madzy
Hi,
I am basically interacts in investment management and am looking at schools to apply in the 1st deadline. I wanted to understand from someone the following :
1. How is Tuck's finance program rated?
2. I am 32 hence slightly older than the average MBA entrant. I would like to know whether that would be an issue with Tuck?
3. What are placements at Tuck like? D several finance firms recruit from Tuck? Specially investment management? I understand that networking is extremely essential for IM jobs. That I am willing to do. Which are the regular finance names at Tuck? Any hedge funds in there?
Appreciate your help.
Regards,
Madly
Within the investment management space, Tuck actually has very strong ties to the big mutual funds in Boston. Fidelity, Putnam, Wellington, T Rowe Price, and Hartford all do on campus recruiting and interviews. Since there are typically only 10-15 Tuck students going after these jobs your ability to interview with them is extremely high (in some cases essentially guaranteed). At that point, it's all up to you. You will need to work your ass off putting together top notch stock pitches... these interviews are TOUGH. Make sure you know what you're getting into when it comes to IM recruiting, including putting together pitches and preparing for these interviews. It's not just networking. Although being at Tuck should get you an interview, it wont get you the job. Often times these companies will come to campus and interview but give out no offers (typically they interview at 5-10 schools and give out only a handful of offers nationwide). Tuck will put you in front of these guys and give you the shot, it's up to you to close.
As far as hedge funds, you are not going to get that on campus. It's a very difficult off campus process and you will likely need some of your own contacts. Although its not completely impossible, Tuck isn't going to be a great help to you here. You will need a stellar resume, massive commitment to the job hunt, and luck. People I've seen pull off hedge fund jobs have prior bulge bracket banking or trading experience followed by hedge fund or pe before school and killed themselves on the networking front including dipping deep into their own networking, sending out hundreds of cold emails, pounding the pavement, etc. This is not a path I would reccomend. Mutual funds (above) are a much better path into IM.
Lastly on the recruiting front, you can always get a bulge bracket banking job and try for IM later. All the big banks come to campus and people have a lot of success landing these jobs from Tuck. But if IM is really what you want I wouldn't reccomend this. Its impossible to recruit both, you have to pick one.
As far as your other questions... how is the finance program rated? Tuck is very strong in finance recruiting, has a strong alum network in the field, and is very well regarded. You can get into large mutual funds, bulge bracket banks, private equity (mid market), etc. On the academic front I would say the offerings are average to pretty weak, but business school is not about academics. It's about job opportunities, network, and rep of the school. You'll learn enough finance (and then learn on the job) to be able to handle any job opp you're able to land. There's also a lot of outside the class learning, such as preparing your stock pitch and you will have all the help you need and then some from your classmates in that regard, many of which have prior IM, banking, or research experience. Oh that reminds me... you can also land sell side research jobs at banks from Tuck so that's another option.
As far as age, 32 is fine.
Good luck!
22 Jul 2011, 21:21
