Biology Degree into Business?

Currently a junior in college at a state school starting to have second thoughts on the biology - med school track and looking into business. I've been able to maintain a 3.7 gpa so far, although not at a top tier university. The reason I'm thinking about the switch is because a lot of the upper level science classes do not interest me AT ALL, just doing it do get buy at this point. Med school has always been my goal but i guess that was cause I couldn't see myself doing anything else.

Now I'm having second thoughts because of my lack in interest and commitment in studying I suppose plus with the massive debt and intense studies in med school is it even worth it anymore? This sparked my debate on if med school is the way to go, problem is at a mid tier state school far into my biological studies degree, with no business experience, is there any way to break into the field? Is a biology degree pointless without a higher degree? I know a lot of top firms recruit at top schools and even then the competition is intense. So I'm wondering if there's any to break into the field, (I have no relevant business experience and am on course to get a biology degree). Would ditching the biology degree for an econ degree, or econ minor with the bio degree be necessary?

Wall Street Jobs for Biology Degree

For the OP, our users’ first recommendation is to narrow down your interests from "business" to something more specific and to start taking classes in line with those interests. After taking some trial classes you can consider throwing on a major or minor.

capitano13:
You'll need to be more specific. What, in "business," do you want to break into? Marketing? Accounting? Finance? Business admin/management? MIS? Based on your interests, take a few classes to see if you'll like this new route. If you want to go into finance, you need to take a few finance related classes or try to secure an finance internship. That way, if you absolutely hate finance, you don't have to commit to it. If you like it and if it's possible for you, try to pick up a minor or a second major.

Most of our users noted that if you are looking to get into fields such as trading, banking, asset management etc. you are late to the game if you are not sure what you want to do.

CaR - Sales and Trading Trader:
What will hurt you, though, is if you don't have a specific field picked out. Banking, wealth management, trading, etc...just walking in and saying "I decided finance because I don't want to go to med school" won't get you very far. Pick up a book or two, read some threads on this site, and get internships. I would take a 3.7+ bio major over a 3.4 finance major any day of the week, but that's just me personally. In short, it can be done.

Medical School vs. Wall Street

Some of our users feel that the OP may be better off sticking with their original plans of going to Med School since they are unsure what else they are interested in doing.

capitano13:
A competitive MCAT score with your GPA will get you into a great medical school. Medicine is a field where you have to have a strong passion and commitment to all things medicine. My cousin's in his final year of a cardiology fellowship and though he accumulated a lot of debt, he'll be able to pay it off fairly easily once he starts working. He thought about going a different route during his undergrad, but realized his passions were centered around science and helping people. A good combo if you want to be a doctor.

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You'll need to be more specific. What, in "business," do you want to break into? Marketing? Accounting? Finance? Business admin/management? MIS? Based on your interests, take a few classes to see if you'll like this new route. If you want to go into finance, you need to take a few finance related classes or try to secure an finance internship. That way, if you absolutely hate finance, you don't have to commit to it. If you like it and if it's possible for you, try to pick up a minor or a second major. Personally, I believe that biology is a useless major if you don't do something that's pre-health. Bio/business admin is a very popular double major at my school just because folks get a taste of the pre-med courses (ya know...the biochems, o-chems, etc) and don't want to go to med school. 65% stick with their pre-health route and the other 35% switch. And of course, with bio/business admin double major, you can always go the healthcare admin route (good $ here in Texas).

If you don't mind me asking, why the sudden change of heart? A competitive MCAT score with your GPA will get you into a great medical school. Medicine is a field where you have to have a strong passion and commitment to all things medicine. The folks I know that go the pre-med route strictly for money/prestige end up hating it and changing their major (not suggesting that you're one of those people, OP). They quickly realize there are easier ways to get six-figure salaries. My cousin's in his final year of a cardiology fellowship and though he accumulated a lot of debt, he'll be able to pay it off fairly easily once he starts working. He thought about going a different route during his undergrad, but realized his passions were centered around science and helping people. A good combo if you want to be a doctor.

