Pro Athlete to B-School
I went to a D1 program, but a small university because I chose the athletics program over academia. In undergrad, I majored in Finance, but pursued a professional golf career right after graduation. I suffered a really bad injury that progressed over the years and am now dealing with partial paralysis. I am now considering going back to school to pursue a MSF or MSFE, but because of my lack of "work" experience I'm not sure about my chances of getting into a top program. I know I need a stellar GMAT.
1st attempt: 710 - GPA: 3.4 (trash bc I was more focused on golf) - currently studying in an attempt for higher GMAT...
I plan on applying for Fall 2023.
What do you suggest I do? recommendations? Advice? anything really.lol.
P.S: The transition for me to make this decision was pretty tough so I'm looking for some guidance from those who have been/or are already in the B-School(Finance World)
Thanks!
First of all, I'm terribly sorry to hear about your injury and wish you the best on that front. Your story and personal experience definitely sets you apart from the cesspool of B-School applicants and I'd imagine that grad school recruiters would love to have someone like you in their program. Have you also considered getting some professional experience before applying?
I'm sorry for the late reply, but I appreciate your message. I have decided to take a year and gain some work experience to be more clear on what I want to pursue. Thank you for your advice!
I actually don’t think you’re as unattractive a candidate as you think. 710 gmat is decent and a 3.4 gpa as a semi pro caliber athlete is pretty good.
Where you can stand apart is on your essays and the what makes you unique aspect.
I would craft a story around the grind it takes to play pro golf. The mental aspect, the travel, the pressure - how that has shaped you and made you resilient.
You can also talk about your injury and how difficult it’s been to overcome it and the adversity you have persevered through.
Maybe Stanford and wharton are out of reach with the gpa, but I have to believe some top 15 program would want you given your interesting life path. Remember, colleges are more focused than ever on diversity, and will let you slide on weaker scores if you can add a different perspective to their student body.
Hello, I'm sorry for the late reply.
Your message was so encouraging and helpful, thank you. I have decided to take a year to gain some work experience, so I can be clearer in choosing my career path. I am, currently working as a Financial Analyst, but I am considering IB in the future. I have friends who are in IB, but I am not sure if my chances are slim due to my background unless I get a higher education. My friends got their Msf straight after undergrad., then began working in IB, so I am wondering, which would be more beneficial first to attend Grad. school or gain work experience. Do you have any suggestions?
Thanks again.
I’m glad you found my advice helpful, many times people take umbrage to my advice.
Breaking into IB out of the normal path is a mixed bag and very variable. Some decide to just get a masters and break in and others take your route and get work experience in something tangential first.
I personally value work experience over a degree, but it’s highly dependent on you. The real trick is to network unfortunately. You need to have someone already working at the bank to go to bay for you and secure you that first interview or give you that first break. Just keep applying and applying and you will eventually get your shot.
You need to do an MBA not an MSF. And actually there was an NFL player on the WSO podcast that did and MBA and then IB. And a 710 the first time is great. That plus a 3.4 you'll be able to land a good MBA program. Target Cornell, Duke, UVA, Texas and other schools around their rankings. Should have a realistic shot at those. GPA may be a little low but apparently people make it in to good programs with with below 3.0 GPAs. Obviously they have outstanding accomplishments elsewhere but your GPA plus D1 athlete will be just fine.
Also another tip, when you apply you’ll need to know what you want to do whether that be IB, consulting, corporate finance etc. and why you want to do it. Consulting is open to more backgrounds so may fare better there vs IB but if you really want IB it could be possible especially with a finance degree.
Thank you for your response!
My reply is a bit delayed, but may I ask why an MBA would be better than an MSF? Just curious. The majority of my friends that are in IB majored in MSF and suggested the same to me. My reply above is a bit more detailed on my current position. I am considering IB, but open to consulting. My dilemma about IB is the competitive field vs. my background to even enter IB. Is pursuing a top program the only real chance that I've got? I am currently a financial analyst for a prestigious club/company (in the golf space) to gain work experience. Do you have any suggestions or opinions?
Thanks again.
How much tougher will a MBA/MSF to IB/PE/Consulting transition be for an athlete that never reached the major/minor leagues of a major sport? For example, playing hockey/baseball/basketball in Europe. How old should you be to consider applying for MBA vs. MSF?
I would say minimum 2 years pro experience but more might help. And I feel like playing in Europe while not being seen as good as the top leagues might be considered okay especially if you have a good GPA and test scores.
That’s why I think OP will be fine. He has a 710 GMAT.
Hello,
Thank you for your responses! I know it's a late reply, but just to clarify my background, I am a 27-year-old female and played for 5 years on the Symetra/Epson Tour (Korn Ferry Tour for women) and got some status on LPGA (not high) from Q-school stage III. If you're not familiar with golf, especially women's golf, Symetra/Epson is (minor) and LPGA (major). Overall, it's nothing crazy and I don't think this gives me the upper hand by any means. It's nice to see other people's take, so thank you for your responses.
If you guys have any more suggestions feel free!
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