind. If you know you want to attend a top MBA program, but don’t know the steps to get there, I highly recommend working with Sherry. She is invested in your success and will provide the help and encouragement you need while keeping you focused and on task every step of the way.

Thank you for your help, Sherry!!!

When I decided to pursue an MBA, I initially waffled on whether or not to hire an advisor. I questioned if the investment was worth it and spent hours scouring online to understand what options were out there. After browsing the profiles of so many advisors, something about Sherry’s reviews stood out to me, and ultimately I realized that this process was too all-consuming to walk away feeling like I didn’t do everything in my power to position myself for success.

I remember my first call with Sherry; we spoke for almost two hours and upon hanging up I knew I made the right choice. Sherry has an amazing ability to connect with you right off the bat; she truly cares about your story and your success and her support and encouragement helped me to stay focused during the whole process (which, from the exam to the essays to the interviews, is a LONG process).

While Sherry supported me in countless ways, what stood out to me most about working with Sherry is that she will always: 1) make herself available to answer any question you have (which means you can always make progress / aren’t stuck questioning yourself) 2) give you honest, direct feedback that pushes you to work harder for your goals 3) keep you focused and paced at every step in a way that allows you to show up prepared and practiced.

Thank you, Sherry, for all your help!! Couldn’t have done it without you.

I strongly recommend Sherry. She exceeded my expectations and was very professional. When I had a last minute interview, she was able to accommodate a practice session the morning of. She also always replied to emails quickly and was very thorough, and most important of all I felt like she really cared.

From the moment I began working with Sherry, she helped me in every step of the MBA application process. From helping me in my school selection process to finding my strengths and selling points to approaching my recommenders, preparing for the interviews, helping me prepare my resume and even reviewing my thank you notes. Sherry´s experience and knowledge will guide you through this stressful process providing insights and recommendations along the way. She is extremely approachable and through a mixture of introspective exercises, calls, emails and multiple touch points she will provide active and honest feedback to help you prepare solid applications. I highly recommend working with Sherry, she is a true professional, and I have only kind words and gratitude for all her help!

I worked with Sherry Holland on my applications and I am now a student at HEC Paris. Sherry is a professional and very knowledgeable.

I especially found her interview prep session extremely helpful. As with the rest of the application, the for the interview prep was very personalized and felt very close to a real Ad-com interview. The feedback was honest and Sherry held nothing back, which is a good thing since it helped me put things in perspective.

I recommend her to future MBA aspirants!

I highly recommend SBC and Sherry as your MBA consultant. I know it’s expensive, but it’s worth it because of the HIGH ROI. As a Chinese male who has an untraditional background and a low GMAT score, I am thrilled to be admitted by a Top MBA program in the US. Sherry made my past one-year application process enjoyable, POSITIVELY stressful, and unforgettable. Sherry is very detailed. She reviewed not only my resume, essays, and application form, but also every single other document or email that I prepared. She even corrected my grammar mistakes of my spoken English after she reviewed my mock interview videos. Working with Sherry not only helped me get in my dream school but also helped me know my advantages and weaknesses. If you are considering hiring a consultant to apply MBA seriously, SBC and Sherry should be your top choice!

From start to finish, Sherry provided exactly what I needed to help me through the admissions process. She was incredibly helpful from a strategic perspective in identifying and narrowing in on the qualities to best highlight during the admissions process. Tactically, she offered pinpoint advice on essay and e-mail crafting. Things that I especially appreciated from Sherry include her unfiltered honesty, unfaltering availability, openness to two-way discussions, and constant motivation. Sherry was integral to the success of my MBA journey and I highly recommend her to anyone looking for guidance in their application process.

Since signing on with SBC for the “all in” package and electing to work with Sherry, I have been immensely pleased and impressed with the level of service, guidance, support, and feedback that Sherry has provided. Her constructive council, honesty, and enthusiastic spirit have guided me through some tough decisions and periods of stress as I went through the process.

I have felt that Sherry (and the team at SBC), really got to know me as an individual and worked wholeheartedly to illuminate my unique strengths and mitigate any perceived opportunities. Beyond guidance on essay and application framing, Sherry provided guidance on emails to Adcom members and recommendations for how to engage with organizations and students at my targeted schools. The interview prep was also very helpful!

