Applying to Bocconi, HSG, where else?

Hey guys,

So I'm currently in the process of applying to Master in Finance programs in Europe. My goal is to work in Investment Banking so I want to apply to the very best programs. I'm Swiss, I'm going to finish my bachelor degree in Economics in June from a Swiss university.

As of today, I'm 100% of applying to the Master of Finance at Bocconi and the Master of Banking and Finance at the University of St.Gallen. These are both very good programs, highly competitive.

Originally, I was also planning on applying to ESSEC (Master en Technniques Financières), Imperial College London and Cass Business School. I'm really hesitating now.

The deadline for ESSEC is April 14th. I'm only going to be getting my "official" gmat score report around the 17-18th of April so it's looking bad. Plus they want you to go to Paris and do an interview!

Anyway, the reason I'm sure about Bocconi and HSG is that I'd be able to afford to go there, especially St.Gallen since I'm Swiss and if I'm accepted, I'd only be paying a fraction of what international students have to pay.

But if I get accepted at places like Imperial or Cass, taking everything into account, it would probably cost me £50 k a year. I don't have that amount of money. I haven't looked into loans, etc... Do financial institutions give out loans easily for this kind of thing? I know that you'd be able to repay the loan quite quickly if you get a degree in Finance at Imperial but it's still pretty scary.

Btw, I have a GMAT score of 680. Not a fantastic score but still pretty decent I think. I needed 680 to be able to apply to St.Gallen (680 was the minimum score to be able to apply there!). I heard that all of last years students at St.Gallen had a GMAT score of 700 or over. I'm still gonna take my chances, I'll never know if I don't try. I mean, maybe HSG wants to promote local talent or something. Of course they can't explicity mention it but perhaps Swiss students have a little advantage.

Bocconi had a first round selection for students that had 650+ at the GMAT. That was back in January. I did the GMAT on March 28th so I couldn't make the deadline. With a 680 score I've been told I have a pretty decent shot, they accept quite a lot of students. I'm gonna apply by the 11-13 May deadline coming up. Plus, with my GMAT score, I can apply for a Merit scholarship. That would be an immense help if I end up getting one.

Anyway, I was also thinking about Warwick. What do you guys think?

It's just that I'm trying to think about the money here. Getting into LSE/HEC Paris/Oxbridge is out of the question, I'm trying to think of other programs that are not too expensive but that still have a good reputation for IB. I missed the SSE and Rotherdam deadline so those are out of the discussion.

I really want to get accepted in a program, I originally wanted to apply to all 5 (Boc, HSG, Imperial, Essec and Cass) but now I'm only sure about 2 of them. I want to maximize my chances.

Thanks for your help guys!

 

Well, you maximize your chances of getting in somewhere by applying to a bunch of places. Your reservations about ESSEC seem the least well founded considering they very likely consider late official score reports and a trip to Paris isn't a huge commitment. Of course living in Paris is more expensive than Milan but you can't be 100% sure you'll get into Bocconi or HSG. Btw, if you want a scholarship at Bocconi, you should apply for one ASAP.

 

Thanks for the quick responses guys.

GoodBread:
Well, you maximize your chances of getting in somewhere by applying to a bunch of places. Your reservations about ESSEC seem the least well founded considering they very likely consider late official score reports and a trip to Paris isn't a huge commitment. Of course living in Paris is more expensive than Milan but you can't be 100% sure you'll get into Bocconi or HSG. Btw, if you want a scholarship at Bocconi, you should apply for one ASAP.

True, it is a lame excuse, you're right. I think I'll try my luck with ESSEC.

Concerning the scholarship, they want you to apply to the scholarship within the same time frame as the deadline. I'm applying to the 11-13 May deadline so I have to send my scholarship application during the same period as my "main" application dossier.

SyntheticCDO:
I went to one of those continental European schools you mentioned and interned in London. I would consider paying 50k for imperial, but definitely not for Cass, I dont think its worth it.

In terms of placement, I can tell you that there were a lot of people from Bocconi's Msc Finance and from Essec. Can't really comment on St. Gallen cause I just dont remember.

