|
Buff Butler posted:Also, don't get hung up on the name of your school. As long as it's not an online diploma mill with University of Phoenix accreditation, it's good enough. Having a better school on your resume will help you get an interview, but if you're floating resumes to posted openings, you're doin' it wrong anyway. I'd be interested if you or anybody else could elaborate on that last part. Doesn't an MBA grad apply for jobs in the same manner as anybody else? (i.e. if there are personal connections a meeting can be arranged; if there aren't any and the job is posted on an online board or whatever, then they just fill out the boxes like a regular applicant?)
|
#
?
Aug 18, 2009 08:55
|
|
|
|
| # ? May 14, 2024 02:59 |
|
|
Agent Escalus posted:I'd be interested if you or anybody else could elaborate on that last part. Doesn't an MBA grad apply for jobs in the same manner as anybody else? (i.e. if there are personal connections a meeting can be arranged; if there aren't any and the job is posted on an online board or whatever, then they just fill out the boxes like a regular applicant?) I think the poster means that ideally someone you know hooks you up with a job instead of you having to scour job openings. You just casually let it slip you need a job to some of your buddies and you start getting calls later that week. My experience is similar to yours. Even if you have personal contacts you still have to fill out all the crap to go through HR. And looking for opportunities on job postings is definitely not 'wrong' or somehow beneath someone with an MBA.
|
|
#
?
Aug 18, 2009 12:05
|
|
|
Agent Escalus posted:I'd be interested if you or anybody else could elaborate on that last part. Doesn't an MBA grad apply for jobs in the same manner as anybody else? (i.e. if there are personal connections a meeting can be arranged; if there aren't any and the job is posted on an online board or whatever, then they just fill out the boxes like a regular applicant?) Quite a few jobs (I've heard 80%, but that's probably a number someone pulled out of their rear end) are never actually listed or advertised. If a company has a job opening, someone recommending someone they know (whether from school, a previous job, or wherever else) is worth more than a good resume to an employer as far as screening goes, and is probably enough to get an interview. If the person is a good match, the employer never has to bother with listing the job and slogging through resumes. e: Misread what you said slightly. The idea is an MBA program will let you meet people who are in positions to give you that kind of recommendation. Most of the people you meet and get to know are going to be in positions where they can have some influence over hiring decisions after graduating (and often even before). AreWeDrunkYet fucked around with this message at 14:36 on Aug 18, 2009 |
|
#
?
Aug 18, 2009 14:05
|
|
|
Not sure if this was mentioned earlier (looking thru thread now) but when's a good time to take the GMATs? Right after college, or does it not really matter? I'd like to do them right around graduation (next June) as my school offers prep courses, is that a decent plan?
|
|
#
?
Aug 21, 2009 00:55
|
|
|
The scores stay viable for 5 years, so whatever point over between now and school that you see yourself able to maximize your score/put in the most time to study. Most people recommend just taking it out of school so nothing will be rusty, but if you feasibly have a couple hours each week to prep for the next couple years, there's no need to rush.
|
|
#
?
Aug 21, 2009 14:17
|
|
|
extra innings lovin posted:Not sure if this was mentioned earlier (looking thru thread now) but when's a good time to take the GMATs? Right after college, or does it not really matter? I'd like to do them right around graduation (next June) as my school offers prep courses, is that a decent plan? If you plan on applying for B-school within five years, then definitely take it while you're still in that scholastic mode and take advantage of what your school offers in terms of prep courses. Otherwise, you'd be wasting your time and money by taking it, letting your scores expire, then taking it again.
|
|
#
?
Aug 21, 2009 21:46
|
|
|
e: redacted
buzzardbill fucked around with this message at 01:48 on Aug 24, 2009 |
|
#
?
Aug 21, 2009 22:19
|
|
|
Does anybody here know much about the University of Michigan's school? I've been up to Ann Arbor dozens of times and I really like the atmosphere. How does their MBA program compare to top level MBA schools? How does it compare to the University of Indiana? Will my resume not catch anyone's eye because I don't have an MBA from the big 3? I'm currently finishing up my BA in Business Administration (finance focus) and plan to send my resume out to every major in the U.S. for an entry level position. I'd love to either come back home and attend the University of Michigan or the University of Indiana, both place in which I have tons of family near the schools.
|
|
#
?
Aug 22, 2009 01:20
|
|
|
Michigan's top 20, and Indiana's top 25. Both are excellent schools and therefore admissions are very competitive.
|
|
#
?