Over the nearly nine months that I worked with her, Sherry was an absolute pleasure to work with and an indispensable guide as I have navigated the tricky waters of MBA admissions. For a life decision as important as pursuing a top tier MBA – amidst an intensely competitive landscape – having Sherry by your side is critical. I highly recommend the services of SBC and specifically Sherry to others thinking about, or currently in the MBA application process.

Sherry is a true professional. I really liked her method, her planning, and her order.

Sherry is honest, kind and direct. She is the person you want to be with during the long application journey.

I don’t have words to express how valuable and supportive she can be.

She has been a key ingredient for my success. Thanks again, Sherry!

I decided to use the services of SBC after having a not so good application season when I got rejected from all my top choices. I had previously worked with a different consultant and I felt cheated when a lot of current students reviewed my essays and gave me a long list of flaws in my essays.

That’s why I decided to go full monty and work with the best in the business. I talked with some of the best admissions consultants, but it clicked with SBC and I went further ahead to work with SBC for a comprehensive service. I decided to apply to around 4-6 schools.

The initial call with Esther was pleasant and she, in fact, traced back our previous conversation dated back a couple of years. She listened to my professional goals and achievements and gave me excellent feedback on my last year’s application. As I come from a country where the exchange rate vs USD is comparatively high, Esther gave me a generous discount and allowed me to sign up for 2 school contracts and keep on upgrading as per the need for the entire application season.

Esther paired me up with Sherry Holland and in our initial call, I liked Sherry’s approach and honesty. She drew a clear picture for me and helped me understand the strategy for school selection. She did not try to convince me to go for schools which do not match my professional ambitions just for the sake of getting an admit.

I kicked off my application with Sherry and we quickly worked through my Resume. With Sherry’s excellent advice, we exchanged more than 6-8 Resume drafts and I could see the difference between the quality of two version of my Resume. Sherry also prepped my referees and they, in fact, told me that Sherry guided them really well as it was a new experience for them as well.

The thing I like most about Sherry is that she is very professional and responds immediately. She always gave me a timeframe and always replied within that. Even when she was on holidays, she made sure that my essays are going on nicely. She always encouraged me to write as much as I could in initial drafts and in fact for one such school we brainstormed more than 6 stories for a 500-word essay. She would always listen patiently to my views and gave her important insights.

Because of Sherry’s professionalism, I was able to complete my applications in strict timings, and in one instance I managed to prepare probably the longest application amongst all the schools (10 long essays), in a fortnight.

She gave me good interview tips and her waitlist guidance was excellent.

Sherry also helped me with my scholarship application as the school I am matriculating asks separate scholarship essays and they itself are time-consuming. Sherry helped me prepare the application for 3 different scholarships and I received a generous scholarship from my school.

She is a very kind and gentle person and talking to her always helped me get over with the pressure of all the applications. Working with her was a wonderful experience and I would recommend everyone to talk to her before embarking on their application season.

P.S. I would also like to thank and express my gratitude towards Bill Chionis, who was my Client Liasion. He took out time for me very close to the deadlines and gave some excellent tips on my final essays.

I only worked with Sherry for a short time but she was definitely a great added value. We did a flight test together, which means that Sherry read my essays and resume before I hit the submit button. During a skype call, Sherry asked the right questions so that I gained insight on how to finetune my application.

I had a great experience working with Sherry for my full-time MBA application. She kept me on schedule with my essays and was honest in her feedback. She was also thorough in her edits, and was available via email or a phone call whenever I had a question come up. When I was waitlisted at my top choice she gave me great advice on how to navigate the process, and I ended up getting into my top choice school off of the waitlist! She also showed me a lot of encouragement throughout the entire process.

Deciding to go with a Stacy Blackman and work with Sherry was one of the best decisions I’ve made. Sherry was extremely responsive and helpful as we devised a plan for MBA programs. Her insights and feedback on my essays were always meaningful. She ultimately helped me gain acceptance to 3 MBA programs and helped me earn more scholarship money at one of the schools. I highly recommend Sherry to anyone looking to gain acceptance to business school. Thank you, Sherry!

Sherry was a vital resource as my wife and I went through our MBA and MBA recruiting process. We both were accepted into our top choices and cannot thank Sherry enough for all her help!

Sherry was wonderful to work with, and helped me obtain the best possible outcome for me during the admissions process. She is easy to work with and provided a great perspective on my candidacy so that I could think about my applications through the lens of admissions and craft the best possible applications. I thought that she was also personally invested in my success.

