2018 guide (obviously based on my experience and from various rankings)
TARGET: Oxbridge, LSE, LBS, IBS
STRONG SEMI: Warwick, UCL
SEMI: Cass, Edinburgh, Bath, Manchester, Durham
Other SEMI: Exeter, Queen Mary, Bristol, Kings, and so on through the Russel Group.
Decent chances to get a FO job but not so much in auge: Royal Holloway, Loughborough etc.
NON
You agree?
IBS? Imperial business school?! Well we now know where you go hahahaha. No way it's the level of LSE and Oxbridge, and above UCL and Warwick. Imperial is only targeted for hard sciences and engineering majors, since these kids are extremely smart. I laugh at IBS whenever I screen resume.
I don't go to Imperial. However, I disagree with what you've said. ICBS has solid placement in London IB and has arguably the hardest MSc Finance course in the country. Anecdotally, a lot of guys I know on the programme got very high grades at good undergrad programmes in economics and mathematics.
How would you rank the Master's at Imperial, UCL and Warwick compared to eachother?
For MSc, it is not divided like how OP laid it out. For UK masters, we only look at LBS, LSE, Oxbridge. These are the targets masters. Warwick, UCL, Imperial masters are good, but whenever we see these, we will look at undergrad to see if they did anything interesting at a target. The hardest course, assuming what you said is true, does not equate good placement. Perception of your uni, fair or not, largely determines where you get interviews.
Overall, European masters are much more popular here in the City.
Fair enough on the rankings point. So for full disclosure, ICBS was one of the three MSc choices I considered and I looked into the career placement from it.
According to the careers report, MSc Finance students have placed in BAML, Barclays, Blackstone, BNPP, Citi, Commerzbank, Credit Suisse, Deutsche Bank, Goldman, HSBC, Lazard, Macquarie, Moelis, Morgan Stanley, Nomura, RBC, Roths, SocGen, StanChart, UBS.
Fair enough, we don't know whether this was for FO and we don't know what % of students placed. But LinkedIn yields similar results.
I ended up going to one of the two other London universities you mentioned - but I still know friends at ICBS doing well. So I wouldn't call ICBS a joke, though saying it isn't at the level of LSE or LBS may be fair.
I echo that. I have few friends there. Great career outcomes, great faculty and learning outcomes. I mean, if you want the best career service in the UK you have to pick LBS Anyway, Little Internship + IBS > No internship + LSE hands down imho
Toughts on St. Andrew?
St Andrews places well into Citi/Barclays (both IBD and S&T), and sends at least one to BAML, LAZ, and Evercore every year consistently. I'd say it is a semi target. This is only for Undergrad.
It's pretty hard to come up with a fully exhaustive list, but if you're including some of the universities there then you should also drop in Nottingham and St. Andrews.
Realistically, once you get below a certain university, I think it's worth trying to go for a continental European school instead. For example, unless you are a British national, I'd pick RSM or a WHU over a Queen Mary.
Lads I'm not enrolled in master, and to be honest I'm looking for a good one to apply.. I want to be in London, and I think if my app with LSE, IBS, Warwick and CASS will not be successful, I'll try with QM or Edinburgh If you have advices are accepted.. I haven't the GMAT I'm French but I want to be in London/UK.. So I'm not considering RSM WHU and so on. Exception could be Bocconi or Politecnico of Milan or LUISS (all of these in Italy)
Logistically it'd be easier to remain in London but most London-based FO recruiters would prefer to see a top German or Dutch school over a QM. However, if you have good workexp / a solid undergrad brand name it wouldn't be a deal-breaker.
Lol Royal Holloway
bump
I believe if u want FO after Masters program in London, I would go: Oxbridge, LBS, LSE and Imperial(harder to get FO but still good program)
All else are a lot harder to get FO I think.
Warwick
Are these MsC programs worth it if you don't have any prior IB internships? Asking because I am interested in UK IBD but I only have PWM experience.
I believe the best choice for someone without prior IB internships is LBS's MiM. Are there any other good MiM or MsC programs in UK that places well in London IBD that are longer than 1 year?
Longer than 1 year in UK is quite impossible unless you pick a global course or a double degree lad
So there isn't another program with an optional extended term like LBS MiM?
Do you know how likely it is to get a SA position after you're done with the one year programs? Applying right before the 1 year program starts.
I heard IB experience varies with countries. If I do a unpaid internship at a tiny boutique in the US would that benefit me for London FT recruitment after a one year MsC program?
Any opinions on GMAT vs GRE? LSE state that they strongly prefer GMAT, but Cambridge only accepts GRE?
Pick the one that makes you more practical
Not sure what you mean by more practical? I was just wondering if someone had successfully applied to both LSE and Cambridge with only the GRE or GMAT?
