Part Time vs Full Time MBA: ROI/Trade Offs, Career Projections

Question

Hey Guys,

I am debating between the full time and part time MBA program at the top 15-25 schools for full time and Emory/GA Tech for evening MBA programs.

Current Situation: I am a financial/Business data analyst at 80K currently, and should become a senior Financial/Business Data Analyst at 90K next year and I am based in Atlanta. I can currently work from home 1 day out of the week as a analyst, and can get to work from home 2 days out of the week as a Senior Analyst.

My thought process was to pursue the part time MBA program and while earning full 90K salary for the two years. Another benefit is that I can use the two work from home days on campus and complete work assignments, but get to study for tests and courses while on campus and could go straight to class after 5 PM. So it would give me a great balance and I could complete the part time program easier. Also, with a full work income, I am planning to get most of my MBA school loans paid off around the time i would graduate part time MBA school. Work is not insanely stressful so I think I can balance with the part time program.

But at the same time, I have heard that part time MBA programs dont have the full career growth or earnings potential as a full time student. I am trying to figure out if the tradeoffs of not getting any income and an additional MBA loans would be worth it. I would be targeting schools similar to Emory for full time and part time.

Also, has anyone been in a situation where they are completing their part time MBA program and have been able to switch jobs/industries while in school? To financial/ management consulting firms?

hanamana · Answer

I might be biased since I am looking into PT programs, but career growth or earnings have nothing to do with FT or PT. It's how you perform at your work. FT is better if you're planning to change your career and want to experience the full b-school life, but PT will do fine and I have seen many changing their careers through PT. You just have to work harder since you have full time job.

If you can finish the school under 3 years, i'd go for PT.

Narenn · Answer

It's a nice discussion point. Thank you for starting this thread. I am taking it outside the confines of Haas forum to more open BSchool applications forum where it would be more visible and likely to receive replies from MBA experts as well as students of leading FT and PT programs.

Drivn · Answer

I debated this same question and decided on the FT MBA. I'm not even really planning to switch industries either but chose FT. I think your experience in PT MBAs will really vary based on the school. There are some great ones out there and some truly terrible ones. The PT MBA is great if you're looking into getting a promotion and the degree is more of a checkbox for you.

I looked into a lot of PT and even online programs before deciding on FT. I did not get the sense that a PT MBA would offer the same level of learning or networking of a FT MBA. If you really want to get the full "transformational" MBA experience then you need to spend time on the experience and for me that meant FT MBA.

If you are set on Finance or Management Consulting, then it will depend on your planned companies. If you're targeting some of the lower tier consulting companies then you won't have as hard of a road to get in. If you have plans to work at MBB(B) for example, I would suggest you look at FT MBA programs.

mbawootwoot · Answer

Fully agree with most of this post, but there are some employers out there who do not view FT and PT students the same. At Haas where this started it's a little different as supposedly all students get the same OCR opportunities, but in practice for many/most bschools the FT students get recruited very differently than PT. Also, as the admission standards are so relaxed for PT there can be the perception that FT are sharper.

bb · Answer

There was also something a year or two ago when Anderson decided to remove "PT" designation from the diplomas of the PT students, that the FT student body got upset that the FT program was getting somewhat devalued because indeed, PT programs have lower requirements all across the board.

mbawootwoot · Answer

Well average stats, not requirements. And that's true, except for work experience. In reality I'm a bit skeptical of the actual difference in quality at *top* schools.

bb · Answer

To some extent but the experience is not apples to apples. You have a lot less reflection time and fewer transformation and growth opportunities.

Diff professors and diff classmates with program being focused on the immediacy of ones current job or being pretty theoretical.

The recruiting component is largely missing from the PT programs as well as the internship experience.

Pretty much everyone has a job and recruiting and moving up takes a third or fourth priority which means it is delayed until after graduation.

There is a reason it is easier to get in.

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Part Time vs Full Time MBA: ROI/Trade Offs, Career Projections

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