Are you Ready for an Executive MBA?

Jason Price, Director, EMBA World describes the four dimensions of self-preparation and self-assessment to consider before applying to an EMBA program. 

As an EMBA consultant I have seen the consequences of not fully exploring the Executive MBA opportunity. In some cases, candidates have prepared themselves well, asked the right questions, and are certain they are ready. In a few cases though, a candidate does not do enough inner and outer inspection and as a result do not benefit from all the opportunities an EMBA program has to offer. Charlie and Carla are two real-life examples of what it means to be ready for business school and especially the Executive MBA.

They were both successful in their careers when they came to me for input on pursuing an EMBA: Charlie W., was a copy supervisor of a top advertising agency in New York City; Carla W., was a banker at a prestigious firm in London, England. Both were the same age, had ten years work experience, and each desired to further their education. While Carla had taken on more departmental responsibilities given the bank’s downsizing, Charlie’s agency continued to grow, adding new accounts to his portfolio.

Before making the substantial personal and financial investment, both approached EMBA World on separate occasions seeking advice on their application and school decisions. One was ready, applied, and got accepted and is about to graduate. The other deferred the second year. Both are incredibly capable and have demonstrated great success but one made it through and the other did not. How come?

Many Charlies and Carlas have presented themselves over the years to EMBA World. The first question is often “How do I know if I’m ready for this academic endeavor?” It is best to approach the question of business school readiness and more specifically, the Executive MBA, by looking at four dimensions in business school readiness. These four dimensions are rooted in the Human Resources theory that employees are individuals with varying goals and needs and should not be thought of as a basic business resource.

The four dimensions of this theory include learning style, impact on employment, familial responsibilities, and  self-awareness/personality. Each of these dimensions is explored in our self-assessment found at the end of this article. Let’s take a look at each of the sections and how they apply to pursuing an EMBA.

1. Learning style

Returning to the classroom after years away from it can be a challenge for anyone. The experience of stepping back onto campus can be both exhilarating as well as intimidating.

How you once were as a student may reflect how you will be in business school, or will it? Moving from the work desk to the school desk, possibly on the very same day, takes some adjusting. Rest assured, each year thousands of people like you return to the classroom after many years of professional career success. The questions one must consider before returning to school revolve around recalling the type of student you once were. Are you self motivated? Did you study hard? Do good grades mean a lot to you? Are you a quick learner? Can you learn from a book? Are you able to learn in groups? Can you take direction from a professor who perhaps has spent his entire working life in academia?

2. Impact on employment

Success at work is paramount and given the economy nothing must jeopardize your standing and reputation in the office. Is your work life conducive to taking on an MBA? What is your office like when you are away on a business trip or vacation? Can you juggle an increased work load, travel schedule, and classroom assignments? The Executive MBA requires many team exercises and group projects outside the classroom.

“I recall a classmate who opened a new restaurant in his second year of the EMBA,” describes a former EMBA World board member and graduate of Baylor University’s Executive MBA. “He was always missing classes, his head was elsewhere, and made him an impractical team contributor.” Such experiences should not be overlooked and if work life has the potential to become an impediment to your performance in the classroom then the decision to attend an Executive MBA must be reconsidered. The limited class schedule requires your attendance. The same goes for an office or boss that is not supportive of your being away from the workplace, leaving early or requesting a slowdown in business travel during school. Employers make exceptions for EMBA students, but not all employers are created equal.

3. Familial responsibilities

The Executive MBA attracts an older, more mature student population. The average EMBA attendee is 33-years-old and has approximately eight to ten years of work experience. Contrary to what a recent undergraduate would like you to think, life only gets more complicated as you get older. Professional and personal responsibilities mount. Your position at work becomes increasingly demanding, perhaps you are in a relationship or marriage and have children. Whether you have a supportive boss, or not, you definitely need a supportive spouse or significant other. Business travel takes you away from the family and classes on weekends, plus study tours may only add to your absence from home.

Familial responsibility is a top reason prospective students drag out the business school decision. It is an important one, and a decision that should not be taken lightly. From personal experience, I attended the Executive MBA as a single man in a steady job but can speak first-hand about classmates who had family, a sick elderly parent, or generally unfavourable conditions at home. While a spouse will be supportive in spirit, you must determine if your significant other is fully aware of the demands school will make on the family over the course of the program.

4. Self-awareness and personality

Self-awareness and personality are often considered the most difficult dimension to assess. Understanding one’s strengths and weaknesses is the hardest to gauge and the most personal of the four areas. No one wants to admit weakness or areas in need of improvement but just as your personality has to fit your career so too must it fit academic life.

Think critically about yourself. How do you react to conflict? Do you prefer to get things done yourself? Do you have patience for others? Do you hold others accountable? All these questions and many more may determine which type of [E]MBA program is right for you, if at all. Student demands in a part-time program are very insular, most work is individually assigned. Full-time programs have much of this as well, but the Executive MBA requires teamwork and communication. In the EMBA, the group you become assigned to becomes your family and you have to get along and support each other.

A final consideration

Financing your education could serve as a fifth dimension but was purposely put aside as it deserves its own discussion. In Charlie’s and Carla’s cases, both were granted generous financial support from employers but each still had a sizeable portion to self-finance. It was Carla who did not finish her degree. When she completed the EMBA Self-Assessment she scored high but the lowest section was under the familial category. She was in a relationship and ultimately decided that was more important than finishing school. She postponed completion of her studies to get married. In our very last conversation, she felt she had jumped the gun with school. Her career was her life focus until she met her significant other. Priorities changed. Her personal relationship took a fast track and today she is happily married. Charlie completed his degree and multiplied his career successes.

About EMBA World

EMBA World is a New York City-based organization dedicated to helping employees and employers understand options regarding graduate level business education and in particular the Executive MBA. Jason A. Price, MS, MBA, is Director of EMBA World and author of The Executive MBA: An Insider’s Guide for Working Professionals in Pursuit of Graduate Business Education.

Jason is a frequent speaker to media on graduate business education issues and publishes industry articles periodically on the subject. The Insider’s Guide can be found at online bookstores or at EMBA World.