I work for an advertising agency. Most recently, I was posted to an overseas branch for about seven years. I started in sales, then became sales manager, COO, CSO, think tank representative, and finally president, changing my perspective as I worked within the organization. The company had just under 300 employees, with only a few Japanese employees making up a minority.

I was able to concentrate and work hard especially during my seven and a half years there, and the reason for this was the strong personal ambition I inherited from my predecessors to "make local employees happy." In the process of pursuing this, I was able to support the growth of others, and build strong bonds and a sense of unity throughout the company we formed, which enriched my life.

I wanted to devote the rest of my life to this ambition, "creating an organization that maximizes people's potential regardless of country." For this reason, as a manager, I wanted to acquire the ability to understand others and make them happy across borders and cultures, a versatile skill that is not self-taught, so I decided to pursue an MBA.


I have lived in three different countries in the past, all in Asia, and I wanted to transcend cultural boundaries, step into the values of my peers around the world, and renew myself as a whole person.

I believe the source of leadership is love. It is important to have unconditional love for the people in front of you, not to judge easily, not to give up on communication, and to think carefully about what makes employees happy. This was a code of conduct that I wanted to keep in mind when running an overseas base.

As exemplified by the famous essay in the MBA community, "What matters most to you, and why?", I felt that the Stanford GSB MSx was like a "dojo" where one could thoroughly explore human understanding in a more introspective way. When looking at one's life as a whole, not just work, I felt that deepening one's understanding of humans, including oneself, was a very important perspective for approaching richness, even as an educator. (I have set up a karate dojo overseas, taught karate to local people, and acted as a university supervisor, so in that sense I am also an educator who pursues my own path.)

My goals and outlook on life were based on rather abstract concepts, so I had a lot of trouble expressing them in English, which is my second language.

Without Ed, there is no way I would have passed.
He helped me with everything from application strategies to mindsets for each stage, digging deeper into my essays and making abstract concepts more concrete, answer building based on past questions by school (and I was surprised at how detailed it was, even by interviewer), interview preparation, video essay creation, interview practice with other applicants, introductions to alumni (at all schools I applied to), and mental support. All of this was of the highest quality to me, and I strongly felt that I wanted to be a person who could lead people like this. Every time I discussed it with Ed, I felt a strange pleasure of self-discovery as my essays and thoughts were elevated to a higher level in ways I never imagined at the beginning.
As a result, the GSB admissions officers highly praised the quality of my essays during the interview. I was also accepted to all the schools I applied to. To me, Ed is not just an MBA counselor, but a mentor in life. The application process was really tough, but meeting Ed was the biggest benefit I gained.

I believe life is a balance of yin and yang. In order to keep your life positive and continue to rise, you can control your life by strategically and systematically going and taking the negative balance yourself. It's like taking a calculated plunge into hell.
I think that preparing for exams is a tough "yin" phase for many people, but it is like a training for the soul, so the deeper you go into hell, the more you will bounce back to a yang state. In my case, the yang was meeting Ed, the firm confidence I gained from overcoming the tough training, and being accepted into my dream school.

Steve Jobs' speech at Stanford, "Connecting the Dots," is a famous story. In addition to that, I think it's very important to take a detour and rely on chance, and think, "How many dots can I collect that excite me?" Humans are creatures that want to have meaning, so all the dots will eventually connect. If that's the case, I'd like to be able to draw unimaginable pictures with the dots I love.


For example, I have been practicing karate since I was five years old. Also, about four years ago, I found a master overseas and started practicing Iai seriously. At the time, I never imagined that the way of thinking and philosophy of this martial art would be applicable to corporate management and leadership. If each dot is something you are proud of and excited about, you will naturally come to like the picture that emerges when they are connected. Eventually, it will become your edge. Let's both take a detour!

https://www.linkedin.com/in/hiroko-kitayama-38174b2bb

Regarding my background, I was raised entirely in Japan. My first experience abroad was a two-week language training program organized by my school when I was in my first year of high school. From that point on, I wanted to see, hear, and feel the world for myself. My desire to be involved in international business took root during a university training trip to Myanmar. Since I was dedicated to sports during university, I unfortunately did not have the chance to study abroad. However, I maintained a focus on overseas opportunities during my job search and consistently expressed this goal even before joining my company. This persistence eventually led to an overseas assignment.
While I had missed the chance to study abroad in college, I had wanted to pursue an MBA since before entering the workforce. During my time overseas, seeing management represent the company in dialogues with top executives from famous US firms made me think deeply. I wondered how I could earn the trust of such counterparts if I were in that position, especially as a woman. I wanted to become a business professional who understands cultural values in addition to having English proficiency. This transformed my desire for an MBA from a mere study abroad opportunity or degree into a much more serious ambition.

