LSE vs HEC Paris MSF (SOME HELP PLEASE!!!!)

Question

Hello guys,

I would like to follow a career in the sector of finance(financial advisory,trader etc I am not quite sure about the path I want to follow).I speak French although I would find it almost impossible to have interviews in French or work in a french-speaking environment.So the only feasible option is a job in UK(or any other English-speaking country...)

Up to now,I have been accepted to the Master in International Finance program at HEC Paris and to the Master in Finance(full-time) program at the LSE starting in Sept 2012.

However, I have great difficulty in picking one of them as I cannot figure out which one has better career prospects especially during these harsh times.

Any relevant information/experience/advice is welcome.

omnikey · Answer

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KULCE · Answer

Hey,

I'm in the exact same situation. I've contacted people from both schools and it's very tough deciding.

BM · Answer

I have to agree with alexgmd. And yes, I'm an HEC alumnus.

KULCE · Answer

Why would you go for LSE? Would be interesting to hear your reasons.

omnikey · Answer

deleted

Anonym · Answer

hi psyc18
i voted for LSE as well, it's my target school and program.

May I ask a few questions, do you have any work experience? Your GMAT and GPA score? 
Any tips for a better chance of acceptance? thanks!

kys123 · Answer

HEC is not well known outside of Europe. I didn't even know about HEC until my gf went their for exchange (North American). LSE on the other hand is recognized around the world. Also Ms Finance is LSE's top/most in demand program, as seen by the tuition. I really don't think there is a better and more recognized MS Finance program in the world. Other than LBS, but that's more of an MBA with a specialization in Finance. A lot different from LSE Ms Finance which is open to everyone.

KULCE · Answer

I've declined my HEC offer two weeks ago in favor of LSE.

Gottesschaf · Answer

You are aware that the MS Finance at LSE is the most expensive program, as they realized that this is the program to leverage the LSE brand name to make money to transfer it to the more important econ department. High tuition is in no way related to a program's quality.

Same for HEC by the way: The program at HEC is at least a flag-ship program, but 20k for 10 months is unnecessarily high for European standards.

kys123 · Answer

The only reason you can leverage the program because it's well recognized. If you couldn't get a decent job and it's not well known then how would you leverage it. Look in Asia (Korea, Japan, China) LSE is extremely well known. I was talking to my client in Singapore and he was so proud that his nephew got into MSc Finance. Also this week I was interviewing at the biggest Accounting firm in China and their head HR didn't even know HEC (told them my gf will be going there for exchange). HEC is well known in Europe and top-tier BB and banks, but other than that, not many people know HEC. If you want a placement in Societe Generale, BNP or other french banks HEC is definitely the best option, since these banks recruit heavily from HEC. You can see on Linkedin, search HEC Paris and Hong Kong. Majority of those people are in French banks or the retail luxury industry. 
But if you look on wallstreet oasis some people didn't even know HEC and that's a pretty huge IB and Finance community (North American and UK based). People are ignorant, if it's not related to them, they're not going to actively research about thing they don't care about. So it's only normal, that people in English speaking country will only know about NA and UK schools. OP wanted English countries, so it's better for an English school.
MSc Econ and other Econ, MSc Finance and some argue Msc Accounting and Finance, MSc. MiM & Strategy are its flagship programs. All of these cost over 20K. It's only reasonable to assume that their flagships have decent quality.
HEC is arguable better than LSE in Europe and it's a great top-tier school, but outside of Europe LSE is a lot better.

Sorry after the wall of text I realize I am not really answering the quality part. I honestly think the "quality" of most of these programs are around the same. Not just LSE and HEC, but every other European MSc Finance, other than LBS, but that's special (designed towards experience professional). You learn around the same type of things in class (DCF, binomial tree, black scholes, fin leverage and timing, etc..), regardless of class size; involvement is pretty much personality base (if you like to talk in class you do, if not you don't) and great profs. Some might be more case base, while others are more project base, but overall difference ain't going to be a huge, since most of the stuff you learn in class isn't super useful at your workplace, You aren't doing due diligence or working on pitch books (assuming ibanking) in class. That's why there are non-finance and accounting ppl in analyst roles for BB (since most skills are learnt hands on).

