When you are in your early twenties you believe the future is far ahead that you don’t take the time to stop, reflect and plan. When you finish your undergraduate degree suddenly you see colleagues securing professional placements and opportunities. Quickly you realise you’ve wasted your years at University. I have enjoyed my student life; the friends I have made, the social life I have experienced and the topics I’ve delved into. Yet, I never looked beyond this, never looked towards the professional opportunities and experience. Experiences today I wish I seized. It is at this moment that I say must decide your future.
I never studied at a target University. I never received the relevant experience. But this doesn’t matter for firms. Instead, I bring passion, interest and motivation into the finance sector.
After this quick overlook into my academic life, I’ll give you some advice and recommendations that I’ve received while selecting my MSc.
- If you are studying at a target University, great! You will have no problem securing interviews for privileged positions in national key firms.
- Try to get experience before to studying any MSc. You’ll learn more through practical experience than reading academic books.
- In Spain, I split the Business School into four groups; International TOP, National TOP, National semi-TOP and other.
- If you’re like me, and didn’t receive the opportunity to study at a target University. Attempt to obtain a placement at a prestigious TOP Business school.
- I used my contacts with professionals that have studied at an MSc to gauge where I predictability would be ranking.
- IESE has one of the best MBA’s in Europe, which is like the Intentional TOP, IE or ESADE. IE ranks as the 11th MSc in finance worldwide (FT 2018).
- Both IE and ESADE are great options if you want to secure a job in any large firm in investment banking. However, you will need to pass a hard admission process where they will value your math and analytics skills (the famous GMAT).
- Similar to the National TOP, I would suggest the CUNEF and UC3M as alternatives. Here, you can study at a public University like UC3M and gain great knowledge in the MSc. Meanwhile, UC3M’s are receiving greater popularity in our country for domestic and intentional students.
- The CUNEF, is one of the best options to gain good opportunities in Spain due to the huge network between alumni. They try to compare with IE, ESADE or IESE but, in all honesty, they play in another league.
- The national semi-TOP tier also recognises the ICADE, IEB and AFI. I add ICADE in this group because they have more valuation to undergraduate degrees than MSc. The students who finish their undergraduate degrees here often obtain more opportunities than those who have studied in the MSc.
- The AFI has a greater focus on quantitative finance. The teachers here are more academically trained rather than industry trained.
- Finally, the IEB. While they can have a good teachers, they don’t have a good reputation for firms in IB.
- Otherwise, you can find plenty of MSc in each public autonomic University but to study here is absolutely waste your money and time.
- You should decide if you want to study MSc full-time or part-time. This point is very important because Business School such as the IE, ESADE, CUNEF or UC3M offer a full-time plan. By taking on a full-time workload you will not be able to undertake work part-time as well.
- However, at a business school like IEB which has lessons on the weekend, you will be able to undertake an internship whilst you are studying.
- I have the opinion that is better to do a full-time MSc and dedicate 9 months specifically for the MSc. Study hard and attempt to be the best in the class. Then, you will be a strong contestant in the internship applications for any firm whilst having an excellent GPA.
That’s it. This was a quick round-up note I’ve written after networking and reading through interviews for the MSc. It is to be noted, that this piece is written under my opinion and expertise and expected to be blanked with my thoughts and perceptions.