However, it will be a huge gamble since the lottery chance is incredibly low for non-stem. My questions: a/ Which option do you think is best? Hi Brian. Ive spent the last two years in corporate finance at a F100 company.
Yes, they can help. Appreciate so much if you can come up with some advice. Really appreciate your advice. I have had a spring week insight at a BB and am in line for a summer internship at the same BB. I know it is my job to do the research and reach out to people.But I am running out of time since it is already October. Im a south american student, with a BA in Economy, and Ive some work experience in finance related companies (more specifically in the real estate business, 3 years). Financial/ strategy consulting. I want to do a top MBA at HSW later (when I am 28) was wondering if my chances for a top MBA will decrease given I am doing the MFE. I did a full year volunteer work after graduation and got into big 4 audit the following year. I dont necessarily think youre too old to break in, but a 1-year MBA makes more sense than a Masters because youre a better candidate for post-MBA Associate roles. For international students in the U.S., please see this article for more: Great article as always. Would applying here after 1 year work experience be a good idea? I want to enter PE/IB in the US/UK. Sir, I want to pursue a MSc in Finance from LSE ideally. If you have literally no full-time work experience and also no internships (but what were you doing before/after university? 1)Do I apply to MSF or do I apply to MBA? Its most helpful for career changers or those who got a late start in the recruiting process in undergrad. I dont know, possibly. Yes, its too late for an MSF. I am an Australian student from the University of Queensland and am about to complete my undergraduate degree in November. At the same time, Ive recently applied to an MS Finance degree online part time, which if I get into Id like to know how best to leverage it. I would be very grateful if you could provide some insights on this decision. Yes, go for internships where they dont care that youre in between schools or degrees. But theyre useless in a place like Australia because most banks recruit only top undergrad students with Law and Commerce degrees, and post-graduate recruiting is underdeveloped. Hi Brian, I went to a top 15 US university for undergrad and had an internship with wealth management, but decided to pursue IB in my senior year. Normally, people work for a few years, complete an MBA, and then use that to move into IB as an Associate. I am trying to decide whether to attend the LSE summer program, and how banks view the summer school. Since most recruiting happens in the Fall and I wont have any MSF grades to report would that undergrad gpa keep holding me back ? Is it still possible for me to break into investment banking? Would you recommend pursuing MSF or MBA if he wants to pursue a career in IB, PE or similar area? I just finished my Australian undergrad in finance, non-target school with a 2.9 GPA (improved towards the end but anchored by earlier struggles). Now, my dream is to get an offer as an Associate at an IB firm after my (US!) From my interactions, both schools offer great education but recruiting is better at WashU. Any advice on what I should do next? Remember that most useful internships in finance come through networking, so its probably not even worth your time to look online, except as a way to see which firms might have openings.
Do you think me having only a 2:1 grade equivalent could obstruct my chances of being accepted? The lack of a GPA in the Masters program doesnt matter because you can refer them to your undergrad GPA. I plan to retake the GRE to make me more competitive. I am wondering if you think the MSF program could benefit me, assuming a finish with a 3.5+ GPA and network throughout my time? GRE score is 330 and IELTS/TOEFL is yet to come(I am sure to get 105+/8). If you can get in, yes. So, your GMAT or GRE scores must be high, your personal essays must be great, and you must have glowing recommendations and interview performances. Last week, on the very last day of the masters, I got an internship offer at Evercore Madrid. I am currently a junior at a top 10 university who has decided that IB is what they want to do. Whether a MSF or a second MBA program from an Ivy League B-School will help me to achieve my aspirations ? If PE didnt work despite all my efforts and my MIF I could continue to stay at M&A at Big4 or move to a more boutique IB at some point which is not such a bad outcome. Im about to start the MSc in Accounting and Finance at LSE in September. You might be able to win other finance-related roles if you can learn the basics on your own and network aggressively. I leveraged both the alumni network and some of my older network. Many thanks, I would take a look at this article to get some ideas: https://mergersandinquisitions.com/breaking-into-investment-banking-accountant/. I applied to Vanderbilts MSF earlier this year and did not get in unfortunately due to my GMAT score (very Bad). Hi, Brian, thanks for the information. I would love it if you could give me some input. So my answer would be neither one unless you believe you need one of these for some reason, such as having too much work experience to get into IB directly (which Im not sure of because I dont know how much experience you have had). An MSF would be more useful if you planned to work in another country. I took two