Counselor Interview

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John Couke John Couke 出願書類カウンセリング部門統括責任者
プロフィール:
John is highly experienced guiding clients successfully through the application process.　He has helped hundreds of clients gain admission to top MBA, LLM, IR and other graduate programs around the world. He also has experienced firsthand being an international graduate student, having completed an MBA in International Business Strategy at Hitotsubashi University in Tokyo. John maintains close ties to the Hitotsubashi program as a highly-committed alumnus. Prior to leading the counseling department, John managed all test preparation courses taught in English at AGOS JAPAN Inc. John received a BA with honors in English Literature from the University of Toronto, Canada’s most prestigious university. Prior to his MBA, he managed a mid-sized language school chain in Chiba. More recently, he managed several projects at a well-known internet marketing company.

Hey, John, tell us a bit about yourself.

My undergraduate degree from the University of Toronto was in English Literature, so I take good writing seriously. I have learned what it takes to develop a story that really helps you to capture a reader's attention. In terms of my professional background, I have several years working experience as a manager in Japan, where my responsibilities included evaluating and hiring prospective staff. This working experience has given me considerable practice and insight into evaluating a candidate based on their resume, writing, and/or application. Both my educational and professional background assist me in my counseling work.

Why did you decide to come to Japan and what has your experience been like so far?

Like the vast majority of my clients, I wanted to experience life abroad. However, and far more specifically than that, I chose to pursue the opportunity to experience life abroad as a full-time student. This is one of the reasons that led me to pursue my MBA at Hitotsubashi. In that sense, my own life experience will be very similar to that of my clients who want to study abroad. And for my clients who stay here, my own experience at Hitotsubashi gives me great insight into international graduate programs here in Japan.

Living in Japan has been a great joy for me. This country is not only one of the safest, but also one of the most exciting countries in the world. I plan to remain here well into the future.

And you are a counselor at AGOS. What do you like best about your work?

I had the pleasure of meeting some of my clients at my first Bon Voyage Banquet (an event to celebrate people's successful admissions). The look in their eyes as they thanked me for the help I offered them is something that will certainly stay with me for a long time. I find it very rewarding to help people get admitted to top programs, thereby realizing one of their future goals.

How would you describe your counseling style?

II try to be direct and to the point. I think this is the best way to use our time during a session. I like to be working from a plan, so I always try to establish, with the client, what our goals are for any given session. This allows us to make sure we cover an essay or essay set methodically. I think that combining this with a good ear for stories and my experience as a counselor, allows me to facilitate productive sessions brainstorming ideas, or polishing a message.

What advice do you have for students who decide to work with you?

Students should be prepared, and equally importantly, help me be prepared by sending in relevant documents as soon as possible. In addition, always be ready to take advice, because I read essays as objectively as possible. Finally, set aside time to write. It's important that you put in enough time on your applications in order for them to really benefit from our time together. If you’re ready to work hard, I can help you ensure that your applications are as strong as they possible can be.

Any final comments?

I take my job seriously. I hope that I'm able to impart some of the things I've learned during my own graduate school experience to my clients as they embark upon a great journey in their own life. I can utilize the perspective of an applicant, a graduate student, and an alumnus of a top tier program here in Japan to help my clients achieve their own educational aspirations. Few things are more rewarding than this.

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