While part-time MBA students can work full-time, it means they have less spare time to enjoy activities outside of work or study. It can be very challenging indeed to balance the demands of a full-time job and a rigorous academic curriculum, says Zoltán Antal-Mokos, dean of degree programs at ESMT Berlin.

“You must face and be prepared to accept inevitable trade-offs,” he says. “A walk with your partner on a Sunday afternoon versus polishing the presentation for the Monday morning regional sales meeting versus perfecting a course paper in hope of an even better grade – the choice is yours.”

A full-time MBA is still pretty intense, however. Plus, many business schools are now opting for shorter 12-month courses rather the traditional two-year format — including Babson College and the Goizueta School at Emory University — which means you’ll have to work hard whichever format you choose.

While full-time MBA programs seem to be more popular than their part-time cousins, it’s perhaps harder than ever to secure a spot on a top course.

The admissions requirements for both are generally very extensive. They typically include an online application form with CV, admissions essays, recommendation letters and in-person or video interviews.  

Work experience is usually less of an issue for part-time MBA admissions committees, as students generally work full-time throughout the course, but part-time candidates may need to get proof of employer support before a business school admits them to their program.

“At the application stage, students are required to demonstrate they have informed their employer of their intention to seek to join the program,” says Doug Hyatt, academic director of morning, evening and executive MBAs at Toronto’s Rotman School of Management.

The big difference between part-time and full-time MBA students is that full-timers typically want to switch jobs, industries or locations, according to Russo at Ross. “Almost 90 percent of full-time MBA graduates switch careers — primarily into consulting and tech. Nearly 60 percent of our full-time graduates went into those two careers alone,” she says.

“Geographically, our full-time MBA graduates are also more dispersed, with nearly a third going to the West Coast (San Francisco, Seattle and Los Angeles) and a quarter going to the East Coast (New York, Washington DC and Boston),” she adds.

“The majority of part-time MBA graduates stay at the organizations they were working in during the MBA — 55 percent in new positions. Only a quarter change organizations.”

Some believe that career networking is better in full-time MBAs because students spend more time together than in part-time programs. However, Jamie Breen, assistant dean for MBA programs for working professionals at Berkeley’s Haas School of Business, says: “We use a cohort model, under which students are assigned to one of four groups.

“The students remain in their assigned cohorts throughout the first half of the program, during their core classes, forging deep personal and professional relationships.”

He believes that, ultimately, both the part-time and full-time MBAs offer outstanding career advancement opportunities. “Our data show that a significant percentage (close to 70) of our students get promotions, switch jobs or start companies while they’re in the part-time program,” Breen says.

“We offer the same level of career management support in the part-time program, but we adapt what we offer to meet the needs of these mid-career professionals.”

So, how can you tell if a part-time MBA is right for you? The most important things to consider are how you plan to finance your studies and whether you’re hoping to change careers after you graduate. If the answer to the latter is yes, and you’re unable to secure financial support from your employer, then a part-time MBA probably isn’t for you.

However, if you want to continue working at the same organization, can secure financial assistance from your employer and feel comfortable fitting the teaching around your other commitments then a part-time MBA could be the perfect solution to getting you further up that career ladder. Click here  to learn more about the part-time MBA.