EMBA Student Profile: Carly Weil, Columbia Business School

 Carly Weil is an executive MBA candidate at Columbia Business School (class of 2016). She is a manager for global pricing strategy at American Express Global Business Travel and also works part time as an event manager for Second Glass – an educational wine tasting startup.

What would you say were the advantages of studying an EMBA?

The biggest advantage is definitely the ability to learn something in class and immediately put it into action at work the next day. Similarly, I'm able to bring real work problems into the classroom and benefit from the expertise of my professors. And all of my classmates, who typically are further into their careers than the average full-time student, are doing the same thing. I'm exposed to an amazing wealth of knowledge and experiences through my fellow classmates; for every case we've studied, we've had at least one student in class with intimate knowledge of the company and/or industry, sometimes even having been part of the case itself.

Was it easy to juggle studying an EMBA with your work commitments?

I would never say working and going to school full time is easy! But it's not impossible. At the end of the day, you always are able to find time for the things you deem important. I am lucky that my employer and family are incredibly supportive of the program and we regularly check in to make sure nothing is slacking at home or in the office. I think bringing them on board even before starting the program was really key. You need to be up front when you're getting overwhelmed and lean on your support system, be it family, coworkers, or classmates. Even the administration and professors; everyone wants you to succeed here and they're going to help you however they can if you are willing to put in the effort.

What advice would you give to somebody considering applying for an EMBA course?

Deciding to pursue any MBA program is a very big decision. You need to weigh not just the academics but all the aspects of a program, including the alumni network, the social atmosphere, the centers and resources; in this day and age of e-learning, you can take MBA courses online for free, so you need to understand the whole package and its specific benefit to you and your career before deciding to make the investment. As for the executive program in particular, that's a personal question that centers on your career aspirations and what you want from the program. Do you want to jump careers and immerse yourself fully in all the university has to offer? Or have you already established yourself and have a clear idea of specifically what you want to get from school? That's not to say you can't switch careers or take advantage of clubs and centers in an EMBA program, but you need to be much more focused and strategic.

Now that you’ve completed your first year, what are your strongest memories?

My strongest memories of the past year are from residency weeks and CBS Matters presentations. Residency weeks are offsite, intensive weeks that happen once a term over our first year; it was a great chance to get away from all the other externalities and really immerse ourselves in the coursework and in getting to know each other. CBS Matters is a program run by students where classmates share what matters or is important to them; it's been amazing to learn more about my classmates beyond their academic and professional lives, and to see the amazing experiences and backgrounds they have.

Can you describe the EMBA classroom experience?

Most classes are primarily discussion and case-based. The professors are typically very accomplished in their fields, as are the students, so there's always a great back-and-forth sharing of knowledge on any topic we're learning. The students also frequently challenge what we learn and press the professors to dig deeper into ideas and concepts. Classmates also create a very safe environment and even the shyest students feel comfortable speaking up when they have something to add. Lastly, we have great guest speakers in nearly all our classes, even in very technical courses.

Was the program what you expected?

Columbia does a really fantastic job of preparing you and exposing you to the program before you even start; you can sit in on classes, speak with students and professors; the staff are very upfront with what the program entails. That said, I definitely still underestimated the time commitment, especially since I've been involved with a number of clubs and centers on campus. But I also underestimated how amazingly nice and down-to-earth my classmates are; they have outstandingly accomplished backgrounds, and yet are so approachable and fun.

 What’s next for you?

I still have a year left in my program, so my primary goal right now is to finish school! In the meantime, I've continued focusing on my career at work and have been promoted while in the program. I have also gotten involved with Columbia's startup and entrepreneurial resources with some classmates this summer.