So if money is tight, what you're mainly giving up by not going to Imperial is the networking capabilities imo. But if you have a strong profile (strong grades, experience, e/c's...), you should have a good shot from these schools.

Just a few tips on approaching recruiting season: -For Europe, you mainly apply online (vs Campus recruiting in the US/Canada). Schools will do networking events with the major banks around September so do attend those. -Start applying as soon as you can (September), since its a rolling admission process (for both SA and FT). That way you'll also have enough time to do those countless repetitive and annoying online reasoning tests before you really start classes.

Thats my 2 cents, and good luck...

So not Cass. Ok, will keep that in mind. So you're saying there's no real difference between Imperial and let's say Bocconi when you don't take into account the networking possibilities?

Well my profile is: french+english speaker, 680 GMAT, kinda good grades I guess, lots of quantitative courses (stats, prob, econometrics (2 classes),..). Unfortunately no experience. Reason is I've been a semi-pro athlete these past 4 years, haven't had the time to get experience. But I do hope that the fact that I've been good at sports (shows motivation, mental toughness, risk-seeking,..) can help my application.

Thanks for the recruiting information. I would have to definitely get my a$$ out there if I get accepted at Bocconi. No experience so far, I'd have to do my work at the networking/career fair events.

above_and_beyond:
Bocconi is a beast in terms of IB placement. I guess 680 will give you a pretty decent shot if the rest of your profile is good. Go to Bocconi when you have the chance to and don't mind living in Milan (pretty nice city imho).

680 would have been enough for Rotterdam but it's too late anyway, so don't think about it.

Cass isn't worth the money and Imperial is pretty quantitative, just as a warning for you. You should definitely apply to as many schools as possible but if you had the chance, I would go for Bocconi. All the other schools are decent too and will allow you to recruit at top banks, but Bocconi is a banking feeder in London (and Milan obviously) and I think that should be your choice.

Yeah, I heard the same thing. Plus they have a ton of students in this master of finance program, I can't remember the exact number but I think they accept 120+ students.

What about Warwick? I've heard it's mostly considered top tier behind the obvious ones.

Mr_IB:
LSE is not impossible to enter, they have more places and courses with Finance. If I were you, I would try applying there too. The network that you can build here in London cannot be compared with the other European locations for sure. Isn't Bocconi's MSc 24 months vs 12 months in UK?

Seriously? I thought LSE was "the" top school in Europe in terms of IB and high finance. Honestly, I'd never even thought of applying there. My grades are surely not good enough. My GMAT score and TOEFL (I have 104/120 iBT) are also almost surely too low. But I'll check it out.

Yes Bocconi is 2 years and in the UK, it's usually 12 months. I think the 2 years is better, you have time to do an internship in between.

Seeker:
I also suggest you apply at SSE. Very good placement in IB.

Will check it out but I think the deadline is way passed. I think I remember checking it 2 months ago and it wasn't that far away.

 

I went to one of those continental European schools you mentioned and interned in London. I would consider paying 50k for imperial, but definitely not for Cass, I dont think its worth it.

In terms of placement, I can tell you that there were a lot of people from Bocconi's Msc Finance and from Essec. Can't really comment on St. Gallen cause I just dont remember.

So if money is tight, what you're mainly giving up by not going to Imperial is the networking capabilities imo. But if you have a strong profile (strong grades, experience, e/c's...), you should have a good shot from these schools.

Just a few tips on approaching recruiting season: -For Europe, you mainly apply online (vs Campus recruiting in the US/Canada). Schools will do networking events with the major banks around September so do attend those. -Start applying as soon as you can (September), since its a rolling admission process (for both SA and FT). That way you'll also have enough time to do those countless repetitive and annoying online reasoning tests before you really start classes.

Thats my 2 cents, and good luck...

 

Bocconi is a beast in terms of IB placement. I guess 680 will give you a pretty decent shot if the rest of your profile is good. Go to Bocconi when you have the chance to and don't mind living in Milan (pretty nice city imho).

