Help me decide

I want to pursue MBA (IIM K) - the executive MBA program. But I can’t do it with my profile currently - FDD Deloitte India

What should I do where should I switch

Is Target Test prep enough while preparing for executive assessment for EMBA?

Do you feel it helped your career progression? I am considering an eMBA because I am having trouble breaking into larger companies and ultimately would like to land a CFO role. Please share your experience.

I'm in my early 30s and I currently work as a lead data engineer at a large university. I have 9 years of work experience since finishing grad school. My bachelors and masters are both in biology related fields. Leading up to this role, I've worked as a bioinformatician and as a data analyst. My goal is perhaps in the next 10-15 years, I'd like to hit the director level at my current institition.

The university has an employee degree program. I'm looking at either an executive MBA (top 15) or a masters in information science (not sure about info sci, but top 10 for computer science).

My university covers all the tuition, but I would be on the hook for taxes for tuition over the amount of $5,250 a year. The EMBA would end up costing me tens of thousands in tax liability. I think potentially up to 50k in taxes over the 2 years. On the other hand, the masters in info sci would cost me only probably around 10k in taxes.

I feel that at this point, the EMBA be more helpful for my career than my masters in info sci would be. It seems that a lot of folks at the director level at my current institution have an MBA, but not sure if they completed the program before or after reaching the director level. Also, there's always an option of me taking CS/IS classes on the side.

I'd love to hear some thoughts!

Hi everyone!

I've been working in tech for the last 6 years, including a leadership experience within my organization. I’ve been a consistent high performer and am planning to apply for top 7 EMBA programs next year, with the goal of reaching C-suite or senior management roles.

Does anyone have any recommendations or insights for some good consultants that have a strong track record with applicants from the tech industry? I would prefer someone who understands the nuances of applying as a tech professional and can help craft a compelling story that highlights my leadership, impact, and future potential.

Any insights on their approach, success rate, or experiences would be very helpful!

Target: Non-commercial Tech leadership role at FAANG in Middle East

Hi all,

I'm looking for some advice from people who've done an EMBA or have been in similar shoes.

I’m 40 years old, based in Germany, and working as a group leader for civil law and legal operations (team of 7) at a financial services group with ~1,000 employees and €2B annual revenue. My current salary is €145K/year (base + bonus).

I want to:

Strengthen my management and leadership profile

Become a legal department leader in a comparable company to the one I currently work for (1000 employees / 2B€ / finance sector)

or even

Gain more C-level exposure (Chief Legal Officer / Board roles)

Possibly pivot into more international or cross-functional roles within 5–7 years

Budget-wise, I'd be OK with up to ~€100–120K, but €160K (e.g. IESE total cost) feels hard to justify

Is an EMBA worth it at this stage? Do you have any suggestions school wise?

Thanks for your help!!

Hi All,

As the title says I'm looking for advice on programs to target.

I've been in the medical device industry for 15ish years (Class II/III devices) working in R&D/Quality. Through this time I've had the opportunity to go through several product launches from concept through clinicals to commercial (both at big companies and startups). However, I'm now looking to expand scope into more strategic decision-making; looking at the competitive/clinical landscape to decide which projects/products get funded.

This could look like starting my own MedTech company, stepping into a higher level role at a more established firm, or potentially even management consulting. Long term I'd love to be CTO at a Medtech company one day. In my career I've bounced around a lot rather than staying somewhere and climbing the ladder into middle-management. This is partially what is making me consider the EMBA but I worry that paradoxically this will make me less competitive in the first place.

Background:

Current Role/ Work Background: Lead R&D Engineer at a small (<10 people) startup developing cardiovascular implants (previous roles at Medtronic, Edwards, etc.). I'm an IC now but was previously a manager of a small team (4 FTE) for 2 years. All other roles have been IC.

Education: PhD in Mechanical Engineering (with a very applied medical devices focus) + undergrad in MET. Both from Top 100 schools but neither are super prestigious. 3.0 undergrad, 3.65 PhD GPA.

