182
Services
Ops/Logistics
Sponsored
Cambridge-Judge
MBA
First and foremost, I would like to emphasize that Round One’s greatest strength lies in the comprehensive and strategic advice provided by its team of counselors, led by its founder, Mr. Stephen Round—advice that is firmly grounded in their extensive experience.
I passed my company’s internal selection for sponsored study abroad and began receiving counseling from Mr. Round in June 2019. At the time, I had not even started preparing for the GMAT, and my TOEFL score was only 80, leaving me struggling just to get my test preparation on track. Through repeated meetings with Mr. Round, my strategy was adjusted many times. What left a particularly strong impression on me was how carefully he assessed my TOEFL score situation and my strengths and weaknesses by section, and then recommended that I switch to taking the IELTS. As it turned out, the IELTS format suited me well, and I was able to achieve competitive scores efficiently.
In addition, when it came to selecting target schools, Mr. Round identified programs that seemed well suited to me from among the many business schools available and helped me build a well-balanced application portfolio in terms of difficulty. This was tremendously helpful amid the demanding MBA application process. Being able to receive this kind of strategic, end-to-end consulting for the application itself is one of Round One’s defining features, and I strongly feel that it is a service made possible only by Mr. Round’s more than 20 years of experience.
Next, the counselors’ high level of professionalism—particularly their speed and accuracy of response—deserves special mention.
I felt the true value of this especially during the final interview stage of my MBA application process. Round One’s Interview Training Type A (mock interview format) provides extremely detailed and prompt feedback. By repeatedly reviewing the Word documents containing in-depth feedback written by experienced counselors, I could clearly feel my skills improving.
The same was true of essay counseling. Even during peak season, as deadlines for each school approached, they provided rapid and insightful edits that fully drew out my strengths. In my case, the period from essays to interviews was almost a race against time, as I moved through applications and interviews for multiple schools at a whirlwind pace. I came to realize that the key was how efficiently one could repeat the cycle of essay drafting (or interview practice) → counseling → feedback → revision, over and over again. In this respect, Round One’s responsiveness was an enormous advantage.
Beyond that, whenever I needed quick advice—whether for questions to schools or suddenly scheduled meetings with alumni—I always received a response the same day (or overnight). This was a tremendous source of support during what was often a highly pressured application period.
Mr. Round is also an outstanding motivator and supported me with great dedication through what was a very lonely MBA application journey. At the time, I was working at a small office in the Tohoku region, with no fellow applicants or MBA holders around me. Thanks to Mr. Round’s approach—realistic yet kind, and always staying close to his clients—I was able to maintain my motivation and see the process through to the end.
MBA applications are often described as a marathon—if not a triathlon—due to their length and intensity. Being able to find such an exceptional running partner as Mr. Round was an unexpected and deeply appreciated blessing.
In closing, I would highly recommend Round One not only to company-sponsored applicants with short preparation periods or those living outside major metropolitan areas like myself, but to anyone who wants to navigate the demanding process of graduate school applications as efficiently as possible. I sincerely hope that all applicants, together with Round One, will be able to successfully complete “The Long and Winding Road” of overseas graduate school applications.