680 would have been enough for Rotterdam but it's too late anyway, so don't think about it.

Cass isn't worth the money and Imperial is pretty quantitative, just as a warning for you. You should definitely apply to as many schools as possible but if you had the chance, I would go for Bocconi. All the other schools are decent too and will allow you to recruit at top banks, but Bocconi is a banking feeder in London (and Milan obviously) and I think that should be your choice.

 

am i the only person who read the title as applying to broccoli?

Disclaimer for the Kids: Any forward-looking statements are solely for informational purposes and cannot be taken as investment advice. Consult your moms before deciding where to invest.
 

SSE should be over but check it to be sure. I guess it is nearly impossible for you to get accepted to the MSc Finance at LSE, but you should definitely try your luck with the MSc Acc. & Fin.

Anyway, considering that you don't have any finance experience under your belt, you might want to lean towards the top two year programs instead of one of the UK programs.

 
above_and_beyond:
SSE should be over but check it to be sure. I guess it is nearly impossible for you to get accepted to the MSc Finance at LSE, but you should definitely try your luck with the MSc Acc. & Fin.

Anyway, considering that you don't have any finance experience under your belt, you might want to lean towards the top two year programs instead of one of the UK programs.

I hate accounting with all my guts. I know it's an integral part of studying anything business related but the less accounting there is, the better.

Will definitely check SSE. What other two-year programs are you thinking of? Apart from St.Gallen, Bocconi, Essec.

 
GoodBread:
Bocconi is the best of Bocconi/HSG/ESSEC if you want to go to London. Forget about going to NYC coming out of a European school.

Yeah I know. But I could surely ask for a transfer 2-3 years down the road if everything works ok in London or somewhere else in Europe.

What do you guys think of Warwick?? Should I try my luck there?

I really have to get going, ESSEC's deadline is April 14th and I still haven't got the references done. Have to email professors tonight or tomorrow. I just want to go there with all my schools already chosen so I don't have to bother them 3-4 times for 3-4 different references.

So for now, it's St.Gallen, Bocconi and Essec.

Looked at Copenhaguen, meh, doesn't seem too great. Don't think I'll apply.

Seriously looking at Imperial, Warwick and maybe Cass (but some people have said that it's not worth the money)

 

Hum if you want to work in London, it doesn't get much better than imperial but it is a lot more expensive than the other schools you applied to... Also,I would pick Warwick over bocconi, HSG and essec for London recruiting.

 

In my opinion it should be Bocconi>HSG>ESSEC, If you think you can get into these programs (and with gmat = 680 you should get into Bocconi easily (what is your second choice? IMO you should pick the MSc in ESS. They've been placing strongly in high finance recently (ie. 2 jpm IBD, 1 Barclays IBD, 1 MS trading, 1 Blackstone PE, 1 Deutsche Bank IBD, etc.))), you can save some money and don't even apply to Cass, Imperial, etc.

Also, since you don't have any finance related working experience, you should go for a 2 yrs program that will allow you to get at least one internship down the road. Having said that, CBS will be a better pick than Cass and I personally know people who got into IBD FT spots in London from CBS.

You should also check ESCP, which is another massive feeder for IBD and maybe some other good 2 yrs programs like ESADE or NHH. Finally, if money is a problem, check out some other good dutch schools like Tilburg. Obv, their placement is not as good as the LSE one but they can still help you to break in.

I'm grateful that I have two middle fingers, I only wish I had more.
 
cruel3a:
In my opinion it should be Bocconi>HSG>ESSEC, If you think you can get into these programs (and with gmat = 680 you should get into Bocconi easily (what is your second choice? IMO you should pick the MSc in ESS. They've been placing strongly in high finance recently (ie. 2 jpm IBD, 1 Barclays IBD, 1 MS trading, 1 Blackstone PE, 1 Deutsche Bank IBD, etc.))), you can save some money and don't even apply to Cass, Imperial, etc.

