-
Hey Guest. Check out your NeoGAF Wrapped 2025 results here!
Is there an MBA. graduate, doctorate crowd here on GAF?
- Thread starter Dr. Feel Good
- Start date
- Status
Assuming present means take the test, no I would not recommend taking them without studying (I've only taken the GMAT). I didn't study much for it but a practice test helps a lot in terms of timing and what types of questions are asked.
e* Everyone's situation is different so I guess it depends on your background and what score range you need for the schools you are interested in attending. I would still recommend studying some amount.
Mysticaleo
Neo Member
I'll be done with my MEM in march. 
Bay Maximus
Banned
About what are you getting on Verbal? Getting a 650 shouldn't be too difficult if you're already slaying in one section. I wouldn't worry too much about IR, last I heard adcoms certainly weren't.
The Reloader
Member
Working on MSEE.
I want to do an online MS on Statistics, but every options seems to be very expensive. I found a MS on Biostatistics at a very affordable price at the Open University of Catalonia but. I would prefer one in English and I don't know if that university is good.
Sorry, but can you expand on what a MEM is?
I'll be done with my MEM in march.
Sorry, but can you expand on what a MEM is?
Agent Icebeezy
Welcome beautful toddler, Madison Elizabeth, to the horde!
MBA in healthcare management, senior contract analyst for a hospital here.
That is what round 2 is for.
What did you say in your essays you want to do? There are 12 more schools in the 'Top 10' which probably cater just fine to what you want.
Product Management or Business Development in Technology with future plans of starting my own Venture. Four years of work experience in engineering technology. Yea, I went to a good undergrad but I fooled around too much and I know that my GPA is what's killing me. My profile is definitely a 10-20 ranked guy. I was just reaching for the stars lol.
Were you waitlisted at Haas? That is probably your next ideal choice for your interest set. Wharton would do well too, but my guess is its one of your waitlisted. I'd also throw MIT Sloan (probably another one of your waitlists) and Kellogg on there.
Stern is a banking school. Booth is banking and investing. Columbia is consulting and value investing. HBS is general management. Tuck, Ross, Fuqua, and Darden mostly consulting. The consulting leaning ones might be okay to fulfill a product management/business development angle due to the overlaps, but definitely read up on the recruiting for your interest at those places. That and try to get a sense of the number of alumni from those schools in the companies you'd be interested to work at.
Admittedly you're probably past round 2 deadline for many of those at this point. If you want to suddenly become a banker though, let me know and we can chat offline about Stern. If I remember correctly, their app is typically due the 15th of January.
ParaCanKor
Member
Just paid my deposit to Cornell Johnson. Will be starting my 2yr MBA in August.
I thought about applying for more schools in rnd 2 but the process has drained me. Also Cornell sweetened the deal with a modest scholarship so that sealed the deal.
I thought about applying for more schools in rnd 2 but the process has drained me. Also Cornell sweetened the deal with a modest scholarship so that sealed the deal.
Got my Masters when I was 22 (so coming up 8 years ago now....god I miss University life). At the time my parents were quite keen for me to go on and do a PhD but by then I'd been in full time education for more or less 20 years and needed to get away from it. I also tend to thrive much better in a classroom environment, and a PhD tends to be a lot less class based learning and more research type work, which was generally the parts of Bachelors/Masters I hated the most.
Lately though my mum has been dropping more hints about doing a PhD part time alongside my full time job. It's been so long though that I'm not sure I could go back to that sort of environment. I've always said that if I ever won the lottery, I'd just go back to University for the rest of my life and do degree after degree, because I love the classroom environment and learning new things, along with the social aspect of it all. But something like a PhD just doesn't appeal to me when it's all pretty much centered on you and what you can come up with.
Lately though my mum has been dropping more hints about doing a PhD part time alongside my full time job. It's been so long though that I'm not sure I could go back to that sort of environment. I've always said that if I ever won the lottery, I'd just go back to University for the rest of my life and do degree after degree, because I love the classroom environment and learning new things, along with the social aspect of it all. But something like a PhD just doesn't appeal to me when it's all pretty much centered on you and what you can come up with.
NotTheGuyYouKill
Member
It wasn't the greatest score, but it was above mediocre, while my math was well below mediocre.
