The truth about Top 5/10 unis etc

You don't need to be Oxbridge/LSE at postgrad or undergrad. Go to the right places and if you're good, hey presto, you'll get found.

If you aren't, well, life goes on.

Just because you are an ambitious perfectionist doesn't mean it will all swing that way for you. Life is not perfect.

So, im right in thinking having oxbridge/lse on your application masters or undergrad can increase career prospectives. I dont think i explained my question very well. You see, I will be applying to the likes of Cambridge, LSE, Imperial, UCl and Warwick, and obviously, I assume that Cambridge and LSE would give me the greatest advantage when applying to IB. The other places I am applying are all strong unis, but the problem is im an ambitious perfectionist, and if i didnt get into LSE or Cambridge for undergrad, I would most certainly apply there for masters. So, my undergrad degree will be strong (or ill take a gap year and reapply), so would a strong undergrad matched with a cambridge/lse masters give me an adavantage? Some people have actually recommended against this because 'banks want young minds', but what difference would a year or two make?

thanks

Are you sure of this?
I am not a UK citizen(yet) and that is why i ask.
Many british students I have talked to say that a masters degree is quite useless or atleaast not worth the money. They say masters degrees are only good if you want to get into research or teaching etc and to mee this seems logical. They also say that emplyers know that it is a waste of money and that they prefer proper work experience rather than a masters degree.

But like you say a masters degree from a brand name school sucha as LSE should be able to give an extra edge to an application.

it's a tough question

I will be graduating with 21 with 2 undergrad, 2 masters(from France) and an Msc from lse.

Octavius is spot on saying that in the rest of Europe postgrads are almost a must and ppl only start working around 23 or older. Just saying this so that ppl know that a Masters is certainly not a necessity in the UK (unless, as has been said, it brings real added value to your curriculum, ie. if it's from a G5 uni and moreso if you have only an average undergraduate degree), but if you're planning on working elsewhere someday, it'll help you. Also, Octavius mentioned interest and I think hat's a good point because studying is also about knowledge and culture to me and a degree in a subject you like can be as good as rushing off to work. Finally, it can open entirely new career prospects for you if your postgrad is different from your undergrad - specialising from Economics to Finance, let's say, or moving on from Econs to Management.

Thanks for clarifying Johan. Sorry if I wasn't very clear, it was quite late when I typed that...

Oh and nice avatar

Are you sure of this?
I am not a UK citizen(yet) and that is why i ask.
Many british students I have talked to say that a masters degree is quite useless or atleaast not worth the money. They say masters degrees are only good if you want to get into research or teaching etc and to mee this seems logical. They also say that emplyers know that it is a waste of money and that they prefer proper work experience rather than a masters degree.

But like you say a masters degree from a brand name school sucha as LSE should be able to give an extra edge to an application.

it's a tough question

I will be graduating with 21 with 2 undergrad, 2 masters(from France) and an Msc from lse.

Man, believe me, I feel way more stupid when I look at your site and see all the stuff you made.

lol, Me too.
How is getting 2 an undergad, 2 masters from France and a Msc from LSE possible by 21?

There's a guy from my school who finished his masters at LSE by 20. Then again, he had one undergrad and one masters. I think that second undergrad, we're going to find is a joint honours situation with the two masters being built into it. Or something.

9 years of standard education time being done by someone at the age of 21, when normally it would be done by 27, I find a little too hard to swallow. I think I read that John Redwood had managed his first PhD by 21. Which is already seriously hot stuff.

Maybe we're in the presence of a total genius. Noreena Hertz finished UCL Economics at 19 and is a pretty clearcut genius too.

I don't need to live on the streets to know that living in a house is more comfortable. I don't need to walk barefoot in broken glass to know it'll be more painful than walking wearing shoes. There's no doubt I'm happier with this career choice than being a PhD student with barely any saveable income to enjoy the finer things in life that I currently can.