MSc Finance RSM vs ESSEC

Hi everyone!

I have received offers from both ESSEC MIF (2-year program) and RSM Finance & Investments. I don't speak any of the major European languages, thus would be aiming for London/Middle East or maybe even Singapore. Would love to hear your thoughts on both schools taking into regard the cost - 38k for ESSEC and 2k for RSM.

 

I'll point you out my personal pros and cons:

ESSEC

- One of the top three schools in France (HEC, ESCP, ESSEC)

- Very strong recognition in France

- In Paris now there are jobs in Finance which do not require french skills but don't think you can apply to MS IB in Paris and be considered as a non french speaker (PLUS many friends fluent in french and students of top Business Schools in France told me that there is a tendency to hire NATIVE french speakers... take that into account)

- Average recognition in London. Don't think ESSEC is better than Bristol or Leeds just because of the Financial Times ranking. ESSEC is London is known but you will find 2-3 analysts max per bank hired each year ( mainly women - check on Linkedin if you don't believe).

- Uni should be pretty easy plus you have the flexibility to complete your learning path more according to your needs ( you can skip exams on June and take them later in the master)

- at the same price there are much better options ( LBS, LSE and Bocconi - 28k for 2 years)

RSM

- very low cost

- average recognition in London, same as ESSEC but probably slightly worse

- same country reasoning, but English is more widespread in the Nederlands, so the situation is quite better than Paris. STILL many BB or EB requires Dutch for their Front Roles..

- The Uni is really hard. I mean, really really hard. It will be difficult to balance the enormous time required to apply and Uni.

My 2 cents:

If 40k EUR are not a problem for you/you love risk and you want to go on a debt go to ESSEC - you'll have better chances to to get into London. - I still advise to apply to other option above ( LBS, LSE, Bocconi) the cost is the same and places like LBS take almost everyone in certain MSc programmes.

If you want to put extra effort in studying, networking and hustling in London and save 40k EUR then go to ESSEC.

Good luck.

 

Thanks for the detailed answer.

By any chance, do you know what is the situation in other Western European countries in terms of not knowing the native language (Switzerland, for example) and where do these universities stand there?

 

Very hard to tell.I'd need more info on your ambitions which I do not want you to post here.

First things that come to my mind:

- Switzerland: you can find a job only with English. I don't know how hard it is. The competition is high and nepotism is very high too. Greentech-Nomura hires only English speaker.

- Spain: I think it's impossible to find a job there without knowing Spanish.

- Italy: same

- Portugal: definitely possible. BNP Paribas hires like crazy from S&t to IB. Salary is shit ( 800 EUR per month for 12 months)

- Germany: possible, with brexit many banks are hiring non-german speaker. Extremely competitive to get in though.

- BENELUX: possible, not great jobs though. 

- Hungary: almost all the BB are there but you do back office and the pay is shit. You do 2 years there and then ask for a transfer.

Hope it helps.

Again, if you want to stay safe go to Uni in the UK (LBS/ LSE/ Oxbridge/ Warwick/ Imperial). You pay more than in other places but with some work you'll find a nice job. Consider even non-finance and non-business masters. In London love people from non-conventional backgrounds. E.g. Better an Msc in political Science at Oxford than a MSc in Finance at ESSEC or RSM IMO. 

 

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