Mcgill/Transfer to Ivey
Hey, I am an Indian student finishing my high school in Singapore (IB Diploma), and I am planning to apply to Mcgill (Desautels) for Intl Business/Strategic Management, Ivey AEO, Queen's commerce, Rotman commerce and UBC (Sauder). I just have a few questions regarding transfer to Ivey HBA1 in the case that I get rejected from AEO.
I want to work in the USA in BB/EB or MBB. This past year I have fallen in love with Mcgill: its student life, social scene, downtown location, and obviously a very strong brand name. In the case that I am denied AEO status (which has become a very real possibility since my IB score is pretty average), would it be easy to transfer to Ivey HBA1 from Mcgill Desautels? From what I have heard, Mcgill has an incredible reputation in the States, but I am not so sure if they get OCR for NYC offices from BB/EB or MBB. Their strategic management major, and investment management honours seem very attractive to me, and these combined with the student life and reputation have me set on Mcgill. Would it be worth staying in Mcgill for all 4 years or transferring to Ivey HBA1 to increase chances of an ibanking/consulting job in the US?
Thanks.
Current McGill student here. Not sure about your transfer situation but I can provide insight into IB recruiting. McGill is a top target in Canada, but going to the US is more difficult. Usually, a few kids manage to break into NYC every year. US firms recruiting at McGill include: Liontree (Their top target is McGill), Evercore (They have info sessions at McGill but not so many people manage to land them), Houlihan Lokey RX (Not sure if they'll still be recruiting at McGill since the only 2 McGill alumn analysts who were there left for buyside). You have to network your way into other firms, but there is a very decent alumni base in most US BBs and less so in US EBs. As far as Canadian recruitment goes there is OCR from pretty much all banks (Big 5+1, International BBs like MS, Barclays, CS, BofA and more)
So as far as recruiting in the US, you'll have a better shot at Ivey imo, because that school has more alumni in the US than McGill I think and the culture there is more centered on banking and that makes a meaningful difference imo. Usually only the best kids from McGill manage to make it to the US, but if you get a good gpa, good internships and network a lot it's definitely possible to make it.
A great thing about McGill is the HIM program which will prepare best for banking because of the network of other hardo students who will help you and give you prep resources/mock/tips. You also get to manage the $2m in funds and that looks great on a CV. If you don't get into the program you can still manage funds with the applied investments class (Each team of 3 or 4 get 200k to manage with any type of strategy they want vs HIM 2M for 30 people and no flexibility on strategy choice). You also get to learn excel and grinding slides very well, because you make lots of stock pitches with a lot of financial modeling practice. So plenty of opportunities for practical experience. Being in the HIM program does not increase your chances directly because non-McGill people don't know the program in the US, but it definetely helps indirectly because of the alumni network.
Student life at McGill is awesome. Work hard play hard culture with good parties and the campus is beautiful. Very international student base (40% of all students are international) and proximity to restaurants, bars, clubs and everything you need because it's in downtown Montreal. You don't need to know french.
Let me know if you have other questions.
TLDR; McGill gives you a decent shot at landing US firms if you're willing to work hard for it, but Ivey is better for that imo. Student life probably better at McGill imo because of location/international student base.
Hey, thank you so much for the answer, it is really helpful. Is the applied investments class that you mentioned only available to finance majors, or can strategic management/intl business take that class? Plus if I do get accepted into Ivey, then Ivey will almost be a for-sure decision, just that I would have some qualms doing 2 years of some other subject and even then not be confirmed Ivey if I do not average an 80+. These past weeks I have really fallen in love with Mcgill, and can definitely see myself there. Did anyone from your batch manage to successfully transfer to Ivey or a decent American university like NYU, Berkeley, UMich, UVA?
The class can be taken by anyone, even non-business students. I don’t know anyone who tried to transfer. I know that transferring to McGill is practically impossible tho because of the very few available spots.
Hey! I’m literally in the same country also applying to the same universities in Canada doing IB as well. (Just started my senior year this week)
Would you mind telling me your IB predicted score?
