BB summer possible return + 1 year masters Vs 2 Yr masters
Hey everyone,
I’m currently facing a difficult decision and would appreciate some advice.
I’m in my final year and have an upcoming summer internship in Sales & Trading at a top BB. However, to remain eligible for the return offer, I need to still have a final year of study after the summer. This means I need to enrol in a master’s programme.
I currently have two master’s offers. The first is a one-year master’s from a strong school, around top 15, think CBS, SSE. The second is a two-year master’s from a higher-ranked school, think top five, such as HEC, ESCP, ESSEC.
The issue is that if I choose the one-year master’s, I would be able to accept a potential return offer after the internship. The internship has a high conversion rate, so this is a major advantage. However, if I do not receive a return offer, I may not be eligible to reapply for summer internships, and its a lower ranked school
On the other hand, if I choose the two-year master’s, I would potentially be able to reapply for summer internships the following year if I do not convert. However, the problem is that it may prevent me from accepting a return offer from this summer internship, depending on the programme structure and eligibility rules.
There are also a few other considerations, such as whether I could potentially leave the two-year master’s after the first year.
Both options are roughly the same cost, and everything else is fairly similar.
What would you do in my situation? Would you prioritise the one-year master’s to maximise the chance of converting the internship, or take the two-year, higher-ranked master’s for the extra optionality?
Based on the most helpful WSO content, here's how you can approach this decision:
One-Year Master's (Top 15 School):
Two-Year Master's (Top 5 School):
Key Considerations:
Recommendation:
If you’re confident in your ability to convert the BB internship and prioritize entering the workforce quickly, the one-year master’s is a strong choice. However, if you value optionality and the prestige of a higher-ranked school, the two-year master’s might be worth the extra time. Ultimately, weigh your confidence in converting the internship against the potential risks of not having a backup plan.
Sources: International Student - Chance of getting an IBD internship in London?, Ask mbaMission about Business School Admissions, Q&A: Broke into MM M&A from a non-traditional background and 2 years of networking and internships, Ask mbaMission about Business School Admissions
Even with the one year master you can do off cycles elsewhere if you don't convert. Or just delay graduation. I had a friend who graduated in 2023 and landed an off cycle in 2026.
HEC/ESCP type master would help a lot but frankly you don't need it unless you want to pivot into something else maybe.
Yh but its not a great school like HEC/ESCP type beat more like IE or ESADE.
Also tbf I dont want to end up as they guy on a summer internship who's 25 with 17 off-cycles.
Off cycles have a higher conversion rate vs summers usually. But yeah if its not hec/escp or similar then the 2 year master doesn't make sense.
1yr + summer, if doesn't convert then off cycle makes more sense.
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