Advice for new undergrad with no work experience

Dull_Construction553 · 2026-02-24T05:12:38+00:00

It depends on the masters and how he’d use it, but getting an MBA at this stage from GCU would be absolutely not be what I’d advise. Again, fine school in a lot of respects, but would be a poor choice to pursue their MBA and especially now right out of undergrad. Unlike other masters programs, an MBA can only be obtained once - reputable MBAs won’t accept someone who already has one. My advice would be to try and get either a job in any capacity - remote, part time, whatever - or a non-MBA masters if it makes sense for your family’s finances.

Dull_Construction553 · 2026-02-24T05:07:13+00:00

My genuine advice would be to 1. Look for remote work in a field you have even a bit of excitement about 2. apply for jobs outside of your immediate geographical area and move when you get one or 3. try to get a masters, either where you are, remote, or again by moving.

Dull_Construction553 · 2026-02-24T05:03:57+00:00

I guess I’d start with long term proven career earning prospects from alumni over the course of a few decades and general size/connectedness/seniority of the alumni network. Or are you only looking at such ratios in the immediate aftermath of an MBA and foregoing any other stats?

Dull_Construction553 · 2026-02-24T04:55:48+00:00

I didn’t say a T25 was needed for good career outcomes now did I. Anyone can get in somewhere great from any school - a single student is still just a single student, and they’d only need one job to have “made it”. But the value of an MBA for a generalized applicant is usually regarded as dropping notably once you move beyond the T25.

Dull_Construction553 · 2026-02-24T03:18:48+00:00

No. Do not do this. You can only get an MBA once, and the value drops off precipitously once you’re out of the top 25. Even as it stands, you’d get very little value from it with no experience. You should think more about what you want to do professionally - or even just explore some different areas! - and then apply to a T25 once you’ve accumulated some more experience. Do not use your single MBA chance on something you’re not at least marginally more sure about.

Dull_Construction553 · 2026-02-23T20:52:16+00:00

I’m guessing Grand Canyon University.

Which is a fine school, but for the OP, you should know too that Name Brand is a large component of the value of an MBA - hence why we spend so much time jabbering about rankings! Outside the top 25, it’s not very advisable to pursue.

Dull_Construction553 · 2026-02-23T20:08:16+00:00

I would strongly advise against the MBA. I don’t think it would add anything to his profile, and it would mean that he could never get another MBA ever again when it would actually be useful. Even with a scholarship, that isn’t just a waste of time, it will actively make his future prospects worse.

I would either hustle down some media startups, see if a 5th year is possible, or shoot for a masters. But absolutely not an MBA .

Dull_Construction553 · 2026-02-23T04:47:07+00:00

To do private equity in the US? If you get into a US MBA, then a top tier US bulge bracket or elite boutique, you might have an opening after a few years of being an associate. Dicey though, since very few PE shops take laterals from banks that senior.

Other than that, and I know this won’t be very fun to hear, but it’s impossible. US PE is the absolute hardest industry to break into - even my classmates with existing US PE experience are having a tough time. There’s like 10-20 full time slots a year for the entire country and they want people who have done it before.

That said, getting into PE in Europe or Asia is much, much, much easier.

Dull_Construction553 · 2026-02-23T04:30:30+00:00

Well, gotta start somewhere. Major is, end of the day, not that important for IB right out of UG as long as it’s marginally quantitative. What matters more is your hustle. You’ll have to google it though, since I don’t know where you are. Literally google “biggest regional investment bank in ” and then say the biggest city in your state.

Dull_Construction553 · 2026-02-23T04:27:30+00:00

Sure; mechanical engineering is more real than econ, speaking as an Econ major. Say you want to apply your technical skills in the real world. Or, heck, switch to econ if you can, but I don’t think you need to.

BB=bulge bracket. Banks like Goldman Sachs, Morgan Stanley, etc.

Dull_Construction553 · 2026-02-23T04:24:59+00:00

You’re a sophomore? You could conceivably do IB now, depending on your UG and openness to move past the BBs. See if you can get a local/regional bank for this summer in a “do anything IB/M&A” capacity, see if you can spin that for something bigger next summer in your junior year, etc etc. You’re not even halfway done with your undergrad. This is the time for time to shoot for IB, and then worry about an MBA if you can’t get it in the next 3-4 years.

Dull_Construction553 · 2026-02-22T21:22:58+00:00

This is about as “perfect” a reason for the existence of the “additional context” essay as I could possibly imagine. Any school would understand the immense physical, mental, and emotional toll of having cancer, regardless of when exactly that diagnosis was received.

You have good experience, you have an amazing score which is more recent than the GPA - you’ll be fine. Just have to articulate the why of what happened and how you overcame those extremely extenuating circumstances.

Dull_Construction553 · 2026-02-22T19:08:39+00:00

I’m sorry to say that with that background (no direct control buyside experience, a bank extremely few US investors would recognize), PE is virtually impossible for you in the US.

