screwitlah

Sometimes I ask myself that. I look at all the "great careers" waiting for us grads from Ivies and top colleges like consulting, banking, law, medicine... and in the end we're still no better than better-paid cogs in the great big machine. most of us won't even matter 10 years after we die. what is the point of all this rat race and grubbing for internships and entry-level positions?

Is going into consulting or banking the way to make a lasting presence in this world?

aworldapart

What you fail to realize is that bankers are presented with wonderful opportunities after their two year analyst stint. Sure, I encourage everyone to make a lasting impact on the world. Start a non-profit, go into politics, work in microfinance, travel and search for spiritual liberation. But do this AFTER you pay your dues in banking or consulting. Your two years as an analyst are a rite of passage and they will provide you with a great skill set even if you realize that you never want to do banking again. You will meet some of the brightest people in the world and get paid handsomely for the work that you do. You will be worked to death for two years, but once you're done, new worlds open up to you, not just in finance. At the very least, you will have some "extra" money to pursue other world-changing endeavors.

As lame and arrogant as it sounds, pretty much ANYBODY can work for a non-profit or join the Peace Corps. But only the very best can work in banking. Work at a top investment bank. If you realize that it isn't for you, you are free to do other things.

Dawgie

There's no point in doing anything if you want to be EMO like that. You might as well commit suicide.

xjis

well, i realize CC is kinda overdosed with prestige, 6-figure income, IB craziness.

We have fair share of elites and elitists here. Most of CC visitors fall into one or the other- either you are an elite or an elitist.

If you quit CC, get out, and walk down the streets, you will realize ppl here don't represent the majority of the American citizens out there.

i mean, heck, one of the famous thread here in MBA forum had the following statement:
"I WILL NOT DEGRADE MYSELF TO FIVE FIGURE INCOME"

seriously, some of the ppl here are just crazy. i don't think there's any other place in the internet where you will find a gathering of elites quite like this. the other site i frequent on internet is totally the opposite; ppl full of PT workers, CCC graduates, past-whores, what-not.

RacinReaver

I think you should look to people that go into their careers because they're passionate about their field. Drop by the Graduate School or Engineering forums sometime and you'll find most people there are doing what they are out of love for the subject and not just because they're paid well.

ken285

The architecture forum too. One of the posters there noted how architecture has one of the lowest cost-benefit ratios of all the professions (cost being the blood, sweat, and tears). Scroll up a little and there's another thread with concern about there being TOO MANY architects. Why do you think this is? Because people love doing what they do. I wonder how much interest in Ibanking there would be if you need to be in school for at least 5 years and start off at $30-40k.

krazyk

because people want money.

namaste

you're right and it really won't matter much in the long run. i'm all about doing well and trying to be successful but i'm not going to give up my life just to make money (i.e. 80 hrs a week ibanking or corporate law). who can assume our life will continue the way it is?