Tag: grad school

Dear PMBA 40,

Well, the time has come. You’re starting your journey towards an MBA, which is the end of a journey itself. You’re past thinking about getting an MBA, studying for the GMAT, applying to schools, and stressing over whether or not you’ll get in. Congratulations! But it’s just the beginning…

As a PMBA’er who has a year under his belt, I thought I would impart some tidbits I’ve picked up along the way:

• Get to know your fellow classmates – They mention this all over Olin, and they’re right, but you’re doing yourself a disservice if you graduate and don’t know every person in your PMBA class. These are the future businessmen and women who might be your client, boss, co-worker, or connection for that job you’ve always wanted. Olin graduates are going places and it’s in your best interest to hop on that bandwagon. Here are two easy ways to do that:
• Go to After Dark – At least for the first six months. I understand that it’s easy to go home and crash after a full day of work and three hours of class but the informal setting is a catalyst for building friendships that will keep you sane during grad school. Yay for new friends!
• Start a WhatsApp/GroupMe Convo – This will help your class stay connected throughout the grind. You’ll use it to discuss homework, make plans, study for tests, and overall relieve stress. Trust me, there’s a comfort knowing that 65 other people can relate to your situation. You’re also in for a humorous Saturday morning read when you wake up to 150+ notifications from your new friends going out the night before.
• Know Your Strengths – For most of your core classes, you will be working in groups, which you’ll dread love. Figuring out what each person is good at at the beginning of group work will make the whole process of working together run smoothly. I’m not a numbers person but I can write, hence why I was the resident editor who provided colorful commentary whenever we were doing statistics homework.
• Don’t Sweat the Small Things – It’s easy to get bogged down in the details, whether that’s the one question on your group homework that you couldn’t crack, or the case that you just didn’t understand (I’m looking at you, Finance). Take a deep breath and know that it’s not going to make or break you or your grade. You’re already juggling a lot – the additional stress isn’t worth it.

There are other class-related tips that I’d be more than happy to impart but those are better suited over a beer at After Dark. I’ll see you there.

Image: Lecture Hall, Kai Schreiber, Flickr Creative Commons

It’s no secret that grad school is no cake walk (I’ve hinted at this here). And while recruiters, alumni, and current students are quick to tell you how much work grad school is going to be (even though they never communicate it accurately), they fail to mention everything that you’re going to miss.

Sure, the list of activities I’m going to list below will vary based on everyone’s interests but they can boil down to one essential concept: free time. No matter what you do during your free time, the result of grad school is the same: less of it. With that said, here are some of the things that I deeply miss and can’t wait to take up again when I can finally put “MBA” next to my name:

• Reading for pleasure: I’m an avid reader (I average approximately 25 books a year), but since the start of school, I’ve replaced New York Times Bestsellers with Harvard Business cases. There will be a light at the end of the tunnel, when I can trade exhibits and data for fictional escape but, until that time comes, all you can do is put your head down and soldier on.
• Time with friends: Yes, weekends (for the most part) are still yours to play with but that’s essentially it. Between classes two nights a week, meeting with your group on group projects at least one, if not, two nights a week, and studying for those same classes, you can kiss your weekday evenings goodbye. Slowly but surely, the number of times friends asking you to go to a concert on Thursdays or grabbing a bite after work will dwindle down to none. The conversation tends to go like this: “Hey, do you want to … oh wait. You have school.” Sigh.
• Cooking: I really enjoy cooking, even if it is just a chicken breast and some veggies. Until school started, I would come home after work and my kitchen would be full of the aromas of a satisfying meal to come. Thanks to the commitments outlined above, I’m lucky if I remember to grab a granola bar for class, or come home to a bowl of cereal. That Bon Appetit subscription is clearly going to waste …

Now, don’t get me wrong. There are some things that you gain when you start grad school. It’s just that sometimes, you really miss what you lose.

How about you? What would be the biggest thing you would have to give up? Or did give up when you started grad school?

Image: Looking Back, Dr. Wendy Longo, Flickr Creative Commons