sarunagiri wrote:
Hi,
I fall into the vast Indian IT category of applicants. As of now I have 3.5 yrs of work exp, which is no way related to finance. But I like to pursue a MBA in finance from an elite institute. I find it’s pretty hectic to stand out in the pool of Indian IT Applicants. So is it advisable to go for a Master in Finance course from LBS or MCF from SDA Bocconi, work for a year or so & then apply for my dream course.
Shiva…
Shiva,
Interesting question. It's true that applying to business school with the M.Fin. in hand will separate you from the Indian Male IT crowd a bit, so in that sense it's not a bad idea. But that seems like an awfully expensive and demanding road to hoe just to improve your odds of admission to an MBA program. You could avoid the hassle by just lowering your sights a bit and targeting B-schools where you can get admitted now, even though you do come from a common and competitive demographic. I would like your idea a lot better if you told me that you wanted to earn the M.Fin. just for its own sake and that you would be willing to suspend thoughts of getting an MBA until you see where the M.Fin take you. That way, you would be avoiding the potential disappointment if your dream school dings you even after the M.Fin. Keep in mind also that there are many more (and less expensive) ways to stand out from the pack than earning a master's in finance. You could start a really unusual community organization or business, get involved in some unusual passion/hobby, or become an exceptional high-impact person at your current work.
I hope this helps,