Executive MBA at Fuqua Vs. Full time at Fuqua or Kenan

Question

Hey guys I need a bit of peer review help,

I recently sat the GMAT, and got a 650 Q42/V38, which is from what i read the average for the weekend executive program at Duke. I wanted to give you an idea of my profile and see what you think, and if it would be worth it to apply for the final round at Fuqua for Weekend Executive or If I should wait for FT Fuqua and Kenan/Flagler

I am 26 years old, I graduated from the University of New Hampshire in 2006, with a degree in general Biology maintaining a 2.91/4.0 GPA, I also attended for a semester Macquarie Univeristy in New South Wales, Sydney, Australia for a specialized focus on Ecology, maintaining Honors in my courses there. I am an Eagle Scout with the Boy Scouts of America, I have an extensive long volunteering relationship with Habitat for Humanity, and the Red Cross. I was a member of the Phi Kappa Theta Fraternity, a nationally recognized organization based on faith (more so than maybe other fraternities).  I am also on the Exectuive Board of Directors for Epsilon Holding Corporation as a 2 year member, and currently serving my 2nd year. I am a certified teacher from TOEFL, which is Teaching English as a Foreign Language, where I did my fulltime immersion course in Corinth, Greece. I am a certified Master Diver,

My work experience is: 2.5 years at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine under the chairmen of Neurology, as a research Coordinator (a glorified laboratory technichian if you will).

And currently, 1.5 years as a Reseach assistant at the Duke University School of Medicine performing additional clinical and basic research in neurology.

For non-related work experience I also have approximately 6 months of Teaching English as a Foreign Language in Corinth, Greece.

Unfortunately, Duke wants about 5 years work experience and I am right on the bubble, but I just wanted to get your opinion on the profile.

bakfed · Answer

I think you'll have to let us know what you want to do post-MBA and your reasonings for thinking about an executive program. Just from what you wrote, I think you may be a bit lost in between the meanings behind executive and regular full time MBA (please correct me if I'm wrong about this). Executive MBAs are, generally speaking, for those who would like to stay within the same industry, but perhaps to use this advance degree to leverage for a higher pay/title/etc. Full-time MBAs are those who would probably like to jump to a different industry, such as from marketing to banking, or banking to consulting.

Work experience is really a broad thing to discuss. While Duke may have 5 years of WE on average, there's no reason as to why someone should not apply with 3 or 4 years of WE. The point of it being an average (with a big sample size) is that half of the people will be below 5 years and half will be above. You pretty much have 5 years and I wouldn't worry too much about the quantity of the years at this point. What you need to be thinking about is the quality of your work. I think your professional experience is a unique one because chances are, not a lot of "scientists" will be going to b-school. However, because scientists are typically viewed as independent people, AdComs will be mostly interested in knowing whether you have the leadership ability as a manager. If you're able to show that from your work experience, great. If not, you can always use extracurricular activities to showcase it. By the way, your extracurricular activities is absolutely stellar - Eagle Scout (I don't care what others may say, but Eagle Scout is not that easy to get and takes years of dedication), Habitat, and Red Cross. All of these are awesome organizations that can easily amaze people, given the right stories.

Lastly, with Fuqua's full-time MBA, you might want to consider taking the GMAT one last time to see if you can hit a 700. Your GPA is a bit on the lower end of the spectrum (not devastating, but putting you at a disadvantage), and if you were to combine your GPA with a 650 GMAT (also on the lower end of the spectrum for Fuqua full-time), you'll be facing a steep uphill to climb. But first, you really have to think about why you want this MBA (i.e. goals post-MBA) and choose between executive MBA and regular MBA (they're really two different beasts that will get you a completely different result).

Wishbone · Answer

That was my fear over my GMAT score, I feel that it is very close to the cusp and I would need something else in my profile to push me over for FT. Again, my GPA is also on the lower end, so these 2 things in combination will not help my cause (IMO).

I would like to apply for the HSM concentration, which is a certificate that Duke offers, I would like to stay in the Healthcare field but move over to Administration rather than straight laboratory work. Eventually be on the path to maybe COO of a healthcare system or hospital?

