Meet the Michigan Ross MBA Class of 2019

Keshav Agrawal 

University of Michigan, Stephen M. Ross School of Business 

Describe yourself in 15 words or less: Physicist turned financial analyst, a theatre enthusiast, and loves to backpack across the globe.

Hometown: Ghaziabad, UP, India

Fun Fact About Yourself: I can probably shout much louder than you! I like performing in street theatre where you need to be loud enough to attract the crowd and get your message across.

I spent 4 nights at the Syrian refugee camp in Calais, putting up shelters during the day, and managing and distributing donations.

Undergraduate School and Major: Indian Institute of Technology Delhi, Engineering Physics

Employers and Job Titles Since Graduation: Assistant Vice President at Credit Suisse, Worked as a senior financial analyst at RBS before that

Describe your biggest accomplishment in your career so far: Getting promoted from analyst to assistant vice president ahead of schedule, moved from Mumbai to the London office of Credit Suisse and given a team to lead, all within six months.

Looking back on your experience, what one piece of advice would you give to future business school applicants?  DO NOT GIVE UP. Can’t stress this more. I excelled at the GMAT only on my third attempt. In my opinion, you just have to keep on improving and keep trying; the place where you belong will be calling soon.

What was the key factor that led you to choose this program for your full-time MBA and why was it so important to you?  The tipping point in favor of Ross was the pronounced sense of community at the University of Michigan. After interacting with many current students, 2019 admits and alumni, I could see a distinct warmth and acceptance in their attitude as compared to other b-schools. I saw that at Ross, people are more involved with each other, people are encouraged to collaborate more through distinct projects like MAP and the Ross Impact Challenge. The kind of person I am, I thrive on this communal feeling. I loved being a part of the theatre troupe in my undergrad university and was very fond of working on team projects in my work life as well. I could definitely resonate with the culture at Ross.

What would success look like to you after your first year of business school? Having made a few very good friends. Having done at least two things in each term outside my comfort zone. Having excelled in the class projects/activities and having secured a summer internship in strategy consulting.

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