I was initially hesitant to hire a consultant, but decided to take a chance with Sherry after reading her online reviews. Going with Sherry ended up being the single best decision I made in the application process. She put all of my fears to rest and guided me through every step of the application process. Her extensive experience on an admissions staff helped inform her thoughtful input to my applications. In addition to Sherry, the Stacy Blackman team including Esther Magna, Beth Tidmarsh, and Lisa Anderson provided critical support and a variety of perspectives. I am grateful to all of them for help with my successful applications.

I highly recommend Sherry as an MBA application advisor. Not only is Sherry very knowledgeable about the process, she is also incredibly responsive and accessible. Sherry was always prompt in her responses to my questions and in her reviews of my essays. Furthermore, Sherry is also thoughtful, kind, creative, and a pleasure to interact with on a regular basis. She helped me get into my top choice, Columbia Business School. I enjoyed working with Sherry so much that my younger brother used her as his advisor too. He now goes to Wharton. Anyone looking for assistance with their MBA applications would be lucky to have Sherry as a consultant.

Going into the application process, I was aware of the time and energy required to create quality applications to top MBA programs, but I found it difficult to stay organized and balance my existing work schedule. I was matched with Sherry who helped me immensely in two key areas: 1) developing an application strategy and managing it effectively and 2) reviewing my applications to make sure they were the best they could be. Through our regular touchpoints, it became abundantly clear that Sherry has a wealth of experience to draw on and knows exactly what she’s talking about. She stresses authenticity and with her guidance, I was able to put together compelling applications that represented my true self. Without her, I do not believe I would have been admitted to my top school.

I would recommend Sherry to anyone and am thankful that she was able to support me through my grad school application process.

I worked with SBC and Sherry for my MBA application in 2017. I talked to Veritas Prep and with Esther Magna from SBC, finally deciding to go with Stacy Blackman because they were always fast to reply, everything was very organized and I could see that they really cared.
I used the all-in package and it was great! It includes a flight test, mock interview and continuous support of an amazing team. Esther Magna was my initial consultant and she paired me up with Sherry. I can’t recommend Sherry enough; working with her was great since day one and she made the entire process less stressful and even enjoyable. Sherry helped me every step of the way: choosing schools, writing my resume and essays, evaluating waitlists and making a final decision. Sherry has a lot of experience and knows exactly what she is doing, she took the time to get to know me and made sure the essays really represent me. She gave great feedback and was very generous with her time, being available even during the weekends. Sherry is not only an amazing consultant, but an excellent person too. I couldn’t have asked for a better consultant and consulting company, I wouldn’t change a thing! Thank you SBC, Esther, Lisa and Sherry!!

I worked with Sherry (and SBC) for my MBA applications in the fall of 2017. I had chosen SBC based upon a feature article in The Economist magazine.

I worked with Sherry as my primary consultant for applications to three top-15 US B-Schools. Esther Magna was my initial consultant, and I was convinced to hire SBC after a chat with Esther. Beth Tidmarsh was my application flight tester for one of the applications, and she provided very insightful feedback; the team work at SBC is very synchronized, a testament also to their professional in-house intelligence for B-School applications.

I am an Indian male in the over-represented consulting background demographic. In addition, I worked with a non-target employer during my applications. I eventually got into an Ivy-League B-School and there’s absolutely no way that it could have been possible without Sherry’s help.

I want to emphasize that Sherry is just phenomenal; she is a an excellent consultant and an even better person. Sherry helped me every step of the way during the applications and the interview process: She helped me write natural and polished essays and provided extremely critical feedback during the mock interview. In addition, she was always very generous with her time whenever I needed her help with proof-reading e-mails that I sent (and I sent quite a few!) to the AdCom during the excruciating waiting time after the interviews or advice re: a general road-map for how long I should wait for what. If you’re looking for a sharp consultant – who has been an AdCom member herself and knows the process inside-out – who is extremely professional and gentle, Sherry is your go-to consultant. I highly recommend Sherry and SBC to you.

I decided to engage Stacy Blackman after submitting a number of unsuccessful applications in round 1. Of the 6 schools I applied to, I was rejected from 4, waitlisted after interview at 1 and waitlisted without interview at another. Initially, I was skeptical about the value of using a consultant. However, I was blown away with Sherry and the results that she delivered!

