I HATE LSE
For all those people who think LSE is such a great school... Don't read this rant as I may just put you off.
I completed two years of a BSc at LSE. The first year was ok... Doable courses but still quite hard a times. We had a choice between Accounting & Finance and a Maths module. A choice? Not really. We were forced to do the Maths module as 'it would help us in year 2'. Did it? Not at all. I wish I chose Accounting & Finance instead. Would have aced banking interviews, had a more all rounded education and been able to do further accounting/valuation courses. But now I can't.
The economics module in year 1 was INCREDIBLY hard esp for those who did not have an econ background. A friend of mine who came to LSE a year after me could swap it to a much easier econ course. Therefore he had more time for ECs and time to focus on the other modules. Lucky! Again - there was no 'choice' for me other then to struggle with this horrible module. (I still averaged a first in year 1.)
Year 2 was the worst. I had a series of personal problems overlapping with ridiculously hard modules which took up so much time. Little did I know that they were soon going to introduce a new course - Statistics with Finance - which is what I swapped too.
Exams went ok despite my own issues. I then had to defer my year because my personal problems spiralled out of hand. I had a decent academic tutor who agreed that it was ok. Came back to uni this year having confirmed my modules with my tutor well in advance. And guess what? the timetables office causes 2 modules to clash with the other 2. Just when I wanted to give LSE a fresh start they start making my life hard again.
So I spend my freshers week finding suitable modules to replace these. I find modules, get my tutor to confirm them, contact the registry office etc and that whole process took about 1.5 weeks. I had to completely swap 2 modules which meant shifting all my books, printing out different notes etc. I started to settle in and all of a suddenly my tutor emails saying they made a mistake and can't let me do one of the modules anymore... Wtf. I don't have time to pick a whole new module - and learn it from the start (we are 3 weeks in term now). Worst of all I sent 30+ job applications with this module on my CV and if I don't do this then I will have to retract all applications and do them over. Ontop of that I already confirmed my course titles and started all the research/gathering books/notes/reading up etc. They are really messing with my head now.
Our so called 'world class' careers service is a load of crap too. I have been going to them for 3 years now for help. When I show them my applications they to wow this is strong etc and you should get interviews. I get rejected and go back to them and suddenly they start finding faults. I change it and improve and the same thing happens over and over. Also some of the advice they give is so generic or just nonsense. People on here have given me more quality advice then anyone else. First of all its next to impossible to get an appointment. secondly try asking them any specific question about IB recruitment and they have no idea. It's a mad house. WSO has taught me 1000x more in one day then I have gained from them in 3 years which is a real shame. Funnily enough now when I haven't gone to them and started applying I seem to be doing better.... Lol
Just to break another myth I often read on here... LSE is a target school BUT its not a golden ticket to an interview. Loads and loads of my friends work in audit, operations etc... And a lot of them don't even land FO interviews. So having LSE on your CV doesn't do much for you. Maybe at Masters level it does...
Office hours/support are rubbish. Several Asian students (no racism implied) surround the tutor with 'I don't understand this line in the whole fat book' questions so the lecturer has no time to help you with your lack of understanding of general concepts. Class teachers also are quite unhelpful in general because of the problem above. And that's it - your on your own as friends claim they don't understand anything either (LSE culture - to lie and jump above the rest). So you struggle...alone.
Positives: Lecturers can be good depending on what you study. They give you coursepacks so you don't always need books etc. You can make some good friends as there are some quality people out there (who often sympathise with the above).
I want to leave this crap uni and move to a better one. I'm fed up with this uni and I think it's extremely poor. I regret coming here. :(
LSE undergraduate, hedge fund summer before college, M&A at a bulge bracket freshman summer and several offers/interviews for next summer.
Haven't set a foot at the careers office once.
How did you land the HF before college?
The careers office is just there to get companies to give presentations. LSE is one of the absolute top-tier universities in the world when it comes to finance and probably the best in Europe. Leaving, unless you have an offer for Harvard / Wharton, would be a mistake.
Only people I've met who say they hated the LSE were people not in the AU. AU = campus experience at the LSE. If you're not part of the AU, you're just taking classes in London.
SonnyZH - I'm assuming you are European as an M&A BB internship at a BB is next to impossible in freshman year unless your related to someone... Or you are one if the lucky few where things actually work out (I know several of these people too but they often go from spring week to summer to grad offer)
Asatar - even if the uni experience is beyond depressing?
F.Ro Jo - I've been part of the AU since I started uni and even reached a high level in one sport. I still don't like LSE...
1st's in a mainstream sport?
Sonny, what does distressed M&A at a bulge bracket mean. That doesn't exist.
FIG group, not in the UK. Distressed asset manager's M&A post-regulations.