gap years before my bachelors degree and one after. Hi Brian, I am a third year student studying International and European Studies with many economics lessons like Macro, Micro and Econometrics in Greece. The MSF is more for recent grads and people with less than 1-2 years of work experience. You do not have a realistic chance of winning full-time IB offers if youre just getting started now. Depends completely on your background pre-MSF. Heavily interested in IB late in the game (end of Junior Year) Last summer luckily got a PE internship at a boutique but in sort of a limbo and looking at MSF programs. The most likely scenario is that some banking jobs move to Dublin, Frankfurt, Paris, etc. I got 3 months equity research experience in NYC last year and was my only relevant intern.Do you consider I am even eligible? What do you think I should highlight when I apply for the MSF? I would not pay attention to those requirements because they also offer internships to Masters students. You cannot necessarily go by the lists of the top programs you have to make sure anything you pick qualifies as STEM. 1) Its almost impossible to say if you havent had internship experience yet. Thanks a lot for the advice. How about internships in BO roles in a BB? 4. My goal is to get a PE role a MM fund. Yes, but make sure the program qualifies as STEM so you can graduate and then work for 36 months afterward: https://mergersandinquisitions.com/international-student-investment-banking/, Hi The question is specifically for those who are finance aspirants or want a career in finance ie. I already have a Bachelor of Engineering degree in Information Tech. Im considering Canada at the moment. If you want to work in Europe, #1 or #2 are probably your best options. Im not sure I have anything to add over the schools recommended in this article just look up the top universities for Masters in Finance programs. Do you think, as a profile, i could fit the Elite Boutique IB critiera in MENA region? First and foremost thank you for your insight through this site, it has been very helpful for me so far. I agree completely that prestige isnt enough (believe it or not readers, there are still a large number of being who have prestige that dont get the job easy). India is a completely different market. But again, this one is putting the cart before the horse because you need a good answer/explanation for your plan. Hi Brian, I am currently studying Computer Science in Trinity College Dublin. So you need to think about how to gain deal experience first. Im in a masters program at a target school in the US. Also, although not exactly relevant, but what is your opinion on pursuing Masters in Financial Engineering? But in India, as in other smaller markets, MSF degrees dont help much because most recruiting takes place out of the top schools (Mostly the top IIMs with a bit from the top IITs) and, to a lesser extent, out of CA courses. Also currently going through the paid BIWS guides for 2020 and they are the most comprehensive guides I have found to date. The CFA is more useful, but even the CFA wont help much unless you have more relevant-looking experience before you start the program. Yes, an MSF could potentially be helpful for you, but you will need to gain finance work experience ASAP before/during the degree program. I currently work in consulting (public sector) and I have had a financial planning internship in the past. Hi Brian, I am 30 year old and have recently started working as an Associate in a mid-cap Investment Bank in India (front-end ECM) and thinking about pursuing a Masters in Finance in US. MSF programs can lead to good full-time IB roles if you use them effectively, but the rules are a bit different for international students: https://mergersandinquisitions.com/international-student-investment-banking/. Yes, I found that can overshadow experience. However, I came up with some MSF programs which dont required any previous academic experience several days ago. Do not know much about the USC program, sorry. Following up on my last comment. This will be graduate and internship applications which span from March to July. I have come across this site recently and find it really helpful and inspiring for career changer! No job opportunities lined up after graduation this may. Brian, I was just accepted into a two year MSF program and it is my intent to quit my job before the semester starts next year. How can I leverage my energy experience (6 years) with my educational background in finance to land an opportunity as an energy equity research analyst or portfolio manager? So, start cold emailing/calling smaller firms now to line up some type of internship. That usually starts by interning at local boutique firms. If it comes down to one of those schools vs. the very top programs that might be outside of NYC, the top programs are still better. You probably have a better chance if you do an MSF there, intern there, and then apply for full-time roles. I have a Bachelors of Economics in Finance (3.73GPA) and I am currently doing an MBA in a non target school in SanFrancisco (Finance emphasis). We dont advise on admissions consulting on this site, so I would recommend finding a specialist in that area and asking for their services. A Masters degree is not a good option for you at this stage if you already have that much work experience. Thanks for the great content. You should at least try that and see what happens before committing to a top MSF and spending