Level 2 and First-Year MBA: Is is possible?

Hi I passed Level 1 in June. 08 I am also going to be starting my MBA at a Top 10 school in 3 weeks. I want to take the Level 2 exam in June 2009 but want a reality check. Am I kidding myself or is it a realisitic goal? Will I have time to do internship recruiting, core-courses at school and study for the level 2? Appreciate any thoughts… Especially from folks who have done or tried to do something similar. Thanks 1024

it can be done. but it is tough as nails. just did top 20 mba and passed level i in june, but i had several buddies who did level 2 DURING our mba program (a lot failed, it is tough, and in school, you WILL be doing a lot of MBA partying – unless you are mormon, a dork, or simply do not want to build your network – which is WHY you go to b school to begin with) . truth is, if you are going to top 10, your first yeare WILL BE insane. count on it. i promise it will. esp if you are going to darden. anyways, make sure you lock down an internship early and start level 2 studying in jan, NO later. good luck. if you passed level 1 already, you will have an easier time in the interviews, b/c they will alrerady you can do quant. just show em you are a people person and you should be fine. i repeat, lock dwon summer job first, then kill level 2.

Daj Thanks for getting back. Its really good advice…In fact the reason I am having second thoughts about L2 is because I dont want to miss out on the partying, networking etc… But as you said…lock down the summer job and then kill level 2. BTW been following your posts and good luck to you too on your Level 2 prep! Thanks 1024

no problem. good luck. b school was the best choice i ever made in my 29 years. if you are going to top 10, i guarantee you will say the same in 20 months.

Daj224, I’m also starting bschool this september and am wondering about the current job market (specifically for internships). Even after passing L1, how difficult is it to land an internship in banking from, say, Darden? I’ve heard that firms on the street have been really selective on who they bring in (for internships) and who they call back. Any insight you could provide would be awesome.

i didnt do a banking internship, mine was a top 10 buy side firm (600B in AUM) but the key to getting banking is being proactive early and getting in touvh with Darden alum, assuming that is where you are going. honestly, you should be touching base with alum now! find out what they like/ send a hello email with an article alongside them that touches on something they said in a phone convo. I am still looking for a job right now, so i am not one to speak, but i am pretty good at networking. trust me – start early. you will stand out and make sure you have a story the MD or partner you contact remembers. if you play in a band, tell em. they will remember that over some DCF you did in your old job, etc.

1024 is just showing off that he got into top 10 MBA school if u can make it top 10 mba school cfa lvl2 is a piece of cake to you

Thanks Daj, I’m planning on attending b school starting fall of 2009 and had similiar concerns.

Hey Daj224 and CFA1024, I’m thinking of applying for hopefully a top MBA school as well. Seeing you guys are already in it/graduated, would it be cool with you guys if I can ask you some questions with regards to it?

Slightly off topic, but MBA-related… I’ve heard friends in banking say that people from a technical background have an easier time getting into top 20 MBA programs than finance people. I’m a software engineer that writes stuff for traders/accountants, thinking about applying for next fall. Obviously, it won’t make up for a lame GMAT, or weak resume, but do you guys feel like there is any truth to this rumor?

dlpicket Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > Slightly off topic, but MBA-related… > > I’ve heard friends in banking say that people from > a technical background have an easier time getting > into top 20 MBA programs than finance people. I’m > a software engineer that writes stuff for > traders/accountants, thinking about applying for > next fall. > > Obviously, it won’t make up for a lame GMAT, or > weak resume, but do you guys feel like there is > any truth to this rumor? Not if you are Indian- true story!

Yeah… We don’t have a lot of Indians here in Tennessee. Well, we do, but they prefer to be called Native Americans.

Daj: How did you like Darden? It is on my list to apply this fall, and I am impressed by their promotional materials. Any info would be most appreciated. Good luck with L2. daj224 Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > no problem. good luck. b school was the best > choice i ever made in my 29 years. if you are > going to top 10, i guarantee you will say the same > in 20 months.

Dwight Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > Daj: How did you like Darden? > > i did not go to darden, i used the name as an example. i went to a top 20 school, i think darden is a top 10. my gmat scores were not that good, but that is another story. I liked my program (rather not disclose it at this point) very much and as long as you go to a top 20, you will get roughly the same education. i visit half of the top 20s and everytime i went into the bookstores for all of them. we all use the same books. harvard has the same books as university of texas, etc. so no stress over what program you get into, just make sure you work hard, it is a top 20, and you network your ass off. getting straight a+s but having no rolodex when you get out is a short term gain, but a long term loss

Thanks for your perspective. daj224 Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > Dwight Wrote: > -------------------------------------------------- > ----- > > Daj: How did you like Darden? > > > > > > > i did not go to darden, i used the name as an > example. i went to a top 20 school, i think darden > is a top 10. my gmat scores were not that good, > but that is another story. > > I liked my program (rather not disclose it at this > point) very much and as long as you go to a top > 20, you will get roughly the same education. i > visit half of the top 20s and everytime i went > into the bookstores for all of them. we all use > the same books. harvard has the same books as > university of texas, etc. so no stress over what > program you get into, just make sure you work > hard, it is a top 20, and you network your ass > off. > > getting straight a+s but having no rolodex when > you get out is a short term gain, but a long term > loss

Thanks for the insight, Daj. I’ll hit up alumni and work from there. I’ll let you know how it goes.

i was wrong, Darden is not top 10, it is also top 20

I am actually more interested in a part-time MBA as opposed to a full time MBA. Somehow, I just don’t feel a full-time MBA is appropriate for me (good job, possibility of moving country 5-10 years time). Right now, I’m pondering the possibility of doing a part-time MBA after my level 3 next year. Any recommendations on schools (I know of Cornell and Chicago) and advise on part-time MBA and its difference against full-time.

daj224 Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > it can be done. but it is tough as nails. just did > top 20 mba and passed level i in june, but i had > several buddies who did level 2 DURING our mba > program (a lot failed, it is tough, and in school, > you WILL be doing a lot of MBA partying – unless > you are mormon, a dork, or simply do not want to > build your network – which is WHY you go to b > school to begin with) > > . truth is, if you are going to top 10, your first > yeare WILL BE insane. count on it. i promise it > will. esp if you are going to darden. > > anyways, make sure you lock down an internship > early and start level 2 studying in jan, NO later. > > > good luck. > > if you passed level 1 already, you will have an > easier time in the interviews, b/c they will > alrerady you can do quant. just show em you are a > people person and you should be fine. i repeat, > lock dwon summer job first, then kill level 2. LOL!!!.. you can do Quant because you passed level 1?.. that’s a bold statement; i don’t even think there’s anything quant in level 1 besides linear regression which is covered in 2nd year in university.

The first year of my MBA was pretty tough. I wouldn’t have been able to do that and study for L2. At least the second semester I was able to pick 1 or 2 electives, so that can help your schedule. Doing it in year 2 is a lot more feasible because it’s probably all electives (mine was), which means you can take some BS classes. I tried to keep it challenging though … figured it may be the last time I’m ever in school formally.