Choosing to pursue a master’s of business administration (MBA) degree is a major commitment. The time and money involved is substantial, especially if you must juggle both family time and a job. It is possible, though. The people profiled here went back to school mid-career and say it was worth all the schedule-crunching and expense. They tell us about being the “non-trad” older student, finding unexpected attraction to arcane topics, and reinvigorating their careers.

—Dave Zielinski

Cristina Lien

Senior Financial Analyst, Lawson Software

Tom Meier

Director of Operations and Support, RS Eden

Tom Pelletier

Finance Manager, Thomson Reuters

Giselle Restrepo

Consumer Insights Associate, General Mills

Steve Waters

Vice President of Sales, Marathon Multimedia