83
Energy
Product Mgmt
Sponsored
Emory-Goizueta
MBA
I decided to use Round One after being introduced by a senior colleague at my company. In March of the previous year, when I met Mr. Round in Tokyo for the first time, I learned that many of my senior colleagues at work had already been supported by him. In addition, because he was well versed in the circumstances surrounding the industry in which I work, I intuitively felt that he was a highly trustworthy counselor, and I decided to choose him as a partner with whom I could take on this challenge together. I was extremely satisfied with the services provided, and below I would like to share my experiences and impressions.
Until September, when I began working on my essays, I regularly reported my test scores to Mr. Round and received advice tailored to my situation at each stage—such as adjustments to my TOEFL study approach and the optimal timing for taking the GMAT. For me, this was an enormous source of emotional support, as I often found myself unsure whether my study methods were correct when my scores were not improving as expected. Receiving encouraging messages from Mr. Round helped me keep my motivation consistently high. Although, unfortunately, I did not reach my target scores for either TOEFL or GMAT by the end, I was able to give it my all, and therefore have no regrets.
With regard to school selection as well, Mr. Round provided a wide range of information based on my background and interests, and he always took the time to consult with me carefully—reviewing admissions pages together and checking requirements and deadlines side by side.
Ms. Round was in charge of my essay counseling starting in September and my interview training beginning in November. While carefully drawing out my ideas and intentions, she consistently provided precise advice aligned with each school’s essay prompts. As a result, I was able to refine my expressions, gain confidence in writing in English, and—something I never could have imagined when I first began preparing—ultimately complete essays for ten schools.
During interview training, I was particularly struck by the serious expression with which she evaluated my responses. Although the sessions were conducted via Skype, the mock interviews were always conducted with a strong sense of tension, making them highly practical and effective. Thanks to this, I was able to approach the actual interviews feeling relaxed and without excessive nervousness.
Mr. Round and Ms. Round consistently shared information about my situation (test scores, target schools, etc.), with Mr. Round overseeing overall management and Ms. Round handling the detailed aspects of essays and interviews. Having two counselors provide support in this complementary way, depending on the situation, is a major strength unique to Round One.
The connections within the Round One community are very strong and continue not only during the application process but long after MBA graduation as well. In fact, many alumni participated in an event held in August, where I had the opportunity to speak with numerous people and could clearly see how much they value these connections. This is one of the great strengths of an individual counseling service that simply cannot be found at large prep schools.
The MBA application process is often compared to a marathon. For those considering MBA study abroad, I sincerely hope you are able to find a strong partner who will run alongside you through what can be a long and demanding journey. I hope that my experience will be of some help to you.
