Catolica/Nova SBE or waiting to apply next year

I've just finished High-school in Portugal. I want to pursue a career in Finance.

I have an overall equivalent to a 3.7 GPA (unweighted).

19/20 on the Math national exam, 18,5/20 on the Physics/Chemistry one and 18,8/20 on the Biology/Geology exam.

Won a regional entrepreneurship competition and a prize on the national science fair. I'm currently participating in another two science competitions, one national and another one international, and started participating in a local Toastmasters club.

I'm certain to get admitted to either Nova or Catolica Lisbon, and I wouldn't have to pay tuition at Catolica. I'm also obviously late to apply for British or American schools.

Should I go to one of these two, or take a "gap year" and apply to a more prestigious foreign Uni for 2017/2018, since I intend to work outside Portugal? Could I even get better than these with my curriculum? (Maybe Bocconi, LSE or similiar?)

5 Comments
 

From what I've seen around here, consensus seems to be that undergrad doesn't matter that much. I'm still hesitant though, as my objective is to work outside Portugal (reported salary for entry level analysts here is less than 1k per month, for example). I'm not sure going to Catolica or Nova would allow me to get placement outside the country early on.

 

I would probably take one of the schools (you are a better judge of which one is better than me) and go for a fancy master at LSE/LBS etc. That will make you employable everywhere in europe. Both portuguese schools are viewed as good in europe and so admission to top masters shouldn't be a problem if you do well and check all the other boxes.

 

Thanks for responding. What if I wanted to work in the US though? I'm assuming I would probably need to attend school there, either undergrad, masters or an MBA. Can studying in Portugal impair my ability to do post grad there? Or would I be better off waiting to apply to an US school for undergrad?

 

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