Tips for Managing MBA Mental Health
Pursuing an elite MBA is an exhilarating journey filled with intellectual growth, career transformation, and new opportunities. However, the world is grappling with a lot of uncertainty right now. These external forces compound the already intense demands of both the application process and the academic experience, making it essential to prioritize MBA mental health.
The pressure to stand out among high-achieving peers, secure competitive internships, and transition smoothly into leadership roles post-MBA often leads to anxiety and burnout. Unfortunately, the fast-paced nature of business school leaves little time for self-care. That’s why applicants and students should develop strategies to support their mental well-being.
Addressing these challenges early can help MBA applicants enter business school with a resilient mindset, ready to thrive in the face of intense demands. Today, we’re exploring the mental health challenges faced during the MBA journey and providing actionable advice to help applicants, students, and graduates maintain balance and success.
Partnering with SBC is a great way to minimize MBA application stress. Contact us to discuss strategy during a free 15-minute advising session with an SBC Principal Consultant.
MBA Mental Health Considerations for Applicants
The marathon known as the MBA application process demands months of preparation, self-reflection, and strategic planning. This period can be particularly stressful for anyone juggling full-time work and personal responsibilities. Here are three common mental health challenges faced by MBA applicants and tips on how to cope:
1. Burnout During the Application Process
Balancing work, GMAT/GRE preparation, essays, and interviews can be overwhelming. Applicants should set realistic timelines and integrate self-care into their schedules. Regular exercise, hobbies, and breaks prevent exhaustion and safeguard MBA mental health.
By taking proactive steps, applicants can build a solid mental health foundation before entering business school, where the pressures often intensify.
2. Anxiety and Self-Doubt
Impostor syndrome is common among MBA applicants, especially those targeting top programs. The competitive nature of admissions can lead to self-doubt and anxiety. Applicants should know that they are not alone in these feelings. They should focus on what they bring to the table rather than constantly comparing themselves to others. Engaging a mentor or coach can provide valuable perspective and reassurance.
3. Rejections and Uncertainty
Not every application will yield an acceptance, and rejections can be disheartening. To maintain resilience, applicants should view the process as a learning experience. A rejection does not define one’s worth or future success. Practicing mindfulness and reframing setbacks as opportunities for growth can be helpful coping mechanisms.
MBA Mental Health Challenges for Students
Once enrolled, MBA students face unique mental health challenges, particularly during networking and job recruiting. The relentless pace and intense competition for coveted internships and job offers can create a high-pressure environment that tests students’ resilience. Here’s how to navigate these pressures:
The Stress of Networking
Networking is an essential part of the MBA experience, but it can be mentally exhausting for introverts or those unfamiliar with high-stakes professional conversations. The constant need to attend events, initiate conversations, and build relationships can lead to social fatigue and self-doubt.
Solution: When networking, prioritize quality over quantity. Identify key industry professionals and peers with whom you genuinely connect rather than attending every event out of obligation. Set realistic weekly networking goals to avoid burnout and protect your MBA mental health.
The Emotional Rollercoaster of Job Recruitment
The recruitment process is highly competitive, and students often face repeated rejections before landing an offer. This cycle can be emotionally draining and can impact self-esteem.
“Recruiting can also feel overwhelming if students are unsure of what direction they want to take or if students feel pressured to pursue a path because they see others doing it (we call this the ‘herd mentality’),” explains Maria Halpern, Well-Being Coach in the Office of MBA Career Management at the Wharton School.
“When students pursue opportunities that are not aligned with their own interests, strengths, and values, they experience more stress and may end up in roles that are ultimately not right for them.”
Solution: Develop resilience by focusing on what is within your control—preparing well for interviews, seeking feedback, and adjusting strategies as needed. Lean on career coaches, advisors, and supportive peers to maintain perspective.
“We work on clarifying core values, realigning with our strengths, and reconnecting with why students originally applied to Wharton,” Halpern notes. “Ultimately, this helps students build confidence around individual recruiting plans.”
Balancing Academics, Social Life, and Mental Health
The MBA experience is designed to be immersive, with coursework, social activities, case competitions, and leadership roles demanding attention. However, overcommitment can lead to exhaustion, particularly when students feel pressured to “do it all” to maximize their MBA experience. The fear of missing out (FOMO) can drive students to sign up for every opportunity, leaving little time for reflection and self-care.
Solution: Instead of spreading yourself too thin, be strategic about your commitments. Identify your core priorities early on—academic excellence, career advancement, or leadership development—and allocate your time accordingly. Consider setting non-negotiable personal time to maintain balance.
