Mathematical Finance at Non-Target or Finance at Target University?
Did not make it into McGill on my first try. So after completing 1 year of Finance and CS minor at JMSB I am facing a dilemma:
With the desire to go into IB or the hedge fund industry, I have the following possible paths:
- Stay at Concordia, work hard to get into the portfolio management program, then McGill Law
- Switch Degrees at Concordia to Mathematical Finance/Actuarial, show I'm a really hard worker, then McGill Law
- Switch to McGill Finance, then McGill law
The combination of these degrees, I think, would make me a strong IB candidate.
Thoughts?
Is McGill really a target?
I can't afford a U.S. University for two degrees. Nor can I, due to circumstance, study outside Montreal right now.
With those parameters in place, I know that McGill is more reputable, but does not offer an undergraduate Mathematical Finance program, it does offer Actuarial however. I would argue that I have better odds of getting into the MathFinance program at Concordia though.
If you want to do finance, study finance. You don't need a law degree.
What would be a better way to "stand out" and align myself better for IB or Hedge funds?
Good work experience, extracurriculars, and grades. Network and do those things and you will stand out in the right way.
With all due respect, and I really mean that, your issue is not the school that you're at, but rather your lack of knowledge about the IB industry. Getting a law degree to break into IB or even considering a non-target over a target just because one degree is more mathematical makes absolutely no sense.
Switch to McGill finance and break in that way.
You're right. Thank you!
Switch to McGill Finance. For IB, it will be helpful because Finance program gives you the basic skill set you need for technical interview: accounting and financial statement analysis and modeling. Make sure you get very solid grades in your courses (especially accounting).
You also should network aggressively with bankers to build contacts at major banks and build a story of why you want to do IB. In the process, you get a sense of culture at different bankers and refine your communication skills.
Thank you! Will do!
I think people on this forum (me included) will tell you to transfer to the highest ranked university possible, just to get the broadest recruitment opportunities possible. As long as you're not an idiot, a communications major at Harvard has a better chance of breaking into IB than an Finance/Econ major at a non-target
Thank you for the advice!
Double Post
Not to discredit you, but Canada and U.S. is different. In U.S., it is the school that matters (history at Harvard go into IB). In Canada, it's the program that matters not the university ranking (aka Western's Ivey, McMaster Health Science are all top of their respective fields despite low university ranking).
Now onto OP's question. You should transfer to McGill undergrad business for its HIM (Honours Investment Management) program to get the best shot in recruitment. Or you can try to transfer to Ivey.
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