Start with the End Goal in Mind
Applying to business school is an exciting and life-changing decision. But with so many programs to choose from, it can quickly become overwhelming. There’s one critical factor that many prospective students overlook: their end goal. What do you want to achieve, and how can business school help you get there?
Going after an MBA without a clear idea of your post-MBA aspirations can lead to unnecessary confusion and missed opportunities. However, thinking about your end goal from the start empowers you to shape your business school experience. Here’s why thinking about your future career goals now is one of the most important steps you can take before hitting that “submit” button on your application.
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The Path to Success Looks Different for Everyone
Your post-MBA destination is highly personal. It’s about your unique journey and what you want to achieve. Are you looking to climb the corporate ladder and take on leadership roles? Are you an aspiring entrepreneur ready to launch the next big thing? Or maybe you want to pivot into a completely new industry—finance to tech or healthcare to consulting. Whatever your destination, it’s essential to remember it as you navigate your business school journey.
Some MBA students dream of becoming VCs or entering private equity, while others may want to focus on social impact or non-profits. Still others envision themselves leading global companies or taking on strategy or operations management roles. Each career goal requires different skills, experiences, and networks, all of which should influence the type of MBA program you choose.
All general management MBA programs will provide you with the fundamentals of core management skills. The next step to determining fit requires finding how well the programs align with your post-MBA career goals.
For example, applicants with an entrepreneurial itch may want to target schools with a strong startup culture near innovation hubs like Silicon Valley or New York. If your goal is career advancement within a specific industry, you should research MBA programs with internships and an extensive alumni network in that sector.
Avoiding the “Wrong Fit” School
Not every elite B-School is right for everyone. Avoid the trap of choosing a school that doesn’t align with your end goal. For instance, an MBA program emphasizing finance and consulting might be perfect for someone who wants to break into Wall Street. However, it could be less helpful for someone passionate about sustainable business or tech startups.
Listen to B-Schooled Episode #157: 12 School Selection Considerations *Beyond* the Rankings
Look for programs with electives or concentrations that match your career objectives, and whose faculty members are thought leaders in your desired field. That way, your time in business school will be spent gaining relevant knowledge and building connections, not struggling through a curriculum that doesn’t suit your needs.
Think of Your End Goal When Designing Your MBA Experience
With your end goal at the top of your mind, you can make intentional decisions throughout your MBA experience. Whether you’re considering full-time, part-time, or executive MBA programs, the clarity of your future vision will guide you in maximizing your time in business school.
For example, if you’re aiming for a tech career, you might focus on business analytics, product management, or even coding electives. If consulting is your dream career, you’ll want to join consulting clubs, case competitions, and internships that give you real-world problem-solving experience.
Your end goal will also shape the kind of networking you do. MBA programs offer extensive networking opportunities—career fairs, alumni events, speaker series, etc. But if you’re unclear about what you want to achieve, it’s easy to get lost in the noise. By knowing where you’re headed, you can seek out connections that can provide value to your long-term goals and target industries that match your career plans.
Securing Internships and Job Offers
Your end goal will majorly impact your internship and job search during your MBA. Many MBA students make the mistake of accepting internships or job offers simply because they are available or pay well, without considering if those roles align with their broader career ambitions.
Internships are golden opportunities to test-drive industries, functions, and even companies. Whether that means interning at a startup to gain entrepreneurial experience or joining a transnational corporation for exposure to global markets, your internship should be a stepping stone, not just a summer job.
The Long-Term Benefits of Goal Alignment
The clarity you gain by thinking about your end goal won’t just help you during business school—it will benefit you for years to come. Business school is a transformative experience. But if you don’t align it with where you want to end up, you may feel unsatisfied or struggle to reach your career aspirations. You might find yourself in a job that doesn’t excite you or in an industry that doesn’t align with your values.
When you start with the end in mind, your MBA journey becomes more than just an education—it’s a strategic investment plan for your future. From choosing the right classes and internships to building a supportive network for your career goals, having a clear vision ensures you maximize every opportunity business school offers.
Remember, the MBA is not a one-size-fits-all degree. When you take the time to reflect on your future aspirations and plan your path accordingly, you’ll set yourself up for a more fulfilling and successful career—whatever that may look like for you. So, start with the end in mind, and let that guide you toward the right business school for your unique journey.
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Stacy Blackman Consulting offers multiple services to meet your MBA application needs. From our All-In Partnership to interview prep, essay editing, resume review, and much more, we’ve got you covered. Contact us today for a free 15-minute advising session to talk strategy with a Principal SBC consultant.
Here’s a snapshot of the caliber of expertise on our SBC team.
Ashley
Ashley is a former MBA Admissions Board Member for Harvard Business School (HBS), where she interviewed and evaluated thousands of business school applicants for over a six year tenure. Ashley holds an MBA from HBS. During her HBS years, Ashley was the Sports Editor for the Harbus and a member of the B-School Blades Ice Hockey Team. After HBS, she worked in Marketing at the Gillette Company on Male and Female shaving ...
×Kerry
Kerry is a former member of the Admissions Board at Harvard Business School (HBS). During her 5+ year tenure at HBS, she read and evaluated hundreds of applications and interviewed MBA candidates from a wide range of backgrounds across the globe. She also led marketing and outreach efforts focused on increasing diversity and inclusion, ran the Summer Venture in Management Program (SVMP), and launched the 2+2 Program during her time in Admissions. Kerry holds a B.A. from Bates College and ...
