In coming to your decision about whether an EMBA is for you, you will probably have many questions regarding the program. You may find the answers to some of your initial queries here.
What is the Executive MBA?
An Executive MBA is a fully accredited MBA. Attendees are middle to senior level managers with at least seven years' work experience (schools vary) who maintain employment while attending classes. The Executive MBA builds on the collective experience of the classroom while applying practical and theoretical principles to the education. Employers receive immediate payback as students apply class lessons to the workplace. AN EMBA is considered one of the most practical forms of graduate business education available. Other types of MBA programs are traditional full- and part-time programs, distance-learning programs, and customized, in-house corporate or industry-wide programs.
How do I know which program is right for me?
The EMBA learning model varies by class schedule and delivery format. Some programs emphasize e-Learning and stagger class scheduling to allow students anywhere in the world to attend, connect and communicate with classes and classmates. Characteristics that contrast one EMBA program with another include scheduling, program concentration, managerial experience, location, content delivery and flexibility, study tours, accepted time away from work and financial sponsorship requirements.
Can I still apply to the full- or part-time program if I don't get accepted into the EMBA?
If you request this arrangement, some schools may accommodate and roll over the application to the regular full- or part-time program. Others will require a separate application and additional fee, or may require you to attend a second interview. As the use of online applications increases, schools may become more amenable to requests to rollover the application to a full- or part-time program.
What happens if I receive sponsorship and then lose my job?
This is a difficult and complex question. It depends on your arrangement with your employer. If the employer pays full tuition directly to the school, the school becomes a creditor on the unpaid balance. If you are being reimbursed, the employer may clear your balance upon dismissal and not pay future semesters — or refuse to pay anything. If the company goes bankrupt or files for Chapter 11, your best bet is to meet with your school administrators and seek possible options. Student loans may be necessary.
Will the school help me find a new job when I graduate?
An EMBA is designed for the employee established in a career and in employment. Although corporate recruiters are more interested in recruiting newly minted MBAs for entry-level positions, the university career office could help. A better avenue for job opportunities might be classmates and alumni. Some schools have contracts with executive recruiters and placement agencies to assist EMBA graduates in securing placement.
Will the lack of sponsorship put me at a disadvantage?
EMBA program administrators find this question difficult to answer because they need to balance your credentials with considerations such as what financial and professional support you will have. Although they will give your application an unbiased evaluation, not having financial and time support from one's employer can prevent a student from performing well and completing the program. Every administrator agrees that time away from work (time sponsorship) is crucial for acceptance.
Will I need to complete prerequisite coursework and what expenses might be involved?
If you have been out of school for many years, you may need a refresher in calculus or general accounting. Most programs offer a one- to two-month preliminary review prior to official start date. There is no harm in taking a refresher course, since it’s included in the tuition and these prerequisites will help get your mind back into the books.
Do most EMBA courses include teaching assistants in addition to the professors?
Professors have graduate and Ph.D. candidates who also serve as teaching assistants. As future instructors, these candidates are usually eager to work with EMBA students.
What is the typical number of hours required per week for class preparation?
Time commitment varies per student, per class and per semester. You must ask yourself if you are a quick or slow learner, reader and writer. Everyone learns at a different pace so it depends on the individual.
A J.P. Morgan vice president, and NYU graduate, says she studies two to three hours each night (after a ten-hour workday) and another three to four hours each day of the weekend. She explains, “The workload ebbs and flows much like work demands. You find your rhythm and you manage — just don’t procrastinate.”
The Executive MBA Council recommends a minimum 15–20 hours a week for classroom work, computer and research efforts and assignments. Study groups working collectively on assignments can ease the demand a bit.
How are GMAT scores weighted in the admissions process?
Although not all EMBA programs require the GMAT, take the exam seriously. Scores do play a role in the acceptance process.
In addition to maintaining accreditation, schools use the GMAT to gauge a candidate’s need for refresher classes like algebra, writing, calculus or general accounting prior to the first semester.
No matter what scores you earn on the exam, remember that even top ranked schools accept all ranges. Don’t allow the GMAT dictate your future.
What is the Computer Adaptive Test (CAT)?
CAT relates to the GMAT. In a computer adaptive test, the computer screen displays one question at a time, drawn from a pool of questions, categorized by content and difficulty. A correct response, results in the questions become increasingly more difficult. The trick is to answer the first few questions correctly so that you then maintain a scoring range based on the threshold of questions previously answered correctly.
How does the GMAT CAT work?
The test begins with 30 minutes each for two analytical writing topics. Then you are given 75 minutes to complete 37 quantitative questions and 75 minutes for 41 verbal questions. Quantitative questions test data sufficiency and problem-solving while the verbal section addresses sentence correction, critical reasoning and reading comprehension.
