Houlihan Lokey FAS or EY Transaction Services Group?

I got offers from both companies, and have a week to decide. What do you guys think I should choose? I am interested in going into top 5 business school after 3 years. Which one prepares me better?

Thank you! Really appreciate your help!

21 Comments
 

HLHZ FAS by about 100 miles. Do not do EY TAS. the pay,progression, and exit ops are not anywhere as close

 

Thank you so much for your feedback! I was worried that EY might have a better brand name, because HLHZ is mid-market. Does that matter for MBA admission?

 

Big 4 do place well to business school, especially because you can become a "manager" in four years and business schools love that title/experience. However, I know someone who went to Columbia after HLHZ so I think you'll be fine.

There have been many great comebacks throughout history. Jesus was dead but then came back as an all-powerful God-Zombie.
 

at E&Y, all you do is due dilience, purchase price allocation, and goodwill impairment. The skillset learned in this role is not transferrable to anything really, except other big 4

 
Best Response

Dude, I did EY TAS. DON'T DO IT! I thought being an accountant (yes, I know TAS isn't exactly accounting but at a Big 4, its still very accounting focused) would be a suitable backup in case I don't become a banker, but trust me...it sucks balls, and TAS is supposed to be the "interesting" part of big 4 world. Take HLHZ and don't even look back. I'd kill to have a boutique banking job instead of EY TAS.

Pretty women make us BUY beer. Ugly women make us DRINK beer.
 

do you guys not realize that hlhz fas isn't really banking?

i'd still recommend the hlhz offer over E&Y TAS, but its not nearly as clear-cut as everyone else is making it out to be.

 
twilightgirldo you guys not realize that hlhz fas isn't really banking?

i'd still recommend the hlhz offer over E&Y TAS, but its not nearly as clear-cut as everyone else is making it out to be.

I'd still argue that doing valuation >>>>> due diligence/accounting side of valuation and secondly, whenever someone sees EY, PWC, KPMG, Deloitte, they immediately think "auditor" not banker. Doing valuation isn't the equivalent of ops, so in this case, since the work is relatively similar (although I still bet HLHZ will give him better work), the difference between being labeled as an "accountant" vs being in an investment bank and working with investment banking professionals even if its indirect is valuable.

Pretty women make us BUY beer. Ugly women make us DRINK beer.
 

I worked in valuation in the Big 4 and totally agree with the above on the accounting-tag following you. The valuation skillset is pretty similar to banking, but it's hard to get the same exit opportunities.

There have been many great comebacks throughout history. Jesus was dead but then came back as an all-powerful God-Zombie.
 

Great! I think my decision is pretty clear! Thanks again guys! BTW, do you know if it is possible to go directly to banking without MBA for FAS? How hard would that be? Do I have to network really hard?

 

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