81
Technology
Finance
Self-funded
Chicago-Booth
EMBA
Around the spring of 2012, I made the seemingly reckless decision to pursue an MBA—despite being self-funded, having a family, and already operating at maximum capacity in my day-to-day work. My most pressing challenge at the time was how to efficiently balance family time with studying and application preparation. Looking back at the results, I believe Round One provided exactly the kind of optimal, shortest-path advice and professional support that was ideally suited to someone in my situation.
Given these constraints, I initially focused exclusively on one-year, full-time programs. However, after attending an information session for the Chicago Booth EMBA program—purely by chance through an acquaintance—I had an immediate realization: “This is it.” The ability to continue working while studying, and to build a network with executives from around the world, made it the perfect fit for me. From that moment on, I narrowed my target decisively.
In my case, Mr. Round supported me throughout the entire process—from Strategic Guidance to essay development and interview training. During the initial guidance sessions, he took the time to carefully understand my circumstances and goals, and then created an optimal application portfolio tailored to me. There may be mixed opinions about Skype-based counseling, but I never once felt inconvenienced by it. In fact, for someone with as many constraints as I had, it was the ideal solution. For example, we scheduled counseling sessions early in the morning on weekdays, while my family was still asleep and before I left for work. When I was traveling overseas on business, Mr. Round flexibly adjusted the time slots to accommodate my schedule. I am deeply grateful for this professional, flexible support all the way through to my acceptance.
Looking back at the timeline, I applied to Round One around September–October 2012, and ultimately received my offer from Chicago in February. Since the application deadline was in December, the first two to three months felt like an intense period in which we rapidly built the essays alongside Strategic Guidance. Mr. Round’s essay counseling was extremely focused and efficient, with no wasted effort. While he did not write everything for me, he reviewed what I produced and provided corrections and advice—often pointing out aspects I would never have identified on my own. This was when I truly felt the difference that professional expertise makes. Whenever I disagreed with a suggestion, he listened carefully to my perspective and continued the discussion until we reached a result I was fully satisfied with. The fees were certainly not inexpensive, but given the short timeframe and numerous constraints, I am extremely satisfied that I was able to produce resumes and essays of such high quality, thanks entirely to Round One’s support.
Another key strength of Round One that I would like to highlight is interview training. I am not a returnee, nor did I attend school abroad—in other words, I am what one might call “purely domestic”—so the pressure I felt about interviews was significant. In mock interviews with Mr. Round, I received prompt and detailed feedback, along with guidance on multiple response patterns and killer questions, which made preparation and anticipated Q&A much more manageable. In reality, I had only two weeks between receiving notice that my Chicago EMBA application had passed the document screening and the actual interview. Even with such a tight schedule, I was able to manage it thanks to Round One’s flexible approach and sharply focused training.
The MBA application process is an extremely demanding journey—one that only those who have experienced it can truly understand. I firmly believe that the outcome can change dramatically depending on who you choose as your partner in this process. Round One has guided individuals in many different circumstances to successful outcomes, and the advice and professional support they provide—grounded in that extensive experience—make them a truly strong partner.
