You Can Do It All - Get a Part-Time MBA

What do you want to do after a nine-hour work day? Maybe let off some steam at the gym, cook your family a gourmet meal, or just plant yourself on the couch and let your mind shift into relaxation-mode. Chances are, sitting in a classroom for a few hours and then going home to do some obligatory reading doesn’t rank on your list of “fun post-work activities.” But for the thousands of students who work full days and earn part-time MBAs in the evening, the day doesn’t end at 5 p.m. Two years into my career, I decided to pursue my Masters of Business Administration. There were a number of reasons why the timing was right for me–simply put, I was bored, relatively commitment-free, and ready for a challenge. In this increasingly competitive work environment, I needed to do something to set myself apart from my peers. I’m lucky enough to work for a company that has a well-known tuition reimbursement program for continuing education. That being said, I still had to make my case before my boss in order to get her approval. I researched the specific school and program in which I wanted to enroll and compiled a brief list of reasons why the degree would benefit me and, in turn, the company. Because I’d done my homework, the conversation with my boss went smoothly, and she eagerly approved me. Tuition-reimbursement programs are great, but a word of advice: before you ask your employer to pay for your MBA, make sure that you feel some loyalty. Most companies require you to sign a contract in exchange for their tuition payments, and you must promise to keep working for them for a number of years after you finish school. Some programs also require that you keep a minimum GPA to qualify for reimbursement. Make sure you’re committed to keeping up your end of the bargain. But whether or not your company finances your MBA, there’s tremendous value in completing an MBA while holding a full-time job. Most importantly, you’ll be able to transfer skills learned in the classroom directly into the workplace and treat your office as a “learning laboratory.” You also might find, as I did, a palpable difference between professionals earning an MBA at night and full-time MBA students, especially regarding classroom engagement. Evening and weekend MBA classes tend to be highly interactive, with students contributing their own experiences to discussions, whereas full-time MBA classes can be much less participative. The working professional brings more confidence, more motivation, and a toolkit of working knowledge that greatly enhances the learning environment for everyone. Of course, this enhanced experience comes with a price. We all know the importance of maintaining a work-life balance. It’s a huge adjustment to go from being accountable for forty hours of work a week to spending upwards of sixty to seventy hours combining work, classroom time, and studying. This doesn’t leave quite as much time for fun and spontaneity, but it does teach you to become adept at time management and to prioritize effectively. As a working student, you’ll discover what’s most important to you and how to make time for what you love. I rise at 5:30 a.m. in order to get my gym workouts in before my hectic day begins. My weekends are no longer a time to sleep in; instead, they become a time to conquer some homework early in the day. I am often asked by friends and family (who don’t see me quite as often as they used to): is it worth it to you? My definitive answer is: absolutely. Since beginning my MBA one year ago, I’ve already been promoted two levels, and I don’t see myself plateauing any time soon. My MBA classes have made me more engaged at work, and they’ve given me “stretch” opportunities that prove I can do more than my job description requires. I have a broader knowledge base, and I look at my company with a greater understanding of what is going on behind the scenes in departments beside my own. In mingling with professionals from different industries, my insight and perspective into the business-world has become much keener. The experience of taking MBA courses in tandem with working in the field has encouraged me to look at problems that my company faces and ask why. I look at problems as opportunities to add value, and I have become a proponent of positive incremental changes. In this day and age, those are the hard-to-define qualities that make an employee irreplaceable.