Associates Program for Undergraduates

Overview

The goal of the Associates Program is to capture the best undergraduates in the nation who have a career focus in investment management but lack the necessary investment experience to be directly admitted into the Applied Security Analysis program (ASAP) and the Wisconsin MBA.

The Associates Program, which is offered by the Stephen L. Hawk Center for Applied Security Analysis at the University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Business, provides a way for these otherwise-qualified undergraduate students to gain invaluable investment experience.

Specifics

Who should apply? Undergraduate candidates who have an interest in attending the Wisconsin MBA but need the necessary professional work experience for admission. Candidates are provided a conditional admission to the program and will defer their enrollment to the Wisconsin MBA. Candidates who are admitted will need to successfully complete a one to three-year position at an investment firm. The Hawk Center will assist in the job placement efforts. However, it is also expected that the candidate will actively seek out career opportunities.

The Process

Step 1: Application

The application will be available in early September. Candidates will use the same MBA application, available online at https://app.applyyourself.com/?id=uwis-gmba, and should submit a completed application form, essays, GMAT score, university transcripts, recommendation letters and a resume to be reviewed by the admissions committee and prospective employers. The deadline to apply for the Associates program is February 1, 2008. We strongly encourage you to apply early to allow as much time as possible for the employment search (step 4). Those whom apply particularly early may proceed to step 2 and 3 before the dates mentioned below.

Step 2: Interview

By March 1, 2008 each applicant will have received either an invitation to interview, or a letter of denial.  Students selected for Step 2 will begin formal interviews during the month of March. These interviews will be conducted by ASAP faculty and supporters.

Step 3: Initial Admission decision

By March 30, 2008, applicants will be verbally communicated a pre-employment conditional admission, dependent on finding the appropriate work experience for the determined period of time.

Step 4: Employment Search

ASAP will require one to three years of employment experience from each applicant. The experience required for each applicant will depend on the strength of the application and prior investment experiences.

ASAP will present the pool of admitted applicants to participating employers and the employers will arrange interviews with candidates. Candidates are also expected to try to find their own employment, as the Hawk Center cannot guarantee employment for all conditionally admitted applicants. 

Candidates who make their own employment arrangements will provide ASAP with a company name, job title, brief job description, and contact information for the hiring manager.  This information will be used by ASAP to evaluate the acceptability of the position.  

When a candidate finds acceptable employment, he or she will receive a letter of employment fulfillment conditional admission. The admission is conditional upon fulfilling the full employment requirement based on the number of years required to work and a satisfactory employment review by the employer. Admission to the Wisconsin MBA will be deferred by the number of years of investment experience required. Candidates must find acceptable employment by June 30, 2008.

Step 5: Employment Experience

Students will spend one to three years gaining valuable experience in an investment position. This experience will provide a foundation on which each student can build while in ASAP and after graduation.  

Step 6: Wisconsin MBA - Applied Security Analysis Program

After completing the experience requirement, students will join the ASAP program as first-year MBA students. The curriculum lasts two years and consists not only of intensive training in Security Analysis, but also in the core business courses. Upon completion of Step 6, graduates will receive an MBA with a specialization in Applied Security Analysis.  

Benefits for:

Candidates

Undergraduates entering the work force often face difficulties in finding solid positions at top investment firms. The Applied Security Analysis Associates Program assists students in finding these jobs. It is also often difficult, if not impossible, for undergraduates to gain acceptance at a top MBA program without employment experience. Students accepted into the Applied Security Analysis Associates Program are guaranteed admittance to one of the most respected programs for student investment education in the nation. Once the job appointments are complete, the students often have their choice of continued employment in a permanent role or enrollment in graduate school, an ideal situation for students.

Employers

Employers benefit from being able to hire from a pre-selected group of top undergraduate students from several universities that are passionate about investments. Employers have the ability to sign a fixed contract with students that provides them with a set period of work and the ability to hire the individual at the end of the contract. If a position is not available at the end of the contract, the firm can offer to fund the employees’ graduate education and sign a new contract to guarantee that the student comes back following his/her graduate education. Employers also have the option to hire students as interns during the summer following their first year in graduate school. Essentially, the Associates Program allows hiring firms three or four opportunities to hire top students from several leading universities, but does not obligate them to employ students beyond the contract period.

Other Undergraduate Programs

The Associates Program benefits the other universities participating in the program by assisting them in placing their students at top investment firms and providing students the opportunity for graduate school in the future. In addition, the schools are provided with another avenue to market their student-investment programs to prospective students and to motivate current students by guaranteeing top students will be considered for the Associates Program.

ASAP/Wisconsin MBA

The Applied Security Analysis program and the Wisconsin MBA benefit from enriching their pipeline of excellent students by providing them with superior investment experience prior to enrolling. By enhancing the investment experience of those entering ASAP, students in the program are put in a better position to obtain employment and to advance faster in their careers. This opportunity attracts top students, making a  leading investment management program even stronger.