125
Energy
Mktg/Sales
Sponsored
Indiana-Kelley
MBA
Matriculated school: Indiana (Kelley)
Other admitted school: Maryland (Smith)
Professional background: 8 years in the energy sector (company-sponsored study abroad)
Overseas experience: Travel only
Although I was a company-sponsored applicant, I was the only person from my company being sent abroad that year, so my MBA application journey began as a very lonely battle. I had no idea where to start, what I needed to do next, or whether the path I was on was even the right one. When I decided to seek Mr. Round’s support in May 2015, however, I began receiving precisely the right advice at exactly the right moments. As a result, I was always able to focus on the most important tasks immediately in front of me and move forward steadily.
I often received advice such as, “It’s time to shift from TOEFL to GMAT,” “We’ll start essay counseling next week, so hurry and send your draft,” or “If you’re going to do a campus visit, now is the best time.” At the time, I sometimes felt, “I’m not mentally ready yet…,” but looking back now, every single piece of advice was given at the truly optimal moment—too early would have been premature, and too late would have been too late. I strongly feel how extraordinarily accurate that guidance was.
In addition, when it came to building my target school portfolio, Mr. Round’s information and advice served as my most reliable compass. In this sense, I truly feel that the most invaluable benefit of Round One for me was its comprehensive support—including overall time management for the entire MBA application process—far beyond just essay counseling or interview training.
Mr. Round’s essay counseling was extremely high in quality and well balanced, supported by a strong sense of professionalism. In addition to receiving appropriate feedback based on his many years of experience—such as what needed improvement, what should be cut, and what needed strengthening—his counseling was also designed with maximum consideration for “efficiency,” ensuring that the limited and precious resource of time was allocated in the most effective way.
Personally, overlapping with the time-management aspect mentioned above, the regular weekly Skype meetings (video calls and chat) with Mr. Round functioned as a powerful pacemaker. By forcing myself to complete the assigned homework each week—sometimes pulling all-nighters and pushing through exhaustion—I was ultimately able to apply to as many as 10 schools. I often attended meetings in a completely exhausted state after staying up all night, but the positive and warm feedback I received from Mr. Round always made me feel rewarded, allowing me to maintain a high level of motivation and persevere.
One point I would strongly like future MBA applicants to keep in mind—something many others have also written—is that ultimate responsibility for the content of your essays lies with you. A counselor provides invaluable advice and helps refine your writing, but it is you who must be fully convinced and make the final decision. I hope applicants will be careful not to compromise at this final stage or leave everything entirely to the counselor, as doing so could lead to regret later.
I originally had a strong sense of weakness toward English and a very high psychological barrier to speaking it, so I felt extremely anxious about interviews. However, by gradually becoming accustomed to speaking English through weekly meetings with Mr. Round, by the time interview training began I was at least able to express what I wanted to say, even if haltingly. In addition to receiving feedback on areas for improvement, I also received a great deal of positive feedback, which helped me build sufficient confidence to face interviews. Furthermore, the accuracy of the anticipated questions Mr. Round presented just before interviews was remarkable, allowing me to respond calmly in many actual interviews.
Beyond essays and interviews, Mr. Round provided extremely generous support in many other areas. For example, he proofread emails exchanged with schools and proposed rough campus visit schedules (while, of course, detailed itineraries and bookings for flights and hotels were handled by me). All of this was included as part of Strategic Guidance, with no additional fees.
One particularly memorable experience occurred during the peak application period, when I was struggling with my essay for my first-choice school and the counseling session ended up lasting more than three hours longer than planned. Mr. Round gave his full effort throughout, and by the time we finished, it was already past 3:00 a.m. on his side (Canada). In addition, when I was waitlisted at a school and needed to submit an additional essay, he reviewed it with remarkable speed. Perhaps the most extraordinary instance of flexibility came when I suddenly decided to apply to a school in the 3rd round just before the deadline. I completed the essay draft the day before the deadline, at a time when Mr. Round’s schedule for that day was already fully booked. When I reached out, he replied encouragingly, saying, “I’ll do everything I can in between my existing commitments, so please send the draft as soon as possible.” As a result, I was somehow able to complete the application the very next day. This kind of flexible response in emergencies was truly reassuring and, in my view, one of Round One’s greatest strengths.
The MBA application journey was extremely challenging, but thanks to Mr. Round’s support as described above, I was ultimately able to receive an offer of admission from one of my target schools, Indiana University’s Kelley School of Business. I am deeply grateful to Mr. Round, and I sincerely wish everyone the very best in their own MBA pursuits.
