Is Networking Better Than Doing A MSF Program?
I recently looked at resume books from a couple of msf programs and going through USC's book (link attached below), the placements seemed pretty poor to be completely honest. Only like 2 people went to a BB afterwards (DB NY ER & GS SLC ER), 2-3 in no-name er roles, and 2-3 in no-name ib, and a lot went to something they literally could've done without the degree (one person was in accounting prior and ended in accounting). The program is 67k + whatever the hell housing is & idk how the admission acceptance was 5% given the amount of resumes I saw that had either shit or flat out irrelevant experience. To be completely honest, I think with few exceptions someone with good grades, EC's, internships, etc. from a non-target who is a senior might have a better shot sending 1000+ cold emails to people at MM and satellite offices than applying to most MSF programs that aren't in the MIT/Princeton/UCB/Vandy/Nova/etc caliber.
1) that resume book is for kids in the program. Those jobs are what they had coming into the program.
2) that quote you posted is bullshit. I spoke at length on the phone with that person and Villanova was chosen after I recommended another school. Please find one post where I say IB is a slam dunk from any school.
You won't. I always advise that students need to work hard.
As for networking is better, that's a simplistic answer. Not everyone can just network into a job once they graduate.
In my program we had kids go to Stifel, HSBC, a PhD program, SwissRe, Duff and Phelps, I went to a respected leverage shop, cat insurance firm, etc. some boutiques, a local bank in credit, Bloomberg.
All respectable placements and better than what people had coming into the program.
If you can network into one of these roles, do so. But you need to have a job with some type of relevant skills and be in a metro where you can do this. Most MSF students have no alumni bench, are in a job that isn't ideal and have no MBA path. The MSF is a one year, relatively cheap way to get a graduate education, a better network, another shot at OCR and the ability to change career trajectories.
Banking is hard to get, but TAS, valuation shops, F500 rotational programs, larger bank credit roles, etc are all obtainable. This will set you up for the future.
Furthermore, it's a grad degree, not an IB cert program. People get shit jobs from MBA programs as well. You can't be a bum and expect a job the be handed to you.
Also, in the 8 years I've been doing msf shit, the majority never do an MBA. They get into their career and after 3-4 years of experience they continue on. It's a focused grad degree and people respect it more as you get older.
I also want to reiterate a point that I take seriously. I never tell people shits a slam dunk. I've never shilled for Nova. I loved the program, but I had to hustle.
People need to take ownership. I'm sorry, but this is the adult world and shit has consequences. I've written a hundred times that you need to hustle the second you accept the offer. Nothing is guaranteed.