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Bocconi for undergrad?

I'm planning on going into IB.

I've an offer from UCL to do Economics (still waiting for LSE), though I'm probably not going to London because the cost of living + international student fees are astronomical.

I also got an offer to do BSc International Economics & Management (though I might request to switch to Economics & Finance) at Bocconi.

Is it true that you can't really go anywhere if you have just a BSc from Bocconi? As in, it's difficult to break into the big banks in London if you have only an Bocconi undergrad degree? Which is why most stay on and do the Masters in Finance? The MiF, as I've heard, is very reputable in both London and Europe.

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Reply 1
Hi, I'm doing economics & finance here. First of all, don't worry about the programme, recruiters don't discriminate between BIEF and BIEM, contents of the first year are the same, with the difference that at management you'll have higher grades (useful for applications, exchange programmes at prestigious unis, admission to MSc).

Bocconi undergrads get into spring weeks, summers, etc. Going into IB straight after the undergraduate degree is definitely possible and has been done. However, in most cases, IB hires have a Masters here because it gives you more time to get valuable work experience, acquire technical competence for interviews, explore other career opportunities, etc. Furthermore, with an MSc you are sure you'll never have to go back to school, you are actually more qualified (this is taken into consideration more for jobs in Milan than London) and promotions will come naturally. In Italy with a 3 years degree adults and oldies won't even consider you an actual "Dottore", but in the UK they care much less. If you are 100% committed to IB since day 1 and have enough work experience on your CV to apply to SWs and summer internships, then you don't necessarily need a master.

This said, due to (hard) Brexit it's becoming more difficult for non-UK students to get into London. If the City stops being Europe's financial hub for investment banks, as an Italian you will hardly find open positions there. But in that case, it would also lose much of its attractiveness.

Finally, as a rule of thumb, if you want to work in London go to a London uni, you will have more chances. I would be uncertain between UCL and Bocconi, but would definitely go to LSE if I had the chance!
Reply 2
Original post by usualsuspects
Hi, I'm doing economics & finance here. First of all, don't worry about the programme, recruiters don't discriminate between BIEF and BIEM, contents of the first year are the same, with the difference that at management you'll have higher grades (useful for applications, exchange programmes at prestigious unis, admission to MSc).

Bocconi undergrads get into spring weeks, summers, etc. Going into IB straight after the undergraduate degree is definitely possible and has been done. However, in most cases, IB hires have a Masters here because it gives you more time to get valuable work experience, acquire technical competence for interviews, explore other career opportunities, etc. Furthermore, with an MSc you are sure you'll never have to go back to school, you are actually more qualified (this is taken into consideration more for jobs in Milan than London) and promotions will come naturally. In Italy with a 3 years degree adults and oldies won't even consider you an actual "Dottore", but in the UK they care much less. If you are 100% committed to IB since day 1 and have enough work experience on your CV to apply to SWs and summer internships, then you don't necessarily need a master.

This said, due to (hard) Brexit it's becoming more difficult for non-UK students to get into London. If the City stops being Europe's financial hub for investment banks, as an Italian you will hardly find open positions there. But in that case, it would also lose much of its attractiveness.

Finally, as a rule of thumb, if you want to work in London go to a London uni, you will have more chances. I would be uncertain between UCL and Bocconi, but would definitely go to LSE if I had the chance!


I'm not Italian though. I've heard that not being Italian and coming from Bocconi would that lower my chances of finding a job in London - is this true?
Reply 3
Original post by amelienine
I'm not Italian though. I've heard that not being Italian and coming from Bocconi would that lower my chances of finding a job in London - is this true?


No, it isn't. The only advantage of Italian students is that they can fluently speak two main European languages, and this makes them valuable with clients and cross-border deals. It's also always a plus to come from the top uni of your country, but given that you aren't English this shouldn't be a problem because Bocconi is probably the top school in continental Europe.
Reply 4
Original post by usualsuspects
No, it isn't. The only advantage of Italian students is that they can fluently speak two main European languages, and this makes them valuable with clients and cross-border deals. It's also always a plus to come from the top uni of your country, but given that you aren't English this shouldn't be a problem because Bocconi is probably the top school in continental Europe.


Okay thank you for the response. I guess if I live in Milan I'd be able to learn Italian too so that's another plus
Original post by usualsuspects
No, it isn't. The only advantage of Italian students is that they can fluently speak two main European languages, and this makes them valuable with clients and cross-border deals. It's also always a plus to come from the top uni of your country, but given that you aren't English this shouldn't be a problem because Bocconi is probably the top school in continental Europe.


One of the*

Still a lot of other options in the continent.

Posted from TSR Mobile
Reply 6
Original post by Princepieman
One of the*

Still a lot of other options in the continent.

Posted from TSR Mobile


I said "probably". For economics/finance/management, it is probably the top one. Probably top = certainly among top unis.
Reply 7
Original post by usualsuspects
I said "probably". For economics/finance/management, it is probably the top one. Probably top = certainly among top unis.

