Need B School Advice Please 
(Baboon, 132 
Points) on 6/29/09 at 3:46am
Hi All,
I have 5 years experience in Finance (not big names, though respectable work) and I have passed CFA Level III.Undergrad was Accounting & Finance. GMAT 720
I have an admit to the Cambridge MFin. Though the program is brand new with the first batch still studying, the Cambridge brand is huge. So cant decide if this a value add for me or not. Also contemplating the HEC Paris MBA.
I want to work in Investment Management or Investment Banking and don't want to start as an Analyst- looking for an Associate opening.
Please give me your opinions on what you think I should do.Go for any of these or wait for next year ?
Thanks
play professional golf
by monkeyfaceplay professional golf
thanks but seriously
by greatgolferthanks my handicap is single digits... but seriously tell me what u feel please...
I would go with
by BankonBankingI would go with the bigger brand and the bigger recruiting base. Since you've obviously got some experience, and have worked in the business for a while now, what you are looking for is a network and recruiting options. So, who recruits at this new Cambridge program; do you have any idea? Who recruits from the HEC Paris MBA program? Cambridge's brand name is strong, but does it appear that this program is being welcomed into the family of programs? Also, I am assuming you want to work in Europe, but have you considered some U.S. program as well, you've got some solid stats (only knowing a fraction of your candidacy of course), and the top even 15-20 U.S. programs have strong reaches world wide (in general, of course).
At the end of the day, regarding the 2 schools you are currently considering, it is about network strength and recruiting options - whichever brand offers the strong alumni base and has more quality employers (in the fields of IM and IB in your case) recruit from their program, that is the winner. Talk to a few alum (or current students) do some research online, and the decision should come to you. Best of luck and congratulations.
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Question
by greatgolferOne question : Is there a general view that an MBA is somehow considered to be a notch better than a Masters or is that just a myth ?
It is not
by BankonBankingIt is not a myth; that is usually the case. Not entirely sure why, but yes, in general, an MBA would be seen as a more valuable degree than a Masters - a Masters degree (I am basing this off of my experience with a several people that I know who completed a Masters right after their UGrad as part of a 5 year or so program) recipient will come into the program as an analyst, while an MBA enters as an associate. Again, there may be exceptions, but in general, the MBA is more valuable than a Masters.
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I would say hiring managers
by MichaelHutchensI would say American hiring managers in IBD, consumer products and corp fin F500 and also fundamentals-based IM tend to value an MBA more than a masters. BB trading and quant research desks tend to have more masters students/PhDs. In Europe, especially the UK, France and Germany, a masters is generally regarded as more valuable than an MBA. There is not much of an MBA culture in Europe and most managers in Germany and France come from technical backgrounds (i.e. an engineering masters from the Grandes Ecoles in France is equivalent to an ivy MBA here).
Talking to friends who have worked in London, banks tend to value people with functional skills (e.g. the Cass specialist masters or the Cambridge MFin based on the CFA curriculum) rather than a general management degree which is light on technical competencies (i.e. accounting, finance, quantitative methods, programming)... however HEC Paris, INSEAD and LBS have good electives and are worth investigating further.
Not sure
by BankonBankingNot sure about the value difference to your second point relating to Europe, as several European MBA programs are top notch, but I agree completely with your first point, regarding trading and quant research, I would agree that a PhD is more valuable.
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great site BankonBanking-
by MichaelHutchensgreat site BankonBanking- compelling bio too... I've never been too interested in IBD, more into IM and trading in public markets, but if I were in college and wanted to learn more about banking, your site would have to be near the top of any list. When I was in undergrad, pre- WSO, colege kids and IB analysts used to post water cooler gossip on Vault but I guess that site dried up tremendously after WSO, Dealbreaker etc...
I'll second Hutchens'
by tuajI'll second Hutchens' complements.
Fantastic site
by greatgolferI third
Thank you all
by BankonBankingThank you all very much - I usually expect to be blasted by those angry posters - I much prefer this sort of commentary, haha. I have to post to Vault before, but it has definitely dried up quite a bit - a comment a month or so from readers, if that - WSO is definitely a superior resource, and I'm just glad that it was created and has such a strong following. Thank you again for the great complements, it is definitely a very welcome way to start the morning!
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The Cambridge Masters in
by indian-bankerThe Cambridge Masters in Finance program like you mentioned is pretty new. It doesn't have the same masters in finance alumni base that Oxford's MSF does. If I were you though, I would go with the HEC MBA. HEC is an amazing school and is well recognized in Europe. Also, HEC tends to focus more on the quantitative side than most MBA programs. You also mentioned you have a five years of experience, so it doesn't matter if you do an MBA or a Masters in Finance, because you will go in as an Associate. Even in the US, people with work experience who graduate from masters programs like Princeton, CMU, Columbia etc. typically enter as Associates.
Thank you
by greatgolferThank you all for your views and for taking time out to help
Just a quick note. I would
by MBAApplyJust a quick note.
I would probably opt for the HEC MBA simply because it's more established.
The Cambridge program may turn out to be a good school eventually... but it's got zero history and the "brand" of the parent school alone isn't really going to do as much for you as you'd think. It's sort of like going to Harvard to do computer science -- yeah, it's Harvard, but you'll also get a "Harvard has a computer science program?" (which it does). Or going to MIT to major in English literature.
Alex Chu
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Alex Chu
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New Info
by greatgolferThe Cambridge Career office is no better or worse than the HEC Career Office.
Recap
May I please ask for your opinion on my situation which is like this : I have an admit for the Cambridge MFin and an admit for the HEC Paris MBA. I have completed the CFA Program-passed Level III and have a Bacheloers Degree in Accounting & Finance, 5 yrs experience.
The Cambridge brand is big but im not sure if Masters Programs are considered equivalent to MBA or not. The Cambridge Program is brand new.
I just cannot decide my preference between these 2 Programs.Post studying I want to work in Investment Management.I dont have a location preference as such.May I please ask your opinion on what should be my preference based on all the info ?
Thank you
Any comments guys ??
by greatgolferAny comments guys ??
Cambridge MFin
by rshuaiI've just completed the MFin at Cambridge. The teaching is generally excellent and the external speakers are top class. Feel free to message me if you have any questions about the programme.
Thanks
by greatgolferThanks