Hi All -
My company is sponsoring me for an EMBA program, need some advice on which school to attend. I am using this to spring-board into a CFO role - have a JD and BBA in Finance, and will be taking over the finance/accounting department at my current firm. Really looking for a program with a strong finance focus that will supplement my real-world experience. I am committed to staying with the company post-MBA (at least for the immediate future), so recruiting is not a huge concern at the moment. That being said, the brand is certainly important to me as I look at the long-term value to my career.
I'm based in the DC-area, so am limiting myself to this region for the sake of convenience. Also am looking at programs that don't require the GMAT as I just don't have time at the moment to prepare for the exam. With all that being said I've narrowed down to the following schools:
Cornell-Queens: The format of this program is the most convenient, with boardroom classes in DC and just 3 weeks out of office. Also is a relatively quick program at 16 months. My concerns are 1) it is a lock-step program with no electives, so not sure if it will provide the depth in finance and accounting that I am looking for, and 2) the involvement of Queens (I think) waters down the teaching quality here a bit. I understand at the end of the day you get a Cornell MBA but I'm just not sure this will be the same calibre of teaching.
Georgetown: Again, conveniently located in DC. More flexibility than the Cornell-Queens program, and should afford ample opportunity to network in DC. The down-side is that this is the lowest ranked of all the programs I am considering and wouldn't let me walk away with an "elite" MBA on the resume.
NYU: Great brand and offers a finance concentration, so from an academics perspective is great. Would have to make the drive to NYC. Another consideration is cost - my company will pay for up to $130k, so unless I get some scholarship here I will have to go out of pocket for a portion. Is the Stern brand worth the extra financial investment over the others?
IE: I've been tracking this program for a while now. On the positive side - very flexible program, opportunity to spend time in Spain, does very well in rankings, has a finance concentration. On the flip side, not sure how the brand is perceived in the US, and have heard conflicting reviews about the level of the students in the program.
I have also looked at Duke and would strongly consider if they would waive the GMAT requirement, but would be a 5 hour drive to Durham every other weekend. Not considering Darden as I did my JD at UVA and would want to expand my alumni network.
Any thoughts and suggestions from you guys would be very helpful. Thanks!
My company is sponsoring me for an EMBA program, need some advice on which school to attend. I am using this to spring-board into a CFO role - have a JD and BBA in Finance, and will be taking over the finance/accounting department at my current firm. Really looking for a program with a strong finance focus that will supplement my real-world experience. I am committed to staying with the company post-MBA (at least for the immediate future), so recruiting is not a huge concern at the moment. That being said, the brand is certainly important to me as I look at the long-term value to my career.
I'm based in the DC-area, so am limiting myself to this region for the sake of convenience. Also am looking at programs that don't require the GMAT as I just don't have time at the moment to prepare for the exam. With all that being said I've narrowed down to the following schools:
Cornell-Queens: The format of this program is the most convenient, with boardroom classes in DC and just 3 weeks out of office. Also is a relatively quick program at 16 months. My concerns are 1) it is a lock-step program with no electives, so not sure if it will provide the depth in finance and accounting that I am looking for, and 2) the involvement of Queens (I think) waters down the teaching quality here a bit. I understand at the end of the day you get a Cornell MBA but I'm just not sure this will be the same calibre of teaching.
Georgetown: Again, conveniently located in DC. More flexibility than the Cornell-Queens program, and should afford ample opportunity to network in DC. The down-side is that this is the lowest ranked of all the programs I am considering and wouldn't let me walk away with an "elite" MBA on the resume.
NYU: Great brand and offers a finance concentration, so from an academics perspective is great. Would have to make the drive to NYC. Another consideration is cost - my company will pay for up to $130k, so unless I get some scholarship here I will have to go out of pocket for a portion. Is the Stern brand worth the extra financial investment over the others?
IE: I've been tracking this program for a while now. On the positive side - very flexible program, opportunity to spend time in Spain, does very well in rankings, has a finance concentration. On the flip side, not sure how the brand is perceived in the US, and have heard conflicting reviews about the level of the students in the program.
I have also looked at Duke and would strongly consider if they would waive the GMAT requirement, but would be a 5 hour drive to Durham every other weekend. Not considering Darden as I did my JD at UVA and would want to expand my alumni network.
Any thoughts and suggestions from you guys would be very helpful. Thanks!
