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Technology
Product Mgmt
Sponsored
Parsons-TNS
MS-SDM
School Enrolled: Parsons School of Design / The New School (MS Strategic Design & Management)
Other Admitted Schools: Royal College of Art (MA Service Design), Institute of Design / Illinois Institute of Technology (MDes)
Background: Japanese IT company (approximately 8 years), female, company-sponsored study abroad
Despite having no formal design background, thanks to Mr. Round’s generous and thorough support, I was admitted to leading design schools, including the Royal College of Art—ranked No. 1 in the world by QS—and Parsons School of Design, ranked No. 1 in the United States. Even though I was the first design school applicant that Round One had worked with, I am deeply grateful to Mr. Round for accompanying me through the entire process to the very end.
With this opportunity, I would like to share three key strengths that made me feel truly glad I chose Round One.
For design school applications, candidates are required to submit not only essays but also design portfolios and video essays. Even though I was Mr. Round’s first design school applicant, once I explained the positioning and role of each application component, he willingly took on the review. With Mr. Round’s input, my key selling points and narrative structure became much clearer, and his support was invaluable every time.
In addition, for video essays—which many design schools have recently begun to require—Mr. Round supported me throughout the entire process, from drafting the script to refining phrasing. He also agreed to conduct a final review before submission, and his comment, “This is the best video I’ve seen so far!” gave me great encouragement and the confidence to submit.
I do not believe I could have completed my Statement of Purpose without Mr. Round’s craftsmanship. He not only elevated bullet-point-level drafts into polished essays, but also skillfully condensed drafts that far exceeded the word limit into refined prose without sacrificing meaning. Knowing that Mr. Round’s craftsmanship was backing me up allowed me to devote more time to developing the substance of my content. In an application process that requires producing many essays within a short period, this also helped significantly reduce psychological stress.
I feel that Round One’s greatest strength lies in the personal, attentive, and comprehensive support provided by Mr. Round. He assisted with drafting inquiry emails to admissions offices, preparing for Q&A during campus visits, and even provided additional essay counseling when I decided to submit extra applications just one week before a deadline. I believe this level of support was possible precisely because Round One limits the number of clients and maintains close relationships between counselor and applicant.
Applications can be a lonely and anxiety-filled journey, but having Mr. Round as a strong partner was an immense source of emotional support.
Finally, I would like to express my sincere gratitude to Mr. Round for embracing what was also his first experience supporting a design school applicant as a positive challenge for Round One, and for accompanying me all the way through the process. I am confident that Mr. Round will extend the same support to those pursuing programs beyond the MBA, and I wholeheartedly recommend his services.
When applying to design schools, you may struggle with the limited availability of information in Japanese. As a Round One alumna, I would be happy to offer support, so please feel free to reach out at any time!