But I get the verbal stuff pretty intuitively. Like, if I'm going through it now, a bit more practice, I'm good to go on that. Math confounds me. If I'm reading in the guides, I get it, but on my own, I feel a bit overwhelmed and keep... giving the right answer to the wrong question.
RumblingRosco
Member
Never, ever do a Ph.D. unless you have a clear goal afterwards. Doing it just because your mom hints at it would be a horrific idea. I mean, I see you're not strongly considering it, but I really, really think you shouldn't even give it a second thought unless you have a solid career goal. Spending 4-7 years of your life for something you don't need/want is a huge waste.
That's generally been my thinking as well.
My Bachelors/Masters/Career are all IT related, so a PhD would only really do me any good in either a teaching or research role, neither of which I have any particular interest in pursuing.
To be honest, given the fact that it's all research based rather than classroom/project/exam based I'm not even sure that I could pass a PhD program. I was pretty confident with my Bachelors and Masters, but a PhD would be a whole different thing.
Bay Maximus
Banned
I know exactly how you feel. I had similar issues. If you feel you have the basics down pat though, I think you're in good shape as I felt that was the hardest part. After that I would strongly suggest doing as many practice problems as you can and getting used to all the types of questions they ask. Seriously, they will start to look the same after awhile.
So who all is studying the GRE?
I'm not terribly concerned about the verbal stuff (though I flashcard anyway), but I have to review all the math. The funny thing is I used to teach Algebra I to college night students, but that was a number of years ago now and I seem to have only the most vague recollection of it. Haven't done anything math related since I bombed a Calculus 2 class in '08 and changed majors away from math.
I guess it's coming back to me easier than it would've had I never mastered all of it in the first place though. Don't we have a math questions OT here on Gaf?
I'm not terribly concerned about the verbal stuff (though I flashcard anyway), but I have to review all the math. The funny thing is I used to teach Algebra I to college night students, but that was a number of years ago now and I seem to have only the most vague recollection of it. Haven't done anything math related since I bombed a Calculus 2 class in '08 and changed majors away from math.
I guess it's coming back to me easier than it would've had I never mastered all of it in the first place though. Don't we have a math questions OT here on Gaf?
rob305
Member
I have an MBA too. Took the GMAT in 2012 prior to starting the MBA and scored something around 600. I had a book with training exams but I didnt study too much, maybe put a total of 10hrs of preparation into it. Mainly did tests. But I took my GMAT right after graduating from university so it wasnt that hard for me
Congrats man, what are you looking to do post-MBA? Any plans for what to do now until August?
terrisus
Member
Just started studying for the GRE today. Not too concerned, but man is it boring.
ParaCanKor
Member
I suddenly had flashbacks to my application!
I'm in oil and gas right now, and planning a switch to clean energy after the MBA.
Johnson is big on Sustainability, so I'm looking forward it.
I'll be working right up till August...Need the $$$
How focused I'll be is another matter.
You know that scene in one of the Harry Potter movies where Dumbledore pulls out a memory with his wand and dumps it in a bowl? That's like me leaving my brain home every morning
I suddenly had flashbacks to my application!
I'm in oil and gas right now, and planning a switch to clean energy after the MBA.
Johnson is big on Sustainability, so I'm looking forward it.
I'll be working right up till August...Need the $$$
How focused I'll be is another matter.
You know that scene in one of the Harry Potter movies where Dumbledore pulls out a memory with his wand and dumps it in a bowl? That's like me leaving my brain home every morning
You thinking a form of sustainability consulting or are there any particular companies you want to be working for?
ParaCanKor
Member
Anyone here a PA?
I was talking to someone in my lab about it and I feel like I may be in the wrong area haha, starting salaries over 90,000 without medical school is ridiculous
There's got to be some downsides right? I mean you don't get to be called a doctor, which some people want I guess
I was talking to someone in my lab about it and I feel like I may be in the wrong area haha, starting salaries over 90,000 without medical school is ridiculous
There's got to be some downsides right? I mean you don't get to be called a doctor, which some people want I guess
Honestly not sure. My fellowship advisor is pretty obsessed with us studying for it early. I don't start applying until next year, but if I do well enough on practice exams, I'll probably take it as soon as possible.
