112
Services
Mktg/Sales
Scholarship
HEC-Paris
MBA
I believe that without Round One’s support, I would not have been able to gain admission to the school I had long dreamed of.
Matriculated school: HEC Paris
Services used at Round One: Essay Counseling, Interview Training, Scholarship Essay Counseling
I began preparing my graduate school applications just four months before the deadline, so I struggled to complete all the required application materials within a very short period. The application required a résumé, university transcripts, essays, and GMAT/TOEFL scores. In my case, I applied only to my first-choice school, HEC, which made the risk extremely high—I absolutely needed to be admitted. However, my application materials were far from ideal, particularly my GMAT score of 640, which was well below the school’s published median of 710 for the previous entering class. Because of this, I wanted to make the rest of my application as strong as possible.
With only two weeks left before the submission deadline, and knowing that I had to submit everything imminently, I reached out to Round One for essay counseling as a last resort. At that point, Mr. Round’s schedule for the following two weeks was already fully booked. Nevertheless, he adjusted his schedule and created time specifically for my counseling. I believe Round One is unique in being able to provide such client-centered service, tailored so precisely to individual needs.
Round One’s essay counseling services respond to client needs in a highly flexible manner. In my case, I had already written my essays, so Mr. Round first evaluated the content and then clearly separated the sections that required light editing from those that needed to be rewritten from scratch. In particular, my post-graduation career goals were weak, and Mr. Round pointed this out and helped me construct a concrete and compelling career plan. As a result, even to my own eyes, the content was transformed into something far more professional, allowing me to submit my application with confidence. I believe I was able to pass the document screening stage only because I received Round One’s essay support.
Round One’s interview training makes it possible even for those who struggle with English interviews to prepare thoroughly and build confidence. First, through a seminar-style session, they explain what kind of preparation is required for interviews. Then, through realistic interview simulations, they objectively identify areas that need improvement. In my case, I not only received interview training, but also help in formulating questions to ask the school. Round One’s interview training was extremely clear and highly effective. I was ultimately able to face my interviews with confidence thanks to their support.
What I find most remarkable about Round One, and what truly sets it apart from other study-abroad consulting services, is Mr. Round’s warm and deeply human approach. He provided timely and necessary advice, while also encouraging me when I needed it most—offering support that went far beyond what one would expect from a standard service. The fact that I was able to gain admission to the business school I had dreamed of was entirely due to Round One’s comprehensive support. Compared with other study-abroad consulting services, Round One’s fees are very reasonable, and the cost-performance is outstanding.
Another outstanding aspect of Round One’s service is Mr. Round’s flexibility. After I was admitted to HEC, Round One also provided counseling for my English-language scholarship application essays. Thanks to that support, my essays became much more polished, and I was awarded a €3,000 scholarship (approximately ¥400,000 at the current exchange rate). This scholarship fully covered all the costs I had paid to Round One—and even generated a net positive return. Considering that Round One’s support helped me gain admission to graduate school and even resulted in a financial gain, I truly feel that choosing Round One was absolutely the right decision.
