99
Finance
Banking-Inv.
Sponsored
HKUST
MBA
Essay Counselor: Ms. Round
Interview Preparation: Ms. Round, Mr. Round
Admitted to: HKUST (matriculating), HKU, NUS
Because essays and interviews carry particularly significant weight in the MBA admissions process, choosing a counselor must be done with great care. The fees involved are by no means inexpensive, so making the right decision at the outset is critical, and switching counselors mid-process can be a heavy burden both financially and psychologically. I was fortunate to gain admission in the 1st Round, and therefore worked with Round One for approximately ten months, from April 2013 to January 2014. For reference, the total cost was approximately JPY 750,000.
Strategic Guidance
Handled by Mr. Round. This included comprehensive counseling covering school selection, schedule management, and discussions regarding test scores.
Essay Counseling
All of my target schools were handled by Ms. Round. I wrote essays during the week and met with her every weekend for review and revision. In many cases, my rough drafts were almost entirely rewritten, but Ms. Round consistently captured everything I wanted to convey and elevated it further by adding significant value. In the final, time-pressed stages of the application process, the peace of mind that came from being able to entrust my essays to her was something truly invaluable and beyond monetary comparison.
Interview Training
Conducted alternately by Ms. Round and Mr. Round. Personally, I found the interview training to be the most effective and rewarding component of the services. Questions ranged from frequently asked ones to deeply probing questions tailored to my individual essays, and each response was scored and evaluated. All of my answers were transcribed, with clear guidance provided on how they could be improved or rephrased, which proved extremely useful during actual interviews. In addition, preparation for the inevitable “Do you have any questions for us?” portion of interviews—so-called “Killer Questions”—was especially valuable. Ms. Round’s creativity in transforming my rather ordinary questions into sharply incisive, truly impactful ones was so impressive that it made me laugh in admiration.
Many of my senior colleagues at my company (a government-affiliated bank) had used Round One’s services and gained admission to top schools, so I chose Round One without hesitation. Since I was aiming for Asian MBA programs, I initially wondered whether Round One had sufficient expertise in this area, but in the end this proved to be completely unfounded. There were times when we differed in opinions regarding essay content or application strategy, but such differences are natural when both parties are deeply engaged and serious about the process. Even in those situations, the counselors took the time to explain things carefully until I was fully convinced, and their unwavering commitment to prioritizing admission results left a strong impression. It is precisely because of this attitude that Round One continues to attract many clients through word of mouth and consistently delivers satisfying outcomes year after year.
