Vipal Adroja

Experience

Tell us what your greatest academic, professional or personal awards/achievements have been.

I am a firm believer of life-long learning and continual growth. Ever since school, I have tried participating in everything I could possibly do – art, dance, sports and public speaking. Having held a leadership position during high school, I was always keen on getting better at expressing myself - be it through art or debating. Winning debate competitions at inter-school events boosted my confidence and the power of being able to express my views has helped me immensely. I believe this has also greatly contributed to helping me land a full-time job at a big four firm when I was in the last year of my undergraduate.

Why did you decide to study your Summer School course and why specifically did you choose to study with Imperial College Business School?

I landed a job at Deloitte while I was pursuing my Bachelor’s in engineering. I realised that I needed to strengthen my business foundation to perform to the best of my capabilities as a professional. Coming from a heavily technical background, I wanted to upskill my consulting skills to give a good start to my career for a role that focuses on both technical and business aspects. I chose Imperial College Business School because the university offered exactly what I was looking for – a short course based on strategy and consulting. I was optimistic about Imperial as it is consistently ranked among the top universities in the world. I also read about the coursework and was sure about applying after reading the testimonials of previous students.

Programme

What made your Summer School experience unique?

The most unique aspect of Summer School for me was that it exposed me to consulting in the most exquisite and pragmatic way. Coming from an engineering background, I had no prior business education. But what I did have was a zeal to learn.

What aspects of the course did you most enjoy?

The professors would regularly put us in small groups to discuss various case studies and conduct other playful activities. Through this, I got a chance to exchange thoughts and laughs with other students. I enjoyed these discussions immensely and always looked forward to connecting with other students, hearing from them and discussing my views. 

People

Imperial places a large emphasis on group work, what inspires you the most about working in this type of environment?

My group and I had started working on our project from the very beginning of Summer School and by the time we finished, I had formed some friends for life. I thoroughly enjoyed working with each of my teammates. They were all very supportive and open to feedback. We formed a great bond with each other, and that emotional connection significantly helped us in delivering our project efficiently. Learning from their views is what inspired me the most.

How would you describe your Summer School class?

Summer School was composed of students from all around the world, but our locations were not the only aspect of what made the class diverse. There were people from different backgrounds and varying age groups. Some had just stepped into universities while some had already hit milestones in their career. Our class was referred to as one of the most engaging classes the lecturers had taught in a while.

Opportunities

What has been the greatest opportunity during your summer at Imperial that you don’t think you would get anywhere else?

We had some guest lecturers teaching us during the Summer School. Had I not attended the Summer School, I don’t think I would have been able to have one-on-one discussions with such high-quality professionals. I have also stayed in touch with them even after the Summer School ended. Because of the Summer School at Imperial, I have formed a strong network with professionals and students from around the world.

What are your future career goals and how do you think your time at Imperial will help/has helped?

Soon after I finished up with Summer School, I started working at Deloitte as an Analyst. Imperial gave me the confidence to contribute to my organisation with utmost professionalism. I am sure that the lessons I learned during the Summer School are going to be helpful to me as I proceed forward in my career trajectory.

Tips

What advice would you give someone who was thinking about applying for the Summer School?

Analyse where you stand as a student/professional in your career path and carefully choose the course which you think suits you the best! Read testimonials of previous students to help you figure out how the Summer School will add value to you.

Share with us a handy hint or trick that made settling into Summer School that much easier! 

Always be prepared for the upcoming classes. You will gain the most out of the programme if you do some research and contribute to the intellectually stimulating discussions.