[prospectivEEconomist]

Hey guys,

I've got an offer from all three for a Masters in Finance (CASS is called Accounting & Finance).

I've got a 7000 pound scholarship from QM which covers 50% of the tuition.

Which one should I go for?

FYI I've done a years off cycle internship at an investment bank in Global Markets, so is it justified spending four times more for the Imperial masters since I already have some work experience?

Would a Masters in Finance from QM with a 50% scholarship look as good as an unfunded costly Imperial masters? The course content looks similar, and QM also has a summer school where practioners teach VBA/C++/modelling/portfolio management/technical analysis/current topics in risk totalling up to 125 hours in contact time.

I'm thinking of going to QM since the course content looks just as good and I don't feel the prestige of Imperial will add any weight to my app as I already have bulge bracket Global Markets experience?

The reason I want to do a masters is I've done this internship outside UK and I want to apply for graduate jobs for September 2013 intake whilst doing something worthwhile for the next year.

[jason9727]

Could you give me your brief background? Coz I am also wondering if to go QM's MSc finance. the syllabus looks just great and tuition is so competitive against any other MSF programme in London or even UK-wide.


This was posted from The Student Room's iPhone/iPad App

[drugs]

honestly, forget the syllabus. pick the most powerful institution. only if you are torn between 2 equally powerful ones, then by all means compare the syllabi.

here is my advice. since you already have a prestigious summer internship you dont need to do a masters degree. i dont see the point. but if you really want to pursue one, pick imperial hands down. cass and qmul are a waste of time and money. the faculty and your classmates at imperial are going to be a billion times more interesting and valuable to you than the equivalents at the other unis. trust me on this. forget about scholarships anyone can get a scholarship. chase the BRAND name. but you are in an interesting position because while you already have the all important internship, you are considering a masters degree. What i propose is, apply to the masters, get the offer, but DEFER it for a year. This will serve as an insurance against not getting the JOB. If you convert your internship or manage to secure a grad scheme elsewhere then drop the masters, you wont need it. If you're not converted, and you have a year to try and secure something else. if by then you still havent found what you're looking for, do the masters - at Imperial LSE UCL Oxbridge or Warwick.

[prospectivEEconomist]

I've done a 12 month off cycle internship, not summer internship outside UK and I've already graduated. I'll be applying for graduate jobs in UK this fall for September 2013 intake, so I need to do something for the next 12 months, and I thought a masters might be the best way to spend that time.

What benefits will the Imperial brand offer over my global markets experience? More than 3/4 of the class is Asian so I won't really benefit much from them since they'll all go back to their home countries.

Also, can anyone really get an scholarship? From all the Finance courses I've looked at Reading and Warwick offer the highest scholarship amount for 10,000 pounds but I want to stay in London so they are out of question and only QM offer an accessible scholarship which reduces the fees to a small amount.

[Emo_Rhino]

(Original post by prospectivEEconomist)
I've done a 12 month off cycle internship, not summer internship outside UK and I've already graduated. I'll be applying for graduate jobs in UK this fall for September 2013 intake, so I need to do something for the next 12 months, and I thought a masters might be the best way to spend that time.

What benefits will the Imperial brand offer over my global markets experience? More than 3/4 of the class is Asian so I won't really benefit much from them since they'll all go back to their home countries.

Also, can anyone really get an scholarship? From all the Finance courses I've looked at Reading and Warwick offer the highest scholarship amount for 10,000 pounds but I want to stay in London so they are out of question and only QM offer an accessible scholarship which reduces the fees to a small amount.

so u r telling me you get to network more at QM then?

Dude, a sch brand name is for life. dun come back and regret when the other job candidate in the interview room with you has one from Imperial.

[lex25288]

Since he is an international student, he probably also pays international tuition fees (e.i. he's from outside the EU). So a scholarship really could help with the finance (no pun intended, he did apply for an MSc in finance after all).
I'll be starting a master's degree (not in Finance) in September and tuition fees are £ 4650 for Home/EU and £15650 for overseas.
I had also considered UCL and Imperial at first but then I realised they were a bit out of my budget, the same course at UCL was £10000 for Home/EU and £ 20000 for overseas and at Imperial it was £7000 for Home/EU and £24000 for overseas.
I know the brand does help in a job interview, but that all comes down to if you can actually afford it!
What I did was go to a top 5-10 uni in my field which could also secure me a decent job once I get my MSc and quite frankly which didn't cost me as much as the other two mentioned above.

