So your students are applying for an MBA program. They’re studying for the GMAT, researching business schools, and practicing their interviewing skills. They’re on their way to a degree that will give them a competitive edge and expand their knowledge, skills, and opportunities in the business world! 

MBA programs are known for being both challenging and rewarding. Before students begin their first semester, here are some tips to prepare for success in an MBA program.

1. Brushing up on foundational business concepts and skills. 

Students may have an undergraduate degree in business and simply need to review what they’ve learned in the past. Or, perhaps this is their first exposure to business, and they need a crash course before applying for graduate study. Completing pre-MBA prep courses can give applications a boost and help students feel confident as they begin graduate coursework.

MyEducator’s MBA Prep resources prepare future MBA students for success with self-paced, bootcamp-style courses. Subjects include accounting, business statistics, economics, Excel, finance, marketing, and even English composition. Each resource includes the essential concepts students will need to know, along with videos, assessments, and a post-test to gauge their mastery of the subject. Watch the video below to learn more about our MBA Prep: Accounting course.

2. Building up professional identity and personal brand. 

What are your students’ long-term professional goals? Which business schools offer electives and programs that align with their interests and abilities? What do they hope to get from their experience in an MBA program, and what contribution do they hope to make to their schools and communities? Students may have thought about these questions already, but helping them gain a clear vision of their professional life will help them present themselves in the classroom and beyond in a way that aligns with their goals. 

Your students have probably spent time crafting the perfect résumé to send in with their applications. (If not, here are some tips for creating a stellar résumé.) But you’ll also want to remind them to do an audit of their LinkedIn and other social media accounts to ensure that they accurately represent personality, passions, and skills and align with professional vision. Students might consider getting high-quality headshots to use as profile pictures. On LinkedIn, students might highlight their successful small businesses, share relevant and timely articles from news sources, or set themselves apart from the crowd by asking for recommendations and skill endorsements.

3. Starting to network. 

Networking is one of the most important skills an MBA student can develop—it goes a long way to success in business school and in the corporate world. It can be particularly valuable for incoming students to talk to current students and alumni of the MBA programs they are considering. Students should be encouraged to ask for advice to help them make the most of their MBA experience and given opportunities to share their academic and professional goals. Expanding their network now may prove crucial when recruiting time comes around. 

Other ways students can network include reaching out on LinkedIn and attending networking events through their current organizations. Encourage students to see every interaction as an opportunity to get to know someone new. It’s also critical to maintain and build on existing networks. Those connections they establish and nurture may have a great impact years down the road.

4. Seeking out leadership opportunities. 

MBA graduates are leaders in their organization and industry. Students can start building their leadership abilities now! Help students seek out opportunities in their personal, professional, and social life to get involved and lead in activities they care about. Leadership involves developing good communication skills, setting and achieving goals, and influencing others to achieve a shared goal. Business schools pay careful attention to extracurricular activities, so combining leadership experience with meaningful extracurricular opportunities is a big bonus.

5. Staying up-to-date on the business world. 

Prepare students to be engaged, informed, and professional by encouraging them to read publications like the Economist, the Wall Street Journal, or Harvard Business Review. You might also consider publications related to specific areas of business to help students stay on top of current events and innovation in their fields. Students will be able to connect the things they’re learning to real-life events and be better prepared to be leaders in the business world. 

MBA programs are a demanding though exciting environment for many students. These tips will help them feel confident and prepared for the two years ahead of them! MyEducator’s MBA Prep resources will help students hit the ground running in their first semester of business school so that they can achieve their goals and realize their visions for their professional lives.