 

My dad was a bio major, and like you, was planning his whole life to do the doctor route. Decided his junior year that he didn't want to dedicate the time and money. Now specializes in commercial litigation and is partner at a major law firm. Times have certainly changed, but if you're smart and have genuine interest in a field you want to pursue, your undergrad major can be easily overcome in terms of getting interviews. Many ivies and top liberal arts schools don't even offer undergraduate business degrees, but still place kids on the street on the basis of merit and hard work.

What will hurt you, though, is if you don't have a specific field picked out. Banking, wealth management, trading, etc...just walking in and saying "I decided finance because I don't want to go to med school" won't get you very far. Pick up a book or two, read some threads on this site, and get internships. I would take a 3.7+ bio major over a 3.4 finance major any day of the week, but that's just me personally. In short, it can be done.

 

Research what you want to do. Read articles on this site it provides a great basic understanding of various industries in finance. Other than that read books on investing, banking, whatever industry you are interested. I don't mean 1-2 books, I mean multiple books that look at the specific industry from different perspectives.

P.S. I go to UMD too. I'm majoring in finance.

 

What was your motivation for going into biology? I would say get some work experience and try to get a mba degree from a school like OSU or U of M. From there you can land a management development program at a big pharm company.

 

Funny, you sound like a younger me, but the exact opposite; I majored in finance but have a strong urge to go toward clinical development in biotechnology.

Biotech startups generally need individuals with focused skill sets in certain therapeutic indications. You worked in a research lab on projects related to nutrition and immunology? Awesome! I suggest focusing your applications on startups developing therapeutic indications for immunological disorders, doesn't matter what area of the company, it's a startup, they'll need you for multiple roles.

Startups not your thing? Too much risk and a Master's/PhD required for some roles? Try applying to biopharmaceutical consulting firms (Putnam Associates, PPD) or larger biopharmaceutical companies with an immunological focus (Regeneron, ImmunoGen). You have a science degree, the passion will follow.

Don't sweat about where you want to be in "finance" in ~10 years, merely applying and working at these companies in some capacity is a great start; but if you want to be in a finance role within the biotechnology industry, here's some tips:

1) Be close to the CFO or head of R&D Finance, these guys can make or break company research. "Cash burn" rates for clinical-stage biopharmaceutical companies are a huge measure of potential success and ultimately determine the demand of external funding...

2) Trade biotechnology companies with your own money. You learn some huge lessons about the FDA, clinical data presentations, pipeline development, etc., when you wake up and your portfolio is down 80%. I would know...

3) Know the finance terms of the industry. When a company is "out-licensing its compounds", you'll know exactly how that benefits, or hurts, their cash flow...

PM me if you have any questions.

 

I have a good friend who was a bio or chem (or biochem, not sure) undergrad, worked for an MBB consulting firm in healthcare/pharma consulting, went back to an Ivy to get his masters->PhD in bio/chem and was poached by a large hedge fund group for their pharma/health fund before he even got the MS. He had no finance experience but was an analyst in the fund for a few years then made PM. He retired before 40. He's an outlier but a science background in some areas of the finance world is more important and more difficult to learn than is finance. I know personally that just about the only thing I'd never invest in is biotech or pharma related businesses because I just don't have the time or desire to learn enough of the underlying science.

 

If you have been working for a while it might be worth a shot to get an MBA. Not everyone who gets an MBA comes from a business background. Otherwise a graduate degree in finance is another option (many of those have summer internship terms) and can help you break into finance. Imho it's pretty hard to get a finance job without a related degree and/or experience since competition is so fierce..

These are just my two cents, please do your own research and don't do things because some stranger on the internet told you so! Good luck!

 

no idea when consulting recruitment is, but I imagine UVA (the fact that you said 4th year means I know you go there) places well in DC for consulting firms. I'd do some informational interviewing, networking, and work with your career center and try to get somewhere after undergrad in lieu of going straight for master's. I'd still take the GMAT because the scores are good for 5 years and worst case scenario, you don't get a job, but you have a solid network, a good chance to get into a master's program, and a clearer picture of consulting recruiting.

