Questions from a Korean high schooler
I’m attending a traditional high school (non international school) and for a non American i’m pretty talented at English compared to my peers and naturally I wanted to pursue a career in the US, specifically consulting or IB but it seems I have no shot at all even if I go to SKY (the top 3 universities in Korea) So I dug around and found a few ways to do undergrad abroad which was 1. Attempt to transfer to UCLA/Berkeley via community college and 2. go to UofT and lastly going to university of Sydney. Would any of these boost my chances of breaking into US IB/consulting or would I need a US MBA to even have a chance. Thanks
Based on the most helpful WSO content, here’s what you need to know:
Transferring to UCLA/Berkeley via Community College: This is a viable option if you can successfully transfer to a top-tier US school like UCLA or Berkeley. These schools are semi-targets for IB and consulting, meaning they have some presence in recruiting pipelines, but you’ll still need to hustle to stand out. Being in the US for undergrad also gives you access to internships, networking opportunities, and the F-1 (OPT) visa, which can be critical for securing a job post-graduation.
University of Toronto (UofT): UofT is a strong school, but for breaking into US IB/consulting, it’s not ideal. Canadian schools like Ivey and Queens are better for finance roles in Canada and have some placement into US firms, but as an international student, you’d face additional visa challenges. UofT might not provide the same level of access to US opportunities as a top US school would.
University of Sydney: While the University of Sydney is a reputable institution, it’s not a target for US IB/consulting recruiting. Breaking into the US market from Australia would be extremely challenging, and you’d likely need a US MBA or another graduate degree to have a realistic shot.
Key Takeaways:
Let me know if you need advice on navigating the transfer process or MBA applications!
Sources: The future of Hong Kong high finance, The future of Hong Kong high finance, IBD Barriers to Entry For Canadians and How to Overcome Them, Canadian vs USA vs International unis, https://www.wallstreetoasis.com/forum/investment-banking/didnt-make-it-to-a-target-now-what?customgpt=1
did you not hear the h1b news?
considering hed be looking for internships/a job in 4-5 years it doesn’t matter
can you tell me how it doesn’t matter? I did some more research on the new H-1B changes and honestly its looking quite grim for me. Thanks
Why r u so certain that situations wont aggregate down the next 4-5yrs
Just work in Korea or try to make your way to HK. Not sure how doable SG is. The H1B news is devastating for you. People will say when Trump is gone it will change but it won’t. Biden did nothing to try to reverse what Trump did wrt immigration in his 4 years so there is no reason to believe the next president will reverse this. Not to mention JD Vance is the current odds on favour to be the next POTUS.
SG very slim as well unless OP is truly talanted in trading.
forgive me if its completely wrong since I’m not extremely well versed with this but would a top tier MBA change things?
Not a lot unless u r an exprienced hire. Ask that to SKY->M7 graduates in korean local securities/AM firms
Impossible. Grind the f out and get into SKY and network ur ass off into the hakhoes then u might be able to break into HK korean desk at some day. Although tons of luck and nepotism is involved and grinding is painful but suck it up korea is essentially a dead end for finance its an inherited sin for koreans. If you think u cant bare it just give up on finance.
Blame koreans who want to regulate and sabotage free economy cuz they essentially eradicated high finance jobs in SK. Imo attending Hku would make ur life much easier than going down a well-known community college - UC backdoor path cuz no one takes the latter seriously. You would have much better odds going to mid in-seoul ones and grinding ur ass off for KICPA rather than the latter icl.
damn that’s brutal…thanks
Reach out to some korean finance bros 'outside' of that stupid yeoido bubble and ull figure out why a lucrative career outside of medschool is nonexistent in SK.
SKY->HK/SG(only if u can cut into macro HF/FX trading) is your best bet. Network hard and be ready to suck ur seniors dick. Stack ur profile with 3-4 offcycles/Cfa lv2/Club leadership positions and Hakhoe and then u will be able to land ur analyst seat at the age of 28~29.(assuming that ur korean male)
Preferrably go to SNU cuz lateraling to other regions with non SNU degree is less viable without nepotism and alumni pull from intl/foreign/Global/private/usual suspects of prestigous korean high schs. Or opt out for M7 MBA/LBS/Insead/HEC after working FT in SK for 2-3 yrs.
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I was in your shoes a few years ago, realistically the SKY -> hwakhae -> HK BB route is the furthest you can go. I am a student at one of the SKY unis and our banking clubs consistently place a few individuals into HK IB every year. Never seen anyone go directly to SG as the other comments said. I understand you’re looking for a career in NY, but if we’re talking about Korea, UofT or U of Sydney won’t help at all because there are plenty of Koreans who return to Korea from Ivy/Oxbridge/etc to pursue IB/PE/consulting in Seoul. Even those individuals often say SKY is better if you’re looking for a career in Seoul
If you have any questions regarding the SKY -> IB/MBB pipeline, I can help you out as well. But my advice would be to do whatever it takes to get into SKY and then start from there
Hello thanks so much for your reply can I ask you some questions in dms?
You're right that going to SKY doesn't help with NYC recruiting at all. Regardless, if you can get into SKY, I might suggest doing so, as your other options don't look the best. SKY is extremely prestigious in Korea, and you can basically get any job you want, which will help with MBA recruiting in the US. Now, I'll address your other viewpoints.
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