I feel like im divided between programs over risk/reward and cost/benefit ratios more than anything else. If I were to go in to a full time program I would not be able to continue working at Duke, where I receive great benefits, as well as work with some EXCELLENT people. I am on the clinical side, so I am often seeing patients and working with physicians and my schedule is flexible. There is my ultimate dilemma. Do I risk leaving my job for full time? or do the PT and keep all of the other benefits?

bakfed · Answer

Hi wishbone, I still feel as if you're trying to treat EMBA the same as MBA. Again, these are two different things (like apples and oranges) and there's really no such thing as "something else to push you over to FT" because there's no correlation. If you feel that EMBA can help you reach where you want to go (it does seem like it how you want to stay in the healthcare industry), go for the EMBA. If you want FT and switch to another industry, go for FT. Ultimately, this is something you will have to weigh out and do cost benefit analysis on. I guess another side question you should think about is "why you want this MBA?" Do you perceive yourself in a better position, better career, better job opportunity because you have this MBA?

Wishbone · Answer

Yes, I see what you are saying bakfed, the health sector management (HSM) is something that I feel will directly impact my career goals and my work, which offered through the EMBA is not directly offered at the FT program (you can take additional courses after you graduate at no additional tuition cost, but it is rolled directly in to your program as an EMBA).

I think that at the end of the day an MBA from Fuqua can only help me obtain my long term career goals eventually including a better position, more responsibility, and more opportunity. I think networking will be key in achieving these goals, and at Fuqua I think there will be a great amount of this, and the networks of fellow students will open a wide variety of doors for me.

bakfed · Answer

Network is definitely one of the key perks for going to b-school, but understand that you'll benefit at a higher rate with network if you went for full time, rather than EMBA. Also, full time MBA also offers HSM and you're able to take the HSM classes to satisfy a couple of the regular MBA courses. At the end, you get your MBA and still get your HSM certificate. But also realize that network is really an ambiguous term. Your networking lifetime is really from business school to probably 2 or 3 years after you leave b-school. Once you're beyond this imaginery threshold, network doesn't really get you anywhere anymore. This is really due to the inactive relationship you will have with some of these friends from b-school. Just think back to your own experience from high school or college. I bet that you had a lot of friends in high school but you talk to only a fraction of them now. On top of that, how many would you actually call up and chit-chat about life? The truth of the matter is, not many of us will keep the same number of relationships we garner during school, and this is simply due to a lack of common ground. Same as b-school networks then. You may be going to Fuqua full time and make friends with all other 440 classmates. But once you graduate, you become more and more distant from some of them and five years down the road, chances are you'll only be interacting with 10 or 20 of them, and that's probably for New Years' greetings. Then looking down 10 years from now, would you still call up the other 380 students that you've known in b-school? Probably not, let alone to ask for a job opening. Network is really an ambiguous term and I really do think that it only exists for so long before that network is severed, whether you want it or not. So in the short run, chances are full-time MBA will get you more network, but don't count too hard on these networks once you're out of school for 5 years.

socalmike · Answer

First, I don't think your WE qualifies you for an EMBA since those programs are geared for people with 10-15 years WE in a pretty high level position. Think full time Fuqua and KF or just part-time KF.

Second, I would concentrate on your GMAT, specifically on the Quant section and start building an alternative transcript (economics, calc retake, stats). Search the threads to find out how to do this.

Third, start coming over to Fuqua and KF to visit the program and meet the adcom. You live in the area so I would highly suggest that you take advantage of this. This puts a face to the name when they go over your application. Remember, both programs are concerned about their yield.

Fourth, find some ECs. You could start by looking at Duke's tech transfer office, joining the Duke Start Up challenge, mentoring kids in the area. Whatever it is, make sure it's some you truly enjoy and will give you the opportunity to show leadership and personal qualities.

Wishbone · Answer

Thanks for all the suggestions Mike, I will certainly look in to those.

Executive MBA at Fuqua Vs. Full time at Fuqua or Kenan

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