Here at Ellin Lolis Consulting, our goal is to ensure that our clients choose MBA programs they love for life — after all, you can only do one MBA!
One of the most popular programs our clients ask us about is the Michigan Ross School of Business. In recent years, Ross’ average GMAT (it’s now 716) has soared, as has the school’s ranking and the number of students applying to this prestigious program each year.
That’s why we got in touch with Natalia Costa, VP of the BRASA (the Brazilian Business Student Association) at Ross and current second-year student to get an insider’s view of what life is really like at Ross and how the program can prepare you to reach your short-term and long-term goals.
(Natalia Costa, Second-Year Student at University of Michigan Stephen M. Ross School of Business)
Ellin Lolis: How did you end up choosing to attend Ross?
Natália Costa: I really took my time to find the right fit – I owed that to myself. I was looking for two main things: a collaborative community and hands-on learning experience.
When I first started researching Ross, it seemed too good to be true but the more I talked to current and former students, the more it felt as something clicked. So I decided to visit the campus and when I got to Ann Arbor, I just could see myself living there.
(Ross students attending one of the many social events on campus, Photo courtesy Natália Costa)
Although I was born and raised in a big city like São Paulo, that college town vibe attracted me — Ann Arbor has been consistently ranked as a top town to live in here the United States.
EL: What was your experience like immediately after arriving on campus?
NC: How different the MBA approach is from my education experience in Brazil. Being in a classroom is just a tiny part of the experience, one for you learn from your classmates different points of view.
(Michigan Ross students taking advantage of the program’s numerous extracurricular activities, Photo courtesy Natália Costa)
There’s A LOT going on before and after, in terms of pre-work, after-class assignments, group works, etc. I found that “extended” learning journey extremely challenging, but also very productive.
EL: What was the process to obtain your summer internship like? Any surprises there?
NC: It’s been definitely… a process but you learn a lot about American culture along the way. I recruited for tech and decided to focus mostly on off-campus recruiting because I felt I could be more authentic. However, it’s usually less structured, harder to make big career changes function-wise and tends to requires more networking, which turned out to be a positive surprise.
I’ve met some very helpful people just by leveraging Ross’ alumni network and I believe that in some ways that’s how I got my internship at PayPal, in California.
EL: How have you managed to balance classes and extracurricular activities during the MBA? What have you prioritized?
NC: I would say that in the first term (first 7 weeks) I didn’t really prioritize. I thought I could do it all and I almost went crazy.
So eventually I took some time and made a list with what were my overall goals for the MBA (personally, professionally, academically). It’s simple and obvious, but everything is so new that you can get caught up in doing stuff that don’t necessarily contribute to your objective.
Classes for me were important, but I felt the extracurriculars (clubs, opportunities to work with folks from other University of Michigan schools, cases, etc) should be my focus. And it’s an iterative process: every time I start to feel overwhelmed I go through the list again to make sure my priorities still make sense.
EL: That’s great advice! What has been the best experience you’ve had thus far at Ross?
NC: The people I’ve meet (cliche, I know, but also true). And I’m not going to lie. Dealing with so many different cultures and backgrounds was hard at first – sometimes it still is. But I’ve met some people that – wow! – are truly, honestly, really amazing.
(Michigan Ross’ Brazilian students, Photo courtesy Natália Costa)
EL: What surprised you the most about your MBA experience?
NC: How proud I feel to be Brazilian. I feel we take our culture for granted – at least I did. The MBA has given me a lot of opportunities to exchange with people from all over the world and that perspective has enabled me to think and speak from my nationality from a different place.
(Michigan Ross students on an MTrek to Brazil, Photo courtesy Michigan Ross School of Business)
I enjoy spreading the Brazilian way around! In August I’ll even be leading an MTrek (a bonding trip organized by MBAs 2 for the incoming MBAs 1 before classes officially start) to Brazil – from Manaus to Fortaleza!
EL: Do you have any final advice for recently admitted or prospective MBA students?
NC: Choosing the right program for you is extremely important but I feel some candidates sometime overlook that fact that we’re choosing more than an MBA school. We’re choosing a lifestyle. So make sure to understand and weigh what type of environment you want to live in.
For me, visiting some schools made ALL the difference because I could also see first hand what my life would be like after I left the classroom.
EL: Thank you so much for your time, Natália. You’ve definitely helped us gain greater insights into the Michigan Ross experience!
My team and I pride ourselves on being with you at every stage of the process as you apply to an elite program, giving you the confidence that you are taking the right steps toward your future with the information you need not only to get accepted into a top MBA, but to find a program you love for life. That’s why I truly enjoyed talking with Natalia Costa, and bringing this information to you.
If you need help planning school visits, designing an application strategy, or even if you’re just starting the application process and aren’t sure exactly what to do next, my team and I can help! Schedule your free consultation with us today.
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