MBA

If so, what skills does it provide that help you become better in entrepreneurship, that IB for example doesnt?

16 Jul 2020

For people who were cross-admitted to CBS and Kellogg, what did you end up choosing and why? Happy with your decision? Anything you realized now that you're at your school you weren't aware of when deciding? For people currently or previously at CBS or Kellogg, could you give your raw/honest impression on your experience and whether you think your sentiments are generally shared by your peers? Specifically interested in MBB, investment management, equity research, and Biopharma in that order. **Would love to hear recruiting experiences in these areas at either school. **Have a short timeline

17 Aug 2020

I'm not sure if it will be harder or easier because a lot of moving parts (fewer jobs available, economy recovers, etc.)

28 Mar 2020

I am currently and experimental nanotechnology scientist at King Abdullah University of Science and Technology in Saudi Arabia. My educational background includes a PhD in Materials Science from Imperial College London. I am looking at doing an MBA with the aim of transitioning into investment banking in London, and maybe later moving to Continental Europe. I would like to ask the following: i. Which business schools should I aim for ? ii. Would my PhD hinter my chances of getting accepted into IB ? Or would I be able to leverage my knowledge to be considered for a semiconductor industry

22 Apr 2020

Now that a lot of offers are being extended (Jan 10 @ 5pm) - how did recruiting go for you? Happy with the results? Edit: Per LakerBanker's suggestion - it would be helpful to list your tier of school (M7, T15, etc.).

10 Jan 2020

1. Do you have ambitions of launching/buying a private business (apart from a fund) on the side or is your sole passion the public markets? 2. Do you have (or plan to have) real estate investments?

17 Jul 2020

I hope everyone is staying safe during this pandemic. I have been using this time to think about pursuing an MBA, but I am not sure if it is a great fit for me. To provide some background on myself, I have an undergrad business degree (supply chain management) from a "Public Ivy" university. I work in the oil & gas industry for a supermajor in supply chain/operations. I've been here for four years, but I am looking to try something new. Many energy companies are bureaucratic and the culture is dry – and my growth is starting to slow down. I'd like to leave the industry to pursue banking or

30 Mar 2020

Hey guys, so I'm thinking about applying for 3rd/4th round applications for MBA programs soon and taking the GMAT sooner (obv). I graduated in spring and I had a two month long internship doing coding stuff. I majored in Economics and Finance. Some people told me go to grad school so I want to gauge you guys' opinion about my situation and if I will even get into a decent program.

20 Feb 2020

Undergrad trying to study abroad ... Do MBA programs look at a one-semester study abroad transcript, as long as the grades transfer over to the home institution?

07 Apr 2020

Senior Associate working at $5B+ fund. I was not accepted to H/S/W - but did get into some other M7 schools. Looking to eventually secure a VP role at a MM PE shop. Would appreciate people's thoughts on whether its worth pursuing an MBA outside of H/S/W vs. looking for other opportunities (i.e. lateraling, looking for "career track" roles that will promote without MBA). To me, both routes present challenges: i) In talking with recruiters and other post-MBA VPs, there does seem to be a drop-off in terms of recruiting opportunities for VP roles at MBA programs outside of H/S/W (and if you look

09 Jan 2020

Before I got dinged for starting a new thread on MBA vs CFA, I'd like to hear your opinion on my personalized situation. I'm currently 35 years old and working as a CFO for an energy company in the US, making around $200K/year. Prior to becoming a CFO, I mostly spent my time in financial services at big 4 (yes, I'm a CPA). I do have a side hustle whereby I founded a construction company with a friend (an engineer) a couple years ago (I manage the finances). It hasn't made much money yet, but it does have potential. And I dont spend much time on it too (maybe 2-3 hours/week). I come from an

13 Mar 2020

I just received a FT offer to work for a MM firm, and suddenly doing an MBA becomes real to me. However, I had an academic misconduct record and was told that when applying for graduate programs this info 99% is going to be shared with any institutions I plan to apply. Not to minimize how much of an idiot I was at the time, the misconduct was a first time thing (no probation no suspension, but grade for that class was penalized) and I performed well academically since that. Anyone knows how bad this looks if my goal is to get into Sloan/Booth/Kellogg etc?

12 Nov 2019

Hey All, Peers and friends from college have been talking about studying for GMAT / applying to B-School. Currently a 2nd year IB analyst in M&A and thinking about future. As someone who will have paid off close to 100k in undergrad loans (on track to pay off in another ~2 years), I cannot seem to wrap my head around the idea of taking out another massive loan. While I'm thinking about PE, i don't think that would be my career. Could see myself going into VC, Corporate Strategy or even venturing out and starting my own business. I guess the short-version of this is, if I have no plans to make

08 Oct 2019

I wanted to know if anybody had any general advice on my situation.... To summarize it, I'm an engineering major from a top engineering school that will graduating in a year or so with a masters degree. I have solid engineering intern experience in the energy industry, and I recently got an offer at a larger asset management firm as an investment analyst. I know that I eventually want to open my own fund, but I'm not quite sure if I'm making the jump to finance too early on in my career. On top of that, I have multiple six figure engineering offers, and I aspire to get an MBA in the future

22 Mar 2020

I'm lucky enough to have Full-Time Analyst offers for Investment Banking from both Evercore NYC M&A and PJT NYC M&A. I know I'm splitting hairs here but I'm just wondering if any of you have thoughts if one firm is slightly better positioned in terms of exit opportunities into PE mega-funds (Apollo, Blackstone, Warburg, KKR, TPG, Bain, Carlyle) as well as top MBA programs (Harvard, Stanford, Wharton)? Appreciate any insight!

23 Aug 2019

Hey, guys, I need some advice from anyone with experience in the industry. Any would be appreciated. I recently graduated with a finance degree at the same time got sentenced to probation for my stupid actions during freshman year of college. Long story short it will be expunged in two years. What are my options right now or what would you do in my situation if you can't find full-time employment due to background checks and having to show up to court for probation every Monday. Is there anything useful to do to gain experience? Should I go for an MBA at a Columbia or NYU? or should I just

14 May 2019

Let's say you're attending an elite MBA program, with around $150k of tuition costs sponsored by a tier 2 consulting firm (think Deloitte, OY, S&, ATK). Would MBB consider offering a loaded sign-on bonus (covering 50%+ of tuition) to entice such a candidate? Curious to hear if this is a regular occurrence.

06 Jun 2019

I was recently offered a position to join the valuations desk of a MF PE Shop. I am from a nontarget and my ultimate goal is to eventually go to a M7 program for my MBA. Would taking this BO job hinder my ability to make that transition? Also, does anyone have any numbers into how compensation is paid out in non-junior level roles? (How much associates, and Directors make). Debating if I should take this role for the prestige or go work in a CF role for a Fortune 10 Company. Any help is appreciated. Thanks.

12 Feb 2019

Is there a way to go about this? For me it takes 100% financial sense. I get my $50k signing bonus ($30-35k post tax) 4-5 months early and use it to pay off significant portion of my tuition for the second year of my MBA. Otherwise I'm taking a loan of approx the same amount in january. To me it makes total financial sense. Have anyone done this? How would I approach

14 Aug 2019

Starting a Q&A thread for any Big4 Auditors or Advisory folks looking to transition to a top MBA. I leaned heavily on WSO to complete the journey up to this point, and want to give back to those currently mired in the Big 4 grind. I cannot thank WSO enough for giving me the knowledge and confidence to achieve what I once thought impossible. Quick Background - Big 4 FS audit for 3 years --> Advisory for 2 years --> Attending a Top 15 MBA next fall. Very hard to take this path but it's doable. Goal is to enter investment banking after my MBA. Feel free to ask anything - Big 4 culture/stereotypes

01 Nov 2018

Here are the rankings 1. Stanford 2. Wharton 3. Harvard 4. Sloan 5. Booth 6. Haas 7. Columbia 8. Kellogg 9. Darden 10. Johnson Link to full article: https://www.bloomberg.com/business-schools/2018/ What do you think? For me, no major surprises. Johnson got a nice bump, but that's probably due to their super impressive IB program. Booth feels like it could be higher, but you could swap out anything in the top 5 for #1 and people would be shocked the other 4 didn't get first place.