PS: don't post the same thread twice going forward

 

You're going to have a hard time competing with the Finance/Econ majors aiming for those jobs. The diversity of Biology with high GPA may be a turn on for the firms though.

I second the above post about Teach For America. I know they are recruiting right now because they are emailing me constantly. Apply and try to get in, worst case scenario you don't get in.

"It is better to have a friendship based on business, than a business based on friendship." - Rockefeller. "Live fast, die hard. Leave a good looking body." - Navy SEAL
 

No first hand experience but that's never stopped me before: UVA Commerce I believe does place very well in general and into consulting. The big question mark from your post is your internship experience. Is the library data job your only substantive work experience? If so that is a major issue. You can apply to internships that start after graduation by claiming you are going to start a master's program and are therefore still a student. I believe the Commerce program is long enough to allow for an additional internship during the program. You could graduate with two internships and great marks from a great school which would definitely make you "competitive" for MBB jobs, which are very selective and never a sure thing.

Hours are tough, travel is constant, personal life is difficult, family life is impossible, but the exit opps include jobs that do allow for those things.

Spend your time practicing for consulting interviews, networking, and looking for an internship. You are already a lock into the Commerce program, studying GMAT is very bad ROI right now.

Good luck

 

I was a bio major and am at a major firm. My gpa would not be described as "high" either. Network and know your stuff. PM me if you want. At any rate, reach out to as many ppl as possible and make sure you understand finance and accounting. If you do not get this stuff from a technical basis, you will not enter this industry. I'm not saying at a deep level either, just basic stuff.

 

I'm just going to go out on a limb and assume you're not a US citizen judging by your writing (ignore that if I'm wrong). You have a good enough GPA to get an interview for many of the consulting firms that recruit here in the fall. However the jury is still out on how many of the non-citizens in this program are going to get jobs. On the other hand if you're a UVA undergrad currently you'd definitely have a large advantage as far as jobs coming into the MS program.

 

You want a lucrative profession. Your parents pointed you to one and you failed.

You don't have the drive/intelligence to pull semi-decent grades for subjects that you are not "passionate" about. Do you think people with high GPA are interested in all their classes? Do you think analysts are passionate about modeling at 1 AM day after day?

You know you cannot compete with H/Y graduates with 4.0 GPA. Don't you know you can hardly compete with any college graduates with > 3.0 GPA?

After you graduated from college, you had the epiphany that high level science classes were harder than entry level finance/econ classes and now you are "passionate" about finance. You think you would be good at finance yet have nothing to show - no CFA, no part time finance classes, no attempts to find finance related work in your current field.

Instead, you created all these threads asking people the quick and easy way to be rich. There is none.

 

You are currently fucked. However there are things you can do to change this situation. Such as getting a MFin from a highly rated program, study and KILL the GMAT or GRE and get into a top 20 MBA program (this will be difficult as they do look at you UG stats.) Or do a combo of both get into a top MFin program kill it and then apply to an top 20 MBA program and network your ass off there. Granted you should be networking your ass off now as it is.

You could also look at things like real estate and work your way up in a development firm or something along those lines. Traditional banking will be difficult because by the time you will be applying for those jobs you will likely be in your upper 20s and the jobs just aren't there in the top tiers of finance for analysts at that age. You will be targeting MM and regional banks.

Follow the shit your fellow monkeys say @shitWSOsays Life is hard, it's even harder when you're stupid - John Wayne
 

I saw you made another thread about this. people may tell you it's possible, but it's going to be borderline impossible. if I were in your shoes, here's what I'd do:

  1. destroy the GRE/GMAT, get into the best MSF program you can get into (there are threads about this on this site)

  2. start networking immediately. tell your story once and that you're planning on getting MSF, no one will take you seriously or give you much of a chance, and that's ok, your job is to build relationships with people in the industry now.

  3. buy all of the WSO/BIWS guides, study them, maybe even hire a career coach.

all of that said, even if you get a 4.0 at your MSF, I still think it's difficult because of your age and background. you probably have a better chance getting into corporate finance at a healthcare company, and working your way up from there, instead of in IB.

 
thebrofessor:

I saw you made another thread about this. people may tell you it's possible, but it's going to be borderline impossible. if I were in your shoes, here's what I'd do:

1. destroy the GRE/GMAT, get into the best MSF program you can get into (there are threads about this on this site)

2. start networking immediately. tell your story once and that you're planning on getting MSF, no one will take you seriously or give you much of a chance, and that's ok, your job is to build relationships with people in the industry now.