Aug 22, 2009 01:55
|
|
|
extra innings lovin posted:Not sure if this was mentioned earlier (looking thru thread now) but when's a good time to take the GMATs? Right after college, or does it not really matter? I'd like to do them right around graduation (next June) as my school offers prep courses, is that a decent plan? Best time to take them in my opinion is right after college. In my case I graduated this past May and had 3 months before work started. Spent 1 month in Europe and 6 weeks cramming for the GMATs. I took the test today and did pretty well, and I'm really relieved I don't have to study for the GMAT in the future (studying sucks though, especially data sufficiency...etc)
|
|
#
?
Aug 26, 2009 05:13
|
|
|
Don Wrigley posted:
Mid size firms will get you a salary in between these figures - like 80 to 100k. Law has some of the most variable pay of any field. The MBA figures you are quoting are for people that go into consulting or IB.
|
|
#
?
Aug 27, 2009 02:17
|
|
|
LofwyrSai posted:Mid size firms will get you a salary in between these figures - like 80 to 100k. Law has some of the most variable pay of any field. The MBA figures you are quoting are for people that go into consulting or IB. I think he has a good point actually. Look at the Law School megathread, they point out in the first post that a select few lawyers get paid mega-bucks but most toil for a very average wage. With an MBA on the otherhand there are definatly still only a few superstars that make the mega-bucks, but the distribution isn't as bimodal with people either making large amounts or very little. It's spread out all along the spectrum. Not to imply that life isn't what you make of it, but I think the point Don Wrigley raised is valid.
|
|
#
?
Aug 27, 2009 02:51
|
|
|
I'm new here, but I thought I'd offer my help relating to GMAT questions. My score was a 760, and I've been teaching a prep course (not Kaplan or Princeton Review; a good one) for a year and a half now. Obviously, I can't get into too much detail, but I'll do my best to answer any questions regarding the test itself, format, strategies, etc.
|
|
#
?
Sep 5, 2009 07:07
|
|
|
Thoguh posted:I think he has a good point actually. Look at the Law School megathread, they point out in the first post that a select few lawyers get paid mega-bucks but most toil for a very average wage. With an MBA on the otherhand there are definatly still only a few superstars that make the mega-bucks, but the distribution isn't as bimodal with people either making large amounts or very little. It's spread out all along the spectrum. I think this might be because fewer people see an MBA as the fall-back, 'I don't know what I'm doing with my life so I'll go back to school' option -- law school, for many people, is just the next step after a non-viable degree. It might also have to do with the fact that there are fewer lovely MBA programs than lovely law schools. And it also might have to do with the fact that most MBA programs generally require a few years of work experience as a pre-requisite to matriculation (which provides more time for reflection and consideration).
|
|
#
?
Sep 5, 2009 19:21
|
|
|
Bobby Digital posted:I'm new here, but I thought I'd offer my help relating to GMAT questions. My score was a 760, and I've been teaching a prep course (not Kaplan or Princeton Review; a good one) for a year and a half now. Okay, why do you say "not Kaplan or Princeton Review; a good one"? What's wrong with the Kaplan prep courses?
|
|
#
?
Sep 6, 2009 06:08
|
|
|
Agent Escalus posted:Okay, why do you say "not Kaplan or Princeton Review; a good one"? What's wrong with the Kaplan prep courses? They're fine if neither of the elite companies are an option in your area, but the material tends to be fairly basic from what I've seen. It'll get your score up to a decent level, but a lot of their techniques and strategies either fall apart on higher-level questions or are time-inefficient. Granted, I don't know their material cold, but from what I've seen/read/heard, it seems to be the case. In particular, two of my friends who recently took the Kaplan course and said that it was good for laying a foundation but that they ended up doing a lot of studying of other material on their own. As far as instructors go, I know it's a lot easier to get hired with both of those companies; I actually taught the SAT for Princeton Review during my freshman year of college. The test scores they require are good (90th percentile, I think, as opposed to 99th for mine and one other), but their audition/screening process tends to lead to a wider range of quality among instructors. If you get one of the good/great ones, you'll definitely get your money's worth, but there's also the chance that you'll get one of the mediocre ones. My company certainly isn't immune to that, but the course director (my direct boss) is kind of a bastard about not bringing teachers back after their first course if their student reviews aren't great. Really, my company is a bit more expensive ($200 more for our typical 7-week course, last I checked), but our course also includes more classroom instruction. Really, you're already spending over a grand for the course. If that extra couple of hundred gets your score up another 30 points, it'll probably be worth it. TL;DR: Solid but not the best option. Respectable material, many good teachers, but if you're looking 700+, you're probably better off elsewhere if the extra money isn't an issue.
|
|
#
?
