Online MBAs: Top Graduates Share Their Best Advice

“The experience is what you make it.”

It’s the go-to response everyone hates to hear. Thinking about quitting a job? Complaining about tight budgets? People want validation. They don’t want to hear they’re part of the problem. And they certainly don’t to be held accountable for fixing it.

The same is true of business school, particularly online MBA programs. Crushing courseload? Wake up earlier and stay up later. Lost in your Financial Accounting course? Lean on a classmate or attend faculty office hours. Overwhelmed? Exhausted? Can’t get to everything? Set clearer expectations with your family and employees. Whatever you do, don’t get lost in the short-term tasks at the expense of the long-term benefits.

“It may sound cliché, but you really do get out what you put in,” explains John Behrens, a 2024 graduate of the iMBA program at the University of Illinois Gies College of Business. “To thrive in an online MBA program, I believe it’s critical to make the effort to be actively involved, meet your fellow learners, attend online and in-person meetups, organize some meetups of your own—find avenues for connection and take advantage of them. I’ve had the opportunity to serve as a student ambassador and executive board member of our Graduate Business Association, which have enriched my experience immeasurably.”

Geno Malaty, a spring graduate from Arizona State’s W. P. Carey School’s online MBA program, echoes Behrens’ sentiments. “The more effort you put into your MBA, the more you will get out of it. This applies not only to actual learning but also to building new connections. Push yourself out of your comfort zone, attend networking events if you can, take advantage of meet-ups, and join a study abroad course if given the opportunity. Don’t just do your assignments, take your quizzes, and check the boxes — you’ll miss the most important (and most fun) part of the MBA if that’s all you do.”

Behrens and Malaty are two members of Poets&Quants’ Best & Brightest Online MBAs from the Class of 2024, an honor reserved for the top graduates at the top schools. This year, P&Q ask this year’s recipients to share their advice to future online MBA students. Here are their insights on the biggest opportunities and pitfalls inherent to pursuing an online MBA degree.

1) Be Reasonable In Scheduling Classes: “Some working students want to get it done as quickly as possible and try to schedule too many classes at the same time. Life is busy, and taking multiple classes will add to that. Take your time and take in the learning.”
Greg Woolen, Baylor University (Hankamer)

2) You Belong In This Program: “Don’t let grades get in the way of knowledge. You bring unique value to the table, and pursuing an MBA confirms your desire to learn and grow. It takes courage and determination to take on such a challenge, and you should be proud of yourself for taking this step.”
Rachel Grusin, Boston University (Questrom)

3) Pace Yourself: “Don’t try to do too much too early. The online MBA program is a long grind, especially when combined with your day job. Even though there are a lot of exciting opportunities to explore when you first enter the program, you have to take care of yourself and make sure you don’t burn out.”
Jason Chan, Carnegie Mellon (Tepper)

4) Connect With Your Fellow Students. “You can do the work in your own time, but you don’t have to do it alone. I learned so much with and from the other people on my course – not just in the group assignments but through conversations and online chats throughout the course. Studying alongside a full-time job can also be tough, and it helps to share those frustrations and challenges with someone who is in the same situation.”
Jocelyn Tillner, ESMT Berlin

5) Understand Your ‘Why’: “Have a clear motivation for why you are pursuing an MBA. This motivation will be crucial for facing the challenges, enduring long nights, and dividing your time between your MBA, work, and life. It will help you maintain direction, focusing your energy and time on what will support you in achieving your goal.”
Marisol Morales Martínez, IE Business School

6) Choose Mostly Synchronous Instruction: “I needed the structure of that to be successful, and to keep me on task and accountable. It worked well for my family, too, to know that each Tuesday (or Wednesday or Thursday, depending on the semester), I was committed and busy. Asynchronous courses were much harder for me to set aside time for, and there was far less engagement with other students in the class. Discussion and engagement are the best part, so don’t miss it!
Forest Harger, Lehigh University

7) Leverage Your Community For Support and Collaboration: “Surround yourself with peers who bring diverse skills and backgrounds to the table, as this can greatly enhance your learning experience. Don’t hesitate to reach out for help if you find yourself struggling with a particular subject or concept. I had a tough time in Financial Accounting. By connecting with a classmate who shared similar challenges, we formed a supportive study group. Meeting weekly to review materials, work through ideas, and provide mutual encouragement not only helped me grasp the material better but also resulted in a lifelong friendship.”
Kitty Whitehead, University of North Carolina (Kenan-Flagler)

8) Be The One Who Steps Up: “Ask every question you have because everyone else has the same question but is too afraid to ask.”
Jason DeMattia, Southern Methodist University (Cox)

9) The Only Obstacle Holding You Back Is Yourself: “You are in the driving seat, monitoring your priorities and managing your career and future. Commit what you can to the MBA – network, research and learn – all with the confidence that the staff are there to enable you to achieve success. There is no dream too big or problem they haven’t seen before. So decide what you want and then go for it.”
Sasha Kirkham, Warwick Business School

10) Don’t Mistake ‘Flexible’ for ‘Relaxed’: “The commitment, time, and effort required to earn an MBA degree, whether online or in-person, are the same. The material delivery method may change, but the content itself does not. Also, you will need to put in extra effort since you are in control of your time, which is a great way to learn autonomy.

Most courses provide a well-defined syllabus at the beginning of each term. This clarity helped me effectively plan ahead and develop a schedule that aligns my academic responsibilities with my professional and personal commitments. Of course, unexpected circumstances may arise, but at least it’s a good pathway to follow because you can easily find yourself behind without proper time management.”
Rita Elizabeth Saikali, University of Massachusetts-Amherst (Isenberg)

“It is often these constraints that allow us to optimize life and our experiences. If you decide an MBA is the right move for you, dive in head-first, be in class when you are in class, be at work when you are at work, and (most importantly) be at home when you are home. The experience can transform you, in a very positive way, if you let it. There aren’t many investments better than an investment in yourself.”
Ken Frederick, University of North Carolina (Kenan-Flagler)

DON’T MISS: BEST & BRIGHTEST ONLINE MBAS: CLASS OF 2024