3. buy all of the WSO/BIWS guides, study them, maybe even hire a career coach.

all of that said, even if you get a 4.0 at your MSF, I still think it's difficult because of your age and background. you probably have a better chance getting into corporate finance at a healthcare company, and working your way up from there, instead of in IB.

Thank you, I loved the honesty and needed it.

One other question from me, what if I try to get into an MBA program and then join as an associate? Is that possible or more doable rather than going right into IB?

 
Best Response

The short of it is that no respectable MBA program (top 25) would accept you with your profile (abysmal grades and lackluster work experience). Those are the only MBA programs worth considering, because anything else won't allow you to get into banking. Even outside of the top 15 it's a stretch.

For Associate recruiting, if you're in the M7 (Harvard, Stanford, Wharton, Sloan, Booth, Columbia, Kellogg), you're getting a job somewhere reputable (almost guaranteed a bulge bracket bank or elite boutique; if you're a fuck-up, a solid/well-known lower boutique [think Perella Weinberg or Houlihan Lokey] or global full-service bank [think Wells Fargo etc.]). If you're at a cusp/would-be M7 school like Fuqua/Stern/Tuck, same thing applies. If you're at a USC/UT Austin/Yale, discount those chances slightly. Once you get outside the UCLA/CMU/etc. area is where things really start to fall off.

I don't see you getting into any of those schools. It isn't just the grades, it's what looks on paper like chronic shiftlessness that would discourage an ad-com. The people I know who've gotten into great schools (literally, HBS) with grades like yours were outstanding people who just sucked inside the classroom. Elite athletes, successful entrepreneurs, accomplished inventors, something that undeniably put to bed the question of 'why didn't this person perform academically?'

Good options for you that I can see:

a) MSF, as others have mentioned. Bust your ass to get 750+ on the GMAT. The closer to 800 you get, the more you counteract the GPA. If you can get into a Vandy, WUSTL, or Nova, you now have a really recognizable brand to stand on. It's imperative that you murder it academically. Getting a 3.9 there would mean you could plausibly omit your undergrad grades, or theoretically even your entire undergrad entry from your resume. People might ask in an interview where you went, but you could truthfully answer "X University, where I got a degree in biology" and try to leave it at that. The Fuqua MMS and UVA MS are also viable options.

b) Leverage your industry experience and science degree to get into some kind of corporate healthcare role. You could omit your GPA from your resume and see how it goes when applying to F1000 healthcare positions. 12-18 months in a strategic or finance role at an Astellas, Quest Diagnostics, Stryker, etc. would let you apply to a J&J, Merck, or similarly more recognizable name. This could be the first couple steps on a path where you either: - apply to a top-25 MBA after gaining 4 years of brand-name experience - move into a boutique or middle-market bank's healthcare coverage vertical

c) Same as (b) but abroad; there's a shortage of native English speakers who will work entry-level jobs at American corporations abroad. I'm sure you could slip through the cracks to get into a F2000 or F1000 healthcare company in some tough foreign location .. if for nothing other than the fact it's an undesirable posting. After 1-2 years you could look to transfer internally back to the U.S., or if that's not an option, just apply to competitors. Now you suddenly have global experience (and maybe a language); this is a boost for an MBA application.

Like has been said, you're facing a vertically uphill battle. I firmly believe in a can-do attitude, so I've done my best to outline some steps you could take. Realistically, know that it's going to be tough to get into any finance role. The best path would be to take whatever kind of corporate job you can get (I think your industry experience could be parlayed as an asset) and progress up the chain. With luck, you could get into a MBA program as the old guy in the room, then move to banking as a career-switcher.