Also, since you don't have any finance related working experience, you should go for a 2 yrs program that will allow you to get at least one internship down the road. Having said that, CBS will be a better pick than Cass and I personally know people who got into IBD FT spots in London from CBS.

You should also check ESCP, which is another massive feeder for IBD and maybe some other good 2 yrs programs like ESADE or NHH. Finally, if money is a problem, check out some other good dutch schools like Tilburg. Obv, their placement is not as good as the LSE one but they can still help you to break in.

Thanks man!

If I could chose, I guess my second choice would be HSG or ESSEC. HSG would be much less expensive that ESSEC if I get accepted. I'm Swiss, live 3 hours away from HSG, it would cost a fraction of what other top programs cost.

Unfortunately, the deadline for Scandanavian schools (SSE and CBS) was back in January/February.

Yes, I'm definitely looking at ESCP. I've printed everything out already. I just don't know if these french schools accept 3 year bachelor degrees from a swiss uni. They have weird requirements with degrees I don't get. They still haven't answered my email.

If I get accepted in Imperial, I'll pay no matter what I think, I'll find a way (loan,...) whatever. The name itself I think is worth the money.

All in all, I'm thinking of applying to Bocconi, St.Gallen, ESSEC, ESCP, Imperial

and maybe Cass and Warwick

But Warwick, if I remember correctly, admits many less people than Imperial and is more competitive so I don't know if it's worth taking my chance.

 
cruel3a:
If you have to choose, Warwick > Cass.

Definitely. Cass is a grade lower.

But, I don't know if I have a shot at Warwick/Imperial/Cass at all, you see. A part of me is saying to go for it, that I'll never know if I don't try, and another part is saying that I have no shot at all.

 

The lady that answered my email at ESSEC said that the Master in Finance would be better suited to my profile. What's the difference with the Master in Techniques Financières? Is the Master in Finance still regarded as top tier for IB?

 
GoodBread:
Techniques Financieres is more quanty and oriented towards S&T roles. ESSEC is not in the LSE/Bocconi/ESADE/St. Gallen/HEC "holy shortlist." (http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/joris-luyendijk-banking-blog/20…)

Forgot to mention ESADE but I know very little about it.

Christ lol, getting home at 3am and going back out at 9am! Crazy stuff

What have you heard about the Master in Finance at ESSEC? (NOT the Master en Techniques Financières)

 
GoodBread:
I haven't heard much about it. To be honest I avoided the French schools because being French and having an HEC/ESSEC degree without having gone to prepa is a no-no. It won't be as good for London recruiting as Bocconi/St. Gallen but will be the best of the bunch to stay in France.

And 3am is tame by some groups' standards.

Ok, thanks for that.

I'll try my luck anyway I think, I want to maximize my chances.

 

So all in all, I'm not applying to both french programs (TF at ESSEC and ESCP Europe). Both are not really suited to my profile, it's more for people that already have 2-3 years experience.

I'm applying to these:

Bocconi St.Gallen Warwick Imperial Cass (Master in Finance and Master in Banking and International Finance, I might apply to a 3rd one just to maximize my chances, you can give 3 options so why not take advantage. Although the other finance related programs look tough; Master in Quantitative Finance, MSc in Mathematical Trading and Finance. Anyone know how good these are? I don't really feel like doing financial models 100% of my time though but if it's a good degree for later then why not.)

That's 6 or 7 (depending on Cass) different programs I'm applying to, it's a good number IMO. Gives me more chances.

Also, I might decide to apply to Essec's Master in Finance (It's a new program, it's not the master in TF) and maybe HEC Lausanne (I'm sure to get in, have a Swiss bachelor degree so I'm 100% guaranteed to get in), just to be sure. But I don't want to go to Lausanne.

 

The MSc in Management from ESCP IS NOT suited for people who already have 2-3 years experience and it places way better than Cass.

I'm grateful that I have two middle fingers, I only wish I had more.
 
cruel3a:
The MSc in Management from ESCP IS NOT suited for people who already have 2-3 years experience and it places way better than Cass.