Gottesschaf · Answer

I had a look into the JP Morgan 1st-year-analyst look book, which summarizes the CVs of all worldwide 1st-years and has an opening statistic to summarize, since I have a friend who works for them. HEC is among the Top 20 recruiting schools worldwide for JP Morgan (Wharton being the clear number 1, other European schools were ESADE, Bocconi, LSE, and St.Gallen, few from WHU, Rotterdam, ESSEC, and OxBridge). So whatever they write on Wallstreetoasis or other Forums - I'd rather believe the official sources.

kys123 · Answer

Okay I come from Hong Kong, so it's pretty much IBank or bust for most people. Since I am a lot younger than my brother, I know a lot of junior managers in ibanks. Lots of banks are country bias. Citi, Merrill Lynch and JP Morgan prefer North American graduates. UBS, BNP prefer European university. Goldman seemed to have the least bias, although most people I know at GS are only analyst (1st and 2nd year), all North American, but that might be due to me being a NA person. So I came from a non-target (it's a target if your Canadian) and lots of friends have landed first year roles in NA BB (GS, MS, JP, C, BOC), but I haven't heard of any who have landed in an European one (UBS, BNP, RBS(second tier)).
One of my friend gave me an general explanation for their ranking system for school and other things. School are ranked by different tiers. Although UPenn is a great school (my target for MBA), all the Ivey, MIT, Stanford (undergrad) fall into the same tier (not sure about Dartmouth though. Seems decent since my friend's gf is working on wall-street). We're competing with the undergrads for since MSc are non-work experience masters and no one hires an associate that has no work experience. Also I think so a post you have that your in HEC, you can look at your corporate parters. Basically these companies will have reserve spots (minimum intake not that many maybe 2-3) for your school.
I think from the school list you gave me seems like your friends from Europe cause not many people know Bocconi, St. Galeno or WHU outside of Europe. Geography plays such a huge role in selection, since you're interviewed by the local offices by the team you're working with (junior - senior, back office - front office). It definitely helps a little to be from the same university as your interviewer because regardless of what most people say, humans prefer individual who are similar and have some share experiences.

I hope you can see it from my POV (NA and HK centric). I am not saying HEC or any European university are bad or are non-targets. If I offended you Gottesscha, even if it's only a tiny bit, then my bad. Water under the bridge man. :lol:

Gottesschaf · Answer

As I said, the list was for  worldwide  recruiting. I mentioned the European names to show which other schools in Europe were visible.

All you said is pretty much common sense. Of course WallStreet will most likely hire North American graduates, London most likely hires European graduates, and so on.

If you want to work in IB, and London is the center for that worldwide, HEC is a target school. And as I can cite from a BB bank, as stated above, HEC is a top 20 recruiting school worldwide. So I am just relativizing what you were writing. If you want to work in Asia or on Wallstreet, I am not doubting that there are better schools for this goal. If you want to work in London I doubt that HEC is behind London in any aspect. Due to the campus and the smaller class size HEC might even have an advantage, because you can talk to fellow class mates to gain extra insights and information.

kys123 · Answer

Okay like I have said HEC is one of the best for placement in Europe, but I don't think it's superior to LSE or Oxbridge. I am just saying to maximize his chance, not just in London (he wanted an English speaking country). It makes more sense to go to LSE, which is more recognize in NA, HK, Singapore. Yes placement in NA and Asia is pretty high for LSE. (Asia top school: Singapore management, HKU HKUST, Tokyo, Wasede (kinda like Manchester), Tsing hua, SH JiaTong, Australia National. LSE has similar if not better placement for analyst role when compare all these school in Asia). Heck for many Asian Country it's better for you to have a foreign degree. No point in limiting yourself in London only if you have a choose in other English speaking countries. Also this kinda has nothing to do with program "quality". The topic is more of a brand/program recognition.