even more time/money on it. I have completed my CFA L1 and I am now joining AIG as an Actuarial Analyst. Hey Brian, I have decided quite late to peruse IB, so I have had no prior internships. On a Long term base, I am planning to do my PhD as well. There are many examples on this site. I would definitely recommend switching to an MSF, if possible, because an MBA right after undergrad is not a great idea for IB recruiting (it will be tough to compete against others with full-time experience). While it is Christmas season so I am not going to bug bankers for information sessions. If you want to work in another industry for a few years and then enter as an Associate, do the MBA. However, I really dislike the nature of auditing and would like to find new opportunities with a MSC finance degree (preferably UK G5/Singapore). Bear in mind that I do not want to stay in financial industry long run more entrepreneur and VC. I have done an Equity Research internship in Egypts biggest investment bank and I am currently working as a Private Equity intern in a search fund here in Belgium. 3) Potentially, yes, Big 4 is probably the highest-probability one. If you finished undergrad in 2011, it might be very difficult to win these types of entry-level roles, but it depends on how you present your experience since that time the first question they will ask you is what youve been doing since then. My gmat score is 640 and I want to pursue a MSF from a good university , what are my odds? I have completed my undergraduate in a top uk uni (graduated first class), 2 summer internships in bulge bracket banks in London (not IB division but AM), Internships from EM and numerous leadership positions and founder of programmes related to finance etc. I think you will need the MFin program because it seems like you have extensive work experience already, which means it will be harder to win entry-level IB roles (if that is your goal). I have no experience in finance, but I am currently taking accounting and finance classes. Obviously it isnt nearly as prestigious, but is it worth the time and money to attend? Hi Brian, I really need your help in deciding between these 2 programmes: LSE MSc Finance LBS Master in Financial Analysis.
Yes, they can help. Appreciate so much if you can come up with some advice. Really appreciate your advice. I have had a spring week insight at a BB and am in line for a summer internship at the same BB. I know it is my job to do the research and reach out to people.But I am running out of time since it is already October. Im a south american student, with a BA in Economy, and Ive some work experience in finance related companies (more specifically in the real estate business, 3 years). Financial/ strategy consulting. I want to do a top MBA at HSW later (when I am 28) was wondering if my chances for a top MBA will decrease given I am doing the MFE. I did a full year volunteer work after graduation and got into big 4 audit the following year. I dont necessarily think youre too old to break in, but a 1-year MBA makes more sense than a Masters because youre a better candidate for post-MBA Associate roles. For international students in the U.S., please see this article for more: Great article as always. Would applying here after 1 year work experience be a good idea? I want to enter PE/IB in the US/UK. Sir, I want to pursue a MSc in Finance from LSE ideally. If you have literally no full-time work experience and also no internships (but what were you doing before/after university? 1)Do I apply to MSF or do I apply to MBA? Its most helpful for career changers or those who got a late start in the recruiting process in undergrad. I dont know, possibly. Yes, its too late for an MSF. I am an Australian student from the University of Queensland and am about to complete my undergraduate degree in November. At the same time, Ive recently applied to an MS Finance degree online part time, which if I get into Id like to know how best to leverage it. I would be very grateful if you could provide some insights on this decision. Yes, go for internships where they dont care that youre in between schools or degrees. But theyre useless in a place like Australia because most banks recruit only top undergrad students with Law and Commerce degrees, and post-graduate recruiting is underdeveloped. Hi Brian, I went to a top 15 US university for undergrad and had an internship with wealth management, but decided to pursue IB in my senior year. Normally, people work for a few years, complete an MBA, and then use that to move into IB as an Associate. I am trying to decide whether to attend the LSE summer program, and how banks view the summer school. Since most recruiting happens in the Fall and I wont have any MSF grades to report would that undergrad gpa keep holding me back ? Is it still possible for me to break into investment banking? Would you recommend pursuing MSF or MBA if he wants to pursue a career in IB, PE or similar area? I just finished my Australian undergrad in finance, non-target school with a 2.9 GPA (improved towards the end but anchored by earlier struggles). Now, my dream is to get an offer as an Associate at an IB firm after my (US!) From my interactions, both schools offer great education but recruiting is better at WashU. Any advice on what I should do next? Remember that most useful internships in finance come through networking, so its probably not even worth your time to look online, except as a way to see which firms might have openings.
