3
Energy
Ops/Logistics
Sponsored
Wash-Olin
MBA
I received notification of my company-sponsored study-abroad approval in early June of the year prior to enrollment. That was the point at which my MBA application journey truly began.
From those who had studied abroad before me, I was told that the proper order was to first focus on TOEFL and GMAT, and only after achieving a certain score level should one move on to essays. Based on this advice, I enrolled in a large, well-known MBA prep school. Following their guidance, I created a schedule that targeted completing the TOEFL by the end of July, working on the GMAT from August through the end of the year, and beginning essay writing in parallel from September. However, my TOEFL score did not improve as expected, and I ended up starting GMAT preparation in August as well. By late August, it was clear that I needed to begin searching for an essay counselor. After comparing several prep schools, including R1, I ultimately chose R1. To be honest, at that point I did not yet fully understand the differences between R1 and other providers; the decisive factor was a recommendation from a senior colleague at my company who was studying at LBS. At the end of August, I met Mr. Round—who happened to be visiting Japan—at The Imperial Hotel, and he agreed to take me on as his client.
R1’s essay counseling began in September. R1 secured two hours of counseling time per week for me (in my case, every Sunday from 11:00 to 13:00), during which we worked on my application materials. All document exchanges were conducted via email, and communication during counseling sessions was handled primarily through Skype text chat (with occasional voice chat). Unlike large prep schools, there was no need to book counseling sessions each time, nor was there any risk of counselors being fully booked. As long as I had an internet connection, I could receive counseling in exactly the same way whether I was living outside Tokyo, traveling domestically or internationally for work, or visiting my family.
In addition to respecting the client’s preferences, R1 helps with school selection by taking into account the applicant’s overall potential—including test scores, work experience, and personal characteristics. Once target schools are decided, the applicant simply follows R1’s guidance. R1 takes full responsibility for timeline control up to each deadline, allowing the applicant to focus entirely on completing the assigned tasks. By following this structure, applications are completed well before deadlines without fail.
From the start of counseling in September through its conclusion the following February, I was able to apply to 12 schools. My results—10 admits, 1 rejection, and 1 waitlist (later withdrawn)—were something I would never have believed possible at the outset. Being admitted to a top-tier school that would have been unimaginable given my test scores was due to nothing other than R1’s support.
While this may vary by company, at my firm, company-sponsored study abroad is revoked if admission to an MBA program is not secured for the following year. Because my test scores did not improve as hoped, from September onward I had to juggle TOEFL, GMAT, and essay writing simultaneously, all while under constant pressure that I “might not get into any school at all.” (For reference, I continued taking the TOEFL until the CBT format ended in late September, and although I achieved an acceptable GMAT score by the end of the year, I continued taking the exam through March.) Throughout this period, Mr. Round continuously encouraged me—sometimes gently, sometimes firmly—so that my motivation would not falter. When I considered lowering my target schools’ ranking in order to secure an admission, his advice—“Since you’ve been given this opportunity to study abroad, believe in yourself and aim higher”—was pivotal. Without that encouragement, I would not be where I am today.
Because my time before application deadlines was extremely limited, I attended various prep schools with the mindset of “buying time.” R1 does not criticize other prep schools; in fact, it recommends using them for test preparation. However, those schools do not manage your overall timeline. Looking back now that my application journey is complete, I believe that R1’s most significant strength lies in its meticulous timeline control—planning backwards from application deadlines and managing the entire process accordingly.
