ACE THE EMBA

EXPERT ADVICE
FOR THE RISING
EXECUTIVE

An Accepted Admissions Guide

By Cindy Tokumitsu
2016 Accepted
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Ace the EMBA:

Expert Advice for the Rising Executive

Introduction
Congratulations on taking the next step in your educational and professional journey! The
road to an EMBA acceptance can be long and complicated especially if you've been out
of the school-loop for so long. Do you even remember the last time you applied to an
academic program?
You've done the smart thing by downloading this admissions guide. This concise booklet
will walk you through the steps you need to take to achieve EMBA admissions success
from evaluating your profile and choosing programs to apply to, to taking (or retaking)
the GMAT and writing those application essays.
We'll be with you during every step of the process as you make your way through this
guide, and if at any point you need "real-life" assistance, we can be there for you in that
capacity as well.
So please enjoy Ace the EMBA: Expert Advice for the Rising Executive, and don't hesitate
to get in touch with me in real-life too!

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Table of Contents
Introduction ..................................................................................................... 2
What is Accepted? .......................................................................................... 4
Why Our Clients Love Us .............................................................................. 5
The Expanded Executive MBA Profile .......................................................... 6
EMBA Admissions: Sponsorship and the GMAT ......................................... 8
EMBA Program Variety ............................................................................... 10
EMBA Employment and Career Services .................................................... 12
5 Key Qualifying Factors the EMBA Adcoms Look For............................. 13
3 Key Ways to Stand Out Through Your EMBA Essays ............................. 15
About the Author .......................................................................................... 17
Epilogue ........................................................................................................ 17

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What is Accepted?
Accepted is the premier admissions consultancy that offers:

1-on-1 consulting for EMBA

Expert editing of all application components (essays, resumes, letters of

recommendation, waitlist letters, and more)

Interview prep

Free resources guides, webinars, and a podcast

Sample essays

Our interactive blog where you can get the latest admissions news, solid advice,
and answers to your questions

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Why Our Clients Love Us

No matter where you live and no matter where you're applying, our expert admissions
consultants are ready to listen, mentor, and guide you as you prepare an outstanding
EMBA application that will get you accepted. You'll love us because you'll see from the
first phone call or email that we care about you and support you as you strive to achieve
your goals and dreams.
But you don't need to take our word for it. See what some of our clients have to say about
Accepted
"I am very satisfied with my Accepted.com experience and am grateful that I have
Cindy on my team to help me navigate my journey of selecting and applying to
top MBA schools."
- Accepted to Duke EMBA program

"Jen was awesome along the way. She did a great job with the essay edits, resume
as well as mock interview. She was very quick with her responses and on top of
any edits needed. She is the epitome of professionalism, is very personable and
friendly. I felt I was working more with a friend or family member who wanted
me to succeed."
- Accepted to Wharton, Kellogg, and Columbia EMBA programs

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The Expanded Executive MBA Profile

The Executive MBA profile has changed over the past decade. Allen, a hypothetical
candidate described below, represents the traditional EMBA candidate, which is still
highly desirable to EMBA programs. Lucia, another hypothetical candidate, also
described below, represents a profile that is not uncommon now, as does hypothetical
Kareem. Most important, no longer does Allen reflect the "choice" candidate.
Today's EMBA programs actively seek a wide range of applicants not just diverse
geographic, functional, and industry backgrounds, but also diverse organizational cultures
and career pathways (e.g.: Serial entrepreneur? Engaged in public-private partnerships?
From industry to consulting or vice versa?). The remaining common denominator is
extensive management experience and/or imminent advancement into senior
management. Even the meaning of management experience may vary now for
example, in matrix organizations and project-oriented careers, the conventional direct
report concept may be irrelevant.
1. At thirty-five years old, Allen has worked professionally for thirteen years, the last
eight as a marketing manager in increasingly strategic positions. He is now Director of
Marketing and Strategy for his Fortune 1000 company's new product line. His record of
advancement is impressive for someone in his industry, pharmaceuticals, where people of
his age are usually a few rungs lower and where some of his peers have MBAs. Allen's
next move will be to a senior management role, and he feels that without a sophisticated
management skill set, he will be unable to contribute to his maximum ability as an
executive. Knowing that this skill set is exactly what EMBA programs are created to
provide, he discusses pursuing an EMBA with his boss. Allen's company, eager to retain
him and groom him for a senior position, will sponsor the time requirement of his
Executive MBA studies, and one-third of the cost.
2. After working for a year after college as a technology consultant, Lucia started
consulting independently. Initially she provided IT guidance to her local school district as
part of a community volunteer program. During this initiative she realized that the public
education sector offered unique opportunities as well as challenges in mastering the
complex bureaucratic, budgeting, and political maze, and she decided to develop a parttime independent business providing IT consulting to the public education sector, on top
of her "day job." It turned out to be a lucrative and interesting niche, and within one more
year, Lucia had enough business to leave her employer and set up her own consulting
business full time. Eight years later, she has seven employees, grosses over $12M in sales
annually, and has broadened her service to private schools. At this level, she can barely
manage the business. To grow further, Lucia needs to streamline and stabilize her
organizational infrastructure while developing a solid five-year growth strategy. She is
more than willing to pay for her EMBA at a top program, viewing it as a necessary
investment for growth.

