<p>I'm planning on going to school for business (undergrad / mostly finance) and was thinking about getting into Investment Banking... Sadly, after thinking it over, I am losing my want to do that on account of having a kid that would be 6 when I start. The horrendous hours just wouldn't leave me with enough time to be an actual father imo.</p>
<p>So I've been thinking about Equity Research, Corporate Development (for F500 company), or non-MBB consulting... does it really matter which one you do as long as you show top MBA qualities or will one field give me an advantage?</p>
<p>Research seems like something where you would show less of that type of quality than Corporate Development or consulting. But I don't have much to uphold that.</p>
<p>Also, is it still possible to get into a top MBA while just working at a boutique IB or smaller consulting gig? It seems like people from MBB or BBs get into top MBAs relatively "easily" but do they really have that much of an advantage just because of the name of their employer?</p>
<p>I'm still thinking of biting the bullet and going for IB but I still need to see my son lol.</p>
<p>If you can't answer any of these other questions then please just help me with this: Besides for Investment Banking, what job would you pick to eventually get into a top MBA?</p>
<p>I don’t know where you get your information that only Investment Bankers get into top MBAs, maybe it’s true, but I’ve never heard that. IBs generally make a ton of money really fast, partly due to the long hours they work. IMO, if I was making a ton of money and could figure out a way to not work the hours and still make the money I certainly would, and I wonder if an MBA would be the only way.</p>
<p>Anyway, that’s not he point of your question. Top MBAs, and MBAs in general, want to see leadership abilities and attributes in their applicants. IBs are generally individual performers, so how would they should these leadership skills? I don’t really have an answer other than that. Yes you CAN get into top MBAs at boutique companies as well as F500 companies. Yes you CAN get in as an IB or any other number of titles. What you need to show is that you are a high performer and a leader in your community, if you can do that and get the scores you need (GPA, GMAT) than they will like you and you’ll have a chance.</p>
<p>Personally, I feel that you have a better chance of excelling in life if you do something because love doing it rather than because of where you think it will take you.</p>
<p>I didn’t mean that only IBers get into top MBAs… I just know that it’s a lot “easier” for people that work at goldman/jpm/kkr/mbb/whatever to get into them.</p>
<p>And I can’t really decided which one I would rather do so that’s why I’m trying to figure out MBA prospects per career.</p>
<p>First of all, if you get into KKR straight from undergrad, you probably wouldn’t be going to business school at all. Second, if you get into Goldman/JPM/MMB, you probably would want to switch to hedge funds/PE after a couple of years or be promoted instead of going to business school. Therefore, a lot of the people going to business school from Goldman/JPM/MMB are not the best and the brightest in business.</p>
<p>Buy-side (non-PE, non-hedge fund) research, corporate development, non-MBB consulting are great ways to develop skills and show your value. Business schools look for three main things: intelligence (from GMAT and GPA), leadership potential (from work experience), and desire to make a difference (in whichever field). As long as you have these qualities, top business schools would want you.</p>
<p>Don’t do IB if you don’t like the lifestyle. I would recommend gunning for PE/hedge fund since such positions pay as well as IB, are more prestigious than IB, and require fewer hours, but these are only available for the best of the best at HYP, Wharton, and a few other schools. Don’t worry if you don’t get MBB (since they don’t even recruit at many of the top colleges). Do buy-side (non-PE, non-hedge fund) research, corporate development, non-MBB consulting, do it well, and profit.</p>
<p>I’m going to Michigan next year and trying to get into Ross from there. I know MBB recruits from there so If I get into Ross I should be good. But I’ve also heard that there’s not that great of a work/life balance if you work for MBB either. Eh whatever, I got a good amount of time to figure this out. Thanks for the input.</p>