97
Government
General Mgmt
Sponsored
Irvine-Merage
MBA
School Attending: UC Irvine, Paul Merage School (Class of 2016)
Other Admitted Schools: Purdue Krannert, Minnesota (MS/MOT)
Rejected Schools: MIT Sloan, UCLA Anderson
TOEFL: 95
GMAT: 600
Overseas Experience: Limited to overseas travel
I began counseling with Mr. Stephen Round in early November 2013. Although I had narrowly met my company’s criteria for corporate-sponsored study abroad, my English scores were not improving at all. On top of that, due to insufficient early research into the MBA application process, I found myself unable to secure an essay counselor and growing increasingly anxious. I reached out widely for essay counseling, and it was largely by good fortune that Mr. Round agreed to take me on. With application deadlines at the end of December and plans to continue improving my scores until around the end of February, I was forced to juggle TOEFL, GMAT, essays, and interview preparation all at once. While my first-choice school, MIT, proved out of reach, I believe that being able to gain admission to UC Irvine despite my low scores was entirely thanks to Mr. Round’s support. Below are the key reasons why I am truly glad that I chose him as my counselor. I hope these points are helpful for prospective applicants.
At the time I began essay counseling, my TOEFL score was still only 88 and my GMAT was 560—objectively a hopeless situation for aiming at top MBA programs. At the same time, I had to begin essay writing, and my workload at the office was also reaching a critical stage. It was an extremely difficult period. When I received another disappointing GMAT score and seriously thought, “This may be impossible,” and felt on the verge of giving up, Mr. Round encouraged me by saying, “This is like climbing a snowstorm-covered mountain—you can only keep moving forward one step at a time toward the summit.” That comment truly saved me psychologically. He consistently maintained a stance of “let’s do the best we can with what is possible right now,” helping me organize what could be done while keeping me in a positive frame of mind.
There were also times when, on my own, I felt anxious because I could not tell where I stood or how far I had progressed. Being able to receive advice from someone who thoroughly understood the application process and who could also see the progress of other clients was a major source of reassurance. Amid the pressure and fatigue from both work and the application process, this was an enormous psychological support.
Mr. Round does not write essays on behalf of applicants. However, he is always willing to discuss effective ideas and angles, and he carefully edits essays written based on those discussions into a formal and polished style. He provides guidance so that the essays read naturally and convincingly from the admissions committee’s perspective. He also reviewed my emails to admissions offices in advance, which I believe significantly improved my own ability to write formal English correspondence.
For someone like me, who rarely uses English at work, the counseling sessions themselves became valuable opportunities for English output. In particular, the interview training—especially the intensive mock interviews with detailed evaluation and feedback—served as highly practical preparation. The specific tips he provided, such as techniques for preparing notes for Skype interviews, were also extremely helpful.
It is often said that incorporating insights from current students at target schools or experiences from campus visits into essays can be advantageous, as it demonstrates a high level of interest in the program. Mr. Round introduced me to several of his former clients who were current students at my target schools. Through these connections, I was able to include concrete details—sometimes even mentioning individuals by name—about the schools and programs in my essays, and I also built meaningful relationships with them. During my actual campus visits, these individuals were incredibly supportive.
Furthermore, after being admitted and deciding on my school, Mr. Round introduced me to other clients who would be attending the same program, allowing me to build relationships even before departing for study abroad. Mr. Round makes full use of his extensive network to support applicants not only in gaining admission, but also in preparing for enrollment.
While essay counseling fees are certainly not inexpensive, the value provided far exceeded the cost. I gained not only results, but also many insights, skills, and networks—things that are truly priceless. The MBA application process is a long and lonely journey, but I can strongly and confidently recommend Mr. Round’s counseling to anyone seeking to succeed in this process.
