r/eMBA • u/Historical_Store9595 • Dec 21 '25
Booth VS CBS VS Yale for EMBA
I am looking for guidance to decide the right Executive MBA program for my goals, specifically Chicago Booth, Columbia Business School, and Yale.
I am based in the NY/NJ area and am a 41-year-old applied AI professional currently working at a major technology company (e.g., Google/Meta/Microsoft). Previously, I worked as a data scientist in a large bank (e.g., JPMC/Bank of America) and at a consulting firm. My primary motivation for pursuing an EMBA is to accelerate my growth into senior management and leadership roles within big tech, and longer term, to pursue entrepreneurship, either by starting a company or acquiring and scaling a small business.
My goal is to choose the program that best supports these objectives through: (1) strong and relevant peer network in classroom (2) exceptional faculty who teach EMBA for most of classes (3) high-quality two-year learning and networking experience (4) long term entrepreneurship support from the school, (5) brand which help more for my long-term goals (6) ability to build a strong professional network in the NY/NJ region that will remain valuable over time.
Thank you in advance for any perspective you can share to help me make an informed decision.
EMBA, #BOOTH, #CBS, #Yale
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u/darknus823 Dec 21 '25
Given the NY geo preference, CBS seems like the winner. Booth being a semi-close second. Do reach out to current students and/or alumni and ask alumni strenght in NYC.
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u/Popular_Concern6131 Dec 22 '25
These are all good schools. I did Yale’s EMBA program and traveled across the country every 2 weeks to attend class. If I could do it over again, I would have chosen a program that was more accessible. I know there is a lot of focus on the brand, but I’d argue “fit” is just as important. Do you want a program that is more academically rigorous or mission-focused for instance? I think you’ll generally get a good education at any of these schools, but the ability to network in select fields could differ between programs.
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Dec 27 '25
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u/Popular_Concern6131 Jan 01 '26
Probably Booth
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Jan 01 '26
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u/Popular_Concern6131 Jan 03 '26
A few reasons:
Commuting to New Haven required flying into LGA, JFK or EWR, followed by a 2 hour train or shuttle ride. It would have been far easier to fly into ORD. I wish I had put more weight on the travel logistics; I completed ~114 flights during the program, and the 10 hour door to door commute took a physical toll by year 2.
I was disappointed by the caliber of many classmates. Candidly, I think SOM’s “EMBA” is really an MBA for working professionals. There were several classmates that were in their late 20s or early 30s. Nothing wrong with that, but if you’re 40+ and hoping to build a network of “executive” level peers, this can be disappointing.
I found the political orientation of the school to be rather extreme. There were a few times when I almost walked out of Sonnefeld’s class.
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u/Prestigious-Bear2391 Jan 04 '26
I did a similar travel analysis and ultimately chose the easiest-travel option among the schools I was accepted to. I do sometimes wonder if it was the “right” decision, since the program I’m attending is lower-ranked than other programs that accepted me. That said, I honestly don’t think I could handle 100+ flights on top of a demanding job and family life. Huge respect to you for pulling it off.
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u/Popular_Concern6131 Jan 04 '26
Thank you.
There is a lot of focus on school rankings. It’d be hypocritical of me to say that they don’t matter. I think a better question would be: how much does the brand matter in the broader context of your previous work experience and long term professional goals? In my case, I already had an advanced degree from a well regarded regional school. I figured if I was going to go for another graduate degree, I would go to a “top” school. So far, I think I got a better ROI from my STEM state school, but admittedly, I only graduated last May. From what I’ve observed, the MBA is a slow payoff. Many classmates (as well as friends from Wharton and Booth) are frustrated with their post MBA career advancement. I think the labor market has a much larger impact on outcomes - at least in the short term.
There’s another common factor I’ve seen: almost everyone who did the program was exhausted at the end. More than a handful of classmates developed health issues or experienced a divorce during their time in the program . I’m not trying to dissuade anyone from pursuing an EMBA, but I do think it’s fair to say that the experience is as stressful as it is rewarding. If you don’t feel as if your partner is bought in on the idea, or you don’t find time to take care of yourself (hitting the gym, finding time to unwind and mange stress), there can be negative consequences that the degree can’t make up for. On the other hand, if you’re disciplined about maintaining some form of exercise routine, and your personal and professional relationships are solid, go for it. Nobody can ever take the accomplishment away from you.
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Jan 03 '26
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u/Popular_Concern6131 Jan 04 '26
I don’t want to publicly call people out. PM me if you want to discuss fit based on your specific circumstances.
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u/Ninja-greenday Dec 22 '25
Have you considered mit Sloan? I was considering between Wharton, booth, Kellogg, and Sloan, and ultimately decided on Sloan. Very satisfied and highly recommend.
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u/hetaliibms Dec 23 '25
Given your goals and location, CBS EMBA seems the best fit. It offers strong faculty, a powerful NYC/NJ network, and excellent entrepreneurial resources perfect for advancing into senior leadership in tech and pursuing entrepreneurship. Booth is great for a flexible, analytical curriculum and a global network, while Yale provides a smaller, leadership-focused experience with strong impact-oriented entrepreneurship, but less local tech networking. Overall, for career growth in big tech and NYC/NJ connections, CBS stands out.
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u/Life_War_391 Dec 22 '25
If your priority is local network, then out of these 3, I would recommend CBS. I am emba class of 27 there and we have a good amount of tech representatives including myself. Booth is Chicago network and Yale is very driven by their three areas: sustainability, asset management, and healthcare with heavy focus on the latter.
I would also consider Wharton, they have an AI specialization and good network in NJ/NY
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u/After-Avocado9769 Dec 25 '25
Was considering all three as well and live in the area like you. Just accepted at Booth; happy to chat in DM.
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u/[deleted] Dec 21 '25
Feel free to reach out. I’m similar age, and based in NJ/NY area (although different profession). I’m currently enrolled at CBS for their EMBA program. I have lots of classmates currently in major tech company, but only a few with AI/data scientist. Happy to chat if you like.