From day 1, Sherry was very responsive and engaged and we built a great working relationship. I really valued Sherry’s honesty in reviewing my applications and together we reshaped my entire application. I found that I had a lot of support at Stacy Blackman, including the flight test, which I found exceptionally helpful! Sherry and I also conducted a mock interview, which was invaluable for my later interviews. Sherry conducted many interviews during her time in admissions and the questions she asked all came up in my later interviews!

I used the all-in package and I can’t recommend it highly enough! The package included support of a great team (including the flight test and mock interview). All up, I applied for 4 top 15 schools with Sherry. I got into 3 (including my top preference) and was awarded merit scholarships at all 3, including a 100% scholarship, 50% scholarship and 25% scholarship. Sherry helped me negotiate with the schools and the 50% scholarship was later increased to 75%.

On reflection, I wish I engaged Sherry earlier as she helped make the entire application process much less stressful. I now view the fees I spent on Stacy Blackman as an investment in winning my scholarship.

My experience working with Sherry on the 2-school consulting package was wonderful. Sherry is not only an expert consultant but also a genuinely kind, encouraging, and positive person (which really does make a difference when you work with someone for months on your personal story and goals). Sherry understood that I was weary of the MBA application process and literally walked me through each and every step. (1) School selection – this was one of the many areas where Sherry’s deep knowledge and experience as an adcom member was invaluable. I had a long list of schools and Sherry was able to give me an idea of the culture of each school, what kind of students thrive there, and other things to consider like the cost of living and what kind of companies were in the area, etc., allowing me to narrow down my list. (2) Resume and essays – Sherry pushed me to turn drafts on both my resume and essays until they were perfect. She really took the time to get to know me as a candidate, resulting in essays that were authentically me. Sherry also turned comments around very quickly, was always available throughout the process, hopped on the phone with me to talk me through my concerns, and was super flexible and understanding about my work and family commitments. She kept me on track and made a very difficult process manageable. (3) Interview preparation – my interview prep with Sherry was harder than my actual interview. She provided thoughtful, actionable feedback and most importantly, helped me feel prepared going into my interviews. (4) Decisions and waitlist – I worked on 2 schools with Sherry, Darden and Fuqua, and ultimately was accepted to both schools – a 100% track record! I had initially been waitlisted at Fuqua and felt very discouraged. All the blog posts I had read made it sound as though getting off Fuqua’s waitlist was next to impossible. Sherry again took the time to consult with me about what I really wanted and let me know that if Fuqua was where I wanted to be, we could work together on strategies to get off the waitlist. She explained that it really was not hopeless and not to be swayed by blogs. Upon Sherry’s advice, I prepared updates and additional information for Fuqua’s adcom and was offered a place in Fuqua’s class of 2020! Thank you, Sherry, I really couldn’t have done it without you!

I decided late in the game that I wanted to work with a consultant on my applications. I chose to go with the hourly rate. Sherry helped me edit my essays and was a general resource when I had any doubts or concerns about my applications/interviews. It was extremely valuable to have her as a trusted opinion for any questions that I had throughout the process. I was a little apprehensive about paying a consultant by the hour, however Sherry made excellent use of my time. She was always efficient. I ultimately got into four of the five schools I applied to with scholarships at every one!
As I narrowed down my options, I decided to email the merit committee at my top choice to respectfully see if there would be any more merit scholarships offered. Feeling like I was in uncharted territory, I got in touch with Sherry, and she helped me edit my letter. In two weeks, my scholarship was doubled!! The money I spent working with Sherry MORE than paid for itself, and I highly recommend her to my friends considering business school.

I could not recommend Sherry highly enough. She made the entire process so much more manageable. From the start Sherry was responsive, understanding, and friendly. I had an interview at Duke the next weekend, and she immediately offered to walk me through a mock interview to help me prepare, even before we did the initial call. She read all of my essays and responded promptly – even essays that were for other, non-MBA programs that I was applying to. She completely reworked my resume and made me feel like I had a handle on the process more than I ever thought I would. After being in the working world for 4 years before deciding to go back to school, Sherry was exactly what I needed to get me through. She was honest but also comforting, and I would have never gotten into the schools I did without here. You will love her!

Sherry was a great resource for my MBA applications. She was very timely and had invaluable knowledge of both the application and admissions processes from her days on a prestigious school’s admissions committee and her experience as an admissions consultant.

