MBA at MBB

Question

How does the MBA work in every firm?

1) do I go and do the MBA only if I am the top performer of my cohort at my office? or viceversa I go when I have no choice and did not perform at the top (I heard for mckinsey people it is compulsory)?

2) does the rule change according to tthe office I am at? (I saw from linkedin that apparently some offices do not impose on their consultants to go to do the MBA unless they want to, but in general in EU that is quite the rule)

3) How much does an MBA affect my promotions (both in terms of salary and hierarchy)?

Thank you in advance

Answer 1

Hi there,

This can vary by firm, and by office. In general, for London, the policy is pretty equal at MBB. To answer your questions:

1) MBA sponsorship is more or less guaranteed as long as you don't have a history of underperformance. This means that as long as you are meeting expectations and are "on track" for normal promotion schedule, the firm will sponsor your MBA.

2) In general in the US, an MBA is more or less an expectation. In London, on the other hand, it's definitely not expected, nor would I even say it is especially encouraged - the option is made clear and people are supported if they choose to apply, but there's no expectation at all.

3) It won't affect it much - the only difference is if you leave before you get promoted to the post-MBA position (Associate at McK, Consultant at Bain/BCG), you will return as a post-MBA hire. However, it won't particularly accelerate your career - if anything, it will slow it down as the 2 years you spend in your MBA you could have been working and would be close to the Manager promotion. However, the MBA can offer many other things - mainly soft skills, some business knowledge, and network - which is why many people still choose to do it.

Hope this helps!

Answer 2

A lot of your answer are probably going to be country dependent. At least in the US (and I suspect pretty much every where), we basically expect nearly every one to do an MBA after 2 or 3 years. You dont have to, but it is the standard curriculum. Companies will help you, give guidance, have more senior folks review your application... Now, MBB may not actually pay for your MBA, but you usually have an available spot if you want to come back.

Obviously, you also dont HAVE to do an MBA. It helps, but is not mandatory by any stretch. One senior partner I know at BCG never did a master's program, of any kind.

Answer 3

Hello!

Depends by firm and geography, but +50% of the people get normally sponsored.

Good luck!