The quality of each service—especially essay counseling—is exceptionally high. I applied to more than 10 schools, and only two did not invite me to interview after essay submission. Moreover, I was not rejected by any school where I did interview (meaning I was either admitted or placed on the waitlist). I believe this clearly demonstrates the high quality of Round One’s services. While some may associate Round One primarily with Steve, my essay counselor was Emma, which confirms that both of them are outstanding counselors.

As for why the quality is so high, there are three key reasons.

First, they thoroughly refine your career goals, resulting in very strong content related to the so-called “Why MBA” narrative.

The second reason is their effort to truly understand who you are as a person and to incorporate that into your essays. During the early brainstorming stages of essay counseling, I received extremely valuable advice. Thanks to this, I was able to clearly articulate the environment in which I was raised, the values I developed and have cherished, and how I have put those values into practice. Simply building a logical career goal narrative does not convey individuality; without that personal dimension, schools have little reason to admit you. I believe incorporating one’s authentic self is essential.

The final reason is that, while respecting the applicant’s intentions, they propose the most appropriate way to express ideas. When you wrestle with and finally extract your own thoughts, it becomes difficult to evaluate them objectively, and it is easy to lose sight of how they may appear to others—especially those from different cultural backgrounds. Round One excels at refining this. I vividly remember asking whether I could express an important point in a certain way, only to be told that it might create a negative impression and that an alternative expression would be more appropriate. I recall feeling a mix of surprise, understanding, and deep appreciation.