MBA Student Life

Hello everyone

This is an oft-ignored topic and funnily, the one topic on google that does not have enough information. So, I decided to start this topic here so that some of the current MBA students can chip in.

I am a prospective MBA applicant, planning for R2 this year. I am based in India and have an investment banking job. I also have a 9 month old baby. If I start school next fall, he will be 1 year and 9 months at the time. For obvious reasons, I will not be leaving him behind for 2 years.And my husband will not be accompanying me -- as one of us needs to keep a job and continue earning!

So, my question is this -- which are the schools which have some policy, some student groups etc. dedicated towards or at least accepting the fact that some of the students can be moms (and not some of the students can be parents, which basically means dads!)

I have gone through some blogs on Booth, HBS, Stern, Columbia etc. but would love to know from the students themselves. Do they have classmates who are moms? What is the school doing to provide a support ecosystem for such students? Is there a larger community involvement?

My school selection will naturally depend on the comfort I get from schools on these aspects.

Would love to hear from HBS, Stanford GSB, Booth, Wharton, Columbia, Stern, INSEAD particularly.

Thanks in advance, for contributing.

Cheers!

I'm not at any of your target schools, but I'll say that here at Tepper, I know of at least one full-time MBA mom. We also have a Partners Club that could be a resource for moms, so I'd recommend looking into a similar club at your favorite schools.

I think every B-Schools are Mom friendly, I had classmates who were married and had children, and were still persuading full time MBA Course, friendliness happen when you tend to meet people of your age with same situation you're in, In half of the MBA schools there are people who are either married and also have kids, So when it come to education such things shouldn't be looked it need to be ignored.

I completely agree that this is an ignored topic, and I am really glad you are bringing it up. While I am a guy and can't speak directly, my sister got her MBA at Kellogg while she was raising my nephew who was a toddler (this was 3-4 years ago). She told me she was really intimidated at not only the vast logistical elements, but also in being viewed differently. She said that she surprisingly found the community really supportive, and found an informal community of moms, and they bonded over their experience. She told me that the profs were really understanding and there were various services she utilized there. So that is the most qualitative info I have. I actually go to HBS now, but none in my network are moms, though I know there are existing accommodations. Good luck! -MJ