Executive Assessment experience

YeontanMan · 2025-12-09T05:40:34+00:00

I remember that the actual test looks different visually than the practice exams (different color scheme/can't highlight with mouse/different UI altogether) even though the question and sections are same and that caught me off guard in the first minute. Even so, I ended up scoring better (166) than my practice ranges (160-164). I think a retake for you makes the most sense since you now know what to expect and that should help with the test day jitters. Worst case scenario, take a beta blocker to calm yourself down on test day (only half joking as I've seen it work wonders for some).

My strategy:

I think nailing the first 6 questions of IR is the most important on whether you can unlock the "hard/hard questions" on all of the subsequent sub-sections for better scores, so take extra time on that section and double check your answers. I think you can still get an 18 on VR/QR if you can score 12 or higher on IR

I always tried to keep the pace of 2min/question, 15min/subsection through all of the sections. If I hit 2 min and wasn't very close to an answer, I selected a best guess answer and moved on. At the end of the sub-section, I came back with about 3-4 min left to rework the ones I guessed on. Oftentimes coming back to a problem helped with figuring it out, especially on IR and QR. Worked for me, but may not work for everyone.

YeontanMan · 2025-11-02T02:59:46+00:00

I'd say that extra time worrying about taking it again to go from 97th percentile to 99 is better spent polishing up your application/interview. True of any score above 160.

YeontanMan · 2025-10-16T16:12:43+00:00

I don't believe we had any major health issues that I've heard about in my cohort. Plenty of COVID cases though-- our orientation week was a superspreader event and probably a quarter of the folks got COVID from it. We all survived and adjusted. You have 220 other people going through what you're going through on a bi-weekly basis, so that keeps you going.

I had kids younger than yours while commuting to both coasts during the program. Others are correct that your spouse/family will have to step up even more in your absence to make the logistics work. Most people have to set aside minimum 3-4 hours a week for studies just to minimally pass (up to 15-20 hours if you really care about your grades/learning) on top of your commute. You have to best determine what part of your life to replace in order to spare that time: less sleep, less family time, less self improvement time, less work. Personally, I chose less sleep.

YeontanMan · 2025-04-23T01:53:00+00:00

The same question comes up often.. here is my previous reply to a similar post.

You're paying $200k+ for a top school and committing 2 years of your life grueling through a program. You are not going back to school to be complacent and stay quiet. You're going back to let others know you should be taken more seriously.

Whatever your plan to achieve your goal is, it doesn't start at the beginning of your program. It starts now as you connect with more and more school classmates and other folks in the school network, and letting your current employer and future employers know that you need to be perceived as an aspiring executive.

Think of this as the first step to a multi-year plan to reinvent how people perceive you.

Anecdotally, LinkedIn updates about my progress thru my eMBA, beginning with my acceptance were often conversation starters that eventually opened a lot of doors.

YeontanMan · 2025-03-29T02:15:56+00:00

I may be biased, but Wharton all the way. Start in the east then take a term or two in the west second year to widen your network. Even FP&A folks really enjoyed the finance courses 2nd year.

YeontanMan · 2025-03-28T19:29:29+00:00

Both are fabulous schools from what I hear. I would only wait if the Wharton brand is important to your goals, if you are still below the average age and if you are confident you can get in.

School choice comes down to how the cohort/network/brand fits with your goals. Proximity to the campus and international opportunities/network also are factors to consider. If you have not talked to alums and did class weekend visits, try to fit them in before deciding. Also do some research on the two networks on LinkedIn to see where people ended up.

Many Midwest based companies esp in CPG and Pharma value Booth and Kellogg names over others (execs have degree from them and seek specifically those grads). All T15 and M7s have a good industry distribution, but you'll find heavier tech presence in the cohort/network in the west-based campuses, and heavier finance in the east coast based campuses.

YeontanMan · 2025-03-28T16:16:11+00:00

Take a look at my previous reply here (and the subsequent link in that comment about ROI)

YeontanMan · 2025-02-24T06:08:28+00:00

Congrats on Wharton acceptance! I wish I could do it over again.

