Just graduated MSx class of 2014...
Here's the deal. MSx = Sloan Fellows -- they changed the branding on the program, attempting to better differentiate from other "Sloan Programs" and to get some Stanford-specific identity tied to the program. Whether that was a good idea or not, I won't comment... The Sloan Fellows program has a nearly 60 year pedigree – so it's not really a "new" program. It did get polished up a few years ago – it is now a full-year program instead of 9 months, making it more academically consistent with the MBA curriculum and also adding the opportunity to add a significant number of electives (not possible in the original Sloan program or in most EMBA curricula).
But -- the Stanford MBA program is getting younger every year. I think the average age of the MBA cohort is well below 27 years old...
The MSx program, as was mentioned above, is for mid-career folks who really can't justify taking two years off work to get an MBA and wouldn't benefit from having a summer internship at a fairly junior level. So, for professionals with demonstrated management skills and a career trajectory that is already "up-and-to-the-right", the MSx program is a great way to continue that trajectory and ensure that you have both the requisite skills and the paper to prove that you are executive management material.
Many of the fellows have already had a successful exit or have already run companies from the executive ranks, so you would be surrounded by folks who have either built businesses or have successfully climbed one or more corporate ladders. There are also plenty of people with little to no management experience, but can demonstrate some particular leadership within their industries of experience.
Also, consider: If you are already in your 30s, married and with children, can you really imagine hanging out with 20-somethings and drinking to obliteration, then still waking up on time for an 8am class? Some people can do this, but at 40+, I can not...
My MSx cohort ranged in age from 30 (I think our youngest was 30 by graduation) to early 50s. I think the bulk of the class was in the early- to mid-30s. There was still a lot of drinking...
Here's how the academics work:
The first 2 quarters are almost entirely core classes. There are up to 8 credits you can add electives in your second quarter (Autumn). For Winter and Spring quarters, you only have 1 core class per quarter -- the rest are electives (up to 18 additional credits per quarter). ALL of these electives are taken with MBA students – most classes have more MBAs than MSx'ers. So you will have largely the same educational experience as the MBAs, just in a compressed timeframe. For electives, you also have the ability to add classes from "across-the-street" in Stanford's other schools / departments. I found this to be particularly useful – I ended up taking classes in Mechanical Engineering, Computer Science and Aero/Astro.
If in doubt, apply to both programs, see where you get in and then decide...
Feel free to take a look at my blog:
https://sloanlife.com 
17 Mar 2014, 19:54
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