Ah ok. But I'm pretty sure my degree wasn't suitable, they want a 4 year bachelor degree (mine is 3 years). Plus the deadline is April 14th so I would have never had the time, especially if I start now. I need references, most teachers are on Easter holiday and I don't feel like getting one from a marketing professor or something so.

But I now have 6-7 programs so I'm pleased.

 

Hey,

if you are searching for a back-up, WU-Wien in Vienna might be an okay choice. Not sure if the admissions are still open and what are the requirements. They have a huge alumni base (probably biggest in EU), and top students place really well. It should be cheap and living costs are low while the standard is high.

BB banks recruit there actively, although not all of them come each year. I've seen all of them, from top like GS, MS, JPM to lower such as UBS, BNP, Nomura etc. Elite boutiques (LAZ, PWP), MBB (McK, BCG) as well.

Most of the people, though, end up at regional banks (UniCredit, Raiffeisen, Sberbank) or Big4.

Good luck anyways and keep us posted :)

 
animalz:
Hey,

if you are searching for a back-up, WU-Wien in Vienna might be an okay choice. Not sure if the admissions are still open and what are the requirements. They have a huge alumni base (probably biggest in EU), and top students place really well. It should be cheap and living costs are low while the standard is high.

BB banks recruit there actively, although not all of them come each year. I've seen all of them, from top like GS, MS, JPM to lower such as UBS, BNP, Nomura etc. Elite boutiques (LAZ, PWP), MBB (McK, BCG) as well.

Most of the people, though, end up at regional banks (UniCredit, Raiffeisen, Sberbank) or Big4.

Good luck anyways and keep us posted :)

Will definitely check it out. I've heard of it already but living in Vienna didn't really appeal to me.

 

swissstud, the best Msc at Cass are Shipping, Trade and Finance and Energy, Trade and Finance. Those are basically the only "target" courses for trade finance and commodity trading in the UK whereas the courses you listed are way down the list in their respective fields. Those fields might not be your first choice but if you have to attend your safety, why not make it a target in it's field?

 
GoodBread:
swissstud, the best Msc at Cass are Shipping, Trade and Finance and Energy, Trade and Finance. Those are basically the only "target" courses for trade finance and commodity trading in the UK whereas the courses you listed are way down the list in their respective fields. Those fields might not be your first choice but if you have to attend your safety, why not make it a target in it's field?

Ok so I think I'll chose the master in Energy, Trade and Finance as my 3rd option. But the MSc in Finance and the MSc in Banking & International Finance are still pretty decent, right? I mean, you're also right in the heart of London, close to the biggest financial institutions in the world, it has a good alumni networking I heard.

 

Anyway, since all applications are due until end of April, it is now time to do my motivational letters. Some programs ask for 1 page, others 2, it changes.

I was wondering what I had to include in my letter. I mean, I don't think I'm supposed to "brown-nose" the universities like one is supposed to do in the US but I really don't know how to do this. Also, I don't think I'm supposed to "talk" about my life that much, I just need to mention why I'm choosing this program and why I think they should pick me. But I could be mistaken.

My ultimate goal is to work in IB and if possible, my dream would be to work in a hedge fund. Should i state this, if yes, how? What should I NOT say? Should it be very professional and formal or can I use a more relaxed style of writing. Should I make it stand out or do they not really care about the motivation letters, it's just procedure. I'm really a bit lossed.

The only program that states explicitily that it gives points out (They give out points for the GMAT score, GPA, profile and letter and you need a certain number of points to get accpeted) for the motivation letter is St.Gallen so I might have to change it up for that one, make it stand out more than for other programs.

One last thing, is it a issue if I use the same template for all programs. I mean I can just change the name of the institution and the degree, is there anything wrong or dangerous with that?

 

Hey guys,

I found this ranking that someone did on the percentage of students from certain universities that broke into front positions in IB:

Does this seem precise to you? It's not that old (October 2012) so it must apply today as well.

http://news.efinancialcareers.com/118675/the-top-15-masters-in-finance-…

If this is the case, I'm really interested in applying to Durham and UCD Dublin. What do you guys think of these two programs? I had read about Durham a few months ago but the application requirements seemed way too "easy" for it to be a top tier program (Academic: a good Upper Second class honours degree or overseas equivalent, in a relevant discipline, TOEFL of 92)

But Durham is placed very high here! What gives?

