When is the Ideal Time to Pursue an MBA?

A Masters in Business Administration (MBA) can be a very beneficial degree. Professionals that hold an MBA tend to have better job opportunities and are more likely to get raises. You can consider pursuing an MBA at any stage in your career. However, the best time to enroll in business school tends to be several years into your career. Here are some reasons to consider pursuing an MBA if you have been in your professional career for a few years.

You Know What You Want

Some people want to pursue an MBA immediately after finishing college. They believe that they know exactly what they want and think that an MBA will put their career on the fast-track.

Unfortunately, it often takes a couple of years of experience to really know what you want to do with your life. You may believe that you want to be an investment banker. Seeking an MBA in finance may seem like the best way to get a great entry-level job. However, it can actually be a total waste of time if you don’t really want to work in investment banking.

It is better to work in an investment banking job for a couple of years first. This will give you the chance to decide whether or not you want to dedicate your life to the career. You may decide that the hours are too long or the work isn’t meaningful. This will give you the chance to choose a different focus when you start your MBA program. On the other hand, you may love a certain investment banking specialty after working for a couple years. You can choose classes that mesh with your career goals.

Better Opportunities

The vast majority of AACSB accredited business schools either require or strongly encourage applicants to have at least two years of work experience. You will have far fewer opportunities available if you try to apply to business school if you apply right after completing your undergraduate degree.

Prospective employers also prefer to see applicants received at least a couple years of experience before pursuing their degree. This reassures them that the applicant had a solid foundation when enrolling and knew what focus they wanted to pursue.

Time to Focus Your Career

While it is a good idea to have a few years of experience, you also want to make sure that you have tie to benefit from your MBA. You will have more time to find the direction that you want to focus on if you start pursuing your MBA a few years after receiving your undergraduate degree. This will give you plenty of time to realize the ROI that an MBA from a great school can provide.

If you are between 25 and 30 then you still have plenty of time to decide which direction you want to pursue with your career. However, time will pass quickly and you may find it will be a lot more difficult to change direction in a few years. It may be a good idea to start working on an MBA now instead of a few years later.