(Strategic Guidance ⇒ Mr. Round: At R1, the process began with an in-person interview with Mr. Round in Tokyo, during which I explained my situation and received advice on how to approach my applications.)

In Japan, where graduate study abroad is often equated with pursuing an MBA, it is rare to find counselors with sufficient experience in non-MBA fields. Even when such experience exists, it is often limited to applicants who already have extensive professional experience in that field or who are pursuing research-oriented programs. I met with several counselors, but for someone like me—who hoped to use graduate study abroad as a stepping stone for a career change—the strategies they proposed did not seem effective for my case, and I could not bring myself to think, “I’ll entrust this to this person.” Mr. Round, however, was entirely different. When I explained that I lacked direct experience in the field but wished to pursue graduate study and shared my post-graduation aspirations, he took a completely different approach. He encouraged me by explaining that, for U.S. graduate schools that value diversity, my background was not a disadvantage at all and might even work in my favor. I remember feeling genuinely uplifted after meeting with Mr. Round, thinking that perhaps I, too, could be admitted to the graduate schools I admired. In fact, by following the direction he proposed, preparing my essays accordingly, and submitting my applications, I was accepted by every graduate school to which I applied.