Where to study Masters

Hey guys

So I have finished my degree this summer and by some luck I have managed to achieve a first class honours in BA Economics and Finance (dual honours) from Keele and I am looking at some masters programmes for the 2015 start. Just for information my educational background is:

Degree: BA Economics and Finance from Keele University - First Class
A-Levels: Accounting (A), Business Studies (A), Economics (B), Maths (B)
GCSEs: 7A* (including Science and Maths) 4A (including English), 2B, 1C

I was looking at the following masters programmes:
Oxford - Msc Financial Economics
Cambridge - Mphil Finance
LSE - Msc Finance or Msc Finance and Economics
Imperial - Msc Finance
UCL - Msc Financial Risk Management
Warwick - Msc Finance

My aim is to get into Investment Banking in a front office role, maybe as a trader or go into wealth management or hedge fund management however I lack the proper experience. The only experience I have is a rotational internship at KPMG where I worked with Audit, Corporate Finance and Transaction Services and Consulting.

My question is are my uni choices realistic or am I aiming too high where I don't have much of a chance of getting an offer from any of these Universities and should I lower my sights to other redbrick Universities like Manchester, Birmingham or Nottingham?

Any insight would be great
Thanks

(edited 9 years ago)

bump

Your A levels won't matter.

Some of those programs are more competitive than others. How strong was your first? The Cambridge MPhil Finance is incredibly competitive - most people accepted have come at or near the top of their undergrad classes. No harm applying to those unis, a first is a good start and you will need good references too, but you may want a backup "safety school" to apply to as well.

Reply 3

i have no name

Original post by sj27

In my year only 6 people got a first. My first was not a borderline first it was quite strong but it was not one of the top ones. Besides Cambridge do I have a good chance at places like Warwick and LSE? I am thinking of applying to Nottingham, Henley Business School or Cass as a Back-up

Reply 4

poohat

Your A Level math grade isnt very good, did you take (and get high grades in) a lot of math classes during your undergrad degree to compensate? If I see a straight Economics degree on someone's CV then I know they will have done a lot a math, but a lot of these "Economics and X" (where X is 'accounting',' 'finance', 'business', etc) degrees tend to be very light on mathematics and may not have covered basic stuff like linear algebra, calculus, econometrics, etc.

(edited 9 years ago)

Reply 5

sj27

Original post by i have no name

LSE is also quite competitive but I would think you stand a chance.
Try ensure that at least one of your referees mentions how few people in your year got firsts.

Original post by poohat

Although that doesn't necessarily matter for an MSc Finance, it does raise a good point. You don't need a lot of maths fir LSE msc Fin for example, whereas the Cam one and Ox MFE are more quants heavy.

Reply 6

i have no name

Original post by poohat

Yes I took a lot of maths modules which included econometrics, portfolio choice, corporate finance, options and futures,asset price etc and had high firsts in all of them. My highest marks 77 and 79 were in corporate finance and options and futures respectively

Reply 7

i have no name

Original post by sj27

LSE is also quite competitive but I would think you stand a chance.
Try ensure that at least one of your referees mentions how few people in your year got firsts.

Although that doesn't necessarily matter for an MSc Finance, it does raise a good point. You don't need a lot of maths fir LSE msc Fin for example, whereas the Cam one and Ox MFE are more quants heavy.

Yes I understand that but maths has always been my strongpoint and the quants modules are the reason I managed to get a first

Reply 8

kittyb99

Come to Oxford – we have cookies!

Reply 9

sj27

Original post by kittyb99

Come to Oxford – we have cookies!

I do know someone who did the MFE there a few years ago - loved it.

Reply 10

i have no name

Original post by kittyb99

Come to Oxford – we have cookies!

Hahahah that's the dream
Choice! Plus you got cookies :wink:

Reply 11

i have no name

Original post by sj27

I do know someone who did the MFE there a few years ago - loved it.

Ooo do you know what their undergrad was in? And what degree classification they had?

Reply 12

sj27

Original post by i have no name

Ooo do you know what their undergrad was in? And what degree classification they had?

Economics, first class.

Reply 13

beautifulbigmacs

You can apply to as many masters courses as you like and once you've got a strong personal statement it's not too much to adjust them to make reference to each specific course.

Dude you've got a first! If you wanna go somewhere then get applying :smile: