is investment banking good enough for top MBAs?

monydad
Thu, 03 Aug 2006 12:32:55 +0000

Back on point for a moment:

I think the OPs original question has been mostly addressed. The concensus is that an IB analyst job in no way guarantees entry into one of the top 5 MBA programs.

I’m not so sure we’ve completely explored the ancillary point of whether such an applicant has a substantial advantage when applying to these programs by virtue of working as an IB analyst. I’ve relayed that, at least at one point in time people working for me thought they were actually at a relative disadvantage.

The mere fact that this analyst group may be overrepresented in MBA programs does not necessarily mean that the individuals from this group are advantaged in admissions. It’s probable that they disproportionally apply to MBA programs, compared to people from other jobs/careers.

As others have mentioned, these individuals tend to be highly capable, which is how they got to this stage. They are excellent MBA “raw material” before they even start working. Plus they have demonstrated an interest and familiarity with finance and some business issues. Individuals who can demonstrate that they are highly capable and familiar with business issues may be good candidates for MBA admissions without being IB analysts. Possibly the same highly capable individuals might alternatively find something else to do that would indicate their capabilities even more.

So the question is: does the analyst job per se offer enhanced MBA admissions chances? Versus whatever else the same highly capable individual might be doing?

OR rather, are they actually hurt- the same way that the 100th Stuyvesant High School grad is hurt when he/she applies to Harvard; they simply aren’t going to fill their class with Stuyvesant kids no matter how wonderful they all are.

Which is sort of what my analysts were suggesting, back in the day.