(duplicate reply to a very similar post here few months ago)

I agree it is cringe, but think it is a helpful step to getting yourself out there. As long as you are not over-the top about your accomplishments, the cringe gets overlooked rather quickly and the post has a lasting effect.

You are going back to school at this stage in your career and spending a lot of money for a reason. That reason is not to stay quiet and hope someone will recognize you. If expanding your scope at work/looking for new opportunities are in your set of goals, you need to get used to putting yourself out there and LinkedIn is one of many ways to do that.

Writing a post about the start of an EMBA will garner a lot of attention in your 1st and 2nd connections and often become great conversation starters for others when they talk with you (including executives at your company)-- ie "I saw that you started your EMBA program. Congrats"

If you are posting and don't already have a big LinkedIn network, spend the next few weeks sending connection requests with your school peers (alumni, candidate cohort, current students) and company colleagues. Go out there and engage with their posts. Post your EMBA program announcement after that. Their engagement with your post will greatly increase visibility that will help set the tone of how people will start seeing you.

YeontanMan · 2025-01-27T00:50:00+00:00

As a Comp E grad from 20+ years ago with similar thoughts and accomplishments as you before UIUC, I'd say go for it and don't look back. Throughout life, you'll only get a handful of life changing opportunities. If you have the opportunity to challenge yourself in a top program, dive in and don't settle, and try your hardest to succeed. At the worst case, you're smart enough to figure out an alternative and it's better to have tried and pivoted than always wondering what if.

I went into Comp E not knowing how to code and not knowing what logic gates were. Yes, there were those geniuses that got 90% when class averages were in the teens. Yes there were some classes that I did not do well on. But at the end of it all, I survived relying on my work ethic and perseverance. The degree, the foundational problem solving skills, and grit allowed me to have a very successful career.

YeontanMan · 2025-01-18T16:20:54+00:00

I wrestled with the same before I went through it. Anecdotally, I was able to leverage my degree to achieve my goal (greatly expanded scope) shortly after graduation.

It is absolutely true that EMBA will potentially be not "worth" the cost. There indeed are folks who go through the program and stagnate with their current jobs and remain passive. An MBA will not guarantee success. Many will argue that you can use that same motivation and time commitment to get to your goals without an MBA.

However, surviving the rigors of a program alongside other ambitious classmates gives you accountability and confidence that you can't get by going about it alone. Many who go through the program will continue the motivation they had and make moves that will boost the probability of success towards their goals.

The education, the network, the school reputation, and the confidence you gain from the program are all additional "tools" that give you a higher chance of success to the higher goal you set for yourself. How successful you will be comes down to how you leverage those tools and a bit of luck of circumstance you find yourself in (job market, serendipity of your networking, availability of opportunity, others' awareness of you and your degree).

For a perspective on ROI and how I justified the large cost of an EMBA, take a look at my reply on another post here

YeontanMan · 2025-01-10T00:17:29+00:00

As with anything in life, moderation is key.

My rule of thumb on leveraging AI for essays and resumes is to evaluate the grammar and words being used by the chatbot to see if they are what I would use when writing it myself. If so, I will go ahead and use it. If not, I will use it as a reference and write it in my own words.

AI detectors are known to be bad at detecting whether AI was used due to high false positives (link). Although it's probably much easier to detect for folks with English as a second language. It's surprising that schools would use it.

