Ask EMBA World

[EMBA World]

EMBA World is pleased to announce its partnership with AdmissionsBoards.com to help members with questions regarding the executive MBA. At EMBA World, our recent book publication and upcoming speaking events, plus this terrific forum with AdmissionsBoards.com will help address your business school options and help you identify and define your graduate business education options.

Jason Price
Director & Author
EMBA World
The Executive MBA: An Insider’s Guide

[Jeff_M]

Hi,

I’ve recently taken the GMAT and wasn’t very impressed with my score at all (670). I’ll be retaking it shortly and shouldn’t have any trouble bringing it up to the mid 700’s at all (I bombed the math section but had a nearly perfect score in the verbal section).

After the test I started receiving email’s from Wharton congratulating me on my testing and giving me information on their Executive MBA program. It seems pretty interesting and from a high level view looks like it might be a good match for me. Do you know how competitive the executive program at Wharton is? Can I assume I’ve passed their minimum academic requirements and my admissions decision will be based on my essays, resume and interviews? Should I prepare differently for the interviews for an executive program then for a normal MBA program? Will my work experiance of only 5 years count significantly against me even though I’ve been manageing projects from day one?

I apologize for the rather broad, open ended questions! I’m just looking to get a feel for what to expect. Thank you for you time and expertise!

Jeff

[EMBA World]

Hi Jeff,

Thanks for posting your question and I will attempt to address each of your questions. First, EMBA World is an organization dedicated to helping individuals understand their business school options, particularly as it relates to the Executive MBA. Therefore, judging business schools is not our strength. We leave that to the pros. Rankings are by definition subjective and despite a degree from a prestigious and competitive program, like Wharton, the success of your career is really up to you.

Starting with your scores, the GMAT should be taken seriously and a score of 670 and above should qualify you to attend most any business school. Congratulations and yes you have passed their score requirements but not the mandatory years of work experience.

Your track record at work is excellent but five years is on the short end. Usually the minimum is 7 years of work and for good reason. The EMBA draws upon the collective work and talent within the classroom. In a traditional program you will be with very bright and highly motivated people, but with up to 5 years of work experience. With the EMBA, a fully accredited MBA, you will be with CEOs, doctors, lawyers, and business professionals who have had a minimum of 7 and as much as 25 years or more of work experience. Not only will you study a company going IPO chances are you will have classmates who have experienced it first hand. Will one or two more years of work experience add value to your two years in the classroom, absolutely, especially since you only have 5 years of work experience. If you had 20 year than 1 or 2 more years won’t have an increasing marginal benefit as at 5 years.

If you postpone or apply to the EMBA you should approach the interview with a much more collegial attitude but of course still treat it as professional, corporate, etc. Know the program and its mission, focus, and areas of study and strength ahead of time and formulate how you will add to the program. Our book details several chapters on questions to ask in the interview as well as a detailed review of how to prepare. Remember, you are selling yourself: your team work, global experience, project management experience, maturity, foreign languages, etc., all are valuable characteristics that you bring to the classroom—this is important.

You can read more and most of all you should know all your options before making this big financial and time investment. Of course, I cannot help but suggest visiting http://www.embaworld.com which is a free resource meant to help employees and employers understand their business school options.

Best of Luck,

Jason Price
Director & Author
EMBA World
The Executive MBA: An Insider’s Guide

[JasonW]

How does the WV University EMBA program rank opposed to other programs? The lectures in the WVU EMBA program are conducted via virtural classrooms. Do you see any potential problems with this type of learning?

[EMBA World]

Hi Jason,

Judging rank and superiority of one program over another can be unfairly subjective. EMBA World never comments or judges programs. But you do raise a good point regarding the style and delivery method. A purely electronic delivery of an education is appealing to certain people. It depends on learning styles. I will comment that much is missed when the interaction between student and professor and among students is lost. Due to work schedule and habits the interaction may not be possible and no doubt you will still get a solid education. However, the EMBA is traditionally small classes made up of highly motivated people, the networking is fantastic and the EMBA leverages the classroom work expereince. I know that I would have missed a lot by not being present for heated discussions and debates and all the tacit knowledge one gains from the classroom exposure. I would suggest investigating further to determine if the entire program or certain classes are via computer, this may be more amenable.

Let us know if you have any more questions by visiting http://www.embaworld.com.

Thanks,
Jason Price
Director

quote:

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Originally posted by JasonW

How does the WV University EMBA program rank opposed to other programs? The lectures in the WVU EMBA program are conducted via virtural classrooms. Do you see any potential problems with this type of learning?

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Jason Price
Director & Author
EMBA World
The Executive MBA: An Insider’s Guide

[kerrigad]

I am interested in hearing opinions on how recruiters/others in the financial services industry view executive mba programs from top schools (i.e. UPENN, Chicago, etc.) versus part-time programs from top schools (i.e. NYU, Northwestern) versus full time programs from the top schools. I have approx 7.5 years of experience and am interested in returning for an MBA. I am not looking for a career change; however, I would like to hedge my bet by going to the best program possible. I am open to executive programs and part time programs, but don’t know how they would be viewed by others. This may sound silly, but I honestly have a deep desire to learn and expand my point of view in a top notch program. By way of background, I have taken the GMAT and have done reasonably well (730) and have solid undergrad grades from a good, but far from Ivey, program. I have reached out to others in the field and have gotten mixed info (exec programs are great; exec programs are weak; exec programs rank ahead of part time; part time programs rank ahead of exec programs). I appologize for the rambling nature of this message and will owe a debt of gratitude for anyone willing to weigh in.
Thanks in advance.

[EMBA World]

Dear Kerrigad,

Thank you for your question. To start with, your MBA is an MBA and this is what will say on your diploma. It is a competitive degree on par with a full and part time program. The reputation of the EMBA varies and it may be best to gauge where the company stands on this before mentioning EMBA, not as a means to hide anything but the reality is that there is a lot of misinformation. A knowledgeable HR will probably be impressed at your ability to juggle a full time job plus school. The EMBA also rides the reputation of the business school. Although a school may have a full, part time, and EMBA, this may result in 3 different rankings. So I would look into this as well.

Jason Price
Director & Author
EMBA World
The Executive MBA: An Insider’s Guide

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