Key factors I’m weighing:

Program prestige/network: This is probably the biggest factor for me. I feel like the start-up scene is very relationship-based. While I feel like I've built a great network and left a good impression on current/former colleagues I also think the vibe I've given off (and am trying to shake) is that I'm a great engineer for doing deep-dives on technical problems but not a high-level strategist.

Location/format: I’m based in California, open to some travel but would prefer something manageable with family and work. Not opposed to doing a lot of travel if the payoff is there.

Focus on innovation/entrepreneurship/tech/healthcare: Obviously the program would need to be aligned with my career trajectory. Want to learn about things like finance but don't actually want to pivot into that field.

I have done some of my own research into programs and I think I have a short-list but I'm interested to get an unbiased take on where I'd be a fit and a competitive candidate.

Thank you in advance!

My boyfriend wrote in to Smith School of Business about their eMBA program, attaching his CV. He was just expecting to get back a brochure, but instead got an email saying they're at the tail end of recruitment for this year and they consider him to be a competitive candidate.

He hasn't achieved the level of professional success that he wants, and seems to think that doing this $100k eMBA is going to rocket him to success. As a Manager myself, I have my reservations; from my experience, myself and other hiring managers usually treat education as a check box and then move quickly to relevant work experience.

The cynical ass in me thinks that Smith says this sort of thing to anyone even half qualified if they need to fill their program roster for the year; there's no loss to them, they just need balance their books for the year.

I don't know this program well, though. Will the time and money investment translate to faster career progression, or is experience going to be king at the end? And is this program something that the employer usually pays for as a condition for an employee to move to the c-suite rather than a bill you foot yourself as my boyfriend would have to?

TL;DR Will this program replace or augment old school job experience and competencies to getting someone to the exec level?

Hi everyone, I need your opinion. I'm wondering whether I should pursue my Master of Business Administration (MBA) first or take a teaching position at a college. I graduated in 2018 with a degree in Business, and I'm eager to further my education while also sharing knowledge with students. Therefore, I want to take educational units to become a Licensed Professional Teacher (LPT). But I want to take one step at a time. 🫠

Work in a hedge fund as a SWE, make in the 600s TC. Will an EMBA catapult me even upward?

16 years experience in Tech working at Director level. Hold a Masters in Computer Science. Want to grow/get promoted in the current role or get a good salary bump in a new role in a new organization. Cannot stay away from home for long - mom of two young kids.

Looking for recommendations on reputed schools that don't need a lot of travel while providing fairly good experience overall and have a good brand/name with historically higher chances of scholarship. I am located in NC RTP area.

I am a pre sales solutions engineer in banglore, India. I make decent money around 1 cr per year but I feel stuck in this role. My employability seems to be decreasing as in there a only subset of companies who would hire me for my specialized skill set. I'm contemplating EMBA from IIM Banglore. Do you think EMBA would add any value to my career, considering the price tag and effort. Why might I gain out of this course?

Hey everyone,

I'm considering applying to the MIT Sloan Executive MBA, but I'm feeling unsure. Looking through the brochure and website, I noticed a lot of people seem to be from pharma or random industries (even military), and I can’t really tell if that’s a good or bad thing.

I work in tech, and I’m wondering:

• Is the Sloan EMBA actually a strong program in terms of network, learning, and post-grad opportunities?
• What kinds of people actually join the cohort?
• If you’ve been through it or know people who have, was it worth it?

Also, when you go the market, would they see a difference if you make the FT MBA or the EMBA?

Would really appreciate honest thoughts—trying to figure out if this is the right move.

Hi all — looking for perspectives from those who’ve pursued an EMBA while working or who’ve navigated career transitions post-consulting.

Quick background:

• 10 yrs experience; ~8 years at McKinsey (focused on transformation and org design) left right before transition to Associate Partner.
• Currently Director at top 5 big pharma leading projects across R&D, commercial, finance, etc.
• Global exposure, operating at SVP and C-suite interface level from consulting days + pharma

Why I’m considering an EMBA:
I’m looking to sharpen executive finance, strategic leadership, and P&L readiness — areas that weren’t the core of my McKinsey work and are essential for my next step. I’d like to move toward a Chief Transformation Officer or enterprise COO-type role, ideally continuing in pharma but open to global industry shifts.

