Admissions & Career Advisory Testimonial #193 (English)

Testimonial #

Industry

Function

Funding

School

Program

193

Services

Ops/Logistics

Testimonial #: 193

Industry: Services

Function: Ops/Logistics

Funding: Sponsored

School: ESADE

Program: MBA

Overview

School Enrolled: ESADE Business School

Other Admitted Schools: HEC-Paris, Kelley School of Business

Age: 37 (company-sponsored study abroad)

Overseas Experience: Limited to business trips and travel

I began preparing seriously for MBA applications after passing my company’s internal sponsorship selection in December 2020. At the outset, I had no idea how to proceed with application preparation beyond taking the TOEFL and GMAT exams. In addition, I was at what is considered a relatively advanced age for pursuing a full-time MBA, and I had no experience living or studying abroad, which caused me significant anxiety. However, after receiving Strategic Guidance from Mr. Round in April, it became very clear what I needed to work on and when.

From the fall onward, I worked in parallel on updating my test scores while also preparing essays and interviews, which became both operationally and mentally demanding. Even so, I feel that it was only because Mr. Round accompanied me throughout the process that I was able to continue encouraging myself and ultimately secure admission to my target school. While Round One’s services cannot be described as inexpensive, they provide sincere and highly professional support that fully justifies the cost. Below are my impressions of each of Round One’s services.

Strategic Guidance

I received thorough support through Strategic Guidance, including building my application portfolio, selecting recommenders, and editing emails to admissions offices.
Advice on extracurricular activities provided during the initial Strategic Guidance session was also extremely valuable later on when preparing my essays.
I struggled to improve my GMAT score, which remained in the mid-600 range, but by switching to the GRE, I was able to achieve a significant score improvement. This allowed me to apply and attend interviews with a strong sense of personal conviction.
Frankly speaking, I believe I would have lost motivation and given up midway if I had been on my own. I feel that it was Mr. Round’s pressure and encouragement that enabled me to persevere and achieve results I could truly be satisfied with.

Essay Counseling

Starting from résumé preparation through to school-specific essays, my ideas were respected while being refined into polished, competitive essays.
By pursuing efficiency in essay preparation without sacrificing competitiveness, I was able to secure as much study time as possible, which was another major benefit.
Even when I requested essay revisions immediately before submission deadlines, Mr. Round responded quickly.
Because my ideas and concepts were respected, I believe applicants should also approach idea generation without compromise and put in their full effort.

Interview Training

In Type A training, I was able to review comprehensive advice in written form, which helped me establish a solid framework for interviews.
In Type B training, I was able to confirm and improve how to draw upon and utilize different aspects of my experience depending on the questions asked.
In Type C training, in addition to developing killer questions, Mr. Round also helped me prepare follow-up comments and conversational flow, which was extremely helpful in creating engaging dialogue with interviewers.

Choosing a counselor

Choosing a counselor plays a critical role in the MBA application process. For those who are currently considering their options, I strongly recommend contacting Mr. Round and having a conversation with him.