Studying for a Master in Business Administration (MBA) is an excellent opportunity to help you advance in your career. It also equips you with entrepreneurial skills to help you effectively run your business. But between the admission and the graduation days, there are many assignments to complete, projects to submit, and a lot of time you need to spend studying. All these will count on your qualifications and will determine whether you’ll be awarded an MBA certificate or not.
Most students don’t start their MBA program immediately after completing their undergraduate degree programs. Instead, they first spend many years building their entrepreneurial careers before they can think of going back to class for an MBA program. Alternatively, some of them would like to get rid of their student debt as soon as they can.
The good news is that you don’t have to leave your full-time entrepreneurial work to pursue your studies. It’s possible to come up with a class schedule that allows you to continue working full time and at the same time continue with your studies. You only need to do thorough research to find out which school offers the best online MBA program of your choice where you can study without a lot of hassle.
This article has all that you need to know about getting an MBA when you’re a full-time entrepreneur and will help you make the right choice for your studies. By reading it until the end, you’ll gain a lot of knowledge on how you can balance between your studies and work. However, before you do continue, watch this video:
Choose A Part Time Online MBA Program
As a full-time entrepreneur, going for a full-time MBA program can’t be your option. A full-time MBA program will require you to devote all your time to studying and attending classes, which means you’ll have no time to run your business. That’s why you need to choose a part-time online MBA program that’s specifically scheduled for working students.
A part-time online program will allow you to adjust your class schedule according to your free time. It also allows you to choose the best online MBA program that suits your current entrepreneurial professional career.
Just like a regular MBA program, a part-time online MBA program is equally recognized and valued by employers worldwide. It allows you to receive high-quality education as you would have gained through a regular class program.
The only difference between regular and part-time online programs is the amount of time you need to spend. Enrolling in a regular program, you need to spend two years. Enrolling in a part-time online MBA program, on the other hand, may require you to spend two to three years.
Plan For A Flexible Work Schedule
Studying while working isn’t that easy. It requires to be good at time management to ensure none of the two is compromised. So, it would be helpful to have a schedule that accommodates your work and your studies.
You can achieve that by coming up with a flexible work schedule that will allow you to attend part-time online classes. For instance, you can have a work schedule that enables you to finish your day work early, maybe for one or two days, to attend an online afternoon class.
You can also decide to have a two-hour lunch break to allow you to take your lunch snacks while attending some lectures. You can also work from home, if possible, to eliminate the time lost when commuting to work and create more time for your studies.
Plan Your School Projects In Advance
Working full-time and studying online can sometimes be overwhelming. You can even forget to submit your classwork and projects on time, especially if your business is keeping you busy. That’s why you need to establish a plan on how everything should be done without delay.
Mark on your daily calendar the dates you expect to be busy on your work or must travel for a business tour. Determine how these busy work schedules will affect your studies, and adjust accordingly. Consider the following scenarios and think of plans on how you can avoid losses on your business:
- Are you supposed to attend a conference the same day you’re required to sit for your exams or submit a project?
- Is it possible to send one of your employees to represent you in some of these business meetings?
- Will your test schedules clash with busy work weeks?
Such considerations will make it easier to plan for your school projects in advance.
Possess A Device That Allows You To Study Anytime, Anywhere
Acquiring an online MBA program will require you to own a smart gadget that will allow you to study online. There are so many devices nowadays that can allow you to install many apps and tools to help you multitask and complete your school tasks within a short time.
With such devices, you can schedule your time and help keep a balance between your work and studies. For instance, you can use these gadgets to read the study materials of your MBA program during your commute to or from work. You can also use them to attend virtual business meetings.
Seek For Help Where Necessary
While most people think that an MBA program is meant to help advance one’s own career and needs no assistance, sometimes you do need help. You’ll need to ask for help when you’re stuck.
Your lecturers, classmates, and even your friends who are MBA graduates can help make your study journey easy. You can consult them whenever you find yourself in a very challenging spot.
Prioritization Is The Key To Success
Studying online while working for a full-time entrepreneurial professional job involves a lot of activities. So, learning to prioritize is the key if you want to succeed in both undertakings.
You must be able to quickly identify which among all the activities needs urgent attention and which ones can wait. That will help you balance between your career and studies.
Takeaway
A part-time online MBA program is the best option if you’re looking to fit higher learning education into your busy entrepreneurial life. It allows you to continue advancing your career experience while still studying. Online MBA programs require a lot of focus, especially when you’re a full-time worker.
