Duke Cross Continent - Need some perspective

Like OP above, I received an email about Cross Continent program being a good fit for me after being waitlisted and eventually dinged from the Daytime MBA.

I've not researched Cross Continent before because I don't think I can handle the load of working full time + studying part-time. But I read that Fuqua awards the same degree to all its MBA programme, so in that sense, there is no difference from a Daytime MBA. But I'll be finding more about this and reaching out to current student or alumnus of the program.

Does anyone else have a POV on this program? Would like to hear GCers' opinion!

Hi Tinkered,

I'm a Fuqua Daytime MBA alum (who was also heavily involved in Fuqua admissions), so perhaps I can provide some insight on the differences between the 2 programs.

First of all, you are absolutely correct that Duke awards the same MBA degree for both programs. You will also use almost exactly the same curriculum and have access to many of the same professors as in the Daytime program. The CC MBA can be a fantastic option for many people, but is not ideal for others.

There are three key differences between the programs, and you'll have to think through how you would prioritize the trade offs when you make your decision:

1) Career services. If you are looking to switch careers, I highly recommend a Daytime program. While you will have access to job postings as a CC MBA, you'll miss out on all the networking that comes with being a member of a Daytime program. Firms that recruit on-campus often have several recruiting events prior to making interview offers, and these touch-points are incredibly valuable to the firms as they determine who they would like to bring aboard both as interns and full-time employees. (For example, my prior firm BCG allows CC MBAs to apply, but it's a lot harder for these students to navigate the process because the firm didn't have any opportunities to meet the applicant face-to-face; which is a huge part of the screening process). Similarly, a lot of firms use their internships as a means to give a trial run to potential employees; and they aim to fill up most of their full-time offers with former interns. As a CC MBA who can't take an internship, you'll find that you're in a much more competitive place trying to lock down one of the relatively fewer full-time slots available.

2) The student experience. Having spoken with many CC MBAs, the feedback I've heard is that the global residencies are great, but the logistical challenges of holding down a full-time job offer and then trying to coordinate doing daily team-based meetings with teammates around the globe is challenging (e.g. 11 PM eastern time team meetings). You also miss out if the rich social experience and networking with classmates that you get in the Daytime program. That said, you don't have to relocate or give up your job which can be a huge factor especially if you have a family.

3) Financial costs. Many Cross Continent MBAs are sponsored by their employers, and when you factor in that you don't have to give up your day job (and salary) you might be looking at saving $250K to attend CC versus Daytime (assuming your employer covers the ~$100K in tuition and you aren't giving up 2 years of a ~$75K salary)

In the end, it comes down to what tradeoffs you're willing to make.

I hope this was helpful both to you and future CC MBA applicants

-Jeff