Although Sherry helped me in each stage of the admissions process, I wish she would’ve explained to me that some MBA scholarships are negotiable. This is something that I had no idea about and a simple email to a school, at the right time, could have increased my scholarship reward.

With that being said, I firmly believe that Sherry provided me with the best opportunity to position myself for each of the four schools that I applied to. I could not have done as well in the admissions process without her.

I absolutely loved working with Sherry. She helped me manage the entire process and put together applications that were stronger than I would’ve done on my own. She was especially good at helping me craft a compelling story and weave it through my applications. Tactically, she kept me on track and was the reason I didnt feel completely overwhelmed by the process. I’ve recommended her to a few friends and everyone has a had similar experience. She’s wonderful to work with, very good at what she does and you can feel good that your application will be as strong as possible when you hit submit.

I contacted many different consulting groups, but SBC listened and answered my needs the most. SBC asked what I was looking for, realistically evaluated my chances of getting in, and came up with a few consultants to choose from. I interviewed each one and decided to work with Sherry Holland. From then on I had one point of contact, but I always felt that Sherry could use all of SBC’s large resources to support our ideas and help us move forward.
Sherry is extremely efficient, professional and fun. Sherry always answered my emails/calls within a day at most and I never felt I was waiting long for anything. Having worked in the admissions office and attended prestigious schools, Sherry knows what it takes to get you into your dream school! Sherry has helped me figure out what I really wanted to do with my life/career and which school to ultimately attend. Even when all was said and done, Sherry continued to reply to my emails with advice: I had not received a scholarship from my dream school, but we agreed it was worth asking again. She advised on how schools evaluate scholarships and looked over my “essay”. A few weeks later, I had received a scholarship! I will attend my dream school and the money I spent with SBC was worth it with or without the scholarship!

I used SBC over the course of multiple applications, and they were a very supportive, and encouraging team. Specifically, I used Sherry for my Essays to Ross and Fuqua and when my plans changed and I decided to refocus on EMBA programs, I did not hesitate to enlist her services again, with outstanding results! I have used other services, and the level of engagement, professionalism and genuine desire to see you succeed are unrivaled by the other groups I used. I would not hesitate to use or recommend Sherry and the SBC team to anyone who is looking to put forth the best application possible.

I had a great experience working with Sherry from SBC.

Sherry was invested in me. We worked very well together. I was a candidate with some good and some bad. Therefore, I felt my application could read well or poorly depending on execution. So, I hired Sherry to help make sure it’s the former. Here are some more specifics on my experience.

Editing – Great feedback. Took my essays to an entirely different level. Found a way to present my stories in a way that washed over you while reinforcing my key points. My essays would have otherwise felt choppy and forced as I tried to fit all of my info into it.

School Selection – She helped with suggestions and encouraged a lot of contact with current students.

Company Resources – Great! Wonderful tools and a great resource for nuts and bolts as I selected schools.

Interviewing – Great feedback.

Sherry and I both confirmed each other after an interview with staff at SBC. After that, I interviewed with a few consultants and made my choice. I think this process helped me find a great match.

I used Stacy Blackman Consulting’s hourly services after a friend recommended them to me. She used the comprehensive package but I was not able to afford that so started using them after I had a list of schools I was interested in and had started writing the essays. I worked with Sherry, who was incredibly helpful, on overall application strategy (briefly), essay review (45%), and interview prep (45%). She also was able to talk me through what to highlight from my career and extracurriculars, and how to tailor each application to each school specifically. I got the flu a few weeks before the application deadline so was running behind on the essays, but Sherry still managed to fit in editing my many essays. While the comprehensive package would have been valuable, the hourly services were just what I needed and working with Sherry was great!

I was interviewed at 4 out of the 6 schools I applied to (and was really reaching for 4 of the schools I applied to in terms of test scores) and so far have been accepted at 3 of those schools including Fuqua. Thank you Sherry!

I had a wonderful experience working with Sherry. I am a non-traditional applicant coming from an international development background and political science undergrad major. My GRE score was good but not stellar (160 math, 162 verbal) and I was looking for someone to help me navigate the application process and help with my essays. I had decided to apply to 6 schools, so there were going to be a lot of essays to prepare.

From the first time I met with Sherry she put me at ease about the process. I did not feel overwhelmed about the next steps and she made me feel confident about what I had to offer business schools. Sherry helped me figure out which schools to look at and ultimately apply to based on my skill set and what I wanted to do (social impact consulting). We then worked on my essays, starting off with ideas in bullet points and then on through the final version.

