Mathematics degree

I am interested in investment banking and looking to apply for a job as an analyst after my degree. I am going to be starting my Maths degree in September and wanted to know if the university I study at will have an impact on employment. The two universities I want to go to are both good but one is better than the other. Do employers only look at the grade achieved at the end of the degree or also the institute at where you study?

Thank you and I hope someone can help me out :smile:

(edited 7 years ago)

Reply 1

gmahapatra

Original post by Melanierobertson

I am interested in investment banking and looking to apply for a job as an analyst after my degree. I am going to be starting my Maths degree in September and wanted to know if the university I study at will have an impact on employment. The two universities I want to go to are both good but when is better than the other. Do employers only look at the grade achieved at the end of the degree or also the institute at where you study?

Thank you and I hope someone can help me out :smile:

They look at both. The biggest factor is whether you get a 2:1 or above. If you don't think you can get a 2:1 from one of the Unis, don't go there. If you are confident that (with work) you'll get it, go to the better one, Ceteris paribus

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Reply 2

LifeIsFine

Original post by Melanierobertson

I am interested in investment banking and looking to apply for a job as an analyst after my degree. I am going to be starting my Maths degree in September and wanted to know if the university I study at will have an impact on employment. The two universities I want to go to are both good but when is better than the other. Do employers only look at the grade achieved at the end of the degree or also the institute at where you study?

Thank you and I hope someone can help me out :smile:

The university you study at is quite important, may I ask what it is?

Reply 3

Melanierobertson

The two universities are Bath and Surrey university. I have an offer to do Maths at Bath this year but ever since I went to the open day at Surrey, I have fallen in love. I have the grades to apply to Surrey and go next year but I don't know if it would be a wise decision. Would it affect employability or are both universities equally good?

Reply 4

Trapz99

Original post by Melanierobertson

Bath would be better for banking.

Reply 5

Kevin De Bruyne

Original post by Melanierobertson

Bath student here :tongue:

so not an employer or an expert in graduate jobs but I'd think that both are looked at, as well as other things that you achieve outside of your studies, experience etc.

I see both unis (I am currently on my placement year) offer placement years which is great, gives you the chance to get a lot of experience nad potentially a job so yeah, either sounds fine to be honest. And if you love Surrey then go for it :tongue:

Reply 6

Melanierobertson

Original post by Trapz99

Bath would be better for banking.

Thanks for the reply. Do you think Maths would be the degree to go for or would accounting and finance be the better option?

Also, what makes you say Bath is better? Is it because they have better contacts with firms or is it because it is a more prestigious university? Surrey and Bath are both 11th in the league tables

Thank you for your help :smile:

Reply 7

Trapz99

Original post by Melanierobertson

The degree subject doesn't matter for banking. The university does matter a bit. Bath is a semi-target for banking afaik but Surrey is a non-target. You can still get into banking with Surrey but it might be harder because banks don't recruit from Surrey as much.

If you like Surrey more then go for it but Bath does send more people into banking.

(edited 7 years ago)

Reply 8

Melanierobertson

Original post by SeanFM

Bath student here :tongue:

Thank you for the reply :smile:

are you studying Maths at Bath may I ask and are you looking to go into a similar field of work?

Reply 9

Melanierobertson

Original post by Trapz99

Thanks for the reply :smile:

which university do you think would be the best to get into banking? Would it be LSE?

Thank you :smile:

Reply 10

Kevin De Bruyne

Original post by Melanierobertson

Thank you for the reply :smile:

are you studying Maths at Bath may I ask and are you looking to go into a similar field of work?

MathSci at Bath :h:

and I suppose so yeah, I'm an analyst at the moment (but not the banking kind...) and I'm hoping to become an actuary but wouldn't mind something like what I am doing in my placement year.

Reply 11

Melanierobertson

Original post by SeanFM

MathSci at Bath :h:

and I suppose so yeah, I'm an analyst at the moment (but not the banking kind...) and I'm hoping to become an actuary but wouldn't mind something like what I am doing in my placement year.

That sounds so cool, I wish you the very best of luck in your placement year :smile:

Would you mind me asking, where are you doing your placement year at the moment?

Thanks a lot for your help

Reply 12

Kevin De Bruyne

Original post by Melanierobertson

That sounds so cool, I wish you the very best of luck in your placement year :smile:

Would you mind me asking, where are you doing your placement year at the moment?

Thanks a lot for your help

Thanks

I have mentioned it by name but I guess with data governance yada yada you see adults going 'I work for a big tech company' or 'one of the big4' etc... so I work in a supermarket's headquarters in London.

Reply 13

AdeptDz

Original post by Melanierobertson

Thanks for the reply :smile:

which university do you think would be the best to get into banking? Would it be LSE?

Thank you :smile:

Oxbridge
LSE, Warwick, Imperial and UCL
And also don't forget to apply for the spring weeks in the first year then summer internship in the 2nd year. It's really hard to get a job in investment banking (front office, I don't know about the others) after graduation.

Reply 14

Melanierobertson

Okay thank you. And the degree I study is irrelevant? So if I did accountancy and finance OR if I did mathematics then it would be looked at exactly the same when applying for a job in banking?

Thank you

Reply 15

AdeptDz

Original post by Melanierobertson

Yes the degree is irrelevant but it would be beneficial if you had a degree in something like finance or economics. Finance will prepare you for the job and economics is the 2nd highest degree in which interns do (finance being first) it also shows an interest. The reason for this is probably because people who do finance and economics are usualy interested in this stuff compared to people who do history for example.
But you do not need a degree in these 2, but if you do not go to a target university then a degree in finance and economics would be advised.
Also if you want to pursue a quant. role like S&T then you should do a degree in finance/economics/maths/physics etc.
Some banks like to recruit people from different subject background so the bank is more diverse but yeah as long as you have good grades, interesting extra-curricular activities (finance society etc.) and leadership and work experience you will have a chance with any degree