Work Experience
The classroom environment in business school is entirely different from that of undergrad. In an undergraduate-level lecture, the professor is responsible for teaching the material. The students’ role is to absorb that material, and may ask questions or participate in the classroom with the aim of reinforcing the material presented by the professor. In a business school classroom, the students have a much more active role in the educational process. The professor is more of a facilitator of discussion than a teacher. The professor mostly guides the classroom discussion and challenges students to think and solve problems.
The students do much of the teaching in a business school classroom. A business school classroom is comprised of students from a variety of backgrounds- from different countries, professions and industries, and with different values and upbringings. In the classroom, students are expected to bring knowledge and experience to the table that their fellow classmates can learn from. No wonder most top schools want at least two years of professional experience (average is about four years). In fact, it is nearly impossible to get into a top-ten business school without any post-undergraduate work experience.
Acquiring some real-world experience before returning to school helps you as well. Your developmental needs will become more apparent after some years in the working world. For example, you may have an interest in finance, but after working in your chosen profession, you may discover that you really need more specialized training in marketing. Hence, some work experience will make your two years in business school much more meaningful. You will get much more out of it.
There is no universal answer to this question. Some professionals return to business school after just two years, some after ten years. Business schools are more concerned with the quality of your experience rather than the quantity. They want to see that your work experience has enabled you to grow as a leader.
Finding your answer will involve some analysis of where you are in your career and where you want to go. Are you at the point where you can go as far as you can go with a Bachelor’s?
Think long and hard about how an MBA in combination with your work experience will promote your career and meet your long-term objectives- and be ready to explain it. You’ll be expected to describe this in your application essays and during your interviews. If you can’t explain this intelligently, you may want to reevaluate your reasons for getting an MBA.