Executive MBAs: same selectivity and career boost as regular MBAs, and grades hidden?

Graduate School Business School - MBA
1

I know almost nothing about MBA programs, so feel free to tell me if these are dumb questions:

  1. Is an executive MBA from a business school just as hard to get into, and just as beneficial for a career, as a regular MBA from the same school?

For example, is getting into Columbia’s executive MBA program as hard as getting into its regular MBA program? Would someone with a Columbia executive MBA degree have the same bright career prospects as someone with a regular Columbia MBA degree?

Or would an executive MBA be more like an adult continuing education class (which people still flaunt on their LinkedIn profiles, even though at least the ones I’ve taken are open enrollment and practical but not selective)?

  1. I see that some executive MBA programs (Columbia, Wharton, etc.) encourage students not to share grades with employers until the student has accepted a full-time offer.

What in the world–does that rule also apply in regular MBA programs? Do “better” MBA programs allow that more than “lesser” ones would, assuming that everyone at the top-tier program can do well and so grades don’t really matter to employers?

I’d never heard of such a thing until today; when I was in grad school (law school), grades mattered at least somewhat and were definitely disclosed before, not after, job offers were extended.

Thanks.

2

EMBAs are often sponsored by companies. Generally, no, they are not as selective as the flagship MBA program (and far less flexible). B-schools operate them because they are cash cows. They’re meant for experienced executives, so if you need the grades or selectivity of a program to give you a boost, an EMBA program likely isn’t for you.

Law school grads generally don’t have much work experience.