Are you applying to th UK?
Hey I'm a current McGill student at Desautels too. Could you PM me?
But do you agree McGill does very well in nyc generally, and mbb specifically?
can’t link, but check first result when you google “peakframeworks target consulting“
.
You're thinking about this a bit wrong tbh, if you're not canadian it's impossible for you to land US based positions since you won't even qualify for a TN visa. If your goal is US EB/BB you should probably go to a US school for OPT instead :)
I am not currently applying to the US, but I might transfer at the end of second year, if that changes anything.
Thanks!
This…not sure why you are overlooking starting your career in Canada. Your largest hurdle anywhere is going to be the visa issues but for sure the visa issues are easier in Canada these days. Just mean if you willing to spend 4 years to live and study there not sure why you writing it off so fast.
Hey, I'm not overlooking a career in Canada, a career on Bay St. would be very lucrative and desirable I'm sure, but I have wanted to work in the States for the longest time, and it was just recently that I realised that I couldn't apply to USA unis coz of financial and visa constraints. By no means am I overlooking a career in Canada, its just that I would like to end up working in the States.
Hope that makes sense!
If you want to work in the US, your best bet by far is Ivey or Queens or UBC Sauder's PMF Program (UBC Sauder without PMF does not place well into the states).
Lol don't go to UBC under the assumption that admittance to PMF is in any way likely
They only take 6 kids a year and it is highly political
True tho that they have insane placements (Goldman TMT, KKR Analyst etc)
I knew it was a very small number but idk how it’s political. Could you shed some light on that ?
You go to a US college for that. People going into US from Canadian schools are Canadians citizens who are qualified for TN visa (Economist).
Even if it's non-target you go to US and hope for the best.
You can go to Ivey, McGill for Canadian IB, and then transfer to US office on a L1 Visa. I think this is a better idea.
I didn't know about L1, I always knew about F1. Thanks for mentioning it, I am gonna look into it further.
Hard for Canadian citizens to break into IB in-the states impossible for non Canadian citizens (especially Indians). Ivey will increase your chances but they’re closer to zero than to 1. My advice would be try and work in Canada maybe become a Canadian citizen and then try and to transfer to the NY office of your bank.
If you go to McGill and want to do IB, don't major in strategic management. HIM or Finance or Joint Honours Economics/Finance will make you far more attractive a candidate. Former mcgill student.
I'm considering Consulting also, and strategic management basically sounds just like what you wld do at a strategic consulting firm. Plus I do Higher Level Business Management already in high school, and strategic management might be a good extension of this.
Cupiditate consequatur similique sint molestias laudantium autem id. Rerum esse reiciendis quo voluptates eum distinctio quia. Accusamus nihil nulla voluptas.
Iste vero nulla ea nostrum. Non blanditiis reprehenderit quia rerum laborum illo distinctio. Unde doloribus sint autem dolor aliquam. Dolor tempora in fuga explicabo modi id consequatur perspiciatis. Quos sed odit a dignissimos.
Laborum quidem at soluta aliquam id voluptate. Omnis unde aut cupiditate omnis aliquam. Aut omnis voluptatem voluptates blanditiis doloribus voluptas repellat.
See All Comments - 100% Free
WSO depends on everyone being able to pitch in when they know something. Unlock with your email and get bonus: 6 financial modeling lessons free ($199 value)
or Unlock with your social account...
Voluptatem quidem commodi doloremque repellendus earum libero optio. Beatae aut laudantium quidem eligendi provident. Aut ut et et. Quos sunt eveniet sit ab deleniti. Aut perferendis autem alias commodi. Eum id enim quaerat. Fugit est et rem quam.
Nesciunt perspiciatis sit repellendus. Eveniet tenetur vel quas ab. Dolore ut reprehenderit reiciendis.
Sequi quibusdam sunt vitae qui aut omnis tempora qui. Aut hic eos nam.
Et quo vel et beatae temporibus facilis. In voluptatem iure dolor. Et ea reprehenderit molestiae architecto.