When choosing a university, I focused on three points: being a finance school, having programs to polish soft skills through self-reflection, and having a diverse student body. I expect CBS to satisfy all three. Regarding the first point, because it is located in Manhattan, it is easy to invite top US executives to speak. I hope to learn about current business trends as well as the mindsets these leaders possess.

The most difficult part of the entire process was simply having confidence in myself. Surrounded by various candidates, I unconsciously compared myself to others regarding scores, career history, the scale of future career plans, enthusiasm, and English ability, which often left me feeling down. There were many times during the long process when I became mentally unstable. Since I naturally lacked self-confidence, losing sight of my own strengths was painful. Even though I knew it was a battle against myself, I became anxious the more I interacted with other wonderful candidates.
To overcome this, I posted a sheet listing my strengths on my wall; Ed provided an analysis sheet for this. One of my strengths is having "guts," and I had included an anecdote about walking home with a broken leg in elementary school. When I felt down, I would look at that and encourage myself with the logic that if I could walk with a broken bone, I could overcome this application process. Having it visible allowed me to face myself before getting too discouraged. It is vital to spend time facing yourself and verbalizing your qualities so you can communicate your best self to others.

First, because Edogijuku has a client database of excellent Japanese candidates, Ed can provide objective comments on where you stand within that high-level group. This is a major differentiator from other service providers.
I was also truly grateful that he stayed with me through both essays and interviews until I was satisfied. I experienced cases where I was not accepted despite presenting my best self, as well as cases where I was rejected while still feeling uneasy about the essay. The latter left me with a much stronger sense of being "half-baked." After that experience, I reviewed every essay with Ed and focused on how to truly showcase my profile. Even when I received comments that an essay was "far from good," the fact that I eventually wrote something I was satisfied with gave me confidence.
For interviews, repeating the mock session and feedback cycle allowed me to review my improvements over time. The advice on consistency, logic, and strategy was incredibly valuable. I feel this will be useful for any future interviews, not just for the MBA. Finally, Ed always offers positive words, except for when I wrote those "far from good" essays, which was a huge help!

Make choices you won't regret. You will face many decisions regarding schools, scores, and essays. Personally, I think you should apply to every school you are interested in. Even if there were few Japanese admits the previous year, you never know what will happen next, and your sense of "fit" evolves through the process. An MBA application is not something everyone can do at any time. When making choices, stop and ask yourself if you will regret it.
Focus on your strengths and stay positive. This is a long process that you handle while working, so there will be mentally taxing times. Rely on those around you and refresh yourself occasionally. Instead of comparing yourself to others, focus on what you like about yourself and the strengths that helped you achieve success.

At 20, your possibilities are infinite! If there is something you want to do now, you should move straight toward it. If you don't have a specific goal yet, continue searching, and you will eventually find your core path. As your career progresses, your options may gradually narrow, so I advise you to challenge yourself with anything you want to try.

http://www.linkedin.com/in/rina-kankawa-380a33136

After graduating from a private university in Japan, I spent seven years at a major Japanese conglomerate manufacturer. In my first four years, I worked in finance and accounting for an industrial machinery division; thereafter I transferred internally into the business planning team for the IT business for industry. I don’t have formal study-abroad experience, but I have completed multiple overseas business trips.

At the beginning my ultimate goal was not yet fully crystalized. However, ever since my undergraduate years I felt a strong fascination with the manufacturing sector and a deep awareness of its challenges. By continuously refining that narrative through reflection, I eventually created a single coherent story. Although I tend to be indecisive (which made choosing schools, framing essays, and staying on schedule challenging), having that core story acted as my North Star. Whenever I wavered, I reminded myself why I started and that helped me push through each phase of the application.

