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26 Oct 2022, 16:41
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Is EMBA Better than a Regular Full Time MBA or Part Time MBA? Which should I choose?
I have seen a few folks confused and unsure if they should pursue regular MBA or focus on the EMBA and apply for an EMBA since it is an executive MBA. Executive definitely sounds like an upgrade to the dinky FT MBA, right? I have had a co-worker who was 30 and tried to sell his Podunk Executive MBA to me as superior to basically anything. He was very proud of his Executive MBA... he did not know I happen to run GMAT Club
. I let him off easy, but he was either clueless or was hoping I was. So we are all well aware of the Pros and cons here are a few bullet points and analysis of Full Time, Part Time, and EMBA Pros and Cons.
I have seen a few folks confused and unsure if they should pursue regular MBA or focus on the EMBA and apply for an EMBA since it is an executive MBA. Executive definitely sounds like an upgrade to the dinky FT MBA, right? I have had a co-worker who was 30 and tried to sell his Podunk Executive MBA to me as superior to basically anything. He was very proud of his Executive MBA... he did not know I happen to run GMAT Club
. I let him off easy, but he was either clueless or was hoping I was. So we are all well aware of the Pros and cons here are a few bullet points and analysis of Full Time, Part Time, and EMBA Pros and Cons. - Usually Full Time MBA is the real deal. It is the 2-year dedicated transformative experience that allows you to focus on career transformation. The Full Time program is very grueling but it pushes you to the limit and transforms you. The FT MBA is unique in that it allows you to have multiple jumps - you can change your role, your industry, and country. I don't recommend you make 3 jumps for the heck of it - it is HARD but it is possible. For international students, it comes with a 3-year OPT for pretty much all programs (Top STEM MBA list). The downside of the FT MBA is that you have to quit your job but most of us did not like our old jobs anyway, but in this weakness is the strength as well, for you can't transform yourself if your back is not against the wall and you are forced to look for a job. Top Full Time programs are very competitive with people applying from all over the world. FT programs are generous with scholarships and in some cases provide full rides for very accomplished applicants. At the same time, full-time programs are a poor match for older and more experienced candidates. If you are over 35, your best bet will be a Top 40 FT program if you are looking for the full-time experience, while EMBA or PT may be much better fit.
- Part Time MBA is a limited safe option. At first it seems like it is the best of all worlds - you can get an MBA and not quite your job. Definitely good ROI for the diploma but not for the experience. The biggest unaccounted weakness is that career transformation is challenging when you have to work a job and go to school in the evenings or weekends. This program is best if you are looking for internal promotion or you have a family and full-time is out of question due to income. PT is definitely not the turbo-charged quit-my job FT approach. But there are other benefits: you have local markets that tend to be less competitive and limited, your network is local, which is good, and you can keep a paycheck coming. However, at the end many PT graduates remain in their jobs and it takes them years to transition to better roles or industries because without an internship and desperation of not having a job, it is really hard to accomplish. Scholarships and FinAid are rare since you are expected to have a job (though you don't have to). Usually PT programs do not qualify for an F1 visa.
- Executive MBA is a Club. OK, this is probably highly inaccurate and I deserve to be yelled at for saying this, but the main difference of FT and EMBA is that Executive education is for profit. Schools are motivated to recruit as many students as they realistically can. This does not mean anyone can walk in, but it does mean that the AdCom team is more of a sales team rather than a gate-keepers. This is great by the way - you can call them up and get very straight answers about your admission prospects and if they feel you are not a fit, they won't require you taking a test, writing a whole bunch of essays, getting LOR's and waiting for 6 months. They will tell you on the phone whether you are a fit and often will waive test requirements if you have over 15 years of work experience (which I think is more than a fair trade). At the same time, the less competitive the admission process is, the less exclusive it feels, and less committed people tend to be. For that reason EMBA programs have a number of retreats and events to bond the students and they do an awesome job. I once witnessed the HKUST-Kellogg EMBA group doing their team-building and felt pretty envious being a poor FT student. It is definitely good to be a part of this club but the focus is different. It is not about helping you find a fresh job but to do your job better or possibly get promoted in your company. If you are looking to change careers or jobs, your best best will be working for your classmates or with your classmates and get referrals from them. However, many of the EMBA programs have had more of seekers than job-givers over the years. Originally EMBAs were for company-sponsored candidates where Boeing or Microsoft would get a course for their middle-managers to get an Executive course as a part of rotational/executive management program. These days more and more candidates are paying out of their own pocket and scholarships are non-existent.
- Bottom Line: Use the right tool for the right situation. For the ultimate experience or if you need to rely on a scholarship, Full-time MBA is the ultimate answer. If you are over 35, your options are starting to get fairly limited. Part-time and Executive programs serve a different role focusing mostly on helping you succeed in your current job and get that promotion to think bigger and more strategically while full-time programs are all about jumping and turbo-charging you. I always recommend the FT program if possible. It presents the most reward (though also carries the most risk). Each has its own pros and cons:
| Full-Time MBA | |
| Pros | Cons |
1. Transformative experience 2. Focus on recruiting 3. Highly selective/exclusive 4. Can change industry or role 5. Scholarship galore 6. Up to 3-year OPT 7. On-campus recruiting 8. Summer internship | 1. No income for 2 yrs 2. Long & Rigorous app process 3. Poor fit for 35+ year old 4. Have to relocate |
| Part-Time MBA | |
| Pros | Cons |
1. Easier to get in than FT 2. Keep your job and income 3. Great for internal promotion 4. Great for same industry job hops 5. Works for most ages | 1. Brutal evenings / weekends 2. Lack of focus on Recruiting 3. No time to recruit/network 4. Longer than FT 5. No internship 6. Very few scholarships |
| Executive MBA | |
| Pros | Cons |
1. Easier to get in than FT or PT 2. No grading - can't fail 3. Friendly admissions process 4. Convenient monthly classes 5. Focus on seasoned professionals 6. Best classes/professors 7. Great team-building activities 8. Great if company sponsors | 1. Less selectivity = ? 2. Hard to change industry/location 3. Not focused on job hunting 4. No student visa 5. More expensive than PT or FT MBA 6. Small class 7. No Scholarships |
04 Aug 2025, 21:35
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