101
Finance
Banking-Inv.
Scholarship
LBS
MBA
Matriculating School: London Business School
Other Admitted Schools: IESE (EUR 30,000 scholarship), Oxford, Cambridge
Funding Type: Self-funded
TOEFL: Waived (due to graduation from an overseas university)
GMAT: 660 (Math 50, Verbal 29, IR 8, AWA 4.5)
I first met Stephen from Round One in the middle of summer at the Imperial Hotel in Tokyo. At the time, I was completely immersed in GMAT preparation and was in no position to think seriously about essays or interviews. Even so, what left a strong impression on me was the guidance he provided on what kinds of schools might be a good fit for me.
As for why I chose Round One, the reasons were: (a) Stephen had a strong reputation as an essay counselor; (b) as a self-funded applicant, the cost was relatively reasonable; and (c) compared with what I had heard about other counselors being quite overbearing, Stephen felt very mild-mannered and personally compatible when I spoke with him directly. At the time, I did not have much more information than this, but looking back, I am convinced it was the right decision. In my case, despite the fact that my GMAT score did not improve until the very end and that I was applying as a self-funded candidate, I was able to gain admission to every school to which I applied (Stephen and Emma were honestly surprised as well…).
To summarize what I felt were the strengths of Round One, I would highlight the following points.
Stephen was my essay counselor. In my case, I had relatively long work experience and therefore no shortage of potential material, but the key challenge was turning that experience into something clear and appealing for admissions committees who had never met me. From October through December, I worked intensively on essays, starting from very fundamental questions such as “What are your career goals?” and moving on to topics like “How can you contribute to the school?” Across a wide range of essay themes, I received precise and practical advice. In particular, there is a distinct style of English writing that resonates with MBA admissions, and Stephen’s revisions in this regard were extremely helpful.
This is a service I would especially recommend from Round One. I worked with both Stephen and Emma for interview training, and it proved extremely effective in the actual interviews. Their evaluations of my answers were accurate, and their suggestions on how to improve helped me refine my responses and produce stronger output, which I believe directly contributed to my results. I also clearly remember that, in the final interview I attended, most of the questions I was asked had already come up at least once during interview training.
This aspect was also extremely valuable, particularly because, as a self-funded applicant, I did not have anyone around me who was preparing for an MBA or senior colleagues with MBA experience. When I had campus visits or specific questions about individual schools, Stephen introduced me to members of the Round One alumni network. The insights and information I received from them were extremely valuable and played a major role in strengthening my applications. Without this support, I doubt my MBA application process would have gone nearly as smoothly as it did.
MBA applications are something whose difficulty you cannot truly understand unless you have experienced it yourself, but as a partner throughout that process, I can strongly recommend the counselors at Round One. Best of luck to everyone pursuing this path.
