7 Ways to Kick Start Your MBA Program

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• June 14, 2011
• By Kristen Creager
• 11 Comments

You’ve made it. After spending the past year studying for the GMAT, completing multiple applications and interviews, and anxiously awaiting decisions, you are only a few months away from entering business school full-time.

Now that you’ve been accepted to your dream MBA program, how can you best use your time this summer to make the most of your upcoming two-year investment?

Here are seven recommendations for how to prepare for your MBA program.

1. Make a smooth transition from work

If you’re enrolling in a full-time MBA program, chances are you’re saying goodbye to a full-time job. Make sure to give proper notice to your employer, whether or not you decide to take time off before b-school begins. Tie up any loose ends before leaving so you can have a fresh start at school. Try not to burn any bridges with any bosses or co-workers, since you never know how they could help your career in the future!

2. Get your finances in check

Complete all necessary financial aid and scholarship forms required for your school, and ensure that you have the proper funds for tuition, books and living expenses. Most MBA programs also require a laptop, which is another investment. You certainly don’t want to quit your job, move and then find out you don’t have the money to attend! Your school’s graduate financial aid representative can answer questions about subsidized, unsubsidized, Grad PLUS and other types of loans.

3. Brush up on the basics

Most MBA students are between the ages of 25 and 34, according to MBA.com. So if you’re anything like the typical MBA candidate, you probably haven’t taken a math, accounting or finance course in quite a while. Don’t worry! There are many refresher courses available to help you recall those skills — online “boot camps,” courses offered at your news school and extension courses at other schools are just a few examples. You should also start reading the Wall Street Journal to stay up-to-date on important business news. There are discount subscriptions available for students.

4. Start networking now

Informational interviews are vital to learn which post-MBA career path is right for you. Research companies that recruit at your b-school, select ones in the industry you’re interested in, and ask your school’s career center to put you in touch with some alumni who work for those companies.  Interviewing people who are current employees or past interns of companies is a great way to see what their day-to-day work experience is like. It will also put your name out there, and give you a solid contact for future internship or employment opportunities. You can also utilize Brazen Careerist, LinkedIn and other career websites to identify connections in your ideal field.

5. Find your dream internship

It may seem too soon, but many companies recruit for summer interns in the first few months of business school. Start researching which companies offer MBA internships by scanning  job websites and reaching out to your school’s career center. Find out what the qualifications are and which types of applicants land the internships. Make sure your resume is updated and ready to be customized and submitted.

6.  Claim and establish your brand

Each year, more companies are using the Internet and social media in their background checks on candidates. Now is the time to update your privacy settings on Facebook, take down that TMI high school blog and energize your LinkedIn profile. Google yourself often and consider claiming yourname.com for more control of your search engine results.

7. Get involved

Attend any orientations that your school offers and make an effort to meet your future classmates. If you plan on moving close to campus, move in early in order to settle in and get used to your surroundings. The transition from work back to school full-time may seem strange at first, but once you start to get involved, you’ll forget all about forgoing that paycheck!

Kristen Creager is a member of the Brazen Life Contributor Network. She will begin her MBA program this fall at The Paul Merage School of Business at the University of California, Irvine.

Brazen powers real-time, online events for leading organizations around the world. Our lifestyle and career blog, Brazen Life, offers fun and edgy ideas for ambitious professionals navigating the changing world of work.