Big 4 Target Universities.

Hi,

I was wondering if the Big 4 have target universities? Do they get a large share of their graduate trainee's from a number of universities or is it more spread out? They're not Elitist in any way are they?

Cheers xxx

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Reply 1

fblade

They're not elitist, I would say you need to goto a Top 40/50 just in case. The uni's in your sig a completely fine.

Reply 2

ma2k5

Ditto fblade. Just make sure your numerate, literate, and have some knowledge of business and have commercial awareness and the process should be fine.

Reply 3

Redeyejedi

Whilst they aren't elitest top 40/50 is pushing it! Maybe top 30 for Assurance only. With other LoS, CorpFin, Transaction Services, Strategy you'd almost certainly have to come from a top 5-10 university.

I've interned in a London TS group as a first year (got a second year intern offer again if I want it) and the FTs there are almost exclusively Oxbridge, London, Warwick, Nottingham, Manchester and Durham educated. CorpFin is much the same though I have less exposure to these guys. Strat is more oxbridge and London in all honesty...regionals may be slightly less specific.

Reply 4

hermaphrodite

e-lover

how will a degree in politics get you a job in accounting and finance?

Reply 5

Redeyejedi

Degree is irrelevant for Accounting - Accounting and Finance students will only be marginally better prepared for their ACA/ACCA/CIMA etc - everything you need to learn is taught at BPP or another teaching centre.

In fact, having spoken to numerous people in the know at PwC, it would seem that sometimes AccFin people are at a distinct disadvantage because (i.) They think they no it all - which is far from the truth and (ii.) Excemptions from advanced stage exams make their foundations weaker for professional stage examinations...but of course a solid background in accounting would be helpful as long as you continue to work.

Reply 6

e-lover

Thanks guys!

Just another question: Is QM and Aston Uni seen in good light?

Also, do all the big 4 take in graduates in the top 10 uni's for corporate Finance and strategy? or is that limited to PWC?

Reply 7

dancingqueen

I work at a Big 4 in Leeds, and in both assurance and tax, there are very few people from outside Oxbridge, Leeds, Sheffield, Newcastle, Durham, Nottingham and Manchester. Obviously this mix will be different for London offices. A suprising amount of people seem to have a first- around half of all people I would say.

Reply 8

Redeyejedi

All the Big 4 have a Corp Fin and Strat department, albeit occassionally under diffrent marques....its to emphasis "uniqueness of service," when in fact they all offer exactly the same thing.

Reply 9

Wstroud

I was wondering if the Big 4 have target universities? Do they get a large share of their graduate trainee's from a number of universities or is it more spread out? They're not Elitist in any way are they?

In no Particular Order:

Oxford
Cambridge
LSE
UCL
Warwick
Bristol
Nottingham
Birmingham
Leeds
Durham
Kings
CASS
York
Bath
Imperial
St Andrews
Edinburgh
+ A few others.

Reply 10

Tednol

Of my 30-strong intake, the universities that spring to mind are:

Manchester x 4
Imperial
Oxford x 4
Warwick x 2
Bristol
Durham
Nottingham
Loughborough
Cardiff
Birmingham
Reading
Strathclyde
UCL
Leeds
Royal Holloway
Aston

This isn't a complete list, but it's a decent indication based on my experiences.

Reply 11

mypantheon

Tednol

Of my 30-strong intake, the universities that spring to mind are:

Manchester x 4
Imperial
Oxford x 4
Warwick x 2
Bristol
Durham
Nottingham
Loughborough
Cardiff
Birmingham
Reading

This isn't a complete list, but it's a decent indication based on my experiences.

This is depressing. I decided not to go to university and started studying for ACCA right after completing my A levels. I'm relying solely on the ACCA/Oxford Brookes partnership for my graduation degree. Does this mean my chances of securing a training contract with the big4 are slim? Or would my previous academic record make up for it? I'm 17 with the first 7 ACCA papers clear with 2 distinctions and an AAB at a levels.

Reply 12

ma2k5

Most people will be from decent universities - this is because, they have requirements of around 300 ucas points - and if you have those, you are probably going to top 20-30 University. Big4, do still target some uni's - but they do not restrict their intake from them as strongly as they investment banks.

Reply 13

Creole

As long as you have B's in English and Maths at GCSE, and about 300-320 UCAS points, I think it's accepted you'll have a chance from any uni.

Reply 14

Tednol

sim90

Do I stand a good chance with these unis: Royal holloway, York and Manchester?
All finance/management/business-based courses...

Yes of course you do. Did you not see my post in this very thread? As good a chance as anyone, assuming you get a 2.1.

Reply 15

Wstroud

Do I stand a good chance with these unis: Royal holloway, York and Manchester?
All finance/management/business-based courses...

yes - within the big 4, all a target university means is that they are going to visit your uni during the year, after that, there is no university-related discrimination (i'm sure someone will find an exception to this rule, but generally its true) as the academic side of things is mainly done by auto-filter.