Big 4 Target Universities.

Depends which 1994Group uni?

Leicester BA Economics

or would a BSc increase my employability.

Leicester BA Economics

or would a BSc increase my employability.

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.

Did you ignore my post?

To be honest that should be fine.

I'm sure PwC rather take a candidate with a 2:1 from Leicester University with a degree in BA Economics provided you have good ECs, and have relevant work experience. Compared to a candidate with just a 2:1 degree from Manchester University.

Work hard and you'll be fine!

I didn't ignore your post. The previous post just shows that students from perticular universities are chosen. Therefore university reputation if not ranking is a factor, especially for the Big 4

You can't come to that conclusion from a list showing a wide range of universities.

The Big 4's application processes have a lot of different stages to them where they can test different competencies so they get to choose who they want based on that. They don't filter out people from entering their early stages on what university they went to.

They filter the student that they have invited for an interview. However to be invited in the first place your university is taken in to account. Looking at the universities listed shows that they are the "top" uni's which are mostly in the first quartile. This is evidence that they look for competent graduates at particular universities because they know, due to years of recruiting, that certain universities produce top graduates.

There isn't just "an interview" in Big 4 recruitment processes, there are usually a couple of interviews which happen in parts of the process.

The first filter is on if you have (or are predicted) a 2:1 and have sufficient UCAS points, usually they want about 300. The reason you see most Big 4 entrants having been to one of the Russell Group or fairly well established unis is because you need to have at least BBB to get past the Big 4 initial filter and most students with those UCAS points will have been to those type of unis.

The next filter will be can you get through their online tests (usually numerical, verbal, logical reasoning and some sort of personality sift).

Those are the filters that a computer will carry out.

Once you're through those then there's usually an initial sift on the competency questions and then you start the main rounds which will often have two interviews in them, first one is usually a telephone interview or an initial face to face interview, and if you're through that it's an assessment centre where they often have another interview eg with a partner as part of the assessment centre. By this stage the "interview" is often quite relaxed, more of a get to know you as a person type thing, most of the assessment has already taken place before you get to that stage.

But when people are looking between universities to say should I go to this or that to improve my chances with the Big 4 they are kidding themselves. One thing that's noticeable on TSR is if you ask the people who have been out of education for a few years and applied for these type of jobs, particularly the ones on here that work for the Big 4, they will tell you that the Big 4 don't discriminate on uni choice. But if you ask 6th formers/uni students people that have have never had a proper job or been through the Big 4 recruitment processes....they will tell you they prefer uni X to uni Y...

I've seen most candidates at interviews from Russell Group universities. I was at a Top4 firm in Manchester and most the candidates were from UoManchester, then others from the likes of Leeds, Sheffield..

Yep. Loads and loads of Manchester, few Sheffield, Leeds, I'm Nottingham so are three others, one Lancaster, couple of Durham, LSE, two Newcastle, Cardiff, Liverpool.

Mostly A+F degrees but also a few each of Business, Maths, Economics and Management.

One each of Physics, English, History (+ a History and Economics), Archaeology, Pscychology and Chemistry off the top of my head.

where was this an which of the big 4?

Thats where I am a bit stuck. I am not very socially active and since having an operation on my arm haven't been doing much. I am trying to start sport again. I do charity work and fundraisers and have had 4 weeks work experience at a small accounting firm.

Compared to others, this is nothing. I was thinking of getting a part time job but thought I would focus on my studies. What can I do to show to improve my EC, whether it be at uni/college/outside?

Thanks

I didn't ignore your post. The previous post just shows that students from perticular universities are chosen. Therefore university reputation if not ranking is a factor, especially for the Big 4

So I guess I'm screwed with BPP then?

If you have the right number of UCAS points and get a 2:1 then you'll pass the filters and they won't care about your uni. All they will care about is your online test scores and then your interview and AC performance.

UCAS points for sure. At the moment finishing off an OU degree so hoping for at least 2:1 or above in that. Not sure whether I will be returning to my medical studies or choosing another path, I'll know around the Spring time. For now I want to keep my options open.

Would you say BPP would be a better option over say University of Coventry (London campus) and Greenwich School of Management (who award University of Plymouth degrees)? I know GSOM/Plymouth grads have had some success in getting posts with KPMG, the Coventry course is new as is BPPs but obviously BPP I've heard of them due to their reputation for LLB and postgraduate business diplomas. I'm also applying for postgrad courses like Masters and MPhil etc so if I get onto one of those I'd rather do that instead (assuming I don't continue with Medicine).