What should I study at uni?

Background: I’m a year 12 student (11th grade) living in the UK. I have applied for both UK and US universities (I’m an American citizen). I’m certain that I’m going to follow a career in finance but am uncertain on what I should major in to give me the best chances of joining a HF right out of uni (I know this is hard) or a few years out of uni.

Question: My current plans are to study engineering but can’t seem to get rid of the thought that economics or finance would be better. Does it really matter what I study as long as it’s at a good university?

2 Comments
 
Most Helpful

why do you wanna go into a HF? Why do you like public markets from a buy-side perspective? Are you willing to work 12h a day for at least 60h a week (if you're efficient that is, and during earnings szn you working 15h)? Are you willing to cope with a very high pressure, high stakes job? Are you willing to spend the majority of your free time research and doing analytics? And above all - do you have strong emotional intelligence?

Honestly, you gotta ask yourself all these questions because first off - no job is glamorous. People who succeed in their roles are efficient and most of the time put in far more work in terms of time than everybody else simply because it isn't work for them rather than pleasure. It is a highly competitive field too. But purely with investing you will need the emotional intelligence to perform (which is something that somehow every academic course seems to forget or not touch on)

just study whatever you like most/is your passion that also coincides with a good career financially

 

Ullam sunt tempora quisquam reprehenderit voluptas consequatur quasi. Nihil rem quas est doloribus.

Saepe odio et quae alias est nobis. Velit ipsum velit placeat dolores consequuntur aut. Tempore molestias odio in. Enim molestiae nihil sed quod doloremque dolores aut. Reiciendis eaque possimus odit est quis. Ipsum nesciunt quia et cum facilis labore.

Ea est vel non maiores. Et sunt enim ut quos fugiat placeat et. Est unde quas a illo quam nisi. Sit vitae vel laborum quas. Omnis dolor ipsa eius totam sequi iusto veritatis.

Cupiditate fugiat laborum ab consequatur et facere est ab. Aliquam possimus voluptates sit eum minima quia at. A quasi neque libero culpa laborum. Molestiae repellat odio ipsam debitis aut quisquam alias.

Career Advancement Opportunities

July 2026 Investment Banking

  • Evercore 01 99.4%
  • Moelis & Company 01 98.9%
  • JPMorgan 01 98.3%
  • Guggenheim Partners 01 97.7%
  • Morgan Stanley 07 97.1%

Overall Employee Satisfaction

July 2026 Investment Banking

  • Moelis & Company No 99.4%
  • Evercore No 98.8%
  • Morgan Stanley 01 98.3%
  • BMO Capital Markets 13 97.7%
  • Banco Santander 01 97.1%

Professional Growth Opportunities

July 2026 Investment Banking

  • Evercore 01 99.4%
  • Moelis & Company 01 98.9%
  • Morgan Stanley 06 98.3%
  • Goldman Sachs 01 97.7%
  • JPMorgan 01 97.1%

Total Avg Compensation

July 2026 Investment Banking

  • Vice President (15) $434
  • Associates (46) $258
  • 3rd+ Year Analyst (8) $210
  • 2nd Year Analyst (22) $179
  • Intern/Summer Associate (13) $156
  • 1st Year Analyst (80) $150
  • Intern/Summer Analyst (73) $101
notes
16 IB Interviews Notes

“... there’s no excuse to not take advantage of the resources out there available to you. Best value for your $ are the...”

Leaderboard

1
redever's picture
redever
99.2
2
BankonBanking's picture
BankonBanking
99.0
3
kanon's picture
kanon
99.0
4
Secyh62's picture
Secyh62
99.0
5
CompBanker's picture
CompBanker
98.9
6
dosk17's picture
dosk17
98.9
7
DrApeman's picture
DrApeman
98.9
8
GameTheory's picture
GameTheory
98.9
9
Betsy Massar's picture
Betsy Massar
98.9
10
Mimbs's picture
Mimbs
98.8
success
From 10 rejections to 1 dream investment banking internship

“... I believe it was the single biggest reason why I ended up with an offer...”