How Conversations Helped Me Picture My Life at Michigan Ross
Choosing the Ross School of Business was easy for me, mainly because of the wonderful ambassadors I interacted with.
In 2023, I knew I was ready to get my MBA. I’d been in the healthcare industry, and although I had learned a lot, I felt ready to pivot. Michigan Ross was naturally one of my schools on my list. I knew the ranking was strong, the academics looked stellar, and the culture seemed collaborative and social. But I had to continue my research. Everyone can look at a school's website and Reddit posts, but I knew the real understanding and value of the school would come through conversations with students who were living the experience day to day. That’s when I reached out to the Michigan Ross Full-Time MBA student ambassadors.
Throughout my application process, I spoke with five ambassadors via individual coffee chats and then many more during my campus visits. What stood out to me most was how intentional and generous these students were with their time, even though many were in the middle of recruiting or balancing demanding schedules. They answered all my questions and stayed overtime if needed.
As someone who had never been to Michigan or attended a program in a traditional college town, I had various questions regarding Ann Arbor, student life, and the overall Ross and recruiting experience. Across every conversation with an ambassador, I was told it was important to balance all three as much as possible and that the social experience is not secondary to academics or recruiting. They told me the relationships built through sections, clubs, and other shared experiences are what make Ross and the program truly special. Their perspectives are what ultimately solidified my decision to attend.
Once I was admitted, I knew immediately I also wanted to be a student ambassador. In fact, the first thing I did was apply to be a student ambassador before I applied for anything else. I knew I wanted to pay it forward and provide the same honest, thoughtful insight to prospective students that had meant so much to me.
Since becoming an ambassador, I have been able to connect with many wonderful candidates from diverse backgrounds, share my experience with them, and help them understand whether Ross would be the right fit. The most rewarding moments come when students reach out after being admitted and tell me that our conversation helped them decide that Ross was the right fit.
Looking back, choosing Ross felt easy, but it was the people who made it certain.
