need an opinion from you guys

Question

ok gmatclubbers,

I need your opinion with something crucial. My younger brother lives in NYC. Right now he is going to graduate next year from school and he is undecided about his future. His work experience during school has been really amazing and diverse. He wants to be a doctor, but knowing him, I think he should do an MBA...

I have written down his work experience. 

Freshman - worked as a lab assistant in a computer lab (fluff, nothing useful here)

Freshman - sophomore summer - worked in a farm.

Sophomore - worked in a private hospital in ER for one year. His position was ER assistant. Since his undergrad was biology, he could qualify to help doctors. He performed CPR on a patient who had a cardiac arrest and revived the patient. Won some award or commendation from the doctors..

Sophomore - present - worked and is still working as a construction worker. He is now skilled in drilling and excavating. 

junior - current - working as a animal trainer. He trains and plays with exotic animals, especially lions, tigers, and leopards. Has an adopted baby tiger as a pet. The baby tiger is the mascot of a high school in Ohio. 

He appeared on the Mike and Juliet morning (FOX network) show couple of times, handling animals as well as on Animal Planet and the Discovery Channel. 

Current - Enrolled in the NY Film academy and is working as lead actor with a movie director on 3 independent movies. He has been screened and offered a lead role to work in a summer 08 Hollywood movie with Paul Walker and possibly James Franco (Spiderman dude's friend Harry). The production is supposed to start from May 08.

He got a job with animal planet as a presenter on tv shows.

Right now he is undecided on what he wants to pursue. He is thinking of studying for his MCAT and start med school, but alternately, he is planning to work for 2-3 years, as an actor, or in Animal Planet and then go into finance via MBA. His alternate long term goal is to work in Wall Street, preferrably in private equity. His minor is economics and he has taken courses in accounting and finance. 

I have been telling him that his GPA (3.7), his academic background (studied in a small college in Cleveland, transferred to UNLV and then transferred for final year to NYU) in biology, with minor in economics and his really weird background would clearly show him to be a unique candidate. 

He has been meeting some folks at NYU Stern, but right now is totally unsure. 

What do you guys think. Should he work 2 years and then apply to MBA program or pursue to be a doctor

kryzak · Answer

wow... I've never seen such a diverse set of internships and hobbies! 

First question, WHY does your brother want to be a doctor? Is it an innate calling/desire, or is it something else? that reason is important. 

Second, if he's so successful with showbiz, why give that up? Is there something he doesn't like about doing movies and being on different shows? If there is, that's one reason to go into another field.

Third, why finance? Why not work for 2-3 years as an actor/TV show/entertainment industry person, and then get an MBA to do general management in the entertainment industry and be a big shot producer/actor/business person? I don't see how finance comes in at all.

NYU and UCLA will be AMAZING for your brother. He has the grades and the background, and I would lean towards MBA right now. Again, if the reason for him wanting to be a doctor is compelling, then it's a whole different story. But based on his background, I don't see how doctor (or even finance) fits in...

aviroop · Answer

kryzak,
he doesnt see himself in show business. Its a cut throat field and he knows that he will not always get prime roles or be super successful. He does not want to be an actor/waiter.... one movie is not enough to vault into a successful career. 

His interest in finance grew coz one of his classmates's dad is the ex-CFO of one of the IB. I am not sure which one, but he has met a boat load of bankers and grew his contacts. Actually one of the bankers introduced him to the movie director.

He is interested to follow the movie path and possibly take up general management and work as an executive producer, but he says unless one is male, white, and has boatloads of money and experience, its hard to be in that field. 

I dont know why he wants to be a doctor. He loved his ER experience, but the long hours, lack of life, litigation and lawsuit issues, harrassment from the insurance industry kind of waned him off. 

So back to where we started... since he is in NYC, I think that his networks can help him get into financial services. But he is looking for more opinions.

kryzak · Answer

I would probably do the show biz on the side, either as a assistant producer or maybe do finance at a big entertainment company, and use that experience to apply for NYU in 2 years. The doctor thing doesn't seem right and is too much of a sacrifice unless you love it (or have a "calling" for it). It's 5 years of pain (including residency) and debt, followed by more stress and lawsuits...

uvs_mba · Answer

Yeah I wanted to be a doctor too and not get into the business world for the same reasons...but then I wanted to make sure that I had some fun too coz I have doctors in my family and it involves a bit too much sacrifice.... so maybe show him the ugly side haha, for me the demotivating factor was that medicine is really long, so about 8 yrs + over 2 years for even a residency or specialization and surgery is even longer. So I figured I will be in my mid 30s before I can have a somewhat decent life, so I bummed out. Finance is good and another option could be that he can also try consulting after college:) he might like it.....

aviroop · Answer

uvs,
+1. my bro told me that it will take him 4 yrs to finish med school. Then another 2-4 years to finish specialization (he thought of neurology or cardiology). Then once out of school, he will earn 100-150K a year, and take his entire life span to pay off his loans...although doctors earn a lot, I guess the pay hike goes into effect only when you are in ur 40s and garnered some good experience.

