Three Things I Wish I Had Known Before Starting My MBA Journey

For incoming Full-time MBA students at Georgetown’s McDonough School of Business, classes begin with the Opening Term. Opening Term serves as an introduction to the curriculum and provides the building blocks for the remainder of their MBA experience. The Opening Term courses include Leading Teams for Performance and Impact, which draws from behavioral science research and professional practice to provide a focused experience in leadership development, and the Structure of Global Industries, which provides an immediate immersion into international business.

We spoke with Gyu Byung “Ben” Lee (MBA’20) about his experience during Opening Term and what advice he would offer to incoming Full-time MBA students.

Before I came to Georgetown to pursue my MBA, I worked as a pharmacist. My primary responsibilities were wearing a white coat, verifying and dispensing doctors’ prescription orders, and counseling patients. That said, I can honestly tell you I did not have any traditional business education until I started the MBA program. After I completed my first semester with the rigorous Opening Term and “quant-heavy” courses, I wanted to share my reflections on my journey to provide incoming students with guidance as they prepare to start their own MBA experiences. 

1. Do your homework

Once you are committed to the Georgetown MBA program, you are given access to the Smartly education platform, which contains basic coursework on accounting, statistics, and Microsoft Excel skills. Do not overlook or skim through these courses.  I recommend taking your time to develop a good understanding of these concepts. The courses are designed for students with no background in finance or business and are explained concisely. Spending some extra time on these preparatory courses will lay a strong foundation for your upcoming accounting and statistics classes and will ultimately pay a big dividend once the semester begins.

2. Start networking early by participating in pre-MBA events

Make sure you look at eligible pre-MBA events and take advantage of these opportunities prior to the start of the program. The events range from diversity and inclusion events such as Consortium and Forté conferences to career-specific recruitment events. Most of these are sponsored by Fortune 500 companies around the country and can be tremendous networking opportunities. By getting involved early, you can jumpstart recruitment and also gain a deeper understanding of your industry or position of interest. 

3. Time management is key

A piece of advice given to me by an alumnus from Deloitte has stuck with me: “When trying to do too much during the MBA, you end up doing nothing.” It is imperative to balance your time between academic, social, and recruitment priorities based on your interests and goals. When I first began my MBA, I overlooked the importance of time management. Once the semester began, I quickly noticed how fast my calendar filled up with multiple group projects, club meetings, and employer presentations. It was very easy to fall into the trap of taking on more responsibility than I could effectively manage. So, always remember to optimize your calendar and do not lose sight of your main priorities.

Georgetown McDonough is a great place that will transform your career and present you with numerous exciting opportunities. If you optimize your time and prioritize your tasks, I am confident that you will have one of the best times of your life in this program and get the full return on your investment.