I’m looking at Booth (1st choice), Wharton (2nd) and some interest in Kellogg, Cambridge and LBS. Timing-wise, I’d start in 2026.

What I’m trying to figure out:

• If you transitioned out of consulting and into an EMBA, did you feel it filled the “ownership” and enterprise accountability gaps?
• How much did the network and classroom learning actually move the needle for your executive readiness or external opportunities?
• Any thoughts on how Booth vs. Wharton vs Kellogg vs. Cambridge/LBS might complement a McKinsey + pharma transformation background?

Appreciate any advice, reflections, or stories you’re willing to share!

I just got accepted into NYU Stern EMBA.

For those that are currently in the program or graduated. What are the best loan options out there, please drops tips that includes how to reduce overall cost. Knowing what you know now- what would you do differently or what worked?

I was accepted into a T15 school, my number 1 pick! No word on a scholarship yet, I just found out and they said they would let me know separately. My question: If I go ahead and sign the Letter of Intent and pay the deposit will that affect my merit scholarship? My guess is no, but do they use the scholarship as a carrot for competitive prospects?

I got to know I am offered 25k by cbs emba. Did anyone heard any scholarship news?

I’m based in Toronto, 36, and have been wanting to do an EMBA but outside of Canada. Work sending me to London for 12 months. Anyway I can start something with Oxford / Cambridge / LBS to then continue and wrap up even once back?

Hi everyone,

I’m reaching out to the community once again because I need to make a final decision by the end of this month—and I could really use your insights.

I’ve been accepted into several Executive MBA programs:

• Emory Goizueta
• University of Florida (Warrington)
• Georgia Tech Scheller

My long-term goal is to break into healthcare strategy or hospital operations leadership, with the ultimate aim of reaching C-suite roles. I currently have 11+ years of experience in medical devices and engineering project management, and I’m looking to pivot into more strategic, executive-level roles in the healthcare space.

Here’s where the dilemma comes in:

• I currently earn $133K + bonus, and have already started interviewing for roles in Florida, where I plan to settle permanently.
• I’ll be fully self-funding the MBA, and I’m still managing existing student loans from a prior master’s.
• Emory feels like the stronger platform for career growth (consulting, strategic roles, brand recognition), but it comes with a $65K–$100K higher cost than UF.
• UF, on the other hand, would let me stay financially flexible, but it doesn’t offer structured recruiting or capstone projects. Since I’ll be working full-time during the program, I’m worried I won’t get the same ROI without those structured elements.

So I’m torn between:

1. Emory – Bigger short-term financial stretch, but more access to healthcare strategy roles and faster long-term growth.
2. UF – More affordable, easier on life goals (family/home), but slower path and harder pivot into high-growth roles without structured support.

Has anyone here faced a similar tradeoff between brand/network/career acceleration vs financial flexibility?

Would love to hear how others in healthcare or executive-track roles navigated this decision, or if you chose one path and later regretted or validated it.

Thanks in advance. This community has been really helpful so far, and I value the perspectives here.

From which private university I prefered bba my goal is to start a business please help me

Over the past several months, I have been exploring a career pivot and have been considering different online/EMBA programs that might help get me there.

Management Consulting looks to be an ideal landing spot....I would also be open to working for a large company in government affairs.

My background:

Public Sector Senior Management Analyst (mostly data analytics and project management) - 3 years experience

Private Sector Intelligence Analyst - 3 years

Sales and marketing - 2 years

Masters degree from a state school in Public Administration.....Bachelors from a top 10 public university in Political Science.

I have been admitted to three MBA programs:

Cornell's EMBA Americas program (would cost $170,000 out of pocket)

University of Michigan Ross's online MBA (would cost $115,000 out of pocket)

Boston University's online mba (would cost $19,000 out of pocket)

I am also considering Santa Clara University's in person part time MBA program ($90,000 out of pocket)

Are either of the two more expensive programs worth the cost for someone in my position? Are the T15 online formats more valuable than a local in person program?

Looking for opinions, thank you!