13 Nov 2018

Hi guys, I'm an analyst at a boutique consulting firm based in Brazil. My firm has a program of MBA sponsorship and we have a bunch of alumni from top notch business schools like MIT, Columbia and Chicago Booth. Although we have a great compensation package to post-MBA associates, I want to pursue a career in finance. **What you guys think about consultants that spend 2 years post MBA at the same firm to pay for the sponsorship and then go to finance? Is it a hard move, even to downgrade to an associate level? ** Just so you know, my firm usually does not work in finance-related projects. I

09 Aug 2020

I'm looking to take up a career in Commodities Trading, and I want to know about MBA or MS programs.

09 Jul 2019

Hi guys, Do I have a chance at getting into GSB? Please see my background below: Undergrad - Top 50 but less popular majored in Finance GPA 3.3 Current role - LP (analyst) covering all aspects of private capital fund investments at a sub-$10B institutional endowment,

31 Oct 2018

Currently a junior analyst at a mortgage banking shop and looking at UNC's MBA program. Looking to get into development or PE. Would this program open enough doors? I know it is not a top MBA, but it is T20. How is the alumni network for real estate? Also considering MSRED programs but I am thinking an MBA will open more broad doors than a specialized MSRED. Thoughts?

01 May 2019

I know the MSRE vs. MBA topic has been discussed here multiple times, and I have read through the old posts. I wanted to share my situation/goals and see if anyone here could shed some light on some of my thoughts. Me: - Analyst in acquisitions for a large owner/operator (mid/lower tier PERE 50 firm) - End goal is NYC development (Macklowe, Silverstein, JDS, Naftali, Extell, RFR, TF Cornerstone, Time Equities, L&L, etc). - Complete non target school on the east coast and ended up in acquisitions in LA/SF area. - My thoughts are to work here for a few years, get a masters, then pivot to

04 Aug 2018

I'm looking to apply for MBAs in the US where I currently live, but at some point down the line I'm considering moving to Europe for a few years. Generally speaking, I know that M7 is globally regarded as the best, but how are programs ranked 10-20 generally viewed in western EU markets (London, Paris, Frankfurt, Amsterdam, etc.)?

22 Apr 2019

What the title says. I've been on this website for quite a while now and having just finished business school, decided to actively post again. I don't know if this topic would be of help to anyone, but I know I would've found it useful so putting this out there for anyone else who may find value in it. Feel free to ask me anything you're curious about and I'll try my best to answer candidly. It could be about recruiting, life on the job, MBA life, disclosing a disability, asking for accommodations, handling people's perceptions... whatever you're curious about. ####My background: I am a

05 Aug 2018

There has been a lot of recent discussion on these forums as well as in the media regarding the value of an MBA. As a longtime member of the community and someone who recently made the decision to pursue an MBA, I thought I'd share some thoughts. You can see my full background story here: "How I Got into Banking" My Background In summary, I went to a relatively unknown undergrad in New England where I received a degree in MIS. I went on to do two years of investment banking at an MM doing sell-side M&A. I then did two years of MM leveraged buyouts in a pre-MBA role before switching to a

17 May 2018

How would you rank these for someone looking to go into IB? Would like to live either northeast or out west upon graduation. Also open to other schools in the top 20-30 range if you have recommendations. I have a 3.45ish from a state school and 680 gmat. Currently working in finance.

15 Aug 2018

I am currently 23, a year out of school and considering enrolling in a full time MBA program at 25. Is this too young of an age to be pursuing a MBA full time? I am currently in a Finance & Accounting development program in the banking industry and would like to make a switch to consulting/ibanking. Thoughts?

