Hi all,
Thanks for the great forum. It is a really helpful community and there is a great collection of resources available for everyone.
I'd start by providing a bit of background info - I have been trying to break into the asset management industry (specifically, equities, be it public or private) but have not had much luck with interviews so far, even with boutiques (they are mainly the ones I have tried actually, as it is pretty much a career switch given my profile). I had initially intended to take an MBA, but realised that I can hardly afford 2 years of MBA in a top school, nor do I have any distinguishing leadership experience to qualify, whether now or maybe even in the future, considering my current career path. A Masters in Finance is only one year long and seems like the best option available before I get stuck doing Product Control for the rest of my life.
So, finally, the questions for the collective mind:
One, do you think I am making the right decision to take a postgrad for this purpose? Although it is only a one-year course, it is still a substantial investment and I will be in debt for quite a while.
Second, I was hoping to seek some advice on my chances to admit to a Masters in Finance in the following schools (in descending order of preference):
LBS
Oxford
LSE
Cambridge
Warwick
Vanderbilt
(or any other recommendations?)
Profile:
27 years old
2:1 Honours in Accountancy (GPA of 4.3/5)
2.5 years Big 4 audit experience covering mainly financial services clients
1 year accounting/control experience in a bank
Passed CFA Level 1
South East Asian (I speak both English and Mandarin)
GMAT not taken but I believe I will probably get 700, maybe more.