How do you guys think European schools like HEC, ESSEC and Bocconi does in London?
HEC and Bocconi are very strong in London. ESSEC not bad, but obviously they're better in Paris placement. Look at this: https://news.efinancialcareers.com/uk-en/218782/the-top-universities-fo…
Or https://news.efinancialcareers.com/uk-en/274288/summer-interns-goldman-…
Is quite clear, LSE, Oxbridge, Imperial, Warwick, UCL etc. win
So would you suggest it's better to get a job in Paris and then lateral to London?
Know one guy from a BB IB who went t HEC. Half of his social circle in HEC are in BB in London
Warwick is a target, and I would rather go there than at Imperial any day.
If your goal is breaking into the City, if I were you I'd apply to Oxbridge, LSE, LBS, Warwick and Imperial in the UK, HEC and Bocconi in Europe. Maybe HSG as well.
Those are my "tier 1" targets.
Of course Alessiod but I'm wondering which other Uni I could pick in case I get rejections from those targets..
After these ones, my first pick would be Frankfurt, followed by Cass and UCL probably...
Then how do you explain the TOTAL ABSENCE of any BB IBD FO employer/position on Warwick's M.Sc. Finance's Career page.
Whereas the Imperial M.Sc. 2018 Brochure lists them all (and even Blackstone & BlackRock).
I don't know man... : It looks like Warwick seems leagues behind Imperial, in that matter.
For those who are - for some biased reason - shit monkeying me, here's the link to Warwick M.Sc. Fin.'s list of employers & occupations:http://www.wbs.ac.uk/courses/postgraduate/finance/careers/#more
If that looks attractive and strong enough for you as a possible career outcome. Be my guest, enroll there & I wish you the best of luck.
Now, if you ain'y lazy, you could also properly download Imperial's 2018 M.Sc. Brochure on their website.
Here you go. I'm only relying on facts & data published by the schools.
Please feel free to contradict me and come up with constructive and fact-based arguments.
If I'm wrong, I'd like to be aware of it. Thx
How do you guys rank St. Andrews? FinanceGrad @Real Marcus Halberstram" etc.
Good uni, I agree, probably the same level as Edinburgh. There are a decent number from both in IB. I'd personally prefer to study in Edinburgh though as it is a really nice city whereas I've heard St. Andrews is really small.
Visit the city before applying lol
Same level as Edinburgh is imho
Believe common consensus is that the targets in the U.K. are
Super targets: oxbridge Targets: ucl, lse, imperial (sciences only), Warwick (maths and Econ only) Semi targets: Durham, Bristol, etc.
UCL seems to have momentum and strong placement. LSE seems to be losing it a bit. See: https://news.efinancialcareers.com/uk-en/218782/the-top-universities-fo…
UCL as target for postgrad? What a big lol mate ur kidding us?
UCL School of Management's campus is located right there in the heart of Canary Wharf financial district.
So, it wouldn't surprise me at all that its M.Sc. Programs (Finance, Management) place well in the City.
The school hasn't published a comprehensive employment report yet, but the listed employers on the programs' career page include the Tier 1 & Tier 2 BB.
For those of you who keep coming up with 'Oxbridge':
Cambridge has only one pre-experience Master program in its portfolio: and it's the M. Phil. in Management, which is delivered under the Judge Business School umbrella. No detailed data on employment on the program's page (only company names exhaustively listed, just like on the UCL MiM website);
As for Oxford: the Saïd brand is way weaker than the overall Oxford brand (UG). Plus, the MFE is extremely heavily quant-focused (both curriculum & career placement).
I would never put these specific 'Oxbridge' programs above an LBS (MiM or M.F.A. - both include summer internship) or an LSE (G.M.I.M. (2 years) or M.Sc. Finance (absolute ultra target for UK IBD FO)).
Have some judgement & learn to read public employment data. This is how we were able to filter out the US pre-experience Masters (Duke, Ross, Kellogg, UVA) which, aside from their brandnames, are empty, really.
Agree of Judge and Saïd being way wekker than the general respective university brands. However, I don't see in the OP that it needs to be a finance/management related subject. In fact most of the hires I've seen studied nothing close to finance. Engineering and STEM were most notable. But that's my experience.
Yeah exactly mate, engineering as well as economic history at LSE or the classic PPE
Generally agree, but Cambridge has several pre-experience Master programmes. There's also a MPhil in Finance (although research focused)
Since this thread keeps popping up for no reasons, here are a few things I found from just googling to confirm your infos:
-Cambridge has more MPhils than just Management for pre-experience. MPhil Finance and Real Estate are two just on top of my head. They have another MSc Finance but that's post experience.