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3. Kareem has been an architect of some of the top products at a global technology firm.
He has led numerous high-profile project teams and interacted with senior technologists
and executives at Fortune 100 customers even participated in some key product
decisions. Increasingly he has felt that becoming a senior manager would allow him to
best utilize the combined market and technology know-how he has accrued, and his
employer and does not want to lose one of its stars. Hence, the company has agreed that
Kareem will transition to the business side to manage a new product line he has
championed, a role that will include P&L responsibility. Kareem decides to pursue an
EMBA as the best way to prepare for his imminent senior management role. He will pay
the tuition, and his company will accommodate the schedule.
These three candidates now face the challenge of applying to EMBA programs. First,
they must select the programs they want to target from an increasingly large and
multifaceted selection. Then, although they are all strong applicants, they still must
distinguish themselves through their application essays. In this series, we will explore the
changing EMBA options and how to choose among them, and then address the roll-upthe-shirtsleeves part of the process: developing effective essays.

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EMBA Admissions: Sponsorship and the GMAT

Changing company sponsorship requirements/expectations
EMBA applicants' employers often sponsor their EMBA studies, at least to some extent.
This sponsorship ranges from paying 100% of the tuition (rare) to simply accommodating
the applicants need to take time off from work (almost universal).
This sponsorship picture has certainly changed over the last decade. According to the
Executive MBA Councils recent research survey results, the percentage of self-funded
EMBA students has grown to almost 40% by 2014. It was 32% in 2005-2006, according
to the Councils 2006 Survey. That same 2006 survey shows that 40% of organizations
fully funded EMBA students in 2003 and 35% in 2005-2005. Now, per the 2014 survey,
that percentage has dropped to about 25% in 2014.
Virtually all EMBA programs take sponsorship seriously and typically require that the
employer provide a statement of support for the applicant's EMBA plans. Here are some
samples of EMBA sponsorship expectations:
Wharton: "For most applicants, proposing and receiving sponsorship is a crucial
part of the application process. While employer endorsement is a requirement for
admission, financial sponsorship is at the discretion of the students organization ... All
applicants require the basic level of sponsorship, which is the acknowledgement of time
to participate in the program."
Duke (Global Executive): "A letter from your current employer outlining your
company's support of time is required. This letter may also include information about
your employer's financial commitment, but financial sponsorship is not required.
Proprietors or principals of a company can provide a letter of self-sponsorship. (The
webpage also provides a link to a sample letter.)
MIT: We consider corporate sponsorship of the time requirement to be critical. In
your application package, one of your recommenders should be from your boss, and
address the topic of time sponsorship.
Kellogg: "Your organization is required to supply a letter stating that it supports and
approves the time required for you to attend the Executive MBA Program. If your
organization is providing financial sponsorship, please state that in the letter as well.
(However, you are not required to have financial sponsorship.)"
Financial sponsorship can still be a competitive plus for applicants, because it
underscores your value and high potential in the organizations eyes. But not having it
is not a negative factor.

