10-Things-To-Do-Before-Your-MBA - - read online free

Sep 16, 2026

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MBA candidates invest substantial effort in applications, essays, and interviews, yet successful readiness depends on systematic preparation for the first year of coursework. This guide compiles practical, student-tested actions to complete before starting an MBA, beginning with organizing essential paperwork, documenting key items through copies, and using support networks. It also covers planning a pre-MBA internship to gain field exposure and developing recruiting readiness so resume, networking, and interview activities start from a stronger foundation.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryGeneral

FormatPDF

Pages10

Reading Time4 min

AccessFree to download

10 Things To Do Before You Start Your MBA Program

#1 Handle Your Paperwork

#2 Look for a Pre-MBA Internship

#3 Get Ready for Recruiting

Things To Do Before You Start Your MBA Program 10 Things To Do Before You Start Your MBA Program Throughout the business school application process, MBA candidates spend ample time filling out applications, writing essays, and even honing interview skills to successfully gain admittance to their institution of choice. But it is equally important to prepare for the first year of coursework, which will have along-reaching impact on your job prospects. For the past five years, I've studied and written about the entire MBA experience from application through graduation on my blog, MBASchooled, and in my latest book, MBA Insider. I spoke to hundreds of MBA students who have mastered their own MBA experience. Here are some of the top pieces of advice MBA students recommend to prospective students to do before they begin their MBA program . 10 Things To Do Before You Start Your MBA Program \#1: Handle Your Paperwork What it is Starting an MBA program requires various forms, signatures, approvals, etc. It can be overwhelming, especially because it sometimes means tracking down information or documents that you haven’t touched in years or, quite frankly, used at all. For example, Ariadne Sabatoski (Fuqua,‘20) was excited to move from Sao Paolo, Brazil, to Durham, North Carolina, with her husband to attend Fuqua, but she also had so much work to do.“You don’t realize how much work is involved, especially when you are moving to a new country.” Why it’s important Leading up to her move, Sabatoski had to do manythings to get ready, including filling out the necessary paperwork, finding an apartment and signing a lease, applying for student loans, getting her university transcripts translated, and tracking down her immunization records. She offers the following advice to other students, especially international students:“Take the time to make sure your paperwork is in order. It may seem tedious, but it's necessary.” | | Actions to take | | --- | --- | | Gather important documents and make copies
Make sure to dig up all the important documents, such as your social security card, birth certificate, driver’s license, etc. , and make photocopies of them.
Ask For Help
To stay on top of things, Sabatoski recommends staying connected with current students at your program who have a similar background as you. At Duke, Sabatoski took advantage of the “Fuqua Buddy” program where she was paired with a second year student with a similar background who was able to help answer her questions. | | 10 Things To Do Before You Start Your MBA Program \#2: Look for a Pre-MBA Internship What it is A Pre-MBA internship is exactly that – an internship in a desired field or function that occurs before you start your MBA program. Why it’s important Working an internship before business school is another chance to gain experience in and have exposure to a field of interest. It can be a valuable opportunity to develop new skills, try a potential new career, or position yourself for summer internship success. If you are able to find one, it can be a valuable opportunity to develop new skills or try a new career. For example, if you are an operations-focused individual who is trying to break into tech marketing, it might seem like a big leap. But it’s not if you have a few months at a tech start-up under your belt. If this is something you’re interested in, make sure to plan ahead. After his acceptance to business school, Nate Jones (McCombs,‘20) launched his search for a pre-MBA Internship in the Venture Capital and Private Equity industry. Nate’s hypothesis was that this was the career he wanted to pursue after business school, and he felt that an internship was a low-risk opportunity to see if he would like to work in the field. Using his network, Jones landed an internship at Kapor Capital, a company he previously met through an entrepreneur pitch competition. According to Jones,“A pre-MBA Internship can help s

FAQs

What should MBA applicants do first before starting the program?

Start by handling paperwork early—gather required documents, make copies, and confirm that necessary items and records are ready.

Why is a pre-MBA internship recommended?

It provides real exposure to a field of interest, helps develop new skills, and offers a low-risk way to validate career fit before the MBA begins.

How can students prepare for MBA recruiting before classes start?

Use the pre-term time to update core materials such as a resume and plan for early career activities like networking and interview preparation.

Sep 16, 2026

Upload by Cipher