I was once asked to consider where I would like to be five years before I retire. After some thought, I came to the conclusion that I would like to be an independent consultant to a fortune 500 company. An MBA will increase my business acumen and marketability to make that dream a reality.

I wanted to earn an MBA that would carry weight in Western New York and beyond. UB and the School of Management’s national rankings ensured both ends.

I wondered if I would be able to keep up with the rest of the class because I hadn’t taken any business classes before. When I got to my first class, accounting, my fear was immediately relieved once the professor announced that the course was designed for students without previous accounting experience.

The EMBA helps balance my career—to do something that is so different from what I’ve been doing for decades but is still applicable to the business.

First, take advantage of an EMBA Preview Day—you’ll get to sit in on real classes and talk with current students. Then compare UB’s program to others and you’ll find that the UB EMBA program is world class. Finally, create a list of pros and cons, get buy-in at home and at work, and analyze how the degree can help you in your current role.    

• Be realistic with your time
• Surround yourself with positive and encouraging people
• Plan down time
• Ask for help early and often
• Set expectations
• Learn to say no
• Remain flexible and open to change

I’m halfway through the program now and I can already see differences in how I’m treated at work and how I process different situations in and out of work. As with any education, you come away with new perspectives and ways of processing your surroundings.

To measure my return on investment is impossible—my entire world is changing for the better as a result of this program.