What program fits older candidates (32 yr) ?

Profile: 32 Male, 6 years of Corp Fin. Does anyone know what would be a good program that would be a fit ? I was looking at INSEAD MBA, Kellog 1 year MBA or LBS MFin but both seem like a long shot.

Need some strategic advice folks.

16 Comments
 
"Linda Abraham"

What do you want to do post-MBA?

This is key. There are so many options out there these days that you really have to make sure they fit your goals. There are night and weekend MBA programs that aren't EMBAs but have students older than full time, top 1 year programs like Kellogg and Emory, online MBAs like Kenan Flagler, etc.

Commercial Real Estate Developer
 

You have insead @Asia/Fontainebleau, kellogg 1Y in US, LBS in UK. All are top 1Year programs but the differences are all over the place

Think about which features/benefits to you are nonnegotiable..... then you can see if your profile might match. Your age is more Exec MBA but you could fit into MBAs too

 

You won't get into any good executive MBAs until you have 10+ years of experience. I think you should apply to the regular M7 MBAs. Ivy league MBAs have students as old as 40. So 32 is nothing.

 
"BreakingOutOfPWM"
Noelle90:

You won't get into any good executive MBAs until you have 10+ years of experience. I think you should apply to the regular M7 MBAs. Ivy league MBAs have students as old as 40. So 32 is nothing.

40? Not really at the M7, might be a few exceptions. Ivy League MBA isn't really a category.

33 isn't too old to matriculate but 35 probably is.

How does anyone come up with something like 33 isn't too old, but 35 is? Walk us through your thought process.

 
Best Response
"FutureMBA27"
BreakingOutOfPWM:

Noelle90:You won't get into any good executive MBAs until you have 10+ years of experience. I think you should apply to the regular M7 MBAs. Ivy league MBAs have students as old as 40. So 32 is nothing.40? Not really at the M7, might be a few exceptions. Ivy League MBA isn't really a category.33 isn't too old to matriculate but 35 probably is.

How does anyone come up with something like 33 isn't too old, but 35 is? Walk us through your thought process.

Because I know a handful of 33 year olds at my school, but I'm not sure I know any 35 year olds. I'm sure there are a couple. I definitely haven't met anyone that's 40. The dropoff is pretty steep after 31/32.

Knowing one guy that got into Columbia (full time?) at 40 isn't a good data point.

 

32 isn't that old. I would look at regular MBA programs. Perhaps consider schools in or near major cities if you're concerned about being in a college town with mostly younger students; but it shouldn't be a big deal either way.

 

If you're not going to be career switching I'd look at some 1-yr programs either here (Kellogg) or abroad (Oxford Said). Or even PT if your employer is willing to cover it.

However if career switching is your goal, then just follow the standard template of applying to top 2-yr programs. No school is more inclined towards "older" candidates than others-most will have an average age of 28 w/ a range of about 25 - 34.

 

Thanks for all the advice folks.

INSEAD, KELLOG 1 YR, LBS 15 months. Primary aim is branding and stay within finance or do Strategy Ops.

Looked at Oxford but the student body is terrible...its like they have scarped the bottom of the earth and put a class together. Some of the MSc programs at Oxford are much tougher to get in than MBA. I think MBA is still a relatively new concept in Europe minus INSEAD/LBS.

I have a Masters in Quant Finance so if you take out the Finance electives from MBA curriculm 2 years is a waste.

Other options. Masters in Management at MIT, MSX Stanford.

 
"max_duprie"

MSX Stanford.

You might be a bit young still for the MSX program at Stanford

Commercial Real Estate Developer
 

Atque quasi voluptas fuga debitis repellat. Nostrum accusantium voluptatem quis consequatur. Omnis quidem similique ut eum corrupti. Esse harum dolore at.

Voluptatem atque aperiam quia et nisi iusto. Iusto omnis accusantium est soluta. Culpa non quia qui illo.

Omnis et mollitia maiores vel ea facere minus. Est aperiam recusandae necessitatibus fugit. Tempora omnis repellendus sint provident ab. Delectus ut ipsam amet excepturi ut.

Aperiam qui ut atque placeat minus dolorem. Asperiores doloribus dolor tenetur sed quia voluptas libero. Omnis excepturi in ratione.

Career Advancement Opportunities

June 2026 Investment Banking

  • Evercore 01 99.4%
  • Moelis & Company 01 98.8%
  • JPMorgan 01 98.3%
  • Guggenheim Partners 01 97.7%
  • Morgan Stanley 07 97.1%

Overall Employee Satisfaction

June 2026 Investment Banking

  • Moelis & Company No 99.4%
  • Morgan Stanley 02 98.8%
  • Evercore 01 98.3%
  • BMO Capital Markets 12 97.7%
  • Banco Santander 01 97.1%

Professional Growth Opportunities

June 2026 Investment Banking

  • Evercore 01 99.4%
  • Moelis & Company 01 98.8%
  • Morgan Stanley 05 98.3%
  • JPMorgan No 97.7%
  • BMO Capital Markets 12 97.1%

Total Avg Compensation

June 2026 Investment Banking

  • Vice President (14) $434
  • Associates (44) $258
  • 3rd+ Year Analyst (8) $210
  • 2nd Year Analyst (22) $179
  • Intern/Summer Associate (13) $156
  • 1st Year Analyst (78) $151
  • Intern/Summer Analyst (73) $101
notes
16 IB Interviews Notes

“... there’s no excuse to not take advantage of the resources out there available to you. Best value for your $ are the...”

Leaderboard

1
redever's picture
redever
99.2
2
BankonBanking's picture
BankonBanking
99.0
3
Secyh62's picture
Secyh62
99.0
4
kanon's picture
kanon
99.0
5
DrApeman's picture
DrApeman
98.9
6
CompBanker's picture
CompBanker
98.9
7
Betsy Massar's picture
Betsy Massar
98.9
8
dosk17's picture
dosk17
98.9
9
GameTheory's picture
GameTheory
98.9
10
numi's picture
numi
98.8
success
From 10 rejections to 1 dream investment banking internship

“... I believe it was the single biggest reason why I ended up with an offer...”