MMS/MSF or wait for an MBA?

Posting it in the Business school forum

I'm a recent liberal arts grad from a non-target. Graduated in May 2017. Currently working as a Financial Advisor for a Fortune 100, hoping to transition into PWM before doing an MBA. I was considering doing an MMS/MSF until recently when I started looking at MBA programs. I initially wanted to do an MMS/MSF to get a job in the financial sector (IB/PE/VC) until I learned that one could get a job in finance without majoring in business and it would be easier if I went the MBA route. I also considered an MMS/MSF because of the opportunity to rebrand myself and to get another shot at recruiting. I also thought I would not be able to get into a top 15 MBA program because my UG GPA was 3.48. After researching more about MBA programs and learning about the holistic approach they use when evaluating applicants, I now believe I have a shot at a top 15 MBA. My GPA is close to the average at a few top 15 schools. I'm not saying I'll be a top candidate since my GPA is on the low end and there too many qualified people for few seats but I'll still like to give it a shot.

An MMS/MSF will be 65k so I would have to take out a loan and compensation is a lot lower than what you would get if you were to do an MBA. Plus at the top MMS, only 5% of the students get these IB jobs. Doing an MBA will give me the opportunity to do an internship which may lead to a FT role while an MMS would not. I do know about people doing an internship right before enrolling into an MMS/MSF though.

Ideally, I'll like to get into IB as an Analyst so it would be easier to transition into PE/VC as opposed to a post-MBA associate transitioning into PE/VC.

If I do the MMS/MSF, I still might have to go back to get an MBA to be promoted or to be on the partner track.

2 Comments
 
Best Response

your GPA won't kill you.... but for nontarget resumes, 3.5 (sometimes 3.7) is a hard requirement.

The choice depends on when you want to reboot and what industries you want to go. F100 advisor doesn't sound bad, as long as you have a glowing P&L. You're obviously a newbie now, so you'd raise more questions from future employers (why did you leave so quickly? you can't perform? Uh, did you fail/get kicked out..?)

early reboot - Masters.... after 2-5 years - MBA... staying in finance - MSF... other industries - MMS/MBA.

lastly, IB & consulting will be heavy on MBA pipelines, so MMS/MSF won't be too helpful for those.

[quote="M7 MBA, iBanking. Top MSF grad. AntiTNA. Truth is hard to hear! But... "] [/quote] [quote="DickFuld: Yeah....most of these people give terrible advice."] [/quote]
 

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