I heard Bocconi have courses in both English and Italian. What percentage of courses are only in Italian. Any idea of the percentage of non Italian speaking students at Bocconi , does it vary much between Undergrad and Masters.
Reply 8
Original post by amelienine
Okay thank you for the response. I guess if I live in Milan I'd be able to learn Italian too so that's another plus

The article below may help or confuse you further.

"Continental European universities do feature notably Bocconi in Italy, where 5% of the class of 2016 came from but students often came armed with a Masters in Finance qualification.
But Masters in Finance qualifications are far from ubiquitous in Goldman Sachs, Morgan Stanley or J.P. Morgan. Just 15% of the new hires we analysed possessed one"


http://news.efinancialcareers.com/uk-en/218782/the-top-universities-for-the-analyst-class-for-2015-at-goldman-sachs-j-p-morgan-and-morgan-stanley
Original post by usualsuspects
Hi, I'm doing economics & finance here. First of all, don't worry about the programme, recruiters don't discriminate between BIEF and BIEM, contents of the first year are the same, with the difference that at management you'll have higher grades (useful for applications, exchange programmes at prestigious unis, admission to MSc).


Hey I'm curious about this here. Why do the BIEM students get higher grades over the BIEF students?
Reply 10
Original post by endearmints
Hey I'm curious about this here. Why do the BIEM students get higher grades over the BIEF students?


It's considered an easier course, in fact far more people attend it and it's easier to get into biem/cleam than bief/clef. (Cleam and clef are the Italian ones). Consider that grades at Bocconi depend partially on the performance of your classmates.
Reply 11
Original post by dave788
I heard Bocconi have courses in both English and Italian. What percentage of courses are only in Italian. Any idea of the percentage of non Italian speaking students at Bocconi , does it vary much between Undergrad and Masters.

Approximately 50% of the courses are only in Italian. Nearly every course exists both in Italian and English, but every year the number of courses in English increases (3+ this year) and that of Italian courses decreases (1 less). In English courses more than half the class is not Italian.

You should be able to find that information on promotional material from the university, usually they upload online PDF brochures and guides with the complete list of the courses for the new year and the updated percentage of International students. I'd say that non-Italian speaking students are from 15% to 25% of the whole intake, for undergrad. Not sure about masters.
Original post by usualsuspects
It's considered an easier course, in fact far more people attend it and it's easier to get into biem/cleam than bief/clef. (Cleam and clef are the Italian ones). Consider that grades at Bocconi depend partially on the performance of your classmates.


Oh. Does it make alot of difference?

Which course are you in?

Thanks for the reply
Reply 13
Original post by endearmints
Oh. Does it make alot of difference?

Which course are you in?

Thanks for the reply


No, not a lot, especially during the first year, then when BIEM starts really focusing on management and BIEF on finance or economics (you can choose your major) the difference becomes sensible.

I'm at BIEF (economics and finance).
Original post by usualsuspects
No, not a lot, especially during the first year, then when BIEM starts really focusing on management and BIEF on finance or economics (you can choose your major) the difference becomes sensible.

I'm at BIEF (economics and finance).


:O hey!

I'm a prospective BIEF student also. Can i PM you?
Reply 15
Original post by endearmints
:O hey!

I'm a prospective BIEF student also. Can i PM you?


Sure!
Reply 16
Original post by usualsuspects
Hi, I'm doing economics & finance here. First of all, don't worry about the programme, recruiters don't discriminate between BIEF and BIEM, contents of the first year are the same, with the difference that at management you'll have higher grades (useful for applications, exchange programmes at prestigious unis, admission to MSc).

Bocconi undergrads get into spring weeks, summers, etc. Going into IB straight after the undergraduate degree is definitely possible and has been done. However, in most cases, IB hires have a Masters here because it gives you more time to get valuable work experience, acquire technical competence for interviews, explore other career opportunities, etc. Furthermore, with an MSc you are sure you'll never have to go back to school, you are actually more qualified (this is taken into consideration more for jobs in Milan than London) and promotions will come naturally. In Italy with a 3 years degree adults and oldies won't even consider you an actual "Dottore", but in the UK they care much less. If you are 100% committed to IB since day 1 and have enough work experience on your CV to apply to SWs and summer internships, then you don't necessarily need a master.

This said, due to (hard) Brexit it's becoming more difficult for non-UK students to get into London. If the City stops being Europe's financial hub for investment banks, as an Italian you will hardly find open positions there. But in that case, it would also lose much of its attractiveness.

Finally, as a rule of thumb, if you want to work in London go to a London uni, you will have more chances. I would be uncertain between UCL and Bocconi, but would definitely go to LSE if I had the chance!


Hello, is that possible for me to switch into BIEF after my first year of studies in BIEM?
Reply 17
Original post by luca17
Hello, is that possible for me to switch into BIEF after my first year of studies in BIEM?


Yes
Reply 18
Original post by usualsuspects
Yes


Ok, can’t wait to join you in Fall 2018 :smile:
Reply 19
Original post by luca17
Ok, can’t wait to join you in Fall 2018 :smile:


👍. But you’ll need a very high gpa to switch to BIEF, almost 30/30. Anyway, I don’t think you’ll find it convenient eventually, you can always use the higher gpa at biem (it’s slightly easier especially after the first year and a half) to get into a good finance master

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