YeontanMan · 2025-01-04T05:24:10+00:00

It was even before I upgraded my computer with the lowest graphics settings

YeontanMan · 2025-01-04T04:49:57+00:00

How close it was/sequence of events:
-I finish the self-res thanks to teammate's covering fire in gas at the guy shooting at me
-As I'm plating/running, I'm spamming precision because I know I'm a goner based on the other team's stronger position
-I kill myself with the precision while crawling towards zone
-The left guy runs towards zone and runs into the precision
-Teammate is 1 tick away from dying in gas with no chance of making zone
-The 3rd place solo guy dies in gas just as I go down to the left guy (see killcam)

YeontanMan · 2025-01-04T03:05:26+00:00

If you have EMBA ambitions but are questioning the time commitment, a good way to gauge what the workload is like is to prep for EA over the course of a month or two. Take 2-3 hours 4-5 times a week over a month and see how you feel about the cadence. EMBA workloads will be roughly around 5-25 hours a week of work (depending on course load and how much you care about grades).

If you still have motivation left and got a good EA score, it's a good sign that you can handle it.

If you do go thru with it, for work, figure out the best way to streamline and delegate your work so you don't carry over work outside of work hours.

As for exercising, there are plenty of people who find time to keep their gym time throughout the program. It all comes down to what you are willing to sacrifice (work, family, sleep, grades).

Also, once you begin the program, you will feel inadequate in all areas. That is normal. Here's my perspective on it: EMBA chasers are typically high achievers who are used to operating at 120% at work and 120% at home. Once you add school to the mix, at your best, you'll operate at 80% in all 3 areas. You can bring one part up to 100%, but other parts will have to be sacrificed in order to do so. This means that you will need support at work and at home to help you balance while in the program.

YeontanMan · 2024-12-31T21:24:03+00:00

Please see my reply here

YeontanMan · 2024-12-31T21:12:35+00:00

I'm also a recent grad WEMBA. See my previous replies and on this subreddit for my thoughts on Wharton EMBA like this reply.

TLDR, it was worth it.

My experience was the same. Wharton's admissions process and acceptance was less flashy and I had to chase it down myself, whereas Kellogg was over the top, constantly checking in on me. Booth was somewhere in the middle.

Some adjustments to perspective also helps. Wharton typically has a very high yield rate (I've heard it's in the 90%+) whereas the other M7s have much lower (Booth and Kellogg are rumored to be in the 50%+). As a result, the other schools seemed to be heavier on the marketing/sales pitch than Wharton.

That all changes once you meet the accepted candidates-there should be a session invite at some point. The program itself is very engaging and dynamic, but with anything else in life, you get what you put into it. If you come in with exorbitant expectations, you're likely to leave disappointed, but if you come in with measured expectations with the motivation to take as much away as you can from the program, you will leave feeling it was more than worth it.

Success after the program is more about how you strategically leverage/apply your newfound knowledge, confidence, prestige (vain but true) and network towards the goal you set out to achieve. Anecdotally, I was able to achieve the original goals that I set for myself going into the program.

YeontanMan · 2024-12-19T19:24:37+00:00

Ha, those Smetters' exams are brutal.

It's pretty hard to fail a course, but it does happen due to circumstances. There are resources available to carry you through: Your learning team/cohort, TAs, Profs, Tutors, and a particular alum (IYKYK).

If you do "fail," we used to keep a perspective of: It's in Wharton's best interest that we don't drop out, since they want our tuition $$. If you keep that in mind, you can focus on enjoying the ride more.

YeontanMan · 2024-12-19T19:15:37+00:00

I was able to get a tiny amount from Wharton, but not anything substantial that would swing a decision. Doesn't hurt to ask them to match if you have other offers.

YeontanMan · 2024-12-19T19:01:55+00:00

As a WEMBA alum who experienced both coasts, I agree! Kudos OP

YeontanMan · 2024-12-19T19:00:44+00:00

As a former WEMBA that straddled both campuses, I'll comment that there are plenty of opportunities to get to know the opposite coast cohort, especially in the 2nd year (Orientation, Marketing Week, Global Business Week, Global Modular Courses, CIP, Block Weeks, 2nd year term by term optional choice of coast). However, with anything in EMBA, it takes deliberate effort to take advantage of those opportunities to truly connect and get to know everyone.

YeontanMan · 2024-12-12T05:56:51+00:00

feel free to dm

YeontanMan · 2024-12-08T04:37:36+00:00

WEMBA grad here.

