<p>How do you think NYU would view National Merit commendation? Do they get a lot of applicants with that distinction?</p>
<p>In general-very positive, though I don’t know if being commended would carry that much weight…its not on the same level as finalist or semi. I would assume a number of applicants carry that distinction, but its certainly still a good thing to have.</p>
<p>i dont see what it matters, psats are just a precursor for the SATs,so i think they care alot more what u got on SATs than psats, especialy if uve taken a writing sat2.</p>
<p>True, but generally, high PSATs entail high SATs…unless there is some serious choking going on. I’m assuming any commended student has decent enough SATs to at least have a shot at NYU.</p>
<p>thats why i never saw a point of the national merit thingy, well besides when they actually give out money, but the commended thing seems pointless to me.</p>
<p>JWBlue where to work again and whats your job? I got some question but i forgot your exact field lol</p>
<p>The general field I work in is finance (used to be an i-banker, now work at a hedge fund). I’m not sure if this pertains to what you want to know about. </p>
<p>Let me know here or via message.</p>
<p>-NYU class of '00</p>
<p>hows the pay, how hards the work, how hard is it to get job, is master required, how frequent is promotion, etc etc</p>
<p>i wanna hopefully got to a top notch mba program at like nyu after graduation, and i need a good job with constant promotion for 3-4 years, that also gives good pay cuz imma be poor and in debt lol</p>
<p>The pay is nice. </p>
<p>Wall st. jobs in general are competitive. The most important things are your gpa (as long as its good to get you into the door, you dont have to be phi beta kappa), and acing your interviews (ie the brain teaser questions and showing the firm you’ll make a good fit there)…you’ll learn more about this when you’re in school. </p>
<p>The work is what you make of it (it gets more challenging as you go on) and where you are. The larger the firm you’re in, the less responsibility you have. Example I was at a large firm for the first 2 years after college, and then moved to a smaller invesment bank…and I had certanly had much more responsibility in the later job, even though the deals I worked on may have been smaller. </p>
<p>As far as promotions…with the larger “bulge bracket” firms, (eg Goldman, Merrill, Lehman) you’re pretty much going to need an MBA or law degree to get to the higher levels above analyst…unless you are some kind of super star and higher ups notice you. At smaller banks, its very possible to move up without a grad degree. </p>
<p>Hedge funds tend to be much less constrained than investment banks with promotions for those without grad degrees. 3-4 years after college, the highest you’ll make is associate (analyst is the title right out of school). Hedge fund are great as true bastions of capitalism…you’ll get to understand more about them if you already don’t… I’m sure of it. For making the most money in the least amount of time…I’d suggest you be a trader.</p>
<p>I wanna look good for business graduation school also tho, and being a trader has bad job security doesnt it? Whats hedge funds?</p>
<p>Matt,</p>
<p>A hedge fund is an investment vehicle. Think a mutual fund, but mostly for wealthy clients and institutions, and without all the regulations. There is so much more, which you’ll learn about I’m sure.</p>
<p>Being a trader usually has better hours than i-banking, and if you’re good, you can make a ton of $$ real quick, at an early age (esp if you’re at a hedge fund where is there is much less heirarchy than your typical large investment bank). Perhaps its a little riskier than the banking route…but more risk=more reward.</p>
<p>but will it help me get into a good mba program?</p>
<p>To get into a good mba program, in addition to grades, and test scores…your employment is also considered. The more experience you have the better (notice people at top b-schools have several years of work experience). Since, I’ve never been or applied to b-school, I’m not familiar with the pecking order of jobs…but my reasonable guess is that the more competitive to get your job was and the higher your position, the better it will look on the b school app. Anyway, you won’t be thinking b-school for years, so you got a ton of time.</p>
<p>ugh your missing my question lol</p>
<p>if i become a trader, there really not much room for promotion (i think?)</p>
<p>mba programs look for contstant promotion, so would having a job with low level of promotion hurt me?</p>
<p>Lol, Matt I really thought I was answering your question. Let me take another gander at it.</p>
<p>Your question was:
“if i become a trader, there really not much room for promotion (i think?)”</p>
<p>Well, it depends where you trade. If you trade at Goldman, Morgan, Merrill, etc., it will be pretty hard to get in a senior level position a couple years out of school, and without a grad degree. On the other hand, smaller places like smaller banks, hedge funds, proprietary trading firms don’t have the structural hierarchy of the larger places, so you can get in a pretty senior position a few years out of school, and without a grad degree, and likely even make much more money, though the name of a smaller place might not carry the same weight on a b school resume. </p>
<p>You then asked: “mba programs look for contstant promotion, so would having a job with low level of promotion hurt me?”</p>
<p>Again, it depends where you are. No b-school on the planet is going to expect you to be a managing director or even a VP at Merrill Lynch 3 years out of undergrad, the b-schools know there is only so high you can go a few years after school. Can you achieve a higher position and possibly even more money at a smaller place…its possible, but then I’m not sure if being at a higher level at xyz corp. is even as being analyst bi**h at the large well established place (for b school application purposes at least), thats for you to figure out based on your needs and I really can’t even say since I’ve never went through the process of b-school apps. </p>
<p>My bottom line advice: go to the place which offers the most money–be a corporate sell out!, if you have decent work experience, great grades and gmat scores, you’ll get into a top business school.</p>
<p>-NYU class of '00</p>
<p>Oh, and Matt, you’re REALLY thinking ahead. I really had no clue what I wanted to do when I entered college.</p>
<p>i gotta think ahead, i wanna come to 10 year reunion in a porche. thats my only goal in life, haha. whats on the GMAT anyways, is it mostly math or conceptual?</p>
<p>I’ve heard GMATs are a joke…like a grown up version of the SAT. Its probably not a test you should even worry about…something that can easily be aced.</p>
<p>what are they for? to get a mba or for gettin a job, ive heard so little about them i dunno anything lol</p>
<p>To get into B school.</p>