Business School Dilemma MSc Fin
Hey everyone, I wanted to share a bit of my journey and get some honest thoughts.
I graduated from undergrad last year and recently decided to take the GMAT and apply to MSc Finance programmes in the UK. I aimed for the top London schools, but things didn’t go as planned.
LSE rejected me outright. LBS interviewed me, and it actually went really well (it lasted 75 minutes instead of the scheduled 45), but I was ultimately rejected. I think it was probably down to my GMAT. Imperial offered me a place on their Finance and Accounting course, but since my goal is to work in long/short investing or start off at ER, so I withdrew my application.
I’ve committed to the MSc Finance and Investment at Edinburgh. I know it’s not one of the top-ranked programmes, but I’m genuinely passionate about investing and believe that where I go to university shouldn’t dictate my career. Still, that’s the dilemma.
How much does the school you attend actually matter when trying to break into investing, especially if you’re not coming from a traditional feeder?
Would appreciate any insight from people who’ve made it from non-targets, or who’ve seen others do it. Was the school brand a major roadblock, or did things like networking, stock pitching, and developing a track record matter more?
Make it seem to me or what? I have some people on Reddit telling me I wont ahcieve my career goals without such unis and I like to believe otherwise. What are you guys seeing in the industry and what do you think?
Here is some BG info about my experience:
F&B start-up experience (research-focused but drove good output of 64% sales increase), 6 months IBD offcycle internship @ elite boutique, 6 months data analyst doing comp consulting (sounds super technical, it isnt). For extracarriculars, I have good philanthropic work and also society-work @ UG, chairman and also initiated events at school. Would appreciate input on the course and advice given my BG. Thanks!
Rejecting Imperial for Edinburgh wasn't the best decision. Your romantic notions of your school not defining you and whatnot sound great on paper, but attending a non-target MSc will make your life unnecessarily difficult.
But the Fin & Acc course doesnt even align w my career goals? Its not even aligned with CFA curriculum and places in audit, I already had offers for audit since post-grad. Also, difficult ig doesnt mean impossible? Surely I can still find my way through
It's pretty much the same curriculum as the MFin barring one or two extra accounting courses. Don't know where you got the audit placement thing from, majority of the class places in finance roles according to their career report. In any case, uni brand name > course content. Going to Edinburgh vs a lower London target is just silly.
Should have went for Imperial IMO, FA and MSc Finance not treated differently by employer's. Regardless, you will struggle to place if you didn’t attend undergrad in the UK
I did, went to Bath. Regarding your point about the employers seeing it as the same, it still isn’t and while yes the goal is to get employed, I’m definitely not going to walk into the fog and do a course that isn’t aligned with my career aspirations just so that it’ll propel me toward an interview (even thats not guaranteed given what some people have told me from Imperial and the likes). Wouldn’t that mindset get me doomed?
The F&A is quite similar to the MFin in terms of course structure, derivatives is a core module and you can take more advanced electives for ER stuff that crosses over between both courses, this is a non issue imo.
Its such basic derivatives compared to MSc Fin’s and not many useful electives vs an MSc Fin
Had a similar experience at lbs, great interview but waitlisted till class of 26. What were your stats ? I’m curious about what we have in common that didn’t make us break in
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