So finance is one field that he really wants to get into and possibly also entertainment. But he has to prepare for his MCAT and thus the indecision...

So folks keep ur opinions coming in... I really appreciate your help on this matter...

kidderek · Answer

Am I crazy? I wouldn't give him one piece of advice. I think he's doing more than fine. If he wants to do an MBA later, then he should pursue it then. His uniqueness alone will get him in anywhere. If he wants to be a doctor, he can do it later. I'm assuming he's 22? He has a few years before he needs to decide.

Jeesh, for the optional essay, he can just send in a dvd of him acting with James Franco and Paul Walker. 

Sometimes, it's best not to tweak a Ferarri's engine.

max125 · Answer

Amazing profile - I say apply to HBS now. 

But again, why does he need an MBA? He is already successful.

If he has so many contacts in IBs and his heart lies in finance, then he should go for it.

Doctor? - Maybe. But, is he really motivated to be one?

In a nutshell, he should ask himself where he wants to see him in 5-6 years from now.
That will help him choose the best for him.

riverripper · Answer

Business school is not for everyone. Don't try to talk him into something just cause its right for you. By the sound of it he wont need to go to any school even HBS to increase his level of success.

My brother was one of the best students I ever knew and he loved school. He was valedictorian of his high school and graduated college having only received a single grade below an A-. I on the other hand was a screw off in high school in many ways but still managed to do very well be with zero effort. College I had to go to a military school to help straighten me out. 5 years ago ask anyone that knew the two of us which of us would be going for a graduate degree right now and every single person would have picked my big brother. 

Fast forward to today, he is 30 and works in advertising, thought about grad schools but got a promotion that stopped him from going. He would have graduated this past spring had he decided to go, but he would have been hired at a level two steps below where he managed to work his way in the last 2.5 years. His salary is double the average our of any top school, he is pegged for continued advancement. 

I advanced quickly at my job too but the nature of engineering vs advertising even stellar performs hit a plateau in their late 20s and that can go for years before you can make another jump. For me to hope to maximize my career and to move into something I am more passionate about doing, I HAD to get an MBA.

We both made the decisions that right for us. Even though I know my brother is type of person who would have loved going to school for two years, in the end he was better off not going. Yes it might not have worked out for him as well as it did but your brother sounds like mine. The person who makes their own amazingly good luck by working harder than everyone else and own special talent. Hopefully my decision to go back works out as well as his not going back has.

terry12 · Answer

Hi guys... I haven't been on this forum much lately, but lurked frequently in the early stages of my app process. Thanks so much for the help all of you have provided in the slog through MBA applications.

Your brother's quandary is an interesting one. If he's considering medicine, he needs to be absolutely sure he wants to do it. Med school and residency require a staggering time commitment... four years for med school, then anywhere up to 7 or 8 years of training thereafter. General neurology would require about four years (more if he wants to subspecialize in stroke or epilepsy, etc.), while cardiology would require anywhere between 6 and 8. I know... I'm in my 7th year of post-med-school training, specializing in cardiology. (I'm applying to business school with the plan of working in a particular niche of the medical device industry)

So, if he's thinking about medical school, make sure he takes his time and considers things carefully. If he uses his time constructively (doesn't sound like that'll be a problem!), there's no reason why he can't wait a year or two before applying to med school.

bherronp · Answer

I wish my little brother was motivated to do anything.

kidderek · Answer

You sound like my older brother.

aviroop · Answer

hahahahah,
you guys crack me up. Thanks for the info. River, as usual, awesome advice. I copied all the posts and sent them out to my brother. 

kidderek - any love from cornell yet??

kidderek · Answer

no love and not expecting any.

aviroop, put your r2 app in for stern. we'll have a beer there next year and laugh about this entire ordeal.

need an opinion from you guys

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