Sep 7, 2009 01:23
|
|
|
Advice: don't take the mandatory stats and MIS/IT course in the same semester.
|
|
#
?
Sep 9, 2009 04:09
|
|
|
Bobby Digital posted:I'm new here, but I thought I'd offer my help relating to GMAT questions. My score was a 760, and I've been teaching a prep course (not Kaplan or Princeton Review; a good one) for a year and a half now. Are the elite tutoring companies as stringent as they sound? My nephew told me he applied for both but doesn't expect to be hired because of his 750/98th percentile. Are they really that stringent, is that going to keep him out? I feel bad for him; the dropoff from the elite companies to kaplan is about $75/hour in pay.
|
|
#
?
Sep 9, 2009 15:41
|
|
|
Don Wrigley posted:Are the elite tutoring companies as stringent as they sound? My nephew told me he applied for both but doesn't expect to be hired because of his 750/98th percentile. Are they really that stringent, is that going to keep him out? I feel bad for him; the dropoff from the elite companies to kaplan is about $75/hour in pay. Mine and our main competitor have 99th as a requirement, but I know that the other company is trying to expand and needs people. They're offering a pretty drat good signing bonus as well; $4000 last I saw. It's a worth a shot; have him email his score report and a cover letter.
|
|
#
?
Sep 10, 2009 18:23
|
|
|
How's everyone's semester going? What are some ways that you guys are networking during the semester?
|
|
#
?
Sep 27, 2009 01:20
|
|
|
Partying hard... in the computer lab... with a lot of spreadsheets ...and multiple regressions to find cost equations... wooo party  Actually, I really enjoy any statistical analysis or excel work. Not doing anything exceptional networking other than talking to a few people interested in going in to the same field I am.
|
|
#
?
Sep 27, 2009 01:33
|
|
|
I'm rocking out to lease recognitions and their financial statement consequences right now. Accounting midterm is on Friday with a paper due on Tuesday and a Statistics midterm next Friday (my school does its cores as 7 1/2 week condensed courses to free up time for electives later). It's intense, but still constructive. Given the news out of my old firm, I'm glad to be here. Networking has been mainly in the form of attending information sessions as they send people over to campus, talking with their representatives and seeing what comes of things. I have an active dialog going with one potential internship and will be starting up at least two more in the next few weeks. Now that I'm pretty much back in 'school-mode', I'm comfortable taking the time to find and go to some off-campus events.
|
|
#
?
Sep 30, 2009 02:24
|
|
|
School has been great so far. The workload is high but manageable (30-50 pages of reading each day, plus 2-3 problem sets/papers per week). The academics are not as intense as I imagine a graduate degree in science or engineering would be. However, the networking/socializing/partying aspect is really important so I count that as part of my "workload". (I'm an introvert so going out to the beer bash til 3am and meeting new people takes some effort... YMMV). I highly recommend knowing Microsoft Excel forwards and backwards before arriving at school. In theory you can learn as you go, but you'll be at a severe disadvantage.
|
|
#
?
Oct 4, 2009 00:06
|
|
|
What can an MBA cost (from a school ranked on the top 100 list nationally)? I'm looking at a job that will contribute $6k a year to a master's degree, but that sounds awfully slim. How useful is business school for a tech undergrad? Is it a stepping stone to upper management?
|
|
#
?
Oct 8, 2009 04:42
|
|
|
^ University of Toronto, NYU, and Columbia's programs. will set you (and possibly, me) back $160,000.  The price of trying to get a better working life, I guess.I'm a Canadian who would like to do my schooling in the States - because one, I'd like to at least live there for some of my life, even if its only for the two years of schooling; two, doing my schooling there possibly opens up the chance of recruitment and the ability to settle and immigrate. Does anybody else feel that way? Also, for current MBA enrollees: I'd be interested to know what "professional experience" you had prior to acceptance in your school. I graduated with a BA in English in '06, and haven't had the ability to get a permanent job, with the exception of a retail gig. It's one of the reasons I want an MBA, but frankly I get worried when I think about it: I haven't been able to obtain what I'd call meaningful employment or experience and I worry if my attempt to improve my situation will be denied precisely because I don't have it - and the ironic vicious cycle will continue.
|
|
#
?
