Worth transferring?
Hey fellas.
I’m a second year international student at a semi target uni in the UK (think Bath, Durham, Bristol) and am thinking of transferring to a US university. As to why, I originally came here to study law (LLB) so that I could practice law back in my home country but have completely switched to wanting to go into IB/finance. Have gotten a small PE internship and am committed to trying to get into IB.
I also would much rather work in the US compared to the UK, which I didn’t really realize until I got here. Obviously if I don’t have a choice then working in London is something i’d happily do, but getting to the US is my goal.
Worth noting that i’d be an international student in both the UK and US, as i’m Canadian. Its my understanding that Canadians have a much easier time with the TN visa rather than the regular lottery for the US.
I’ve heard of some friends/family of classmates in the UK who transferred to the US to decent schools but not sure if it’s worth the cost, if possible at all. I’d be taking on 2 years of debt for my studies, so idk looking at at least 120-150k in debt, but if I can get into a good school (semi target/target) then i’d probably strongly consider it.
Any thoughts on if you think it’s worth it? And if anyone has any experience from a UK -> US transfer then i’d really appreciate it.
Thanks
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Honestly, it's a huge hassle and you're already 2/3 of the way through your degree here. I would stick it out and then consider doing a master's in the US if working there in the immediate future is your priority. Otherwise, you could do an MBA further down the line. The debt would be pretty huge and unless it's one of the TOP schools (HYP etc.) I don't think it's worth it, as it would be a huge gamble. If you can't land a role in IBD (which many don't, and the timing couldn't be worse from a hiring point of view) then you'd have to figure out another way to pay off the loans.
Hope this helps.
OP here, thank you so much for the insight.
Definitely see your point about it being a hassle as i'm 2/3 way through.Under the assumption that i'm unable to transfer into top targets (ie. HYPSWM), if probably would have to settle for more realistic low target/good semi target destination, like a top LAC (Williams/Amherst/CMC)/USC/NYU/Vandy/Hopkins etc level school, would you say at that point it's not worth it for the recruiting opportunities?
I also get the cost factor, but i'll probably have to do a masters either in the US/UK anyway. Will cost me 65-75k all in for LSE level masters for the UK and probably 85-100k when it's all said and done for a top US Msf. So if i'm being honest i'm probably signing up to near 6 figures of debt either way if I want to try and get to the US direct, it's more of 100k for a UK + US Msf combo or 150k for US undergrad.
Based on this, would you say it's still not worth the extra 50k ish debt? Especially considering that I wouldn't be at a top top school?Thanks again.
Also, the US recruiting heavily depends on the number of coffee chats you've had compared to London which is very strict about applying online(job site) with little or no room for back door entry.
For full transparency, I'm from the UK and my only experience with US recruitment are my friends who studied at HYPSWM and anecdotes on the WSO. So I'm not in the best position to speak about the other universities you mentioned, but from what I understand they would be good options if you wanted to work for a regional office as opposed to in New York. USC, for example, would be great if you wanted to work out in the West Coast in a SF office. Again, these seats are still hotly contested and it's a (big) gamble to transfer on the assumption that you will get a role.
In my opinion, 50k more debt is a lot - particularly given the wider state of the economy. I also think that a UK undergrad degree and masters from LSE or US is stronger. As the other comment mentioned, the US recruitment game relies heavily on networking and this may be a bit challenging considering the whole moving country thing. Also, I believe that 2024 recruiting is already kicking off over there... so you may have missed the boat or it is about to leave the dock.
Overall, I'm not convinced that there is a strong enough argument for transferring. Personally, I would stick it out in the UK and focus on opportunities for this summer (unless you have something sorted). Find some top master's programs (UK & US) and make your decision on where you get in. Obviously, this depends on many factors (cost, attractiveness of course to employers etc.) but the main thing is if you want to start your career in the US or the UK.
Let me know what you end up doing!
This doesn’t sound like a great idea. You’re writing a huge check for your future self to cash and no real solid plan of getting there. I know Vandy is $80k/ year to attend. Lots of banks are not looking to sponsor - especially in this current atmosphere. If you could take on like $50k in debt all in then sure swing the bat. But with no real solid prospects or plans why contemplate taking on debt that you may not be able to afford. I don’t even think you can take on that amount as an undergrad/ it would be your parents. I say all of this as someone who’s been working for some time and also a parent who is now helping their own child navigate college and getting into the industry.
Thank you very much for your prospective. Appreciate it
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