The harsh reality is that after all that, these factors (your non-elite undergrad institution, bumpy work experience, non-elite MBA institution, and age at graduation) would put a ceiling on the sort of firm that'd be interested in hiring you as an Associate. The upside is that you'd have gotten the job you want. If you did great work in banking, closed deals, developed a network, and garnered real industry knowledge, conceivably you could get into PE (or growth equity) after making MD in banking. Again, following this hypothetical trajectory, it'd be a middle market or lower-middle market firm, but the point remains.

I think the crux is that your next 4-6 years are the determinant of your outcome. If you do well, you can get into a lower but still acceptable MBA program. Do that, and some bank somewhere will talk to you. At that point the rest is on you. Good luck.

I am permanently behind on PMs, it's not personal.
 

You are at present fucked. However there are things you can do to change this circumstance. For example, getting a MFin from an exceedingly appraised program, study and KILL the GMAT or GRE and get into a main 20 MBA program (this will be troublesome as they do take a gander at you UG details.) Or do a combo of both get into a top MFin program execute it and afterward apply to a main 20 MBA program and system your butt off there. Allowed you ought to be organizing your rear end off now as it seems to be.

You could likewise take a gander at things like land and work your way up in an improvement firm or something thusly. Conventional keeping money will be troublesome in light of the fact that when you will be applying for those occupations you will probably be in your upper 20s and the employments simply aren't there in the top levels of account for examiners at that age. You will be focusing on MM and local banks.

Mega International Bank Co., Ltd. | Global Brand Magazine Award Winner 2016
 

You need a reset button, and the MSF is really the only option available to you. If you score above a 700 on the GMAT, you should be able to get into the top two outside of MIT: Vanderbilt and WUSTL. If you get a 3.5+ GPA, you should be in a good position for FT recruiting. You might have to settle for non-IB just because of how ultra competitive and almost non-existent FT recruiting has gotten, but as long as you choose a respectable career path, you should then have a shot at a top 15 MBA program.

That being said, I think this is a bit nuts. With the above suggestion, you'd spent one year in the MSF, four years working, two year in an MBA program, and then just start in IB. You would effectively be spending seven years just trying to break into IB. I personally do not think that that is worth it, but obviously everyone is different. Good luck.

EDIT: Just to point something out that you should plan on addressing, your GPA is pretty low, but it looks even worse since the majority of your grades came from major classes. If you get a "D" in an elective or a class that you are required to take, but if you get a "D" in a class that is essential to your major, that looks much worse. Employers will not go through your transcript class by class, but virtually all universities will, so just keep this in mind if you apply to any graduate school programs.

 

If not investment banking (which does seem highly unlikely) I want to ask this. I have a passion for finance, which would be the best career path in the financial industry or high finance for me to look into at this point? This is something I have been debating, if I do get in, it would have to be as an associate. I will be working 70-80 hrs a week in my late 20s to early 30s.

So if banking is not worth it, what parts of the financial industry would a person in my situation be wise to look into?

I will be honest as well, I am looking at it because it is a lucrative profession.

 
Postgradwonderer:

If not investment banking (which does seem highly unlikely) I want to ask this. I have a passion for finance, which would be the best career path in the financial industry or high finance for me to look into at this point? This is something I have been debating, if I do get in, it would have to be as an associate. I will be working 70-80 hrs a week in my late 20s to early 30s.

So if banking is not worth it, what parts of the financial industry would a person in my situation be wise to look into?

Given your poor academic background, don't you think you at least owe it to yourself to due diligence your questions independently, and not ask "neat questions" expecting "neat answers"? With your predicament, there are no neat answers or best paths. Any of the paths you take at the fork in the road will require at least a 4-6 year commitment to meaningfully pay off. I don't mean to be snarky, but I think a lot of people have already given you very thoughtful and detailed advice.

 

First off, O-chem, genetics, and biochem are generally sophomore level courses at top 20 public universities. Finishing with a 2.1 GPA is either (1) because you didn't work hard or (2) because something traumatic happened while you were in school.

