The MBA Thread

Not buy side advisory on deals; buy side as in PE, HFs, etc.,

Originally Posted by haganah

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IMO they're very different. Distressed debt has a huge credit focus. Sometimes they want people with PE experience ON TOP of credit experience. Even restructuring/bankruptcy experience. The lines are not as blurry as you would think. And what you do in a VC has nothing to do with an LBO.

And in capital markets you had no experience with models, but what also is going to hurt you is that you don't have experience with structuring, documents, negotiations specific to that field (or maybe you do, I don't know). Working in excel is the bare minimum, not the golden ticket.

Personally, I think you need to flesh out what you really want to do in life. Or at least where you want to focus on the capital structure. Which is a lot easier saying that than doing it. As an MBA grad, you'll be more expensive so the risk may not be worth it for someone. Just a thought.

Thanks for the advice. I've had a lot of experience - at least, as much as anyone at the analyst level - with structuring/docs/negotiations (not sure what we'd do if not those? Maybe it's just the way my group operates; we pretty much run the deal from sourcing to execution).

I'm definitely more interested in the credit side. I can see pros and cons to both trading and investing, however: My personality probably suits trading better (I'm pretty comfortable being decisive/thinking on my feet and I have a math degree), but my skills are better suited to investing (I'm very good at conducting and synthesizing research). At the same time, I feel that trading is too short-term and there's no broader goal or project to finish, while all the research for investing leads to paralysis by analysis.

I guess the question is: How do I get buy-side opportunities coming from an investment-grade capital markets group, even one that handles all the sourcing, structuring, docs and negotiation?

Looking for feedback from anyone who may have done the Veritas 42 Hour full prep GMAT course?

Originally Posted by Star

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Looking for feedback from anyone who may have done the Veritas 42 Hour full prep GMAT course?

I used Kaplan, bumped my score by about 60 points.

Originally Posted by Star

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Looking for feedback from anyone who may have done the Veritas 42 Hour full prep GMAT course?

Originally Posted by medtech_expat

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I used Kaplan, bumped my score by about 60 points.

I highly recommend Manhattan GMAT (combined with a couple of other resources) for self-study. Can't comment on classes because I never felt the need to take them - I feel that it is much better to go at your own pace and difficulty level assuming that you're disciplined and have all the right materials.

Originally Posted by Flambeur

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I highly recommend Manhattan GMAT (combined with a couple of other resources) for self-study. Can't comment on classes because I never felt the need to take them - I feel that it is much better to go at your own pace and difficulty level assuming that you're disciplined and have all the right materials.

I bombed out recently with self study. Could do all the Official guide questions with ease but either I am missing another layer of understanding or pressure got to me on exam day. I am also going through the motions of self reflection and whether I should divert my energies to moving forward without an MBA or give it another crack.

I self studied for 2 months, then took a 6 week kaplan course, then studied for 2 weeks and took the test.

The class give you little "cheats" that I hadn't learned on my own. I took probably 15-20 practice tests.

Originally Posted by Flambeur

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I highly recommend Manhattan GMAT (combined with a couple of other resources) for self-study. Can't comment on classes because I never felt the need to take them - I feel that it is much better to go at your own pace and difficulty level assuming that you're disciplined and have all the right materials.

This. I couldn't agree more.

I recently took the GMAT and came out with a 720. And I have to say, my biggest battles with the test were not the material, it was the mental aspects of the test (timing and just relaxing). I was killing the practice tests, but it was hard to "let go" of questions on the actual test day. To realize when you aren't going to get it, and just move on (I think this is the biggest thing one can do to prepare for success on the test).

But as far as study materials go, the MGMAT series are fantastic. And their online practice tests are fantastic for humbling anyone that dares get cocky based on the official GMAT practice tests (I was hitting 770-780 on those every time, and then 670 on the MGMAT tests, lol)

I didnt think the "experience" part counted when going for an MBA degree. I mean, sure it helps a lot if youre in a MBA program that is in line with your current profession, otherwise youd be wasting time not being able to understand what everyone else is talking about.

But if you have the money to enroll in a good college or university, would they not let you in given that you do have a Bachelors degree?

Originally Posted by Haryer

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I didnt think the "experience" part counted when going for an MBA degree. I mean, sure it helps a lot if youre in a MBA program that is in line with your current profession, otherwise youd be wasting time not being able to understand what everyone else is talking about.

But if you have the money to enroll in a good college or university, would they not let you in given that you do have a Bachelors degree?

The only thing experience counts for is helping you get a job after your MBA. Aside from that, you're right--it's pretty much useless.

Originally Posted by Star

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Looking for feedback from anyone who may have done the Veritas 42 Hour full prep GMAT course?
I haven't tried veritas or kaplan, but I think that the absolute BEST in terms of class material and learning style is Manhattan GMAT. Knewton is also pretty decent but their adaptive test style is very chaotic. EDIT: what are some schools that are considered "targets" for consulting outside of the top 10? I think this question has been asked before so, specifically: does anyone know if UT is considered a "target" school for recruitment for consulting?

Problem is once you get out of the top schools the recruiting for top firms might be very regional. e.g. from UT it might be hard to go to SF/Boston/NYC. But you can generally find out if firms recruit there by looking up the career reports that schools put on their websites.

My goal is to get into LBS in 4-5 years. The largest impediment would be lack of international experience. I'll have good management experience, and a solid GMAT (I think, I'm typically in 97+ percentile in standardized tests), but my job doesn't open up many options for international work. It's governmental, so it's not like I can request a transfer to an overseas office......


My current thinking is to do some volunteer or paid work with a charity overseas, but that still means I'd leave my current job a year earlier than I would prefer. (Or pushing back my application another year.)

Anyone have any experience with addressing this issue for LBS, or other schools?

Originally Posted by yjeezle

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I haven't tried veritas or kaplan, but I think that the absolute BEST in terms of class material and learning style is Manhattan GMAT.

Knewton is also pretty decent but their adaptive test style is very chaotic.


EDIT: what are some schools that are considered "targets" for consulting outside of the top 10? I think this question has been asked before so, specifically: does anyone know if UT is considered a "target" school for recruitment for consulting?

+1 on Manhattan. Didn't use anything else for my studies other than the OG.

Originally Posted by L.R.

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My goal is to get into LBS in 4-5 years. The largest impediment would be lack of international experience. I'll have good management experience, and a solid GMAT (I think, I'm typically in 97+ percentile in standardized tests),

Be careful of that assumption. You have to remember that those percentiles are determined based on the testing population. The average person sitting for the GMAT is not on the same level as the average person sitting for the SAT's.

Case in point, I scored a 1475 on the SAT's and a 33 on the ACT's (both right around the 99th percentile) and the first time I took the GMAT I landed in the 77th percentile. I then came back and studied for a couple months and landed in the 95th percentile, but my point is, there is a drop of as the average level of competition increases.