It’s also helpful to periodically reassess your workload. If you find yourself overwhelmed, be willing to adjust and drop non-essential activities. Lastly, lean on your MBA community. Many students experience similar pressures, and sharing concerns with trusted peers can offer reassurance and accountability in maintaining mental wellness.
MBA Mental Health Post-Graduation
Transitioning from business school back into the workforce presents its own set of mental health challenges. The sudden shift from an academic environment to high-performance workplaces, often in demanding industries, can be jarring. For many, the excitement of graduation gives way to pressure—whether it’s meeting employer expectations, rapidly climbing the career ladder, or managing personal and financial responsibilities.
One of the biggest adjustments is the loss of structure that business school provides. The MBA environment offers a built-in support system of classmates, career services, and mentors. Post-graduation, that network can feel less accessible, leading to feelings of isolation or uncertainty. To counter this, graduates should proactively maintain relationships with peers, mentors, and alumni networks, ensuring they have a reliable support system as they navigate new challenges.
Moreover, post-MBA roles—particularly in consulting, finance, and tech—often come with long hours and high-pressure environments. Without clear boundaries, work can quickly consume personal time, leading to burnout.
Establishing work-life balance early is crucial. This could mean setting non-negotiable time for friends and family, exercise, etc., for mental wellness in the workplace. Employers increasingly recognize the importance of employee well-being, and leveraging MBA-honed leadership skills to promote a healthy work culture can make a significant difference.
“I’d encourage students to build consistency around a ritual that provides an opportunity to get back to the present and connect with themselves, or with a trusted person or community,” Halpern suggests. “Perhaps it’s a standing FaceTime call with a long-distance friend from childhood, or a simple meditation or journaling practice.”
“Ideally, this is something that also helps connect you to the larger whole of life.”
Finally, it’s important to redefine success beyond external markers like job titles and salary. Career progression is a long-term journey, and the pressure to achieve rapid success post-MBA can be mentally draining. Graduates should give themselves permission to navigate their careers at their own pace, celebrate small milestones, and prioritize long-term fulfillment over immediate achievements.
Thriving Beyond the MBA
The mental health challenges MBA applicants and students face are significant but manageable with the right strategies. By prioritizing self-care, setting realistic goals, and leveraging support systems, both applicants and students can thrive in high-pressure environments. Ultimately, you’ll improve the MBA experience and contribute to long-term career success and overall mental health by preparing mentally for the journey ahead.
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Stacy Blackman Consulting offers multiple services to meet your MBA application needs. From our All-In Partnership to interview prep, essay editing, resume review, and much more, we’ve got you covered. Contact us today for a free 15-minute advising session to talk strategy with a Principal SBC consultant.
Here’s a snapshot of the caliber of expertise on our SBC team.
Ashley
Ashley is a former MBA Admissions Board Member for Harvard Business School (HBS), where she interviewed and evaluated thousands of business school applicants for over a six year tenure. Ashley holds an MBA from HBS. During her HBS years, Ashley was the Sports Editor for the Harbus and a member of the B-School Blades Ice Hockey Team. After HBS, she worked in Marketing at the Gillette Company on Male and Female shaving ...
×Pauline
A former associate director of admissions at Harvard Business School, Pauline served on the HBS MBA Admissions Board full-time for four years. She evaluated and interviewed HBS applicants, both on-campus and globally. Pauline's career has included sales and marketing management roles with Coca-Cola, Gillette, Procter & Gamble, and IBM. For over 10 years, Pauline has expertly guided MBA applicants, and her clients h ...
×Laura
Laura comes from the MBA Admissions Board at Harvard Business School (HBS) and is an HBS MBA alumnus. In her HBS Admissions role, she evaluated and interviewed hundreds of business school candidates, including internationals, women, military and other applicant pools, for five years. Prior to her time as a student at HBS, Laura began her career in advertising and marketing in Chicago at Leo Burnett where she worked on th ...
×Andrea
Andrea served as the Associate Director of MBA Admissions at Harvard Business School (HBS) for over five years. In this role, she provided strategic direction for student yield-management activities and also served as a full member of the admissions committee. In 2007, Andrea launched the new 2+2 Program at Harvard Business School – a program targeted at college junior applicants to Harvard Business School. Andrea has also served as a Career Coach for Harvard Business School for both cu ...
