Applicant Evaluation in an Executive MBA Program

Abstract

Abstract The validity of models using only quantitative factors such as standardized test scores and undergraduate grade point averages to predict student performance is questionable for Executive Master of Business Administration (EMBA) programs, which are typically designed for older students. Hence, many EMBA administrators place greater weight on more subjective, qualitative factors characterizing work experience, motivation, and business success, even though they have incomplete evidence of their validity. Using three successive classes of EMBA students at a major private university in the United States, we developed models that combine traditional, quantitative factors with subjective factors to capture the relationship between those variables and EMBA student performance. Results indicate that the inclusion of qualitative factors enhances the ability of the models to predict student performance.