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INSEAD
MBA
Despite being stationed overseas, I was able to gain admission to top MBA programs such as INSEAD, Cambridge Judge, and Oxford Saïd within just six months, thanks to Round One.
In early autumn, I decided to pursue an MBA. However, I was stationed in a country where applying to overseas MBA programs is not very common, and I found myself struggling with a severe lack of information and the loneliness of having no fellow applicants around me. In that situation, Round One became a vital source of support.
From the perspective of someone who received the service while living abroad, I would like to highlight two key advantages of Round One: (1) comprehensive MBA admissions support, and (2) fast, detailed, and warm responsiveness.
When you are based in a location where there are very few MBA applicants, it is difficult to obtain reliable information. Questions inevitably arise, such as: “Is my school list sufficient?” “Am I overlooking any important programs?” “What is the best schedule for writing my essays?” “Is the direction of my current essay correct?” “How should I conduct myself during interviews so as not to appear disrespectful?” The list of concerns never seems to end.
In such circumstances, Round One supported me from the very fundamentals of the MBA application process. They provided invaluable guidance on building a school portfolio and structuring the overall admissions timeline (for example, “Which school’s essays should you start with?” and “When is the best time to do campus visits?”). Thanks to this support, I was able to feel confident that I was moving in the right direction.
When communication is conducted via email or Skype, speed and quality often suffer compared to face-to-face interaction. However, Round One’s communication was consistently fast, detailed, and warm, allowing for smooth and stress-free exchanges.
Speed: Even when you feel you are progressing steadily in the MBA application process, there are moments when urgent support becomes necessary. At such times, Round One responded flexibly and quickly, preventing me from panicking.
Detail: During counseling sessions and training, verbal advice given over Skype was later documented in writing, ensuring that I fully understood and could review the content. In Type A interview training, they provided multi-page written reports that clearly identified what needed improvement and how. This level of detail was exactly what I needed while being starved of information. As I applied to INSEAD, it was particularly valuable to receive an INSEAD-specific mock interview conducted by Ms. Round, an INSEAD alumna, along with a detailed written report.
Warmth: Round One never offered careless or superficial encouragement. However, both their emails and Skype sessions clearly conveyed a genuine desire for their clients’ success. When I received my admissions results, they celebrated wholeheartedly with me. Knowing that I had an ally like Round One during an otherwise lonely application journey was an enormous source of motivation.
Although I was fortunate to complete the admissions process within six months, it was by no means easy. Score preparation, endless essay writing—it is a process I never wish to repeat. Still, I was able to persevere through those difficult days together with Round One. After the application process concluded, I finally had the chance to meet Mr. Round in person. He was exactly the kind of dapper gentleman I had imagined from our emails and Skype sessions. Being able to connect with Mr. Round is one of the treasures I gained from what was otherwise a lonely journey. I am deeply grateful.
