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Dealing with Change

January 19, 2018 | Graduate Management Admission Council

Here are five ways to manage the transition into graduate business school.

So, you’ve committed to attending business school. And perhaps you’re wondering how to handle the changes that this major life decision brings. A great way to manage expectations and guide your transition process is to understand the various areas of your life that will be impacted. Research ways to get ahead of big transitions and the changes that will most affect your lifestyle.

1. Determine cost of living 

If you are relocating to a new area, get information from school admissions staff on the local cost of living. They can also tell you the best places to look for housing if you want to live near other students of like status, such as married students or students with children. 

2. Check out housing 

Few business schools offer on-campus room and board. If you plan to attend a school far from home, plan a trip to find a place to live. Your school’s admissions staff can recommend the best time to look for housing. 

3. Talk with your family

Your decision to attend graduate business school impacts those closest to you. Sit down and talk with your family to make sure everyone supports your decision to pursue a degree and understands how their lifestyle will change: 

  • You will be very busy, with little free time.
  • You are likely to have less money to spend.
  • You will need to complete homework assignments, so you may be unavailable to your family even when you are home.

4. Look up school-sponsored organizations for spouses or family 

Some schools offer support organizations for students with families, and they can be really valuable in assisting with housing and other issues. You will develop a new network of friends in school, and it will be really helpful for your family to have a new network, too. 

5. Help your spouse or partner find a job 

If you are relocating and your spouse plans to continue working, your school’s placement advisors can often offer suggestions on local search firms, temporary agencies, and other resources. Your spouse or partner might even want to consider an on-campus job, as most schools have active temporary employment offices.

Video: How should I prepare for graduate school after being out for several years?

Full Video Transcript

I think, you know, at Sasin we have pre-courses for students who have been out of the university environment for a long time. And so... and the quantitative courses are one of those... are the main courses for that. Statistics and things like that. So I know there are programs online that they can look at, refresher courses. What tends to happen in our programs is that the people who are very good at certain courses and who are probably younger, especially in the executive MBA program, they help the older students, and so the older students rely on the younger students to kind of give them a bit of help with the quantitative courses. So these days I think there are lots of ways you can go online and do some courses and prepare and, yeah, and get ready for studying and getting ready for your graduate program.