When thinking about what we wish we had known while applying for MBA programs, the team had a lot of different answers and advice. Here’s our Top 5.
1. The importance of visiting campus and engaging with current students to get a better sense of what life is really like at that program. At Booth, there are full-day campus visits you can do during the school year. So you get to sit in on a class, take a tour of Harper Center, ask students your questions, and just see for yourself what this place is all about.
2. The intensity of internship recruiting and, because of it, the importance of finding a close group of friends that you can rely on through the good and the bad! Recruiting season starts pretty quick classes begin and I know having the support of my closest friends was what got me through.
3. Class scheduling makes a big difference in what your MBA experience will look like. At Booth, we typically take three 3-hour classes per quarter on any days we choose. With this kind of schedule, there’s tons of flexibility to devote time to things like: trying a part-time internship, joining a New Venture Challenge team, leading a student group, attending cool speaker events, volunteering on a board, or even just going to TNDC!
4. How each school has a very distinct personality and seeing how it matches up with your personality can predict how happy you will be there.
5. I suggest that you really try to do some self-discovery and understand what your main motivations are for going back to school. Doing so will not only help you pick the right program for your needs, but it will also allow you to hit the ground running as soon as you step foot on campus.