×Pauline
A former associate director of admissions at Harvard Business School, Pauline served on the HBS MBA Admissions Board full-time for four years. She evaluated and interviewed HBS applicants, both on-campus and globally. Pauline's career has included sales and marketing management roles with Coca-Cola, Gillette, Procter & Gamble, and IBM. For over 10 years, Pauline has expertly guided MBA applicants, and her clients h ...
×Geri
Geri is a former member of the Admissions Board at Harvard Business School (HBS). In her 7 year tenure in HBS Admissions, she read and evaluated hundreds of applications and interviewed MBA candidates from a diverse set of academic, geographic, and employment backgrounds. Geri also traveled globally representing the school at outreach events in order to raise awareness for women and international students. In additio ...
×Laura
Laura comes from the MBA Admissions Board at Harvard Business School (HBS) and is an HBS MBA alumnus. In her HBS Admissions role, she evaluated and interviewed hundreds of business school candidates, including internationals, women, military and other applicant pools, for five years. Prior to her time as a student at HBS, Laura began her career in advertising and marketing in Chicago at Leo Burnett where she worked on th ...
×Andrea
Andrea served as the Associate Director of MBA Admissions at Harvard Business School (HBS) for over five years. In this role, she provided strategic direction for student yield-management activities and also served as a full member of the admissions committee. In 2007, Andrea launched the new 2+2 Program at Harvard Business School – a program targeted at college junior applicants to Harvard Business School. Andrea has also served as a Career Coach for Harvard Business School for both cu ...
×Jennifer
Jennifer served as Admissions Officer at the Stanford (GSB) for five years. She holds an MBA from Stanford (GSB) and a B.S. in Chemical Engineering from University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. Jennifer has over 15 years experience in guiding applicants through the increasingly competitive admissions process into top MBA programs. Having read thousands and thousands of essays and applications while at Stanford (GSB) Admiss ...
×Erin K.
Erin served in key roles in MBA Admissions--as Director at Haas School of Business at UC Berkeley and Assistant Director at Stanford's Graduate School of Business (GSB). Erin served on the admissions committee at each school and has read thousands of applications in her career. At Haas, she served for seven years in roles that encompassed evaluation, outreach, and diversity and inclusion. During her tenure in Admissions at GSB, she was responsible for candidate evaluation, applicant outreach, ...
×Susie
Susie comes from the Admissions Office of the Stanford Graduate School of Business where she reviewed and evaluated hundreds of prospective students’ applications. She holds an MBA from Stanford’s GSB and a BA from Stanford in Economics. Prior to advising MBA applicants, Susie held a variety of roles over a 15-year period in capital markets, finance, and real estate, including as partner in one of the nation’s most innovative finance and real estate investment organizations. In that r ...
×Dione
Dione holds an MBA degree from Stanford Business School (GSB) and a BA degree from Stanford University, where she double majored in Economics and Communication with concentrations in journalism and sociology. Dione has served as an Admissions reader and member of the Minority Admissions Advisory Committee at Stanford. Dione is an accomplished and respected advocate and thought leader on education and diversity. She is ...
×Anthony
Anthony served as the Associate Director of MBA Admissions at the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania, where he dedicated over 10 years of expertise. During his time as a Wharton Admissions Officer, he read and reviewed thousands of applications and helped bring in a class of 800+ students a year. Anthony has traveled both domestically and internationally to recruit a ...
×Meghan
Meghan served as the Associate Director of Admissions and Marketing at the Wharton MBA’s Lauder Institute, a joint degree program combining the Wharton MBA with an MA in International Studies. In her role on the Wharton MBA admissions committee, Meghan advised domestic and international applicants; conducted interviews and information sessions domestically and overseas in Asia, Central and South America, and Europe; and evaluated applicants for admission to the program. Meghan also managed ...
×Amy
Amy comes from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania where she was Associate Director. Amy devoted 12 years at the Wharton School, working closely with MBA students and supporting the admissions team. During her tenure at Wharton, Amy served as a trusted adviser to prospective applicants as well as admitted and matriculated students. She conducted admissions chats with applicants early in the admissions ...
×Ally
Ally brings six years of admissions experience to the SBC team, most recently as an Assistant Director of Admission for the full-time MBA program at Columbia Business School (CBS). During her time at Columbia, Ally was responsible for reviewing applications, planning recruitment events, and interviewing candidates for both the full-time MBA program and the Executive MBA program. She traveled both internationally and dome ...
×Erin B.
Erin has over seven years of experience working across major institutions, including University of Pennsylvania, Columbia Business School, and NYU's Stern School of Business. At Columbia Business School, Erin was an Assistant Director of Admissions where she evaluated applications for both the full time and executive MBA programs, sat on the admissions and merit scholarship committees and advised applicants on which program might be the best fit for them based on their work experience and pro ...
×Emma
Emma comes from the MBA Admissions Office at Columbia Business School (CBS), where she was Associate Director. Emma conducted dozens of interviews each cycle for the MBA and EMBA programs, as well as coordinating the alumni ambassador interview program. She read and evaluated hundreds of applications each cycle, delivered information sessions to audiences across the globe, and advised countless waitlisted applicants. ×
