Executive MBA Programs

Is an executive MBA program more appropriate for me? Am I old enough? Would I be admitted?

For the vast majority of applicants, the answer to all three of these questions is 'no.'

Who is the Executive MBA For?

Older people with significant managerial experience.  It's very hard to be admitted to an executive MBA program unless you're at least 30 years old.  And, frankly, a minimum of 35 makes things easier.  In assembling a class, executive MBA programs want classmates from different backgrounds but with similar levels of responsibility.  Students learn from each other, so applicants with only a few years in the workforce would have little to offer classmates.    

Is It Easier to Get into Executive Programs?

In a way, yes.  If you're qualified to be admitted, it's easier to get into executive programs than it is to get into full-time programs.  The acceptance rate is significantly higher because there are fewer applicants per seat.

What About GMAT Scores?

They're much lower in executive programs than they are in full-time programs. Executive MBA programs don't care about test scores and some don't even require the GMAT. Virtually all deemphasize it and, increasingly, schools are refusing to release their average GMAT scores to the magazines that rank MBA programs. Admissions officers know that performance on the GMAT is a bad way to judge 40-year-old executives.

Why do schools charge more for their executive MBA programs?

Because they can.  Students don't usually pay their own tuition; their employers do.  So schools jack up the price and add a few 'pampering' features to justify the increase.  Students don't mind because they aren't paying the bill anyway.

How Do I Know Whether I'm Qualified for an Executive MBA Program?

Call your target schools and ask.  Seems kind of obvious, but people hesitate.

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