140
Transportation
Accounting
Sponsored
Irvine-Merage
MBA
“Thanks to Round-sensei, I was able to gain admission to my target school despite being a purely domestic Japanese applicant and having a very short preparation period.”
I received notification that I had been selected as a company-sponsored candidate in May, and only then was I able to begin serious preparation. Compared to others, I was already significantly behind. I started looking for a counselor in August (at which point I had barely begun working on the GMAT), and while some counselors would not even hear me out, Round-sensei accepted me and continued to support me all the way through the end of the application process.
As a result of my late start, I was unable to achieve my target test score by the January application deadlines. Nevertheless, thanks to Round-sensei’s precise advice grounded in solid experience and deep knowledge, I was able to gain admission to my target school. Below, I outline the points I found particularly outstanding.
Through interview practice sessions with Round-sensei and his precise feedback, I was able to approach interviews with confidence. As a result, I received offers of admission from most of the schools that extended interview invitations. At one school in particular, the “killer question” we strategically developed together with Round-sensei left a strong positive impression on the admissions committee, which I believe had a significant impact on the final decision.
Having a single counselor oversee the entire process—from applications and essay writing to interview preparation—was highly effective in maintaining strategic consistency.
In addition, I believe that even small differences can determine the outcome, especially at top schools. These include thank-you emails to admissions offices and how to communicate with admissions staff during campus visits. Round-sensei reviewed and advised on these aspects as well. Without this level of support, I do not believe I would have been admitted.
Because my preparation was delayed and I applied to a large number of schools (due to less-than-ideal test scores, I had no choice but to pursue a “high-volume” application strategy), I needed to write many essays between December and January, when applications are most concentrated. Because Round One limits the number of clients it works with, they were able to respond flexibly to my requests for additional counseling sessions and essay reviews.
When I proposed overly aggressive application strategies and schedules, Round-sensei was quick to point out the issues. At the time, I felt he might be overly conservative, but in hindsight, his advice was spot-on. If I were told to go through the MBA application process again (which I never want to do), I would undoubtedly choose Round-sensei as my counselor. His knowledge and experience, combined with his calm, positive personality and genuine passion for supporting applicants, are truly compelling.
I strongly recommend that you consider scheduling a counseling session with him.
