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Durham vs Exeter Finance/Accounting

I’m stuck between choosing Durham for accounting and finance or Exeter for BSC finance w/ investment banking pathway. Like the idea of going into IB or any similar roles but don’t know if one is better than the other. Any suggestions? :smile:

(edited 1 year ago)

Reply 1

dcrantove

Wait a year and apply to Oxbridge

Reply 2

monksss

Original post by dcrantove

Wait a year and apply to Oxbridge

I am predicted AAB which could not get me into oxbridge

Reply 3

Seanb123

Original post by monksss

Just wondering I’m due to go onto the Exeter finance course - what are you thinking about it?

Reply 4

monksss

Original post by Seanb123

Just wondering I’m due to go onto the Exeter finance course - what are you thinking about it?

Is it the pathway course with the choice of one of the three pathways? If so i think it is a good course as it’s also CFA affiliated but it really depends on if the university is for you. I’m quite tempted to accept it but just need some final thought

Reply 5

Seanb123

Original post by monksss

Yeh it is, only thing I’m worried about is that finance may be seen as a worse version of economics or less ‘academic’ - but the course and location is good

Reply 6

monksss

Original post by Seanb123

Yeh it is, only thing I’m worried about is that finance may be seen as a worse version of economics or less ‘academic’ - but the course and location is good

I was also worried about that as usually most people have an econ degree when entering finance but actually any related degrees are seen as good. Economics mainly teaches more data/analysis so if you wanted Quant for example then you’d need it but Finance is equally seen as positive. It’s also CFA affiliated with Exeter which will help if you wanted to go into Asset management for example. What pathway did you choose?

Reply 7

artful_lounger

Universities Forum Helper

Original post by monksss

I am predicted AAB which could not get me into oxbridge

Then apply to some random other course at UCL/Warwick/LSE which is AAB. You don't need to do a finance degree to go into investment banking - you could just as well do Viking and Old Norse Studies at UCL, or International Social and Public Policy at LSE, or History of Art at Warwick. Your assertion that "related" degrees are preferred does not match the requirements for the job listings, what the investment banks themselves say, or the backgrounds of existing investment bankers where there are certainly many examples of people without a finance or economics or business related degree,

While there may be a greater proportion of the latter individuals there isn't any evidence this is due to a causal relationship, but more likely that those doing such degrees are already targeting those jobs and so focused on going into that sector from the outset. Whereas someone doing e.g. Classics at Oxford may well be considering many other potential careers before settling on investment banking after doing an internship for example.

Reply 8

monksss

I’ve checked all those unis mentioned before I applied to mine and not one of them had a course that I could find with those grades and without maths a level. I chose the finance course because that’s what interested me the most not because of what i wanted to do in the future but wanted to know if i’d be hindered by choosing such a niche course being Finance w/ investment banking pathway.

Furthermore, it was never an assertion that I believe that these degrees are favoured more but rather the question was whether out of the unis mentioned any of them would be favoured more or if one course would limit me etc. Durham is more prestigious etc but more expensive and further away which is more difficult for me.

(edited 12 months ago)

Reply 9

Madso

Original post by monksss

I’ve checked all those unis mentioned before I applied to mine and not one of them had a course that I could find with those grades and without maths a level. I chose the finance course because that’s what interested me the most not because of what i wanted to do in the future but wanted to know if i’d be hindered by choosing such a niche course being Finance w/ investment banking pathway.
Furthermore, it was never an assertion that I believe that these degrees are favoured more but rather the question was whether out of the unis mentioned any of them would be favoured more or if one course would limit me etc. Durham is more prestigious etc but more expensive and further away which is more difficult for me.

Hey,
Congratulations
I've chosen the same. The pathways seem unique to Exeter and though I had an offer from Durham and Bristol, I opted for Exeter based on overall factors
Hoping there are no surprises on Results day though.
What accommodation are you thinking about?