120
Manufacturing
Finance
Self-funded
Cambridge-Judge
MBA
Matriculated program: Cambridge, MBA
Other admitted schools: Oxford, HEC
TOEFL / IELTS: Waived
GMAT: 640
Background: 7 years at a multinational manufacturer (at time of matriculation), self-funded study abroad
I am scheduled to enroll at Cambridge Judge Business School this fall (2015). Preparing to study abroad while continuing to work full time was truly challenging, but thanks to the support of Stephen Round, Emma Round, and many others, I was ultimately able to secure admission to my first-choice school. I hope that sharing my experience here may be of some help to those who are planning to study abroad in the future.
I began preparing seriously for an MBA in February 2014. That month, I started taking GMAT classes at a test prep school. Ideally, I should have completed my score preparation by the summer, but my scores did not improve as hoped. As a result, while continuing GMAT study, I also began preparing essays in parallel around August. I first created my own drafts and, starting around September, refined them with an essay counselor from another firm. Even in September and October, however, my scores did not reach the desired level. At that point, I made a major strategic shift: rather than continuing to devote most of my time to the GMAT, I decided to focus more heavily on essays in order to further differentiate myself from other applicants.
Although it was a relatively late decision, I began using Round One’s services around November to strengthen my essays further. Looking back, I believe that making the bold decision to focus on essays at that stage ultimately led to my admission.
What I found most valuable about Round One were: (1) comprehensive advice, (2) precise feedback, and (3) rapid feedback. First, revisiting my overall application strategy with Mr. Round was, in hindsight, extremely beneficial. Rather than wasting time aimlessly, I was able—through his guidance—to reassess what should be prioritized within a limited timeframe. In my essay sessions with Ms. Round, I received a great deal of precise feedback from perspectives different from those of other counselors I had worked with, and she was able to respond very quickly despite the tight schedule. While it is obvious that essays can be improved given unlimited time, I truly believe that it would not have been possible to raise the quality of my essays so efficiently without Round One’s support.
Both counselors also demonstrated a deep understanding of each school’s characteristics, allowing them to provide tailored advice on application strategy and essay development for individual programs. Because I was a self-funded applicant, I was targeting one-year programs, and after campus visits I fell in love with UK MBA programs, making Oxbridge my top choice. Not only are they highly knowledgeable about U.S. MBA programs, but they are also extremely well versed in UK and European MBAs, and I received very accurate guidance. This breadth of expertise may be one of the reasons Round One consistently places candidates at top schools around the world year after year.
Finally, having counselors like Mr. Round and Ms. Round—who were both supportive and, at times, constructively demanding—by my side throughout a long and difficult application journey was incredibly reassuring. Thanks to their personal character, even essay sessions that involved heavy workloads and demanding assignments were something I could get through while genuinely enjoying the preparation process.
As mentioned at the outset, preparing for applications while working full time was far more demanding than I had anticipated. Study methods differ from person to person, but I believe the most important factors are finding an approach to studying and essay preparation that suits you, and identifying the right counselor as early as possible. I also feel that the MBA application process was an excellent opportunity to reflect on my career to date and to think seriously about my future career and life plans. I encourage you not to give up, and when you encounter difficulties, to consult with Mr. Round and Ms. Round—and ultimately secure admission to your target school.
