Congratulations, you’ve done it – you’re accepted to business school! You’re on your way towards an MBA, but as you may be all too aware, this is barely even the beginning. Since most business schools send out their acceptance letters well in advance, you’re now facing several months, or perhaps even an entire year, before you actually start taking classes… so now what? Before you embark on this next big adventure, let’s consider some of the things you can do to ensure your time in business school goes as smoothly as possible, and that you’re getting the most out of this education that you can. Here are eight ways you can start preparing now so that you hit the ground running on the first day of class.
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Ensure Adequate Funding
The first thing you should think of if you’re attending business school is how you’re going to pay for it. Ideally, you’ve already been saving to pay for your master’s degree for quite some time. You should avoid taking on student loans if at all possible; as anyone going to business school should already know, the debt you can’t easily rid yourself of is the last thing you want. Fortunately, there are numerous other funding options to consider, such as MBA scholarships, which can put a dent in the bill. Don’t overlook anything, as even a $500 scholarship means one less textbook you have to buy. Another possibility, if you’ve already been working for a while, is having your company contribute. Many major corporations have under-utilized programs designed to help employees obtain an education. Check if this is an option for you, and if so, contact your company’s human resources department for further info.
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Pause Your Connections, and Begin Forming New Ones
Business school is going to take time to complete, and it’s likely going to mean being uprooted from your previous routine for years. These connections you’ve already built in the professional world will still have value, however, so don’t just ghost on your former colleagues and employers. Get the word out, and let them know you’ll be going back to school. They may have advice or connections that you can leverage, and at the very least, you’re showing them a basic degree of respect by informing them of your plans. Whether you return later or not, leaving on a positive note is the best option.
There’s more than just goodbyes, however. You’re about to enter a new world full of new people, who each have their own network of connections they’ve just left behind. It’s wise to start meeting your future classmates as soon as possible, as having those relationships in place on the first day of class is valuable. Social media connections are easiest, as many groups will begin to form for classes and colleges as soon as admissions letters go out. Orientation events held at the college are another great option, allowing you to meet and network face-to-face if that suits your personality better.
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Brush Up on Study Skills
Most MBA programs require some time spent in the workforce before applying, meaning that it’s probably been a while since you finished your undergrad degree. Now is a good time to start reminding yourself of good study habits (or picking them up for the first time) so that you’ll have them down by the start of classes. MBAs are heavy on reading, both in the form of textbooks and nonfiction, so spending time reading, even if it’s fiction, can help to restore a mind that’s perhaps a bit too scattered from life in the digital age to full functionality when it comes to long-form works. Basic math and use of computer programs such as MS Office are also highly recommended if you’re a bit rusty in those areas.
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Determine Your Concentration and Course Plan
It may seem a bit ridiculous to start planning your courses so early, but knowing what classes are available and how you can reach your planned end fastest is the most efficient way to earn your degree, in terms of both time and money. First, figure out what area of business you intended to concentrate in; there are a lot of options for business degree concentrations, and time spent floundering with intro classes in several different areas is the time that could have been spent honing your specialty. Consider your past experience, and whether you want to continue in that vein. How does your previous work align with your intended concentration? If you’re in business school to reinvent your career, it may not matter so much, but it’s still possible that past experience may enable you to skip basic courses, thus saving money in the long run. Remember to stay flexible, just in case a course isn’t offered when you expected it to be.
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Keep Your Eyes on the Prize
It can be overwhelming when you’re just getting started on the track to an MBA. This is an endeavor that’s going to take a long time, and it may have been a while since you’ve embarked on something so long-term. Remember why you wanted this in the first place, and why you’ve put in all the effort to get where you are now. Even after you’ve started classes, this is important to keep in mind. This degree offers a lot of potentials and will have a major impact on your life from the time that you earn it until you retire. It will be worth the hard work if you can see it through!
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Cultivate Soft Skills
Soft skills are a focus of many MBA programs, even if they’re not the centerpiece. Skills like leadership, teamwork, professionalism, and ethics are all considered soft skills and have for decades been seen as essential to success within organizations. While you no doubt possess some of these skills at various levels, so will everyone else, and they’ll all be starting at different points. If you can begin refining these abilities now, you’ll have that much more of a head start relative to the rest of your class.
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Be Ready to Participate and Engage in Class
Class is only worth what you make of it, and that’s true for pretty much any degree. But this goes double for business degrees, which often use sample cases to study real-world situations in an academic setting. Some of your classes may be dominated by debate and discussion of these cases, and if you haven’t done your reading, or just tend to sit quietly in class, you’ll be missing out on the main purpose of the exercise. Professors may even call on you out of the blue to begin a discussion, and there are few more embarrassing fates than being put on the spot, only to have no idea what you’re being asked about.
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Take a Break
As noted before, you’re about to start towards a goal that will likely take at least two years of solid work to complete. Including the time spent reading and doing assignments, you may even find yourself working more hours than you did for your previous employment. The most common advice you might never have considered is simply this: give yourself a break. Go on vacation, or just leave your schedule empty for a week or two before getting started with the business school. Relax now, because you’ve almost certainly earned it at your old work, and you may not have another opportunity for a while. The less stress you’re carrying before you enter business school, the better off you’ll be!
As noted before, you’re about to start towards a goal that will likely take at least two years of solid work to complete. Including the time spent reading and doing assignments, you may even find yourself working more hours than you did for your previous employment. The most common advice you might never have considered is simply this: give yourself a break. Go on vacation, or just leave your schedule empty for a week or two before getting started with the business school. Relax now, because you’ve almost certainly earned it at your old work, and you may not have another opportunity for a while. The less stress you’re carrying before you enter business school, the better off you’ll be!