Sherry was very upfront with me on how many hours/minutes I had left with her and also asked me to be upfront with her on what I was looking for out of the service so that she used my time efficiently. I felt like I was in control and got what I wanted out of the service – guidance, answering one-off questions, and reviewing my essays. I bought 3 hours to start off with, and then decided to buy an additional 3 hours because I enjoyed working with her so much and really felt like I would get a good amount of guidance with an additional 3 hours. It was expensive, but I think it was worth the cost.

One additional point – she helped me with a few nuanced processes at each of the schools, for example I was able to do a mock group interview to prepare for the interview process at Michigan which was a very unique service provided.

I hired Sherry to help me with the wait list process and with interview prep, and she was phenomenal! I was admitted to my school of choice thanks to her positive attitude, relevant feedback, and expertise.

Oftentimes she pointed out things I had no idea about, and that was a surprise because I did a lot of research prior to the application process. I just wish I recruited her help from the beginning because I ended up being dissatisfied with another consultant from a competing agency. You live and you learn, I guess!

I was initially very skeptical of the gloating reviews and the value add of hiring a consultant. However I did so anyway because I felt it would put me at a disadvantage if I didn’t. I’m very glad I did!

I used Stacy Blackman because they seemed to have a long standing track record. My initial consultation was okay but my follow-up conversation with Sherry Holland really sealed the deal for me.

The B-school application process is a very stressful process and coming from a non-traditional background I was overwhelmed with the amount of information out there. Sherry is incredibly competent and offers great insights but moreover she is kind and patient. I got into b-school with substantial merit award. I would have been perfectly elated with just an acceptance so getting a scholarship was a complete surprise. I do not think I would have gotten any money without the help of Sherry.

“Sherry was a huge help throughout my whole application process. After picking out my target schools, thoroughly completing my resume, and waiting on one final GMAT score, we dove head first into the applications. My first application was due only one and a half weeks from that point and Sherry made sure to keep me on track and help me produce a very strong application. From there on out, I completed 5 more applications in only 6-7 weeks and she was there every step of the way. I was working on very tight deadlines and Sherry was able to efficiently and effectively help me work through recommendations, essays, applications, and everything else that came my way. After sending out 6 strong applications and moving onto the interview process, Sherry’s focus and experience continued to become apparent day after day. At the end of the day, I applied to 6 schools I got interviews from 5 of them and was accepted to my top choice (top 15) MBA program. I could not be more excited to enroll at my program this fall and I would not have gotten to this point without Sherry.”

I hired Sherry for the 5 hour package to assist in selecting essay topics and putting the finishing touches on my applications. Fuqua was my top choice school so I selected Sherry based on her previous career in Fuqua’s admissions office. Sherry has a framework for drafting Fuqua’s essays and evaluating your “25 Random Facts” which was helpful in selecting what helped tell my complete story. She was also instrumental in editing my essays for Darden and Goizueta. I applied and was accepted in Round 1 to Darden, Fuqua, and Goizueta with $48k scholarship from Goizueta! Even if you have a solid application strategy and essays, I would recommend at least a few hours with Sherry to ensure your application is sound before hitting submit!

Sherry was great to work with through the application process!! She took the time to get to know me and understand my goals so she could be help me communicate my story to the Admissions Committee. I was focused on going to a particular Top MBA program and planned to only apply there. Sherry understood this and helped me fine tune each aspect of my application to be the best it could be. Sherry was incredibly easy to work with and willing to answer any questions I had. It felt like she went the extra mile to ensure I felt as prepared as possible to submit my application and interview. Sherry’s expertise undoubtedly helped me to submit my best possible application and I am very excited to be attending my top choice MBA program in the Fall.