First I revisited my personal history and identified what truly excited me, namely the moment in college when I discovered how manufacturing can transform society. I recognized that this passion was a career-defining turning point. Next I used a 5W1H framework (Who, What, When, Where, Why, How) to structure and tighten my core story. I rewrote it about twenty times, which was by far the hardest part. Once the framework was solid, I tailored that core story to each school’s essay prompts and approached it from different angles until the narrative felt both authentic and compelling. Each iteration added new depth and boosted my confidence.

I am most excited to immerse myself in MIT’s culture of “mens et manus” (mind and hand) where theory and real-world impact work together. I am equally inspired by MIT’s unparalleled breadth of technological expertise; not only in software and digital tools, but also in hardware, sensors, robotics, control systems, and materials science. Building truly integrated manufacturing processes demands that holistic stack, and through MIT’s Action Learning labs I will be able to apply these combined technologies to real-world production challenges. Collaborating with peers and faculty across these domains, I look forward to prototyping end-to-end solutions that bridge theory and practice.

The toughest part was cementing my core story: deciding which experiences to highlight, selecting the right mix for schools, and then crafting essays and interview answers around that narrative. Even though MIT was always my first choice, my natural tendency to second-guess every decision made the journey feel never-ending. It took perseverance to trust my own story and keep refining it until it rang true.

Ed offered end-to-end mentorship; refining my narrative, tailoring essays, and running mock interviews with more detailed, sophisticated insights than anyone else and always responding within 24 hours. When MIT waitlisted me, his precise advice on timing and content of updates led to an R3 acceptance, and his strategic support across R1 and R2 secured multiple other offers that kept my confidence intact. He also connected me with fellow students and alumni, and his prompt reassurance on stressful days was invaluable. I truly owe my success to Ed’s unmatched expertise, timely support, and extensive network.

Start by digging deep into what genuinely drives you, your key “why.” Then iterate relentlessly: write, get feedback, revise, and repeat until your story feels both authentic and persuasive. Do not hesitate to seek outside perspectives, but always stay true to your own voice. Finally, practice your interview responses out loud; the more comfortable you are telling your story, the more confidently you will connect with the admissions committee.

Explore broadly while following what sparks your curiosity. Build strong fundamentals in areas such as technical skills, communication, and teamwork. Seek out opportunities that challenge you. Do not wait for perfect conditions; take on projects, ask questions, and network early. Above all, cultivate a growth mindset and embrace lifelong learning, because the career you envision at 20 will evolve as you do.

I lived in the United States for four years as a child and went on to study at a national university in Tokyo. During university, I studied abroad at a business school in France for six months. After graduating from university, I worked for a Japanese company for about seven years.

While living in the United States as a child, I felt firsthand the decline of Japan's national and economic power, and began to think, "I want to contribute to improving Japan's presence in the world in the future." After graduating from university, with the goal of "contributing to Japan's economic development," I joined my current company, which has unique domestic demand-oriented technology and the potential to expand that technology overseas.
Also, even while I was in college, I thought, "If I study abroad after working for a Japanese company for a few years, I might be able to see Japan and Japanese companies more objectively," and I had a vague desire to study abroad as a working professional in the future. As I progressed in my career, I was fortunate to have the opportunity to work closely with executives in the corporate planning department, and I strongly felt that leadership and personal connections are extremely important to moving business forward. From these experiences, I decided to aim for an MBA, which would allow me to systematically cultivate these skills, among the many graduate schools available.

In the essay, I wrote in a way that conveyed the experiences I have had from my student days to becoming a working adult that have helped me develop leadership skills, grow, and evolve (for example, when I was a student, I demonstrated servant leadership in student groups, but since entering the workforce, I have demonstrated a more coach-type leadership style).
I also felt I lacked the visionary leadership skills to steer the company from a multifaceted perspective in highly uncertain situations while working closely with executives, and that this was why HBS, with its emphasis on leadership education and the opportunity to learn from a variety of perspectives, was the missing piece for him.

I am looking forward to discussing with my classmates who have diverse backgrounds (nationalities, cultures, industries, and occupations).

