165
Finance
Info Tech
Sponsored
Bayes
MBA
Thanks to Round One, I was able to gain admission successfully.
Offers: Bayes Business School, Alliance Manchester Business School
Background: Japanese financial institution
Many senior colleagues at my workplace had used Round One, so I considered them as a counseling option and arranged a meeting to coincide with Stephen’s visit to Japan in March. As a non-native English speaker, I was extremely nervous about having the meeting in English. However, Stephen was very accustomed to working with Japanese applicants who are not confident in English, and he was able to accurately grasp what I was trying to convey. This made communication feel easy and comfortable, which was my first impression. After the meeting, Stephen promptly sent me a detailed summary of our discussion by email. From this, I strongly sensed his sincerity and professionalism, which led me to decide to work with him.
The scope of services went far beyond essay editing and interview training. Support included drafting emails to admissions offices (including decline emails after receiving offers), advice on campus visits, adjusting application timing, and providing information on major Western business schools (such as application deadlines, average admitted scores, and information session schedules). In addition to fast email responses, the regularly distributed Round One Gazette (a collection of advice on the application process) was concise, easy to read, and full of useful insights.
Emma was in charge of my essay counseling. During each 2–3 hour session, my initially awkward and unpolished drafts were transformed into essays that were clear and highly readable. The revised English was not overly complex, but rather consisted of expressions that a Japanese applicant might realistically come up with, allowing me to glimpse the depth of Emma’s experience and technique.
Emma also conducted my interview training. Each session lasted about 30 minutes, and afterward I received approximately three pages of feedback in PDF format. In addition to advice on better phrasing and small behavioral details, she also highlighted what I did well, which helped build my confidence with each session. During the actual interviews, I consciously applied Emma’s advice, and as a result, I even received positive comments from the interviewers.
Preparing for overseas study while working full-time can be extremely demanding, but by relying on a counselor for essays and interviews, the process can be made far more efficient. In particular, Round One offers a strong sense of reassurance based on their proven track record, and the stress-free communication made possible by the personalities of the Round siblings allows for even more efficient preparation.
