 He was awarded a four-year academic merit scholarship to attend the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and was the Haywood W. Hinkle Carolina scholar from 2004 to 2008.After being accepted and planning to attend college at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Desai auditioned for and was accepted as a member of the UNC Clef Hangers, a long-standing male a cappella group founded in 1977.He was accepted in the group as a senior in high school with the understanding that he would begin attending the University in the fall of 2004.