Best European Target for a Non EU
I know the caveats of applying as a non-eu in Europe for non technical roles. I am a polyglot with a B2 in Italian, a B1 in German and French and am planning to learn Dutch as well but I am from a non-EU country. I have already gotten in Bocconi (BIEM) with a 100% tuition waiver and I am planning on applying to RSM as well as HSG. I am planning on doing my masters in Europe targeting the same schools I mentioned plus HEC, ESSEC and the usual UK targets (I do not plan on doing my Bachelors in the UK because it is terribly expensive and not affordable for my family to provide me with 100000 GBP+ for three years whereas European B schools are less expensive and and one has already given me a scholarship).My career plans mostly range on primarily working in consulting and secondarily going into the academia. For consulting, assuming hopefully top percentile grades and other accolades, which European targets for bachelors would suit my career well? I just need a reassurance that the path I am planning to follow which is Bocconi BIEM > UK/EU masters with good grades and language credentials> MBB/T2 or IB would be feasible?
If you have a 100% tuition why not go there. But then BIEM is more economics focused than HSG and RSM so depends what type of courses you want to follow :)
Thanks for this, I just wanted to know that even with the waiver, is breaking into MBB feasible for me as non EU student in Europe or London with Bocconi’s BIEM being a starter?
Of course, it will be harder. I would lie if I said the opposite :)
Ok but please don’t say “polyglot”, ever.
Ahaha sure i didnt know any other word for it
I’ll probably get downvoted for this but:
You’re not a polyglot if you achieved B1/B2 across different languages. Anything below C1 is useless and even then, you’d have to be as proficient as your native counterparts to be considered a polyglot for front office roles.
At this point if you can, I’d strongly encourage strengthening your Italian and French skills and achieving C1 asap (talk to natives 24*7 if possible). German and Dutch have no overlaps with the former two.
Re- bachelors: do it wherever you want, at a decent uni if within Europe. I’d have strongly advised you to get into target UK programs since this is targeted by HR at banks more (besides you get like 3 shots at recruiting: Spring, SA and FT/OC). Say you get your bachelors from LSE or a uni of a similar tier, I don’t see why you’d need a Masters then (saving more money and time relative to your current plan). Would also be useful if you can get a few finance internships for the summer from your native country in case you can’t get anything in the UK (because sometimes it so happens for non-EU/non-Brit folks that they might not have any internships lined up unless they come from Oxbridge/LSE and hence may have as not competitive of a CV for SA/FT recruiting like their counterparts)
Thank you so much for an answer. Yes I am planning on going at LEAST C1 in Italian, German and French in the next 3 years. The issue with going to a target UK uni is that I just genuinely cannot afford the three year long expense. Bocconi is giving me a full scholarship and UK unis are charging me 25000+ pounds in tuition (for someone in a 3rd world country this is extraordinarily expensive) plus the high LDN COL, it is genuinely unrealistic for me to manage that for 3 years. But 1-2 years for a much more valuable degree, ie, Masters (at least in seniority), I can most probably manage it or try to manage it through a loan. Plus Bocconi already has a good reputation in LDN and a UK masters along with it would only help me get jobs. Since I am also otw to reach a C1 and possibly C2 in Italian in about an year, I feel like internships in Italy wont be as exceptionally hard as compared to a situation where I have no Italian and would be possible with good grades. I will also apply for native internships but idk if I will get any good internships in India from Bocconi. So how about Bocconi BIEM + Italian Internship > UK Masters > London MBB/T2, would that be possible? Because this is the only financially viable option for me to get myself recruited in London.
On language: It's relevant that Europeans have extremely high standards. There are less cases that need German than there are people from DACH-countries in London. Staffing will pick only whoever is best suited for the case, and they will almost always have natives or near-natives available. So why would they pick Mr. B1 (you)? A consultant who speaks B1/B2 is of no use to anyone. So if you want the languages to be useful, note what the others have said, and don't add a useless elementary proficiency before you've gotten to fluency in the first three.
On school: Bocconi is a phenomenal school, and absolutely a target. Don't think twice! - if it's not affordable to go to a more costly school, then the 100% tuition waiver should be the determining factor, unless you get full ride at others too. And if you're worried about being compared negatively to other schools (again, Bocconi is definitely a target... for Americans on the forum, this is like someone insecure about a full ride at Dartmouth because maybe they can get Princeton), put the scholarship on your resume.
PS: Studying at Bocconi is a great way to get the Italian up to fluent levels! That way you have three useful proficiencies: English, Italian, and whatever your native is.
for the language: my purpose of calling myself a polyglot was slightly different but it is my fault that my meaning was misconstrued. What I meant was that I am pursuing a C level certification at minimum for all the above mentioned languages especially German and Italian and partially French. My C1 exams in Italian are in June of 2023 about 3 months before my Bachelor session begins and my B2 German examination is about the same time as well. I am aiming on finishing my C level pursuit of German and Italian by the end of my 1st or 2nd year. So I would be close to native fluency by the time I graduate, at least I hope so. (also my native is actually hindi ahaha)
for the school: thank you so much for that I just needed some reaffirmation that I am going on the right path
What did you end up doing? Would love to know
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