×Jennifer
Jennifer served as Admissions Officer at the Stanford (GSB) for five years. She holds an MBA from Stanford (GSB) and a B.S. in Chemical Engineering from University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. Jennifer has over 15 years experience in guiding applicants through the increasingly competitive admissions process into top MBA programs. Having read thousands and thousands of essays and applications while at Stanford (GSB) Admiss ...
×Erin K.
Erin served in key roles in MBA Admissions--as Director at Haas School of Business at UC Berkeley and Assistant Director at Stanford's Graduate School of Business (GSB). Erin served on the admissions committee at each school and has read thousands of applications in her career. At Haas, she served for seven years in roles that encompassed evaluation, outreach, and diversity and inclusion. During her tenure in Admissions at GSB, she was responsible for candidate evaluation, applicant outreach, ...
×Susie
Susie comes from the Admissions Office of the Stanford Graduate School of Business where she reviewed and evaluated hundreds of prospective students’ applications. She holds an MBA from Stanford’s GSB and a BA from Stanford in Economics. Prior to advising MBA applicants, Susie held a variety of roles over a 15-year period in capital markets, finance, and real estate, including as partner in one of the nation’s most innovative finance and real estate investment organizations. In that r ...
×Dione
Dione holds an MBA degree from Stanford Business School (GSB) and a BA degree from Stanford University, where she double majored in Economics and Communication with concentrations in journalism and sociology. Dione has served as an Admissions reader and member of the Minority Admissions Advisory Committee at Stanford. Dione is an accomplished and respected advocate and thought leader on education and diversity. She is ...
×Anthony
Anthony served as the Associate Director of MBA Admissions at the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania, where he dedicated over 10 years of expertise. During his time as a Wharton Admissions Officer, he read and reviewed thousands of applications and helped bring in a class of 800+ students a year. Anthony has traveled both domestically and internationally to recruit a ...
×Meghan
Meghan served as the Associate Director of Admissions and Marketing at the Wharton MBA’s Lauder Institute, a joint degree program combining the Wharton MBA with an MA in International Studies. In her role on the Wharton MBA admissions committee, Meghan advised domestic and international applicants; conducted interviews and information sessions domestically and overseas in Asia, Central and South America, and Europe; and evaluated applicants for admission to the program. Meghan also managed ...
×Amy
Amy comes from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania where she was Associate Director. Amy devoted 12 years at the Wharton School, working closely with MBA students and supporting the admissions team. During her tenure at Wharton, Amy served as a trusted adviser to prospective applicants as well as admitted and matriculated students. She conducted admissions chats with applicants early in the admissions ...
×Ally
Ally brings six years of admissions experience to the SBC team, most recently as an Assistant Director of Admission for the full-time MBA program at Columbia Business School (CBS). During her time at Columbia, Ally was responsible for reviewing applications, planning recruitment events, and interviewing candidates for both the full-time MBA program and the Executive MBA program. She traveled both internationally and dome ...
×Erin B.
Erin has over seven years of experience working across major institutions, including University of Pennsylvania, Columbia Business School, and NYU's Stern School of Business. At Columbia Business School, Erin was an Assistant Director of Admissions where she evaluated applications for both the full time and executive MBA programs, sat on the admissions and merit scholarship committees and advised applicants on which program might be the best fit for them based on their work experience and pro ...
×Emma
Emma comes from the MBA Admissions Office at Columbia Business School (CBS), where she was Associate Director. Emma conducted dozens of interviews each cycle for the MBA and EMBA programs, as well as coordinating the alumni ambassador interview program. She read and evaluated hundreds of applications each cycle, delivered information sessions to audiences across the globe, and advised countless waitlisted applicants. ×
Kate
Kate served in the MBA Admissions Office at Columbia Business School for over five years. In her capacity as an Associate Director, Kate advised applicants daily and reviewed hundreds of applications per cycle. She was also an applicant interviewer, a liaison to other offices within the School, and a CBS representative at events around the world. Kate managed several recruiting and operational projects for the Admissions Committee. After Columbia Business School, Kate transitioned into cam ...
×Holly
Holly worked as a member of the NYU Stern MBA Admissions team for seven years and holds an MBA from NYU Stern. In her tenure as Director of NYU MBA Admissions, Holly worked closely with admissions teams from Columbia, Michigan Ross, UVA Darden, Cornell Johnson, Berkeley Haas, Yale SOM, and Duke Fuqua on recruiting events domestically and internationally. On the NYU Stern admissions committee, Holly conducted interviews, planned and hosted events, and trained staff on reading and interviewi ...
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