The entire exam including the essays is keyed into the computer.
How long are GMAT scores valid and how often the test be taken?
The scores are valid for three years and the test can be taken up to five times. A written request for further attempts must be made to GMAC. Visit GMAC for further details.
How much does the GMAT cost?
The cost is likely to increase periodically. The exam registration fee is over $200 and cancellation and rescheduling fees apply. Be sure to cancel the test at least seven working days prior to the scheduled appointment.
I have hobbies outside of work. Does this make me a better candidate?
Yes. It has been rumored if you can play a musical instrument, then you are almost automatically accepted into NYU. Don’t be shy to boast about your skills, interests and hobbies. If you speak another language: speak up!
If I have prior experience in a subject area, is it possible to have that related class waived?
Waiving classes is not recommended unless the class is your profession, like accounting. A test may be required to determine your proficiency in a particular subject.
What is the “capstone” and does every program require it?
Capstone is the generic term used to represent a summation of coursework in the form of a year-end exam or final project. The exam evaluates accumulation of knowledge by working through cases drawn from various coursework. As a final project, students working in teams develop business plans for their sponsoring organizations. Projects may include a new market entry strategy, a product development project or an organizational assessment with appropriate change management.
What if I am not from a math-oriented or accounting profession?
The EMBA trains you in management — there is no avoiding these core classes, but support for such classes will be made available. Diversity in education is equal to diversity in the classroom. Business schools don’t stock up on specific disciplines. Being an engineer is not a ticket into a program if you are one of eighty engineers applying. You may have to distance yourself from the flock of other engineers who may be applying. The obscurity of your background or professional strengths may be exactly what the program needs.
My job requires frequent travel. Can I make up missed classes?
The class structure makes it impossible to make up missed classes. Too many missed classes in a semester may result in a failed grade. It is best to talk to your professors and administrator to make arrangements before classes are missed. One option is to determine if the facility supports video conferencing, recording or closed circuit television. Another is to postpone the grade until the class is taught again with another EMBA group or to attend a comparable class in the regular or evening program. Missing classes diminishes the EMBA experience. You will miss some exhilarating classroom discussions and guest speakers, and may disrupt your working group. Administrators, professors and classmates will strongly advise that you don't miss classes, as they count on your contribution in the classroom.
Is it possible to sit in on one or two classes as an observer prior to applying?
As a passive observer, yes — and it is encouraged. Talk to the program administrator who will arrange this and allow you to interact with students. But remember, no matter how intriguing a discussion is, you can’t interact while class is in progress.
What are the different types of accreditations?
Be mindful of a school's certificate of accreditation. The form of accreditation and the type of granting body may matter to your current or future employer. It can also affect your level of sponsorship. Check with human resources as they can usually provide you with information as to the types of accreditation accepted by the industry. American Assembly of Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB) accredits most graduate-level business schools in the US.
Accreditation organizations vary in scope and purpose. Some focus locally, others internationally. Some focus on the organization and delivery of the curriculum (the AACSB) while others concentrate on the measures the schools use to continuously improve the academic quality delivered (the Association of Collegiate Business Schools and Programs-ACBSP).
For admissions standards and accessibility, there is the Graduate Management Admission Council (GMAC). Sister to the GMAC in Europe is the Brussels-based European Foundation for Management Development (EFMD) that offers EQUIS accreditation and the AMBA accreditation from the London-based
Association of MBAs. Most others address distance learning and evaluate in-house corporate training programs or specialized executive training.
What is the American Assembly of Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB)?
The AACSB, the Good Housekeeping seal of approval for business school is a not-for-profit organization founded in 1916 to drive quality into the undergraduate and graduate business school curriculum. In addition, the organization attempts to standardize the quality of educational institutions confirming business degrees including the Executive MBA.
The AACSB has approximately 405 accredited institutions: 391 in North America (382 in the US, seven in Canada, and two in Mexico). The balance are in Europe, Asia, Central and South America, and the Middle East. Each year, the organization publishes a set of guidelines addressing the function, operation and delivery of a business education. It also encourages faculty diversity. Under section FD.2 of the AACSB accreditation guidelines it states, “The school should demonstrate continuous efforts to achieve demographic diversity in its faculty.” This principle applies to undergraduate as well as graduate programs.
What is the role of the EMBA Council in EMBA education?
The EMBA Council supports EMBA program administrators through its periodic benchmarking survey, which compares peer schools on quality, standards and other forms of professional development such as regional and annual conferences for EMBA members. The council also works closely with the many accreditation organizations mentioned above.