Undecided - 05-23-2024 | Clear Admit DecisionWire

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May 23, 2024 10:17am ET

Enrolled: Undecided

Admitted: UCLA Anderson , USC / Marshall $

$50000

Applied: Stanford GSB, UCLA Anderson, USC / Marshall

Entering Year: 2024

Post MBA Career: Investment Banking, Asset Management, inc. Hedge Funds, Other

GMAT: 730

GPA: 3.3

Location: DC

Notes:

Initially targeting corporate strategy within entertainment, but now looking at IB and asset management. Do I take the $$ or does Anderson provide better network for IB?

Like (2)

Show Comments (3) Last: June 11, 2024

alexbr4 Verified User. Likes Earned: 1603 Do you plan to remain on the west coast, post MBA? These are very good programs for the entertainment sector. I’d scrutinise the career reports, in terms of investment banking. (0)

anon10646 Likes Earned: 782 Assuming you want to be in CA based on Media/Entertainment and schools. Is your pre-MBA work experience in a financial svs or media related work? Are you trying to place in Media/Entertainment coverage IB or it's just a preference and open to IB in general? Average Anderson IB placement is higher than Marshall, but you should be able to network with most SF/LA offices from either program if you're recruiting IB generally. Some will be harder than others due to more Anderson alumni, stronger pipeline. How much of the placement difference is due to higher quality of candidate recruiting for IB or Anderson process being better is hard to tell. If you know you network well, have relevant WE (either Finance or Media for that area of IB), will be good at picking up IB concepts for recruiting, combined with your GMAT and perhaps US-citizen, you should be able to place well for IB from either. If you're doing more of a pivot from pre-MBA and you need to rely on a stronger pipeline and structured process, then Anderson would start to be more favorable. If you're focused on M&E IB or at least strong preference then would also favor Anderson due to the type/tier of banks. Lot of deals done by the Advisory banks -- Moelis (only one with official MBA recruiting AFIAK), Raine Group, LionTree, Allen&Co -- or MS/GS (to lessor degree & if incl. items like digital gaming - Centerview/PJT/Gugg/Lazard/Qatalyst/JPM). Regardless, tend to be more selective and have more technicals as part of recruiting, so any advantages you can gain for recruiting is likely worth it. PWM/AM, Marshall has better %, but you'd be likely to find similar opportunities within LA. (2)

eliot Verified User. Likes Earned: 1869 Congrats on your acceptances to both Anderson and Marshall. Anon10646 does a great job of providing you a roadmap for thinking through your decision. As he mentions, Anderson would likely have an edge over Marshall for IB placement. (0)