If you really want to get into banking, its time to start showing initiative with your future and stop worrying about your past. Yes, your GPA is shit. Time to move on and stop making excuses. APAE's advice is spot on, but I think you're years away from the job you're searching for. It's not going to be a quick transition; especially if you want completely out of healthcare (a corporate healthcare role is probably your easiest transition stepping stone). Otherwise, you can find a similar paying job at a retail bank. Get involved in some aspect of banking every day. Work towards the CFA, CFP, Series 79, etc. while studying for the GMAT. Get some certifications and build your story as to why you want IB. Once you have the gmat score, apply to MBA programs if you're ready... 2.1gpa at HBS isn't going to help, so don't waste your time.

 
broam:

First off, O-chem, genetics, and biochem are generally sophomore level courses at top 20 public universities. Finishing with a 2.1 GPA is either (1) because you didn't work hard or (2) because something traumatic happened while you were in school.

If you really want to get into banking, its time to start showing initiative with your future and stop worrying about your past. Yes, your GPA is shit. Time to move on and stop making excuses. APAE's advice is spot on, but I think you're years away from the job you're searching for. It's not going to be a quick transition; especially if you want completely out of healthcare (a corporate healthcare role is probably your easiest transition stepping stone). Otherwise, you can find a similar paying job at a retail bank. Get involved in some aspect of banking every day. Work towards the CFA, CFP, Series 79, etc. while studying for the GMAT. Get some certifications and build your story as to why you want IB. Once you have the gmat score, apply to MBA programs if you're ready... 2.1gpa at HBS isn't going to help, so don't waste your time.

The 2.1 is a mixture of 1 and 2 as well as being pushed into a major I just disliked.

What programs is that 2.1 going to shut me out of?

Also, what did the mods just do to my threads?

 

You've posted the same thing 5 times in the past two weeks. Everyone has been saying the exact same thing. Find out what you actually want to do, kill your GMAT, pray you get in to a decent MFin or other relevant program, network your way in to the industry.

Also whats with the Wall St obsession? Many posters have already told you its pretty much impossible for you to get hired by a name brand (at least in the near future), so you can pretty much rule out BBs and MBB. If you want to get in to this industry for "Wall St." and not for the industry/line of work itself you're doing this horribly wrong.

 
lordbendtner:

You've posted the same thing 5 times in the past two weeks. Everyone has been saying the exact same thing.
Find out what you actually want to do, kill your GMAT, pray you get in to a decent MFin or other relevant program, network your way in to the industry.

Also whats with the Wall St obsession? Many posters have already told you its pretty much impossible for you to get hired by a name brand (at least in the near future), so you can pretty much rule out BBs and MBB. If you want to get in to this industry for "Wall St." and not for the industry/line of work itself you're doing this horribly wrong.

so what are the realistic options? The posters haven't really given me straightforward answers for the most part and I have posted this in various places because I want varying opinions until I can narrow down the credible ones.

 

Honestly, there are so many goddamn people who want to break in WallStreet, you should probably find a more creative way to make money/succeed. There are plenty of other lucrative careers besides WallStreet, and being tunnel visioned towards an already saturated field is not gonna get you anywhere.

For god's sake, you're 25 and still haven't seen enough of the world to know the opportunities out there? I can understand a college freshman obsessing over Wallstreet, but c'mon.

Think of "WallStreet" jobs like a profitable business idea that people can start due to a strong arbitrage opportunity. Once that profitable business model gets notorious for being profitable (like Wallstreet jobs are notorious to every guy in college), it eventually becomes over-saturated with people waiting to get into the business themselves. Chances are that at that point, the effort it takes to get in may not be worth the end reward for everyone. I think in your case, you're one of the "everyone" for whom what it might take you to break in would make it no longer worth it for you. The job market is a free market like any other type of market/industry.

I used to be obsessed with Wall Street myself, but nowadays I think there are smarter ways to make money. The one who is creative wins. I've finally realized that I don't want to follow the beaten path that's overcrowded and trodded by millions of others, competing in a straightforward rat race.

 
wanttobreakin111:

Honestly, there are so many goddamn people who want to break in WallStreet, you should probably find a more creative way to make money/succeed. There are plenty of other lucrative careers besides WallStreet, and being tunnel visioned towards an already saturated field is not gonna get you anywhere.