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If youre an entrepreneur, you basically sponsor yourself therefore you must indicate
how youll accommodate the time requirements within the context of your own
organization.
It happens too that sometimes regularly employed applicants who are eligible for
financial sponsorship may prefer to self-fund, because they do not want to be beholden to
their organization but instead be free to pursue other options. Indeed, having time
sponsored can create an obligation on the applicant part. If thats not desired, EMBA
programs (such as Columbia Universitys) that offer a Saturday-only option may be the
best option.
GMAT requirements
More and more EMBA programs, including some of the highest ranked such
as Kellogg, MIT, NYU, Cornell, Ross (University of Michigan), and Anderson (UCLA),
do not require the GMAT (or GRE).
And among those that do require the GMAT, it may be possible to obtain a GMAT
waiver under certain circumstances. For example, Booth at University of Chicago
and Goizueta at Emory require the GMAT generally but may grant waivers if you can
present concrete evidence of sufficient quantitative and analytic capabilities and skills. If
you believe youre eligible, you must request the waiver proactively. Some schools with
multiple EMBA program options, require the GMAT/GRE for some programs but not
others - those programs targeting the more senior, experienced applicants tend not to
require it. E.g., Dukes Global Executive MBA does not require a standardized test,
whereas the Weekend Executive MBA does (in fact they explicitly prefer the GMAT
over the GRE).
While you may be relieved to be free of this test burden for many great EMBA programs,
if you do take the GMAT and score high, it's worth reporting the score to the schools
because it further (a) affirms your preparation for academic work in both verbal and
quantitative areas; and (b) shows that you are serious about and committed to the EMBA
process. Moreover, if you have a relatively low undergraduate GPA (and don't have a
better grad GPA), submitting a strong GMAT (or GRE) score can mitigate the effect of
the academic underperformance to some extent and indicate academic readiness.

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EMBA Program Variety

Once upon a time, EMBA programs primarily targeted and attracted managers working
in local corporations. The typical EMBA schedule was every weekend or every other
weekend, sometimes weeknights.
This scenario has changed radically. Today many, if not most, EMBA programs offer
multiple options for program schedules and formats, target more geographically
dispersed students, and provide some form of global opportunities (which in turn often
involve multi-program collaborations). Given the increasing number of EMBA programs
that offer spread-out schedules for the on-campus segments, applicants can pursue
programs beyond their immediate locale, finding it feasible to, say, fly an hour or two
every other weekend.
Here are two great examples, from the U.S. south alone:
UNC Kenan-Flaglers Weekend MBA is structured so that classes are held every third
weekend. In addition, Every two months, youll attend classes Friday, Saturday and
Sunday. Youll also attend one residential immersion week. Students from 24 states
have taken advantage of this opportunity. This b-school also offers the Global OneMBA,
which has on-campus classes once a month plus four global residencies per year.
Duke Universitys EMBA programs offer multiple options and target particular levels
of applicants. Its Weekend Executive program (students average 11 years of experience)
consists mainly of alternate weekends on campus, whereas its Global Executive program
(students average 15 years of experience) combines classroom learning, distance
learning, and global residencies. (Duke also offers a Cross Continent program that
integrates MBA and EMBA approaches: part-time, mix of global residencies and distance
learning, average age 30.)
Such varied options mean that specific programs are closely calibrated with an applicant's
needs and experience level. So prospective applicants must pay attention not just to
format/schedule and location, but also to required or desired experience level.
The Global OneMBA reflects another trend noted above: partnering among global
EMBA programs to provide a global education. For example:
OneMBA partners with Erasmus University in Rotterdam as well as business programs
in Mexico, Brazil, and Hong Kong.
NYU Stern has joined with London School of Economics and HEC School of
Management in Paris to offer the TRIUM Executive MBA.

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The EMBA-Global is a partnership among Columbia University, London Business
School, and Hong Kong University.
While it is exciting to have so many appealing options to choose from, these targeted
programs make it important to (a) do some up-front research to understand exactly which
programs are the right fit for you and why, and (b) use your essays to articulate that fit for
each particular program.

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EMBA Employment and Career Services

