Universities for London IB
Currently deciding between several European undergraduate options for Investment Banking in London and would appreciate honest input from people working in the industry or who went through recruiting recently.
My goal is very clear: break into BB/EB IB in London directly from undergrad (GS/MS/JPM/EVR/CVP/PJT/etc.). I am not particularly optimizing for law, entrepreneurship or general business careers — mainly pure IB placement.
Options I am considering:
- ICADE E-3 (Spain)
- Stockholm School of Economics – BSc Economics & Business
- Rotterdam School of Management – International Business Administration
- Paris Dauphine – finance/economics related degree
Profile:
- Spanish student from Madrid
- French school background
- Native Spanish + high level English and French
- Very strong grades
- Cost is not a deciding factor
- Would prefer landing IB directly from undergrad rather than relying on a Master’s later
- London is the goal long term, not Madrid/Paris/Amsterdam/Stockholm
Things I care about most:
1. BB/EB London placement strength
2. Access to internships during undergrad
3. Alumni/network in London finance
4. Reputation among London recruiters
5. Competitive peer group
6. Good social/student life is a plus
A few specific questions:
- Which of these gives the highest probability of landing London IB?
- Is SSE materially stronger than the others for London recruiting?
- How much does ICADE’s alumni network compensate for being less internationally known?
- Is RSM still considered a strong semi-target for London?
- Does Dauphine place well outside France without a Master’s?
- If your ONLY goal was London IB, which one would you pick?
Would appreciate brutally honest opinions rather than generic “all are good” answers.
Thanks in advance for your time!!
At a US BB currently - never see anyone from these unis, know one person from one of these but they did a masters at a target after.
Reapply and go Oxbridge/LSE/UCL/Bocconi, these tend to be the most overrepresented universities.
ICADE literally dominates Spanish intake at JP. Very good school. ICAI which is their engineering school is also very good.
Out of the options ICADE is the best choice, but obviously you are right in the sense that Oxbridge/LSE/UCL/Bocconi is better.
I’m actually between Paris Dauphine and ICADE. But it’s hard because some people tell me that dauphine is far better and other people tell me it is ICADE.
In the case of Dauphine, the pros are that it is cheaper (≈16k/y total vs 18.500/y) and 2 years less (3 dauphine vs 5 ICADE). So with this difference in time and money, I could do a top masters.
But it’s a very hard choice.
What’s your opinion?
Take SSE or RSM then do a top top target master.
ICADE is a semi target and is almost irrelevant in IB and Dauphine is very good for both Bsc and Master but you'll struggle to get very good grades as it's way more theoretical/maths heavy than the rest (+ French grading tax)
I was between dauphine and ICADE, I’ve take out of mi options the other two. And now I thing I will go to ICADE, seems to be the best for me. What you know about ICADE, is it good?
And how big is your dick?
VERY BIG
Well all this don’t matter, if you don’t have the RTW in the UK
And i Will say broaden your search- MMs are also equally good and maybe make your life easier via spring
Hey, pienso que tendrías que ir a ICADE. Un madrileño va a ICADE y punto. Luego encontrarás alumnis en Londres o Madrid que te puedan recomendar.
Abrazo
Gracias por tu respuesta. Si, creo que iré a ICADE a hacer E-3. Estas en ICADE?
No estoy en ESSEC en MiM, llevo desde mis 12 años en Francia
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