Coming to an MBA from a non-business background

Sophie Kirtley, MBA ’25

The decision to come back to school for an MBA degree is not one to be taken lightly. Leaving a great job, forgoing a salary for two years and uprooting your (and possibly your family’s) life to move to a new place is daunting. While everyone who chooses to pursue an MBA has different reasons and goals, we have all had to weigh the trade-offs of coming to the program.

Personally, I had been out of school for five years before I began my MBA. Coming back to school was a weighty decision on a personal and financial level. Although I was steadily progressing in my career in the third-party logistics industry, I wanted to pivot slightly and learn more about other strategic areas of supply chain management. I also wanted to move my career into a more strategic space. Unfortunately, coming from a non-business background (B.A. in Political Science), I felt that I was lacking in business acumen in relation to many of my colleagues. I realized that the next step towards building a career that I wanted was to pursue an MBA.

As I wrap up the first year of my MBA, I am happy with my decision to join the Broad MBA program. Although I was initially reluctant to give up an income and leave Chicago, and as I even doubted my academic ability, I feel that the benefits of the program outweigh any of these negatives. I have been presented with opportunities for case competitions and internships that would have never been in my reach before. Despite the program being overwhelming at times, I ultimately feel that my classes have taught me to analyze and solve business problems from a variety of different angles. Finally, I have had the opportunity to meet classmates and friends from diverse backgrounds, with whom I would have never crossed paths had we not met in the program. Reflecting on my first year of my MBA, I am grateful for the opportunities I have had and look forward to seeing what my second year will bring.