Oct 8, 2009 18:58
|
|
|
Agent Escalus posted:^ University of Toronto, NYU, and Columbia's programs. will set you (and possibly, me) back $160,000. I'm at the latter and my student loans are crazy. I just spoke with a professor who was shocked to hear how much the school charges us. quote:Also, for current MBA enrollees: I'd be interested to know what "professional experience" you had prior to acceptance in your school. I graduated with a BA in English in '06, and haven't had the ability to get a permanent job, with the exception of a retail gig. It's one of the reasons I want an MBA, but frankly I get worried when I think about it: I haven't been able to obtain what I'd call meaningful employment or experience and I worry if my attempt to improve my situation will be denied precisely because I don't have it - and the ironic vicious cycle will continue. I had several years of professional work experience before the MBA, as did the rest of my class. The average age is 28, with 5 years professional experience in accounting, consulting, finance, biz dev, strategy, etc. Recruiting is like going into battle and you wouldn't get far without good work experience to pair with the degree; the two work in tandem. (Let me put it this way; when I hand my resume to recruiters, they don't ask me what classes I'm taking at school, they ask about what I did before school and during my summer internship.) That's assuming you could get into the degree without the work experience to begin with, which would require connections. I have friends in the temp job cycle. School won't help. You need to network your way out of it into a full-time position, then go to school after several years of gaining good bullet points for the resume.
|
|
#
?
Oct 8, 2009 22:13
|
|
|
Well, hang on - from the OP:quote:17. After graduating, it's a gravy train, right? I mean, all ibanks and cigars. Assuming the recession's effects have subsided in a few years, the internship I'd be doing between years plus those alumni networks will certainly help somewhat, right?
|
|
#
?
Oct 8, 2009 23:41
|
|
|
Agent Escalus posted:^ University of Toronto, NYU, and Columbia's programs. will set you (and possibly, me) back $160,000. Uh, you won't get accepted into a top MBA program without work experience. So you should work on that. And if you're not going to a top MBA program, it's a waste of money. And trying to get experience > no experience, so there is really no cycle.
|
|
#
?
Oct 9, 2009 00:41
|
|
|
What sort of work experience do top 10 MBA programs look for? I have a potential opportunity to get a GE Financial Management program internship in January and these internships are suppose to be fantastic first steps to getting into the program when you graduate. My ultimate goal is to get an MBA at an Ivy or other top tier school but even after reading a few books I really only know a lot about what people do after getting MBAs as opposed to before.
|
|
#
?
Oct 9, 2009 02:01
|
|
|
Thoogsby posted:What sort of work experience do top 10 MBA programs look for? But basically top 10 schools had an easy admissions formula: 2 years of grinding out at a bank, 2 years of private equity/entrepreneurship or something -> MBA; the problem was usually bankers trying to look interesting moreso than any hard qualifications. And they're realizing they can get talent and also women from other fields, especially since there was a huge demand for quantitative professionals in finance. (That's why HBS launched their 2+2 program) Where does this leave all the other experienced professionals, like accountants, nonprofit, IT workers? Well, you're competing against those banker guys. So you really have to show some interest and have good work experience in getting into a top MBA school. Think of your competition -- do you think it's filled with a bunch of unemployed English grads yearning for a career -- no! they go to law school! Those guys can't make it past admissions. It's usually some form of excellent work experience AND excellent undergrad grades, with the distribution varying. In America, it's common to see guys finishing a prestigious undergrad, going into the military (leadership role) and then going straight into top business schools. So yes yes yes take the summer internship, because it really sets you apart if you have strong business experience before going into business school, because during recruitment time after first year MBA, it will be a huge asset in securing a top associate internship in a field like finance or consulting. Also these days, recruitment at business schools is going for younger and younger students. I think the gist of what I'm saying is that the MBA is seen more for advancement rather than a career switch/start. Switching careers by leveraging business school is almost a whole other ball game. In some companies, there is no pressure or need for management and workers to spend two years for a degree at all. In other companies, there is. It really is all positional. ion fucked around with this message at 02:39 on Oct 9, 2009 |
|
#
?
Oct 9, 2009 02:30
|
|
|
ion posted:So yes yes yes take the summer internship, because it really sets you apart if you have strong business experience before going into business school, because during recruitment time after first year MBA, it will be a huge asset in securing a top associate internship in a field like finance or consulting. This will be my first of three internships before I graduate undergrad. I find out if I got the interview tomorrow but it's likely I will. But I think this will be a great opportunity to get experience while I'm still only 20.
|
|
#
?
Oct 9, 2009 02:48
|
|
|
Thoogsby posted:This will be my first of three internships before I graduate undergrad. I find out if I got the interview tomorrow but it's likely I will. But I think this will be a great opportunity to get experience while I'm still only 20. With three relevant business internships (is this co-op?), I think you should apply directly to MBA if you have good marks.
|
|
#
?
