I have spoken to a lot of MBA alums actually. All of them HIGHLY recommended it and said that even though the loans are rough, they had an amazing time and were able to transition into the jobs they wanted. The people who landed buyside told me that given my background and career goals, a top MBA is almost essential. I agree that job stats, like any other stat, can be fudged or distorted. Nonetheless, the job market for students at top schools is quite solid; recruiters still flood these schools to seek talent, and having easy access to those firms is invaluable.
I think you have a good sense your own situation. Since you wanted to go into investment management, which is the field I've been working in for almost a decade, I thought I'd just offer you a few of my thoughts..specifically my view that most of the firms out there aren't doing good research. Still, at the end of the day I feel that investment analysis is a great job. I love this work. Its fun, unpredictable, and has a never ending learning curve. Yes, it will probably be a lot more fulfilling then trading.
i am an investment banker (M&A) and have trading exp (derivatives, flows). i can tell you that what you need isnt an MBA or a new job, it is a long holiday and a change of life style.
I agree that sellside research is a lot of fluff, and I don't have any interest in that. DRW is a prop trading firm. They definitely have researchers, but the type of work they're doing is very different from a traditional investment management firm. Ideally, yes, it would be awesome to be able to get the job I want without an MBA, but it's all about access and credibility, which a top MBA will give me.
Probably that's what he is looking for. MBA is probably a bit of both ;-) (with possibly adding some extra values)
Lol. So true. B-school is 2 years of nonstop networking/partying/travelling. WAY more fun than the "real" world.
This guy's blog is excellent. He is a budding entrepreneur heading to Wharton this fall and is turning 36 soon. Despite his age, he's going to have a great time, and some of his posts such as the one below, show how much fun top b-schools really are. It's truly a once in a lifetime experience that cannot be replicated. http://mbaover30.com/2013/07/13/funemployment-prepping-for-wharton-and-turning-36/
A little correction - Where you land post your 2 years at a top B-School gets determined more by how much "hard work" you have done at the School rather than networking/partying/travelling aspect. Wishing you the best.