Admissions & Career Advisory Testimonial #203 (English)

Testimonial #

Industry

Function

Funding

School

Program

203

Services

Legal

Self-funded

Stanford-Law

LLM

Testimonial #: 203

Industry: Services

Function: Legal

Funding: Self-funded

School: Stanford-Law

Program: LLM

Overview

Admitted Schools: Stanford University, University of Chicago, University of Pennsylvania, NYU, UC Berkeley (all LL.M. programs)

Background: Large law firm, male, 30s, company-sponsored

How and Why I Chose Round One

After completing my TOEFL score preparation, I worked independently on my essays during the summer to fall of 2022, but felt that I should at least obtain a second opinion. However, in Japan there are very few counselors who specialize in LL.M. programs, and by the time I began searching, many had already stopped accepting new clients or had unclear reputations. As a result, I contacted Round One in late October 2022, as they have a strong track record as MBA counselors and also past experience with LL.M. applicants.

I contacted Round One for the following three reasons:

In addition to having a long and proven track record as an MBA counselor, Round One has also helped applicants gain admission to top schools for LL.M. and other programs.
In almost every admissions testimonial, there was mention of Mr. Round’s excellent character—particularly comments about how he provides encouragement and boosts motivation during difficult periods—which strongly appealed to me.
Given that application deadlines were approaching at the time, I felt that fast responsiveness was also an important factor.

After sending my background information and drafted materials to Round One in advance, I conducted an Assessment Interview with Mr. Stephen Round in late October 2022, which confirmed that his personality was exactly as positively described. I was offered the opportunity to try one essay counseling session as a “test drive,” which I took a few days later. I immediately felt that the essay improved far beyond what I could achieve on my own, in terms of both structure and expression, and decided to continue with the service.

Services I Used at Round One

Essay Counseling

Sessions were conducted via Skype. The basic style involved working from essays I had drafted myself, with Mr. Round confirming my intent, pointing out areas for improvement, expanding expressions, and jointly brainstorming ideas to better convey what I wanted to express, gradually refining the essays toward completion.
Although communication was conducted in English, Mr. Round made a genuine effort to understand what I was trying to say, so I did not feel stressed. In fact, I believe it was excellent training for expressing my thoughts in English.
What deserves special mention is Mr. Round’s exceptional expressive ability. He elevated areas that I could not have thought of myself, or that are difficult for Japanese applicants to express naturally in English (or tend to sound flat), by skillfully employing a wide range of adjectives and adverbs to create truly compelling prose. This goes beyond simple essay editing and is, in my view, one of the true benefits of retaining Mr. Round as a counselor. Some counselors try to force applicants into their own preferred “formula,” but Mr. Round never did so. Instead, he respected what I wanted to express and helped me ultimately produce essays that genuinely resonated with the reader.

Other Support

In addition to essays, Mr. Round supported me with recommendation letter strategy, CV preparation, reviewing text entered into application websites, and editing emails to admissions offices. Because Mr. Round consistently encouraged me to reach out with any questions, I found it extremely easy to consult him, and I continued to do so even after submitting my applications.
His responses were always timely, which is invaluable for Japanese applicants who may find overseas application processes unfamiliar and often need to ask urgent questions. Not all counselors provide this level of support, so the ability to consult with confidence is, in my opinion, a major reason to choose Round One.

Why I Recommend Round One

I believe that relatively few people use counselors for LL.M. applications, but by working with Round One, the quality of my application materials clearly improved by several levels. For that reason, I strongly recommend using a counselor.
When choosing a counselor, compatibility is the most important factor. The primary reason I recommend Round One is Mr. Round’s character. As noted above, not only is his ability as a counselor first-rate, but his calm manner of speaking, sincere effort to understand the applicant’s true intentions, and dedicated, supportive approach are qualities from which I benefited immensely.
Anyone is likely to feel anxious when navigating an unfamiliar application process, but there is no doubt that Mr. Round will serve as a trustworthy companion who draws out the very best in each applicant.

In Closing

It is undeniable that Mr. Round’s support enabled me to give my absolute best throughout a stressful application process. For those who are currently unsure about which counselor to choose, I encourage you to consider Round One and take on the challenge of studying at a graduate school overseas—and pursuing the dreams that lie beyond. I would like to once again express my sincere gratitude to Mr. Round for his support. Thank you very much!