Writing the essay was the hardest part. I had never experienced a holistic entrance exam before, so I found it very difficult to write an essay that had no correct answer. You can prepare for the academic exams (TOEFL, GMAT) and flexibly correct your course through the conversation on the day of the interview, but once you submit an essay, you cannot redo it, so I didn't know how much I should work on it, and I got frustrated.Also, applying for an MBA is similar to job hunting, and matching the school and the student is extremely important. I had to write while thinking about how attractive the story I was writing would be to the American examiners, whether it would be properly conveyed to people with different cultural backgrounds, and how to appeal to myself given that each school has a different culture and the type of person they are looking for. This process took the most time and required repeated trial and error.

Ed was very helpful, mainly in writing my essay. As mentioned above, in an MBA essay, it is important to understand the type of person the school is looking for and then how to present yourself. Having Ed review my essay, he was able to appropriately revise even the smallest expressions and nuances to suit the school, which was very helpful.Even though he had a large number of clients, Ed was very sincere in supporting his clients and made their admission into the school of their choice his number one priority. When I was getting anxious because the interview invitation for R1 was taking a long time to arrive, Ed was concerned and helped me make a plan for R2. Taking the MBA exam is mentally very tough, but I felt that it was very important to have someone like Ed who is positive but also openly tells clients things that may be hard to hear when necessary.

I think the most important thing in taking an MBA is to get a score as soon as possible. I was lucky enough to take the GMAT in March and the TOEFL in May, so from May onwards I was able to focus all my resources on researching schools, writing essays and preparing for interviews. If you don't get a score, it's easy to get mentally overwhelmed, so I feel that the key to passing is to get a score as soon as possible and then focus on your preparations.

I think that not only HBS, but all schools place great importance on whether you have leadership qualities. In order to show your leadership qualities, it is essential to prove your leadership through anecdotes. I think it is important to gain experience in demonstrating leadership in a group. It is also important to acquire a wide range of knowledge, not just your own field of expertise. I usually read books and attend lectures on politics, history, security, and other subjects that are not directly related to my work. This was helpful in the interview style unique to HBS. That's because in a 30-minute interview, about 30 multifaceted questions are asked. Therefore, if you are only interested in a specific field, it will be difficult to respond to unexpected questions. Because I was interested in a wide range of fields every day, I was able to respond to unexpected questions.
Also, as a practical piece of advice, if you are still in school, I recommend that you try to raise your GPA even a little. Since I had wanted to study abroad as a working adult in the future since my university days, I actively took so-called "easy classes" in order to raise my GPA in my fourth year of university (laughs). If your GPA is low, you will be required to get high test scores to make up for it, so I think it is important to keep your GPA as high as possible.

http://www.linkedin.com/in/montaito

After graduating from a national university (Faculty of Law), I joined a consulting company. After working there for two years, I transitioned to a startup that provides consulting and PE investment. Being stationed in Thailand, starting a company there, and experiencing an IPO were significant milestones.

During my time at university, I thought, "Asia is the future!" and experienced Asia through my previous and current employment, including being stationed in Thailand and on long-term business trips to China. However, America's influence has not waned as much as I had imagined, and I have come to think that America may be the center of the world for some time to come. At the same time, the journey from founding to IPO was very exciting, and I wanted to walk the same path again, so I was thinking about starting my own business. Looking at it in the context of America and starting a business. I didn't think much about studying as much as I thought it would be best to start at business school, get a degree, friends, and a foundation in America, and so I decided to take the exam.

Considering my career and age, and considering starting a business after graduation, I searched for a program with 1) many people of similar age and experience, 2) a maximum duration of one year (minimizing time away from work), and 3) an on-site, full-time program, and considered Stanford MSx, MITSF, and USC IBEAR. Among them, MSx was my first choice due to the diversity of members and the startup culture of Silicon Valley.

Stanford is often associated with words like Silicon Valley and startups, but if we look at it in more detail, I think it's because of its closeness to the American establishment. It's well-known that former Google CEO Eric Schmidt was a lecturer there, and when I visited for Preview Day, Ken Griffin , founder of a hedge fund called Citadel, was there to give a lecture, so the opportunity to interact with people you wouldn't be able to meet in Japan is very appealing. I'm really looking forward to learning from and connecting with these people.