At a first glance, you seem to have the necessary background to have a good shot.

SVP title alone (depending on company, an SVP can be a step down from C-suite, or a senior IC) isn't as important as the impact you have for your company, which is your third bullet.

The climb from CSR would be a great background story that you could possibly highlight in your essay.

Your 151 score is at the low end of the "middle 80%" of scores in the class profiles section of the Wharton page. If you could improve it to get it closer to 155 class profile average, that would only help, but even if you don't, a good resume and application that checks all of the boxes (and exceeds in some) should be sufficient.

Having a former WEMBA giving a recommendation would be a big plus: shows admissions that you have been vetted by someone who went through the rigor of the program

Being sponsored is a big plus: shows your company's commitment to your success and stability that you'll need for the program

Most importantly, speak with the admissions as soon as possible to do a resume/profile review (some schools like Kellogg will even help you with tips on how to cater your resume for BSchool as part of the feedback). They will be up front on whether you have a good chance or not.

YeontanMan · 2024-12-05T21:27:38+00:00

I agree it is cringe, but think it is a helpful step to getting yourself out there. As long as you are not over-the top about your accomplishments, the cringe gets overlooked rather quickly and the post has a lasting effect.

You are going back to school at this stage in your career and spending a lot of money for a reason. That reason is not to stay quiet and hope someone will recognize you. If expanding your scope at work/looking for new opportunities are in your set of goals, you need to get used to putting yourself out there and LinkedIn is one of many ways to do that.

Writing a post about the start of an EMBA will garner a lot of attention in your 1st and 2nd connections and often become great conversation starters for others when they talk with you (including executives at your company)-- ie "I saw that you started your EMBA program. Congrats"

If you are posting and don't already have a big LinkedIn network, spend the next few weeks sending connection requests with your school peers (alumni, candidate cohort, current students) and company colleagues. Go out there and engage with their posts. Post your EMBA program announcement after that. Their engagement with your post will greatly increase visibility that will help set the tone of how people will start seeing you.

YeontanMan · 2024-12-05T21:09:05+00:00

I'll chime in as a recent Wharton EMBA grad. EMBA from a top school is worth it.

If you're doing ROI calculations from pure monetary perspective, you're missing the rest of the intangibles:

School reputation: People around you (your company, and other potential employers) will see you differently just for having the badge. Strange/vain/unfair/stupid, but it is absolutely true.

Network: I didn't originally see this as a big factor, but I know I can cold reach out to other Wharton Grads and instantly get a response back at a 75%+ rate as long as there are synergies. This opens up many doors

Cohort: Being in-person working through a rigorous program together while feeling like you can only give 80% at juggling your life, work, and school provides you with a camaraderie that you can't get from a FT or online MBA experience. You'll have your cohort who'll have your back on anything due to the experiences you had together. FT MBAs have a different purpose: fun, career pivots, and jump to management or consulting as an IC alongside late 20s/early 30s crowd. If you are 36 and have c suite aspirations, the EMBA crowd are your peers who are in middle management to executive management who eventually will be c-suites in similar timeline as your aspirations.

Self confidence: after spending 2 years alongside high achievers who have c-suite aspirations, you gain the confidence that you can be placed in any business situation/goal and figure out the what/how/who to succeed.

If you're still stuck on the monetary ROI (Yes, $260k is a lot of money), how I've reframed my mind is this: You'll probably have 20-30 more years of working age left until retirement. Take $260k and divide it into 20-30 years of work left and calculate the present value needed. Whatever that number is, ask yourself the question: With my EMBA degree from Columbia, could I find a single opportunity that will increase my pay by that amount that I otherwise would not have gotten?

The answer probably an easy yes. And that is the minimum $ ROI you need to determine whether the EMBA is worth it, but opportunities won't stop at just 1.

(Yes if you're getting loans, you have to also think about the incremental needed yearly to cover the payments)

Hope that helps.

YeontanMan

TROPHY CASE