Gottesschaf · Answer

Okay, let's agree that LSE is better for Asia. Reading your posts I won't doubt this.

Coming back to the question of the OP: I have a high opinion of the MIF at HEC and I even think it can outlast the LSE MSc Finance quality-wise. I think the MIF has its ups, as I mentioned the class size and campus atmosphere, etc., that can make it much easier to land a job and to create a strong network.

But in the end, both schools are fine for IB. If I was you, OP, I would visit both, LSE and HEC and make the decision on where I feel more comfortable. I am in the 2-year HEC MSc Management going for the Finance specialization in my 2nd year (same thing as MIF) and I like HEC. But I also agree that HEC has its downs, such as the campus far outside of Paris. Life might therefore be far better at LSE in the center of London.

alexba91 · Answer

how do you rank the msc finance at warwick if compared to hec and lse's programs, regarding recruitment in europe? i'm going to apply for a master in finance next year and i'm highly considering applying to warwick, both masters at hec and lse are 10-month-long, so it would not be accepted in italy as a graduate program, since they don't deal with the bologna process and i'm italian.

jackolam · Answer

I am a Msc Econ student graduating this year at HEC.

Hands down worst school ever.

Only go to this school if you are French and/or planning to work in France. ( you need to speak French well)

There isn't much to be said about their programs because they aren't legitimate degrees.

Would you want to go a school where -

1. A program director can change the credits of a course at will becuase some students needed some extra credits to graduate?
2. Teachers not having PhD's teaching 'graduate level course'
3. Courses which are rehashes of undergraduate courses, adding no substantial depth
4. Career fairs which really suck
5. Teachers not speaking English instructing an English program (WOW)
6. 'Careers training course' is an extra 5 credit non-graded course to fit 90 ECTS teaching you in 30 minutes on 'how to network - ie remember to take down someone's email and name'
7. somebody in HR for a London firm who knows University of IOWA but not HEC.

Tough choice man.

kys123 · Answer

Jackolam... It's pretty much the same for anywhere in Europe. I was visiting the British schools: lse, imperial, lbs... All of them are a little underwhelming when compare to our undergraduate program in NA. It's hard finding a job in the UK even if ur in one of these school, all the admins told me that they're recommending students to look for work in their home country. Out of the 25 MPhil Finance students at Oxford or Cambridge (forgot which one... I think it was Ox) only 6 has secured full time position.

My Gf is working at MNC in Germany(sorry don't want to name which one). She told me how someone from st. Galleon MBA was such a douchebag and dumbass. He was trying to argue French politics with a French person... Whenever the French lady made a good point he would switch topics. People at the British schools aren't that much better.

Look if u came from a decent NA undergrad that's part of a Bschool, most European Masters are not that impressive. You come here for that name on you're resume, the people your going to meet and the networking your gonna gain. Most of the BSchool can't prepare you for your future job anyways. It's all about on the job training (obviously if the school teaches you VBA and macros on excel, stuff like that helps... Theoretic education... Not really).

At the end of the day, it's what we make of our Masters that matters. Go to more networking events, connect with the alumni, research about the treat firms for ur school. See if there is any corporate sponsorship.

Like for HEC, I know for sure all the French banks (BNP and sg) are corporate sponsor. Try to find alumni in ur home country ahead of application periods and see if you can wine and dine them so they would be your reference.

It's really up to the individual and how they leverage their school brand and network.

Cantona · Answer

Weird hate this is. I studied at a US bschool undergrad, and went to HEC for exchange. Just as an exchange student, I had offers and recognition within France immediately for having HEC associated with my name. I honestly think you didn't do your homework properly if this is the experience you had. Most of the people that I met there ended up at top tier firms (Goldman, JP Morgan, MBB, etc). Also, not sure how you go into a French school and get mad about people who don't have english as a first language and so forth...

Anyway, just wanted to comment on this since it did not represent the HEC that I know.

Cheers

-C

LSE vs HEC Paris MSF (SOME HELP PLEASE!!!!)

LSE (Msc in Finance)or HEC Paris(MSc in International Finance)

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