Do you think me having only a 2:1 grade equivalent could obstruct my chances of being accepted? The lack of a GPA in the Masters program doesnt matter because you can refer them to your undergrad GPA. I plan to retake the GRE to make me more competitive. I am wondering if you think the MSF program could benefit me, assuming a finish with a 3.5+ GPA and network throughout my time? GRE score is 330 and IELTS/TOEFL is yet to come(I am sure to get 105+/8). If you can get in, yes. So, your GMAT or GRE scores must be high, your personal essays must be great, and you must have glowing recommendations and interview performances. Last week, on the very last day of the masters, I got an internship offer at Evercore Madrid. I am currently a junior at a top 10 university who has decided that IB is what they want to do. Whether a MSF or a second MBA program from an Ivy League B-School will help me to achieve my aspirations ? If PE didnt work despite all my efforts and my MIF I could continue to stay at M&A at Big4 or move to a more boutique IB at some point which is not such a bad outcome. Im about to start the MSc in Accounting and Finance at LSE in September. You might be able to win other finance-related roles if you can learn the basics on your own and network aggressively. I leveraged both the alumni network and some of my older network. Many thanks, I would take a look at this article to get some ideas: https://mergersandinquisitions.com/breaking-into-investment-banking-accountant/. I applied to Vanderbilts MSF earlier this year and did not get in unfortunately due to my GMAT score (very Bad). Hi, Brian, thanks for the information. I would love it if you could give me some input. So my answer would be neither one unless you believe you need one of these for some reason, such as having too much work experience to get into IB directly (which Im not sure of because I dont know how much experience you have had). An MSF would be more useful if you planned to work in another country. I took two gap years before my bachelors degree and one after. Hi Brian, I am a third year student studying International and European Studies with many economics lessons like Macro, Micro and Econometrics in Greece. The MSF is more for recent grads and people with less than 1-2 years of work experience. You do not have a realistic chance of winning full-time IB offers if youre just getting started now. Depends completely on your background pre-MSF. Heavily interested in IB late in the game (end of Junior Year) Last summer luckily got a PE internship at a boutique but in sort of a limbo and looking at MSF programs. The most likely scenario is that some banking jobs move to Dublin, Frankfurt, Paris, etc. I got 3 months equity research experience in NYC last year and was my only relevant intern.Do you consider I am even eligible? What do you think I should highlight when I apply for the MSF? I would not pay attention to those requirements because they also offer internships to Masters students. You cannot necessarily go by the lists of the top programs you have to make sure anything you pick qualifies as STEM. 1) Its almost impossible to say if you havent had internship experience yet. Thanks a lot for the advice. How about internships in BO roles in a BB? 4. My goal is to get a PE role a MM fund. Yes, but make sure the program qualifies as STEM so you can graduate and then work for 36 months afterward: https://mergersandinquisitions.com/international-student-investment-banking/, Hi The question is specifically for those who are finance aspirants or want a career in finance ie. I already have a Bachelor of Engineering degree in Information Tech. Im considering Canada at the moment. If you want to work in Europe, #1 or #2 are probably your best options. Im not sure I have anything to add over the schools recommended in this article just look up the top universities for Masters in Finance programs. Do you think, as a profile, i could fit the Elite Boutique IB critiera in MENA region? First and foremost thank you for your insight through this site, it has been very helpful for me so far. I agree completely that prestige isnt enough (believe it or not readers, there are still a large number of being who have prestige that dont get the job easy). India is a completely different market. But again, this one is putting the cart before the horse because you need a good answer/explanation for your plan. Hi Brian, I am currently studying Computer Science in Trinity College Dublin. So you need to think about how to gain deal experience first. Im in a masters program at a target school in the US. Also, although not exactly relevant, but what is your opinion on pursuing Masters in Financial Engineering? But in India, as in other smaller markets, MSF degrees dont help much because most recruiting takes place out of the top schools (Mostly the top IIMs with