If you’re already in middle-management, it’s more common to pursue an Executive Education degree. These programs provide similar tools, with the advantage of not requiring you to leave your job, but at the expense of not being as intense and experience.

Work exp : 12 + years (currently working at a bank in Dubai, UAE)

Married / with a 4 year old son

Plan : to do an MBA from Wharton, specialising in Finance and Entrepreneurship or HBS (full time; since part time is not an option for international students)

My query :

I would like to know your view / opinion on making such a move with my family, given the time / money commitment that would be required from my side.

Are there others who have quit their middle-management jobs elsewhere in the world and took the break (quit their jobs) to pursue higher studies (read a full-time MBA) ?

The reason for a Wharton/HBS MBA : the expectation that I would be able to equip myself with tools that can help me explore ’starting a business’ / get a deeper understanding of finance management.

Requesting your view .. .

It’s my pleasure to host such knowledgeable commenters!

Thanks again for the great blog and for opening up this discussion.

I don’t think folks could go wrong at either Wharton or HBS. Though I’d have to say that for sheer access to the startup ecosystem, Stanford has us both beat.

First of all, let me say that Wharton is quite a bit older than HBS and actually has a much bigger alumni network (remember, HBS doesn’t have an undergraduate program, so Wharton has an alumni network many times larger than HBS - don’t underestimate the caliber and influence of Wharton’s undergrad alumni network, some of the brightest and most successful entrepreneurs in the world are Wharton undergrad alums). I would agree that HBS has a brand second to none, but age and network size aren’t something to state as an advantage over Wharton because they actually fall behind Wharton in both areas.

Secondly, there is a much larger group of successful entrepreneurs at Wharton than HBS (at least currently). Wharton has an organized group of 40-50 former entrepreneurs (many more than currently attend HBS)

Wharton’s Entrepreneurial Programs (WEP) is VERY active and has many programs available to assist entrepreneurs. The Rock Center, from everything I’ve heard, is less than impressive. WEP provides scholarships to MBA’s who choose to start their own businesses ($10,000 - $15,000) in lieu of doing an internship. They also provided around 20-25 students with $3,000 scholarships if they chose to work in a start-up business during their summer internship. There is a Venture Initiation Program (VIP) where Wharton provides incubator space to students working on their own businesses. They provide mentoring, office space and other resources (including gifted seed money of $2,500). Do your research, The Rock Center at HBS doesn’t hold a candle to WEP in providing educational and financial support to aspiring entrepreneurs.

Additionally, Wharton has a campus in San Francisco with 200+ Executive MBAs who are well connected in the Valley (and a large alumni network). These resources are available to us - HBS has a small office in the Valley, but students aren’t able to use it - it is exclusively for professors. Wharton’s alumni network in Northern California is extremely active as well (they hold social events on a weekly basis).

In summary, HBS and Wharton both have incredible programs. Each has their strengths and weaknesses, but I think I can speak with a voice of authority in saying that Wharton is an outstanding (and in my opinion, the best) place for those desiring to start a business during school.