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October 31, 2026
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Tbh bro, S&T is more about how much u know about markets (e.g. your own trade account and ideas) and/or if u have a skillset of the desks that is hiring for that year needs (e.g. can pickup dervis quickly, or can code. More the picking stuff up quickly really). Also you need a lotta luck - take it from someone who got lucky.
ICL is seen as a 'target' school. MSC Fin is reasonably good I hear (have friends who did that and ended up in IBD - dunno about the rest of their class), but nothing is a silver bullet, not even a masters at Oxbridge/LSE. S&T is a touch more about meritocracy, especially HFs. I'd actually say S&T is more about being a quick learner, being 'well liked', and just working hard and putting up with shit like that, these days tbh.
Or work on your trade ideas and try come join the buy-side. But be warned, you need to get even more lucky than you did to get into S&T, since there are fewer seats on the buy-side imo (trust me, I've had to get lucky when I made it into both one after the other).
Given your CS background, that might appeal to some S&T desks. Like option traders or structurers. But if you want to trade more delta-one, IRS, or something like that, then knowledge about / a feel for the markets is the best thing you can develop imo.
Got it brother, very insightful. Tbh the biggest consideration for me right now is whether to a) keep looking for jobs in s&t, which is difficult given the job market and my banking stints; or b) go to imperial to spin a story (enthusiastic in s&t…) / brush up my coding / etc, and try to get a shot in BB summer analysts.
For me right now b seems like a more realistic option?
If you actually want a job in markets, then yes, I think option b makes the most sense. But make sure you actually want to do this. To be happy in markets, you often need to actually like this stuff imo. Or at least be able to stomach the stuff if you're gonna stick on the sell-side. So yeah, sounds like u gotta plan, man.
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