If you are already a consultant, what are your actual post-MBA goal? Upgrade to MBB? Lateral over to IB for more work and more pay? FAANG for the RSUs? Those are the three paths I’ve identified where the business case holds water. Startups seem great but where’s the payoff?

Personally I’m into startups. Yes, the expected value of pay isn’t as much, but there is huge variance. Unless you become a high level senior exec at F500/MBB/Bank, you’ll probably never touch $20M, but startup founders and early joiners have an easier path to that. Money aside, it’d great to be your own boss and have the flexibility to wear multiple hats. It’s also a great motivator to be working for your own equity rather than being part of a huge business unit that you don’t affect that much and being at the mercy of how much your boss likes you.

I don’t know how other schools are, but UCLA has a TON of resources for becoming a founder of a startup. I’ve heard a few stories of folks deferring consulting sponsorship offers to try their hand at entrepreneurship. In fact I just talked to a guy who went off and did the startup thing for a year and a half, was having difficulty and then rejoined his consulting firm while keeping his startup as a side hustle. Agree with others that it’s a really difficult thing to be able to do the math the ROI on something like that. At the end of the day, if you feel a calling to do entrepreneurship or something else, you’re smart and can figure out the money side of how to support yourself. A big network of MBA students can only help you to figure that out.

Not everything in life is a business case

MBA is a perfect time to explore different careers via internships. Also echo that not everything is a financial case. I want to move to a startup because I’d prefer the work, and I want to do an MBA because I want that experience and learning. Yes, money is a factor in all this but it’s not the measuring stick of my life. It’s an enabler so I can live the life I want.

I often question the ROI on the prestige upgrade to MBB. There needs to be a skill set you get by the switch that you otherwise aren’t getting and/or exit ops you specifically are targeting based on those skills (IMO). Consulting can be lucrative in a lot of places

Not getting up-our-outed from MBB

I’d recommend looking at PM beyond just FAANG. Many other Tech companies are way more attractive/better paying/etc than some of FAANG

What about just general networking and educational fulfilment? The most powerful component of an MBA is the network you build. Working in MBB and realising your former classmates are prospective clients in industries all over the place.

IB or VC for me

IB for me

Another idea is that you get sponsored and the come back (my case) as I was a bit late to do an MBA at an optimal time, I did it after I already got promoted to post-MBA title.

I’m going MBB for tuition reimbursement and exit opps. Plan on staying for 3-5 years. Not ready to settle down to industry quite yet.

I’m primarily targeting IB and MM PE.

Money

I'm targeting big pharma director, something with P&L responsibility

I’m trying to figure it out personally.

Aiming for MBB for ~3 years and then transitioning to entrepreneurship through acquisition.

I went to a T10 b-school and all the consultants I knew went to a different industry post-MBA (other than sponsored students, of course). Most were tech PMs/PMMs, but CPG and other areas (finance, startups) weren’t uncommon.

Investment banking for me

Prestige. Went to a state school, and I believe having an M7 on the resume will have intangible benefits for the rest of my life. Even if ROI over 10 years may not be justified