17 Aug 2018

I was admitted to a few FT MBA programs (Emory, UNC, Georgetown) and waitlisted at UCLA FEMBA (part time) for start in summer 2019. I am looking to get into IB in LA (HL RX, BAML, CS, etc) post MBA. If I go to one of the FT MBA programs, will it be hard to get into IB in LA since all the schools are in east coast? Should I go to UCLA FEMBA even though it's part time? About Me: 28 years old, Asian American, NYC Been working on S&T at a BB for 5 years post MBA Thanks

01 May 2019

Hey Monkeys - I'm a former consultant/current chef in NYC looking for advice regarding MBAs. I went to NYU for undergrad, majored in Econ with a minor in math (CAS not Stern), and worked 2 yrs at a executive compensation firm. Then I worked at Momofuku MIlk Bar for about 1 year as a bookkeeper. Since I have spent the last couple years cooking in restaurants and used my savings from my consulting job to open my own restaurant in Brooklyn. We are still in our first year and have been cash flow positive since the 2mo which is rare in this industry. My background in economics has helped a lot in

13 Jul 2018

My background: I started my career in a well known tech company in a Central FP&A team supporting the group's CFO by helping him prep for Board meetings, quarterly earnings calls, strategy sessions, etc. A lot of fancy decks/presentations and high-level financial analysis. My favorite aspect of that role was the executive level communication and being able to tell the story of the business in the context of financial performance. After a couple years I realized I needed more in-depth experience with bottoms-up financial forecasting, financial management, and budget ownership, so I took an

30 Jun 2020

An interesting article on the Financial Times talks about a new trend of MBA's going into banking in order to work with the tech industry: [quote] The banking sector is holding its own as an MBA employer. But it is doing so in part by offering new kinds of jobs, either as part of in-house teams developing new digital strategies or for those who want to work for fintech companies. In the US, some of the biggest opportunities for those hoping to work in banking are close to the tech sector in California. It means even MBA

31 May 2018

Hi WSO, I wanted to give back to the community now that my MBA admissions journey is over. I've left some facts and thoughts below, would by more than happy to provide additional insights if it would be helpful. Undergrad: Large state school GMAT: 730 Work experience: Manager at a Big 4 firm Admitted to: Columbia, Kellogg, Yale, NYU, Darden, and Duke I'd start with saying, never sell yourself short. I'm happy with my results but I can't tell you how many times people thought the two M7s and Yale on the above list just weren't going to happen (and anything beyond that was near impossible). Be

02 Apr 2018

Hey all, Just finished reading the WSO B-school bible, which was extremely helpful. I'm 25 and wasn't able to land in IB out of school or lateral in. I've been considering applying to MBAs to matriculate in Fall 2019. My combine numbers: -3.0 GPA out of big state school; took 5 years and transferred (family issues; I'll explain presumably in some optional essay, but still no excuse). Was actively involved in a number of organizations -Multi-racial (White + african-american) -About 2.5 years of W/E at a primary research expert network and a big asset management company. Got promoted and done

24 Apr 2018

Besides destroying the GMAT, which of these two options would be better to mitigate a low GPA in preparation for MBA applications? I am leaning towards UCLA Extension classes but wanted to hear other thoughts.

17 Jan 2019

28 M Graduated with a degree from a small non-target called Colorado Mesa University. Majored in Exercise Science with a Minor in Business Administration. Cumulative GPA: 3.7 GMAT: 700 Work Experience - 1) Teach for America. One year post grad where I volunteered, traveled, taught English, and ran basketball camps 2) Data Analyst at a medical start up company. 2 years where I learned the ins and outs of code 3) Proctor and Gamble Data Scientist. 2 years leading the health care products department Interested in pursuing an MBA to gain business contacts and pursue a management role in Healthcare

10 Oct 2018

Hi all, I am involved in non profit via the arts. I'm in my early 20's and looking ahead to a long career in upper management and directing organizations. I just graduated undergrad a year ago and began working, but am now questioning whether to go back to school for a MBA. Unfortunately, I don't have the funds or can take out large loans, unless absolutely necessary. Are there alternatives to Business school that are taken seriously from a hiring perspective? Certification programs or online programs? There seem to be a multitude and it is difficult determining which are of actual value

06 Jun 2020

Hi everyone, this forum has been a tremendous help over time and I have yet another question to help me rationalize. I am in the lucky position to choose between two private equity offers for a summer associate role, but that was a long journey. I am currently an international student at an M7 MBA program with pre-MBA experience in finance (but not banking) and originally decided to go through banking recruiting. Bet all my chips on tech banking in SF, aced my technicals and made it to final rounds at all the top groups. Long story short, I still ended up with zero offers. So I decided to give

05 Jun 2020

Hi all, I am a student at Kelley business school at Indiana University. I am looking to pursue a career in investment banking and I know that Kelley is not a target school for most banks. However, I heard that a lot of Kelley grads get recruited by William and Blair which is in Chicago. How realistic would working for William and Blair for a couple years and then going to get my MBA at a bigger school such as Stanford, Harvard, or Columbia be? Assuming that I do well at Kelley right now.