 
Best Response
swissstud:
Hey guys,

I found this ranking that someone did on the percentage of students from certain universities that broke into front positions in IB:

Does this seem precise to you? It's not that old (October 2012) so it must apply today as well.

LOL, Durham higher than HEC?!? Henley? Never heard, Durham is a good school but Warwick is better for front office position. You should just use linkedin and google to see how many people from there school are working in IBD of HF. If you are looking to make 10 applications then you can also consider Durham and UCD, but they will not give you any edge over the other programs you listed. Every schools you are applying to, if you have top grades, will allow you to get some interviews for IBD (internships) so any program should work. Obv. going to LSE, Bocconi, Oxbridge, SSE, HEC and HSG will be better than going to UCD but if you have to choose between nowhere and UCD, UCD will work better...

I'm grateful that I have two middle fingers, I only wish I had more.
 
cruel3a:
swissstud:
Hey guys,

I found this ranking that someone did on the percentage of students from certain universities that broke into front positions in IB:

Does this seem precise to you? It's not that old (October 2012) so it must apply today as well.

LOL, Durham higher than HEC?!? Henley? Never heard, Durham is a good school but Warwick is better for front office position. You should just use linkedin and google to see how many people from there school are working in IBD of HF. If you are looking to make 10 applications then you can also consider Durham and UCD, but they will not give you any edge over the other programs you listed. Every schools you are applying to, if you have top grades, will allow you to get some interviews for IBD (internships) so any program should work. Obv. going to LSE, Bocconi, Oxbridge, SSE, HEC and HSG will be better than going to UCD but if you have to choose between nowhere and UCD, UCD will work better...

I know right, weird. As of today, I'm applying to 6 progams (Boc, HSG, Warw, Imp and 2 Cass). It might be a good idea to send an application at Durham just to be sure. I mean, I'd look stupid if I get rejected at all of them and end up having to do my master degree at my current university here in Switzerland. I just want to maximize my chances. That was always a very important thing for me. At this point, I just want to get into one program. Bocconi is looking good for now (with my GMAT (680)) but I just want to be sure.

 

I like how this guy, with excellent English, gets a 680 on his GMAT but Indians, who can't put together coherent sentences, end up with 760+ scores. Something's up.

“Elections are a futures market for stolen property”
 
WallStreet666:

where did you finally got in?

Only got accepted at Cass in the end.

Decided to apply to internships while I was waiting for the responses from the different unis.

In the end, I decided not to accept Cass' offer because I managed to secure a 6 month internship at UBS (internship name is CFO Investment Bank). I'll be with the Finance team of the Investment Banking division in Zurich. My role will be FX DERIVS.

Honestly, I was shocked I got the internship. I'm really pumped. I think it's a smart move, I can let this opportunity go by... I'll get valuable work experience. I also get to have a break from uni studies which is really cool, I was kinda getting sick of the whole uni. environment.

I don't know what I'll be doing next year. I might apply to different master programs again. This time, if I do, I'll be able to apply to the early ones like SSE and CBS. But I dunno,who knows what will happen.

 

That's great! Please, keep us posted about your internship and MSc applications. I am also considering applying to Bocconi and SSE (Class of 2017), so it would be great to hear your experience. Cheers!

 
GoodBread:
Esuric:

I like how this guy, with excellent English, gets a 680 on his GMAT but Indians, who can't put together coherent sentences, end up with 760+ scores. Something's up.

You can't get a 760+ without doing pretty well on the verbal, that's what's up.

Yeah, that's my point.

“Elections are a futures market for stolen property”
 
WallStreet666:

That's great! Please, keep us posted about your internship and MSc applications. I am also considering applying to Bocconi and SSE (Class of 2017), so it would be great to hear your experience. Cheers!

Thanks man. Will do.

