Spring Weeks 2012 Thread

Yeah, me. As Ray_Han pointed out, I do Law and got a GS Spring Week.

Hey, do you have a link for the BAML and Credit Suisse scheme, since I've looked eveywhere. Would be appreciated!

They all finished the recruitment process for this round some time ago I think.

Thinking ahead to next year, is it possible to get a spring week with a PPE degree from somewhere like Warwick? Or am I wasting my time?

I am asking more because of the degree rather than the university.

Probably best of posting in http://www.thestudentroom.co.uk/showthread.php?t=716188&page=421 since this thread seems dead to the ground.

I'm no expert as you will know, but don't really see any problems with your course. The Economics aspect will allay any fears over your quantative skills for M&A and S&T if that's the role you're looking at. For IBD, no problems at all.

Cheers, would +rep but it says I have rated you already in the recent past.

Thinking ahead to next year, is it possible to get a spring week with a PPE degree from somewhere like Warwick? Or am I wasting my time?

I am asking more because of the degree rather than the university.

Thinking ahead to next year, is it possible to get a spring week with a PPE degree from somewhere like Warwick? Or am I wasting my time?

I am asking more because of the degree rather than the university.

Any degree (provided it isn't the crap like media studies or film studies) can get you into banking. Forget your degree, PPE is as good as maths which is as good as english literature which is as good as economics. It really doesn't matter. You get far more economists and mathematicians applying for banking, hence you get more in banking. You get less applying from history, english etc therefore there are less in banking. It doesn't mean you can deduce that economics and maths are favoured degrees. I'm telling you now that it doesn't matter one bit; yes the banks want quantitative people, they also want economists, but then they also want people with other skills as well. Make sure you have some sort of experience if possible, decent extra-curriculars and good A levels (a given if you got PPE at Warwick i expect) and then write decent cover letters and competency questions. When writing these, talk about why you want to be in banking as opposed to why PPE shouldn't hold you back; forget you study PPE and just write about why you want to be in banking etc (i've seen people write about the former, and it doesn't work at all).

Same goes for Tsunami asking about law degrees.

Also, to add. You don't need to have a maths degree to cope with the quant level of IB. If you're in IBD, DCM, ECM, less quant areas of trading, sales, research and mostly the whole MO and BO etc, then you don't need to be amazing at maths. Yes, you should maybe have achieved an A in maths A level if you took it (or at least a B) for the FO, but you don't need to be able to write algorithms in your sleep. If you want to go into structuring, some highly quant trading area, or be a quant, then forget it with a law degree, but these make up a small area of the bank in relation to the former divisions. Basically, don't let your degree think that you won't be able to cope with the level of maths.

Is this role possible with a respected BSc Economics degree?

x

x

How come you lawyers aren't attracted towards the Magic Circle? (if you dont mind me asking)

Any degree (provided it isn't the crap like media studies or film studies) can get you into banking. Forget your degree, PPE is as good as maths which is as good as english literature which is as good as economics. It really doesn't matter. You get far more economists and mathematicians applying for banking, hence you get more in banking. You get less applying from history, english etc therefore there are less in banking. It doesn't mean you can deduce that economics and maths are favoured degrees. I'm telling you now that it doesn't matter one bit; yes the banks want quantitative people, they also want economists, but then they also want people with other skills as well. Make sure you have some sort of experience if possible, decent extra-curriculars and good A levels (a given if you got PPE at Warwick i expect) and then write decent cover letters and competency questions. When writing these, talk about why you want to be in banking as opposed to why PPE shouldn't hold you back; forget you study PPE and just write about why you want to be in banking etc (i've seen people write about the former, and it doesn't work at all).

Same goes for Tsunami asking about law degrees.

Also, to add. You don't need to have a maths degree to cope with the quant level of IB. If you're in IBD, DCM, ECM, less quant areas of trading, sales, research and mostly the whole MO and BO etc, then you don't need to be amazing at maths. Yes, you should maybe have achieved an A in maths A level if you took it (or at least a B) for the FO, but you don't need to be able to write algorithms in your sleep. If you want to go into structuring, some highly quant trading area, or be a quant, then forget it with a law degree, but these make up a small area of the bank in relation to the former divisions. Basically, don't let your degree think that you won't be able to cope with the level of maths.

Is this role possible with a respected BSc Economics degree?

How come you lawyers aren't attracted towards the Magic Circle? (if you dont mind me asking)

When you talk about work experience, is that of any kind? I've worked with a MP as a constituency intern for 4 months and had a month internship as a campaigns intern. The only other experience I do have is a week long work experience with a medium sized Chartered Accountants back in year 11. All of these have nothing to do with Investment banking though.

I doubt I can get anything in banking from now until when I start studying mind. I don't even know the first place to look as most places I have seen expect you to be a 1st year undergrad and although I have an unconditional for PPE at Warwick and have free time, I doubt I can get anywhere near these firms. I've got loads of free time, apart from self-teaching myself the A2 side of Further Maths for the summer, I have nothing to do.

Firstly, accounting has a lot to do with investment banking; it's the basis of finance and you'll need to know a fair amount of accounting to work in most areas of the bank. So it is very related and you definitely would be wanting to put that on your CV. If it was year 11, and you're first year when you apply for spring weeks (presuming no masters course and no gap year) it would be 3 years old by the time you apply. I would still put it on your CV even if it's 3 years ago; however, is there any way you can go back for a few weeks now? That would be very good experience for you to have. If you want to go into IBD then even better; and even better again if they have a corporate finance division for you to go into for a while. If not, then audit or tax would be great for you to have on your CV.

When i referred to work experience i was mainly meaning finance experience/any business experience. Most people who apply for spring weeks have little to no work experience, so having some sets you apart to start with. Your MP internship sounds good so i would include it. Not sure what your campaigns internship is all about etc, but if you make it look good then you can include it. Even working in Tesco is good for your CV, it shows skills etc and that's what you're basically trying to do through experience and extra-curriculars.

You don't need anything specifically in banking at this point; it's a plus, but by no means do you need any experience. Make sure you have some decent extra-curriculars and join finance societies etc when you get to university etc and you'll be on the same level as everyone else pretty much. If you can get some more experience with that accounting firm, then that would be a massive plus though.