<p>so I read a the preview for the book " What I learned at Harvard Business School" and in passing the author refers to the "many exceptional employees that CEO'S of fortunate 100 companies will send to Harvard business".</p>
<p>Does anyone know if it standard practice for companies to send employees to business school?
Do CEOs have some kind of automatic in at good schools for the employees they wish to send?</p>
<p>i had never heard of this, just wonderin if anyone knows about this.
i wonder how many spots usually get taken up by these employees...</p>
<p>I think that you may have misread the passage, but it is not terribly uncommon for big companies to send mid-level managers to business schools, typically through their executive MBA programs. Applying to an E-MBA program is an independent application and each applicant must meet the criteria for admission to the E-MBA program on their own. The corporation sponsoring the candidate usually foots all or some part of the tuition bill and often submits a letter of support for that candidate (most E-MBA programs require some time away from work to complete the degree, often every other Friday and every other weekend, as well as six weeks in the summer, so employer support is necessary for the program to work).</p>
<p>Companies (at least Investment Banks and Consulting firms) regularly sponsor their top employees to get MBAs. They then have to return to their employer afterwards or repay the scholarship/sponsorship if they go elsewhere.</p>
<p>oh ok, so even if they are sponsoring them to go back to school, the companies can't get employees into programs they weren't already qualified for?</p>
<p>Right. The employer simply funds the time at school (which is nice). At the same time, it is also like being an indentured servant--having to go back for a few years. But if you love your job, then it's probably all good. Being sponsored also has the benefit of allowing you to enjoy your time in b-school more, as you won't have to desperately and nonsensically network just to get a job.</p>
<p>That said, some employers are unusually successful at placing their people at top b-school. Presumably it is because of the experience the students gain in those jobs (eg, McKinsey), but also on a pragmatic level because schools need to foster relationships with their best clients (ie, those who hire their students). Hence, you have places like HBS being extra-friendly to top-tier investment banks and top consulting firms, after all places like Citi are providing the loans for most students...</p>