I am an international student from Singapore and would like to seek some advice from the more experienced members here as despite doing hours of extensive research/read-up, I still cannot derive a solution to my dilemma.
I am very interested to study in the UK, in a degree course that would be a top choice for Investment banking, preferably at the bulge bracket level as well.
In my 2014 UCAS, I applied to BSC Economics to both LSE and UCL and was accepted to both. I picked UCL as my firm choice and was feeling pretty happy with that choice (After all UCL is ranked 5th this year- but yes I do concur ranking tables are highly subjective). However, of late, I’m feeling uneasy as many of my friends tell me that LSE is way better. How true is that? Does LSE open more doors specifically in the finance/IB industry? What if I manage a first from UCL? Lastly, how about prestige? My research tells me that UCL, LSE, OXBRIDGE, IMPERIAL and maybe Warwick are target schools in the UK for investment banking.
I do not know now if I should re-apply to LSE as that would mean that I have to give up my UCL placing, and both LSE and UCL might view me negatively in this cycle. My A levels are 4H2 A, 2H1 A, GCE 8A1s, SAT I 2250, SAT II 2400.
Yes I would say LSE is better, but in my opinion, it is not that much better than UCL to justify dropping UCL and re-applying to LSE. You are correct, both would view them unfavorably.
It is not “way better”. You made your choice, it is a sound choice, and re-doing it will be more negative than doing it & doing well. Getting good internships during your breaks will matter more for getting into a good IB.
But tbh I am really over prestige hounds looking to fulfill a meaningful lifelong passion to make a lot of money. So, I am going to vote for dumping UCL and re-applying to LSE.
Also, with regards to pursuing a Master’s in the future, is it right to say that UCL will stand me in better stead when applying to US Schools (Wharton, NYU etc. ) as compared to a degree from NUS? (National University of Singapore)?
No for #7. None will intrinsically be better for graduate due to ranking.
Us schools will primarily look at personal achievement, including grades and research.
Do you want to find a job with a North American company, an Asian company, a European company? Where do you want to go to grad school if relevant?
Reputations are different depending on where you ask.
Sorry for the late reply, would like to go to the Ivies/Uchicago/Oxbridge for grad school and I feel coming from a UK university would give an edge over NUS/SMU when it comes to applying for Oxbridge especially
With these schools, the individual matters far more than the school.
Basically, once you get in to a target school, what you study, how you do, and what you bring to the table matters more. Which of these schools you go to almost doesn’t matter.
