34
Finance
Banking-Inv.
Sponsored
NWN-Kellogg
MBA
Although my application journey lasted more than a year, I believe that the reason I was ultimately admitted to multiple top schools—including my first-choice, Kellogg—was the support I received from Round One. In my case, my GMAT score was close to the lower end of the admitted-student range for Top 10 schools, which meant I had no choice but to compensate through my essays and interviews. Looking back, I feel strongly that Round One’s outstanding essay counseling and precise strategic advice were the decisive factors in my success, and I am extremely satisfied that I chose Round One. I believe Round One’s four major strengths are as follows.
I truly felt that R1’s essay counseling was exceptional, and I can confidently recommend it to others. This is supported by the fact that despite having a GMAT score of 660, I was invited to interviews at all of my target top schools and ultimately received offers from multiple top programs. My essay counseling was handled by Mr. Round. Taking into account the intent behind each school’s essay questions, Mr. Round identified my strengths and skillfully wove them into my essays. Because MBA admissions officers read thousands of essays, the key to admission lies in whether you can write an essay that is memorable and conveys a compelling, vivid picture of who you are. Mr. Round works side by side with applicants to craft essays that speak directly to the admissions officers’ hearts.
In addition, R1’s essay counseling is conducted via Skype. I found the convenience of being able to receive essay counseling from home extremely valuable—especially during the most intense phases of the MBA application process.
Because this was my first time applying to MBA programs, I initially had no idea how to navigate the process. With three application rounds each year, strategic decisions—such as which schools to apply to in which rounds—are critical. After consulting with Mr. Round, I decided to apply in Round 1 to a school where I could secure an offer by year-end as a safety, and then apply to my primary target schools in Round 2. I also chose to conduct on-campus interviews for my top-choice schools. Mr. Round has deep knowledge of each school’s application deadlines, decision timelines, characteristics, and historical trends. I am deeply grateful for the strategic guidance he provided, based on his many years of experience. As a result, having already secured an offer from a safety school early on, I was able to proceed through the rest of the application process with greater peace of mind.
I received interview training from both Mr. Round and Ms. Round. Each of them provided accurate advice from different perspectives. They are also well aware of what types of questions have been asked at which schools in the past, and they offer practical training tailored to each school’s interview style. From interview etiquette and points of caution to what constitutes a successful interview, they provided thorough, step-by-step guidance from start to finish.
By the way, interviews at London Business School are longer and more demanding than those at many other schools, as they include group discussions and impromptu presentations. Even in such special cases, R1 ensured that I was fully prepared in advance. I truly believe that my admission to LBS was also made possible by R1’s comprehensive support.
In late January, I conducted campus visits to several schools. At that time, Mr. Round contacted former clients on my behalf, and they generously supported me on site—from campus tours to assistance immediately before interviews. The fact that alumni, who had no prior connection to me beyond R1, took such considerate care reflects how deeply R1’s clients respect Mr. Round and how grateful they are for the support they themselves received during their MBA applications. (When I am at Kellogg, I would very much like to return the favor and support fellow R1 clients whenever possible.)
Mr. Round has many years of experience as an essay counselor and remembers his former clients well. In my case, when arranging recommendation letters, he even suggested, “Someone from your company graduated from Kellogg and was a former client of mine—let’s ask this person for a recommendation.” In this way, his network proved valuable in unexpected places as well. Coincidentally, there are many people at my company who have worked with Mr. Round. The fact that he continues to be so well regarded within my organization is, in my view, clear evidence of how satisfied people are with Round One’s services, starting with essay counseling.