Yes, I know I can’t rate Sherry seven stars, but consider this. The Burj Al Arab is unofficially known as the only seven star hotel in the world. This means people know unparalleled service when they see it, especially when it’s above any industry-wide standard. How is this relevant? Simple. Sherry went WAY above and beyond any reasonable expectation to help prepare me for the whole process –from essays, to receiving an acceptance into an Ivy League program. Just as the Burj Al Arab staff goes to great lengths to ensure their clients are taking care of at all cost, so does Sherry in her pursuit to obtaining a yes for her clients! Not only did I obtain a yes from my target school, but in a program I thought was way outside of my reach. A little about me: -Former military (12 years) -Enlisted -Military Special Operations community -Government Contractor -B.S and MA from oldest private military college in the country -Husband -Father to four children -Late 30’s when applied -WAY nontraditional applicant (can’t stress that enough!). Sherry was very patient with me. She saw ability when I didn’t realize it was there. As we worked through the process, she knew when to push and when to let me think. She did all of this through emails and phone calls, which itself is a pretty tough thing to do. I can’t say this enough –Sherry was absolutely amazing! Why you should consider working with Sherry- it’s simple. Just because you might consider yourself a nontraditional candidate for ‘xyz’ prestigious university doesn’t mean you should not set your bar high. I truly thought there was no way I would ever be accepted into the program I was admitted, but Sherry knew I had all of the keys. Do yourself a favor and reach out to Sherry. The admission process is changing every year as universities seek ways to deliver innovative content. What worked last year may not work this year. You need someone who understands this and knows how to navigate the rapidly changing process. Sherry has deep knowledge of the admission process and as a result stays ahead of the industry curve. She helped me reduce my admission learning curve by months! In my busy life, that is priceless. She’s passionate, kind, thoughtful, and extremely talented at what she does. You’ll love working with Sherry and will grow throughout the process. I know I did!

I knew I had the potential to write strong essays, but wasn’t sure how to start the process. It was daunting. I worked with Sherry to create a comprehensive strategy document and used her support to write numerous essays for each school I applied to (5). I would not have felt as confident in my applications without Sherry, who helped make the process manageable for me. Sherry was honest and identified my weak spots quickly – both in my essays and as a B-school candidate. She gave incredibly straightforward, helpful feedback on my essays, and helped me fine-tune my story and strategy, so I could effectively articulate why I wanted to obtain an MBA. She also served as a cheerleader and a thoughtful guide for all of my one-off questions on the admissions process. I have accepted a full-scholarship to one of my top choice schools. I can’t say enough good things about Sherry and Stacy Blackman Consulting. Well worth every penny!

I don’t know where to begin. I was accepted to my first choice school, Yale SOM – a dream that I never thought possible and that would never have BEEN possible without Stacy Blackman Consulting. As a very unusual candidate, I knew that I needed the comprehensive package to have any shot. From my first communication with Esther Magna over a year before I applied, I felt that SBC differed from all of the other admissions consulting companies I was speaking with. Esther was forthright about my strengths and weaknesses and laid out clear advice in our free 30 minute call, and I felt that her assessment was more realistic than that of anyone else with whom I’d spoken. I cannot speak more highly of Sherry, my consultant. I wouldn’t have made it through this process without her. She is so knowledgeable, perceptive, thoughtful, and clear- she helped me conceive a strategy and then held my hand and cheered me on every step of the way. She is extraordinarily responsive over email and would always give me a time frame in which she would get back to me. From helping me plot a timeline and stick with it, to guiding me through writing my essays, to preparing me for my interview and advising on my communication with the Admissions Committee, she helped me navigate every step of the process. Sherry asked incisive, challenging questions that made me think hard about who I am and what I want, and enabled me to convey those things to the Admissions Committee in a coherent and compelling way. Sherry couldn’t have been more helpful with my essay. She was honest about the ways in which she thought that it could and should be better and more true to me, so when I finally got it right after many drafts, I knew that her praise was entirely genuine. Caryn, my Flight Tester, was fantastic. She was honest about anything that she perceived as unclear and had very actionable suggestions, which was critical at that point in the process and made me feel confident when I submitted my application. After submitting my application I quickly had to turn to the video questions, and SBC’s video platform is excellent. I submitted practice video question responses to Bill Chionis for review, and he gave tremendously thoughtful, detailed feedback that I found hugely helpful and was able to implement when I actually completed the video questions. This same video platform was fantastic when I was preparing for my interview, but I found the questions that Sherry asked me to prepare and our mock interview to be the most essential to what I thought was a very good interview. I cannot adequately express my gratitude to the entire SBC team. I could never have done this without you all- you changed my life!

