#2. You can clearly articulate what you hope to gain from the MBA.
By devoting ample time in advance to thinking about where you want to land, you will be best equipped to make the most of every moment in b-school.
Though it may change or evolve over time, it’s important to have a clear sense of what you hope to do after the MBA in order to make your time in business school as productive and effective as possible. Knowing the job function, or industry, you hope to enter upon graduation will position you to chart the smartest, most direct path to success.
Likened by many to “drinking from a fire hose,” business school is an intense experience from the moment you set foot on campus. Between classes, clubs, recruiting, and networking, (and, for part-time students, work and families), there’s little time left for sleep, let alone navel-gazing. By devoting ample time in advance to thinking about where you want to land, you will be best equipped to make the most of every moment there.
Here, too, what will best prepare you for the MBA happens to align directly with what admissions committees are looking for in applicants. Schools want their students to succeed, and they know from experience that those who have a well-researched plan for their future are those who most often thrive. Admissions officials are looking for candidates who not only can articulate their goals, but also are already taking steps toward achieving them. You want to be that candidate.