Best MSF programs if placement is my ONLY consideration?
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14 Sep 2010, 19:33
Hi,
I'm writing this because an odd and highly unlikely set of circumstances has me stuck in a dead-end sales job after graduating 4 months ago from a top 15 American business undergrad program. I'm trying to get up and out of this via going back to school. If you can help me with your insights/opinions, I would truly appreciate it.
I graduated in May from Wash U Olin with a BSBA in Finance. I had a 3.6 GPA (3.7 GPA in my major), and I got a 710 on the GMAT (46 M, 42 V). During undergrad, I held executive positions in a student investment fund, ran a community service program that taught financial skills to underprivileged high school students, and was a member of a fraternity. I think my weaknesses have led me to the unenviable situation I'm in today. My weaknesses are poor Excel/MS Office skills, poor accounting skills, and really weak internships during undergrad. Needless to say, I've never had any banking or consulting internships. Now I'm up in the NW, trying to find any sort of finance-related work- paid or unpaid- that would give me a reason to quit selling shards of broken glass to hemophiliacs via door-to-door cold calling. Yeah-- "Here! Hold these shards of broken glass! I swear they won't hurt!" --that's basically my life right now.
I am not well-connected or well-networked (my alma mater is notorious for not helping undergrads with that), and I think my best shot out of here is a MSF (not MFE or quant finance programs). Wash U is at least highly regarded by other academic institutions. MBA is out of the question because I need and want more work experience before doing that.
I am academically and personally interested in finance, but ultimately I am going to grad school solely to get a job and a good career network. I don't care about geography, and I don't care about the price. I just want to apply to places where a) I have a decent shot of being accepted, and b) there is good, consistent recruiting. I don't think I'm cut out for IB, but I would like to get into less time-intensive jobs like corporate finance.
Which MSF programs can I get into with my credentials, plus zero meaningful work experience?