Oct 9, 2009 02:54
|
|
|
ion posted:With three relevant business internships (is this co-op?), I think you should apply directly to MBA if you have good marks. Yes it is Co-Op. I'm not sure about the specifics but I know GE Capital is very supportive time wise and financially for MBA students if this does pan out to a career opportunity (as it sometimes does). Even if I don't get the Financial Management Program Co Op, GE also has 6 spots open in the Aviation department for Finance Co Ops in the area too.
|
|
#
?
Oct 9, 2009 02:58
|
|
|
Thoogsby posted:Yes it is Co-Op. I'm not sure about the specifics but I know GE Capital is very supportive time wise and financially for MBA students if this does pan out to a career opportunity (as it sometimes does). What school in Ontario? 
|
|
#
?
Oct 9, 2009 03:07
|
|
|
ion posted:What school in Ontario? Boston actually! It's impossible to tell with GE though, it's easier to name the places they don't have offices than places they do. I think for the Financial Management Program the places I might end up are Norwalk CT, Billerica MA, or somewhere in Nowhere Wisconsin. Honestly, I dont want to go to Wisconsin but I may bite the bullet if I was afforded the opportunity to get in on this program.
|
|
#
?
Oct 9, 2009 03:10
|
|
|
Thoogsby posted:Boston actually! It's impossible to tell with GE though, it's easier to name the places they don't have offices than places they do. I think for the Financial Management Program the places I might end up are Norwalk CT, Billerica MA, or somewhere in Nowhere Wisconsin. Honestly, I dont want to go to Wisconsin but I may bite the bullet if I was afforded the opportunity to get in on this program. Oh weird. Co-op is mostly a Canadian thing, it was sorta pioneered by UWaterloo. Most American schools usually just have summer internships and on campus recruitment/career fairs.
|
|
#
?
Oct 9, 2009 03:22
|
|
|
ion posted:Oh weird. Co-op is mostly a Canadian thing, it was sorta pioneered by UWaterloo. Most American schools usually just have summer internships and on campus recruitment/career fairs. Yeah there are a few schools here that have pretty established programs. I know Drexel does, RIT, GIT, and Northeastern where I go all do.
|
|
#
?
Oct 9, 2009 03:25
|
|
|
ion posted:I think the gist of what I'm saying is that the MBA is seen more for advancement rather than a career switch/start. Switching careers by leveraging business school is almost a whole other ball game. In some companies, there is no pressure or need for management and workers to spend two years for a degree at all. In other companies, there is. It really is all positional. I agree that the MBA isn't a replacement for a career start, but (and I may be misunderstanding your point...) I disagree that the MBA is seen more for career advancement than a career switch. Many people going into finance are career changers. Consulting as well; even for our 2009 graduating class, McKinsey took 45 people, and you can bet most of those didn't work in consulting beforehand. Carfax Report fucked around with this message at 04:23 on Oct 9, 2009 |
|
#
?
Oct 9, 2009 04:20
|
|
|
I am 26, will finish undegrad (MIS/Finance)when I am about 30 (just started taking classes). I work as a part time Supervisor (past 3 years) in a large shipping company. I'm curious if I can get into an MBA program with the Part time management experience I have? I'm salary to 27.5 hours a week. So when I graduate I'll have 7-8 years part time work experience. If not will it count for anything? I'm either looking at Penn State or University of Maryland for the MBA, Thanks
|
|
#
?
Oct 9, 2009 04:43
|
|
|
|
| # ? May 14, 2024 02:59 |
|
|
Carfax Report posted:I agree that the MBA isn't a replacement for a career start, but (and I may be misunderstanding your point...) I disagree that the MBA is seen more for career advancement than a career switch. Many people going into finance are career changers. Consulting as well; even for our 2009 graduating class, McKinsey took 45 people, and you can bet most of those didn't work in consulting beforehand. consulting doesn't care about your background. finance tends to, however. MBA's used to be super popular for career switchers, but nowadays, because people tend to work after undergrad and delay med/law school by 1-5 years, that's a lot of top notch talent that MBA programs are trying to poach, and is really driving the recruitment age of MBA's down. meaning you have to either have good experience before MBA (usually requiring high grades), or super grades/leadership experience. top MBA programs hardly ever admit middle aged career switchers anymore. it leeches from the money-making executive MBA programs they have.
|
|
#
?
Oct 9, 2009 04:51
|
|