Ghibli Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > Monte_Carlo Wrote: > -------------------------------------------------- > ----- > > I know people at Wharton and Columbia that are > > extremely bright and trust me, passing these > exams > > would not be that challenging for the caliber > of > > people that get into these schools. > > > > More the reason to take the exams, no? The > opportunity cost would be very low. The average > Columbia or Wharton grad wouldn’t even need to > crack a book, so you are looking at three > Saturdays of their lives for a solid objective > credential. > > I’m getting a little tired of grape Kool-Aid. I > might try orange. Agreed - though if you already have a job working PE in NYC do you really want to crack a book on the few hours of freetime you have a week? I don’t think there is much for downtime during these programs to want to sacrifice golden networking opportunities to sit at a desk and learn GIPS. From my limited data set - the CFA is not front and center to people who can get in these programs or are currently in them, though I know that people do both - so more credit to those who do.
@iteracom dude…chill, it was an simple anecdote. I wasn’t trying to prove anything
Monte_Carlo Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > Ghibli Wrote: > -------------------------------------------------- > ----- > > Monte_Carlo Wrote: > > > -------------------------------------------------- > > > ----- > > > I know people at Wharton and Columbia that > are > > > extremely bright and trust me, passing these > > exams > > > would not be that challenging for the caliber > > of > > > people that get into these schools. > > > > > > > More the reason to take the exams, no? The > > opportunity cost would be very low. The average > > Columbia or Wharton grad wouldn’t even need to > > crack a book, so you are looking at three > > Saturdays of their lives for a solid objective > > credential. > > > > I’m getting a little tired of grape Kool-Aid. I > > might try orange. > > > Agreed - though if you already have a job working > PE in NYC do you really want to crack a book on > the few hours of freetime you have a week? > > I don’t think there is much for downtime during > these programs to want to sacrifice golden > networking opportunities to sit at a desk and > learn GIPS. From my limited data set - the CFA is > not front and center to people who can get in > these programs or are currently in them, though I > know that people do both - so more credit to those > who do. Said person might not have a choice, many firms require the charter to progress. Ivy or no Ivy. I prefer ginger myself.
mpreskett Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > @iteracom > > dude…chill, it was an simple anecdote. > > I wasn’t trying to prove anything If you’d be taking GMAT, you must know which article to use when.
I just signed up for Manhattan GMAT classes and can’t really say with any certainty whether there is a correlation between CFA and GMAT. When I first took the GMAT 4 years ago, I scored 510. So at this point, I’m looking for at least a 190 point bump. Impossible? No. Difficult? Yes.
Would love to get feedback on Man. GMAT classes if you are willing, as I am considering as well…
John, I’ve done a lot of research on Ivy League MBA Programs, particularly Columbia and Wharton, and I’ve throught through the pro’s/con’s to the costs, opportunity cost of leaving my job, taking on the debt, putting my relationship to the test, etc… and you know what I keep coming back too? What do I want to do in life and what do I need to do in order to get there. If you honestly think that pursuing any MBA from an Ivy League University is the only ticket to achieving this, well, then do whatever is necessary to try to get in. On the other hand, do I feel like quitting my job as an investment analyst for a very well respected foundation, when I’m ready to propose to my girlfriend and start a family, when I’ve just passed Level 3 of the CFA, and when I know for a fact that I’m going to work as hard as I possibly can to be successfull in whatever I want to do in life, well, who gives a fat shit about an MBA… I’ll chew these kids up and spit them out, but that’s me.
giuls21 Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > Would love to get feedback on Man. GMAT classes if > you are willing, as I am considering as well… No problem, what’s your contact info? My first class starts on the 27th, I’ll let you know how it goes.
Appreciate it. Email address is james_giuliani@bus.emory.edu. Hopefully the class goes well.