Yes - a mainstream sport nothing small like floor ball, Met some decent people through there... But I don't like the uni itself. (My post above does mention there being some quality people here)
Congrats Sonny btw on your offers/life so far. Are you aiming for IBD or Trading or something else?
Currently at LSE. Doing philosophy and economics now. I don't think the course here are hard. The teaching way is different than american schools cuz LSE really expects you to know, at least some of your shits before you take the course/go to the class. AU is awesome, and the social life in the city is incomparable.
For academics, I think if you put your time into it, you will get a good grade. I never go to the office hour, and seldom go to the lecture. So, i enjoy everything here.........My friend who studies econ here without any previous experience still got a lot of IBD interviews from BB and other companies.
Just saying
Dude, welcome to going to a top school. I'm not sure what you were expecting. Top Ivies may have it a little easier in that recruiters do OCR but the workload is certainly comparable if not worse. What you're describing sounds like the situation at any major European banking target (LSE, Bocconi, ESADE, St. Gallen, HEC).
Xiape - yup I wasn't referring to the entir LSE. A lot of people I know on courses like philosophy and econ like it. I was mainly talking about the quantitative courses - who don't tend to join the AU haha
Goodbread - it's not the workload I'm whining about - its the crap treatment and organisation of the school and general lack of support.
Sounds like you're moaning because life isn't handed to you on a plate anymore...
I go to LSE. Its not the best ever uni but its definitely much better then other universities out there. Stick it out and move onto something else in life... just like the rest of us.
FYI, your competition doesn't need the help of careers service. Sorry your CV isn't preftigious enough bro. You always have the big 4.
What do you want? To do absolutely no work at all, coast through, enjoy the London nightlife, and land your dream job? Wake the fuck up. This is your only opportunity to forge a direction for yourself. Instead of complaining about how exams are too hard (I mean WTF is that about?) or the careers service won't find me a job, how about you go do something for yourself?
NewGuy - thats not true. I know people who got into GS FO roles, for example, who used the careers service.
FinancialNovicell - I think you misunderstood the post. I'm not complaining the exams are too hard (well - I hope it doesn't appear that way). I'm complaining about the lack of general support, bad organisation of timetables/modules, lack of proper modules which actually teach you what you need to know for a job (e.g. I see so many roles which require computer programming but we don't have anything for this), and the general 'LSE is the best school' image being unture. I am doing stuff myself - doesn't mean I shouldn't complain.
Its undergrad, hardly anything you're taught is directly applicable to a career or a job immediately. LSE is a good school but it does have a slight 'overrated' image to it too (UCL is better IMO), but your complaints arent really justified. Specialized skills are only applicable if you majored in that subject. You cant expect computer programming to be available to a general student, its not good business on their part. And jobs directly out of undergrad rarely require specialist skills like that but are only recommended. You have to be adaptable, be eager to learn those skills rather then expect to be provided the opportunity to taught them. Even if they were provided as a supplement of sorts to those looking at the finance world, how many students, realistically, are going to take them? 30%? If we're lucky that is. Not feasible at all and naive of you to think this would work or should be available.
Again, careers services suck, just really bad throughout the UK. Most universities coast based on their reputation and location (as places like Cass Business do) rather then really provide any real substantial advice. Learn that now. Use their services, in terms of using job placements, but actually asking questions is a waste of time. Its better to learn your trade by sending out CVs, getting friends to read them, network, etc. Sorry if my post was harsh, it seemed like you're expecting too much from undergrad.
Aren't you contradicting yourself here? By the sounds of it, the problem is not the careers service. It's you. Sorry you're a subpar candidate bro. There's always Tesco graduate schemes.
If you thinking SNAFUs occur too frequently at the LSE, wait till you're in the professional world.
Fair point and good advice tbh. Just needed my rant but what you have said is completely true. Just going to make the most out of my final year! :)
What programme are you in?
From your description of what's going on it's near impossible to figure out what BSc you're taking?
I'm thinking of applying to LSE for either Accounting & Finance or something less quantitative. Knowing what you now know, what would you recommend?
I think you're oversimplifying a bit here, but I totally understand where you're coming from - I did a masters at LSE, and had lots of complaints - the overcrowding, the facilities, the IT shortcomings, some of the culture - but other than that I learned to really love the LSE - people were great, the City is incredible of course, and the school's got its quirks but its also got a really cool character. No other school like it in the world. But you certainly have to look out for your own success, both in career and academics. The LSE system is definitely a 'learn what you want, when you want, how you want' type system and it's stressful for some, I know it drives a lot of people crazy (I literally saw a US girl have a mental breakdown by the NAB once during revisions).
