OUA Academic Essay

Ever since I was a young boy, I have viewed the world through a financial perspective. My dad is a personal financial planner; he helps families to make the best financial decisions for their unique situations. He taught me the importance of financial competence. But finance through business is not my dad's passion; it is mine. I love working with numbers and analyzing financial situations. When I was thirteen, I began to analyze companies in order to "buy" and "sell" their stock when the time was right. I love the thrill of seeing my investments succeed. At the Ross School, I want to harness my passion for business where I will expand my knowledge and gain experience. I yearn to build a strong academic foundation that will help me to become a successful and purposeful business leader. In my opinion, one of the most important aspects of business is collaboration. I know this is prioritized at the Ross School of Business. I believe business is about facing challenges and overcoming them. Running a business involves the consideration of multiple factors in order to ensure success. Facing challenges and making difficult decisions enables me to gain trust in myself and build resilience. The Ross Experiences in Action-Based Learning will present these challenges to me as an undergraduate student. The REAL curriculum stands out to me because of its hands-on nature. Throughout high school, I noticed that I learn best when I am actually participating in a lesson such as completing a lab in chemistry or a case study in IB Business. REAL will allow me to learn through “doing” which will be most beneficial for my academic learning style. Ever since I started watching “Shark Tank” at the age of nine, I have had a strong desire to pursue entrepreneurship. The Entrepreneurial Management course will be a perfect way for me to continue to follow my ambition of becoming an entrepreneur. Entrepreneurship is about controlling your own destiny. As an entrepreneur, I will need to overcome failure repeatedly and learn from my mistakes to eventually succeed. I look forward to Professor Middleton’s class on entrepreneurship. Another course that peaks my interest at the Ross School of Business is the Social Venture Fund taught by Professor Kaul because it focuses on two of my biggest passions: financial investments and social progress. This class will help me think beyond the narrow view of investing for pure profit. There are social factors to consider when making an investment. As a business leader, I will consider all factors such as social, economic, and environmental when making a crucial decision. I believe this course will help me sharpen my decision making and teach me strategies to find the right companies for an investment. In addition to certain academic courses at Ross, I wish to join clubs. One club in particular that I will join is the Fintech Club. The fintech club will be a way for me to learn more about cryptocurrencies, blockchain technology, and artificial intelligence. These are some of the most relevant topics in 2021. By working with major companies such as Coinbase in the crypto sector, I will gain valuable experiences that are unique to the Ross School. I look forward to being a student at the Ross School of Business.