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Is graduate school worth the price?

I'm currently a college undergraduate studying finance, but I would ultimately like to start a career in wealth management. My university provides great career fairs where I have learned most students can become employed immediately following graduation. Would going to graduate school launch my career faster and be worth the cost? Or, would I be better off starting early and having time to work my way up? #finance #business

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Jeff’s Answer

First, with an undergraduate degree in finance you should be able to enter into wealth management immediately upon graduation. The better your grades and the more interest you show in the career path (internships, extracurriculars, self-study above and beyond your coursework, etc.) the better your ability should be to land an attractive entry-level position.


My personal opinion is that people get the most from graduate school if they first spend a few years out of school and in the workforce. Entering wealth management after graduation, you could study for designations CFP or CFA to help advance your career.


If you do want to go to grad school right after undergrad, masters programs in tax, accounting, or law are probably most relevant. A masters in finance will not be terribly additive to your finance undergrad. And an MBA is fine, but you'll spend a lot of time on things away from wealth management.

Thank you comment icon In my experience, starting your career in wealth management right away after undergraduate and deferring your MBA for some time will be advantageous. Like Jeff mentioned, good grades, philanthropic work, internships, experience with stock trading, etc. will be why sets you apart from other candidates for your first job. Starting in October there will be a new exam called the SIE that college students like yourself can take while still in school and is a precursor for the Series licenses. This would be a very smart thing to take and pass before graduation to show firms you are ready for the career. Series licenses, and CFP/CFA designations will further your career in the beginning along with experience far more so than an MBA. I hope this helps! Ryan Frankel
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Ryan’s Answer

In my experience, starting your career in wealth management right away after undergraduate and deferring your MBA for some time will be advantageous. Like Jeff mentioned, good grades, philanthropic work, internships, experience with stock trading, etc. will be why sets you apart from other candidates for your first job. Starting in October there will be a new exam called the SIE that college students like yourself can take while still in school and is a precursor for the Series licenses. This would be a very smart thing to take and pass before graduation to show firms you are ready for the career. Series licenses, and CFP/CFA designations will further your career in the beginning along with experience far more so than an MBA. Most banks/ investment firms will pay for your MBA later on anyways. I hope this helps! 

Ryan recommends the following next steps:

Look into SIE
Study for SIE
Pass SIE
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Elhadji’s Answer

I would recommend finding a job after your Bachelor degree. This will help you gain experience in the workplace, where you can validate what you are passionate about. Down the road, you may feel the need to go back and sharpen an area and would help with the bill at that time. Your Master degree will be coupled with work experience, increasing your value in the market place.

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Ryan’s Answer

At the current borrowing rates for student loans, i believe it would pay off to start your career with a bachelors first then have your employer help to pay for your masters should you find that you need it. Experience in your field is more important to growth, and even finding out what you truly want to do. A masters degree and staying in school for those two years doesn’t allow you to truly find that out until later, and it may be too late. Education is an investment, but like all investments there are risks involved.

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