Mums Thinking Of Getting Into Business School Later In Life

Most older people, especially mums, are at a disadvantage when it comes to getting accepted into the world’s top business schools. Admissions officers are notoriously wary of accepting older applicants whose careers have stalled. Academic institutions are painfully aware that their graduates’ employment rates are crucial to their continued success. As a result, they are perpetually focused on accepting people whose careers are on an upswing.

Career changers are also a tricky area for them, as they hesitate to accept someone whose salary prospects could potentially be lower after their graduation than it was before they obtained their Master of Business Administration (MBA). According to Southern Cross University, it is typical for MBA graduate salaries to be around 50% higher after the degree has been obtained.

A 50% salary increase is a likely outcome if you earn an MBA and then continue in the same career – but if you earn an MBA in order to change careers, a 50% salary increase afterwards is far less likely. Again, the admissions officer must consider the possibility that career changers’ post-graduation salaries will have an adverse effect on their academic institution’s rankings in the media – and this can make them hesitant to admit such applicants.

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Getting Into Business School

So how do mums aspiring to be an MBA candidate get admitted to a top business school later in life? Consider the following 3 tips:

1. Show the Admissions Officers a Success Story in the Making

To convince admissions officers that you deserve a spot in their programme, you’ll need to have a clear and articulate idea of your career goals – and an equally clear understanding of how a graduate qualification in business will help you realise your goals.

Always keep in mind that the people in the admissions office anticipate being inspired and enthused by what they find in the applications they receive – so do your best to craft a compelling and inspiring story for them to consider as you reveal your goals to them.

2. Transform Your Age Into an Asset Rather Than a Detriment

MBA programmes are generally designed to encourage students to learn from each other. When you apply to a business school later in life, you bring a rich and unique range of life experiences with you. Your experiences could be significantly helpful to your classmates, and they could also serve to make you more attractive to potential employers after graduation. So be sure to emphasize any unique experiences that could set you apart from your younger peers in a positive way.

3. Consider an Executive MBA

Business school degree programmes don’t typically have upper age limits. However, they do have criteria for how much work experience they want each applicant to have achieved. It is typical for top-tier MBA programmes to prefer candidates who have achieved three to five years of work experience – but you might have accumulated five times that much experience.

In that case, an executive MBA degree may be a better choice for you than a traditional MBA would be. Executive MBA programmes are typically designed to allow the student to continue working full time while working towards the degree part-time. This type of programme is typically ideal for candidates who have at least 10 years of work experience.

Conclusion

There are multiple examples where an MBA has paid off handsomely for executives who earned the degree later in life. If you’re positive the degree will help you attain your career goals, use the above suggestions to help you get admitted and achieve your dreams.