EMBA Acceptance Rates
The Executive MBA has grown tremendously in popularity over the past 10 years. This is in part because many of the top business schools now offer EMBA programs, which are taught by outstanding faculty and offer a wonderful alternative for the candidate who does not want to leave a fulfilling job in order to gain an MBA. The EMBA can often-times be completed on the weekends, and some programs meet in person only once a month.
I am often approached by candidates as they are choosing their ideal EMBA program, and they ask whether it is difficult to gain admission to top EMBA programs. After all, the acceptance rate at many of the top full-time MBA programs can make one shudder, ranging anywhere from 14-22%. This means that 86% of all candidates to some select full-time MBA programs are rejected!
Indeed, according to U.S. News and World Report, these were the acceptance rates to the top U.S. full-time MBA programs in 2014:
University of California—Berkeley (Haas), Berkeley, CA 14.3%
New York University (Stern), New York, NY 16%
Columbia University, New York, NY 18.1%
University of Pennsylvania (Wharton), Philadelphia, PA 18.7%
University of Chicago (Booth), Chicago, IL 21%
Northwestern University (Kellogg), Evanston, IL 21.6%
University of California—Los Angeles (Anderson), Los Angeles, CA 22.3%
What about EMBA programs? If you surf the Internet and check the websites for the top EMBA programs, you will find that this information is much harder to find. Yet, some observers guestimate that in some years up to 60% of all applicants to Wharton’s EMBA program are rejected. Overall, the acceptance rates to many top EMBA programs will be higher than for their full-time MBA program counterparts. But, while the higher acceptance rates may appear to be good news, what is not fully reflected in the acceptance rates is the competitiveness of the applicant pool.
Unlike in full-time MBA admissions, within the EMBA admissions process college performance means less and professional success can mean much, much more. The field of competition is therefore wider, as more applicants have an easier time demonstrating professional success than both professional and academic success.
What does this mean for the candidate aspiring to gain admission to a top EMBA program? You should make sure that you put great effort into preparing your application. The quality of your essays and recommendations will be very important. Also, when applying to EMBA programs, it is a good idea to submit applications to more than one EMBA program to increase your odds of securing an admission to a program with which you will be happy.
At MBA Admit.com, we have an exceptionally high success rate at all of the top EMBA programs. Would you like a profile evaluation to understand your chances of admissions success at a top EMBA program? Would you like assistance with your EMBA application, to ensure you put forward an outstanding application? Send an email to info@mbaadmit.com.