Prologue to the journey ahead — MBA in the times of COVID

Working from home for the past 6 months — yes, I had to read it twice 6 months!! since the pandemic craziness started to affect our lives! As we are all adjusting to the new world and the new way of doing things, I decided to take the plunge and start my Evening and Weekend MBA (EWMBA) program at UC Berkeley, Haas School of Business. A lot of people have asked me — ‘How does an MBA provide value remotely?’ Some experts argue that an MBA program loses its value when remote, whereas others believe that now more than ever, is a great time to start an MBA program. I lean towards the latter point of view and I will summarize my reasons at the end.

My classes just started and I am full of excitement for the future. People have rightly said that the main value of MBA is the ‘network’ we build, and I had my apprehensions on getting that value out of the program especially when we are remote for the first semester and only hopes, but no surety of when we can actually be on-campus. But boy, am I pleasantly surprised! Haas has an amazing residency orientation program for the entering class, which had to be remote for the class of 2023. It was beautifully planned and executed by the Program Office spread over 2 weeks and it was as engaging as it could be! The activities ranged from case study discussions, keynote by the dean and Haas alumnus to inclusive happy hours and friendly cohort competition activities (which we won! go, Axe!)

I already know so many of my classmates, their aspirations, their hidden talents — and did I mention this all happened before the classes started!

In my classes so far, the experience has been quite unique — there is active participation from students and some very interesting side discussions on the class topics. As a silver lining, some of the students who otherwise tend to stay quiet are more actively participating. The professors and the technology support teams have tried really hard to make it as close to a physical experience as they can.

Considering my experience so far, here is what I feel in terms of starting my MBA now:

1. Length of the program: EWMBA is a 3 year long program, so even though the first semester is virtual for now (with plans to make it a ‘hybrid’ experience depending on the situation), I am hopeful that we will get to experience the on-campus program as well once the pandemic dies down.
2. Starting early: Given the extra effort everyone has put in to compensate for the real-life networking, I do not see the need to wait for another semester and delay getting the degree.
3. Flexibility: A lot of my colleagues at Haas were planning to commute from all over the US and even Canada. Being remote gives them the flexibility to participate without shelling out the extra $ on flights, hotels, etc.
4. A chance to learn: I see this an opportunity to learn closely from the experts — their research, experiences, and views on the pandemic and its consequences on the economy and the future of start-ups. Navigating life, work, stress of the pandemic, and MBA will create resilience, self-awareness, tenacity in our characters as we emerge on the other side.

I am hoping that this tremendous participation continues and we learn from one another throughout this journey. Working together in these unusual, challenging times will be an opportunity for us to rise.

PS: All the views are my own — please reach out if you have any questions!