Post Grad Choice Situation

I apologize if this is all over the place, I just have a lot going through my head currently regarding post grad.

Starting off, I am currently a Finance senior at WVU, with a 4.0 GPA set to graduate in December of this year. I want to break into IB and eventually PE, but I don’t know what routes I should go in terms of schooling vs job experience.

For context, this summer, I was an analyst intern at BNY Mellon, so I think that should help me in my prospects but I don’t know what I should do. One guarantee I know is that I will be getting my CFA level one in May 2026.

Now, the part I’m stuck on: Should I snag an MBA straight out of college (like WVU) in one year for cheap, should I wait and apply to a more prestigious one years down the road after entry level finance experience, or should I get a masters in finance and that combined with the CFA will be enough leverage? There are so many options, I just want to make a solid decision that will make a real impact towards my future. Thanks!

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