What do you think of my decision by the way? Do you think I should have gone to Cass?

I think the one year program of Cass was not really suited to me (or at least to my situation) in the end. I would have done a year, payed a fortune and then what? I would have had no internship, nothing, no experience whatsoever. The same could be said about all the other master programs (about me not having experience.

Now I'm getting a great internship, I'm gonna be making some money, taking a break from studies which I really wanted, opportunity to make friends and make contacts, network and also it forces me to get out of my "comfort zone" and actually live on my own and be responsible. That's what I wanted and now I have it.

I think that this opens way more opportunities/possibilities than if I had done a master degree right away.

Also, getting an internship of this caliber for a guy from my university is quite an achievement I think (decent uni but nowhere near the targets or even the lower targets). Mind you, I busted my a$$ off these past few years to really improve my profile (e.g. the assistant professor with whom I did my Bachelor degree thesis - I'm handing it in next week - said that my paper was the best paper he'd ever come across in his 6 year tenure at my current university. I'm very happy, I worked so hard for 4-5 months for this, I had to refuse numerous party/hangout opportunities with my friends over that time period but boy am I glad I put the work in).

I think I'm taking the right decision here.

 

You definitely made the right decision in my opinion! I heard that Cass is not such a great b-school anyway, so it wasn't worth paying 27,000 euros for tuition alone, plus over 10,000 euros for accomodation and other living expenses. You can definitely apply for the next cycle (Class of 2014)... meanwhile, you can get some valuable work experience and improve your chances of getting admitted to a top master programme. A one year master programme is not worthy, because you can not get any internships, which for international students it's a big minus.

 

Well, it's not that impossible, but if you are an international student or you have limited work experince, then it would be better, in my opinion, to do a 2-years masters so that you can take advantage of the summer between year 1&2...

 

Hey guys, nice discussion over here. I'd like to ask for a piece of advice / opinion on master's program choice. I have an offer of admission from Bocconi MSF and St. Gallen MBF, but it's difficult to decide between the two.

With the chosen program I want to be competitive in the IB summer internship recruitment season in London next year. I am Croatian, with non-target undergrad degree (high GPA though), 9 months of international M&A internship experience in UniCredit in Vienna covering CEE region, student exchange at NUS in Singapore, GMAT 700.

Bocconi would end up cca. EUR 10k more expensive, which I don't consider too much from a long-term perspective.

What is your opinion on the two programs and how do they stack up against one another? Do you think Bocconi is worth the additional debt burden?

Any advice / comments are very much appreciated!

 

The thing is that I don't speak neither of the languages at a good enough level. Internship in Austria was conducted in English (CEE region coverage). This is why I am seeking a program that will open doors for international (English-speaking) opportunities. Do you maybe have an opinion on that?

Thanks

 

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Career Advancement Opportunities

March 2024 Investment Banking

  • Jefferies & Company 02 99.4%
  • Goldman Sachs 19 98.8%
  • Harris Williams & Co. (++) 98.3%
  • Lazard Freres 02 97.7%
  • JPMorgan Chase 03 97.1%

Overall Employee Satisfaction

March 2024 Investment Banking

  • Harris Williams & Co. 18 99.4%
  • JPMorgan Chase 10 98.8%
  • Lazard Freres 05 98.3%
  • Morgan Stanley 07 97.7%
  • William Blair 03 97.1%

Professional Growth Opportunities

March 2024 Investment Banking

  • Lazard Freres 01 99.4%
  • Jefferies & Company 02 98.8%
  • Goldman Sachs 17 98.3%
  • Moelis & Company 07 97.7%
  • JPMorgan Chase 05 97.1%

Total Avg Compensation

March 2024 Investment Banking

  • Director/MD (5) $648
  • Vice President (19) $385
  • Associates (86) $261
  • 3rd+ Year Analyst (13) $181
  • Intern/Summer Associate (33) $170
  • 2nd Year Analyst (66) $168
  • 1st Year Analyst (202) $159
  • Intern/Summer Analyst (144) $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...”

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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...”