But it could be worse - Oxford undergrads have to take all 3 years of exams over a few weeks at the end of their entire 3 year program. A classmate who was an undergrad at Oxford said that a girl by her in the library mentally snapped under the pressure, and calmly took a sharp number two pencil and pressed it through her left forearm - needless to say this young woman didn't take the exams that year, but she did come back and pass them the next year.
Recruiting is tough because it's London, and you're up against tons of great candidates - all the Oxford and Cambridge kids want those jobs too. But the LSE name carries well in the US and throughout Europe. About 1/4 of my program (mainly the younger set) ended up going to either McKinsey or BCG entry level positions, one went to Gates Foundation, several are at World Bank, EBRD, UN and other great programs, many in London but many in their home nations. Of course, most of these guys worked hard through their own networks, LSE alums, etc. and did not rely at all on the careers center, which I agree is not the best in the world. This is partly because the LSE is so crowded that the careers center is really stretched pretty thin, so you've got to grind a bit harder but the offers will come if you get creative. It is NOT like being in a top US b school where you are basically on a treadmill toward good solid jobs.
I do realize LSE tends to be better for postgrad than undergrad, but you're really close, I'd just finish it out. Grind it. I think you'll find it's worth it. And enjoy London. LSE students by and large study way too hard and don't party hard enough (another primary complaint) but the ones who do party are typically epically awesome people.
Where would you rather go? Kings? UCL? Here http://www.schooleconomicscience.org/ ?
Thank you kind sir.
I also think LSE is over-hyped, but not for any of the reasons you mention.
University is primarily a social learning experience, about growing up, becoming independent and taking your life in your hands. Not being cuddled by lecturers or your careers service is an important part of that.
What LSE misses is a multi-faculty environment, where people have a diversity of interests, perspectives, and most importantly ambitions. 80% of all students want to work in finance. Ultimately that makes it dull, and in my personal experience of meeting/interviewing many LSE graduates, people who studied there are less well-rounded and less interesting people to work with (on average).
Have to completely disagree on the diversity part, at least in masters. In my programme I had former lawyers, doctors, an aerospace engineer, public servants, consultants, people from all forms of NGOs/multilaterals/UN/Peace Corps etc, Clinton Foundation, energy sector people, and a cancer scientist/microbiologist. I came from a banking background but I was in the minority (
Have to completely disagree on the diversity part, at least in masters. In my programme I had former lawyers, doctors, an aerospace engineer, public servants, consultants, people from all forms of NGOs/multilaterals/UN/Peace Corps etc, Clinton Foundation, energy sector people, and a cancer scientist/microbiologist. I came from a banking background but I was in the minority (http://viewer.zmags.com/publication/5d324263#/5d324263/8 to this http://www.admin.cam.ac.uk/univ/camdata/undergraduate.html#destinations.
At LSE, ~43% of students go into finance or consulting. At Cambridge, a multi-faculty university, that number is ~22%.
Why on earth would you want to spend your university years with the same narrow band of people you will end up working with?
Caelannn - the title of my degree is in the initial post :D
frgna - you are right about the positives about LSE - i do agree with them as well as the negatives. i just wish i had gone to another 'easier' uni - had more fun - then done a postagrad course here - and focused on 'work' later. this is what i regret. but its too late. just going to stick it out then figure out what to do with my life. recruiting is better for postgrad then undergrad for sure.
however i agree with PorcineAviation 's comment. LSE people are (generally) dull. Put me next to a student at Manchester or something. Yes I may have finance experience, ECs, solid grades etc etc etc but I'm mega boring compared to the frat kid who was a bar manager, trades stocks for fun, studies law and is president of an entrepreneurial society and who has travelled across 10 countries during his gap year. LSE is really 'over-focused' on work, work, work, no play, more work which is the worst type of person for IBD imo (i know they work very hard but they are also able to talk about random stuff). the 80% stat is pretty accurate for undergrad's though rather then postgrads. This is why a lot of LSE end up in trading - number crunching is all we can do imo.
However, in our defence, the courses are hard so its harder to be 'all rounded'. I compared the content to what other universities study and we learn a lot of stuff much earlier then others do. also every year counts so we are 'working' from day 1. Sometimes I look at my CV though and sigh and think gosh I'm so boring :S Theres limited opportunity to be interesting within LSE as most societies are asian-dominated (again for their CVs) so its very hard to get passionate about everything (because they turn everything into a political game). Do your own thing outside of uni I say!
(I'm only referring to the 'quant' people... im sure the philosophy, geography etc people are more well-rounded).
Plenty of LSE kids do just fine. You're just not cut out for it.
NewGuy - do you have a personal vendetta against me or something? Your posts are quite dismissive.
Don't listen to NewGuy, he's the biggest striver (and unfunny troll) on WSO.
I think 'Finance' is used too generally in the above statistic. This includes back/middle office positions at financial firms. I know first class students working in audit for example. They are in this 43%.
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