I remember feeling anxious about R2 because I didn't have a satisfactory TOEFL score in R1. In the end, switching from TOEFL to IELTS worked out for me. I also applied to another school in R1, but unfortunately I was put on the waiting list because my application was not good enough. I felt a bit cornered as I took on MSx R2 with no other options. Whether I passed or not would have a big impact on my life plan, so I remember battling anxiety and restlessness.

I asked Ed for counseling for MSx in R2. As far as I know, Ed's knowledge of Stanford is outstanding, and the resolution of the type of person Stanford is looking for has increased significantly through one-on-one talks at Ed's seminars and counseling sessions. In addition, in counseling sessions, he gave me advice on the best story and way of expressing myself after thoroughly understanding me, so when I completed my essays and application, I felt like I had given 120% of myself. It is quite tough to think deeply about yourself through essays, but thanks to Ed, I was able to enjoy the process.

It is said that "Be Authentic" is important in the Stanford application. It is hard to determine who you really are, but I realized how important it is to get there and write about it without any falsehood. In fact, applications that were written honestly went well, but those that were forced to fit a story did not. Each university has its own color and the type of person they are looking for, but rather than forcing yourself to fit that, I think it is ultimately a shortcut to think about which university is closest to the type of person you are looking for. Please find your "true self" through counseling with Ed! I am sure that the realization will be an asset for you in the future.

When thinking about your mid- to long-term career, most general predictions about the future are inaccurate, so there are very few things that you can do without mistakes or that are absolutely safe. My current hypothesis is that accumulating experiences that you find truly interesting at each moment will ultimately bring you closer to the right answer. I believe that the right answer is something that you have to decide for yourself, so don't worry about what others think, and put all your effort into what you like and what seems interesting to you!

I have four years of experience living in Central America. I had been interested in an MBA for some time, but I didn't get the chance to study directly in the course of my daily work. As the company's business becomes more international and complex, I strongly felt that I needed the knowledge and experience of an MBA to acquire the ability to properly lead the company. I also felt it was a good opportunity to reexamine my life and career.

The key is to conduct case studies in a global environment. Case studies are repeated in a global environment with 400 first-year students. Although the workload is high, I strongly felt that a global environment where you are forced to speak up is the perfect match for me. This is because, assuming you will take on the role of leading a company in the future, this is the very training you need to be fearless in leading a global organization.

It's score making. The decision to send me on company-sponsored assignment was made in early August, and I began making preparations from there. The preparation period was about six months, my child was still 0 years old, and this year I had to travel a lot for work; it was a brutal situation, and my family life was also going through turbulence. Even though I studied hard despite lack of sleep, my efficiency did not improve, and I had a very hard time getting a good GMAT score.
I compromised and got a 7.0 on the IELTS after studying for two months, but I still don't have a good GMAT score.

First of all, there is an overwhelming sense of security. Ed is an extremely skilled counselor who works with top schools in the US as well as European schools, and provides instruction tailored to the characteristics of each school. I had the impression that it was specialized in the United States, but I was surprised at how much it had to offer in Europe.
In the end, no matter which school you go to, if you have Ed as your partner, you will be assured of the psychological safety of knowing that you will be reassured no matter what happens.
Brainstorm ideas for your essay
Conduct mock interview with questions specifically for the school and customized answers. I was very grateful for your help in this regard.
As the saying goes, "it's best to leave it to the experts," and I felt that this is certainly true.
I think it would be much more efficient and worthwhile to spend an hour talking to Ed rather than spending several hours worrying about it on your own.

I also was saved by the large amount of data. And Ed's positivity was also a lifesaver. "You won't know until you try" - that's the spirit of challenge!!

Taking the MBA exam is a great opportunity to broaden your horizons from the very beginning of the application process. There will be many difficult times, but the one who has fun will also win. I believe that being as positive as possible and taking proactive action will naturally lead to good results. Listen to different people's stories and enjoy the process.

