Lse vs lbs

Guys, I have two options to complete my university studies. The first is to study a bachelor’s degree in economics from the London School of Economics only, and the second is to study finance and investment at Coventry University, then I will follow it by studying an MBA from the London Business School.
It is better?

Reply 1

DarkSunIsDead

Original post

by Esam Ali

Option 1: Bachelor’s Degree in Economics from LSE

Pros:
1. Prestigious Institution: LSE is world-renowned for economics, and its name carries significant weight globally.
2. Networking Opportunities: You’ll have access to a highly competitive and talented student body, influential alumni, and top recruiters in finance, consulting, and policy-making.
3. Career Prospects: Graduating from LSE gives you a strong chance of landing roles in investment banking, consulting, asset management, or other highly competitive fields.
4. Direct Path to Career: You can go straight into the job market after completing your degree, with LSE’s brand opening doors to top employers.

Cons:
1. Limited Specialisation in Finance: While economics provides a strong foundation for finance-related careers, it may not be as specialised as a finance-focused degree.
2. High Pressure: LSE has a reputation for being academically intense and competitive, which may not suit everyone.

Option 2: Bachelor’s in Finance & Investment (Coventry) + MBA (LBS)

Pros:
1. Specialisation in Finance: A finance-focused undergraduate degree at Coventry will give you direct exposure to the field from day one.
2. LBS MBA Prestige: The London Business School is one of the most prestigious MBA programs globally. If you secure admission, it can significantly boost your career prospects, especially for senior leadership roles in finance, consulting, or entrepreneurship.
3. Flexibility: The MBA can add a new layer of skill development and networking later in your career, allowing you to pivot or accelerate your progress.
4. Cost & Approachability: Coventry may be more affordable and less academically intense than LSE, giving you time to build experience before pursuing the LBS MBA.

Cons:
1. Coventry’s Reputation: While Coventry University is solid, it does not carry the same level of prestige as LSE, which could make it harder to land competitive jobs directly after graduation.
2. MBA Admission Isn’t Guaranteed: Getting into LBS for an MBA is highly competitive and requires years of strong work experience, exceptional GMAT/GRE scores, and leadership achievements.
3. Longer Timeline: This path takes more time (at least 6-7 years including work experience) to reach its full potential, compared to LSE’s 3-year degree.

In conclusion, to land an MBA at LBS, you need really high grades throughout higher education as they look at a levels and mainly your university degree. You typically need around 4-6 years of work experience from a high quality finance job (like IB, top management roles, or consulting) before you can even think about applying, "5 and a half years of work experience on average" is the average work experience people have before they join LBS's MBA. Moreover if you graduate from coventry, you will likely not get those jobs straight after graduation. However LSE's BSc Economics is a very tough course to get into as LSE has a reputation for being academically intense and competitive, which may not suit everyone. Think about costs as well because a 3 year bachelors from LSE is £28.5K (assuming you are a home student) whereas an MBA from LBS is £120K.

Hope this gives a little insight but both LSE and LBS are very hard unis to get into, even people predicted 4A*s dont get in to LSE.