Bay Maximus
Banned
Look at all these damn slacker MBA students with all of this time to post on GAF. Med-school students and engineering students aren't posting because they have important things to do. What the hell are MBAs doing? Organizing their next bar crawl, "networking" event? Poring over their notes for yet another pointless presentation class? Nah, that's too close to studying. It's early January so they're all likely scheming on how to finagle yet another junket on the university's dime. MBAs are the worst.
Not sure about other studies, but top-ranked, American b-schools tend to view 30-something candidates somewhat unfavorably unless you were in the military. European b-schools are more accepting from what I hear.
The absolute worst.
shick85 said:
Not sure about other studies, but top-ranked, American b-schools tend to view 30-something candidates somewhat unfavorably unless you were in the military. European b-schools are more accepting from what I hear.
Really depends on your intended area of study. It's an advantage if you're doing an MBA because at that age you'd actually have working experience which is pretty important. It's a disadvantage if you're doing pure sciences because the technology which you were familiar with as an undergraduate is probably obsolete, which means you're going to have to learn a lot of new things from scratch.
nrvalleytime
Member
Starting a Ph.D. in August - teaching full-time at the moment.
And great thread idea.
And great thread idea.
AlberichMX
Member
Master in Biochemical Sciences and working in the Ph.D.
Necromanti
Member
Finishing up my application to a few master's degree programs in Sweden since I wouldn't have to pay a dime for tuition. I have a general idea of what I want to do in the future, but a short graduate program would give me more time to explore the field, network, and take on a few projects that would give me a bit of experience before I commit to anything. Plus, a lot of doctoral programs in Europe that I've looked at require you to already have a master's degree (if I don't return to the US). A lot of my professors have been on board with the idea, too.
Bay Maximus
Banned
bigmit3737
Member
How much do IB employees make?
I didn't know it was so difficult - my friend is working as an investment banker after graduating from Sterns and all I knew was that he works late into the night often.
I didn't know it was so difficult - my friend is working as an investment banker after graduating from Sterns and all I knew was that he works late into the night often.
Thanks guys, its been a crazy process, I'm so happy its finally done. I'm finally going through my game backlog for like the past 3 years now.
Post-MBA IB associates:
http://www.ibankinginsider.com/on-the-job/investment-banking-salary-total-pay/
These numbers are a bit out-dated, the base has shifted upward so that the high reflects the median, and the bonus matches in a typical good year. Most leave after 2-4 years though. These amounts reflect bulge bracket. Elite boutiques pay more, small boutiques can vary widely but often pay less.
Did your friend come from Stern MBA or undergrad?
RumblingRosco
Member
How many hours do IBs work on average? Seems like the hours are very high, like a minimum of 60 h/wk. Throw on top of that repaying loans for the MBA programs etc. and I'd guess they've certainly earned such high salaries.
terrisus
Member
Well, I mean, that part's more or less the same for any position which requires a post-Bachelor's degree.
60 would be a great week. 80-100 (includes work on Sundays, typically from home) is more common for junior bankers (analysts and associates), but once you make senior banker, flexibility starts becoming a more important factor. Most depart for greener pastures before making senior banker though. Its a great springboard into some awesome careers.
RumblingRosco
Member
I would say 90% of MS/PhD candidates I know have TA or RA positions that cover tuition and pay them a stipend. I am in chemical/biological sciences though; we basically work 40-80 hours a week in a lab conducting research. I'll wrap up my PhD by the end of next year and walk away with more money than when I came in back in 2011.
Super interesting, thanks. I wouldn't want to do that, but I can certainly see the appeal.
rob305
Member
That was my initial plan too. I started doing M&A in Europe where 90 hr weeks were pretty normal. My plan was getting into private equity after a few years which is more chill, but I ended up moving to Miami. Hours vary a lot depending on the location. At my firm (one of the largest boutique investment bank), us associates generally work 50-60 hrs. We make around $10-20k less then the same people in NYC, but they work 30hrs more per week.
terrisus
Member
The Big Rig
Member
Currently in the second semester of grad school going for an MS in High Technology Crime Investigation. That's going to be a fucking mouthful when I inevitably have to explain what that is to people.
- Status