92
Finance
HR
Sponsored
Maryland-Smith
MBA
Ideally, one would speak with several counselors, align on personal fit and approach to the application process, and then decide whom to work with. However, in my case, my company notified me of my sponsorship relatively late, and securing sufficient time to focus on test preparation was the top priority, leaving little room to compare counselors. For that reason, I decided from the outset to work with Round One, as many of my senior colleagues who had previously been sponsored by my company had done the same.
In hindsight, I truly believe there is no counselor better than Round One. For those who are unsure or still considering which counselor to choose, I can wholeheartedly and confidently recommend knocking on the door of Round One.
My counselor was Mr. Round, and looking back on the entire application process, I cannot imagine having had a better partner to run alongside me. Admission would have been inconceivable without him. When I reflect on why that is, it ultimately comes down to the following three points.
In the application process, I would first prepare essay drafts, which Mr. Round would then refine and transform into polished submission-ready essays. I was constantly impressed by the speed and precision of this work, as well as by the depth of his expressive ability in making my profile appear far more compelling and attractive.
While one naturally expects a counselor to serve as a guide for essays and interviews, the reason I believe Round One is truly the best lies in its human appeal—the ability to connect with clients on a personal level and inspire them to keep going. When TOEFL and GMAT scores were not improving, the essay-writing phase became mentally exhausting, and there were times when I lost my composure. On one such occasion, after reviewing an essay Mr. Round had revised, I asked him, almost in disbelief, “Do I really need to go this far?” and “Is this content really okay?” At that moment, Mr. Round simply said one thing to me: “Trust me.”
That single phrase was enough for me to commit fully, steel my resolve, and decide to overcome this tough and demanding application process together with Round One.
In the end, I was invited to interviews by nearly all of the schools to which I applied and was admitted to my top-choice group of schools. Despite never achieving the scores I had originally hoped for, I was able to attain these results for one reason only: the presence of Mr. Round as my partner throughout the journey.
I sincerely hope that many future applicants will go on to realize their dreams together with Round One.
