Nice, i put CASS for IRFM as my insurance but i rejected them because i don't quite feel like i'm ready to live in london yet. (high costs, dangerous compared to where i live and apparently the social aspect isn't that good which i don't particularly like since i heard big 4 like well rounded people who get involved in societies and such) anyway, i have decided to go to southampton to study economics and might switch to accounting and economics.

Reply 7

ThatAuditGuy

Original post by Sun_Bear

Nice, i put CASS for IRFM as my insurance but i rejected them because i don't quite feel like i'm ready to live in london yet. (high costs, dangerous compared to where i live and apparently the social aspect isn't that good which i don't particularly like since i heard big 4 like well rounded people who get involved in societies and such) anyway, i have decided to go to southampton to study economics and might switch to accounting and economics.

I think you made a mistake, IFRM is increasingly becoming a course that top employers like.

edit: The use of the word mistake is a little wrong, not a mistake because Southampton is a great uni, just think your reasoning for rejecting CASS were a little off from my experience.

(edited 9 years ago)

Reply 8

gr8wizard10

21

All seem like decent universities to get into Big 4.

Personally I firmed Cass IFRM and insured Loughborough. Fortunately I made the grades for Cass.

Reply 9

butterflyy

Original post by snakesnake

You'll meet someone from pretty much every university at the Big Four. Really not that big of a deal which uni you go to as long as its half decent.

Would an A&F degree from Reading be okay?

Reply 10

godd

Are you at an advantage if you apply to a Big 4 with a masters?

Reply 11

snakesnake

10

Original post by godd

Are you at an advantage if you apply to a Big 4 with a masters?

Nope. A masters if you want to work in accounting or finance is a waste of time and money. Professional qualifications such as the ACA or CFA are miles better.
There are very few people who I've met at the Big Four who have a masters.

Original post by butterflyy

Would an A&F degree from Reading be okay?

Yes it would be ok.

Reply 12

godd

Original post by snakesnake

Nope. A masters if you want to work in accounting or finance is a waste of time and money. Professional qualifications such as the ACA or CFA are miles better.
There are very few people who I've met at the Big Four who have a masters.

But wouldn't your application at least stand out compared to the drones of 2:1 applications they get.

Plus a masters in finance gives you a lot of CFA knowledge, so when you come to the CFA, it's a lot easier.

Reply 13

snakesnake

10

Original post by godd

But wouldn't your application at least stand out compared to the drones of 2:1 applications they get.

Plus a masters in finance gives you a lot of CFA knowledge, so when you come to the CFA, it's a lot easier.

One might think so but no, it adds nothing to you from the employer's viewpoint. They don't really care what degree you did. They just want you to have a degree with a 2:1 and that's it. From there on you'll be trained by the firm.

An undergrad in finance already covers a lot of the CFA stuff (I'm doing it now and did a finance undergrad- can vouch) and the ACA you'll do at a Big Four will reinforce it. Plus many people do the CFA with no finance background whatsoever so no, a masters is pointless.

Reply 14

godd

Original post by snakesnake

One might think so but no, it adds nothing to you from the employer's viewpoint. They don't really care what degree you did. They just want you to have a degree with a 2:1 and that's it. From there on you'll be trained by the firm.

An undergrad in finance already covers a lot of the CFA stuff (I'm doing it now and did a finance undergrad- can vouch) and the ACA you'll do at a Big Four will reinforce it. Plus many people do the CFA with no finance background whatsoever so no, a masters is pointless.

So how do applications stand out?

It must be somewhat of a factor. If you had identical candidates but one had a 2:1 undergrad and the other had a 2:1 undergrad plus a masters in finane, surely you would go for the second candidate.

Reply 15

Bill_Gates

21

Original post by godd

Are you at an advantage if you apply to a Big 4 with a masters?

I know people who failed to get into top with their undergraduate took on masters and got accepted straight away (London) studied at Warwick & LSE.

It does make you stand out tbh.

Reply 16

godd

It is unfair on the other 2:1 guys to get ruffled out by a masters guy, but I guess that's the gain of spending another year at university.

Maybe the big 4 should post an upper ceiling? Cos then a phd guy could outdo the undergrad and masters candidate.

Reply 17

snakesnake

10

Original post by godd

So how do applications stand out?

It must be somewhat of a factor. If you had identical candidates but one had a 2:1 undergrad and the other had a 2:1 undergrad plus a masters in finane, surely you would go for the second candidate.

If everything else was equal, then perhaps. But your degree is just one small part of the application process. There's still the interviews, all that competency/extra curricular stuff and so forth.

Don't go away thinking that a masters will somehow get you a job significantly more so than a straight up undergraduate degree because it really doesn't. I work at a Big Four right now, there are very few people who I know who did a masters because they know just as well as I do that it doesn't really give you anything and pales in comparison to the power of a professional qualification on your CV.

Reply 18

El Salvador

21

You don't need to go to a university for Big Four.

Reply 19

El Salvador

21

Original post by godd

It is unfair on the other 2:1 guys to get ruffled out by a masters guy, but I guess that's the gain of spending another year at university.

Maybe the big 4 should post an upper ceiling? Cos then a phd guy could outdo the undergrad and masters candidate.

Why is it unfair if people are looking into the academics at all?

Then how is it fair that the 2:1 guys are killing off the chances of the 3 guys?

big 4 and these universities

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