-Oxford: Said indeed has only MFE (not counting MLF) but this course places over 50% in either ibd (37%) and management consulting (around 20%) from one of the latest brochure (heard from a friend there that this year might be their best year in placement with Blackstone, GS, MS, JPM, PJT ft offers). No idea about curriculum but career placement is definitely not quant.
I had the chance to interview candidates for this year's cycle and honestly if you go to these schools, it doesn't matter to me. You already checked that box. We don't sit around and say to each other oh sh*t this kid goes to Oxbridge or LBS or LSE, doing a master in this course, we have to get them or whatever.
Goldman HR girl came out to campus and told us that SA/FT IBD target for Msc is Oxbridge & LBS. I'm enrolled in one of the three. Pm if you any questions.
Haha you guys make me laugh with terms like 'ultra target' being flung around the place. Have you guys ever considered that it isn't the course that gets people recruited but the calibre of person that the course recruits? The reason that LBS MiM/ LSE finance MSc places so well isn't because the recruiter has an orgasm as soon as they see 'ultra target' on cv but because generally the students have previous ib internships, speak 3 or so languages and top grades and therefore seem to be a good fit. If you have the above qualities you should do well in recruitment whether you go to LBS MiM or Imperial finance and accounting.
I do agree with you mate but don't forget the very important role of a career service
The role of the career service in the UK universities is greatly exaggerated. Most people i know, some that have secured places at PJT, Morgan Stanley etc have never stepped inside the career services. What is more useful though is that there are loads of events where you can meet bank employees as well as the wide range of career related societies on offer.
The thing is: some of the programs offered by LBS (MiM, MFA) & LSE (GMiM) include summer internships in the curriculum. Imperial & UCL lack such an opportunity. One could very well pursue a Summer on his own, after completing his 1-year UK M.Sc.. But I don't know how the banks feel about such applicants (who, theoretically, should be applying for FT positions).
They give you the opportunity to include a summer internship during term time. You still have to apply to the programmes like any other candidate that is doing say a 4 year placement degree or has just graduated. Most banks say for their off cycle programmes that they accept placement people and also people that have just graduated which they define as up to a year after the graduate date.
EU applicant here.
Very well-versed about career outcomes of top UK (Oxford, Cambridge, LBS, LSE) & Continental (HEC) M.Sc. programs.
I'm humbly asking UK grads & other insiders about the other two (lesser known to international applicants) UK M.Sc.: - Imperial - Warwick
We seem to be getting conflicting info on these two programs. And here, I'm strictly speaking M.Sc. Finance. (I'm very well aware that Warwick UG & Imperial Eng. & Sciences are full targets. I'm specifically asking about their graduate business M.Sc. for opening doors to non-UK applicants to UK FO IBD roles in BB).
Sorry for insisting, as this is very important. Thank you so much for your time and effort, if someone has the kindness to enlighten us.
UK citizen here - completed a UK undergrad and doing a MSc in the UK.
Overall (not just for IB)- Imperial is viewed as more prestigious.
Undergrad for IB - equal. There are a lot of Warwick guys at banks, more so than Imperial. However, Warwick has a larger student population (24K) than Imperial (17K) and more tellingly has a higher number of IB-focused courses (Econ, A+F, Management, Maths) than Imperial does (Maths) at the undergrad level.
Postgrad for IB - Imperial- its business school is better located, facilities are top notch, and whilst ICL is known for medicine / engineering / maths, ICBS is building a very respectable brand for itself. On the other hand, I doubt WBS MSc programmes enjoy the same success as the undergrad courses do. Generally, from people who've applied, I get the feeling that WBS is lower down in the pecking order. I see more ICBS guys in IB but that's not a huge sample size.
As a UK guy, I just think ICL and ICBS have more prestige than Warwick. I'd guess 8 out of 10 students would agree with me. The other 2 would be Warwick guys.
In my opinion, it's safer to go for an Oxbridge, LSE name simply because of their world-wide recognition. Sure, if you are dead set on London, schools like Warwick could cut it.
But why not play it safe and just get a GLOBAL brand on your CV? Gives you so many recruiting opportunities outside of the UK as well.
Whats about Cranfields Master of Finance & Management ? Which Jobs will be possible ?
Heard of that uni only for its eng department
Hi I agree with TARGET: Oxbridge, LSE, LBS, IBS. LSB, LSBF are always my first choice to go in 2018.
Masters @top uk uni (Originally Posted: 04/12/2014)
To anyone that has applied to a top uni in the uk for a masters degree, how much emphasis would they place on your internship or work experience? For example if someone did work experience or internship at a top firm would that be an absolute deal maker?
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