88
Energy
Ops/Logistics
Sponsored
Columbia-PS
MA Poli Sci
Despite the unusual circumstances I faced—being sent overseas for graduate study in my late 30s, and pursuing a humanities-based graduate program rather than an MBA—I was able to successfully receive offers of admission from four schools, thanks entirely to Mr. Round’s support. From selecting target schools to drafting and refining essays, and even through the application procedures themselves, Mr. Round provided me with truly attentive and dedicated guidance. I ultimately decided to enroll at Columbia, but I believe this would have been impossible without his support. I suspect I was a far more demanding client than most, yet Mr. Round willingly—and even enthusiastically—took on the challenge, for which I am deeply grateful.
When I was first designated by my company as a candidate for overseas graduate study about a year and a half earlier, my sole focus was on improving my TOEFL and GRE scores, and to be honest, I did not fully appreciate the importance of essays. By chance, when I contacted a friend from my student days who had already earned an MBA, he strongly emphasized that essays are critically important in overseas graduate school applications. It was through his recommendation that I was introduced to Mr. Round. Incidentally, Mr. Round has been involved in numerous support activities since the Great East Japan Earthquake, which I believe speaks volumes about his character.
Because I live outside a major metropolitan area, it was difficult for me to attend large test-prep or study-abroad schools in person. In that respect, Round One’s counseling style—conducted via Skype and email—was extremely helpful in saving both time and effort. While the fees are certainly not inexpensive, I firmly believe the services provided are well worth the cost.
Mr. Round has extensive experience not only with MBA applications but also with graduate school admissions more broadly, and his guidance was consistently precise and insightful. Our first task was to clarify my preferences and compile a list of suitable schools. At the time, my own list of target schools was quite narrow, but Mr. Round pointed out that I had many more viable options than I had realized. Overseas graduate school websites can be difficult to navigate if one is unfamiliar with them, and in hindsight, being able to obtain necessary information efficiently with Mr. Round’s help was crucial given the tight schedule that followed.
After selecting target schools, we created a timeline based on each school’s deadlines. I began working on my résumé and selecting my recommenders in September, and started drafting essays for each school in October. During this period, however, my TOEFL and GRE scores failed to improve, and I struggled greatly. In particular, the repeated mismatch between how I felt after exams and my actual scores was mentally exhausting. Even so, Mr. Round never allowed me to give up; he offered warm encouragement to persevere, while also providing concrete advice, such as increasing the number of test attempts. As a result, by December I had achieved acceptable scores and was finally able to focus fully on my essays. As an aside, considering that I was admitted to every graduate program I applied to after that point, I believe this experience underscored how important it is not to rush the application process unnecessarily.
Essay counseling is, in my view, Round One’s greatest strength. In my case, I was required to submit a Statement of Purpose describing my motivation and proposed research focus. Working through this process in discussion with Mr. Round allowed me to produce a final product with which I was extremely satisfied. His guidance went far beyond checking vocabulary and grammar; it extended to refining expressions to fit strict word limits and developing an effective overall essay structure. In particular, when it came to articulating what I wanted to pursue in graduate school, Mr. Round reviewed my initial draft and would say things like, “So what you really mean is this,” offering his own interpretation while sharing relevant experiences from his background to deepen the discussion. By incorporating the insights gained through these conversations, I was able to produce an essay that conveyed my interests far more clearly and persuasively. This level of guidance—far beyond simple English proofreading—is unique to Mr. Round’s counseling, and is something I would strongly recommend to anyone considering such services.
As a result, I received offers of admission from Georgetown, NYU, the London School of Economics and Political Science (conditional), and Columbia—four acceptances out of seven applications. Even after admission, Mr. Round continues to look out for his students and is always available for consultation when needed. The alumni network is also very strong, making Round One an excellent choice for those who wish to think ahead to their post-study careers as well.
In closing, I would like to end my testimonial by wishing that, with Mr. Round’s support, all of you are able to achieve your goals and go on to lead fulfilling and rewarding lives.
