Switch uni or power through? Am I fucked? UK
After much huffing and puffing I have decided to write my first post as I am completely out of my depth and have nobody to speak to about this!
I recently turned 22, and am in my 2nd year doing BSc Econ & Philosophy at the University of York in the UK. I did a gap year before this and worked at an FX broker in London (home) for half a year and quite enjoyed the grind. This is where it gets crap.
My university is absolute garbage; our lecturers speak A2 level English and lectures consist of trying to translate barely audible words into something understandable, getting your head around many concepts that have been disproven, and a whole lot of maths (I'm okay at maths but not strong). The philosophy part I only chose so I could do Econ without a Maths A-Level (I did Stats at A-Level). York as a place to be is depressing IMHO and every time I go back to London I want to stay.
For context I rejected pure Econ offers from Lancaster and Newcastle, both of which are since well ahead in rankings, while York is failing and dropping sharply, and doesn't seem to be well respected in Finance. Needless to say I feel like an absolute oaf.
I have met a few people who have attended the Open University and sing it praises, some have since done Masters at Oxbridge or the LSE, so I figured it can't be bad. Teaching quality is apparently good, and a quick search on LinkedIn shows that many people at e.g. JPMC did their degrees there. A remote degree would also enable me to get back into sales and work my way up. I am interested in Global Markets but also to an increasing extent IB after taking a little course on M&A and Valuation. I always, probably quite rationally, dismissed the latter as I don't have a family background conducive to opportunities in the field and have divided my time between studies and solo entrepreneurship rather than just studying with that end-goal in mind. So, shall I stick it to York and do an OU degree in Econ/BM and make some money in the process, and possibly get ahead or power through for another 1.5yrs and finish my degree?
Help! Thanks
York is well represented in Global Markets through the Investment Fund. Maybe network with those individuals to get an idea of how to navigate applications.
Based on the most helpful WSO content, here's what you need to consider:
University Reputation and Career Goals: York's reputation in finance isn't as strong as other UK universities, and you seem dissatisfied with the teaching quality and environment. If your goal is to break into competitive fields like Global Markets or IB, university reputation and networking opportunities play a significant role. Open University (OU) has its merits, but it may not carry the same weight as traditional target or semi-target universities for finance roles.
Switching to OU: While OU has success stories, transitioning to a remote degree might limit your access to on-campus recruiting, networking events, and societies that are crucial for finance careers. However, if you can combine it with relevant work experience (e.g., sales or internships in finance), it could offset some of the disadvantages.
Powering Through at York: Completing your degree at York might still be a viable option if you can leverage your gap year experience, network aggressively, and secure internships. Many finance professionals have succeeded from non-target schools by excelling in internships and networking.
Alternative Options: If you're considering a switch, you might explore transferring to a stronger university for your final years or applying for a Master's at a target/semi-target school like LSE, Warwick, or Imperial after completing your degree. A strong Master's program can significantly boost your chances in finance.
Action Plan:
Ultimately, the decision depends on your ability to leverage opportunities at either institution and your long-term goals. If you feel York is holding you back significantly, a switch might be worth considering, but weigh the trade-offs carefully.
Sources: Intro to Investment Banking, MSc Finance University of Bath vs University of Edinburgh, https://www.wallstreetoasis.com/forum/school/msc-finance-at-tilburg-university-or-msc-business-economics-financial-economics-major?customgpt=1, https://www.wallstreetoasis.com/forum/school/rate-my-ukeu-msc-degree-options?customgpt=1, University Of St. Andrews experience? Opinions?
I've seen a handful of people at York get into top boutiques, Big4 TS/CF, BBs, etc.
In my opinion, your uni doesn't matter, I go to a non target Russel group myself and one thing I've noticed is, unless your Oxbridge/LSE/(maybe Warwick) it's more or less the same.
Career services usually suck and teaching is mediocre (teachers seem to be experts but need to build strong rapport with them to understand material).
I've heard York has a strong investment society with people getting placed at top banks from that society - I would suggest you network your in places like this to find like minded individuals.
At the end of the day, you have to study all the material yourself and lecturers don't really help.
If I were you, I'd stick to York, do the undergrad and apply to summers/off cycles to get into ib.
If you can't get in, you can then maybe consider a masters but no point in switching unis as you will find problems even at open uni or any other uni you go to.
Tried to sneak in Warwick
Don't worry OP you didn't screw yourself prestige wise by choosing York over Newcastle or Lancaster. I'd say they're all very lower mid prestige wise. No one is going to care that someone went to a rank 25, rank 18 or rank 22 uni in its respective subject.
I think the people in top jobs with OU degrees are those who did top degree got top job then since they're so smart and dedicated and driven they did an OU degree in their spare time.
I'd be genuinely surprised if someone did A levels ---> OU ----> top job without other factors like extensive work experience
I've researched this previously... Yeah good luck finding many, if anyone, with an OU degree in FO.
@ OP I'd stick with York. Honestly your teaching experience doesn't sound that dissimilar to mine at a much higher ranking uni. None of that matters. What you're taught you're never gonna use anyway, just do what you need to to get the best grades you can. As others said, join the relevant societies.
I won't lie to you though, you'd have a very hard time getting a BB IBD internship/Grad from York - the classes are like 90% target school kids. Of course many other firms exist but point being, it's an uphill battle for IBD. S&T definitely tends to be more loose with school "standards".
York might be bad when you compare it to the targets, but its certainly not a super non-target. Its definitely got more placements into good roles than Lancaster or Newcastle.
I understand sunken cost fallacy and all that, but to be honest I think you should stick it out. I don't think OU is realistically the best option for you, it sounds like your perception on OU placements comes from survivorship bias, as another poster mentioned, it unlikely you would have the same success if you went and done a degree at OU.
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