Masters (UK/CAN) vs double undergrad

Hi, I'm a third year economics(last) student at a target UK university (think UCL, Warwick) of which I came to the UK from Canada in hopes of entering the field of finance in London through a the tier 4 student visa (also knowing that Canadians have an extra 1/2 years of working due to visa policies). With this decision, I turned down other great business school offers in my home country (Sauder, Ivey) thinking that it would be a worthwhile investment to get into ibd in London. When I started my economics course, I realised that I began to hugely dislike my statistics and econometrics quantitative courses, but enjoyed my optional finance and business managerial classes. First year passed by and even after getting rejected by 50+ spring week firms, I just brushed off my second thoughts about transferring to another course or school because I thought that getting my Summer Internship next summer would pay off and that I was already halfway done. Again, the pandemic happened and the only firm that accepted me had cancelled their SA program but said they would consider me again if there was room for next year. For my extracurriculars, I have interned at a University for an admissions assistant during my first year summer, co-founded a North American club at my school and was the head of a finance club that toured around different IBD offices in my first year summer.

I am now having second thoughts because of A. my grades in first year while didn't count was a mid 2:2, and my grades in second year dropped to a low-mid 2:2 (but may be mitigated at the end of my third year because I had to deal with grandfather's bereavement during my exam time). Basically, the only way for me to end with a 2:1 is for me to get above 66% in my third year, which is possible because the classes I struggled with statistics/econometrics ( 35%) brought my marks down compared to me having 60% in business classes and I don't take many math courses in my final year.  

My options as I see it is that I could try my hardest to get a 2:1 (or as a high as possible), then take the following year to do an internship and study for my GRE so that I can apply for a Msc program when possible. I could also finish up my degree or quit, and transfer to a second year of a Canadian business program that would allow me to have several years of internship time during summer before I transition to full time (low school fees). I think this because I am interested in the field of real estate (commercial and residential) and realise that I have no option to study that or work in that field if I graduate out of my school without experience, while I could major in that if I transferred to a Canadian school. A third option would just be to graduate with the highest grade I can and look for internships and work in the field I want (probably IBD and consulting are closed to me without prior experience). I currently have no immediate rush to start working full time as I have come into life insurance after my father passed away which has been paying for my tuition abroad and living fees (will come into the inheritance later). Also, I have looked into some companies such as Career Up and was wondering if it was worth paying for an internship within a field that I am interested in for my position.


TLDR: should i be pursuing a double undergrad back in Can so I have more chances to intern? or should i pursue a masters or just go straight into work. Are paid internships like career up a good start for me and should I be long term etf trading if I do receive inheritance money?

 

Money doesn't seem to be a concern for your right now, so I'd suggest you to finish your undergrad, stay in UK for target masters and don't come back to Canada. If you think searching for internships is bad in London, it's even worst here in Toronto. Likewise for FT opportunities as well 

 
 

It is a target you don’t know what you’re talking about lol stay mad 

 

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