Will leaving my job for a lesser known firm risk my top tier MBA chances?

I work at Mercer (Healthcare and then M&A work) and I am applying for a full-time MBA/JD in 2020. I've been there for almost 5 years and I'm itching to try something less corporate/smaller like a small boutique consulting firm, startup, non-profit work, weed startup in biz development, gap year and travel Europe, etc. before MBA.

How do you think this would impact my chances at top tier programs? What is Mercer's brand value to adcoms? (We had someone go to Penn MBA, but is that Mercer...)

3.7ug gpa and 164/160 first try GRE (plan to re-take and boost quant to 94th percentile like verbal). Good references. I'll also be applying to PhD programs which is why I took the GRE. Late 20s.

So my stats, I think, are fine.

Logically I think I should stay but I'm just not hungry like I was when I first started. I'm curious to hear outside thoughts.

Cheers

2 Comments
 

As with everything in admissions, it depends.

Why do you want a JD/MBA? How might whatever new position you take tie into your narrative? Would the new role allow you to develop skills, knowledge and relationships that will better prepare you for the post-JD/MBA role that you are shooting for?

It sounds like you still have some thinking to do if you haven't determined whether your want to do a PhD or a JD/MBA.

There are lots of good reasons to leave a 'brand' firm to take on a new role. But there are also many bad ones (like I just was tired of working, I wanted to take a break, I wanted to travel the world).

Wishing you the best on your journey!

Susan Cera Director of MBA Admissions Stratus Admissions Counseling - www.stratusadmissions.com FREE Profile Evaluation - www.stratusadmissions.com/consult
 
Most Helpful

Veritatis modi voluptas eveniet qui. Nobis quos iure cupiditate fugit maiores. Vel est et ut est molestias ipsam itaque. Exercitationem qui est molestiae dolores. Molestias eos ut cumque et aspernatur sed quaerat. Neque est rerum et dolores et.

Eos nisi et delectus doloremque repudiandae iure. Illo nam aut laborum porro ipsa mollitia. Illum sint aliquid perspiciatis est.

Sunt deserunt nemo quia suscipit vero. Qui blanditiis possimus voluptatem distinctio.

Linda Abraham President, Accepted | Contact Me | Admissions Consulting

Career Advancement Opportunities

June 2026 Investment Banking

  • Evercore 01 99.4%
  • Moelis & Company 01 98.9%
  • 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 98.9%
  • Morgan Stanley 06 98.3%
  • JPMorgan 01 97.7%
  • Goldman Sachs 02 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 (79) $150
  • 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
kanon's picture
kanon
99.0
4
Secyh62's picture
Secyh62
99.0
5
CompBanker's picture
CompBanker
98.9
6
GameTheory's picture
GameTheory
98.9
7
Betsy Massar's picture
Betsy Massar
98.9
8
dosk17's picture
dosk17
98.9
9
DrApeman's picture
DrApeman
98.9
10
bolo up's picture
bolo up
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...”