INDUSTRY SPOTLIGHT

What drew you to this field, and how did you know it was the right career for you? What was your Harvard experience like?​

I studied Government on the data science track with a minor in computer science. I chose Government because I wanted to improve my research and synthesis skills. The flexibility of the data science track allowed me to build a technical foundation that I applied in my research papers. In my junior and senior years, I combined my interests by writing data-driven papers analyzing digital authoritarianism in India.

My experience outside the classroom, like that of many, was shaped by circumstance. My parents didn’t attend college but found success in entrepreneurship, running gas stations and liquor stores. Inspired by them, I focused my pre-professional efforts on entrepreneurial organizations, working on Global Programs and Strategy with the Crimson Business Board and doing go-to-market work at a startup. These experiences showed me what it means to build from scratch and taught me how to break down ambiguity into actionable steps.

Alongside that, I stumbled into opportunities that surprised me– joining dance troupes and intramurals I had never heard of. But the work I’m most proud of was with the Harvard Sikh Students Association (SACH),

where my team grew our campus presence from 3 to 20+ active members. That experience felt almost entrepreneurial in its own right, and it reinforced the importance of building something together with a team and community I cared about.

My interests converged at consulting. Before accepting my full-time offer, I spent a summer in economic consulting. I enjoyed the case format and loved working in small teams, but I found consulting in the context of litigation less interesting. I decided on management consulting because it combined the collaborative problem-solving I enjoyed with a chance to learn about how organizations actually grow and operate. It felt like a natural extension of my entrepreneurial ambitions and my academic interests: applying structured problem-solving to high-impact problems.

In arriving at your career, did you benefit from any mentorship or supporters? If so, how did they help you grow, and how were you connected to them?

Of course! I absolutely wouldn’t be where I am today without the mentorship of those who succeeded before me. When I first learned about consulting, I reached out to an upperclassman who had just interned at BCG—he gave me the crash course.

He also connected me to other upperclassmen I could speak to about roles at other firms. These on-campus relationships were crucial for understanding how to break into the industry.

From there, I used LinkedIn to network with junior-level associates at various firms to better understand variation in the industry. When interviews came around, this network proved to be especially helpful for referrals and case interview practice. These coffee chats also provided me with specific insights about each firm, allowing me to craft unique answers to firm-specific interview questions.

I found my peers to be the most helpful mentors throughout the process. Being on both sides of interviews improved my understanding of casing and behavioral prep. It also made the process a lot more enjoyable (Thanks Drew!).

Where do you see your industry going in the next 5 years, and where do you think newcomers or entry-level professionals fit into that?

This is definitely a highly debated question in the field right now. It is somewhat unclear how consulting will generally be impacted.

AMAR BOPARAI '25