Ask HN: Are EMBA programs worth it?

They don't just allow anybody to enroll. The majority of these programs have experience requirements. If you don't want to spend the time with "clueless" 20 somethings just out of college or with 2-3 yrs of experience, then that is valuable. The problem is that the workload is huge. You basically won't have a life for two years. Get up at 4, do homework, go to work, do homework at lunch or study, leave work at 6 or so, study, do homework, go to bed at midnight. Weekends? Forget them.

For most, you will need to take days off work, which hopefully your employer allows for (this is actually a requirement, so without this flexibility you won't be able to enroll).

Is it worth the time, money and sacrifice to you? - Traditional programs require you to quit your job, which is a cost of opportunity - The network is valuable - the learning is valuable - You could get a bigger salary. Could. Or could not.

So the math depends on you really.

So why did you quit?

or better, why did you enroll?

I started the Berkeley EWMBA (halfway through) and am bitterly regretting it (though work is fully comp-ing tuition for me). I'm going to stick it for another year and complete it. 1. It is a lot more work that you can imagine 2. You will have to learn a great deal of stuff that you know you will never use again. The benefits you get out of it are the networking and some basic business knowledge which you could get for a lot less if you are motivated. I'd say don't consider it unless you are getting some tuition reimbursement. Not worth the $125k-$175k otherwise.

>Why did you enroll?

In hindsight, it was a mistake. I should have listened to one 'lone' dissent voice from a Wharton EMBA graduate who had said that I most probably be disappointed with the program if I am expecting to meet intellectually smart people, interested in learning, interested in startups/business growth and that program will impart any "significantly" new business knowledge or insights.

>Why did you quit?

Finally, I realized that by quitting, I can save enough money by not paying rest of the tuition and put it toward my business. Previously, I kept going because I kept getting convinced from classmates and other EMBA acquaintance that things will get better but by 2/3rd of the way I pretty much figured if things haven't improved by now they never will.

I believe I had mis-impression of what program will offer and how it may help my career and things I want to do. A better job by the programs of selling and poor judgement on my part to buy most things I heard.

There are a lot of reasons to get an MBA - to the extent the intelligence of your fellow students matters, I thought I'd chime in with my observations. I've had the opportunity to interact with quite a few students from HBS, Wharton, Sloan, Stanford, and other reputable schools. My impression is that among the top 3 - HBS, Wharton, Stanford, 1/3rd of the students are would I would consider to be pretty intelligent. Another 1/3rd are okay in terms of intelligence, while another 1/3rd leave you wondering if they got in through massive donations from their parents. This ratio declines rapidly (away from intelligence) as you move down the rankings (as early as the #4 spot), at least from what I have observed.

Again, intelligence isn't everything, so I don't mean to say you should make your decision based on that. Just offering my observations in case they are at all helpful. Also, I should mention that this is all for the normal MBA programs - haven't had enough interaction with EMBA students to make a judgment.