Pursuing an MBA degree can be an important step for both students and working professionals. An MBA can help professionals strengthen their leadership skills, technical business knowledge, and can create opportunities for career advancement. At the same time, the path to completing a graduate business degree can be highly demanding, from balancing coursework with career responsibilities to preparing for competitive roles after graduation. That’s why understanding key MBA success tips can make such a difference.

At Keiser University, we’re proud to offer a flexible MBA program designed to meet the needs of today’s professionals. With online, on-campus, and hybrid study options, students can earn their degree on a schedule that fits their goals and lifestyle. 

Keiser also offers numerous specializations to choose from in addition to our general business administration track: 

Our  graduate-level instruction from dedicated faculty advisors, many of whom are also professors, provide personalized guidance throughout the program to help students connect their studies to real-world success. 

Before we dive into the lessons learned, let’s start with the basics: what is an MBA — and what does MBA stand for? 

What to Know Before You Start Your MBA

MBA stands for Master of Business Administration, a graduate degree that goes beyond the basics of business education and teaches leadership and technical skills needed to lead or manage a business. Many universities that both contain a business school and offer graduate-level instruction will offer an MBA program, often with numerous specializations to choose from. 

Before you dive in, it’s helpful to understand what makes the experience most rewarding. The early stages of your MBA journey will challenge your study skills, time management, and ability to adopt a strong student mindset — especially if you’re balancing coursework with full-time work or family responsibilities. Having some work experience before enrolling can make a big difference, giving context to case studies and discussions.  

Get into the MBA Student Mindset

If you do already have career experience, you likely have some firm opinions about what works and what doesn’t. That’s good: you’ve attained some success, and you should be proud of that success.

But don’t let that experience or success stop you from learning everything you can or experimenting with concepts you’re initially skeptical of. That’s the MBA student mindset: a willingness to learn and experiment, always in search of better methods or ways to improve your current workflows and habits.

With a basic definition and mindset in place, let’s jump into the 10 nuggets of wisdom “I wish I’d learned a lot earlier”.

1. Understand the Different MBA Specializations 

While a general MBA is right for some students, many will want to specialize according to their desired career path. Institutions offer a range of MBA specializations, and not every business school offers the same ones. 

2. Gain Work Experience First

Your MBA experience will be exponentially more valuable if you wait until you’ve gained some work experience in your desired field before you enter. Though it’s not impossible for an MBA student to enter the program straight from undergraduate study, doing so may not be the right choice.

Current career professionals who already have work experience and are seeking to further their skills tend to benefit more from the MBA degree because they have a framework and a context for applying the things they’re learning.

Many MBA programs offer professionals flexible terms and schedules so they can continue working while earning their MBA.

How Important Is Work Experience For an MBA? 

Before starting your MBA program, gaining professional work experience can make all the difference. Real-world experience provides the context that brings business theories to life, helping you understand not just what to do but why it matters. It also demonstrates the maturity, leadership, and decision-making ability that graduate-level study requires.Students who have spent time in the workforce are often better prepared to contribute meaningfully to class discussions as they can share insights from real business challenges. 

Many graduate schools prefer applicants with at least a few years of work experience, though requirements vary by institution. Some programs — such as Keiser University’s MBA — accept recent graduates who demonstrate strong academic performance and professional potential.  

3. Refresh Your College Hard Skills

For some, this may mean studying for the Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT), which is an integral element in some business school applications and may be required for admission to an MBA program. This isn’t a pass-fail exam; it’s a graded or ranked one, meaning the better you do, the better you’ll look to admissions departments. However, other schools do not require GMAT scores for some applicants – like Keiser University.

It may still be a good idea to refresh some of your college student hard skills before you start, even if you have significant business experience and don’t need to pass a standardized test. Maybe you haven’t written a formal college paper in a while, you can knock the rust off ahead of time. Revisiting research methods, APA formatting and even note-taking during a lecture can make the transition back to student life easier. Many business schools are aware of this shift for students and provide resources through their library or a writing studio.

4. How To Be A Successful MBA Graduate: What To Focus On

Success in an MBA program comes down to how you approach your classes, projects, and peers. Focus on sharpening your technical skills while practicing effective time management to balance coursework, networking, and personal commitments. Maintain a growth-oriented student mindset — stay curious, ask questions, and link classroom concepts to real business challenges. 

Engage fully in team projects, since collaboration is central to leadership development. Finally, use every resource your school offers — from career advisors to alumni connections — to guide your goals and strengthen your chosen MBA specialization. A proactive, organized approach can turn your graduate studies into a foundation for lasting professional success. 

5. Developing Your Soft Skills in an MBA

Think about the most successful businesspeople you know. Are they unpleasant to be around? Hard to talk to? Bristly or avoidant?

There are exceptions to every rule, but you’re probably answering “no” to all those questions. Most people who are successful in business are (or at least know how to be) kind, empathetic, communicative, gregarious, and so on. They typically communicate effectively and are good listeners.

In other words, they have developed soft skills.

Why does this matter? Because a master’s in business administration isn’t going to spend much time teaching soft skills.

You’ll learn about analyzing data and business theory and all sorts of information and theoretical concepts that will help you excel in business. But all the business data in the world can’t make you a better communicator. It can’t make you kinder or friendlier, either. Those skills are just as vital, and we can all improve from where we are. So, start by being involved, asking questions and connecting with others. As communicating is practiced through review of data, strategies, and asking questions, how to work together, communicate, succeed emerge!

6. Lean on Your Cohort

Some of the first connections you make won’t be alumni or faculty. The other students in your cohort are a resource worth investing in. Similar to your alumni network, your cohort has the potential to be your first points of connection into new businesses and markets. Some of them may even be potential employees of yours!

And in the short term, they can help you through the coursework. Learning in complete isolation is possible, but undergrad study groups exist for a reason. Imagine how much more powerful that concept can be in a graduate program where every student is intensely motivated to succeed.

7. Network with Alumni & Professors

Many master’s in business administration graduates report that the connections they made during their studies were nearly as vital as the studies themselves. Indeed, that’s one reason the Ivy League and similar programs can command tuition north of $200,000: the networks students form simply by being in those programs (and gaining access to formal alumni networks) pay dividends for years.

Your MBA program has plenty to teach you. But unless you’re already working for your dream company, you’ll need a network of connections over the course of your career to help you reach your perfect job.

8. Utilize School Resources

Your graduate institution has a wealth of resources to help you succeed. If you aren’t sure what’s available, asking your professor or advisor (or enrollment team, if not yet admitted) is an excellent place to start. Take advantage of what you can, from your professors to your advisor to other professional staff members dedicated to your success.

9. Preparing for Life After Your MBA

Your MBA program is only the beginning. As graduation approaches, start mapping out how you’ll apply your new leadership and technical skills to reach your career goals. Use your school’s career services and alumni network to explore opportunities that align with your MBA specialization and experience.

Strong time management, study skills, and networking habits built during graduate school will serve you well as you transition back into — or advance within — the workforce. Whether you pursue an executive role, launch a business, or continue in an online MBA environment for further study, thoughtful planning ensures your education becomes a catalyst for long-term success.

10. Remember: An MBA Degree Doesn’t Equal Guaranteed Success

People make the same mistake with their undergraduate degree or their chosen institution: no degree, no connection, nothing can absolutely guarantee career success. Yes, an MBA absolutely helps numerous professionals advance, work smarter, and offer more to their employers. But success still depends on an individual’s choices.

Can a master’s in business administration give you a leg up? Absolutely. Can it do the work for you? No.