Given todays volatile business climate, almost everyone in the business world must
continuously evaluate and recalibrate their career path, whether they are planning an
imminent change or not. Its an ongoing part of being a business professional. EMBA
applicants who arent planning a career change still know that their well-laid plans can
erupt in an instant. And, increasingly, applicants are pursuing an EMBA specifically to
facilitate a career transition. At University of Michigans Ross EMBA program, Lisa
Morgan, a Ross EMBA career coach, states that 80-90 percent of the clients I work with
come to me looking to conduct an external search and change employers.
To address this trend, EMBA programs have beefed up their EMBA career
services. The Executive MBA Councils 2014 report shows that now almost all member
programs offering career counseling 92% as of that year. This jumped from 74% in
2006 and 67% in 2004 (per the 2006 report).
Career services include various types of career coaching, self-assessments, alumni
networking and events, etc. While career services are common among EMBA programs,
the line is usually drawn at regular recruiting (a major draw of regular MBA programs).
There are notable exceptions for example, UCLA Anderson states that on-campus
recruiting is open to EMBA students in their second year for full-time positions, and in
the beginning of their first year for summer internship positions. Wharton also offers
recruiting access.
Mixing sponsorship with career services, however, may present an ethical dilemma for
the EMBA program. Wharton divides its EMBA students into job search eligible and
those who are not eligible: To be eligible to access the Job Search Resources listed
above, a student must provide the required documentation to indicate that s/he is selfsponsored or has permission from her/his sponsoring company. Further details explain
that some forms and levels of financial sponsorship may be permissible for job-search
eligibility. Whartons career services are similarly divided into those all students can
access, such as career planning and resume review, and those only open to job search
eligible students, such as recruiting and participation in Job Search Action groups.
It will take some work to sift through the various EMBA programs to identify those that
offer the level and type of career service options your particular needs require. The
upside is that, while recruiting is still rare, those options are increasingly deep and broad.
A representative example of a relatively rich offering is Columbia Universitys.

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5 Key Qualifying Factors the EMBA Adcoms Look For

After you decide which programs youll apply to, youre ready to start the hands-on
application work. As you update your resume, plan your essays and choose
recommenders, keep in mind several qualifying factors that EMBA admissions
committees want to see in applicants they consider for acceptance. These factors will put
you in the running for consideration; theyll make you a viable candidate.
Throughout the application, but primarily through the essay(s), address these key
questions:
1. Are your goals credible, and do they contain the right blend of feasibility and
ambition?
Appropriate goals will place you within senior management, since presumably you are
already at mid-management level or higher (or a comparable position) if you work for a
company. If you are a business owner, your goals should clarify not only your plans for
the business, but also the specific role(s) you intend to undertake i.e., your own
professional growth path. In addition, the adcoms want to be assured that the graduates
will be a credit to the program!
All EMBA applications require a goals essay or a similar Statement of Purpose/Intent. Be
prepared to discuss your immediate/short-term, intermediate, and long-term goals. Not all
goals essays ask for this breakdown, but many do and even if a question doesnt ask for
it, it will hardly hurt to present such a progression, for context.
2. Do you have the knowledge and skills to succeed in the EMBA academic
program?
Even if your goals are credible and appropriate, you will need a fundamental familiarity
with business operations plus quantitative skills to handle the coursework. Undergrad
and/or grad transcripts will cover the quant aspect.
But EMBA applicants who come from non-business sectors education, government,
clinical medicine, and nonprofit are not uncommon you have a higher burden to (a)
show that you need business training, specifically, to address your goals and (b) that you
understand the core purpose and content of graduate level business education. You can
ask your recommenders to address this point and you can work it into your essays.
For those lacking quant coursework, you can take a reputable online or community
college course and/or take the GMAT and score 80% or above in the quant portion.
3. Will you contribute to the program (professionally and/or personally, during and
after)?
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This is a three-pronged point: (A) Does the quality of your experience make it a
potentially rich and valuable resource to draw from? (B) Do you have something to say
do you draw insight and meaning from that experience? (C) Do you share are you a
team player/collaborator?
EMBA programs are learning communities, and thus require willing contribution from all
parties. While your recommendations can and should shed light on this point, your essays
will be the primary vehicle to communicate your prospective contributions both as a
student and as an alumnus/a.
4. Do you have the right level and amount of experience to fit the program (both its
student body and its coursework)?
As we indicated in earlier posts, EMBA programs and their various sub-programs/options
are looking for specific amounts and levels of experience. And these two items amount
and level are inter-related.
In the classic EMBA candidate, the level will be achieved in a certain amount of
years, during which the candidate progresses at a quick if not necessarily breakneck pace.
You may have achieved the desired level with fewer years of experience, or you may
have taken longer to achieve the desired level. Of these two deviations, the former is
preferable to adcoms generally, because it indicates a high achiever. However, someone
in the latter situation may well have good reasons for the slower pace family matters,
previous career transition, industry volatility, etc. Again, the burden is on the applicant to
clarify such situations, and not to give the impression that youre less than high achiever.
Often, entrepreneurs seek the EMBA education when their business is poised for a
growth spurt that will involve greater organizational and financial complexity than
theyre prepared to handle with ingenuity alone.
5. Do you understand the demands of studying while working, and do you have a
workable plan for fitting the EMBA studies into your life?
Some EMBA applications have an essay question specifically on this point. The last thing
the adcoms want is for someone to leave the program before completion, or to get by
academically without being a full participant in the learning community. And its very
easy to underestimate the demands of studying and contributing while maintaining ones
professional and personal responsibilities. Whether in an essay or during the interview,
demonstrate your time management skills and show that you have juggled multiple
responsibilities effectively.

