ACG University

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ACG University is the single best networking & educational initiative for deal professionals in the Greater Philadelphia area, enrolling 40 up-and-coming M&A dealmakers each year who possess an average of 3 - 6 years of deal experience. This executive education style program immerses emerging deal professionals in a 7-course program spanning the life cycle of a deal from sourcing to exits.  

ACGU Goals: This in-depth 7-part program is designed to:

• Teach a broad range of essential deal-making skills and strategies through lectures and hands-on casework to create savvy, knowledgeable, and skilled dealmakers.

• Create cohorts to facilitate long-term deal networks among future M&A leaders. Each class is composed of private equity and strategic buyers, investment bankers, attorneys, accountants, and lenders.

• Offer access to all the resources of ACG and the broader deal community in Philadelphia through membership (included). Graduates will also be invited to be part of ACG Philadelphia Young Dealmakers.
   

Space for ACG University is limited and intended for dealmakers living and working in the Greater Philadelphia community. Candidates must be sponsored by an ACG Member. Selection will be based on prior experience, commitment, as well as the overall composition of the applicant pool. Applications for ACGU '25 will be accepted starting in August 2024. Please email ACG Philadelphia at acgphiladelphia@acg.org with any questions.

Apply Today!

APPLICANT GUIDANCE BY FUNCTION:

Accountants: 3 to 4 years of Transaction Advisory Services experience (and currently in a TAS Practice) or alternatively M&A Tax.  M&A tax in most firms is not under the “TAS” umbrella.  

Attorneys: should have a reasonable base of varied deal knowledge in addition to a growing legal skill set.  For this reason, strong attorney applicants typically have 4-6 years of experience and are not yet at the partner-level or counsel-level discussions.

Investment Bankers: For those who made the transition into banking (from another discipline that may not be M&A related): 2 years of M&A experience is requested. For those that started investment banking right out of college: 2-3 years, depending on references from senior people at the firm. 

Others: If you are a professional whose work has regularly touched on or supported mergers and acquisitions over the past 4-6 years (rather than your work relating to those individuals who themselves do M&A work), please consider applying.  For purposes of class dynamics and maintaining consistency in the class, professionals with longer experience focused on the M&A space are overqualified for this type of program.

ACGU Pricing

Pricing is $1,495 per accepted applicant and includes seven classes, several networking events as well as a one-year membership in ACG (payment will be due upon acceptance, there is no fee to apply). 

Cancellation / Attendance 

Enrollment in ACG University includes program participation for admitted year, plus a one-year membership and is non-refundable. In the case that the:

Incoming admitted student moves to new firm before the ACGU program -> if the student paid the enrollment fee themselves, then they are welcome to start ACGU as scheduled. If their firm paid for their enrollment and this is before the first class, the firm is welcome to replace the student, however, that student must be reviewed and admitted by the ACGU review team. The new candidate must be a good fit for the class experience-wise. We can not accommodate any changes after classes have started.

Attendance Expectations:

• To benefit from the experience, we do expect all students to be engaged with fellow classmates at all 7 sessions of ACG University (although recognizing deal demands, we do allow for one absence.) 
• During each class, you will be paired up with new teammates, representing deal functions different than your own.  Together, you'll work on case studies and learn from senior-level dealmakers.  
• As demand has grown, the selection process has become more competitive. We do use historical firm attendance as one of several metrics in candidate selection, so your engagement will factor into a selection from your firm moving forward. 
• Become an active member of the broader ACG community - you are our future leaders. We have ACGU alumni serving on our Board of Directors as well as alumni sitting on most of our committees. 

View Past Class Attendees on our Alumni Page.
 

Thank you to our ACG University Sponsors

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