Posted by The moment I knew I was in trouble came when I fell asleep mid-sentence during a Zoom class again. Juggling work, school, and finances during your MBA? Learn practical strategies from someone who survived the grind without burning out or going broke. My professor’s voice crackled through my headphones as my forehead hit the keyboard. Between my 50-hour work week, evening classes, and the mountain of student debt growing daily, I was running on fumes. But through trial and painful error, I discovered it is possible to balance work, school, and finances without losing your sanity. Here’s what three years in the trenches taught me.
The Art of Ruthless Prioritization
MBA programs bombard you with endless opportunities guest lectures that sound fascinating, networking events that promise career-changing connections, case competitions that could pad your resume. Early on, I made the mistake of trying to do it all, convinced that saying no to anything would mean missing out. The turning point came when I collapsed with exhaustion after three straight weeks of working days, attending classes at night, and squeezing in networking events on weekends.
I learned to evaluate every opportunity through three critical questions. First, would this directly help me land my target job or was it just interesting? Second, was this truly a unique opportunity or something that would come around again? Third, what would I need to sacrifice to make this happen? This framework helped me skip generic networking mixers in favor of targeted meetings with alumni in my desired industry. It meant passing on fascinating electives that didn’t align with my career goals. And yes, it resulted in the painful decision to miss two close friends’ weddings because they conflicted with mandatory residencies I couldn’t reschedule.
Financial Triaging 101
MBA programs love to talk about return on investment, but rarely discuss how to survive the cash flow crisis during the degree itself. I developed a system of financial triage that kept me afloat. The first rule was distinguishing between “good debt” and “dangerous debt.” Taking federal student loans to cover tuition made sense, the rates were reasonable and repayment flexible. Putting living expenses on high-interest credit cards did not.
I became ruthless about finding hidden financial relief. My university offered emergency grants few students knew about, I applied for every one. Tax credits like the Lifetime Learning Credit put thousands back in my pocket each year. I negotiated with my employer to count certain class projects as work assignments, turning academic requirements into paid hours. Even small wins mattered, renting textbooks through Amazon instead of the campus store saved me $600 one semester.
The Energy Budget
Time management advice falls flat when you’re constantly exhausted. What worked better was managing my energy like a finite budget. Mornings became sacred for analytical work when my mind was fresh, I’d wake at 5 AM to tackle finance problem sets before work. Lunch hours were for reading case studies. Evenings, when I was drained but still needed to participate, became my discussion and networking time.
I discovered unexpected energy boosters. A 20-minute power nap in my car between work and class made me more alert than three cups of coffee. Recording lectures and listening during my commute turned dead time into productive time. Most importantly, I learned to schedule one guilt-free recovery day each month where I did nothing but sleep, eat decent food, and reconnect with people who reminded me why I was doing this.
Building Your Support Brigade
No one survives this journey alone. My professor became an unexpected ally when she noticed my slipping grades and helped me restructure my course load. A classmate’s spouse started a meal-prep collective that saved our study group countless hours and takeout bills. Even my barista played a role, remembering my order so I could grab coffee without breaking stride between work and class.
The most crucial support came from unexpected places. My employer agreed to flexible hours during finals week. An alumni mentor reviewed my resume during her commute. Older MBA grads shared their hard-worn budgeting templates. Pride is the enemy here, the students who struggled most were those too embarrassed to ask for help or admit they couldn’t do it all.
The MBA finish line seems impossibly far when you’re working full-time and watching your debt grow. But the same strategic thinking you’re learning in class can be applied to surviving the experience itself. What feels unsustainable now becomes manageable when you stop trying to do everything and start focusing only on what moves you toward your goals. The diploma matters, but the resilience you build getting there matters more.
References
National University. (2025). 71 MBA statistics and trends for 2025. https://www.nu.edu/blog/mba-statistics/
Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Sloan School of Management. (2024). MBA employment report 2024-2025 (PDF). https://mitsloan.mit.edu/sites/default/files/2024-12/MBA-Employment-Report-2024-2025.pdf
Validated Insights. (2025, January 15). MBA enrollments and completions tick upward: Reports validated insights in new research. Business Wire. https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20250115433325/en/
Poets & Quants. (2025, January 15). Is the MBA poised for a rebound? New research finds upward trends in MBA enrollment, jobs, more. https://poetsandquants.com/2025/01/15/is-the-mba-poised-for-a-rebound-new-research-finds-upward-trends-in-mba-enrollment-jobs-more/