95
Consulting
Consulting
Scholarship
Harvard-Kennedy
MC/MPA
Destination: Harvard Kennedy School
Scholarship: Fulbright Scholarship
TOEFL: 100 / GMAT: 650 / GPA: 3.3
Background: Management Consultant
Despite not achieving sufficiently high TOEFL and GMAT scores, I was able to gain admission to both Fulbright and Harvard. I believe Mr. Round’s advice in Essay Counseling and Interview Training was precise and highly effective. For those who do not want to compromise when aiming for admission to top schools, I strongly recommend Round One.
Below, I share my evaluation of Round One, along with my experiences for those who will be applying in the future.
What makes Round One outstanding, in addition to its quality and speed, is its respect for the candidate’s intentions and its flexible approach tailored to individual circumstances. I spent a great deal of time refining my essays in pursuit of a strong final product, repeatedly revising them based on advice from alumni. Throughout this process, Mr. Round engaged with my persistence sincerely and attentively.
Because I had already applied for the Fulbright Scholarship in May, I had an initial outline in place. However, through discussions with Mr. Round, I was able to articulate a more ambitious and concrete long-term goal. In addition to strengthening the substance of the essay, his help in refining the language so that the content could be clearly explained within the word limit was extremely valuable. I had found it challenging to strike the right balance between ambition and feasibility in setting my goals, but Mr. Round’s guidance enabled me to enhance the persuasiveness of my aspirations by linking them to analogies drawn from my past experience and providing concrete explanations. Regarding “Why Harvard,” I consulted alumni who introduced professors and programs aligned with my academic interests. I researched programs at Harvard’s research centers, as well as professors’ papers and publications, and made a conscious effort to specify clearly from whom and what I wished to learn.
To reinforce the credibility of my long-term goals outlined in the Career Goal Essay, I selected a theme from my past experiences that served as an analogy for how those goals could be realized. In my case, I focused on management challenges in the public sector, the background and structure of those challenges, and the approach I personally took, weaving in my leadership style throughout the narrative. This essay underwent multiple revisions based on feedback from alumni, and Mr. Round consistently demonstrated a deep understanding of the intent and motivation behind each revision, working with me repeatedly to refine it. Even just before the deadline, he made time for additional sessions that had not originally been scheduled, for which I am deeply grateful for his flexibility and timely support.
I made extensive use of Round One’s Interview Training for the Fulbright interview. The training was conducted via Skype, and after each session I received scores and feedback for every question, along with highly specific advice on what worked well, what did not, and which topics I should emphasize. In addition, by securing a training session immediately before the actual interview, I was able to approach the interview already acclimated to speaking English. The questions asked during the actual interview were almost identical to those practiced during training, allowing me to respond with confidence.
Beyond essays and interviews, Mr. Round provided careful support for general application-related questions and communications with universities. While these matters may seem minor, the application process inevitably raises many questions of varying scale, and having someone I could consult freely was extremely reassuring.
In addition to alumni networking events after admission, Round One has continued to provide complimentary support with enrollment procedures and Q&A with the university.
The first deadline for the Fulbright application is relatively early, at the end of May, when many applicants are not yet fully prepared. I myself applied at a stage when my test scores were not yet sufficient, but in hindsight, starting essay preparation early and benefiting from the aforementioned Interview Training helped me receive a letter from the Fulbright selection committee stating that I had “sufficient English proficiency to pursue graduate study.” I believe this contributed significantly to my admission to Harvard.
I conducted my campus visit during the Golden Week holidays in May. Because this period coincides with exam season, it is effectively the last possible timing for campus visits. As Kennedy School did not host an official visit at that time, I contacted current students and, with a professor’s permission, was able to observe the final class session. I also joined a school-hosted tour at HBS, which allowed me to experience the differences in atmosphere between Kennedy and HBS. Through students I met during the visit, I was introduced to Mr. Round and was able to obtain concrete insights into study methods and Harvard’s programs, which proved extremely helpful throughout the application process. In addition, Boston in early May has exceptionally pleasant weather—the cherry blossoms along the Charles River are in full bloom, and walking from Harvard to MIT along the river is a wonderfully refreshing experience. Through this visit, I developed a strong desire to study in Boston. (I am told this pleasant climate is limited to this period.) Conducting an early visit can be a valuable option both for gathering information and for boosting motivation.
This has become quite a long account, but Round One is an admissions support service I can recommend with confidence. It offers not only essay support, but comprehensive guidance across the entire admissions process, grounded in extensive experience. Mr. Round’s character is also exceptional—he is generous, open-minded, and has a wonderful sense of humor. If you are interested, I encourage you to reach out to Mr. Round directly.