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3 Key Ways to Stand Out Through Your EMBA Essays

After demonstrating that youre a well qualified applicant comes the biggest challenge:
differentiating yourself. You must show your uniqueness and value as an individual and
as an applicant in a way that is relevant to the EMBA program. Essentially, youre giving
the adcom the reason to select you out of other highly qualified, accomplished peers in
similar industry, functional, and demographic groups.
While some differentiating factors might be apparent from your resume, e.g., if you work
in an industry or function that is relatively underrepresented, the essays are where you
can most vividly portray your distinctiveness.
There are three key avenues for differentiating yourself:
1. Distinctive Factual Points
These are the unique facts of your experience, such as industry niche, pertinent
experience like managing through a global merger, special challenges like dealing with
heavily regulated industries or an unusual organizational structure.
How to determine whether an aspect of your experience is a differentiating factor? Dig
past the top soil. For example, say you are in consulting. Its likely in any top EMBA
program that a good percentage of students will come from that industry, and so it may
not seem like much of a differentiator. But going deeper into your consulting experience
for the specifics e.g., you consult on IT strategy for the defense sector youll likely
find details that are differentiating, whereas general management consulting would not
be.
To get the most mileage out of a differentiating factor, dont just state the fact in your
essays, but also provide illustrative detail and anecdote to truly show what is special and
different about it (let the reader really see it).
2. Your Individual Perspective
Individual perspective is a way that everyone can differentiate himself. In most essays
you will have to reflect on your experiences to some extent. When doing so, dont just
highlight the facts and accomplishments identify the key learning, growth, and/or
insight you gained from each change or important event; clarify your decision process
when taking career steps. This individual view is inherently unique, even if the
experience you are describing may seem commonplace. Do keep such perspective
relevant; for maximum impact, it should align with your decision making vis--vis your
career path and/or goals. So be selective in adding insights, learning, etc. according to
that criterion.

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In the essays, you can either weave this individual perspective and insight into the
narrative, or present the narrative and then add a paragraph focusing on your reflection.
3. Your Goals
The goals essay will be the backbone of your application. (Rather than a specific goals
essay, some EMBA applications feature a Statement of Purpose or Statement of Intent,
which typically will also include some goals discussion.)
For each phase of your goals, in the essay you should discuss:
a. What you expect to do at that level,
b. How you hope to grow,
c. Most important what you hope to accomplish (for the company and/or industry
and/or market and/or consumers and/or community, etc. this is about external, realworld impact).
Of course, the points above are not completely separated in reality; but they all should be
addressed. The last point is most important because its what will get the adcom rooting
for you.
Provide specifics: titles or positions, specific markets, likely number of people to
manage, budget size or P&L responsibility, etc. Also describe how this particular step
builds on your previous experience.
How do you make your goals do extra duty by differentiating you? Through the vision
for what you want to achieve, what impact you want to have it goes back to that last
point c above. While other candidates will likely present similar goals, only you will
present this specific vision. For example, if your goal is to become a senior manager at a
major pharmaceutical firm, dont just explain why this a logical and likely step. Get the
reader excited about the prospect of your taking this role. Perhaps you perceive certain
trends in the regulatory systems or certain production opportunities in developing
regions Being a decision-maker addressing such issues will allow you to maximize
chances for your company to continue innovating and marketing new drugs.
In summary, for effective goals essays, keep three short words in mind: what, how,
and why.

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About the Author

Cindy Tokumitsu is co-author of The EMBA Edge, The Finance Professionals Guide to
MBA Success, and The Consultants Guide to MBA Admissions. Her EMBA clients have
been accepted at top EMBA programs including Columbia, NYU, Kellogg, Wharton,
Fuqua, Booth, UNC, LBS, IMD (Switzerland), and also at MIT and Stanford Sloan
Fellows Programs.

Epilogue
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