07 Feb 2018

With summer internship recruiting cranking-up, I'm looking for suggestions on CRE firms (both investors/developers) that offer formal/structured internships for MBAs. On the development side, I've only come across a handful of big companies like TS and Brookfield that have a formal internship application w/ hard deadlines and interview superdays (not even Hines). On the investment side, I've only seen mega-funds like Blackstone and KKR. Any names I'm missing? Want to exhaust all formal routes while also trying with the firms that are more informal and require networking/breaking-in.

28 Nov 2018

Hello, I am curious if there is a general consensus for which self study course of specific masters degree is best for preparing one for pE work. I am not asking about which helps the most in terms of actually getting a job. Basically say you we given a job hypothetically as a PE associate and wanted to get the best training. I have see a number of self study courses as well as specialized masters degrees. I know this is a little unusual. Any opinion on which of the specialized masters or independent courses would be the top course would be appreciated. Thanks.

31 May 2020

I am planning on retaking the GMAT but just in case I do not score higher, where should I be targeting? I plan to pursue banking or PB post mba. My stats are: 660 gmat White male 3.35 gpa. currently in financial sales The schools i am currently looking at are: Vandy USC Duke UNC Georgetown Emory Do you think I am competitive at these schools? are there any others I should be looking at?

29 Sep 2018

Hi there fellow monkeys, I have been a long time lurker here, only recently started posting and was wondering if I could get some input from you guys regarding my struggles with GMAT. I am trying to apply to M7 schools this coming fall and have taken the GMAT three times, I am an international who studied undergrad in US and work in Big 4 consultancy in Eastern Europe. My first attempt was more of an feeling out process, to see how the exam was, how would I do and what my weaknesses would be. I only practiced around 70-90 questions in problem solving before going in. Surprisingly I got 700

20 Jul 2018

Hello friends, I'm currently a tech consultant at Deloitte, and been with the firm almost a year now. I currently work on big data and machine learning engagements in TMT due to my background, and I quickly discovered that I'm very interested in M&A due diligence in TMT. It is challenging to get on a project like that within my firm, and I have been in the midst of getting together my own small engagement just to get the exposure. I planned on applying for MBA programs next year and switching to IB to get this exposure, but recently, a recruiter from LEK reached out and said they were

05 Jun 2018

MBA applications are on a decline. What do you guys think the root cause is behind that? Is tuition getting too expensive? Are the applicants hesitant to pull additional loans after continuing to pay back UG loans? MBAs aren't too attractive/sexy anymore -- ROI isn't worth it? Full article Thoughts?

30 Sep 2017

Hi All, I'm new to this site, but wanted to get commentary from likeminded people about whether or not to pursue an MBA. My rule of thumb is that it's only worth consideration from a T-20 program, especially if an employer or grants aren't paying for it. Yet, with a six-figure price tag will it really make or break your career? I'm of the opinion that there's a surplus of MBAs out there. The cost will go up since foreign students paying international tuition rates are becoming less intrigued by the prospects of studying/living/working in the U.S. Given recent wage inflation, I wouldn't be

23 Mar 2018

Hi community, I don't want to spark another general „MBA worth it or not" discussion, instead I'm interested in your opinions based on my specific situation. Some background info: - European citizen - 31 years of age (yes, old but quite normal where I'm from) - Master's degree in Economics at a Tier 2 uni - 2 years DCM at a Tier 2/3 bank in Frankfurt (think HSBC, BNP, RBC) - 2.5 years Private Debt Fund at Tier 1 AM in London (think Pimco, BlackRock, MetLife) Last week, I have been accepted at INSEAD for the full-time 1-year MBA program starting in summer 2018. When the program starts I would

19 Dec 2017