<p>I don't think I want to go into debt for some of my fancy schools so it may be really hard to land an i-banking job. </p>
<p>But apparently, getting a good accounting job at a Big 4 company is a little bit easier than landing an i-banking job. (But still not easy, but threads on here say it doesn't really matter where you go to school for accounting and your school can be ranked outside the top 50 and still get a chance at a Big 4 job....which is apparently impossible for i-banking). </p>
<p>So do a lot of people that work at PwC or E&Y after graduation go on to top 10 business programs? Is Big 4 experience almost too bland/common for that sort of thing?</p>
<p>I'm interested in accounting and would like to get my CPA, but I am also interested in finance. It also can't hurt to have a good background in accounting. But I would to have the flexibility of being a CPA and having a MBA. Do many people do this?</p>
<p>Thoughts? Has anyone done this? Tips/general advice?</p>
<ol>
<li><p>Yes, getting a job at a Big 4 accounting firm is easier than getting an IB job.</p></li>
<li><p>An accounting background is very helpful for Investment Bankers.</p></li>
<li><p>There are many CPA’s that get MBA’s from the top Business schools.</p></li>
</ol>
<p>Consulting, IMHO. From what I saw (I am joining PwC tax this summer), consulting is a completely different animal at Big4, having separate recruiting process (u can always find a way to switch between audit-tax) and often targeting different schools (they may hire for tax/audit positions in your school, but not for advisory). Starting salaries are also higher in consulting.</p>
<p>I do advisory in the Big 4. It is definitely tougher to break into than tax and audit, but the jobs are there for the top students. I think it is overall a tougher recruitment process than audit or tax. It takes a lot of thinking outside of the box, leadership, smarts, etc. versus a check-the-box approach in especially audit.</p>
<p>I would like to the the top 10 b-school thing in the future, so I am hoping this experience will lend well to those opportunities.</p>
<p>Doing B4 advisory/consulting is easier than MBB, but still quite difficult. Deloitte Consulting is also in another league from the other 3 in the B4, since it never dissolved its consulting practice. </p>
<p>I have no idea why someone would want to be an associate in IB after going to B-school. At that point, you are 26-28 years old and you would be working 80-100 weeks as one of the lowest people on the totem pole. </p>
<p>Personally, I hope to work in consulting, go get an MBA, and then move into a manager position or higher. One of the nice things about consulting/advisory is you do NOT have to go get an MBA…you only have to get a certification to continue to move up the ladder. Therefore, if you love what you are doing in the B4, then business school isn’t a must and you can still make partner (if that is your goal).</p>
<p>If you have aspirations of going into the corporate world, then I would strongly suggest business school.</p>
<p>I guess money is the driving factor to many people’s lives. Too bad you don’t have time to spend your wealth because you work so much in IB.</p>
<p>Coming from a top grad school, IB associates make a lot, but they aren’t making others look poor. Probably $110k with potential for a $50-125k bonus at the end of the year. If someone is good enough to get into IBing, then why not go into hedge funds or PE instead after an Ivy caliber MBA? They pay better and you work less (and less stress). </p>
<p>I personally value things other than solely my income–so IB isn’t for me. It takes a very special type of person to donate years of their life to that line of work.</p>
<p>By the “make others look poor” comment, I meant that top consulting firms, hedge funds, pe, fortune 500 will also pay very well. Maybe not $200k, but they also won’t work 80-100 hours a week.</p>
<p>If anyone is being offered a job in Hedge Fund or IB, which one do you think he would accept? Do you think both of these jobs are equal in access? Most IBankers would choose HF, PE if they HAD the choice.</p>
<p>You are asking similarly if you have to pay $50K in tuition, why would anyone choose George Washington University and not Harvard ? Of course, they would choose Harvard, if they HAD the choice.</p>