a bit from the top IITs) and, to a lesser extent, out of CA courses. Also currently going through the paid BIWS guides for 2020 and they are the most comprehensive guides I have found to date. The CFA is more useful, but even the CFA wont help much unless you have more relevant-looking experience before you start the program. Yes, an MSF could potentially be helpful for you, but you will need to gain finance work experience ASAP before/during the degree program. I currently work in consulting (public sector) and I have had a financial planning internship in the past. Hi Brian, I am 30 year old and have recently started working as an Associate in a mid-cap Investment Bank in India (front-end ECM) and thinking about pursuing a Masters in Finance in US. MSF programs can lead to good full-time IB roles if you use them effectively, but the rules are a bit different for international students: https://mergersandinquisitions.com/international-student-investment-banking/. Yes, I found that can overshadow experience. However, I came up with some MSF programs which dont required any previous academic experience several days ago. Do not know much about the USC program, sorry. Following up on my last comment. This will be graduate and internship applications which span from March to July. I have come across this site recently and find it really helpful and inspiring for career changer! No job opportunities lined up after graduation this may. Brian, I was just accepted into a two year MSF program and it is my intent to quit my job before the semester starts next year. How can I leverage my energy experience (6 years) with my educational background in finance to land an opportunity as an energy equity research analyst or portfolio manager? So, start cold emailing/calling smaller firms now to line up some type of internship. That usually starts by interning at local boutique firms. If it comes down to one of those schools vs. the very top programs that might be outside of NYC, the top programs are still better. You probably have a better chance if you do an MSF there, intern there, and then apply for full-time roles. I have a Bachelors of Economics in Finance (3.73GPA) and I am currently doing an MBA in a non target school in SanFrancisco (Finance emphasis). We dont advise on admissions consulting on this site, so I would recommend finding a specialist in that area and asking for their services. A Masters degree is not a good option for you at this stage if you already have that much work experience. Thanks for the great content. You should at least try that and see what happens before committing to a top MSF and spending even more time/money on it. I have completed my CFA L1 and I am now joining AIG as an Actuarial Analyst. Hey Brian, I have decided quite late to peruse IB, so I have had no prior internships. On a Long term base, I am planning to do my PhD as well. There are many examples on this site. I would definitely recommend switching to an MSF, if possible, because an MBA right after undergrad is not a great idea for IB recruiting (it will be tough to compete against others with full-time experience). While it is Christmas season so I am not going to bug bankers for information sessions. If you want to work in another industry for a few years and then enter as an Associate, do the MBA. However, I really dislike the nature of auditing and would like to find new opportunities with a MSC finance degree (preferably UK G5/Singapore). Bear in mind that I do not want to stay in financial industry long run more entrepreneur and VC. I have done an Equity Research internship in Egypts biggest investment bank and I am currently working as a Private Equity intern in a search fund here in Belgium. 3) Potentially, yes, Big 4 is probably the highest-probability one. If you finished undergrad in 2011, it might be very difficult to win these types of entry-level roles, but it depends on how you present your experience since that time the first question they will ask you is what youve been doing since then. My gmat score is 640 and I want to pursue a MSF from a good university , what are my odds? I have completed my undergraduate in a top uk uni (graduated first class), 2 summer internships in bulge bracket banks in London (not IB division but AM), Internships from EM and numerous leadership positions and founder of programmes related to finance etc. I think you will need the MFin program because it seems like you have extensive work experience already, which means it will be harder to win entry-level IB roles (if that is your goal). I have no experience in finance, but I am currently taking accounting and finance classes. Obviously it isnt nearly as prestigious, but is it worth the time and money to attend? Hi Brian, I really need your help in deciding between these 2 programmes: LSE MSc Finance LBS Master in Financial Analysis.