Retaking A Levels or doing GMAT to get over hiring barriers?

Currently working at a small consulting firm as an Associate Consultant. Have worked on a number of strategy projects over the last two years e.g., market sizings, full scale go-to-market assessments, and have been getting consistently strong feedback from senior leadership, usually taking on a lot more responsibility than others at my level. Salary is terrible given the workload and the firm doesn't want to invest in training e.g., data analysis, modelling, so I've been looking at moving firms but I'm concerned that my education is holding me back. 

Took Maths, Economics, and History at A Level and scraped by with a C and two Ds after leaving schools halfway through year 12. Realised I wasn't getting into a respectable university with these results so pivoted to do a creative degree at a recognised university where I received a first before ending up at my current company. I've taken myself a lot more seriously over the last two years and I'm grateful to have ended up where I am, but I feel like my past is going to hold me back from making a meaningful career change. 

For example, I would love to do a Masters in Finance to continue building my credentials and open the door to finance-related roles but this feels impossible with my non-traditional background. Even when applying for roles, firms usually want to know what your A Level results are. I recently applied to Bain as an experienced Associate Consultant hire but quickly felt disheartened when they asked for my results. 

I really feel very trapped and I'm not sure what the best course of action would be. Retake my A Levels or practise for a high score on the GMAT? Do an accredited course like the CFA or some modelling courses in my free time? Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

1 Comments
 

Fugiat velit accusantium ut. Qui qui adipisci et fuga quo dolorem. Nostrum non facilis dolor. Non dolor iure tempora fuga sunt itaque.

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%
  • Morgan Stanley 08 97.8%
  • Goldman Sachs 02 97.3%

Overall Employee Satisfaction

August 2026 Investment Banking

  • Moelis & Company No 99.5%
  • Evercore No 98.9%
  • Morgan Stanley 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 06 98.4%
  • Goldman Sachs 01 97.8%
  • JPMorgan 01 97.3%

Total Avg Compensation

August 2026 Investment Banking

  • Vice President (16) $429
  • Associates (48) $259
  • 3rd+ Year Analyst (8) $210
  • 2nd Year Analyst (25) $178
  • Intern/Summer Associate (14) $159
  • 1st Year Analyst (83) $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...”