9
Finance
Consulting
Self-funded
Michigan-Ross
MBA
I began counseling with Mr. Round in June of last year. Looking back on both the process and the results, I can say without hesitation that my current situation would not exist without R1’s services. Every aspect of the support I received was extremely satisfying, and I would first like to take this opportunity to express my sincere gratitude. Moreover, without exaggeration, I decided to put these thoughts into writing in the hope that sharing as much as possible about the excellence of R1’s services might, in a small way, help R1 become the most popular online counseling service.
(*I worked directly with Mr. Round on both application strategy and essays.)
Many of you reading this are likely in the process of researching and comparing different counseling services. Some of you may be looking for testimonials, and there are dedicated websites and blogs for that purpose. Therefore, like many other contributors, I would like to frankly describe the appeal of R1—and of online counseling services in general.
The service is provided primarily through email communication. I was a completely domestic candidate and, to be honest, had very little prior experience using English at university or at work. Perhaps as an excuse, I often started by submitting drafts that were little more than “junk.” In response, Mr. Round would send back extremely detailed replies. He provided precise comments and feedback on content and logic, and when it came to English itself, he showed me exactly how it should be corrected. I would then revise accordingly and send it back. Through this repeated exchange, the essays steadily evolved into work of increasingly high quality.
In terms of progress and work efficiency, Mr. Round does not present quantitative benchmarks, likely because such metrics often come at the expense of quality. However, I developed a good intuitive sense of his pace, and based on that, I consistently felt that his feedback was efficient and free of waste. He also offered progress-related advice—sometimes even applying pressure—after carefully considering my situation, which allowed me to move forward at the optimal pace for each milestone. The content of the feedback itself was always satisfying, and I experienced many moments of genuine insight. His advice was outstanding in both logical rigor and originality, and because it was always grounded in a deep understanding of our backgrounds as clients, it inspired complete trust. I have not used other services, so I cannot make strict comparisons, but from hearing friends’ experiences elsewhere, it seems quite rare to find a service that successfully balances both productivity and quality to this degree. I also heard that at some prep schools, counselors are assigned only after enrollment, so in terms of avoiding that kind of risk and securing a reliable counselor from the outset, I would strongly recommend R1. (For Ms. Round’s work, please refer to other testimonials.)
R1’s services broadly fall into three categories: (1) essays, (2) interviews, and (3) application strategy and general consultation. Of these, I made use of (3) countless times—probably exceeding 100 email exchanges on that category alone. The advice on application strategy was calm, experience-based, accurate, logical, and easy to accept. More than anything, what I appreciated most was Mr. Round’s character, which came through clearly in the context of his writing. His English is always polished, which can initially give a somewhat formal impression, but it is infused with a superb sense of humor and genuine consideration for his clients. I found him to be very supportive and highly trustworthy—qualities that were especially important to me, as I am quite an emotional person. I met him in Tokyo on two occasions, and he was a tall, gentle individual. Even when we were strategizing essays and interviews, the atmosphere was always relaxed and friendly. When I was rejected by a school, he offered sincere comfort and encouragement; when I was accepted, he celebrated as if it were his own success. Around the time decisions are released, anyone is prone to emotional highs and lows, but by staying in communication with Mr. Round, I believe one can navigate that period with greater emotional stability.
Some reasons why I chose online counseling over face-to-face services were:
In practice, however, there was an additional and very beneficial side effect: my reading and writing skills improved dramatically. Mr. Round always conveyed important messages in refined, well-crafted English. Because these messages were extremely important to me, I read them very carefully. As a result, I found myself intensively reading a large volume of high-quality English—an ideal situation for someone like me, who otherwise tends to avoid reading English unless absolutely necessary. At the same time, because communication was not face-to-face, I had to rely solely on written language to convey exactly what I wanted to say, which forced me to construct my English carefully and precisely. Before I realized it, through ongoing exchanges with Mr. Round about essays and application strategy, my reading and writing skills had improved naturally.
That said, speaking and listening skills—especially for interviews—do not improve as much through online counseling as they might through in-person sessions. (Although I do feel that my speaking ability improved slightly as my overall English foundation strengthened.) For speaking and listening, it is necessary to supplement with interview practice and other opportunities. Interview services themselves are primarily about practicing the interview, not about improving English proficiency per se, so one should not expect dramatic language gains from them alone. Therefore, when using online services, it is essential to also engage in continuous, practical English conversation and thorough interview preparation.
Finally, while this is an obvious benefit of online services, the freedom from location and time constraints is significant. Due to my job, I was required to stay on-site with clients, and there was a period when I spent several months in Osaka, including weekends. If I had been attending face-to-face counseling in Tokyo, it simply would not have been feasible. My work schedule was also highly irregular, and there were times when I could not be in front of a computer at fixed hours. If I had been required to attend classes at set times, it would have been extremely difficult. Mr. Round does set time slots, but those are for his feedback work; it is not mandatory for the client to be sitting at a computer at that exact time. Of course, real-time communication can be more efficient, but he structures the process to minimize any loss of efficiency. As long as you have access to a computer, you can communicate regardless of location, and in that sense, online services offer a level of flexibility that goes well beyond traditional formats.
Finally, before founding this company, Mr. Round spent almost nine years providing study-abroad counseling at another domestic firm, and I understand that his track record there was also impeccable. (In a market this small, where reputation spreads quickly by word of mouth, it would be impossible to establish an independent practice without such experience and credibility.) For those who value experience and proven results, I believe this is a service well worth considering.
With that, I conclude by wishing all of you the very best as you make full use of R1’s services and achieve admission to your target schools.
