What happens to PE associates that don't make VP?

Given how few senior associate/VP roles there are in PE relative to the number of associates at most PE funds, where do associates that fail to get an internal promo or are at a 2 an out firm end up? Other than the MBA route what options does such an associate have, lateraling? If so could anyone shed some more light on the process and what sort of outcomes one should expect/you have seen.

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Start-ups, hedge funds, lateraling to other PE shops.  Have seen people go up market but usually go to similar sized shops or smaller ones (may also shift from buyout to growth).  Smaller funds will likely promote quicker / appeal to some due to lifestyle at that point.  Seen plenty of people burn out in UMM / MF PE pretty quickly.

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