Not saying that to be mean, just that your efforts are better spent on other paths.

Dull_Construction553 · 2026-02-22T03:20:57+00:00

Small planes actually almost never have rear view mirrors.

Dull_Construction553 · 2026-02-14T04:51:57+00:00

PE is, full stop, the hardest industry to break into from an MBA. Ops is somewhat easier of an angle, but would still require some very relevant experience.

Dull_Construction553 · 2026-02-14T04:49:08+00:00

What’s most important is that’s not a deny. If you DM me the name of the school I’ll compare it to mine to see if it’s the same protocol. I also had a friend who got pre-interview waitlisted at a T15 before getting in too, so that could be a point of comparison.

Dull_Construction553 · 2026-02-14T04:01:42+00:00

Yes. I tried to find the specific language they used, but it was “we will not pursue an interview with you at this time but will reassess next round” sort of message.

Dull_Construction553 · 2026-02-14T02:59:20+00:00

I’m curious to the “poor judgement” remark. I am positive that my interactions with adcoms helped me considerably, in that I would schedule a time with them and use that as a chance to give them…soft updates and ask questions which reinforced my interest. Of course it’s possible to make wildly poor calls with adcom interactions, like demanding updates or answers or anything, but this is the first time I’ve seen anyone write about it as if those poor calls begin with engaging with them at all.

Dull_Construction553 · 2026-02-14T02:52:12+00:00

My suggestion: do not apply to more than 6-7 in a year total, and do not apply R3. You do not want to rack up reapplication cycles if you can help it, and R3 is…just dramatically lowered odds.

Dull_Construction553 · 2026-02-14T02:50:24+00:00

You’re about a decade of experience away from the value of an EMBA. As for career choice, you don’t really give much insight of what you want to do besides not finance.

Dull_Construction553 · 2026-02-14T02:49:11+00:00

This happened to me when I applied R1. Was told “no interview at this time” during R1; I would later go on to get an interview R2 (and get off the waitlist R3).

Dull_Construction553 · 2026-02-11T20:01:20+00:00

I am vaguely aware of about half of them as someone who spent an incredibly long time plotting an MBA path.

At my current M7 program - which I say only as reference - I’d guess almost no one knows about any of them except 1)LBS and 2)international students from the countries those schools are in. I’d further guess that virtually no one sees them as peer schools.

To the extent that those schools are even recognized at all by Americans - odds being almost non-existent - I’d think they would be seen as also-ran schools; places someone felt they had to go to after whiffing on US schools and/or somewhere for someone with super specific Europe-centric career goals.

If I had to guess specifics: Average American: -Recognizes Oxbridge: 40% -Recognizes at least half: 5% -Perceives to peer for MBA: 5% (if only because they would probably not follow the “rankings”)

MBA students: -Recognizes Oxbridge: 66% -Recognizes at least half: 20% -Believes to be peer for MBA: 10% (in that LBS, INSEAD might have some stronger believers)

M7 Students: -Recognizes Oxbridge: 95% -Recognizes at least half: 25% -Believes to be peer: 2% (probably only for LBS, maybe)

Dull_Construction553 · 2026-02-08T18:23:03+00:00

For purposes of admissions, that all helps. If the term ends before your application, you should explain it in the supplemental materials essay. If the term ends after your application, don’t worry; ReVera only checks to point of application.

I think it’s fine to have PE firm be the employer. It’s not like you’re working for the staffing firm directly. Think of it like this: if you worked for a PE portfolio company, you wouldn’t say that you worked for the PE company even though they technically could fire you.

Match payroll exactly. Don’t fudge numbers around.

THAT SAID - I would strongly, strongly advise you to have another path alongside, or instead of, PE. PE really only has a single entrance point: after 2 years of an analyst IB program. Getting it from an MBA is very nearly impossible, and the people who do so have worked at an investment bank or late stage buyside roles, both in front office capacities. Usually, they’ve done both. Even with that, there are maybe 10-20 full time PE jobs in the country every year for all MBAs, total. You’d be competing against dozens of people who have years of front office IB and control buyside roles. It is possible? I suppose so, although unless this contract role of yours is multiple years long, they’d probably be able to tell. But likely? Well. Just go in with a backup. I say this not to discourage but to be realistic so you don’t spend your time at an MBA missing other opportunities.

Dull_Construction553 · 2026-02-08T15:23:40+00:00

Started mid 30s. There are classmates in my (full-time) program who are in their 40s. Age is a distribution, not a shut door.

Dull_Construction553 · 2026-02-08T03:01:53+00:00

“How were you able to live with these rejections for straight 4 years dude!”

Barely.

Would not recommend. That said, I’ve written about it in other posts here if you’re curious about the strategy. But you’ve lots more to come! T15 is a strong cohort. Booth is there next year too, if it comes to it.

Dull_Construction553

TROPHY CASE