My MBA Admit Blog: Time constraints while applying for MBA - should you quit your job to prepare?

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Time constraints while applying for MBA - should you quit your job to prepare?

The GMAT raises concerns for all business school applicants, and for some more than others. All of my clients have complained of time pressures, and some have thought about quitting their jobs to be able to focus more fully on the MBA application process. I recently received a question on the ScoreChase forum wherein My MBA Admit answers questions and provides free profile evaluations for business school applicants Learn more

Candidate dilemma:

"I am not able to concentrate on my GMAT because of work. Will it be feasible if I leave my job and concentrate on the GMAT, or should continue my job and study side by side, which is very difficult for me? If I decide to leave my job, what will be the right time if I am targeting a MBA start date of AUG/SEP 2010 or JAN/FEB2011. I am in a dilemma and your guidance would help."

My MBA Admit:

You have brought up a point that most MBA applicants bring up at one point or another during the application process.

As My MBA Admit advises its clients, the MBA program itself is two years, but along with the application process that includes school visits and selection, rough and final drafts of essays, choosing recommenders and obtaining recommendation letters, finalizing financing, possibly providing follow-up information to initial applications and of course, preparing for and taking the GMAT, the degree from beginning to end is more like a three-year process.

With so many components going into your application, it is easy to feel discouraged. However, I would not advise you to quit your job to prepare for the GMAT. There are multiple reasons for this. The most obvious one is your career. A gap on your resume will lead to questions both from the AdCom and future employers. The MBA program as well as many post-MBA jobs require long hours and good time management skills, and there could be doubts on the candidate's ability to perform if he were to quit his job just to prepare for the GMAT.

Also, more pragmatically, quitting your job to prepare for a program that you have not been admitted to, is a risk. If you are not successful, you will have to look for another position, which is more difficult than before due to the current economic times. Finally, MBA programs are expensive - the more you have in savings, the less you will have to finance through a loan that you could otherwise conceivably be paying off for the next 20 years.

In summary, do not quit your job to prepare for the GMAT - take a temporary leave instead. If this is not possible, line up something else to do after you have taken the GMAT and before you potentially enter business school the following Fall - another job, participation in a non-profit, even a well-defined travel plan as a last resort. It would serve you well to have an experience that would enhance your candidacy both for MBA and future jobs, versus doing something that would raise questions for a reader reviewing your resume.

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