<p>Hello all:</p>
<p>I'm planning to do an ma-mba (ma in int'l relations), and hope to get into private sector (consulting, private equity, i-banking) for several years after. My question is, if I do get into a top mba program, will I be able to start as associate upon graduation, even if my prior work experience has been solely non-profit (i.e. peace corps)?</p>
<p>Thank you!</p>
<p>With an MBA, I'm pretty sure you'll go in as an associate. If you only had an MA in IR, I think it would then depend largely on your previous work experience.</p>
<p>What IR MA - MBA program are you looking at if you don't mind me asking? I plan on getting an MA in IR and maybe an MBA down the line (I'm not too sure about the second part yet).</p>
<p>Hi Welsh-</p>
<p>Thanks for your response. Do you mind tellling me why you believe so (e.g. you have seen someone else in a similar situation succeed in getting a private sector job)? Not that I doubt your credibility, but I guess I just need some assurance.</p>
<p>I'll be at SAIS in the fall, and am planning to apply to their dual degree program with Wharton and Tuck. Wharton (though I'm not counting on getting in), I'm sure would leave no doors unopened...how would a degree from Tuck do in your opinion?</p>
<p>Thanks!</p>
<p>I don't think that you have to worry about it yet. I'm not trying to bring you down, but the likeliest outcome is that you won't get into this dual degree program. But if you do get in, you'll start as an associate after getting your MBA. Usually the base salary is a bit lower though. Some Wharton I know, did an MBA right out of college, again at Wharton, and started at a top consultancy as an associate.</p>
<p>Hi pearfire,</p>
<p>Thanks for your response. Is there a reason why you think the likeliest outcome is that I won't get in? I guess for Wharton, it's a tough call for anyone, but for some other top mba schools, I think I have a pretty good chance.
Is it because my only experience is the peace corps? From what I hear, many top mba schools like having the non-traditional, non-corporate background- plus, I managed some great profitable projects as a volunteer. Plus, I graduated cum laudew from a top 20 UG, nearly aced my GMAT's, speak four languages, and have significant e.c. leadership experience. I'm hoping to nab a good internship during my first semester to add on some more work experience to throw on my application...</p>
<p>I've just never heard of an MBA go into i-banking as anything less than an associate, even one with no prior private sector background. Advanced degrees are expensive - I think it would be a slap in the face if you hold both an MA/MBA and go in as an analyst, the same position that recent college graduates would be.</p>
<p>I would talk to SAIS's career center - they have a lot of people who go to consulting and banking each year.</p>
<p>It wasn't directly related to you, but a general comment. If you look at the admissions rates, then my statement is unfortunately true. But good luck nevertheless! Your profile definitely sounds interesting, do you have any idea how you compare relative to other applicants with your type of background? I don't think that many peace corps ppl would want to get an MBA, but I could be wrong. </p>
<p>Give us an update when you get (or not) into this program.</p>
<p>
[quote]
Thanks for your response. Do you mind tellling me why you believe so (e.g. you have seen someone else in a similar situation succeed in getting a private sector job)? Not that I doubt your credibility, but I guess I just need some assurance.
[/quote]
</p>
<p>I can give the assurance - I know PLENTY of people who have gotten into Ibanking and consulting as associates despite having precisely zero prior experience.</p>
<p>The guys I am thinking of are the former military guys I know. There are a LOT of ex-military officers in the top B-schools. In fact, it is quite common for somebody who just left the military officer ranks to immediately enter B-school, including the top B-schools. I know quite a few (heck, some of them had left the active force but signed up for the Reserves and were reactivated to serve in Iraq, thus delaying their graduation). Practically all of them got associate positions in consulting or (especially) banking after graduation despite obviously never having, at most, only a summer internship's worth of experience. In fact, some of those military guys, notably the MIT LFM grads, didn't even have a summer internship of experience, as LFM obligates you to serve an operations internship as part of the program, hence no opportunity to do consulting or banking.</p>
<p>i think if you go straight from undergrad to mba, you're placed as an analyst</p>
<p>top consulting and finance firms want you out of a top MBA program because then they can market you as a "Harvard MBA" and charge much more money. And so they're willing to pay you the $120k salary as a proper share of that. They're not going to place you as analysts, you're worth basically as much as the next top MBA student, give or take a little direct expertise. which you'll pick up on the job quickly if you're a good consultant.</p>
<p>
[quote]
The guys I am thinking of are the former military guys I know. There are a LOT of ex-military officers in the top B-schools. In fact, it is quite common for somebody who just left the military officer ranks to immediately enter B-school, including the top B-schools.
[/quote]
This is interesting Sakky. Do you know of any stats relevant to ex-military officers and admissions into top B-schools and other information such as their undergrad schools, avg. GPA, GMATs, branching in military?</p>
<p>
[quote]
This is interesting Sakky. Do you know of any stats relevant to ex-military officers and admissions into top B-schools and other information such as their undergrad schools, avg. GPA, GMATs, branching in military
[/quote]
</p>
<p>Well, it's difficult to speculate on all that, because it's not every day that you go up to somebody and ask them what their undergrad GPA and GMAT score were. Heck, you don't even ask your close friends those kinds of questions. </p>
<p>But to answer some of your questions, the vast majority were (unsurprisingly) graduates from one of the academies. ROTC grads exist, but are relatively rare compared to the former academy grads. And of course OCS-trained officers are extremely rare. </p>
<p>As far as military branches go, I don't see any particular pattern, as all of the branches seem to be well represented. But all of them had very strong leadership experience in stressful situations, especially nowadays in a time of war. For example, I know one guy who was a Special Forces captain who, before starting his MBA program, had been completing missions in Iraq. I think we can all agree that if anybody entering an MBA program will have interesting leadership stories to tell, it's that guy.</p>
<p>The point is, I have certainly never seen any of these ex-military guys ever start off as less than an associate in consulting or banking, just because, by definition, they never had any private sector experience, having served their entire careers in the military.</p>