Manhattan GMAT is good program - I used it before I took the GMAT and was really happy with it. The written curriculum is easy to follow and best-in-class imho. The “q-bank” equivalent and practice tests of Manhattan GMAT are pretty similar to all the GMAT prep providers. So i would rank the Manhattan GMAT curriculum as most important and then the other stuff (classes, practice tests) as secondary. Not all but many MBAs are trying to transition to something new and/or need an MBA to get promoted in their job. If you like your job, don’t need an MBA to be promoted or advance, and are happy there, then weigh the decision to leave very carefully because it sounds like you have a pretty good set up as it is. Also, post-MBA avg. starting base salary for is just over US$115K/year. That is a great salary, but if you are making more than that at a PE firm or hedge fund or wherever you are then you may end up taking a pay cut looking for a job when you exit an MBA program. Just something to keep in mind because I know several people who have experienced this.
+1 for MGMAT. Their books, questions, and exams, all top notch.
JigglyPuff
bpdulog Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > giuls21 Wrote: > -------------------------------------------------- > ----- > > Would love to get feedback on Man. GMAT classes > if > > you are willing, as I am considering as well… > > > No problem, what’s your contact info? My first > class starts on the 27th, I’ll let you know how it > goes. Def not impossible. My first practice exam I got a 440 I think. I ended up with a 680 the last time I officially took it. Still mulling whether I want to take it again to get that 700+ score; not sure whether an MBA is the right path for me.
PsyDuck
I went to Kellogg and I can tell you the GMAT matters a lot for top programs. You need to get over 650 to have much of a chance. Only about 20% of accepted students got below 650 and most of them have some sort of unique background. If you are a white male, you’d better target over 700. I studied for about 2 months for the GMAT and found Kaplan GMAT800 to be a great study book. Good luck!
i graduated cum laude and got 740 on my GMAT but lacked solid work experience (I enrolled in my MBA program 1 year after undergrad). The point is it is truly a three-legged stool. If you are lacking in any of the three aforementioned categories you will have a difficult time getting in a top 5 ranked program. I was unaware how much ranking mattered in the eyes of employers (and probably a little impatient in my youth) so I took my talents (no love for bron bron) to a “tier 2” school. My adivce is to go to a top 10 program only. I don’t think you will get a better education at all (in talking with a vairety of MBA’s it’s all really similar, and the old joke of an MBA-cation rings true) but the perception of employers is all that matters. Though to be honest I don’t think employers think you really learn much of anything at your MBA program, I think they just figure if you got into a top 10 school you are probably not an idiot.
bpdulog Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > I just signed up for Manhattan GMAT classes and > can’t really say with any certainty whether there > is a correlation between CFA and GMAT. When I > first took the GMAT 4 years ago, I scored 510. So > at this point, I’m looking for at least a 190 > point bump. Impossible? No. Difficult? Yes. There wasn’t any correlation for me. I studied for a few days for the GMAT and got a 730 six years ago. I struggled to pass L2 and L3 by a thin margin. The GMAT really favors people with standardized-test-taking skills who are good at math and can read and process quickly.
>My adivce is to > go to a top 10 program only. +1, I would not have gone back for anything outside of a top-10 program, not a good ROI > Though to be honest I don’t think employers think > you really learn much of anything at your MBA > program, I think they just figure if you got into > a top 10 school you are probably not an idiot. I’d disagree slightly here. It all depends on what job you are trying to get. You aren’t going to get a job at Goldman if you were an Operations major. I know people that wanted to get into consulting but didn’t take a recommended class and couldn’t even get an interview. Banks and consultants consider top MBA programs as basically training programs for their new analysts. You need to take the right classes and get good grades or they won’t look at you. Good luck!
^ I’d disagree slightly here. You need to take the right classes to show recruiters that you’re interested in a certain industry or field, but not necessary good grades. I guess it depends on school, but a friend of mine who goes to Booth told me that Booth has grade non-disclosure policy. Basically, students’ GPA won’t be seen by recruiters. Just FYI, my friend had no prior finance background, but landed a summer IB internship at BB… I’ve been contemplating to applying Booth…
It’s true that different schools have different grade release rules, but I know that recruiters use grades to decide who to interview. It could be different at different schools, but I’d find it surprising if a school didn’t release any grades at all. Your friend’s experience is not unusual, you can definitely career-change in b-school by getting a summer internship. I bet he wouldn’t have gotten that internship without the right classes though!