This was posted from The Student Room's Android App on my Galaxy Nexus

[drugs]

you all make perfectly valid points. if you'd let me add though, if you're going to do something, do it all the way. usually, you'd be right and a scholarship makes perfect sense, for sure. but in this particular cut throat industry, and in a new kind of world where we are seeing qualification inflation, i don't think its worthwhile to settle for a lesser university if you are good enough to attend the best. its steep, yes, but if you afford it, its worth the investment. if your objective with doing the masters is simply to fill up the time you have productively, then go for the cheapest option. if instead it was to obtain a genuinely top notch education, with an indispensable set of global contacts, in a world class faculty, and of course a lifetime of reverence from those around you, then Imperial College London.

[lex25288]

(Original post by drugs)
you all make perfectly valid points. if you'd let me add though, if you're going to do something, do it all the way. usually, you'd be right and a scholarship makes perfect sense, for sure. but in this particular cut throat industry, and in a new kind of world where we are seeing qualification inflation, i don't think its worthwhile to settle for a lesser university if you are good enough to attend the best. its steep, yes, but if you afford it, its worth the investment. if your objective with doing the masters is simply to fill up the time you have productively, then go for the cheapest option. if instead it was to obtain a genuinely top notch education, with an indispensable set of global contacts, in a world class faculty, and of course a lifetime of reverence from those around you, then Imperial College London.

I couldn't agree more with everything you wrote!
The thing is you have to sort of balance the two, tuition fees and university prestige in the field that is.
London is a great city, honestly I really do mean it. But at the same time we have to face the truth, it's not for everyone especially if you are on a tight budget.
Most internationals tend to forget that London is not the only city in the UK with universities, the UK per se has a long and proud history in higher education.
If you are on a budget, why not just aim for a, shall we say, more affordable city?
Let's take QMUL, it's ranked amongst the Top 25 on both The Guardian (23rd) and The Complete University Guide (24th) in Economics, it's good but it's not a Top 10.
I'll be doing a MSc in Software Engineering starting in October, I chose York because I really liked the syllabus and because it's a Top 10 uni in Computer Science (6th on The Guardian and 10th on The Complete University Guide).
At first, as many other international students, I had also thought of London, but then I did the math and realised it just wasn't gonna happen.
I don't plan on spending the rest of my life in York, in the UK or back in my home country, I am basically open towards anything that can secure me a decent living. My ideal goal would be to relocate to London once I get my degree and can live on my own money, but who knows what could happen in one year's time?

[prospectivEEconomist]

Guys I am a home student, I just happened to do the internship outside UK.

What contacts will I make at Imperial that will help me get a job? Contacts can't get you **** unless they're a senior MD in a bank - I know this because my Directors are struggling to even get me an interview in London.

I am not saying I will be able network better at QM lol. All I am asking is will interviewers give a rats ass where I've studied if I've already got a years experience in Front Office? I have a good 2.1 from a top 10 economics school in UK and have 3 A's at A level.

[jason9727]

Hey guys, how do you think of queen Mary' MSF programme. The syllabus is good, while the director was just the IC business school MSF director. The economic school ranks jointly 6th in UK. I know it cant beat lbs lse IC in any aspects. But it is a good choice when your budget is limited. how do you guys value this programme:

http://www.econ.qmul.ac.uk/postgradu...es/msc-finance


This was posted from The Student Room's iPhone/iPad App

[lex25288]

Whatever you do adds something to your portfolio!
Why would you go to a Top 25 after getting a degree from a top 10?
It would be like going backwards.
Will you commute or will you have to get a place in London? How much would you pay for that same course at the other two?
My advice to you would be not to do the MSc at QMUL.

About the A levels: if you have 1 year work experience, a BSc and an MSc. They are hardly gonna be taken into consideration in a job interview!

This was posted from The Student Room's Android App on my Galaxy Nexus

[M.Freestyler]

Hi There,

From my experience I know many people from QM that did the MSc Finance and other MSc's in Engineering, biochemistry and computing science.

"lex25288" and "drugs" made good points !

All depend on what are your goals in life or let's say your short term plans straight after the MSc if you are thinking to join a family business or start your own business I would go for QM as this last in general has a fair good academic staff, facilities etc... all this at a reduced uni fees.

Although the area is not that great you will survive for one year (perhaps this last will get better following the olympics who knows) I would say there is improvement in general.

If you are aiming at large firms in the city the MSc Finance from QM wont get you anywhere. QM has a poor links with the industries They are trying to improve this however it wont happen at least while you will be doing your postgraduate studies.

This said I am not saying that doing a prestigious university you will end up in the city but certainly as someone said the brand name will help you massively.

Hope this help !

[Whiskey]

IC you can get back what you have paid

[prospectivEEconomist]

Has anyone here actually worked in an investment bank?