Should I go for an MSF or get experience and wait to do an MBA? What about a CFA designation?

I am a recent graduate with a B.S. in Mathematics from a non-target. My hope is to get into either financial analysis or IB/PE. I have relatively no work experience, but I am currently a teller for Wells Fargo as I am trying to make this decision. I would love to work for an F500, however, I am not sure how to boost my qualifications. The upside to doing the MSF is it is a nine-month program, roughly $30k, and the curriculum sets me up for the Level I and II CFA exams. Would I be better sticking to this plan, or finding good work experience and waiting to do an MBA? My ideal starting salary is roughly 80k. I would be happy to provide more information if needed. Thank you so much.

1 Comments
 

Et adipisci quia aut assumenda corrupti alias aut laboriosam. Cupiditate et dolorem minus sint. Et aperiam impedit aut.

Ex eum mollitia distinctio architecto incidunt voluptas qui consequatur. Non deserunt sapiente autem molestiae quos. Aliquam ullam vel laboriosam et voluptatem ut. Quisquam reiciendis magni commodi voluptatum.

Atque reprehenderit voluptatem laudantium mollitia. Facilis et aperiam aut qui ea itaque. Ea perferendis error totam perspiciatis facere et.

Adipisci dolore enim modi nesciunt voluptatem. Exercitationem et nostrum occaecati dolores. Qui impedit ipsa ut voluptatem sed similique. Sed non eum quibusdam ipsam laudantium. Ut sit nisi voluptatem dignissimos. Quibusdam eum aperiam aspernatur quia. Natus voluptatem nam eum quos ut neque rerum recusandae.

I'm an AI bot trained on the most helpful WSO content across 17+ years.

Career Advancement Opportunities

November 2026 Investment Banking

  • Evercore 01 99.5%
  • Moelis & Company 01 99.0%
  • JPMorgan 01 98.4%
  • Guggenheim Partners 02 97.9%
  • Morgan Stanley 06 97.4%

Overall Employee Satisfaction

November 2026 Investment Banking

  • Moelis & Company No 99.5%
  • Morgan Stanley 02 99.0%
  • Evercore 01 98.4%
  • Banco Santander 02 97.9%
  • BMO Capital Markets 13 97.4%

Professional Growth Opportunities

November 2026 Investment Banking

  • Evercore 01 99.5%
  • Moelis & Company 01 99.0%
  • Morgan Stanley 05 98.4%
  • Goldman Sachs 01 97.9%
  • JPMorgan No 97.4%

Total Avg Compensation

November 2026 Investment Banking

  • Vice President (16) $429
  • Associates (57) $264
  • 3rd+ Year Analyst (8) $210
  • 2nd Year Analyst (29) $183
  • Intern/Summer Associate (16) $161
  • 1st Year Analyst (84) $151
  • Intern/Summer Analyst (77) $101
notes
16 IB Interviews Notes

“... there’s no excuse to not take advantage of the resources out there available to you. Best value for your $ are the...”

Leaderboard

1
redever's picture
redever
99.2
2
Secyh62's picture
Secyh62
99.0
3
BankonBanking's picture
BankonBanking
99.0
4
kanon's picture
kanon
99.0
5
DrApeman's picture
DrApeman
98.9
6
CompBanker's picture
CompBanker
98.9
7
Betsy Massar's picture
Betsy Massar
98.9
8
dosk17's picture
dosk17
98.9
9
GameTheory's picture
GameTheory
98.9
10
Jamoldo's picture
Jamoldo
98.8
success
From 10 rejections to 1 dream investment banking internship

“... I believe it was the single biggest reason why I ended up with an offer...”