If you're looking for reasons to enroll in an MBA program, most people will logically tout career-, financial-, and academic-related motivators. If you want to get ahead, earn more, or take your education even further, then taking an MBA is one of the best decisions you can make. But there are other, more socially relevant reasons for taking your Masters degree—and while these reasons often can't be quantified, they're still a substantial part of any graduate experience, and have lasting benefits to all who choose to put themselves out there and make connections.

One way to get a sense of the MBA experience is by reading the testimonies (and endorsements) of recent alumni. When you find an excellent school, they should have a section of their website devoted to such post-graduate reflections. One of the things you'll notice about a great school is how enthusiastic, genuine, and positive its alumni are. In particular, you'll see recent grads celebrating all the social and interpersonal relationships that the MBA creates. Your time in graduate school is more than time just spent studying and completing assignments: it's also a chance for you to network, learn from, and debate with a diverse array of classmates, who often have years of work experience under their belts. Great graduate schools are places of international exchange, with students hailing from all corners of the globe ready to bring their own unique experiences and learn in the spirit of dialogue and exchange. Through team-building activities and group-leaning scenarios,you'll not only improve your ability to work with others and learn more about the world, but you could be creating lifelong friendships—and that's something so much more significant than any salary, tuition fee, or certification.

Another hallmark of the top business schools in the country is the quality and reputation of the faculty. It's extremely important to find professors who care about students not only as potential leaders, CEOs, and managers, but also as people, with complex histories, busy schedules, and different approaches to learning. While you should always be in search of teachers who are experts in their fields, able to combine practical examples from careers in business, accounting, and economics with theoretical achievements, also those who have a love of teaching and students, of seeing all sides of an issue, and of the community obligations and rewards of their profession. Like your peers, your professors may become lifelong friends and contacts, so always remember to research any institution's faculty before submitting your application.

Yet another part of the MBA social experience is of course tied to location. This is part of the reason that MBA programs at Wilfrid Laurier, for example, are so popular. With campuses located in downtown Toronto, attending Laurier means you'll be surrounded by the highest concentration of Canadian business executives in the entire country. You'll watch as thousands of successful, diverse, and ambitious members of the Bay Street business community file out of offices and studios each day, crowding social spots and restaurants, diners and bars and the TTC. It's the kind of networking and socializing opportunity that comes once in a lifetime, if you're lucky! So take advantage of schools like Laurier with metropolitan campuses (and reputations!) and start making meaningful connections.

When it comes to graduate school, you can opt for the bare minimum, or strive to squeeze every last drop out of the experience. As in life, school is always what you make of it. The more that your intended destination provides opportunities for networking, communication, and long-lasting relationships, the more you'll look back at your time taking an MBA with fond memories, and the more you'll realize that the socializing and bonding you did with your peers, professors, and associates was every bit as important as the time you spent hitting the books.