We are delighted to welcome a strong cohort of over 420+ students on campus in September! As part of our annual tradition, Carolina Guerrero & Macarena Arce, Co-Presidents of MBA Class of 2025 share some valuable advice for the incoming class of MBA 2027.
Dear Incoming Class of 2027,
First of all, take a moment to let this sink in. You did it! You earned your place at IESE, one of the world’s best business schools. This is no small feat, and you should feel genuinely proud of everything you’ve accomplished to get here.
Before the whirlwind begins, celebrate yourself for a minute. You deserve it.
Over the next two years, you’re going to experience something unlike anything you’ve ever done. It will be intense, rewarding, exhausting, and transformative, sometimes all in the same week. As you get ready to start this journey, we wanted to welcome you and share here a few things we wish someone had told us before we started.
Get Out of Your Comfort Zone
IESE is the perfect place to try the things you never thought you could do. Join that club you’d normally skip. Attend all dinners and events hosted by the Geo Clubs, dance at Multiculti, explore Barcelona’s hidden corners, taste Catalan food, and learn a few words of Spanish, or a lot. The more you open yourself up to new experiences, the richer your journey will be.
It can feel tempting to stick to what you already know, but the magic often happens when you take a step into the unknown.
Go to the events that sound intimidating. Introduce yourself to people you wouldn’t naturally approach. Try new activities even if you feel like you won’t be good at them. This is a place where you get to start fresh, so experiment and see what happens.
You’ll never have another time in your life quite like this, with so many cultures and perspectives surrounding you every single day. Say “yes” more often. You might be surprised by what you discover about yourself and the people around you.
Career Opportunities: Have a Plan, But Stay Open
If you’re coming in with a clear career goal, that’s fantastic. Stay focused. But if you don’t, or if your plans change (and many of ours did), that’s also completely fine.
Use every resource around you: the Career Development Center, your classmates, alumni, professors, and the countless networking opportunities you’ll find in unexpected places. Talk to second-years and ask them about their stories. You’ll realize quickly that everyone’s path is different, and there is no single “right way” to build your career here.
Explore industries you’ve never considered. Attend company presentations even if you’re unsure they fit your profile. And if something doesn’t work out the way you hoped, turn the page and move forward. This place is full of doors you didn’t even know existed, so go knock on them!
Remember that your career is a marathon, not a sprint. Be patient with yourself. Trust the process (you’ll end up tattooing this phrase by the end of the MBA). You might discover passions you hadn’t imagined before you arrived.
This is an Academic Challenge and a Personal One
Everyone talks about the workload and the cases, but fewer people prepare you for how much personal growth happens here. You’ll be pushed in ways you can’t predict: your resilience, your confidence, your sense of self, everything will evolve.
There will be moments when you feel stretched beyond what you thought you could handle, and that’s normal. Be kind to yourself in those times. Talk to your friends, ask for help, take breaks, and remember you don’t have to prove anything to anyone. Everyone struggles, even if they don’t always say it out loud.
Take care of your mental health. Rest when you need to. Find rituals that ground you, whether it’s exercise, meditation, journaling, or simply a walk in the city. These two years are a marathon, not a sprint. The pressure can feel overwhelming, and it’s okay to feel like you don’t have it all together. None of us did.
This experience will teach you not just about business, but about who you are, what you value, and what kind of leader and person you want to become.
People, People, People
It’s tempting to stick with the first small group of friends you find, and you’ll probably meet some of your closest people early on. But don’t stop there. Everyone came here with something to teach you, and everyone came here to grow and become a better version of themselves.
Make the effort to get to know your classmates beyond your section or your own region. You will be constantly amazed by the stories, cultures, and perspectives around you. These are the people who will inspire you, challenge you, and support you in ways you never expected.
The connections you build will become one of the most valuable parts of this experience. Years from now, you’ll look back and realize that your best memories weren’t just about the classes or the trips, they were about the friendships you made. Staying in your comfort zone can feel easy, but don’t let it keep you from meeting incredible people.
Be genuinely curious about others. Listen to their journeys. Cheer them on. Let them cheer you on too. Show up for each other.
Quality In, Quality Out
At IESE, you’ll hear it over and over: what you put in is what you get out. And it’s true. If you show up prepared, if you’re proactive, if you push yourself to engage fully, you’ll leave here transformed.
This is the time to challenge yourself to be better every day. Participate in class discussions, even when you struggle to raise up your hand. Volunteer for projects that feel ambitious. Offer to help classmates who might be struggling. Share your experience, and learn from theirs.
The more effort, curiosity, and heart you bring into this experience, the more it will give back to you. This is a unique chance to grow into the person you want to become, both professionally and personally. Show up, work hard, and embrace the ride.
Remember, this is your time to let go of the old and step boldly into the new. You have everything you need to make the most of it.
Finally, enjoy it! Take photos. Laugh a lot. Reflect often. These two years will fly by faster than you think, and you’ll look back and realize just how much you’ve grown.
Welcome to the adventure of a lifetime. You’ve earned your spot here, and we can’t wait to see everything you’ll accomplish.
With all our love and encouragement,
Carolina Guerrero & Macarena Arce, Co-Presidents of the IESE Class of 2025
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