I was a candidate who had a slightly lower GMAT score but really felt I could make an impact at a upper tier MBA. At first, I was just considering hiring a consultant. However, after speaking with Esther, I realized that SBC was going to be a true partner in the process. I was paired with Sherry, who had experience in admissions at Duke-Fuqua. She was very interested in my career thus far, and wanted to take the time to get to know me and why I was pursuing an MBA. This made a huge difference to me, and I really felt comfortable working with her. She was extremely available, and did a tremendous job keeping me calm during a stressful process! The Flight test was also a great element of the package. I did mine with Rebekah- she gave me a great feel for my candidacy and my overall application strength. Overall, when I was accepted into my two top choices, I knew the investment was worth it. I honestly question whether or not I would have been able to get into these schools without Sherry’s help. Not a knock on myself, just a realistic thought. Highly recommend SBC!!

I was paired with Sherry and I appreciate her transparency and honesty during our first conversation. I remembered being told that – every applicant has his / her reasons for selecting certain schools, some may choose not to pursue an MBA if not admitted to these schools as the opportunity cost of going through MBA is high. Her opinion resonated with my thoughts and she took the time to understand my priorities for school selection and proposed another school for my consideration (which I eventually applied to on my own).

Sherry is a rock star coach. She listens to her clients and provides constructive feedback. She provided just the right amount of coaching throughout the consultation process – she identified schools that would be a great fit for my personality and background, ensured that my writing was genuine, checked in with me on deadlines, and even encouraged me to ask for additional scholarship funding. She was always professional, reliable, and courteous. I highly recommend her, especially, if you may be a fit for Duke as she knows the school culture well.

What I am most impressed about is the devotion of my consultant Sherry during various stages. She is very professional, experienced, intelligent, encouraging, devoted, and patient. She listens to my personal story and insightfully points out the weakness. She shared my materials with another consultant (former Admissions Officer) for feedback. All of us worked as a team to perfect the story. As a non-native English speaker and a non-business background applicant, I constantly struggled making my meanings clearly in a business sense. However, Sherry always listens clearly and patiently to what I have in mind, and helps me to express it perfectly. I also sincerely appreciate the devotion from Sherry due to my aggressive schedule. Without her help and the SBC team, I can’t finish the process speedy and smoothly. THANK YOU Sherry! I am going to my only one dream school – Columbia Business School!!

I would really like to express my heartfelt gratitude to Stacy Blackman and particularly to my consultant, Sherry Holland, without whom I couldn’t have succeeded in the admission process. With a sub-par GPA, a decent GMAT score and my demographics, few gave me any chance! But guess what? I was invited to interview with all the schools I applied to-Wharton, Columbia, Kellogg and Indian School of Business and ultimately made it to Columbia and Indian School of Business, and wait listed at Kellogg. I have no doubt that my consultant played an extremely critical role in my success. Her in-depth experience in MBA admissions reflected throughout the process in her thoughts, suggestions and feedback on various areas of applications-Positioning, Essays and Interviews. She was extremely diligent in her approach, even making sure that I have the right opening to get into the admission officer’s head and the right ending to leave a lasting impression. In all honestly and sincerity I recommend her to anybody who is considering B-School. In fact my wife would be also using her services for her B-School applications. I believe this itself is a testimonial to my experience.

I worked with Sherry who was thoughtful, kind, and incredibly helpful in putting my application together. Her positivity and different perspective helped me realize the strengths of my application and prioritize what areas to focus on. I was able to utilize her advice in my other applications and was ultimately accepted to several top 15 business schools with strong scholarship offers. I’m so appreciative of all her help (and patience) particularly around the interview prep and resume creation. Even with the extensive research I had done on my own, I learned so much working with her and was able to keep on track with all my applications.

In short, I believe the process was well worth the value added to my application process. It was a tough landscape to navigate through, especially coming from the military, and I needed a guide to walk me through. To begin with, I was already behind schedule after not doing so well on my GMAT so I had to reschedule and push for round 2 application deadlines instead of round 1. By the time I got the score that I needed, I was running 2 weeks out from the application deadline for my first school in round 2. Sherry was a gem. She absolutely laid the groundwork for me to strategize and prioritize the tasks I needed to knock out one-by-one. For me, her process was very regimented and it most definitely was curtailed to my type of learning/thought process and it allowed me to gain every bit of value through multiple drafts, reviews, and submissions. I applied to 5 schools, had interviews for every one of them, and accepted to 4 and waitlisted at 1. In foresight, I probably should have applied to slightly harder schools but I’m absolutely excited to the school I will be enrolling in this fall. If I could suggest who would most benefit from these services: – Military – Persons who come from a non traditional background – Applicants to highly selective schools where every bit of scrutiny is needed