MBA Student Life

The Work-Life Balance of Mothers Who Attend Business School

Being a mother is a job in itself and having to do your MBA as a mother is also a task in itself. If you are reading this, you may be a mother curious to know what it is like to go to business school whilst you are taking care of your children. Very few women can say they can afford children without having to worry about a day of work.
The issue of mothers in business school is a critical one if business schools are going to reach their goal of increasing the number of women earning MBAs. According to a report by Forte Foundation, Female enrollment at business school hovers around 30% and a good number of schools are working to increase the number of women pursuing MBAs. About 35% of full-time graduate business programs and 22% of part-time programs have special outreach efforts to attract female applicants, according to the Graduate Management Admission Council (GMAC). So what can you expect when you are mother and also a student?
You will not have a lot of time and therefore ought to properly allocate your time. Sarri Kaganoff is an MBA Student at Chicago Booth and the co-chair of the Mothers at Booth student group. She was a portfolio manager for a trading firm in Israel and has plans to move into a consulting role. Moreover, she has two children. She devotes her mornings to classes, afternoons to her daughters, and evenings and Sundays to school work. When Ms. Kaganoff is asked about her experience, she says, “Most of the men I know, my husband included, don't have as much of the need, or the guilt, that we have. It's important for me to be with my kids during the week.” She also added that this allows her to focus on her children when she is with them.
A babysitter is also quite necessary. Some women feel guilty when they hire a babysitter as they feel they are neglecting their child. Elizabeth Bramson-Boudreau, an MBA graduate at London Business School this summer, wrote of the au pair she hired: “Although you will feel sad and even jealous watching your children cuddle her when you head out the door for an early-morning class, your children will learn that more people than their parents find them lovable and fascinating and maddening. They will learn to be flexible and accommodate differences.”
However, John Beeson, blogging for Harvard Business Review said that a work-life balance is a myth. It is quite hard to imagine the ambitious mothers, currently devoting significant time and energy to their children and also their careers to be fully satisfied.
You may also have a chance to bring your child to school as some business schools have taken measures to aid mothers and soon-to-be mothers. Whether it's a lactation room on campus for breast pumping or a club where mothers can meet to hash out parenting concerns, there is a growing demand for these types of offerings on business campuses such as Colombia University.

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