Preksha Jain, Michigan Ross MBA Class of 2020
Age: 25
Hometown: New Delhi, India
Undergraduate Institution and Major: Shaheed Sukhdev College of Business Studies (University of Delhi) – Bachelor’s in Business Studies
Pre-MBA Work Experience: 4 years, Management Consulting
Why business school? Why now? Since I had spent some time working in management consulting, I felt that I was at that stage to be able to make the most out of business school by being able to relate with a wide variety of business situations.
Having worked in a number of teams, I knew that a good/bad manager can have a high impact on the team performance, so I wanted to learn how to become a more effective leader. I also wanted the experience to live and work abroad while still young, having lived in the same city all my life.
I wanted to learn from the experiences of people from a wide variety of backgrounds, and b-school is the perfect place for that – while making friends from all over the globe!
Why Ross? What factors figured most prominently into your decision of where to attend? I spoke to a lot of students across business schools. For me, I just loved the vibe I got from the Ross community. They were extremely approachable and I felt like they had each others’ backs, which is extremely important in a hyper competitive environment.
In addition, the action-based curriculum with the MAP (1 term solely focusing on a consulting project), Living Business Leadership Experience (you get an opportunity to lead a real company!), and being able to invest real money with Zell Laurie Institute was very enticing for me since I learn better by doing things.
Last but not least, Ann Arbor is a great city with a thriving restaurant scene, free public transport, and no skyscrapers!
What do you think is your most valuable or differentiating contribution to the Class of 2020? There’s so much to learn from the diversity of perspectives and backgrounds that my classmates come from—and everybody contributed in unique ways. Coming from a business undergrad and background in consulting, I can help my classmates get up to speed with basic concepts and coursework. I believe I can also help them to think about business implications of different things in a structured manner.
Fun fact that didn’t get included on your application? I was a race official for two Formula 1 Grand Prix!
Post-MBA career interests? I would like to continue to work in consulting with a focus on consumer goods and retail going forward. I feel really excited about the impact you can create by helping clients steer the strategic direction of large companies and ultimately driving consumer purchasing decisions.
Advice to current prospective applicants:
–One thing you would absolutely do again as part of your application process? Speak to as many people as you can before you apply, both current students and alumni. It gives you a good sense of how your class is going to be. You don’t want to be stuck with people you don’t connect with because peer learning forms a big part of the MBA experience.
–One thing you would change or do differently? I applied to only one school and luckily it ended up working out for me, but I would recommend applying to more schools that you feel a connection with, to hedge your chances.
–Part you would have skipped if you could—and what helped you get through it? Being concise and keeping essays within the word limit. I took help from friends and family with multiple rounds of edits to put everything together eventually.
What is your initial impression of Ross’s students/culture/community? My classmates have been extremely supportive of my learning goals even through orientation. It is a safe place to take risks, fail and learn. MBA2s are a valuable asset for my biggest to most trivial questions.
One thing you have learned about Ross that has surprised you? The number of resources that the school and the University of Michigan provides for anything you might want to do. When you become a part of Ross, you also become a part of the University of Michigan family with access to alumni, courses, events!
Thing you are most anxious about in your first year? Surviving the cold! I am dreading the 15-minute walk to school from my house. Also, with soooo many things to do, I am sure I am going to miss attending an event, a meeting or a chat just because I forgot to put it on my calendar.
Thing you are most excited about in your first year? I am super excited about a bunch of things: traveling with fellow Rossers for MTrek to the Amazon rain forest and Lençóis Maranhenses (Google it!), the MAP project (hopefully at an exotic location!), attending football games and tailgating and exploring Ann Arbor’s food scene!
