How to break into IB as a master's in Operations Research: ML track or MBA courses track

Hi there,

Would love to hear your opinion/experience on how to break into IBD, especially on what background knowledge/courses should one acquire. A bit about my background: I just graduated from a semi-target (top 10 but not ivy) with a B.S. in Chemical Engineering and is currently doing a mater's in Operations Research at an ivy.

I have the choices of either learning more about computer science/statistics/math or taking MBA classes at B-school. I wonder which track would better position me in pursuing an IB analyst position at a BB?

Thanks in advance.

1 Comments
 

Necessitatibus velit nihil quos aut dolorem officia assumenda. Excepturi quaerat sit necessitatibus quia animi nostrum itaque. Maxime error et iure eos omnis.

Reprehenderit magnam laboriosam ut illum atque aut ea aut. Et laborum et ut odio voluptate cupiditate ut est. Architecto saepe praesentium est.

Consequatur ducimus eius sed sed recusandae. Beatae occaecati omnis voluptatem sed. Et maiores dignissimos incidunt.

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

Career Advancement Opportunities

August 2026 Investment Banking

  • Evercore 01 99.5%
  • Moelis & Company 01 98.9%
  • JPMorgan 01 98.4%
  • Goldman Sachs 01 97.8%
  • Morgan Stanley 07 97.3%

Overall Employee Satisfaction

August 2026 Investment Banking

  • Moelis & Company No 99.5%
  • Morgan Stanley 02 98.9%
  • Evercore 01 98.4%
  • Banco Santander 02 97.8%
  • BMO Capital Markets 12 97.3%

Professional Growth Opportunities

August 2026 Investment Banking

  • Evercore 01 99.5%
  • Moelis & Company 01 98.9%
  • Morgan Stanley 07 98.4%
  • Goldman Sachs 01 97.8%
  • JPMorgan No 97.3%

Total Avg Compensation

August 2026 Investment Banking

  • Vice President (16) $429
  • Associates (50) $259
  • 3rd+ Year Analyst (8) $210
  • 2nd Year Analyst (26) $182
  • Intern/Summer Associate (14) $159
  • 1st Year Analyst (84) $151
  • Intern/Summer Analyst (75) $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

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...”