For god's sake, you're 25 and still haven't seen enough of the world to know the opportunities out there? I can understand a college freshman obsessing over Wallstreet, but c'mon.

Think of "WallStreet" jobs like a profitable business idea that people can start due to a strong arbitrage opportunity. Once that profitable business model gets notorious for being profitable (like Wallstreet jobs are notorious to every guy in college), it eventually becomes over-saturated with people waiting to get into the business themselves. Chances are that at that point, the effort it takes to get in may not be worth the end reward for everyone. I think in your case, you're one of the "everyone" for whom what it might take you to break in would make it no longer worth it for you. The job market is a free market like any other type of market/industry.

I used to be obsessed with Wall Street myself, but nowadays I think there are smarter ways to make money. The one who is creative wins. I've finally realized that I don't want to follow the beaten path that's overcrowded and trodded by millions of others, competing in a straightforward rat race.

Wow that did give me some perspective alright. I still want to know what my options are in terms of what I will be able to realistically get on Wall Street but the more I post here and do research, the more it seems like I am being indirectly told to just give up because it is just not worth it.

I let the whole "college GPA only matters before your first job" and you can do a lot to compensate for a poor college GPA get to my head. Looks like my time would probably be best served looking into other industries.

 

I'm in the same boat! I would call every admissions offices and get their take, but they told me they like having people from different backgrounds and have found they work harder because they face an uphill climb.

Also, they several said that having different professional backgrounds (albeit for only 1-2 years) adds a lot more diverse thought to a class. For example, what you've done in life sciences has allowed you to examine or analyze things differently than a lot of finance/econ undergrads.

There are some programs that don't have any use for a non-related undergrad but after talking with every admissions board, they find value in us.

 
GODstaps GODzingis:
Rising senior majoring in Chemical Biology and minoring in CS at a public target school. My GPA is like 3.55. I originally wanted to go into a academia but I have no desire to go further down the science route. I'm considering applying for JD or MBA programs but I think getting work experience straight out of undergrad would set me up better in the long run even if I do go back to school.

I've been investing on my own, self studying basics of finance, and plan on joining the campus investment club in the fall. This and last summer I've interned at very large big pharma companies. Currently at my internship I'm doing manufacturing data analysis (I'm basically on Excel all day).

What kind of roles would be open to someone who has the quantitative background and interest for finance but not formal training? Some roles I've looked at include ER at a healthcare shop like Leerink Swann. Would it be possible to get a regular IB analyst gig at a mid market or higher firm? I want something that would set me up well to go back for an MBA or JD/MBA.

Also my older brother is a VP in the trading division of a large bank (not BB but think like Wells Fargo size wise) so that might help for networking/learning finance + accounting concepts.

You could check out consulting. Mainly T20 firms. If you could find a healthcare consulting, it might be good.

Healthcare focused shops might be good in general. Like Cowen Healthcare IB (but GPA is low for this group - they usually take people with 3.8/3.9+).

3.55 is a bit low for JD applications. You would have to get a very high LSAT. Its passable for MBA applications.

"If you always put limits on everything you do, physical or anything else, it will spread into your work and into your life. There are no limits. There are only plateaus, and you must not stay there, you must go beyond them." - Bruce Lee
 

That's a very open-ended series of questions. The bachelor's gives you a few options if you went to a decent school, but next steps would probably depend on whether or not you need to start working ASAP or if you have a cushion/parents bankrolling you. Have you worked before? I'd also suggest posting on some other, more comprehensive or general message boards.

Compensation is not commensurate with education.
 

You won't know what you enjoy until you actually do it. Honestly I think this whole idea of "do what you love" is utter fantasy bullshit. Not everyone can make a living out of being a rock star. But if you're willing to take the risk and be in poverty for a while, then maybe that's the path for you. Now is the time to be taking these risks since you're young and don't have a family to support.

Some potential career paths off the top of my head are healthcare equity research or consulting. Or you could get a business development role. Anything's possible. Nobody gives a shit if you've only taken accounting 101 (if they do, fuck them), business isn't rocket science and anyone can learn what they need on the job.

 

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