If your MBA experience is anything like mine was, it will be a whirlwind of activities, experiences, people and projects. At times it will feel like you can’t keep up, yet it will go by in an instant. To maximize your experience, I suggest using the summer before classes start to prepare. Here are my top five tips to get ready for business school:
- Plan
Think about what you plan to accomplish before beginning your program. What companies/industries do you plan to pursue? What experiences (case competitions, job shadows, internships, etc.) put you in the best position to land those opportunities? Who can help you with your goal (see next section)? Do you want to study abroad? If so where and when? What electives do you want to consider? Thinking through these questions beforehand will help you maximize your time once classes begin.
- Network
Now is a great time to meet your classmates, other students in the program, faculty, staff and alumni. You may ask the admissions team about starting a Facebook or Linkedin group for your incoming class. You may also want to reach out to alumni in your area to see if they can give you any tips about your program. If you live near campus, I recommend spending as much time as possible immersing yourself in the culture of your chosen school. It also makes sense to introduce yourself to the Career Success Center team and see if they have time to speak with you before the start of the term.
- Read
As a business student, you will do a ton of reading, mostly business cases. To prepare, I recommend reading every business magazine/journal/website you can get your hands on. As you are reading, ask yourself questions: “What is the main point of the article?” “What arguments does the author use to support his/her point?” “What circumstances, if true, would strengthen or weaken the argument?” “If I was the CEO, what would I do in this situation and why?” These exercises will prepare you for the type of critical thinking and analysis required for success in your coursework.
- Math Review
If it’s been a few years since you’ve solved a linear equation, this is a great time to review some fundamentals of mathematics. There are a lot of free resources, like Khan Academy (https://www.khanacademy.org/) and Academic Earth (http://academicearth.org/) you can use to reacquaint yourself with algebra, statistics and maybe even a little calculus, just for good measure (and to help in your economics class). If you really want to hit the ground running, you might consider taking some online courses from MBA Math (http://mbamath.com/). While not free, the site offers a great review of MBA-specific math skills.
- Relax
While it’s smart to use the summer before business school to mentally prepare for the adventure ahead, it’s also a good idea to relax and recharge your batteries a little. This may be your last opportunity for a while to read a book for pleasure, go on vacation, visit friends or enjoy a hobby. Take advantage of it while you can.
As always feel free to drop me a line or leave a comment with any questions or other suggestions.
Brian Precious is the MBA Program Director at Oregon State University. He can be reached at: OSUMBA@OregonState.edu.