When I look back to when I was a 20-year-old student, I realize that I had no understanding of society at all. It's important to enjoy your student life to the fullest, but it might also be a good experience to actually get into a company through an internship. As always, seeing is believing. Don't hesitate to jump into different places.
After that, I think my intuition will guide me. In this day and age, if something isn't right you can just change jobs.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/kenichiro-k-04557120/

I thought it was necessary to gain deeper knowledge in IT and expected serendipity by accessing the platform called Stanford. Also, I thought that updating my knowledge is like purchasing goods while working at least until I'm 60 years old, so I wanted the opportunity to study at a university nearby.

I wanted to meet classmates who will become lifelong friends, to think outside the box, and to have access to more interesting opportunities using the platform of Stanford. I was attracted to the unique program, which allows me to attend all day on Fridays and Saturdays for two weeks while working.

It didn't take that long, but I ended up just arranging the parts in chronological order, and I had a hard time maintaining consistency while turning it into a story.

I was able to get appropriate advice from Ed on the points I struggled with above. It would have been difficult to objectively view the finished document on my own, so Ed's experienced opinion was something I could trust. He had also helped me when I was preparing for my MBA 10 years ago, so it was good that I could trust him as a person from the start.

It's still a new program in its fifth year, and I'm the second Japanese student, so I definitely recommend it to anyone interested in healthcare and IT. I think it would be very interesting to come to this program full-time, and since you'll be issued a visa as a full-time student, you'll have a lot of freedom to take other classes except for two days out of two weeks, or to do some experiments on the Stanford platform. If you're already working in the Bay Area, I recommend this as a master's program that you can attend while working.

Even if you are not satisfied with the starting line you are in now, life will continue for a much longer period than you have lived so far. I think that those who have a vision and can continually change themselves have a good chance of being rewarded. On the other hand, I don't think there are many one-shot reversals, so I recommend that you keep building up. You can't become someone you can't imagine yourself to be, but I think that if you can imagine yourself, you can reach it. I'm rooting for you.

Since joining the trading company, I worked in the steel-related department, where I experienced trading steel products and business investment. From my seventh year, I was stationed in Germany for two years.

Influenced by my parents, who were English teachers, and a cousin who went on to study at a university abroad, I had a vague desire from an early age to become someone who would be active on the international stage.
When I was a student, I had hoped to study abroad in the UK as an exchange student, but the plan fell through, so studying abroad remained on my bucket list.
I was stationed in Germany for two years from my seventh year at the company, and working with local staff was a very valuable experience.

It felt like an overseas branch of a central Japanese company, so I wanted to jump into a truly global and diverse environment and test my abilities. As I was approaching my final chance in terms of age, I began to think that if I didn't try for an MBA now, I would regret it at some point in my life.

Although I applied for a company-sponsored study abroad program, my department did not have a policy of sending employees abroad on company funds. Also, I wanted to do an internship during my MBA program. In addition, considering that I ended up receiving a scholarship from LBS, I decided that studying abroad at my own expense was satisfactory overall.

I narrowed my options down to urban MBAs because I wanted to do an internship during the semester and maintain contact with companies during my MBA. In addition, academically, I wanted to focus on finance, which I had not studied professionally until now, but which I felt was necessary for me to step up as a business person.
Based on the above two points, I narrowed it down to CBS or LBS , which are urban schools with strengths in finance. (Also, I was barely making the grades, so I didn't have time to look at many schools.)
After campus visits to both schools, I found that each had their own merits, but I was attracted to LBS from the perspective of diversity and maturity , so I ended up applying to LBS alone.
In order to convey how LBS is a good fit for me, I had coffee chats with nearly 40 current students and alumni, and I was able to share my sense of fit with the actual professors and alumni.
I tried to communicate clearly, including their names.

I really struggled to get good scores on the GMAT/GRE/IELTS. I went back and forth between the GMAT, GRE, and EA before finally getting a satisfactory score on the GRE.
It took me a year. I ended up updating my score after applying. Memorizing vocabulary took longer than I expected because I was fighting the forgetting curve. Also, I was working every day. Visiting clients at home and abroad was physically very tough. My IELTS score had been stuck at 7.0 for a long time, but at the end of the year I took the IELTS every day for a week and somehow managed to achieve 7.5 .

