This post is in regards to the invitation to interview for the Executive MBA program at Darden. First of all, congratulations to those of you in this position - even though this may not be the program you applied to, or prefer at this point, I do want to say that the program has a stellar reputation and some great features that might be attractive to you.
To provide a bit more context, the biggest reason Darden extends full-time applicants an invitation to interview for the Executive MBA program is that the applicant’s professional experience is better suited to this program. The school believes that you will get more out of the Executive MBA than from the full-time MBA (which is geared towards students with less experience). It’s all about fit, and Darden seeks to place students in a program that they’ll benefit the most from, professionally and personally.
To note, Darden’s EMBA and Global EMBA (GEMBA) program both cover the same core curriculum as the school’s full-time MBA format, are taught by the same faculty, utilize the same Darden case method and result in the same degree. Regarding the concern about making a career switch, this has actually become a more and more common occurrence among EMBA students, and Darden provides strong resources to support this, including allowing EMBA and GEMBA students to participate in on-campus interviewing.
For more specific information, you can visit the Darden website, reach out to the Admissions Office, and/or contact the EMBA programs at
ExecMBA@darden.virginia.edu. Darden can also connect you to students in the EMBA program, including some who were in the same situation last year. Please feel free to send me a personal message with any questions. Best wishes.
I am intrigued by the points raised by CurrentDardenStudent and have some questions about E-MBA.
I understand E-MBA@Darden shares same renowned resources but does the degree say MBA from Darden of E-MBA from Darden?
Also switching career after E-MBA sounds not so plausible. You don't have internship opportunities or clubs. Are E-MBA students allowed to attend the career events meant for full time students? Some schools have strict restrictions i.e. part time career services are separate from full time.
I apologise if my questions have been answered by the adcom or on the darden's website. I haven't really explored E-MBA programs.