Top B-School after S&T?

Graduate School Business School - MBA
1

<p>Hey all, </p>

<p>So, I have a job next year doing trading at one of the big ex-IBs. I interned there over the summer and was truly shocked that no one had a degree beyond undergraduate. The same was true for upper management as well. I asked the trader that I sat with on one my rotations why that was and he told me that it isn't necessary. He went on to say one you have a spot on a desk, you don't give it up because there are 50 people without a degree that would be willing to take your spot. </p>

<p>I responded to him by saying that wouldn't coming back with an MBA be more valued than someone with just an undergraduate degree? He said no again because MBAs (unless they worked in S&T before) have the same knowledge (none) as someone right out of college, but demand a higher salary so desks usually end up just hiring the college student to save on costs. </p>

<p>With that being said, I still want to go to business school for myself to develop managerial skills and a greater scope on business than I think being a trader offers. However, since it seems most desks don't really value an MBA that much, I was wondering if the same held true of business schools. I know they all weight work experience the most in an application, but does being a trader qualify as legitimate experience? It seems like the curriculum at most places caters to being a manager or consultant and they would thus value this kind of experience the most. </p>

<p>Thanks so much!</p>

2

<p>Depends on how you approach your "spin" to the admissions committee. If you plan on getting your MBA and then heading straight back to the trading desk, its a less compelling "sell".</p>

<p>If you plan on using your degree to branch off into something different (whatever that may be), then that is a more compelling story.</p>

<p>The traders on your desk are absolutely correct. You DON'T need an advanced degree to succeed on a S&T desk (frankly you don't even need a degree). You just need to produce. So I wouldn't worry so much about the experience you have thus far -- you should think about why ABC business school should accept you and what you plan on doing with an MBA.</p>