I was very grateful for Ed 's practical advice, based on his experience of watching over many students. I was really grateful for the comments. For example, my initial post-MBA goal was too big a jump from my current career, and the administrators said it was too realistic. I changed the direction of my essay based on that advice. I also received specific advice, such as adding a more lingering sentence at the end of the essay. I received some advice and was finally able to put together a winning essay.

It may be presumptuous of me to give advice, but I think it all comes down to "never giving up." I'm sure everyone has a hard time scoring, especially when it comes to scoring.
Also, some people may not be sure what they want to do after their MBA . For the essay in particular, you should write about your career so far, your post-MBA goals,
I think it is better to emphasize logical connections (to be more persuasive) as if an MBA is to fill that gap . In addition, international experience is important both in the US and Europe.
I think it's a good idea to have that kind of experience, as it's important in business schools too. (My experience working overseas in Germany went down well in my interviews.)
Also, while it's difficult for young people to do this at a large company, I think business schools also look at experience in taking on a leadership role, as they are looking for "people who can make an impact on society."
From another perspective, the age group of around 30 , which is the age group for most MBA applicants, is an important time in terms of career and life planning, and taking the MBA exam
Since you may have something to lose, you need to think carefully about whether you really need an MBA, why now, and whether other qualifications will do.

We recommend that you put all your energy into the work at hand for the first 3 to 5 years after joining the company (first build up your basic skills), but we also hope that you will take the time to stop and think about what you want to achieve in life and how you can live a life without regrets.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/shotaro-morimoto-8a392a322

At first, I learned that Hitachi had a company-sponsored study abroad program.
I had a vague feeling that this would be a major turning point in my life, as I had no experience abroad. I decided to pursue an MBA for the vague reason that I wanted to make the two years I spent there a memorable experience that would go down in my family's history. It had been 10 years since I joined the company, and I had become accustomed to my work, so I was looking for some excitement.


And after delving deeper into his motivations and future career, I felt that in the future, Japan will experience a significant decline in population and economic contraction. For further growth, I began to think that we needed to expand globally in the medium to long term. When expanding globally, it is important to consider the different needs and cultural differences in each region.

The flexibility to create services together I believe is important. MBA students come from diverse backgrounds from all over the world, and in the global environment, I will broaden my horizons and gain know-how to expand the business globally. I would like to hone my skills to lead a large company.

I'm really looking forward to two big things. First, UCLA Anderson has a philosophy of "Share Success" as its school ethos. Actively interacting with and helping other students from various backgrounds I want to absorb different ways of thinking and broaden my horizons. I want to be able to help each other even after the MBA is over. I hope to create a great network.

The second is a place called Los Angeles. America's second largest city is known for its strength in the tech industry. As an engineer in the industry, I expect to learn a lot from classes and extracurricular activities. We actively participate in various events and promote the world's number one economy, America.
I want to absorb the power and take home the know-how. And in terms of my personal life and the weather, Los Angeles is the most fulfilling. I am a big baseball fan, so I often go to Dodger Stadium with my family and friends. I'm looking forward to it lol.

I had a lot of trouble making a score. Even after submitting in the second round, he still managed to score well. Even though I was tormented and took the GMAT and GRE five times in total, I couldn't get a satisfactory score. (Especially since I have a low GPA and I needed to make my scores stronger.) It may be a common piece of advice, but it's important to start preparing as early as possible and to spend money on cram schools, etc. I think it’s very important to be reliable.

The MBA is an information war, so how you use your time is paramount.
With limited time due to work and family I think it's important to make maximum use of reliable resources in order to achieve results. I passed my entrance exams as a student almost entirely by self-study. I studied GMAT and GRE on my own at first,
I got no results at all.

It is a little different from the entrance exams in Japan, I regret that I should have consulted with someone with the know-how sooner. In that sense, I feel it was good that I was able to contact Ed early on and gather information.

Broaden your horizons and try new things. I had a hard time in my 20s. If you have the mindset and skills to take on new challenges, I feel like it's really helpful for people in their 30s and beyond.
I don't know if it will be useful, but it might be a good idea to improve your English skills. Don't be afraid of failure, think of it as an investment in your future. Trying different things will broaden the scope of your life!