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Harvard and Stanford Alums: The Benefits of Business School

Business school is more than just learning business.

For many MBAs, the real value of business school lies in the community, the opportunity to travel, and the leadership skills gained.

At least, that’s what MBAs at Stanford and Harvard tell Business Insider.

MAKING CONNECTIONS

One of the biggest benefits of the MBA is the community you join.

Coral Chung, Stanford GSB class of 2011, says learning outside of the class “is arguably more valuable” due to the community aspect.

“Relationships with classmates, creating lifelong bonds, and having this incredible community of creative, entrepreneurial, and talented people who are all aligned in wanting to change the world — it’s so powerful,” Chung tells Business Insider. “I truly felt that I found my kindred spirits. In fact, our class is so connected that we created an annual reunion hosted in cool cities around the world.”

For Dilan Gomih, who received her MBA from HBS in 2019, the MBA community taught her how to take risks.

“You have to trust that going to business school isn’t an opportunity cost — it’s an investment in opportunity,” Gomih tells Business Insider.

Experts continuously stress that a big part of the MBA is the connections you make within the b-school community.

“The professional network you build at business school will extend beyond your peers to include contacts outside of your program: you’ll interact with professors in the classroom and during global immersions, business leaders on and off campus, working alumni, and other professional connections at networking events,” according to The Princeton Review.

TRAVEL

Global immersions are also an integral experience that many MBAs say are valuable.

“When I interviewed for Stanford GSB as part of the application, my interviewer said that her biggest regret during business school was that she didn’t take advantage of the amazing travel experiences,” Chung tells Business Insider. “I took that to heart and went on pretty much every global trip possible, to India, Brazil, [and] Japan, [and] did an internship in Paris and more.”

For Chung, these experiences served as “an incredible opportunity to get exposed to different cultures and become more of a global citizen,” Chung tells Business Insider.

LEADERSHIP

Leadership in an MBA program will benefit your resume. For many MBAs, leadership positions are also valuable because they offer opportunities to build friendships and connections.

“I think that the best way to get to know classmates and faculty is by working on a project alongside them, ideally one in an area that [you are] passionate about,” Triston Francis, HBS class of 2019, tells Business Insider. “That is precisely what I got to do on a regular basis through my role as student body co-president, and it led to some of the strongest friendships that I will cherish for a lifetime.”

Sources: Business Insider, The Princeton Review.

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