I completed my MBA program in just 6 months.
Yes, some people definitely thought I was crazy. And yes, at times, I even believed I was crazy.
For some details, I do work full-time. I started my MBA in June of 2019, and finished in October of 2019.
Because of how quickly I completed the program, my MBA cost just $4,000. For comparison purposes, a part-time MBA at the University of Minnesota would cost approximately $75,000 (52 credits at $1,442 per credit). This doesn’t include the cost of books, a $290 per semester administrative fee, parking, or any other costs that may come up.
It wasn’t easy, but in the end, it was so worth it. My MBA program, although quick, challenged me in new ways and taught me so much about business in life. Here’s how I got my MBA in 6 months.
Choose the Right Program
Since I worked full-time, I knew choosing the right program was essential for completing my MBA quickly.
When researching programs, I was shocked at the varying price of tuition and options. Some programs were all online, while some were in person. Some were a hybrid of both online and in person. The prices ranged from $4,000 to $30,000 per semester.
I researched programs online, but was quickly overwhelmed. So I started asking my coworkers and other connections in my field what program they completed. Several people came back to me saying they completed their MBA through Western Governors University, a nonprofit online school.
After hearing about Western Governors University (WGU), I got connected with one of their enrollment counselors. And I was shocked to hear how their program was set up and the very low cost of it. An online school worked perfectly with my schedule, plus I was only enrolled in one class at a time. To me, this was perfect for someone who works full-time. Since I only had one course, I was able to focus on that topic of study and work instead of several various courses.
This isn’t an advertisement for WGU, but I do highly recommend them if you are looking for an affordable, online school. However, some people need more structure or wouldn’t succeed in an online program, and that’s okay! Again, it’s all about doing the research to find the best school for you.
Know Your Budget
Since I had just finished paying off my student loan debt from my undergrad, the last thing I wanted to do was take on more student loan debt. So I wanted a program where I could pay out of pocket.
What really sold me on WGU in the end was their tuition arrangement. Each program is slightly different, but for my MBA, I ended up paying about $4,000 per semester. Each semester is 6 months long, and you can take as many or as few classes as you want in that 6 months.
This was my primary reason for wanting to complete my MBA so quickly. Even if I would have taken a year, the program would have only cost me $8,000, which is a great deal! So it came down to a matter of personal preference, and I knew the less time I had to spend in school, the better.
Plan, Plan, Plan
Completing an MBA program in 6 months while working full-time is no joke. I had to really goal-set and learn to master my time and schedule.
First, I laid out a master plan of when I anticipated completing every course. Since there were 11 courses in the program, I calculated that I could spend about two weeks on each course and still finish in 6 months. I gave myself deadlines for each course and kept it in a binder, where I referred to it daily.
I spent about an hour every Sunday planning out my goals for the week for both work and graduate school. I wrote down what assignments I planned to finish and any major work meetings or tasks. This helped me enter the week feeling prepared instead of overwhelmed.
Sure, it was overwhelming at first but I kept forcing myself to plan. Towards the end, I got so good at planning out my weeks that I was not overwhelmed at all, even during finals. I knew I had scheduled out time to do everything required of me, so I never had to be frantic. I simply had to trust my calendar.
Surround Yourself with Support
If you’re challenging yourself to complete something major, some people just won’t get it. And that’s okay.
Even now, when I tell people I got my MBA in 6 months, they are either in disbelief, skeptical, or they will continually question my decision. I had to learn to let go of the opinions of others and stick to my plan.
One of the best, but most underrated things I did in the beginning of my program was establish a strong support system. I needed people who really knew me and encouraged me. Further, I needed a support system who understood when I couldn’t do things with them because I had to study.
Luckily, my husband had also gotten his graduate degree while working full-time, so he knew how demanding it could be. My friends, family, and coworkers were always constant support systems for me and continually cheered me on, even through the most difficult of classes (I’m looking at you, Econ).
Say No
Lastly, I had to learn to say no.
Since I started my program in the summer, this was a tough one. I wanted to spend the summer on the beach or out with friends. But I had to say no to a lot of things in order to stick to my class schedule.
This wasn’t always easy, but it definitely is easier when your friends are your biggest supporters. Plus, the nice thing about completing a program in such a short amount of time is that you only have to say no to things for 6 months.
What Would I Change?
If I had to go back, would I change anything?
Truly, the only thing I think I would change is the time I started. Missing out on summer was really difficult, but it’s a small price to pay overall.
People often ask if I feel like I retained most of what I learned in school when I completed my program so fast. For me, I definitely think I do. I also think a lot of that is because my program was very applicable to my responsibilities in my full-time job so I was able to apply all of the information as I learned it.
Overall, I’m extremely happy with my program and the speed I completed it. I learned a ton about business and myself, and felt extremely supported along the way. Looking back, I wouldn’t have done it any other way.
Check out some of our favorite personal finance resources:
Are you getting the best credit card rewards? Check out the top cash back credit card offers (updated daily)
Make extra money: 15 ways to make money from your computer
Get the First Chapter Free!
Join our online community and get the first chapter of the book Student Loan Solution absolutely FREE!
