Seeking advice for Masters in Finance

[harshil86]

Hello everyone

I am a universtiy student who has done an industrial placement at UBS in the IT Infrastructure department. I aspire to work as an investment analyst in the future in a buy-side firm. I am close to completing Bachelors degree(expect a 2:1) in Information Systems at Brunel university. I have already completed the Investment Mgmt certificate, and have struggled to find a graduate job in fund mgmt companies.

I feel a masters in finance from a good university will really help my cause. I want to know how difficult it is to get admission into universities like LSE, Imperial or CASS business School. I also would like to know how to raise funding for masters, as it is very expensive (£20k).

I will highly appreciate any sort of help. I feel, this is the time to apply for these unis, so I am urgently seeking advise.

Kind Regards

Harshil

 

[Magos]

Hello everyone

I am a universtiy student who has done an industrial placement at UBS in the IT Infrastructure department. I aspire to work as an investment analyst in the future in a buy-side firm. I am close to completing Bachelors degree(expect a 2:1) in Information Systems at Brunel university. I have already completed the Investment Mgmt certificate, and have struggled to find a graduate job in fund mgmt companies.

I feel a masters in finance from a good university will really help my cause. I want to know how difficult it is to get admission into universities like LSE, Imperial or CASS business School. I also would like to know how to raise funding for masters, as it is very expensive (£20k).

I will highly appreciate any sort of help. I feel, this is the time to apply for these unis, so I am urgently seeking advise.

Kind Regards

Harshil

expect a 2:1, difficult to get scholarship, you need a first for that
you should apply for a loan and take a risk, or if you are rich ask your DAD

from all of the above LSE is the best according from my experience for the CITY and i've been in CASS

No days a Master won't help alot... due to all this job cuts and recession...

My experience if you dont have the money, just get the job and then in the future (5years from now) do an MBA .

or do CFA, investment management jobs and all jobs in IB's are hard to get nowdays because they are very very limited

Unfortunately all the above is realistic information

 

[Kilombo]

"I want to know how difficult it is to get admission into universities like LSE, Imperial or CASS business School"

For all those you'll need at least a 2:1 or a First. Of those, Cass is certainly easier to get into than LSE (not sure about Imperial), and getting a scolarship with a 2:1 is going to prove challenging. I've never heard of Brunel University, not sure if that would have an effect at all or not, but I'd advise you to get your applications in as early as possible.

Raising funds? you could work and do the MSc on a part time basis, that way you could ride out the current storm, and finish your course with some work experience under your belt already, and not have a massive loan to pay at the end of it. It's tough though! (I should know, I'm doing one)

Good luck!

 

[CHRISTO9HER]

You'll need more than a masters to get a job in finance these days!! But if you have to do one, go to LSE, its the best. But without a first you'll pay 22 grand for the pleasure!!

 

[msrxlbp2]

The harsh reality is that you are struggling to find graduate jobs as all the big firms are firing/collapsing! In reality spending money on a Masters will probably not help your cause as you are taking a gamble on the job market recovering when even the most seasoned of Investment Bank employees are having career re-thinks and planning for the worst...

 

[slik]

22K and the rest! living in London is at least 15K for 12 months.

 

[chinabean]

in my humble opinion, you would be better off getting a couple of yrs experience first before then going and doing a masters since I think that then and only then would you be in a position to get into (what I assume you want since you are in a trading forum) which is a trading/market-facing position. The reason why is because so many banks have either drastically cut the amount of hiring of curtailed it completely which obviously means less jobs for (at least) the same amount of people......in economics terms, the point of equilibrium between demand for jobs and supply of jobs has changed due to a supply curve shift! anyway, thinking about it logically, you will be competing with people from Oxford, Cambridge and elite U.S and European Uni's (colleges) that have not only got a first but have it in a subject such as maths, physics etc etc so although you maybe supremely talented, it is unlikely that your credentials will be as appealing as theirs.....crappy situation but that's the nature of the beast. So, if you can get a couple of yrs middle office experience (i would sugguest that more than IT since, many people have moved from MO to FO but not as many from IT), then you may either have impressed enough to move into a FO position (networking is the name of the game!) or failing that, you will have laid the groundwork that would ensure that if you went and did a masters then when you came out, you would have (what employers would consider) relevant experience, plus with a couple of years employment under your belt you will have the funds to finance yourself. (also, if you get a couple of yrs experience under your belt then you open up the possibility of going to LBS which although more expensive, will be seen in a more favourable light than any of the institutions you have mentioned since it is in the top 3 business schools in the world)

Don't don't DON'T do a masters part-time if you want to get onto a grad scheme as (harsh or not) it is widely regarded that people who embark on a full-time course have much more commitment to their career and have shown that by sacrificing a year full-time to study. (hey, it's not me who makes the rules but I have personally heard that from IB recruiters in the past).

I guess the reason why you haven't had much joy from fund mgmt companies is because your experience sounds limited to IT in an IB. So although, you have experience, it is probably not as relevant as someone who has interned for either an IB or FM in the FO or MO. Well done on doing the IMC though since that shows commitment and will be looked upon favourably.

My advice is forget the masters for a couple of yrs, get some really relevant experience (obviously the job market is harsh at the mo but there are people hiring.........just not as much in front office or within investment houses or hedge funds as most have been battered), go and do your masters and then the world will be your oyster..............if the credit crunch hasn't consumed us all!!!

Peace!!

 

[harshil86]

Thanks a lot, that was extremely helpful.

 

[james111h]

Brunel is a good uni , is locos still there lol

 

[harshil86]

Yes its still there! still rocking! Academy is there too