Am I screwed because I went to a non-target undergrad university???

Currently studying in a Swiss university (not HSG). 

I want to end up in IB in London or HK or NYC (but I know it's impossible to end up in either NYC or HK due to the visa and language situation respectfully). 

In my mind it was clear, go to either LSE, LBS, ICL, or Warwick for a MSc in finance, and break into IB

But recently, I've seen numerous discouraging threads about the "master's glitch" where people think they can get into IB in London without any SA roles/internships, and just by having a brand name university on their profile. 

Tbh, I don't have any "relevant" SA internships at boutique/BB groups. And I was hoping to get into those big London schools for my MSc and break into IB relatively quickly. 

Am I screwed? 

Will I not end up in IB/S&T/AM after spending £60k??

Am I screwed?

Yes, just try to find a job in Switzerland
54% (26 votes)
No, LSE,LBS,ICL,etc recruit a lot from MSc
46% (22 votes)
Total votes: 48
16 Comments
 
Most Helpful

All of the schools you mentioned (except Warwick, which is significantly weaker at the postgrad level) are targeted by banks, and you can recruit from either one of them. But I'd say it's borderline impossible to break in these days without directly relevant experience. A brand-name uni is the bare minimum, not a golden ticket. I've spoken to graduates from these schools, and significantly stronger profiles than yours have struggled to secure a spot. Your chances would be abysmal by comparison. On the other hand, I personally know of several countrymen of mine that have managed to grab GS/MS/JPM OC internships in London, just by virtue of having solid boutique IB experience in our country and a brand-name MSc. Take from that what you will.

 

Why is there such a big difference between UG and PG? I thought that Warwick is decent and that either level of study can bring similar outcome.

 

Yeah but how do I even get experience when I have to have a Master's degree for most entry level roles in my country?

And getting accepted to a SA role in even a boutique in the UK is hard coming from a non-target...

 

davideathnote02

Yeah but how do I even get experience when I have to have a Master's degree for most entry level roles in my country?

And getting accepted to a SA role in even a boutique in the UK is hard coming from a non-target...

dont aim for bb's rn just go for consultancy in mid tier or regional firms or if you are lucky enough find a boutique and work for a year

 

You won't find a lot of opportunities in Switzerland as a student they prefer Swiss nationals.

 

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